CHAPTER 180: DEJA VU

–Livana–

After the nurses dressed the twins, Damien was grinning from ear to ear. They were supposed to be placed in separate bassinets, but there was one designed specifically for twins—and the nurse gently laid them together.

I kept an eye on the nurse; though from this distance, her face blurred into indistinct shapes, like paint bleeding softly on a canvas. Still, I caught the outline of her careful movements. Another nurse began pushing the hospital crib forward, and Damien finally reached it.

"Liva," Damien called as my bodyguard guided me closer. I extended my hand, and Damien placed it over the handle of the crib. "It’s the twins."

"I’ll carry them once I’m sanitized," I replied. I could hardly wait to see their faces—but I still had to play my part, the sightless wife.

We headed toward Laura’s VIP room. Damon stood outside, and upon seeing us, he rushed forward.

"Oh," Damon chuckled. "Pick one," he teased, and I could almost hear Damien’s glare slicing the air.

"No one is taking either of my twins," Damien said protectively.

"Oh, come on. We need three more," Damon joked, his hand finding the small of my back in that familiar, possessive way.

Inside, Laura was already dressed while the doctor explained something about a frozen maternity pad—to help with swelling. I didn’t entirely grasp the details, but the thought alone sent a small chill down my spine.

"Should we opt for a C-section next time?" Damon asked me. I was about to answer but Dr. Green intervenes.

"No. Natural birth if possible," the doctor answered, to which I agreed.

"Okay," he murmured with a quiet laugh.

"The twins need to feed," Dr. Green added. "And you, new dad, have paperwork waiting." She turned to Damien.

Damien chuckled.

"Go help Damien with the names and documents," I told Damon, who still lingered beside me, reluctant to leave. "And order chicken soup—or whatever they recommend."

"Okay."

I turned my attention to our family maid—one of my pawns—who had brought the baby bags and everything Laura had prepared. They even packed clothes for me. Once the room cleared, I slipped into the bathroom, took a quick bath, and changed into the fresh garments.

When I emerged, Laura was already feeding both twins at once.

"One at a time?" I suggested.

"It’s fine. I have two boobs," she laughed.

I sighed, sitting close enough to admire them. I couldn’t distinguish their features well—the shapes blurred softly like two small flames flickering beside each other—but the heavier one was the boy, and the smaller one, the girl. The doctors said both were healthy, and that was enough to calm the storm in my chest.

"We agreed on the names?" I asked.

"Yes," she confirmed.

Good. The funds Damon had transferred wouldn’t go to waste—several accounts had already been set under the twins’ names.

Laura gazed at them with exhaustion shadowing her beauty. Still, I felt proud. She made it.

Zayvier Ashton Blackwell and Zendaya Alliyah Blackwell.

Zayvier, the boy, released his mother’s nipple and stared at me with gray-blue eyes full of wonder.

"What? You don’t like my voice?" I teased, and he cooed in reply. "Then I’ll take you." I carefully lifted him, supporting his head and back, until he burped loudly.

"You suck harder than your sister," I murmured, smiling. His eyes—those gray-blue depths—were all Laura, but the rest of his features belonged to Damien. He burped again, the sound adorably proud.

"I think he got that from his father. Damien—"

"I don’t need the details," I said quickly.

Laura chuckled while I turned to the baby girl, whose tiny frown was almost regal. We were lost in our quiet laughter when the door opened and the men’s voices filled the room.

"Love, you’re holding a baby," Damon remarked.

"Yes."

"Let’s go. Time to get that baby!"

I laughed softly, aware of Laura’s sharp glare.

"Damon, I swear, if one of my babies goes missing, you’ll be my first suspect."

"Whatever, Laura. Here’s your soup."

"Boys, bathe first," I reminded them firmly. "Clean clothes before touching the twins."

"Aye!" Damien said, already heading to the bathroom.

"Babe, I’ll check on the grandparents, okay?" Damon said.

"Tell them to visit tomorrow," I replied.

"But Grandma Olivia insisted."

I sighed. Grandma could be so stubborn... yet if it comforted her, I could allow it.

An hour later, five nurses entered to assist Laura. They wore face masks, each adorned with a small pawn pin. My gaze—sightless to them—shifted toward the woman by the door, wearing the emblem of a bishop. Her silent nod told me all I needed to know. My network was in place. I could finally breathe.

Damon left to make calls, while Damien, freshly bathed, took his baby girl. The nurses helped Laura again—offering a sponge bath, brushing her hair, pampering her as though she were porcelain. One nurse was especially gentle, washing the remnants of her hairdo with delicate precision.

A familiar maid wiped Laura’s face with a warm towel. I could sense the care in their movements; the rhythmic swish of water and the scent of lavender soap filled the air.

I sat on the sofa, still holding Zayvier. Damien joined me.

"So," I asked lightly, "when will the next batch of heirs arrive?"

He laughed. "Hey, we haven’t even had a year to ourselves yet." He glanced at his son. "I think Zayvier likes you."

"Hmm. I was planning to take him with me—but he still needs his mother’s milk," I said softly.

Damien chuckled.

"Wanna hold Zenny?"

"Sure."

