Chapter 2

"T-triplets?" Alec's breath caught in his throat as his face trembled with excitement. With a shaky hand, he grabbed my ultrasound report, tears streaming down his cheeks. "Praise the Lord! The Sandler family finally has an heir!" Aria watched the scene, her eyes blazing with jealousy. She charged forward, trying to snatch the report again. "Alec, don't be fooled! Technology is so advanced now. Anyone can fake an image like this in minutes! And Maverick—he…" She spun toward Maverick, her voice tense and urgent. "Maverick, you were meditating in the chapel that entire day. How could you possibly have been with this… this slut?" Maverick stared straight at me, as if trying to catch even the smallest hint of my expression faltering. The system went into overdrive, bombarding my mind with alerts. "Maya, hold steady! Detecting Maverick's heart rate spiking to 120. This round is in the bag!" I straightened my posture, a faint, mocking smile tugging at my lips as I looked at Aria. "Why are you so worked up, Ms. Waller? Were you keeping tabs on his every move that day? You're always going on about being his spiritual partner and acting all holier-than-thou. So what is this? Do you have a hidden camera in the chapel or something?" Aria went pale. "How dare you! Maverick and I aren't just about the physical. We connect on a whole other level!" "Maybe you do connect on a whole other level," I said. "But your bodies didn't get the memo." I rolled my eyes, tired of arguing with her, and looked straight at Alec. "I know this is sudden, Alec. To put everyone's mind at ease, I'll do any test you want—blood work, a DNA test, anything." At this point, I shifted my tone, placing a hand over my belly and putting on a weak expression. "But... my health isn't great to begin with, and now I'm carrying three. The doctor said I need strict bed rest. If I get upset or someone stresses me out, something could happen to the babies…" The moment Alec heard that, he nearly lost it. He slammed his cane against the floor and pointed at Aria. "Get her out of here! She's in the way of my granddaughter-in-law!" She stared at him in disbelief. "Alec, you actually believe her? Some nobody who came out of nowhere?" "Out of nowhere?" Alec let out a cold snort. "As long as she's carrying the heir of the Sandler family, she's a blessing to this family! Maverick, what are you standing there for? Help your future wife sit down." Maverick frowned and finally rose to his feet. He didn't come over to help me right away. Instead, he cast Aria a complicated look. "Aria," he said softly, "you should go home first." Aria bit her lip, tears flooding her eyes as if she had just suffered a grave injustice. "Maverick, even you're sending me away? I'm just worried you're being fooled. This woman is so crude. All she cares about is money. She's not good enough for you!" I couldn't help but laugh. "Guilty as charged. I love money. So what? I'm not like you, Ms. Waller—surviving on daydreams and lofty ideals. I've got three kids to feed and clothe. You, on the other hand, only talk about platonic love with men and can't even have a child." "You!" She trembled with anger. "Enough," Maverick cut in sharply. He walked over to me. His eyes, which once seemed to see right through everything, now held my reflection. "You're saying it was you that night." He reached out, his fingers resting lightly on my wrist. I had almost forgotten—Maverick was skilled in traditional medicine. After a few seconds, his fingertips trembled slightly. It was unmistakably the pulse of new life. My pulse was strong and steady, throbbing softly beneath his fingers. There was more than one baby. He withdrew his hand and was silent for a moment before turning to the butler. "Get the car ready. We're going to Sandler Group's private hospital. I'll oversee the examination myself." Aria wasn't about to give up. "I'm coming too! I don't buy it!" This time, Maverick didn't even turn his head. "This is a family matter. Outsiders shouldn't get involved." I stuck my tongue out at the furious Aria and caressed my belly with a smug grin. She thought she could take me on. I had three precious babies, each protected by the gods and backed by the system. What did she have to compete with?