LOOKS UGLY
1640 Words
"Maverick, you don't need to worry about me. Go to work; I'll be fine. I'm used to being alone." Tatiana bit her lower lips and muttered in a demure, soft voice, her face as pale as a sheet.
There was an IV drip connected to her hand in the VVIP room of Imperial Top Hospital, one of the most famous and expensive hospitals in the country.
Maverick's heart ached, and his hands fell on Tatiana's hair to caress it softly. The doctor had told them they were lucky that Tatiana was rushed to the hospital at that time or a second late, and her situation would've gotten worse.
After the incident that year, Tatiana's health had gotten more frail, and she needed to stay at the hospital often, unlike normal people. Tatiana could count the places she had visited apart from the hospital all these years with one hand.
"I'll stay." He replied in a hoarse, caring tone.
A smile blossomed on Tatiana's face, but she quickly covered it up with a worried expression. She lowered her head shyly and bit her lower lip. "Maverick, you can't be like this. You need to think about the company. You accompanied Tatiana all through yesterday; although Tatiana is moved, you can't continue accompanying Tatiana today. Not only did Maverick need to rest, Maverick also needed to focus on the company." Tatiana chided in a soft voice that was filled with concern.
Maverick folded his long legs elegantly, his expression blank yet filled with worries for the frail and innocent woman. "Your health is important." He simply replied, but in a firm tone that revealed that Maverick didn't plan and wouldn't be leaving.
Upon hearing Maverick's words, Tatiana's face flushed, but she quickly lowered her head demurely to hide it. Silence pervades the room immediately.
"Maverick, can we visit Uncle and Aunt after we leave the hospital? I miss them so much." Tatiana suddenly tilted her head gently and coupled with her pale face, she looked so pitiful and helpless.
Despite Tatiana's pain, a smile lit up on her face upon remembering the Vandenberg couple.
Maverick's eyes softened, and he stopped typing on his laptop. "En?" His eyes were vividly asking if Tatiana wouldn't go home to see her dad after living out of the country for years.
"Aunt and Uncle treat me most like a parent." Tatiana's eyes turned teary, her eyelashes quivered, her pale lips pursed, and her body shook with sadness as if she had just recalled something.
She blinks rapidly and feigns a perfect smile to make Maverick believe that she is fine.
Maverick stood up and walked towards Tatiana. He picked up her hand and gently stroked it. "They'll be your parents in the future." He consoled, understanding what Tatiana meant.
Upon hearing Maverick's words, Tatiana's eyes flickered, her body shook, and her pale face seemed to gain more composure. She threw herself in his embrace, and a tear slipped past her eyes. "Maverick, only you treat me best." She cried out softly.
_____
"Mom. This makeup doesn't suit you at all. It looks ugly." Iris pursed her lips and wrinkled her nose cutely. Her brows arched, and her eyes were fixed on Valencia, who had purposely made herself unattractive so she wouldn't catch attention in Lex.
To evade Lex people's attention, Valencia wore each of the quadruplets a face mask and tinted sunglasses, which covered their faces, while she made herself look unattractive with the help of makeup.
Not only did Valencia fake a black wound scar that stretched from the bridge of her nose down to her chin, but she also covered her left face and forehead with a fake green birthmark that made one repulse as soon as one stared at her, which was Valencia's motive in the beginning.
As long as they were so disgusted to stare at Valencia's face, they wouldn't be able to study her face, not to mention discover that Valencia was familiar.
"Yes. Mom won't find a handsome boyfriend like that." Iverson muttered while playing with a lollipop. His eyes were intensely fixed on the lollipop as if he couldn't wait to lick it.
Unfortunately, he couldn't because Valencia had prevented them from taking off the face mask without her permission, so he could only do one thing: fix his eyes on it until they got into the car.
"Right," Aviva muttered in agreement. The group had just landed at LEX Airport, and with bodyguards following them strictly, they were making their way toward the official Cirillo car which was parked outside the airport.
"You shouldn't be agreeing, Aviva." Valencia softly chided her and rolled her eyes. She expected Aviva to know the reason she did that, even though her quadruplet didn't.
Aviva snorted immediately. So what if Maverick's eyes are still on Valencia? Maverick dared not snatch their Cirillo people. "I think my godchildren are right..."
