Emma’s POV

The shrill beep of my alarm pierced through the silence, waking me up from a tangled web of uneasy dreams. My hand darted out to silence it, and my blurry eyes landed on the glowing red digits of the clock.

7:45AM.

A jolt of panic shot through me as I quickly sat up in bed, “Oh no, no, no,” I muttered, tossing the covers aside and springing, literally jumping out of bed.

How had I overslept?

Well I blame it on the fact that I hadn't returned to bed immediately when I came down to get water in the early hours of the morning. Jeff had kept me company and I had to say, he was not so annoying to be around, at least not anymore. 

I remember when we had just gotten married back then, I couldn't even look him in the eyes not to talk of being in the same room as him, I was that terrified of him. 

So I was a little bit awed and intrigued when he sat down with me earlier and we even had a conversation, truth was, I didn't want it to end but all good things must come to an end, so they say. 

I left him in the kitchen around 4AM and I myself didn't sleep until around 5AM thereabouts, that would explain a lot about why I woke up super late anyways. 

I'm supposed to drop the twins off at the daycare before 8:20.

I was now going to go through the long process of waking them, bathing them, getting them dressed, cooking for them, I sometimes find myself asking, just how I had managed to do this all on my own before. 

I mentally patted myself on the back as I yanked on my robe and stumbled out of my room, preparing myself for yet another stressful and chaotic morning. 

Faint laughter drifted up from downstairs, stopping me mid-panic, my brow furrowed, that wasn’t the chaos I’d expected, what I was hearing sounded rather too peaceful to be my twins. 

I descended the stairs cautiously, still half-prepared for a morning disaster, but the scene that greeted me in the kitchen was nothing short of surreal.

Jason and Anna sat at the dining table, their plates piled high with scrambled eggs and syrup-drenched pancakes. Anna giggled as Jeff smeared syrup on his cheek while taking a bite that was obviously too big for his mouth.

I watched as Jeff cleaned his mouth and went to position himself at the head of the table, sipping his coffee with one hand and scrolling through his phone with the other. He looked completely at ease, his sleeves rolled up and hair slightly messed up, as if this was his everyday routine.

“Morning Sleeping Beauty.” He said without glancing up, his smirk audible in his tone.

I blinked, utterly disoriented, “What… How?”

“Jeff made breakfast!” Anna exclaimed, holding up her fork like a trophy.

“He said you were too tired to wake up.” Jason added too, his mouth still full from the bite he had just taken. 

I moved closer to him, plucking a tissue from the cutlery stand in front of them, I wiped his mouth and gave him a stern look, “What did I tell you about eating with your mouth full?” 

He smiled sheepishly at me before turning his attention back to his food. 

Jeff finally looked up, one eyebrow raised in amusement, “I figured you could use the extra sleep. You’ve been looking a little… frazzled lately.”

“Frazzled?” I repeated, narrowing my eyes.

“You know, like a bird caught in a windstorm.” He teased, gesturing vaguely.

I crossed my arms, trying not to smile, “Well, thank you for making me look like the laziest mom ever.”

“Mommy, you’re not lazy.” Jason said earnestly, syrup glistening on his cheek.

“Yeah, Jeff said you deserve a break.” Anna chimed in too, beaming.

I glanced at Jeff, who had the decency to look almost modest. Almost.

“Well, thank you,” I said, pulling out a chair and sitting down, “But if you’re going to start playing the hero, you might as well clean up too.”

Jeff raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening, “I don’t mind saving the day, but don’t push your luck.” He told me and I smiled guilty at him. 

“But let me get this straight, what you're all telling me now is that, you did all of this?” I asked everyone and no one in particular, gesturing from the food on the table to Jeff. 

He gave a mock bow, “Don’t act so surprised Emma, I am capable of flipping pancakes, you know.”

I crossed my arms, feigning skepticism, “Uh-huh and how many ended up on the ceiling?”

“None,” Anna piped up cheerfully, “But he burned the first batch.”

“Traitor,” Jeff muttered, shooting her a mock glare that made her giggle.

I shook my head, unable to suppress a smile, “Well thank you but don’t think this means you’re off the hook for cleanup.”

“I save the day, and this is the thanks I get??” Jeff said with an exaggerated sigh, “Tough crowd.”

“Jeff?” Anna  asked suddenly, her voice small and curious.

He set down his mug and leaned toward her, “What’s up munchkin?” 

“Are you… our dad?”

The question hung in the air, heavy and unexpected. My heart stuttered, and I saw Jeff’s confident expression flicker for a moment.

“What makes you ask that?” He asked gently.

“Well you take care of us like a dad.” Anna said, fiddling with her fork.

“And you’re really cool.” Jaxon added, nodding solemnly.

Jeff chuckled softly, ruffling Jaxon’s hair, “I’m not your dad, but I love you two like you’re my own, I hope to be your dad someday though.” He added and my heart skipped a beat

“Why can't you be our dad now?” Jaxon added and although I wanted to shut them up, they were asking questions o knew I wouldn't ever have the courage to ask.

“I did something stupid to mummy in the past, so I have to wait till she forgives me before I can be your dad.”

