Submitting to my Ex Uncle-Chapter 259

Three Years Later:

The airport was alive with its usual chaos, and people hurrying toward flights.

Amara sat near the tall glass windows overlooking the runway, her scarf slipping from one shoulder, and her coffee cooling beside her. The sky outside was beautiful.

Her phone began to ring from inside her bag.

She frowned, fishing it out. Celeste? No. She smiled when she saw the name glowing across her screen.

Celsa.

The little hurricane in a small beautiful body.

"Hey, baby," Amara said, her voice instantly softening as she picked up.

"Hi, Aunt Mara."

Something about the child’s voice was trembling, uneven. Her little girl has been crying.

Amara straightened in her seat, her brows furrowing. "What is it, baby? Where’s Celeste? Where’s Mum and Dad?"

"Mum and Dad are here," came Celsa small, shaky answer.

Her heart eased a little. She let out a breath. At least, her parents were close by. "Then why are you crying, sweetheart?"

The little girl let out a sniffle. "I saw their wedding pictures," Celsa said, her tone rising, and breaking all at once. "And I wasn’t in it. Why?"

Amara bit back a laugh that was partly from relief, and partly from tenderness that hit her too suddenly.

"Oh, baby..." she sighed softly, pressing her fingers against her temple. "That wedding happened before you and your sister were even born."

"But that’s not fair," Celsa insisted between sniffles. "I should’ve been there. I wanted to wear a pretty dress and throw flowers."

From somewhere behind her, Celeste’s gentle voice, soft and barely audible through the phone.

"Celsa, honey, give Mummy the phone."

Amara smiled wider at the familiar tone. "Hey, baby," she said when Celeste’s voice filled the line.

Celeste laughed softly, sounding tired but happy. "I swear this girl is your goddaughter for a reason. She’s dramatic."

"I heard that!" Celsa yelled in the background, her tiny voice echoing through the phone.

Amara laughed. "That’s my girl."

There was a rustling sound, and then Celeste’s voice came again, quieter now. "She saw our wedding album this morning. She didn’t understand why she wasn’t in any of the pictures. She’s been sulking since breakfast."

"Aw," Amara murmured, warmth threading through her chest. "Tell her she was there. Just... in your belly."

Celeste chuckled softly. "I already told her that. She said that doesn’t count."

From somewhere close, a new voice piped up, softer, and slower. This voice was the complete opposite of her twin’s fiery tone.

"Aunt Mara?"

Amara smiled instantly. "Selene, my calm sunshine. Hi, baby."

"Hi," the little girl whispered back. Her voice was barely louder than the sound of the wind. "When are you coming home?"

Amara melted completely. "After my book conference, sweetheart. Just a few more days, I promise."

"Will you bring me a storybook?" Serene asked softly.

"Two storybooks," Amara said. "And maybe a dress, if you tell your sister to behave."

"I always behave," Selene said quietly, matter-of-fact.

"I heard that too!" Celsa yelled again, behind Selene. "You didn’t behave when Daddy said no chocolate before dinner!"

Amara chuckled, shaking her head. "I see nothing’s changed."

"No," Celeste’s laughter came through, warm and alive. "Nothing’s changed."

Inside their home, the large, light-filled estate that looked like it belonged in a dream, Dominic was currently trying to pick up toy blocks scattered across the living room floor. The place looked like a pastel-colored war zone.

Everywhere he turned, there was something that belonged to his daughters. Stuffed bears, tiny shoes, a tiara, and one of Selene’s hair ribbons that caught around the leg of the couch.

The cleaners come around three times a week, since they decided to give the kids a normal childhood, and to also experience normal parenthood.

He bent, and picked up a doll. "Do you two secretly plan this every morning? Like a coordinated attack?"

Celsa, still clutching the phone, looked up at him with big eyes. "You said you’d help me build a castle, Daddy!"

"That was yesterday," Dominic said, dropping a block into a basket.

"Then help me today!" she insisted, her curls bouncing as she spoke, staring at him with her doll eyes.

Celeste, standing by the counter with a mug of tea, shook her head fondly. "Dominic, she’s going to win. Don’t even fight it."

He looked at her. The same way he always did, like nothing in the world could ever compete with the sight of her. Not even his daughters ever could.

Her hair was loose now, with soft waves spilling down her back. The light caught the beautiful diamond ring on her finger.

"I already lost the second she was born," he said, walking toward Celeste, wrapping an arm around her waist, and kissing her temple.

Celsa scrunched her nose. "Ew, Daddy, stop kissing Mum!"

"Never," Dominic replied easily, kissing her again. "You’ll understand when you meet you’re older"

"I don’t want a husband," Celsa said seriously. "They just make mess."

Celeste burst out laughing.

Serene, still holding her stuffed rabbit, looked thoughtful. "Maybe I’ll have one," she said quietly.

Celsa turned to her twin in horror. "Why?"

"So I can boss him around."

Dominic almost choked on his laugh. "Mummy doesn’t boss me around."

Celeste smiled softly, shaking her head as she leaned down to pick Celsa up. "Come here, sweetheart."

Celsa squealed, pretending to resist before collapsing into her mother’s arms, with her head pressing against Celeste’s shoulder. Celeste kissed her forehead, her eyes tender and full.

"You know," she said gently, "the reason you’re not in those wedding pictures is because you weren’t here yet. But if you had been, I promise, you would’ve been the most beautiful little flower girl ever."

Celsa sniffled. "Really?"

"Really," Celeste said. "And Mummy and Daddy would’ve made you throw the biggest handful of flowers."

Celsa’s face brightened immediately. "Can we take new wedding pictures?"

Celeste smiled. "We already have something better." She rubbed the tip of their noses together. "We have you."

Celsa giggled, hiding her face in Celeste’s neck.

From the phone, Amara’s laughter echoed through the line. "See? Everything’s fine now."

Celsa had already switched the call to a video call, so Celeste turned the phone toward Dominic, who took it with one hand while still trying to balance Selene on his other arm.

Amara laughed. "You look like a very handsome but exhausted dad."

Dominic smirked. "You forgot outnumbered."

"Never thought I’d see the day," Amara teased.

"Neither did I," he admitted quietly, his gaze drifting toward Celeste. "But it’s my favorite kind of chaos."

Celeste caught his eye from across the room. Their eyes met.

Amara caught it too. She smiled softly, a tear tugging at the corner of her eye.

"I have to go," she said, glancing at the airport clock. "My flight’s boarding soon. Tell my nieces I love them."

"You hear that, girls?" Celeste said. "Aunt Amara loves you."

"We love her too!" they chorused.

Amara laughed through the phone, heart swelling. "I’ll see you soon, my darlings."

"Promise?" Selene asked.

"Promise," Amara said, her voice warm and certain.

After the call ended, Celeste slipped her phone onto the table and leaned against Dominic. He wrapped both arms around her, kissing the top of her head.

The twins were now playing again. Celsa was trying to stack toy blocks while Serene lined up stuffed animals like an audience.

Celeste exhaled softly, watching them. She looked up at him. He leaned down, and sealed their lips together in a slow, gentle, and peaceful kiss.