Nathaniel’s gaze shifted to the children. They stood silently, studying him. His throat tightened.
“Friends of yours?” he asked, though deep down, he already knew.
“They’re yours,” Emily said calmly. “These are your children.”
The words struck him like a blow.
The crowd blurred around him. All he could hear was the rush of blood in his ears as he stared at them—Eli with his determined jaw, Nora with her almond-shaped eyes. Both unmistakably his.
He swallowed hard. “Why… why didn’t you tell me?”
Emily’s gaze stayed steady. “I tried. For weeks. But you were always too busy. Then I saw you with another woman on TV. So I left.”
His voice dropped to a whisper. “You should have told me anyway.”
“I was pregnant, alone, and exhausted,” she replied, her tone firm. “I wasn’t going to beg for your attention while you played the tech god.”
Vanessa, who had been watching from the side, stepped in and grabbed Nathaniel’s arm. “Is this for real?”
He didn’t answer. He couldn’t.
The twins shifted uneasily, sensing the tension.
“Would you like to say hello?” Emily asked them gently.
Eli stepped forward, offering his hand. “Hi. I’m Eli. I like dinosaurs and space.”
Nora smiled shyly. “I’m Nora. I like drawing and I can do a cartwheel.”
Nathaniel knelt, overwhelmed. “Hi… I’m… I’m your father.”
