Chase opened the door and found his mother standing there, holding the hands of two identical twin girls. The toddlers had golden blonde hair, light brown skin slightly lighter than Chase's, and ocean-blue eyes flecked with rose gold. One of them wore an indifferent expression, while the other clung to Aphrodite's hand, visibly nervous.
Chase knelt down to their level, surprising Aphrodite. He whispered gently, "We'll be together for quite a while. I'm Chase, your older brother." He offered them a warm, genuine smile.
Aphrodite, taken aback, stammered, "You'll… take care of them?"
Without looking up, Chase replied firmly, "I'm guessing there's a reason they're here. And besides, I'm not going to abandon two toddlers. What kind of monster would I be if I did that?"
Aphrodite's eyes welled with tears. "Thank you," she said softly.
