Chapter 181
Cedar’s POV
It was ridiculous. Completely absurd. DNA results proving I’m his
mother?! That can’t be right!
I lay awake, staring at the ceiling, my mind racing with Oliver’s
innocent yet impossible claim. How could I possibly be his birth
mother? I would certainly remember being pregnant and giving birth
to a child. These aren’t exactly forgettable life events.
Sure, Oliver had mentioned we shared identical birthmarks in the
same location, but that was just a coincidence. A quirky alignment of
genetics that meant nothing more than we were somehow cosmically
connected. Oliver must have been dreaming, creating a fantasy
because he so desperately wanted a mother’s love.
My heart ached for him. For all three children. Despite their
privileged upbringing, they were still just kids longing for maternal
affection.
I pushed the troubling thoughts aside and headed for a long shower, hoping the hot water might wash away my confusion. It didn’t help. I
spent the night tossing and turning, drifting in and out of shallow sleep filled with strange dreams.
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The next morning, I woke to the sensation of slowly suffocating.
My chest felt impossibly heavy, making each breath a struggle. I forced my eyes open and discovered the cause–my body had become
a human playground. Three small bodies were strategically
positioned across my torso and legs, their combined weight
threatening to crush me.
“Are you trying to kill me?” I gasped, sitting up abruptly.
The three Sterling children tumbled onto the mattress around me, their eyes popping open in perfect synchronization. It would have
been comical if I hadn’t been so oxygen–deprived.
“Morning, Mommy!” Oliver beamed, his unruly hair sticking up in all
directions.
“Good morning, Mommy,” Aiden said formally, though his eyes
sparkled with warmth.
“Did you sleep well?” Aria asked, her voice musical even first thing in
the morning.
Aiden–ever the responsible one–was already sitting up straight, his expression serious beyond his years. “What would you like for
breakfast? I can call Henderson to bring something.”
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My irritation evaporated at the sight of their three eager faces. They
were just children, after all–precocious, occasionally overwhelming, but undeniably endearing. I reached out to ruffle each of their heads
affectionately.
“You three go brush your teeth and wash your faces while I figure out
breakfast. I can make oatmeal, scrambled eggs, toast… whatever
you’d like.”
“No need to trouble yourself,” Aiden said with that oddly mature tone that always caught me off guard. “I already texted Henderson to
deliver breakfast. He should be here soon.”
I couldn’t help but smile. These kids were only six, yet Aiden consistently acted like a miniature adult. His thoughtfulness touched me deeply, and I reached out to stroke his cheek gently. To my surprise, his ears turned bright red at the gesture, and he leaned into
my touch like a shy kitten.
The other two children watched this interaction with barely
concealed jealousy.
“That’s so sneaky, Aiden!” Oliver pouted, then brightened. “I’m
texting Sean right now to come make lunch AND dinner!” He pulled a
phone from his pocket and began tapping frantically.
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Meanwhile, Aria quietly slipped off the bed and headed toward the
bathroom without fuss.
“Look how responsible Aria is,” I praised, “already getting ready for
the day all by herself.”
Oliver’s head snapped up from his phone. “I can brush my teeth by
myself too!” He stuffed the phone back into his pocket and raced Aria
to the bathroom.
I laughed, suddenly feeling that despite the chaos they brought into
my life, these children were also little rays of sunshine, healing
something in me I hadn’t realized was broken.
The doorbell rang, and Aiden hopped off the bed. “That must be
Henderson.”
But when he opened the door, four people streamed in–Charles Coleman, the Sterling family butler, followed by the three identical
triplet brothers who served as the children’s bodyguards/assistants:
Henderson, Sean, and Hunter. Each carried several large bags that
emitted mouthwatering aromas.
“Good morning, Ms. Wright,” they greeted in near–unison.
I blinked in surprise. “Um, good morning…”
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Charles smiled warmly. “Mr. Sterling asked us to bring the children.
home, but first, breakfast. The children’s preferences have been
accounted for.”
I watched in amazement as they unpacked what appeared to be every
breakfast food available in Chicago. The dining table quickly
overflowed, forcing me to drag over my coffee table for additional
space.
The air filled with the scent of freshly baked croissants, pancakes,
waffles, fruit, and at least three different egg dishes. There was
enough food to feed a small army.
When the children emerged from the bathroom, they took their
places at the table with impeccable manners, napkins on laps, backs
straight. It was such a contrast to their earlier playfulness that I
almost laughed.
Charles hovered nearby, his face radiating grandfatherly affection.
“Master Aiden, here are the blueberry pancakes you enjoy. Miss Aria, your avocado toast with poached eggs. And Master Oliver, careful with the syrup–oh, let me help you with that spill. Little Miss Aria,
there’s extra hollandaise sauce if you’d like some on your eggs…”
The butler moved with practiced efficiency, but I couldn’t help
noticing how his face lit up seeing the children more animated than
they typically were at the Sterling mansion.
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I gently took his arm. “Charles, please sit down and join us. They’re
perfectly capable of feeding themselves.”
He looked genuinely shocked. “Oh, I couldn’t possibly. It wouldn’t be
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