Shadows Of A Forgotten Spring
Billionaire Shadow 26

Chapter

26

Months had passed since Emma had welcomed her twins, Ethan and Emily, into the world. Every day brought new milestones for them, each moment filling her with a deep sense of gratitude and love. Ethan had already begun to sit up and even crawl, his bright eyes full

of curiosity and energy as he explored every inch of their little world.

Emily, however, was different delicate and frail, taking her time to grow and develop. While her progress was slower, Emma cherished every small step, savoring the gentle beauty of motherhood, grateful for both of her children just as they were.

Living with Mrs. Walker had been more than a blessing. The older woman had taken them in, providing comfort and stability that Emma never imagined she'd find again. The security Mrs. Walker offered allowed Emma to focus on her children and slowly rebuild her life. Once Ethan and Emily were old enough, she enrolled them in a nearby daycare, close enough to Mrs. Walker's house that she could check in on them whenever needed. With that settled, she was finally able to resume work fulltime, feeling a new sense of purpose and confidence as she took on her responsibilities.

intense

But as Emma focused on building a future for her family, Marina's hatred simmered just beneath the surface, growing more

with each passing day. The sight of Emma with her children, thriving in Mrs. Walker's care, gnawed at her. Every glimpse she caught of Emma's quiet happiness only fueled her resentment. Marina's bitterness twisted into something dark and insistent, a need to push Emma out of their lives once and for all

Marina's mind raced with ideas, each more ruthless than the last. She knew she had to act soon. Every day that passed felt like one step closer to losing control, and she wasn't willing to let Emma stay, wasn't willing to watch her win, Time was running out, and Marina was determined to take drastic action, even if it meant crossing lines that she hates crossing.

On the rare occasions when Brandon was in the country and had some time to spare, he often planned outings to take Emma's twins, Ethan and Emily, to visit the pack. Today was one of those days, and the children's excitement filled the air. Ethan was crawling ahead, his small hands patting against the floor in determined little strides, while Emily followed closely, her giggles bright and full of wonder

Emma joined in their excitement, clapping and cheering them on, her laughter mingling with theirs. Brandon watched them, a smile on his face, though a trace of sadness lingered in his eyes. "You know." he said softly, "Diana would have fallen in love with them." His gaze fell as he said her name, the grief surfacing despite his efforts to keep it hidden.

Emma nodded, her expression somber. She knew that Diana, would have adored Ethan and Emily as if they were her own. "I believe she would have, too." Emma replied her voice quiet

Brandon sighed, glancing at Emma. "She was the kindest soul I ever knew... besides you," he added, attempting a small smile. But his face soon fell again, the pain behind his words evident. Emma, I still can't bring myself to believe that she committed suicide. The Diana I knew wouldn't have done that." His voice wavered and he blinked back the tears gathering in his eyes. "We had plans to meet that day. She was supposed to be there, and then... her body was found the next morning. It doesn't make sense. Diana hated drugs, she'd never touch them, let alone end her life with an overdose."

Emma moved closer to him, resting a comforting hand on his shoulder. She could feel the depth of his sorrow, his confusion over a truth that felt painfully wrong. "I'm so sorry, Brandon. she murmured, her own heart aching for him.

Brandon took a shaky breath, forcing himself to hold back his emotions. "I know it sounds crazy, but the Diana I knew wouldn't have just left like that, at least not without saying goodbye." He swallowed hard, his voice barely a whisper now. "Something doesn't add up, Emma. I feel it every day, like there something missing, something... that no one's seeing."

Emma squeezed his shoulder gently, the light in her own eyes dimmed by the weight of his words. "I don't think you're crazy Brandon. Sometimes the truth lies hidden waiting for someone to find it." She looked at him, offering a soft, sad smile. "And if that someone is you, then Diana couldn't have a better person fighting to uncover it."

Brandon met her gaze, a glimmer of hope surfacing through his grief. In that moment, he knew he wasn't alone in carrying the weight of Diana's memory, and that, maybe just maybe he'd find the answers he needed someday. -

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Chapter 26

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Marina strode into Mrs. Walker's building, her gaze icy and unyielding. She spotted Ethan and Emily crawling toward her with innocent curiosity, but her face twisted with disdain.

Stepping around the twins as if they were obstacles in her path, she directed her scornful glare at their mother, Emma, her intentions crystal clear. Marina was done with subtlety: Emma's time here was over, whether she liked it or not

Without a word, Marina marched straight to her aunt pulling a folder from her bag and placing it firmly in Mrs. Walker's hands. The silence was heavy, and Mrs. Walker's expression quickly shifted from confusion to shock as she flipped through the documents her face paling with each page

"I told you." Marina hissed, her voice laced with disgust "I warned you not to bring home a fraud. I warned you to keep this imposter out of our lives, but you wouldn't listen! Now look at what she's done to our company, this woman is a parasite!" Her voice rose with every word fury barely restrained as she fixed Emma with a look of utter hatred "This bitch right here is nothing but an imposter!"