Chapter 2 Triplets

• Antonia Traver's POV
• When I woke up, I was greeted by pieces of my clothes, and when the memories of what I did came flooding back, I was overwhelmed by fear and panic. A male escort took my virginity? No, that's preposterous.
• Frustrated, I changed into the hotel robe and tried to escape the scene, but someone barged in. Damn reporters. They kept taking my photos, the flashes of their cameras making me dizzy. But little did I know, the questions they assailed me with would destroy me.
• "Rumors say you came to this bar and spent the night with a male escort after the Leafs canceled your marriage with Oliver. What will happen to your family now? What of their name?"
• "We have just gotten news about your family's bankruptcy. Your father has jumped off the company building and is confirmed dead. Do you have anything to say about that?"
• Wait, what are these b*stards talking about? No… That's impossible. Despair grabbed me by the throat, suffocating me. I shoved the reporters away and ran like a woman possessed. I have to call Dad. This must be some sick joke.
• Unfortunately, I couldn't get in touch with my father. Instead, his lawyer gave me a call, and I knew my life was starting to crumble into dust.
• Just the day before, I was the heir to Traver Corporation and the beloved daughter of the Traver Family. I also had a talented and brilliant fiancé—Oliver Leaf.
• But a few hours ago, I lost my fiancé and my virginity. A few minutes ago, I was told I lost my beloved father and the company. In the span of one night, I lost everything.
• Those were my darkest days, and I could feel nothing but emptiness within. To make things worse, I found myself feeling nauseous all the time. When my period wasn't coming on time, I told my servant to take me to the hospital. Naturally, I was nervous. My heart was almost sitting in my stomach.
• The doctor said, "You're pregnant with triplets, from the looks of it."
• I was at a loss. I hated the male escort with all my heart, but there was no way I could show my face in public and tell them what happened. My only refuge was that Mrs. Cherry, my servant, took care of me. The children were innocent, I knew that much. There was no reason for me to take their lives, and I decided to carry them to term. Cherry supported my decision.
• Ten months later, I gave birth to the kids in a clinic somewhere in a village. It was a laborious process that took everything I had, but just listening to the children's cries made my heart leap with joy.
• Cherry approached me, holding the kids. "Dear Antonia, congratulations. You did a good job. Three babies! Two boys and a girl. Look at them, they're so adorable!"
• Yeah! They’re so adorable. I’m truly grateful to God for giving them to me as a gift.
• …
• Four years later, I, the kids, and Mrs. Cherry returned to the city. Mrs. Cherry had gained a lot of weight during the four years and looked like a big balloon now. Towing two big suitcases took a great toll on her, and she was almost out of breath.
• With a bleached denim backpack on my back, I held my kids and managed to leave the cramped train station after some difficulty. It looked funny, but we resembled farmers who escaped the confines of a backwater village.
• A woman in a mink fur coat slammed into Cherry and cursed, "Piss off, peasant!"
• I was about to argue with her, but then a motorcade came over and stopped right beside me.
• Before anyone could realize what was happening, a few dozen bodyguards got out of the cars and stood on both sides of the station's entrance. Everyone bowed and shouted, "Welcome home, Mrs. Leaf!"
• It was a shocker. I recognized the motorcade, for they were Leaf Family's cars. Their family emblem was emblazoned on every single car.
• My heart leaped with excitement. Is this for me? Did Oliver never betray me? Did he cancel the marriage because he was forced to? Is he picking me up himself now that I'm back?
• "Is Mr. Leaf here to pick us up, dear Miss Antonia?"
• Cherry was as surprised as I was, but she had less patience than I did. She hurried over to the motorcade, but a couple of bodyguards shoved her away.
• And then a woman wearing expensive clothes appeared. She was surrounded by a bunch of people, not unlike a queen, but one look at her face and I was petrified.
• It's Anna! The b*tch who made me sleep with a male escort!
• Anna was wearing all the brand-name goods anyone could think of. She looked so elegant and resplendent. I swore she looked so much better than she used to. Furthermore, she was holding the hand of a boy. Judging from the looks of it, the boy was about the same age as my kids.
• "Here, Mrs. Leaf, young master," a bodyguard invited Anna into the car.
• Anna held up her pinky and covered her nose with her handkerchief in disgust. "I'm never taking the train again. It's dirty and filled with peasants."
• "Of course, Mrs. Leaf," a bodyguard beside her quickly answered. "Master Oliver wouldn't have allowed this to happen, but the weather ruined it."
• Anna and the boy got in the car. Both of them were too arrogant to even spare anyone a single look, so she didn't see me.
• Cherry recognized Anna as well, and she was shocked. "What's going on? Was that Anna? Did she marry Mr. Leaf?"
• My mind was almost stopping, and I answered stiffly, "Perhaps she did."
• As I stared at the leaving motorcade, I was reminded of Oliver's promise to me.
• He said I was the only woman he would marry, but the reality was he married my cousin the moment our marriage was canceled. And they had a child together! The pain of betrayal and abandonment almost made me cry.
• "What's wrong, Mommy?" The kids quickly looked up at me in concern and huddled closer. They probably realized I was feeling down.
• "I'm fine." I wiped the corner of my eyes and hunkered down to hold the kids in my arms.
• "It's alright, Mommy. Once I make enough money, I'll get you a nice car. You don't have to take the train anymore." Barnabas, my eldest, thought I was upset because someone humiliated me.
• "I'll wallop anyone who tries to talk down to you." Robert, the middle child, swung his chubby fists in the air. He looked like a hamster when he was angry, and I found that adorable.
• My daughter Rose, the youngest of the three, rubbed her soft little face against my cheeks and consoled me cutely, "Don't cry, Mommy."
• And then the head of a bird stuck out from Rose's shirt pocket. That green parrot was Rose's pet, and it was staring around curiously.
• The children's concern warmed me up inside. Just looking at them made me smile every time. "You're good kids, but it's alright. I'm fine." I took a deep breath and smiled. "Time to go home."
• "Yay, we can go home now!"
• I kissed their cheeks and saddled my backpack before hailing a cab for us.
• A long, long time ago, when I was still rich, I was equipped with an expensive car and the best bodyguards money could buy every time I went out, but now I had to queue and wait for a cab like everyone else with my servant and kids. The luggage didn't help, either.
• Since there were five of us, we had to take two cabs. Cherry took the first one, while me and my kids got in the second one.
• If I could summarize the weather in one word, it would be: bad.
• Black clouds hung in the sky, perhaps heralding the coming of a storm. The driver seemed to be in a hurry, and he got into a little accident when he tried to pass the car in front of him. I heard a loud bang and saw the driver crash into… a Rolls-Royce.
• All the color drained from the driver's face. Fear made him shiver, but he had to get out of the car and talk things out with the Rolls-Royce's driver.
• It was a worrying scene. That Rolls-Royce was a limited edition, and Phantom was its name. Only seven were made worldwide. Even a scratch on the paint job was enough to cost the driver everything he had.