I maintained my blind act while Damien placed Zendaya over the crib. Shortly, he reached Zayvier beside his sister in the crib, then scooped Zendaya up again and gently transferred her into my arms.

I decided I’d stay the night. They had already prepared a bed for me and my husband.

Zendaya cooed, her small mouth opening in a yawn. I lowered my head slightly toward her. She smelled of milk and warmth—like soft dawn light on silk. She blinked slowly, her eyes searching for something beyond the darkness I pretended to live in.

When the nurses finished tending to Laura, they made sure her meal was warm and rich. She ate heartily. One of the nurses—the same one who had handled the twins—brushed and braided her long hair.

A strange déjà vu lingered. Perhaps it was the rhythm of their care, or the way tenderness can almost feel rehearsed.

Leaning back against the sofa, I felt sleep tug at me. Still, I held Zendaya close, careful and alert. Even in my half-dream, I couldn’t forget—I was holding a new life.

–Sophia–

I shrieked in excitement the moment Laura sent photos of the twins. "They’re finally here!" I practically sang, waving my phone around like a golden ticket.

Deanne, who was buried behind her computer screens, froze mid-typing and gawked.

"Wow," she breathed, eyes wide. "Those eyes—definitely Laura’s."

I threw my head back and laughed. "Told you so! Now, where’s my five thousand?" I stretched out my hand with mock authority.

She rolled her eyes dramatically, rummaged in her wallet, and slapped the bills into my palm. "I can’t believe I lost to you again."

I smirked, fanning the money. "Believe it, babe. The goddess of genetics is on my side."

We’d been betting all week about which parent the twins would resemble. Everyone assumed they’d take after Damien, since firstborns usually mirrored their dads—but ha! Score one for me.

"So, when are we visiting them?" I asked, sliding the money into my pocket with a flourish.

Deanne shrugged, eyes already back on her monitor. "Probably tomorrow. Go sleep. Take your noisy boyfriend with you. I’ll finish up here."

I puffed out my cheeks. "Fine, Miss Workaholic."

I started tidying up our desk—files, wires, all our top-secret clutter—and locked everything into the drawer before handing her the keys. Then I turned toward the corner where Kai and Caine were... snuggled.

I paused, blinking. "Uh, excuse me? Since when did my man start cuddling with your cousin?"

Deanne didn’t even look up. "They’re exhausted. We kept them waiting for dinner, remember?"

"Still," I muttered, crossing my arms. "They look like a rejected boy band album cover."

I crouched down and poked Kai’s cheek. "Hey. Wake up, Casanova."

He blinked awake, dazed, then immediately noticed he was practically wrapped around Caine. His face turned red as he scrambled away, muttering, "It’s not what it looks like."

"Sure, sure," I teased, tugging his hand. "Now come on. Bedtime."

He groaned softly but followed me to our room like an obedient puppy. Once the door closed, I turned with a sly grin. "Come on, hurry up and make love to me."

Kai laughed lowly, that delicious sound that always got to me. "You’re insatiable."

"Guilty," I purred.

He scooped me up easily, and I squealed as he tossed me onto the bed. He didn’t even bother locking the door—typical. But honestly, I couldn’t care less. The only thing I wanted was this man.

Our lips met, slow at first, then hungry. Just when things were heating up—ring ring!

I groaned into his shoulder. "You’ve got to be kidding me."

Kai chuckled, nibbling my ear as I reached for my phone. "Ignore it," he murmured.

"I can’t. It might be work," I sighed, rolling onto my stomach as I answered. He took that as an opportunity to slide my panties off. Of course.

"Hello?" I said, trying not to gasp.

"Hey," Logan’s low voice came through the line. "I can’t reach Livana. Something happened in the lab."

"Oh," I frowned, instantly more alert. "What happened?"

"We had an intruder," he said calmly. "Didn’t make it past the restricted zone. Jane handled it. I just wanted to report."

"Oh," I mumbled through a yawn. "By the way, Laura gave birth. They’re in the hospital."

His tone didn’t change. "I see."

I bit my lip. Poor guy. He was supposed to be Laura’s husband—on paper—but everyone knew it was just an arrangement. Laura had already planned to have kids with her best friend before Logan even returned from his mission.

"I’ll call Damon," he said.

"Okay, please do."

The call ended, and before I could drop the phone, Kai was kissing my jaw again. I laughed, breathless, and hit another contact. Damon picked up on the third ring.

"Yes?" His voice was deep, clipped, that usual commanding tone he liked to use when he was being all alpha.

"Where’s Liva?" I asked.

"She’s asleep."

"Can I talk to her?"

"I told you—she’s asleep." He sounded like he was grinding his teeth.

"It’s an emergency."

There was a long pause—ten seconds maybe—then Livana’s sleepy voice came through, soft and faint.

"Hmm... Phia?"

"Logan was trying to reach you. There were intruders in the lab."

"Okay. Thank you. Good night."

She hung up before I could reply.

I dropped my phone onto the bedside table and rolled back toward Kai, who was already smirking.

"No more interruptions?" he asked.

"Nope." I grinned wickedly. "Now, where were we?"

He answered by pushing me back down and spreading my legs, and I decided that for tonight—just tonight—I wasn’t going to think about work, labs, or intruders. Only him.