My Babies, My Love

• Yvonne laughed. "That's so evil, Adeline. But you're right. My cousin gave birth to twins, and oh boy, the tiger stripes are gruesome. She gave birth to triplets, didn't she? I bet it's uglier." • Adeline frowned. Looking at Ryan, she got a little angry. He had always been obsessed with Patricia. She tried to woo him before, but he ignored her. Now that she was engaged to Isaac, he was out of the race. Adeline felt smug about finally making it in life. She got out of her pool and went to the pool where Ryan was. She stood between him and Patricia, smiling. Adeline turned to him. "You always leave right after dinner, Ryan. Why did you stay this time?" Adeline arched her eyebrow. She thought he was a faker. He had been pestering her about Patricia for years, and it got on her nerves. Ryan disliked this woman. He said coldly, "That's none of your business."

Adeline had nothing to say to that, and her face fell. "You like Patricia, don't you? But I have bad news for you. She's already a mother of three. You'd have to ask her sugar daddy if you want to marry her." Ryan's face fell, and he shoved Adeline away.

Adeline lost her bearing and fell into the water. She stood back up quickly, but she was coughing. "Are you trying to kill me?"

• Ryan moved over to Patricia. "I won't believe that, Patricia."

The light in Patricia's eyes dimmed. She looked at Ryan. She wanted to say something, but she could not. She loved the kids. They were her whole world, but she could never explain how they came to be Everyone started whispering behind her back the moment they knew she was a single mother. She was used to it, but she would not expose the kids to that. She did not want them to be hurt. Patricia kept her mouth shut and said nothing.

• Adeline knew she would not talk about it, so she sneered. "You're a fake b*tch, Patricia. Or is it because you don't love your kids enough?" She scoffed. "But I pity you. Your family cut all ties with you, and you have nothing but the kids. Oh, but that old man's retirement income is pretty decent, isn't it? Enough for you and the kids?"

• Everyone was starting to give Patricia weird looks.

• Someone whispered, "I heard about that. She got pregnant in senior year, so she had to drop out."

• "She's a mother at that age? What a slut."

• Patricia's face fell. I shouldn't have come. This f*ckinging b*tch won't stop until she kills me, and she'll do anything for that. But I'm not the same girl I used to be. She calmed down and decided to fight back. Patricia sneered. This is on you, b*tch. She raised her voice, "Yeah, I'm a mother of three, and they're all Isaac's kids!"

• Adeline panicked. "Lies! You're making up nonsense because I told everyone your secret!"

• At this moment, a handsome guy in a gray robe came to the edge of the pool. He was holding a cigarette between his fingers. "Hey, Patricia. The kids are crying. You should really see them right now."