As if recalling something, Aviva paused, shook her head, and waved her hands quickly. "No. No. That is wrong. Just look like that so no one will steal my beautiful sister-in-law." Aviva proudly said, and she stared at Valencia with satisfaction.
Such a beautiful, smart, and cute mother and cute quadruplets—they're only fit for her Cirillo family. With Valencia donning that horrendous makeup on her face, Aviva doesn't need to worry that someone will steal her sister-in-law.
Besides, with such makeup, that Maverick jerk won't be able to discover Valencia's arrival. Aviva still didn't trust that Valencia's feelings for Maverick had dissipated completely.
"Stop dreaming." Valencia rolled her eyes playfully and fell quiet, understanding what Aviva meant.
Valencia looked around the airport and slowly exhaled.
It's been a while since Valencia stepped into Lex—6 years to be exact—and now everything has changed beyond what was in her memory. The road, the technology, and the air felt unfamiliar to her.
Valencia felt like a stranger who was stepping into Lex for the first time. How strange!
Valencia didn't realize that the weather in Lex is colder than in Country Z until now. She puffed out the cold air slowly and rubbed her hands, hidden by gloves, together.
Their team, which was covered by a bodyguard, was particularly conspicuous that afternoon, but no matter how outstanding the family looked, no one came forward or aimed to take a picture because there was a car in the airport that belonged to Cirillo's family.
Who's the Cirillo family? The Cirillo family is a family known for controlling almost half of the underworld. They are the direct rivals of Maverick and the Vandenberg family, whether in the business world or the underworld.
The Cirillo are known for being cold and ruthless, and they only lived in secrecy. It's rumored that anyone who offends any of the family members doesn't live to see the next hour. There are also rumors about the Cirillo family existing far before the arrival of technology.
There was an eye-catching, shiny black, and expensive limousine conspicuously parked outside the airport. A domineering and eye-catching beautiful label was written on it—Cirillo.
"Young mistresses, welcome. Little madam and little masters welcome." As soon as the bodyguard saw Aviva, Valencia, and the quadruplets, they bowed respectfully and politely opened the limousine.
They all nodded in reply. Valencia and Aviva helped the quadruplets get in before they got into the car themselves.
Upon getting into the car, Iverson blinked his eyes cutely, intending to make Valencia melt with his overload of cuteness. "Mom, can I take off the mask?" He tried to coax in a soft voice while staring at Valencia and the sweet in his hand with a docile stare. "Mom, Sweet. Sweet." He cried out softly while blinking his doe eyes and stretching his hand cutely.
Valencia pursed her lips and pretended to hiss coldly, causing Iverson to pucker his lips in grievance. He stretched out his hand and childishly pulled Valencia's sleeve while staring at her with pitiful, teary black doe eyes. "Mom." He purposely drawled in a soft voice.
"Mom," Hudson, Iris, and Orson also drawled in a soft, cute voice to support Iverson—their cute eyes containing Valencia. They batted their eyelids and pouted their lips, clinging to and pulling Valencia's hand.
Valencia felt her restraint dissipate immediately. Those four smart-ass always knew the right way to get Valencia to agree to their mischievous antics.
Valencia threw her hands in the air playfully and pretended to huff unhappily. "Fine, you win. You can take it off."
The quadruplets pump their fists into the air cheerfully. "Yeah." They happily replied, took off their masks, and began to play together.
Valencia and Aviva smiled at the adorable scene before taking a look at the city through the tinted window. "I'm thinking of investigating the Lex business world. I think we'll be building a VaQuel branch here soon. Lex Country has been our enthusiastic customer over the years, so I'm thinking of having a branch here." Valencia suggested to Aviva.
Valencia believed that once she had her shopping line in Lex, it would prevent Amabella from trying to open a clothing line with Raquel's designs.
Aviva's eyes lit up, and she gave Valencia a thumbs up. "That's a good idea." She admitted while brushing her long hair with her fingers. "We need to tell that to brother Corbyn; he'll help achieve that easily. Besides, you can still keep being anonymous." Aviva suggested with a meaningful wink.
Valencia gave a small smile, understanding that what was currently in Aviva's head was how to join Valencia and Corbyn together.
However, after all that Maverick jerk had done to her, Valencia didn't find herself falling in love soon. She already had her children, the biggest happiness in life, and she already had her VaQuel company. What more does she want?
- Writer
