I sigh when I hear my twins at it again. They are just five, and yet they fight like they are wrestlers. They are supposed to be going to their kindergarten class already, but they are fighting over cereal. Twins are not for the weak.
I go over to them and settle their dispute. I drop them at school and give them a kiss on their cheek. I grin when they kiss my cheeks back, and I watch them go in. I drive to work, and smile at some of my coworkers.
Three months after giving birth, I got a job. It seemed like maybe I was no longer blacklisted, or my employers just didn't care. I worked as Lucien's personal assistant in the past, but now I don't. I am the assistant marketing director. I was surprised I got the opportunity, but grateful, nonetheless. I go straight to my table, and time goes by with nothing eventful or so I thought.
During lunch break, I hear Lisa, one of my coworkers say, "There are rumors that we might collaborate with a very big company. From what I heard, the company is very big, and they plan on expanding their business here, and want to collaborate with us. At that, my eyebrows go up. Lisa might be a gossip, but she never spreads false information. All her stories are true. I turn to her, and ask, "Do you know the company's name?" She shakes head. "What I do know is that the company has over five branches, and has three in New Jersey, and now they want to have one in Connecticut." At that, my heart beats faster. It can't be, I think to myself.
She looks at me weirdly, and I nod. If what she is saying is true, unless it is confirmed, then a lot of us don't have an idea yet. I hope it is not who I think it is. I take deep breaths and assure myself that it can't be him.
Hopefully.
I go back to work, and I am called by the marketing director. I feel a little uneasy, and she says, "Calm down, Genevive. I just want to tell you about our new business venture."
That perks my interest, and I wait for her to continue. "We have been in talks with a few companies concerning collaborations with making our new phone, and just now, we found the right match."
I nod having a sense of dread. "It has been confirmed?"
She nods happily. "We will be collaborating with them. They are quite bigger than us, and they want to have a company here. Statistically, they are the best fiit."
"What company is this?"
"It is Blackwell Tech," she says happily. At that, my heart drops. Oh no, I think to myself. He will see me and make them fire me. I notice the look of confusion on her face, and she asks, "You worked there, right?" I nod, and she smiles, "That is a plus on our side. Since you worked there, it might be easier for you to work with them."
Indeed.
If only she knew. It can never be easier. I nod, and she keeps on gushing about how excited she is, and we both discuss how marketing will go for this product. By the time we are done with the meeting, it takes everything within me, not to scream. The last thing I wanted was to see him again. Maybe, I won't see him.
He never went to all his meetings himself. It was Lola, my marketing director, that made me get the job. She single handedly trained me, and made me become so good at what I do. The last thing I need is ghost from the past who will make things bad for me when I have been happy. I don't know if the reason I got the job was because I was no longer blacklisted, and frankly, I don't want to know. The fact that Lola informed me about this means it is happening.
I have to stop myself from screaming. I look at the pictures of my babies and wince. They had been asking me about their daddy, and I had told them he travelled to save the world. They are too young to understand what went on between their father and I. If anything, I am dreading Lucien finding out because he might take my kids from me. All he has to do is just take me to court, and it will be finalized. I mean, he has more money, he is well known, and he can easily bring up the case that I 'stole' from the company.
I try to take deep breaths when I realize I am having a panic attack. It has been a while since I last had one. When I finally calm down, I try to console myself saying that maybe Lucien will not head this project, and if he does, he must never find out about the kids. If he finds out I have kids, I will not tell him they are his. Afterall, in five years, I could've easily gotten married and had kids.