Twin Mistresses？I'm Pregnant with Quads and Marrying Your Enemy - Chapter 8: Chapter 8

Six years later, Grasse, France.
Afternoon sunlight streamed through the wooden windows of the century-old perfumery, refracting warm golden light through the glass. The air carried the scent of jasmine and lemon verbena, accompanied by subtle notes of burning grass, as if time itself had slowed its pace.
I stood at the blending station, slowly inhaling the latest perfume sample, my brow furrowing slightly.
"The vetiver is too cold, we need to add some violet middle notes," I said.
My assistant Annie immediately noted it down: "Yes, Miss Grimwald."
"Let's call this one—Silent Fury," I said quietly.
"I want the top notes to be as gentle as a love letter, the middle notes as restrained as contemplative poetry, and the base notes... like fate's final judgment."
My assistant held her breath, nodding as if she understood.
I gazed out at the vine-covered slopes, sunlight scattered on the ground, just like that morning after the fire six years ago, when Julian lifted me from the ruins, sunlight falling on his ash-covered shoulders.
At that moment I thought I had found redemption.
Julian—my childhood friend, my mother's favorite neighbor boy, who had promised to return, indeed appeared when I was most lonely and broken.
I once thought that was love.
But as we spent time together, living and working side by side, he cared for me meticulously, helping me recover, helping me start a business, even willing to "marry" me to help me escape Magnus's control.
However, one night, he suddenly stopped cutting an apple in the kitchen and asked softly: "Ophelia... have you noticed that between us, there's actually no romantic love?"
I was stunned.
Then we stared at each other in silence for a long time.
Finally I nodded, calm as water: "Between us, it's the closest friendship."
Julian wasn't disappointed, but smiled gently. He walked over and patted my head, just like when we were children: "Isn't that enough?"
From then on, we stopped pretending to be husband and wife.
He remained the person I trusted most, my children's "uncle," my right-hand man in business.
And I was his friend, the "non-blood family member" his family loved.
We both understood that wedding was merely my protective umbrella for escape, a ticket he gave me.
I moved away from Boston before giving birth, coming to France.
The only misfortune was that during delivery, because it was rare quadruplets, complications arose and one boy and one girl were stillborn.
Now only one son and one daughter remained.
But fortunately, these two children were extremely intelligent.
My son Mason had a steady, sensible personality, loved programming, knew four languages, wrote beautifully and painted well—truly multi-talented.
My daughter Sophia was lively and active, taking after me in loving perfumery and medicine, often having clever ideas and knowing how to make common medicines.
Wherever they went, they were absolutely charming!
Thinking of them, my heart filled with tenderness.
My assistant Annie laughed, reminding me before leaving work, "Remember to pack tonight, we're returning to America tomorrow."
I immediately frowned upon hearing this.
These past years, besides achievements in medicine, I had co-founded a perfume company with my best friend Liliana, called ZELING.
Since all the formulas were developed by my team, we gained international fame with countless people seeking cooperation.
This time the branch was expanding to America, originally Liliana's responsibility.
Unfortunately, Liliana's mother was seriously ill, leaving her unable to spare the energy, so she asked me to return and help.
"Got it, see you at the airport tomorrow morning."
Direct flight from France to America.
After landing, I looked completely listless.
In contrast, my two children looked cool and perfect, wearing sunglasses like international stars.
Their beautiful features seemed carved by God himself.
Walking along, they attracted quite a crowd, with some unable to resist taking photos with their phones.
Annie pulled the luggage, suppressing laughter as she told me, "I feel like you gave birth to two incredible treasures."
I looked at the two show-offs ahead and replied, "Absolutely."
When we landed, I was still groggy, so I had Annie watch the children and luggage while I went to the restroom to wash my face.
When I came out of the restroom, I was surprised to see my son waiting by the restroom door.
I was puzzled.
When we landed, Mason was wearing a casual little suit with sunglasses.
In the blink of an eye, he had changed into a proper little formal suit.
Sophia beside him was the same—she had been wearing a sweet little floral dress, now changed into a formal pink princess dress.
They looked very formal!
I smiled helplessly, walked up to them, and teased: "Sweethearts, we're just meeting Auntie Liliana later, not going to a ball. Why did you specially change clothes? Is it really necessary to be so formal?"
The two little ones in front of me not only didn't answer but looked at me with confusion.
As if asking with their eyes: Are you talking to us?