Chapter 46
Arianne pulled the car to a stop and glanced at the dashboard mirror, looking at the twins who were safely strapped into their car seats. It was one of the things she and Franz had agreed to add to their vehicles. Even their driving speed had been set to no more than 60 kph.
She accompanied the twins to their therapy today to find out more about their condition. It was only then that she found out why Leo had trouble falling asleep at night and refused to take occasional naps.
Leo was taking a nap on Layla’s lap when the car accident happened. The moment he woke up in the hospital, he found out his parents had passed away. Since then, he has been troubled by sleep at night and has refused to take afternoon naps.
Arianne thought she had made the right choice not waking the boy when she found him sleeping next to her the other day. However, when night came, Leo didn’t want to sleep without her around.
The doctors warned her that they would need a lot of patience when dealing with the twins.
The beep from her car pulled her thoughts back to reality. Arianne alighted from the driver’s seat and opened the backseat to help the twins get out. She noticed the twins’ unusual silence. Neither said a word, refusing to meet her gaze.
After changing into home clothes, Arianne found the twins in the living room. Lily was watching a cartoon show on her tablet, while Leo was seated on the floor, busy playing with building blocks.
Arianne joined them and turned on the TV, switching to business news. She lowered the volume enough to hear it without disturbing the children.
News about the Blackwood Corporation being turned down by a private investment group appeared on the screen. It showed Dominic Blackwood stepping out of a building along with his team of executives. He wore the disappointed expression Arianne was familiar with, masking it with cold indifference as he ignored the reporters waiting outside.
The investment group issued a brief statement afterward. There was no reason for their decline. Only polite well-wishes were given to the Blackwood Corporation.
’Blackwood Corporation fails to secure overseas investment,’ the headline read.
The news anchor then added that Dominic Blackwood would try to negotiate with the same investment group to expand their overseas reach.
Then the news shifted to the successful merger of Orion Logistics with the Rochefort Group. A stock photo of her appeared on the screen. The analysts shared their views on the future of the Rochefort Group and how it became a variable no one had anticipated after Alexander Rochefort’s passing.
As Alex’s name and image flashed on the screen, the twins stopped what they were doing and stared at their father’s face. Lily’s eyes shone with tears, while Leo dropped the toy blocks he was holding.
Arianne immediately regretted turning on the TV, but the news abruptly changed to another topic before she could say a word.
“I miss Daddy,” Lily admitted before glancing at Arianne. “Auntie, can we visit our old home p>
“Is there something you want to bring from there?” Arianne asked.
Lily shook her head. “I dunno. I just want to see our old house p>
Leo picked up his whiteboard, scribbled on it, and showed it to Arianne. “I want to get my robots p>
Arianne didn’t answer immediately. It was something she would need to discuss with Franz.
“I would have to ask your Uncle Franz first,” she replied.
“What do you want to ask me, Aria p>
Franz had just come down from his studio when he heard Arianne speaking to the twins. He blinked, then glanced at the children who were looking at him with anticipation.
“Uncle, can we visit our old home? It’s been a long time since we visited it.” Lily clasped her hands together, while Leo raised his whiteboard with a sign: “Please p>
Franz looked at Arianne, who gave him a shrug.
“I can make time this weekend,” she said. “But we might need to increase security. I can bring the kids with me while you take another route p>
Franz considered her suggestion, then nodded. He took his phone out of his pocket and sent a quick message to his PA.
“I have a therapy session this Saturday morning. You can go ahead of me. I will follow up after my session p>
Arianne nodded while the twins jolted up from their seats and hugged Franz.
Franz staggered back but managed to steady himself.
“Okay, okay,” he replied. “How can I say no to both of you p>
Lily grinned and pulled her twin brother toward their bedroom.
“Where are you going?” Franz asked, watching as the twins hurried up the stairs. “Be careful, Lily. Don’t run p>
“We need to plan and decide what to take from home, Uncle!” Lily exclaimed before disappearing with her twin brother.
Franz chuckled and shook his head. He hadn’t seen the twins this excited before.
“Alright. I’ll free my schedule on Saturday afternoon, then. We can’t stay for too long, though, since I have a scheduled overseas video conference at night,” Arianne informed Franz, taking his attention. She was holding her phone, checking her schedule on the calendar app.
Franz nodded, but he realized he had never seen Arianne take a break from work since they started living together. If she wasn’t spending time with the twins, she was usually holed up in her study, working whenever she was home.
“Is your PA the one managing all your schedules?” Arianne’s question brought him back to reality.
“Yes. Do you need something? I can give Monica a call if you want my entire schedule for this month,” he offered.
Arianne inclined her head.
“No need, but I would require her contact information. Gio is setting up our shared calendar. He needs her immediate details,” she said, putting her phone aside and continuing to watch the news.
“I see. I’ll send you her details later,” Franz replied. “I’ll go see what the twins are up to p>
Arianne hummed, but didn’t look at him.
The room settled without further instruction, but Saturday had a place on the calendar now.