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My heart clenches painfully in my chest, but I force myself to stay strong, not letting her see how much her words hurt me. I open my mouth to respond, but before I can say anything, I hear the excited voices of my children.
“Mommy!” Olivia and Peter exclaim in unison as they come running toward me, their faces lighting up with joy at the sight of me.
“Olivia! Peter!” I gasp, dropping to my knees and wrapping my arms around them, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes. Their warmth and the scent of their hair fill me with indescribable relief, the knowledge that they are safe and sound washing over me like a wave.
“Mommy, we missed you so much!” Olivia murmurs against my shoulder, her voice trembling with emotion. Peter buries his face in my neck, his small hands gripping the back of my shirt tightly.
I hold them close, pressing gentle kisses to the tops of their heads. “I missed you both more than words can say,” I whisper, my voice thick with emotion.
As we embrace, I can feel my mother’s cold gaze on us, her disapproval palpable in the air. But I refuse to let her bring me down—not when I have my children in my arms once more. I know that I’ve made mistakes, but I will do everything in my power to make things right. Everything that I do is to protect my children, and I’m not going to let her make me feel otherwise.
With determination flooding through me, I look up at my mother, meeting her icy stare head-on. “I may not be perfect, but I love my children more than anything in this world,” I say firmly. “And I will fight with every ounce of strength I have to protect them and prove myself worthy of their love.”
My mother’s lips press into a thin line, but she remains silent, her eyes never leaving mine. It’s clear that she doesn’t believe me—or perhaps she simply doesn’t care.
I pull back slightly, brushing their hair from their faces, and smile as I look into their curious eyes.
“Tell me what you’ve been up to,” I say, my voice soft but filled with excitement. “I want to hear everything.”
Olivia’s face lights up, her cheeks rosy from the cold outside. “Grandma took us ice skating yesterday! It was so much fun!” she exclaims, her words tumbling out in a rush of enthusiasm.
“Really? That’s amazing!” I beam at her, genuinely thrilled to see her so happy. Then I turn to Peter, whose eyes are shining with the same eagerness to share. “What about you, Peter?”
“We made gingerbread houses too!” he pipes up, his small hands waving animatedly in the air. “Mine had lots of candy on it!”
“Wow, that sounds delicious!” I respond, my heart swelling with love for these two incredible little beings who bring so much joy to my life.
As my children continue to chatter away, I glance over at my mother. She watches us with a disapproving scowl, but I refuse to let her presence dampen our reunion.
“Listen, sweethearts,” I say gently, feeling their gazes snap back to me. “I want you to know that we’re going home now, okay? You’ll be coming with me, Hudson, and Benedict, and we’ll be a family again.”
Their eyes widen with hope and understanding, and I can see the questions forming in their minds. But before they have a chance to voice them, I take their small hands in mine and start leading them toward the door.
“Let’s go home,” I whisper, my voice filled with determination and the promise of a brighter future.
The moment I utter the words “let’s go home,” I feel my mother’s vise-like grip on my arm. The suddenness of her actions catches me off guard, and I struggle to maintain my composure.
“Harper, don’t you dare,” she hisses in my ear, her voice dripping with venom. “I’ve been the one looking after them while you ran off gallivanting with your boy toys.”
“Mom, let go of me!” I snap back, my eyes blazing with anger as I attempt to wrestle free from her grasp. Her nails dig into my skin, but I refuse to show any sign of pain. Olivia and Peter cling to my other hand, their faces filled with confusion and unease.
“Or what?” my mother challenges, narrowing her eyes at me. “You think you can just waltz in here and reclaim your children like nothing happened? They’re better off with me than with a selfish, dirty woman like you.”
“Leave her alone!” Benedict interjects, stepping forward protectively. But it’s my fight, not his, and I need to be the one to stand up for myself and my children.
“Mom, they are my kids, and I am taking them home,” I say firmly, meeting her gaze without flinching. “You have no right to keep them from me.”
“Watch me,” she threatens, her grip tightening on my arm until I can feel my blood boiling beneath the surface. “If you take one more step, I’ll make sure you never see them again.”
Before I can muster the courage to respond, Hudson steps in and forcefully yanks my mother’s hand off my arm. “Don’t you dare touch Harper again,” he growls, his eyes flashing with anger.
“Who do you think you are?” my mother snarls back at him, attempting to regain her composure.
“Someone who actually cares about her. Now back off, or I won’t hesitate to get the police involved.”
A mix of emotions washes over me—relief that Hudson has stepped in to protect me, and frustration at the fact that my own mother is trying to keep my children from me.
“Harper is their mother, and she deserves to be with them,” Benedict adds, his voice calm but firm.
