It'll take a while before I reach my destination. I should read something to pass the time, thought the boy as he scrolled through his phone.
A fantasy novel about a female lead and her harem? Anyway, it's just to kill time. Why not read it, he thought, opening the book. He didn't expect it to be that bad.
"Ridiculous!" he blurted out, unable to stop himself.
"Is there something wrong, Young Master?" the driver asked, looking at him through the mirror.
"Nothing," the boy replied as he continued reading.
The driver returned his gaze to the road, but his thoughts lingered on the boy in the back seat.
Poor kid. It's his birthday today, yet none of his family showed up to celebrate. Must be tough. I heard he's been kidnapped multiple times because of his family's wealth. And worse... his parents are divorced. No wonder he's always gloomy and silent.
So caught up in his thoughts, the driver didn't notice the truck speeding toward them from behind—until it was too late.
CRASH!
---
'It hurts... everything hurts!' The boy thought, pain shooting through his arm as he tried to move.
Just my luck. Dying on my birthday. Maybe now, my parents won't have to make excuses to avoid seeing me. Perhaps they won't be burdened with guilt when I get kidnapped again.
Tears began to fall from his slowly closing eyes.
I wish I had a family I could love and be loved by. I'd do anything for that...
"Anything, you say?"
---
---
"There's another one coming!!" cried a woman in labor, gasping as she felt the urge to push.
"I already see the head — one more push, my lady!" shouted the midwife, carefully holding the newborn child.
"Ahhh!!"
The cries of a newborn filled the room as the midwife wrapped the baby in a clean towel.
"Congratulations, Duchess. You've given birth to twins — a boy and a girl," the midwife said, gently handing the babies to the exhausted but beaming mother.
The duchess smiled as she held her newborns and looked at her husband, who stood beside her in awe.
"They're our children, my Duke," she said softly, showing him the babies.
"Oh! They have my black hair!" the Duke said with pride as he gazed at them.
"Unfair!" the duchess playfully pouted, holding her children close.
"I wonder what eye color they'll have," she said curiously, studying their faces.
"How about we name them first?" suggested the Duke, looking lovingly at his wife.
"Right! Then let's make it fun. You name the girl, and I'll name the boy!" she said excitedly.
"Then how about Stella Enzyme Amethyst?"
"That's beautiful! Then… hmm, I've got it! You'll be named Ethan Louis Amethyst," she said, smiling as she looked down at the baby boy.
"Stella and Ethan. Our children," the duchess whispered, hugging them tightly.
Watching his wife and children, the Duke silently vowed: I'll protect you all. No one will harm you as long as I'm alive.
"There's another one coming!!" shouted the lady going into labor to the midwife. As she felt the urge to push
"I already see the head one more push, my lady!!" shouted the midwife as she held the second child.
"Ahhh!!!" screams the woman as the child is pushed out.
"Wah!wah!" cried the baby as the midwife wrapped the baby in a clean towel.
"Congrats, duchess, your child is a twin boy and girl," said the midwife to the woman as she handed her the children
Thanked the duchess as she held her child and looked at her husband beside her, watching the child
"It's our children, my duke," said the duchess as she showed him the children.
"Oh! They got my black hair," said the duke as he looked at his children
"Unfair!" complained the duchess as she held her child
"I don't know what eye color they have," she says, curious as she looks at her children.
"How about we name them first," said the duke as he looked at his wife
"Right! Then what about you name the girl while I name the boy, how about it!" excitedly, the duchess said as she looked at her husband
"Then, how about Stella enzyme amethyst?"
"That's great! Now then, hmmm, I'll know it! You'll be named Ethan Louis Amethyst."
"Stella and Ethan, our children," said the duchess as she hugged her children closer to her, watching the three of his loved ones. The duke thought, ' I'll protect you all, and nobody should dare harm you as long as I'm alive.'