Chereads / bound of joy / Chapter 3 - chapter 3

Chapter 3 - chapter 3

I never imagined that quitting my job as a receptionist at a publishing house would lead me here. Back then, I overheard some colleagues talking about a new streaming platform where people could make a living just by posting videos. At first, I didn't take it seriously, but curiosity got the best of me. I started uploading small clips—just everyday moments with my twins, Liam and Liliana. The videos didn't gain much traction at first, but slowly, as I kept sharing glimpses of our lives, my follower count grew.

Before I knew it, I was making money from my content. It started as just a little extra cash, but as my audience expanded, so did my earnings. Soon, I was able to quit my job, focusing solely on streaming and taking care of my children. Life was finally stable, and I had more time for my little ones.

Now, my days were a whirlwind of parenting and content creation. Mornings were always chaotic—getting the twins ready for school was nothing short of a battlefield.

"Liam, grab your bags! It's time to go to school!" I called out, trying to remain patient despite the growing frustration.

"Liliana! Liliana, hurry up!" I yelled again, exasperated.

These kids were a handful, especially in the mornings. They always had a way of making things more dramatic than necessary. Moments later, the two of them came rushing out of their rooms, their tiny feet pattering against the wooden floor. Both were dressed in their school uniforms, looking as adorable as ever.

I sighed in relief. "Finally! You're both ready."

Picking them up in each arm, I grinned. "Come on, let's go! You'll be late if we don't leave now."

As we stepped outside, I quickly set up my streaming equipment. The audience loved watching my kids, and since today was their first day of school, I knew they'd be excited to see this milestone.

Turning on the camera, I smiled at the screen. "Hello, guys! Today, I'm taking these two to school. It's their first day! They're finally five, which means they're officially school kids now!"

Liam and Liliana beamed at the camera and, in perfect synchronization, said, "Hi!" Their voices were filled with excitement, and the cuteness was almost overwhelming.

As expected, the comments section exploded:

[SunflowerQueen]: Omg, they're so cute!! I feel like a proud auntie!

[Mia_Luv]: I remember when they were babies! Time flies so fast. Liliana looks just like you!

[KawaiiBunBun]: Liam's little wave melted my heart! 🥺💖

[User2389]: Big kids now! Mom, are you gonna cry? 😂

I laughed at that last comment. "No way! I mean… maybe a little," I admitted.

Then, a comment caught my eye:

[CuriousCat]: Where's their dad? We never see him.

For a brief moment, my smile faltered, but I quickly recovered. As always, I kept my response vague. "Oh, their father has some things to take care of. He's not really a fan of streaming." I laughed lightly and changed the subject before swiftly ending the live stream.

I exhaled deeply. I wasn't ready to talk about that. Not yet.

The Other Side of My Business

After dropping the twins off at school, I returned home and got to work. Besides streaming, I had another small side hustle—baking. It started as a fun activity to do with the kids, but when I shared my baked goods on my channel, my followers showed overwhelming interest. Before long, I was taking orders.

My pastries had become a hot commodity. In fact, I started a weekly bidding war where viewers could place bids to buy limited batches of my treats. It was entertaining for them, and profitable for me.

Today's order list was long. I had a mix of custom cakes, cupcakes, and my signature cinnamon rolls to deliver. After carefully packaging everything, I checked the addresses. One was relatively close, so I decided to deliver it myself.

Grabbing my helmet, I hopped onto my bike, securing the box of pastries in a basket at the back.

"Let's get these babies delivered," I murmured, adjusting my grip on the handles before taking off.

As I rode through the familiar streets, I thought about how far I'd come. Life wasn't perfect, but I was making it work. I had built a career from scratch, created a stable life for my kids, and had the freedom to spend more time with them.

But deep down, I knew there were still things I needed to face. The truth about their father… and the past I had been running from.

For now, though, I pushed those thoughts aside. Right now, my focus was on delivering these pastries and making sure my babies were happy. Everything else could wait.