Chapter 254: Multiply
Moments ago...
When Lola left the building and reached her car, she paused upon spotting Silo running toward her from a different direction.
"What are you doing?" she asked. "I thought you left."
"I left—and then came back!" he shouted as he reached the door opposite hers. "You and I, we need to talk. Like seriously, talk."
She narrowed her eyes. "Silo, if this is about this friendship, no—you’re wrong. I’m not choosing friendship over my relationship."
He gasped and scrunched his nose. It took a second for her to realize what she had said, and she smiled sheepishly.
"I mean, I’m not choosing my relationship over our friendship," she corrected, but it was too late.
"Lola, even if you want to reassure me, you should at least make it sound believable!"
"Fine, fine. Tsk." She clicked her tongue and sighed. "Just get in."
With that, she slipped into the driver’s seat while Silo slid into the passenger side. As they pulled away, he twisted in his seat to face her squarely.
"Lola," he said seriously. "We’re friends, right?"
"Silo, can you please stop bringing up whether we’re friends or not?"
"I mean, as your longest friend, don’t I deserve to meet your boyfriend?" He hummed, raising his brows. "But then again, even if I am your longest friend—who stuck with you through all your ups and downs, all your eras—who am I to ask you to introduce him to me, right?"
Lola rolled her eyes at his guilt-tripping.
"Fine, okay!" He rocked his head dramatically. "Maybe I’m just being clingy, afraid of being left out. I’ll be fine. It’s no big deal. It’s just that my best friend finally has a boyfriend after suffering in this one-sided love all these decades."
He nodded more, talking to himself. "I guess that’s good. My friend finally moved on and opened a new Chapter in her life—"
"Fine."
Silo jumped, eyes sparkling. "Really?"
"Yeah," she sighed, resting her elbow on the window. "Just shut up, okay?"
"Okay!" he grinned, patting himself on the back for a job well done. But then he noticed the look on her face. "What’s wrong now? Did Amala scold you or something?"
Did Amala tell her that Vito is coming?
"Nothing." Lola sighed deeply again. "It’s just... my boyfriend might break up with me later. Nothing serious."
"So soon?"
Her lips quivered downward as she gave him a side-eye. "I know, right?" She whimpered quietly, eyes fixed on the road. "Damn Amala. Couldn’t even let me be happy for at least a full week."
Silo bit his tongue. "That’s why you’re in this mood, huh?"
"Why else would I be, when I should be over the moon and seeing only the bright side of the world?" She clicked her tongue. "But fine, okay! Let’s do it. I mean, I’ll just get to hold the title of finally having my first real relationship, then break up days later. That’s the fastest relationship on record."
"People sometimes get married and divorce the next day."
She shot him a sharp glare.
"Just trying to comfort you," he muttered.
"Tch." She huffed again. "Damn it."
Silo narrowed his eyes. "Say... your boyfriend. Do I know him?"
"Huh?" she hummed. "What boyfriend? Might as well start calling him my ex."
"Ey... I don’t know what Amala told you, but don’t be so negative. Who knows? I mean, I’d be more concerned if he saw one of your disguises."
"What about it?" she murmured. "He didn’t mind. He thinks it looks cool."
He gasped. "He’s seen you in your disguises?"
"What do you think?"
"Well, I don’t think you two will break up that easily if he can overlook that," he whispered, but Lola didn’t seem to hear him. He stared at her profile and huffed.
"I was just imagining how the twins would react, but I guess it’s better we didn’t tell them."
"What?" Silo deadpanned. "What about the twins?"
Lola didn’t answer. Silo’s eyes widened as realization hit.
"Wha—what—HUH?!" His voice cracked so loud she winced. Tugging her ear, she glared at him. He cleared his throat quickly.
"Your boyfriend is Chacha and Second’s father?" he whispered harshly. "Lola, I know you love the twins, but dating their father? Are you really trying to be their mother? Why? Just because they called you one? So you figured—why not?"
Lola rolled her eyes, but then Silo said something that actually hit her.
"Wait, hang on. How—why?!" He looked utterly baffled. "I mean, I know the twins are staying with you, and somehow, you’ve got another tenant. Don’t tell me their father is living there too?!"
"Lola! How could you let everyone live in your home?! Is money that tight now, that you’re renting out rooms?" He pressed on. "And how could you even get into a relationship so fast? Why? Did he say he loved you and confessed? Or are you just doing this out of convenience?"
"Convenience?"
"The twins!" he exclaimed. "This all started with them, and now you’re dating their father. No matter how much you like kids, aren’t you being rash? Sure, you might like him, but does he like you too? Or is he just going along because his kids like you?"
On normal days, Silo and Lola both knew his rants were mostly nonsense. But this time, his last remarks unsettled her.
Now that I think about it...
Lola stayed quiet, letting him prattle on while she thought.
It’s not like that, right? No, Atlas wouldn’t just go with the flow.
"I don’t think so," she finally said. "He told me his children rarely change his opinion."
"Rarely."
"You don’t understand, Silo. But you will once you meet him, and why his answer means more than our panic."
Silo frowned. "What does that even mean?"
"You’ll understand later," she said. "Anyway, help me with the children. They’ll be home early today. Watch them for me while I prep dinner."
"Fine..."
*****
[Penthouse]
"One... two..." Silo blinked, standing next to an equally stunned Lola. "...three... four... five... six."
Both of them blinked. Then Silo rubbed his eyes.
"I’m probably seeing doubles," he laughed nervously. "I’ll count again. One, two, three... six."
This time, his jaw dropped. In the living room stood the twins—Chacha and Second—smiling at them. But beside them were four more little ones, younger by a couple of years at most, all staring back at them.
"Say, Lola..." he muttered in horror. "Did the twins... just multiply?"