On the second floor, six little ones huddled together.
Back when Sophia fled overseas, she discovered she was pregnant with her savior's child. Having lost faith in both family and love, Sophia had already resigned herself to never marrying. Still, the thought of raising a child on her own didn't seem so bad—especially when the father's genes were clearly outstanding.
What she hadn't expected was giving birth to sextuplets. To keep things straight, she named them alphabetically from oldest to youngest:
Angela Morgan, Billy Morgan, Charles Morgan, Dustin Morgan, Eric Morgan, and Faye Morgan.
Angela and Faye were girls; the other four were boys.
"Billy, did you find out who our daddy is yet?" Angela asked.
Billy, his serious little face lit by the glow of the screen, typed rapidly. A photo popped up on his laptop. "Found him. It's him."
The man on the screen was stone-faced, but the resemblance in his features was undeniable.
"Wow, that's our daddy?"
"He looks just like me!"
"Then let's get started!" Charles and Dustin could barely contain their excitement.
Billy flashed an "OK" sign. "On it."
...
Hilton Group Headquarters.
In the top-floor office, Lucas was resting with his eyes closed when a sharp knock broke the silence.
His chiseled face darkened with impatience. He opened his eyes and spoke coldly. "Come in."
Alex entered, looking grim. "Mr. Hilton, headquarters has just been hacked. Every active computer screen switched to the same image."
Lucas's gaze turned razor-sharp. "A hack?"
"Yes, sir," Alex said quickly, keeping his head down. "Adam detected it immediately but couldn't stop the intrusion."
Privately, Alex cursed Adam. The company paid him a fortune every year, and he couldn't even block one hacker.
Lucas's brows knitted. Adam was a top-level hacker he'd personally recruited, someone who had blocked countless corporate attacks over the years. For him to fail this time…
"Where is Adam?"
Right then, a man in a plaid shirt stumbled breathlessly into the office. "Mr. Hilton, the intruders broke into the company accounts!"
The temperature in the room seemed to plummet. Lucas's voice was ice. "How much money was stolen?"
Adam paled under his boss's stare, stammering, "N-n-none."
"What?"
"They didn't take anything," Adam blurted, louder this time. "They… actually deposited six hundred dollars into the account." His voice trailed off, baffled.
After breaking through all his firewalls—just to transfer money in?
Alex gaped, certain he'd misheard. What the hell…
But Lucas froze for an entirely different reason. Six years ago, that woman had taken exactly six hundred dollars from his wallet.
The office fell into tense silence. No one spoke—until the computer on Lucas's desk suddenly blared to life.
A childish sing-song filled the air:
"Little tadpoles looking for their daddy~ found their daddy and wagged their tails~"
The room went dead still. Alex and Adam exchanged looks, neither daring to glance at Lucas's face.
Lucas narrowed his eyes at the screen. Daddy?
The song ended, replaced by the goofy cartoon image of a tadpole. Then a recording of children's voices—several at once, boys and girls—shouted in unison:
"Daddy, we finally found you!"
The word echoed through the office, over and over—Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!
Alex stole a shaky glance at Lucas's face and silently thought that whoever had pulled this stunt had to be fearless.
They'd actually called Mr. Hilton "Daddy."
The cartoon tadpole on the screen spoke again: "We're here to help Mommy pay back her debts. Daddy, we can't wait to meet you someday."
And with that, the video cut off, leaving the computer screens black.
Everyone in Hilton Group who had been working saw the same clip. Their stunned faces showed the same thought—
Wait… Mr. Hilton has kids? A whole bunch of them? And they've just hacked into the company to say so?
Lucas's lips curved into a cold, dangerous smile. "Adam. Find out who did this."
There couldn't be many hackers in the world more skilled than Adam. Lucas needed to know their purpose.
"Yes, sir."
Adam answered quickly, but inside he was panicking. If someone outmatched him, tracking them might be impossible.
After Adam left, Alex was about to slip out too, but remembered something. "Mr. Hilton, the Scotts sent over an invitation. Their family is hosting a gala—most of the big names will be there. You—"
"Decline." Lucas cut him off without hesitation.
Alex had expected that response, but this time was different. "Sir, both the Morgans and the Trumps will attend. And… I've confirmed your uncle will be there as well."
At that, Lucas's expression shifted. The Morgans were tied to Sophia, and his uncle… that was another matter entirely. His mortal enemy.
Sure enough, Lucas's eyes turned to ice. "Tell the Scotts—I'll be there."
Those frigid eyes darkened with vengeance. Uncle… If not for him, Lucas's legs would never have been crippled.
...
Three days passed quickly.
Silver Lake Villa.
Six children sat neatly on the sofa, waiting for their mother to appear.
The youngest, Faye, kept glancing toward the staircase. "I wonder what color dress Mommy will wear today? Pink?"
"I think black," Eric guessed.
"Then I'll say red," Charles jumped in.
"Blue," Dustin volunteered, raising his hand.
"Gold," Billy added flatly.
Five pairs of wide eyes turned to Angela, the eldest. She was the only one left.
Angela rested her chin in her tiny hand, thoughtful. "I think Mommy looks beautiful in any color."
"Brownnoser!" the other five chorused.
Just then, Harper entered the room. "Oh, my sweet angels, you're all so well-behaved! Auntie Harper owes you kisses!" She leaned down and planted a peck on each little cheek.
"Wow, the gorgeous Auntie Harper kissed me! I'm never washing my face again," Dustin declared, clutching his chest dramatically.
Harper burst out laughing. "Dustin, you're too much—but I love it."
Twirling once in her fiery red gown, the skirt flaring like flames, she struck a pose. "Well? Don't I look stunning tonight?"
Harper was every bit the bold beauty—curves in all the right places, her dress showcasing every asset.
"Beautiful!" the six shouted in unison, loud enough to shake the walls.
Satisfied, Harper smiled—only for her expression to falter as the room collectively drew in a sharp breath.
A graceful figure was descending the staircase.
Sophia.
The deep violet satin of her gown shimmered like liquid silk, moving with every step as though she were a purple rose blooming in the dark. Her hair was swept up elegantly, violet gemstone earrings catching the light.
Her moon-pale face carried the faintest smile, cool yet laced with mystery.
"Mommy, you're soooo beautiful!"
The six children were dazzled, at a loss for words, blurting the only thing they could manage.
Even Harper went speechless for a moment. "Oh my God, Sophia—you're drop-dead gorgeous tonight!"
If she weren't so confident in her own looks, standing next to Sophia would have been unbearable.
Sophia's delicate features held a spark of satisfaction. She'd taken extra care tonight.
"Babies, Mommy and Auntie Harper are going to the gala. Be good and stay home, okay?"
"Okay!" the six answered together.
Trusting them, Sophia and Harper left for the evening.
What she didn't know was that six small shadows slipped out behind them, following in secret.