Araceli POV
"I don't remember..."
Essel tilted her head, thinking.
"My dad said my birthday will be here once summer arrives. mrs. Chancey, will you get me a birthday present?"
She looked at me with some delight.
Maddox said, "Ms. Essel's birthday is the first of July."
I clenched my fist violently and my heart skipped a beat.
Krish and Valeria's birthdays were also the first of July.
That night, I gave birth to them in the warehouse.
At the time, Melany watched indifferently and did not save the two children I had given birth to in the first place.
Melany could never have given birth!
I had already guessed the truth, but at this point I still found it unbelievable.
My two children had been taken away by Melany. She gave them to Royal Pack under the pretext that they were her children, thus prompting Raphael to marry her.
"Essel..."
I took Essel into my arms, my eyes turning red.
It turned out that the two children I had initially given birth to had been well and alive.
They didn't die...
Melany had actually saved both of my children and delivered them to their real father.
Essel and Micah were both so wonderful.
I was so thankful that they are still alive in this world...
This was a gift from Heaven...
Unknowingly, tears filled my eyes and slid down my face.
"Ms. Chancey, what's wrong? Are you okay?"
Essel asked worriedly, patting my back with her hand.
She looked up and was shocked to see my tears falling down uncontrollably.
"Ms. Chancey, what's wrong? Did I do something wrong? I'm sorry, Ms. Chancey..."
She hurriedly took my hand...
My heart ached.
These days, I deliberately did not come to Royal Pack, and ignored Essel.
Essel is my daughter, not Melany's daughter!
I owe Essel and Micah so much that I will spend my life protecting them from further harm...
"Essel, you're not wrong. You didn't do anything wrong..." I pulled Essel over to me and held her in my arms, rubbing my chin through Essel's hair. "I'm sorry, Essel. it was my fault. I shouldn't have ignored you. Baby, from today on, I'll come and cook dinner for you every day. I'll give you anything you want from now on..."
Essel's eyes widened in surprise.
"Really? Ms. Chancey, you're not kidding me?"
"Actually, Essel, I'm your..."
I thought of something and didn't finish.
Essel looked at me in confusion.
"It's okay." I shook my head, a faint bitterness flooding my throat.
If I were to tell everything that happened five years ago at this moment, Raphael might take away Krish and Valeria's custody after knowing about it.
I dared not bet on this matter.
As long as they were alive and well and happy, I thought it was worth it.
"Ms. Chancey, are you sure you're okay?"
Essel asked with slight concern.
"I'm fine..."
I wiped my tears and laughed, "I'm just so happy to see you that I don't know what to say."
There was some confusion in Essel's eyes.
She lifted her small hand and wiped the tears from both cheeks for me.
I said gently, "Essel, can I see a picture of you as a child?"
Essel immediately stood up, nodded her head, and ran upstairs.
"Sure! I'll get it right away."
She quickly ran upstairs.
In a short while, she came downstairs carrying several thick photo albums.
I flipped through the albums. Two newborns were lying in their cribs, their eyes wide open and curious about the world.
Micah and Raphael looked so much alike.
Essel and I looked alike, with a pair of clear eyes.
"Essel, you are so cute."
I turned the album to the next page and suddenly paused.
Raphael and Melany were sitting side by side, each holding a child in their arms.
It was their family photo.
I slowly asked, "Essel, is Melany good to you and Micah?"
"I don't know. I don't like her anyway."
Essel pouted, "Ms. Chancey, even though Melany is my mother, I don't know why, but I don't feel her love for me. Instead, I like you more and want to call you mommy more. I felt you were my mommy from the first moment I saw you! I trust my intuition!"
My heart softened a little.
I held Essel's hand and whispered, "Baby, I liked you too when I first saw you..."
Essel's eyes shone brightly.
I couldn't bear to look at them again, or I wouldn't be able to control the tears again...
I said gently, "Essel, can you tell me a story about when you and Micah were little?"
Essel thought for a moment and said, "Micah was very cold, but he was very nice to me. However, he didn't like to play with me and was only interested in studying.Ms. Chancey, Micah was uninteresting, but he was kind to anyone. Also, he told me that he likes Valeria, and there is absolutely no way he would hurt her. There must be some kind of misunderstanding..."
I stroked Essel's hair and guessed what she meant.
"I know Micah wouldn't hurt anyone."
Essel sat up straight and said squarely, "Ms. Chancey, I apologize to you in Micah's place. Please forgive him and don't ever stop seeing me because of him..."
Essel tugged cautiously on my sleeve.
I laughed, "Baby, I was never mad at him for hacking my website earlier. I'm not going to be mad at Micah."
Micah helped Melany because he thought Melany was his real mother.
And Melany is the biological mother of two children because of my negligence and incompetence five years ago...
If I had been willing to fight for my children, I would not have lost them...
If I had been able to be stronger for my children that night, I would not have kept them apart from me for so long...
"Ms. Chancey, are you okay?"
Essel asked worriedly.
I shook my head.
"I'm fine."
I looked at the pictures, and it was like I had grown up with Essel and Micah.