Armando soon moved into my modest trailer, deciding it was better to live on my owned land than in his rented apartment. We were even able to expand the trailer a bit with his savings. It was wonderful to have him there morning, noon, and night, making loneliness a thing of the past.




With my urging, Armando quit his mail delivery job to pursue his dream of becoming an athlete. He had to start at the bottom of the ladder by working as a mascot...




But my own success in business proved that starting small could lead to bigger things. I was continuing to move up in Capp Commerce, and was now an Executive.




After our long days at work, Armando and I cooled down by heating things up in the bedroom.




And that, of course, inevitably led to strong bouts of morning sickness and a slowly swelling belly... I was pregnant!




Although it was earlier than we'd planned on starting a family, both Armando and I were thrilled that there would soon be a baby in our lives. He doted on me all through my pregnancy, and not a day went by that he didn't rub my belly and talk to the child inside.




One afternoon he gave me the surprise of my life by dropping to one knee and holding out a beautiful engagement ring! Being the honorable man he was, he wanted us to be married before the baby arrived, so our family would be truly complete.




We didn't have much money to spend on a ceremony, and neither of us had family to invite, anyway, so we decided to marry in our living room, with no audience but our unborn baby.




But it wasn't going to stay ubnorn for long! Not long after our modest wedding, I awoke with labor pains, and I knew my first child was on its way!




He was beautiful, perfect in every way, with a caramel mixture of my and Armando's skintones, and light blue eyes. We'd chosen the name Connor for a boy, and it fit him wonderfully. But another pain in my stomach told me it wasn't over...




And soon a baby girl arrived to join her brother! Hannah was lighter in complexion but had the same crystalline eyes. Both twins had flaxen blonde hair that made them look like small angels.




We thought one baby would be hard work, and two had us completely overwhelmed. There were always bottles to be fed, diapers to be changed, and cries to silence with a cuddle and a lullaby.




We hired a nanny to care for the twins while Armando and I were at work, but she soon proved to be more trouble than help, as we came home many an afternoon to find rotting bottles and dirty dishes everywhere.




Besides neglecting housework, the nanny also neglected Connor and Hannah quite often to watch soap operas or read the newspaper. We quickly fired the incompetent nanny, and decided one of us would stay home to take care of the twins.




Since I was bringing in a bigger salary, Armando left his job to become a full-time dad. As the years swiftly passed and the twins grew into toddlers, he became an expert at handling Connor and Hannah, who always seemed to be getting into trouble in one way or another.




Hannah loved nothing more than to splash around in puddles she'd scooped out from the toilet. Nearly every day we'd find her in the bathroom soaked to the bone, but grinning from ear to ear.




Aside from her huge playful streak, Hannah was a precious little angel. She thrived on attention, and was never put to bed without tons of adoring kisses from Mommy or Daddy.




Connor was very attached to both Armando and I, and often followed us around the house, even crawling into our bedroom during the night to curiously watch us sleep.




Connor was much more serious than his sister, and had an attention span long enough to be taught to walk and talk without fussing.




While Armando spent his days raising our children, I spent mine forging further and further ahead in Capp Commerce. In record time I had become Vice President of the company, a position I'd never expected to be in when I first started working in the mailroom.




Between my growing salary and the generous bonuses I'd received, I was able to expand the trailer once again. Now it was a true house, and a constant reminder of how far I'd come since first arriving in Veronaville.




As the twins grew older and required less constant attention, Armando began crafting toys as a way to earn a bit of extra money.




Of course, with Hannah around, not all of Armando's creations were resold. She claimed one of every toy he made, and never tired of playing with them.




Connor, on the other hand, preferred more intellectual activies, and could often be found with his nose buried in a book or painting on his easel.




Though they looked very much alike and were as close as any two siblings could be, the differences between our twins were vast.




Hannah could make a game out of anything, even an empty bathtub...




While Connor delighted in cleaning anything he could take a soapy sponge to.




Yet their differences helped them grow and learn from each other. Connor loosened up by playing dollhouse with his sister, and Hannah often cleaned up after meals thanks to her brother's good influence.




They even pioneered a lemonade stand together, with Hannah's sweet charisma drawing in customers to buy the lemonade Connor had painstakingly made perfect. Their best customer was Mr. Capp, who often came by the house to discuss business with me, and always spent time playing with the twins. Though our relationship had a rocky start, Mr. Capp was now like the grandfather my children never had.




The years and the birthday parties seem to pass in the blink of an eye, until my babies were leaving their childhood behind and becoming teenagers.




Connor grew to be just as handsome as his father, and just as kind and honorable a man. Though he could've had any girl he wanted, he wasn't the sort of person to date many girls casually. He wanted to find one girl to settle down and start a family with someday.




Hannah, meanwhile, wanted as many friends as she could get, and never had enough. Her funloving nature and angelic looks quickly made her one of the most popular girls in her school.




At home, Hannah was never idle. The house was often pumping with music as she danced up a storm in the living room.




She had also taken a liking to making over her friends. She was always very creative and innovative, even if her friends didn't like the end result.




It was Hannah's vivaciousness and zest for life that made me want her to carry on the Foxworth name and bloodline. Not that I wasn't proud of Connor for being everything he was, but I wanted our legacy to be infused with Hannah's boldness and daring. Connor, being as serious-minded as he was, understood completely, while Hannah was excited to have the special honor of being the heir.




Thankfully, my decision didn't affect their relationship with each other. Though Hannah had tons of friends, no one would ever rank higher in her life than Connor. She sometimes showed her affection in unorthodox ways, but he always took her teasing with a smile.




Their weekends were spent letting loose and having fun downtown, though only after their homework was finished, upon Connor's insistance.




When Monday mornings rolled around to put an end to their partying, Hannah and Connor dressed in their crisp uniforms and boarded the bus to their private school, which they attended thanks to Mr. Capp's influence with the headmaster.




I owed so much to Mr. Capp. If it weren't for his guidance and his faith in me, I might still be working in the mailroom of Capp Commerce. Now I was the CEO of the company, chosen by Mr. Capp himself as his replacement following his retirement. Now I was the biggest rival of Foxworth Industries, and of Richard Henry Foxworth III, who had tossed me aside so long ago, and would never have another chance to know me, or his grandchildren.




Mr. Capp was twice the man my true father was. I invited him to dinner at least once a month, and he enjoyed spending time with my family, especially Hannah, who he'd taken a special liking to. She only had to mention once her dream of going to college, and Mr. Capp offered to fully fund not only her tuition, but Connor's as well.




In a rush of excitement, Hannah jumped up to give Mr. Capp a hug, but he respectfully bowed out of it. Hannah thanked him politely instead, and rushed off to tell Connor the great news.




However, when I thanked Mr. Capp myself, he didn't seem to mind a bit of physical contact between us, and eagerly took my hand to plant a kiss on top of it. I immediately felt uncomfortable, but a simple kiss on the hand seemed harmless, so I didn't pull away.




Mr. Capp took this as a green light to aim for more, and just as he had so many years ago, he leaned in to give me a more serious kiss. I pushed him away, reminding him I was a married woman and young enough to be his daughter—and that my children were in the next room. He relented, but there was a look in his eyes that told me he wasn't giving up.




Soon Hannah and Connor were leaving For Academie Le Tour, thanks to Mr. Capp. I couldn't help but fear that his generosity came at a price I would eventually have to pay...