Why didn't her colleague tell her?

Who answered her phone without her permission?

Austyn huffed. You could have just asloed me about it'

He tilted his chin towards the twins. 'You frightened them.'

Only then did Kira notice the terrified looks on the twins' faces.

They remained frozen to the spot with their

eyes wide open.

The half-finished bear in Jennie's hand fell onto the floor, but she didn't notice.

Kira grimaced

She opened her mouth to explain but couldn't utter a word.

She had been so blinded with rage Just now, she wasn't thinking

She had never lost her temper 1

Nor did she ever get violent

What would they think of her?

like this in front of her children.

Would they grow to be afraid of her?

'Sweetle, I...

Kira was red-faced with shame.

Austyn plastered a smile on his face. You know how sometimes you'd mess arous wor your namenes mer

other, but playfully?"

Joshua said in a small voice, "Mum says we shouldn't do that."

Austyn nodded. 'Right. But sometimes, other kids do. They rough each other up, but it's for fun and it doesn't hurt. Your mum was just joking around Just now. Right?" The question was directed at Kira, who nodded eagerly.

Joshua still looked puzzled.

"It's just a game grown-ups play," Austyn continued.

"Really?" Tennie asked.

'Really.' Austyn nodded.

'Does it hurt?" Jennie touched Austyn's face.

'It doesn't' Austyn pinched Jennie's cheek. 'Does this hurt?'

'No.'

'See? Just like I was playing a game with you, your mum was playing a game with me. It sounds loud, but it doesn't hurt at all."

Jennie turned to Kira. 'Mummy, is Daddy telling the truth? You were playing a game?"

Kira nodded, feeling guilty. "Yes, it was just a game.!

Jennie patted her chest, relieved.

Then she complained, "Mummy, you scared me just now."

'Sorry, honey." Kira bent down to hug her daughter. 'Mummy made a mistake. I won't do it again, I promise.

Joshua looked back and forth between the two adults, unconvinced.

But Jennie had already forgotten about the episode.

She pointed at the floor. 'Mummy, my bear died!'

"We can build another one!

'Yay!'

Jennie jumped down from her seat,

Kira heaved a secret sigh of relief.

'You owe me,' Austyn whispered to her.

They were standing side by side, their shoulders almost touching

Kira nodded slightly

She did owe him,

She slapped him without a valid reason, yet he helped her out of an awkward situation with the kids.

"I can buy you a bear, she offered.

Austyn scoffed at the meagre offer. Just remember you owe me one. I'll come and collect some other time." He took in her flushed face. Earlier, he found the marriage certificate in his study.

It was kept in the topmost drawer on the left.

It had the names of Austyn McCarthy and Kira Hewitt on It, and the document did not look like a forgery.

Austyn gave Kira an appraising look

Was this woman really his wife?

Shark His Type

He had no idea this was the type he preferred before he lost his memory.

'Daddy, why are you staring at Mummy?" Jennie asked, curious,

A hint of red crept into Kira's cheeks.

Her shoulders stiffened.

Austyn cleared his throat and looked away.

Have you guys had dinner?" Kira changed the subject.

'No.' Joshua said.

It was Jennie's idea to have dessert first.

Kira took them to a ramen shop on the second floor.

While they waited for their order to be served, Kira asked Austyn, 'How did you know where the kids go to school?"

1 know a lot of things."

Jennie had let slip the address of the kindergarten when she spent time with Austyn in the hospital.

In fact, she told him a lot more-where she went to school, her favourite food, the colours she liked the most and the colours she hated...

Joshua and Jennie soon lost interest in the adults' conversation when the bowls of steaming ramen noodles were served.

Kira got busy feeding them, since neither of them had mastered the art of using chopsticks yet.

Austyn Volterred to neip a Comiss

I'll get it dry cleaned, Kira said when she saw the sorry

state of his clothes.

"It's line." Austyn was rather enjoying the novel sensation of feeding the kids.

Joshua ate everything-the noodles, the thin slices of beef and the coriander.

But Jennie pouted when she saw any trace of vegetable in the spoon held out to her.

'Ramen was a bad choice, Kira muttered to herself,

The kids loved it, though.Material © of .

Near the end of the meal, Kira went to the bathroom.

