The Unwanted Wife's Return (Ex-Husband Wants Me Back) novel Chapter 5

HANNAH'S POV:

YEARS LATER:

"Amelia! Andrew!" I called out, standing outside the car and glancing at the time on my watch with an exasperated smile.

We were supposed to have left in the private jet about fifteen minutes ago. But raising two twins—a boy and a girl who were attached at the hip yet somehow still managed to find reasons to argue every single day—was definitely a full-time job.

"Mummy, we're ready!" Amelia sang out, her voice bright and cheerful as she ran past me toward the car.

Before I could tell her to slow down, Andrew followed right behind her, his backpack bouncing against his shoulders.

I let out a breath, shook my head with a smile, and stepped into the back seat of my black SUV after making sure they were buckled in. I waved goodbye to the house staff, who'd lined up to see us off.

Seven years. It had been seven years since I'd left that mansion with nothing but a small bag and a broken heart.

The first two months after I'd left had been the hardest of my life. I'd found a tiny, dingy apartment in a neighborhood I could barely afford. I'd worked three jobs—waitressing, cleaning houses, anything I could find that paid cash and didn't ask too many questions.

And then I'd discovered I was pregnant.

I'd cried for two days straight when I saw those two pink lines. Not because I didn't want the baby, but because I had no idea how I was going to survive. I was barely making rent as it was.

But then, two months after that, I'd found out I was having twins. And something had shifted inside me.

These babies needed me. They were counting on me. And I'd be damned if I'd let them down the way everyone had let me down.

So I'd worked harder. I'd saved every penny. I'd taught myself writing and designing clothes through free online courses, working late into the night after my shifts. I'd ghostwritten for people, taking any project I could get.

And slowly, impossibly, I'd started to build something.

By the time the twins were born, I had enough saved to take a few months off. I'd named them Amelia and Andrew—names I'd always loved, names that meant strength and courage.

When they were six months old, I'd made the biggest decision of my life. I'd packed up what little we had and moved to Frerus, a city on the other side of the continent. About an eight-hour flight from where I'd started.

I knew no one cared enough to look for me. But I loved how far away it was. How completely I could start over.

In Frerus, I'd met Lucas and we'd clicked immediately, not romantically, but as partners. Friends.

Over the next few years, we'd built something incredible together, I had my own fashion line that had grown beyond anything I'd imagined.

Now, at twenty-six, I was a CEO of my fashion company. A mother. A woman who'd built her own empire from nothing.

And I was going back.

"How do you feel about going back?" Lucas asked from across the aisle of the private jet once we'd boarded and were settling in.

The kids had immediately run to him, shrieking "Uncle Lucas!" with pure joy. He was like family to us. The only family that mattered.

I accepted a glass of champagne from the flight attendant and considered his question carefully.

"I have no idea," I admitted, watching the kids settle in with their iPads. "But all I know is... I need everyone to see that the old Hannah Jones no longer exists."

Lucas nodded slowly, understanding in his eyes. He knew my story.

After making sure the kids were comfortable and engrossed in their movie, I stared out the window until exhaustion pulled me under.

When I opened my eyes, the sky looked different. Familiar in a way that made my chest tighten.

We'd landed.

I unbuckled my seatbelt as the pilot announced our arrival. The kids jolted awake, immediately alert despite the long flight.

"We're here," I said, half to myself, as if I still couldn't quite believe it.

"Is this where you were born, Mummy?" Amelia asked, her small fingers curling into mine as we prepared to exit.

"Yes, baby. This is home."

The word felt strange on my tongue. Home. It didn't sting the way I thought it would. This place didn't have power over me anymore.

Andrew leaned forward from his seat, his expression serious. "Is this where all the bad people are?"

Lucas, who was gathering his tablet and briefcase, choked on a laugh. "Straight to the point, as always."

I smiled gently, unbuckling Amelia and helping her stand. "Not all bad people. Just... people we left behind."

"You mean people you didn't want to see again," Andrew corrected, narrowing his eyes in that way he did when he was being particularly perceptive. He was so smart. They both were. But Andrew was scary-smart sometimes, seeing through things that most adults missed.

"Exactly," I said, chuckling as I stood. The flight attendant opened the door, and warm air rushed in.

The warm breeze rolled into the jet like a memory I'd tried hard to forget. But I was different now. Stronger.

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