“Mummy, please forgive him. We love Jeff.” Anna turned to me, looking at me with her big doughy eyes, I couldn't say no to that. 

“Let's not rush mummy okay? She'll forgive me when she wants to, is that okay?” Jeff said to them, taking charge of the situation. 

Anna's face lit up, and she nodded enthusiastically, “Yes, that’s okay.”

I watched the exchange, my chest tightening with emotions I couldn’t quite name. Jeff wasn’t their father, but in moments like this, he was more than just a friend or a guardian. He was a part of our little family, whether he realized it or not.

After the twins left for daycare, Jeff's mansion felt eerily quiet. I lingered in the kitchen, rinsing dishes while Jeff cleaned up the table.

“You didn’t have to do all this.” I said, glancing over my shoulder.

He shrugged, wiping down the counter, “You do it every day, I just figured I’d give you a break.”

I hesitated, my fingers brushing the edge of the sink, “Thank you. Really.”

He looked up, his expression soft but serious, “You don’t have to thank me Emma. This is what we do, this is what I should have done back then, maybe if I had done all of this, we wouldn't be where we are right now, we should have looked out for each other more.”

“Everything that happened between us wasn't entirety your fault too, I had my part to play in it too.” I admitted, digging up old wounds in the process. 

“Nothing is your fault Emma, it all started with me and my mistake and I know it's still too early but all I just ask for is a second chance, to be the husband you've always wanted and an amazing father to your kids too.” He said, looking into my eyes with pure sincerity. 

His words settled over me like a warm blanket, soothing and reassuring.

For a moment, I just stood there, watching him. The easy way he moved around the kitchen, the way he seemed to fit into our lives so seamlessly. It was comforting in a way I hadn’t realized I needed.

The drive to Jeff’s office was quiet, the kind of comfortable silence that didn’t need to be filled. I stared out the window, my thoughts drifting back to Anna's question.

Are you our dad?

I tried not to let my thoughts drift to the twins biological father, instead I focused solely on the moment from this morning. 

The innocence in Anna's voice had been heart-wrenching, but what struck me most was Jeff’s answer. The sincerity in his tone, the way he didn’t hesitate to express how much he cared, it was more than I could have asked for.

When we arrived at the office, Jeff opened my door for me, his hand brushing mine as I stepped out. The brief contact sent an unexpected flutter through my chest, and I quickly pulled my hand back, pretending to adjust my bag.

Inside, the sleek glass doors reflected our images side by side. For a fleeting moment, I let myself imagine what it would be like if this was our everyday reality, if we were more than just friends or wherever we currently are. 

“Ready?” Jeff asked, his voice pulling me from my thoughts.

“Always. ” I replied, forcing a smile.

When we reached Jeff’s office, I found a familiar face waiting for us. 

“Mrs Williams.” I exclaimed happily, I had no idea I would run into her today.

“Hello my dear.” She said after pulling away from our hug, smiling at me. 

“What are you doing here?” I asked, very baffled she was here.

“I heard you woke up and I just decided to check in on you, till you're fully okay to come back to work.” She said and we all laughed till I noticed her usually composed demeanor was replaced with visible tension, and she clutched an envelope tightly in her hands.

“Mr. Anderson,” she said, her voice low and urgent, “We have a problem.”

Jeff’s jaw tightened as he took the envelope from her. His movements were precise, almost mechanical, as he opened it.

The contents made my stomach churn. Bold letters stared back at us, written in uneven, angry strokes: “WE KNOW.”

Jeff’s expression darkened as he pulled out a second sheet of paper, the message scrawled across it was chilling: “Tick tock. You can’t hide forever.”

I felt a shiver crawl down my spine.

“Jeff?” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

He crumpled the note in his hand, his jaw clenched, “It’s nothing.”

“Nothing?” I repeated, my voice rising, “Jeff, that’s clearly not nothing.”

“It’s nothing you need to worry about.” He said sharply.

I stepped closer, anger bubbling to the surface, “Don’t shut me out, if something’s going on, I have a right to know.”

He looked at me, his gaze hard but conflicted, “Emma this is about keeping you and the twins safe, that’s all that matters.”

Before I could respond, the office phone rang and Mrs. Williams answered it, her face paling as she listened.

“Mr. Anderson,” she said, her voice trembling, “security just reported an intruder in the building.”

Jeff’s posture stiffened instantly, his entire demeanor shifting.

“Stay here.” He ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.

“No way,” I said, grabbing his arm, “I’m not staying behind while you…. ”

The power suddenly cut out, plunging the office into darkness. The faint hum of the building’s systems fell silent, replaced by an ominous stillness.

“Stay close.” Jeff said, his voice low and steady.

The air felt heavy, charged with unspoken tension. Somewhere in the distance, faint footsteps echoed through the stairwell.

My heart pounded in my chest as I clung to Jeff’s arm, every nerve in my body on high alert.

“We’re not alone.” He muttered, his voice grim.

The footsteps grew louder, each one sending a wave of fear coursing through me. Whoever was out there wasn’t here by accident.

And as the shadows closed in, I realized with chilling clarity that this was only the beginning.