When she returned, she saw Jennie planting a kiss on Austyn's cheek.

She was a little jealous.

Austyn had just spent less than three days with the kids, but Jennie was already getting deeply attached to him.

'Let's go. Kira picked up Joshua in her arms.

Jennie was clinging to Austyn like a koala

'Give me a minute to settle the bill,' Austyn said.

'I took care of IL!

Austyn paused. "You paid the bil

"Yep.

'Of all the women I went out with, you are the first one to pay the bill'

Kira pulled a face at him. 'Of all the women? Just how many women have you gone

out with?

Sensing how her words could be misconstrued as jealousy, Kira clammed up and turned around.

Artim followed her out of the restaurant with a simile on his face.

'Mummy, I want ice cream! Jennie said as they walked past the ice cream shop.

"No," Kira shot down Jennie's idea. Your tummy is going to hurt."

Jennie's face puckered up. "Mummy, you don't love me anymore."

"Because I won't buy you ice cream?" Kira laughed.

"Daddy bought me a bear.' Jennie showed off her multi-coloured bear with a misshapen head and four arms, built by herself "So I must buy you something, too? Kira understood the rest of her daughter 's unsaid words.

Jennie nodded eagerly.

Joshua spoke up for his s sister. 'Munny, Jennie hasn't asked for ice cream for over a week! Which was a record for her.

'Please, Mummy!' Jennie proffered her stuffed bear. 'I can give

'It's just ice cream, Austyn said. 'We can buy

you my new best friend!' yone and let them shere."

It was three against one

Kira had to give in..

They entered the ice cream shop.

The owner smiled at the twins. "Hi, kids. What favour do you like?

Jennie had trouble deciding

Austyn put her down and let her examine all the flavours on offer.

Tubs of ice cream were laid out on a transparent display case

The owner took another look at Austyn, then at Kira,

Hey, It's your puys! Wow, it's been such a long time!'

Mistyn raised an eyebrow. 'Do you know us?!

'Of counsel' The man laughed. The two of you came here several years ago!

I was the one who clord you in, remember?"

"Oh, it's you!' Kira recalled the man's face.

She and Austyn came here for their first date.

She wanted to have ice cream, but he refused.

Then she got mad at him.

In the end, he yielded and she got two ice cream cones.

'You still remember us?' Kira was surprised, because the last time she was here was more than four years ago.

'Of course." The owner nodded. 'You two made quite an impression."

He looked at the twins. 'I guess you are a married couple now,"

He held out an ice cream cone to Joshua 'Here, my treat.

Joshua looked at Kira, who smiled and said, 'Don't forget to say thank you!

Joshua's eyes lit up.

He took the ice cream and thanked the man politely.

Jennie was still torn between the strawberry flavour and the chocolate flavour.

In the end, Kira bought strawberry for her and promised to come back next week for the chocolate

'Hope to see you guys soon! The owner waved at them as they left.

Kira had a wistful smile on her face as she recalled her first date with Austyn

She still lamented the loss of her old phone, which contained the photos talon in this mall

So much had happened since then.

Austyn glanced at her.

Kira was lost in thought.

She was startled when he suddenly grabbed her shoulders and pulled her into his arms.

"What are you doing?"

'Someone's following us," Austyn whispered in her ear. 'Don't turn your head.

Kira gripped Jennie's hand.

Austyn was holding Joshua's.

"Who? Where? Kira grew nervous.

""Eight o'clock'

Kira moved her head and darted a quick glance in that direction.

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a man with half of his body

ly concealed behind a pillar.

He did have a furtive look about him.

'Paparazzi?" Kira guessed.

"Why would the media follow us?!

Because you are famous, Kira almost sa

said

But it suddenly occurred to her that Austyn had disappeared for four

The general consensus in Stamford was that he was dead.

The media couldn't have gotten wind of his return so fast.

years.

If the man following them was a paparazzo, he couldn't be here for Austyn.

But neither could he be here for Kira.

She was just a field correspondent, relatively obscure in her field.

She reported the news, but there was nothing newsworthy about her.

Kirs frowned. A staller? Should we confront him?"

"No," Austyn said. Just keep wallding. We'll draw him out."

It would be easier to catch the man i