Chapter 3
Time passed, with all the excitement and nerves of expecting a baby.
My days in Capitol City were lonely, but every day felt meaningful.
In those early weeks, the pregnancy symptoms were so intense they kept me up all night.
By the time I reached the final months, my belly was so big that just getting around was a challenge, and even breathing felt heavy.
But I never once complained.
I brought in the best nutritionist and a team of caring nannies to look after me and make sure I was well taken care of.
Every day, I'd chat with the four little ones growing inside me, let them listen to music, and read them stories.
The day I gave birth was brutal, and I was completely spent by the end. But when I heard those four loud cries, I knew every bit of it was worth it.
Two boys and two girls, two sets of boy-girl twins.
Fate really did have a sense of humor. Margaret was so obsessed with having boy-girl twins, and I gave her two sets in one go.
I named the boys Andrew Bennett and Connor Bennett, and the girls Grace Bennett and Lily Bennett.
I just wanted them to have a life full of peace, health, happiness, and smooth sailing.
All four of them had my last name, Bennett.
Emily flew in from back home the moment she heard I'd given birth.
When she saw the four babies lined up in the nursery, she was so stunned her jaw dropped so hard it could've cracked the tiles.
She circled around the little ones for ages, totally speechless, then finally snapped out of it and pulled me into a hug, laughing and crying all at once.
"Sophia, are you trying to kill me with shock?" Emily blurted out.
"You're a total badass, but you really went through hell."
Her tears held shock, her heart ached for me, and most of all, she was genuinely happy for me.
Life with four newborns? It was absolute madness, like running a war zone in my own house.
Feeding, changing diapers, rocking them to sleep, my days blurred together, twenty-four hours on duty, barely a moment to breathe.
I hired two seasoned maternity nurses and a couple of caregivers, putting together a mini childcare team.
Even with all that backup, I barely had a second to myself; I was still constantly on the go.
Emily kept urging me to come back home, saying she and my parents could pitch in and make things easier.
But I turned her down.
My plan was still in motion.
I couldn't let anyone know about these four kids, especially not the Grant family back in my home country.
Every now and then, I'd catch news about Charles in the business section.
He and his mistress were throwing a huge, over-the-top wedding, and the media was calling it the "wedding of the century."
The news said the Grant family was about to welcome a pair of boy-girl twins, a sign of the family's prosperity.
Watching Charles and that woman parade around, looking so pleased with themselves, I felt absolutely nothing.
To me, they were just two clowns, desperately performing for an audience that didn't even exist.
I just lowered my head and kissed the sleeping baby in my arms.
These kids were my whole world now.
As the days went by, the kids grew, and their faces started to take shape.
All four of them looked exactly alike, like little angels, so cute and perfect it was almost unreal.
And as their features sharpened, I could see more and more of Charles in their expressions.
Blood was the one mark in this world anyone could never wash away.
I pulled out my phone and snapped a photo of the kids sleeping.
Four little heads snuggled together, the scene so heartwarming it could melt anyone's heart.
Perfect.
Time to get my "gift" ready.
I reached out to the top genetic testing center in the world and booked a paternity test.
I watched as the staff carefully took samples from the kids' mouths, my eyes calm and resolute.
Charles, you're about to receive the most unforgettable wedding present of your life.