She was busy caring for Estella when her phone rang in her bag. Afraid of waking Estella, she quickly covered the girl's ears and was about to get up to retrieve her phone. To her surprise, Lucian rose and brought her the phone.

"Thank you," Roxanne murmured.

Glancing at the screen, she instantly berated herself for forgetting about her sons.

"Mommy!" the boys yelled as soon as she answered. "When are you coming home?"

Roxanne lowered her voice. "I'm busy tonight, so I might be home late. Have you eaten dinner?"

"Yes, we have," the boys replied. "What about you? Don't forget to take care of yourself, even if you're busy!"

Touched, Roxanne chuckled. "I know. I ate earlier. Don't wait up for me. Good night!"

"Got it, Mommy. Try to come home as early as possible. Don't tire yourself out!" the boys responded in unison.

Her lips curved into a grin. Roxanne chatted with them briefly before hanging up.

Beside her, Lucian faintly heard the boys' voices and set aside his work. He looked at her and was about to ask if she needed to go home to care for them, but her tender expression made him reconsider.

"Who usually cares for the boys when you're busy? Do they stay home, or do you hire someone?" he asked.

Roxanne replied, "My friend helps out. Tonight, Lysa is with them."

Lucian asked, "Was it the same when you were working overseas?"

Despite not knowing his reason for asking, Roxanne instinctively answered, "I'd hire someone or bring them to my workplace. My colleagues loved them."

Silence fell over the living room.

Roxanne lowered her gaze to check on the little girl.

"They're older now and easier to care for. It must have been hard when they were younger," Lucian said, his gaze falling on her as he feigned nonchalance. "How old are the boys? They're about Essie's height, so they must be around the same age."

The sudden question made Roxanne's heart lurch. Every time the boys spent time with Lucian, she worried he'd discover the truth. She'd repeatedly told the boys to keep their ages a secret. She hadn't expected to be asked directly.

Averting her gaze, she remained silent for a moment before replying, "They're around four years old. Boys tend to grow faster than girls."

This was the answer she and the boys had agreed upon. It was a lie; knowing their real age might remind Lucian of the night six years prior, and she desperately wanted to avoid that.

After answering, she anxiously awaited his response.

Finally, she heard him grunt in acknowledgement.

His failure to pursue the matter brought Roxanne a sigh of relief.

Lucian returned to his email, but couldn't concentrate. The boys were around four, a year younger than Essie. This meant she'd been with another man shortly after Essie's birth, then had the boys soon after.

The thought made Lucian frown in displeasure.

They were both lost in thought when Estella stirred. Roxanne lowered her head. Estella's brows furrowed as she began to sob pitifully, her face scrunched up.

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