Rose felt a twinge of guilt and avoided meeting his eyes.

She had no choice but to lie. "Yes, they've been with me since they were born. To them, I'm their mom."

Julian pressed further. "So, you brought them along with you while you were studying abroad?"

Rose nodded.

Julian didnt overthink it. He simply assumed she had taken on the task of raising her friend's children while pursuing her studiesa juggling act that couldnt have been ...