Desired By Three Alphas; Fated To One - Chapter 228

Chapter 228: Back Home
Hailee’s POV

The flight home felt longer than it really was.

Even though the jet was quiet and smooth, my mind was loud, full of worries that refused to rest.

Peter sat across from me, reading something on his tablet, while the boys stared out the window. None of them spoke. Not even Ozzy.

I kept glancing at them, wanting to say something, anything, but every word felt heavy, trapped somewhere in my throat.

The silence was worse than noise.

It was cold.

It reminded me of the distance I had built between us, a distance made from lies, secrets, and years of fear.

I looked outside at the clouds drifting by and whispered softly, “We’re almost home.”

No one answered.

Peter looked up from his tablet and gave me a small smile. “You’ll be fine, Hailee,” he said gently. “Stop worrying.”

I forced a weak smile. “I can’t help it,” I said honestly. “It’s been ten years, Peter. Ten years since I left that place. Since our father banished me.”

Peter leaned back in his seat, his calm voice filling the cabin. “And three years since I became king,” he reminded me. “You don’t have to be scared anymore. He can’t hurt you. No one can.”

I looked down at my hands, twisting them together. “Still… going back there feels strange. Like I’m walking into a memory that doesn’t want me.”

Peter sighed softly. “Sometimes, the only way to heal the past is to face it.”

I nodded, though my heart still raced.

A few minutes later, the pilot’s voice came through the speakers. “We’ll be landing shortly, Your Majesty.”

Peter looked at me. “Ready?”

“I guess I have to be,” I whispered.

The jet descended slowly. My palms felt sweaty, and my stomach twisted. I hadn’t been home since the day I was forced to leave, the day my father shouted at me, calling me a disgrace. I had walked out with tears in my eyes and a promise never to return.

And now, here I was, coming back with three sons and a heart full of fear.

When the jet finally touched down, the wheels bumping softly against the runway, I let out a shaky breath.

Peter noticed. “Hey,” he said softly. “You’re safe with me. You always will be.”

I nodded, forcing a small smile. “Thank you.”

He stood first and gave a signal to the guards. “Let’s go,” he said.

We stepped out of the jet into the bright afternoon sun. The air smelled familiar, a mix of pine and roses from the palace gardens.

Two black cars were waiting for us. The guards bowed deeply when they saw Peter, calling him Your Majesty.

The boys looked around with wide eyes. The city had changed. Tall glass buildings stood where small markets used to be. The streets were cleaner, the signs newer, but everything still carried the scent of home.

We climbed into the first car. Peter sat in front, while I sat with the boys in the back.

As the car began to move, I looked out the window, pointing at the buildings we passed. “That’s the old market,” I said softly, smiling a little. “Your grandmother used to buy sweet bread for me there when I was your age.”

Ozzy didn’t look up.

Oliver glanced briefly, then turned back to the window.

Oscar sat stiffly, his arms crossed.

I tried again, keeping my tone light. “And that’s the river where I used to play with your uncle when we were little.”

Still nothing.

Peter looked at them through the mirror. “Boys,” he said calmly. “Your mother’s trying to talk to you. You could at least listen.”

Oscar’s lips pressed into a thin line. “We’re listening,” he muttered, but he didn’t look at me.

My heart sank.

I turned back to the window and sighed quietly. Maybe they just need time, I told myself. Maybe they’re still processing everything.

The drive continued in silence until the palace walls came into view, tall white stone with gold designs shining under the sun. My breath caught. It was exactly as I remembered, yet it felt completely different.

Guards stood in neat lines by the gate, and when they saw Peter’s car, they saluted and bowed deeply. The big iron gates opened slowly, and we drove through.

The gardens were still beautiful, filled with roses, tulips, and tall trees that swayed gently in the wind. The fountain in the middle still sparkled with crystal water.

We stopped in front of the grand steps leading into the palace. Servants and guards stood lined up in two neat rows, bowing respectfully as Peter stepped out first.

I followed, my hands shaking slightly.

And then I saw her.

My mother.

She stood at the top of the steps, her hands clasped tightly in front of her. Her hair was now silver in places, her eyes softer but tired. Time had changed her, but her beauty still glowed.

For a moment, I couldn’t move. My throat closed, and my vision blurred.

Then she took a small step forward. “Hailee…” she whispered, her voice breaking.

I didn’t wait any longer. I ran up the steps and into her arms.

The moment she held me, I broke.

Ten years of pain, loneliness, and guilt poured out in a single sob.

She held me tightly, her tears soaking my shoulder. “My child,” she whispered, her voice shaking. “I’m so sorry. I should have tried harder to protect you. I should have never let him drive you away.”

“Mom…” My voice trembled. “It wasn’t your fault.”

She pulled back, cupping my face gently. “I thought I’d never see you again,” she said, tears shining in her eyes. “But here you are, stronger, braver, and even more beautiful than before.”

I smiled weakly, brushing away my tears. “You look beautiful too,” I said. “Just… older.”

She laughed through her tears. “Well, time doesn’t wait for anyone.”

Then her eyes moved past me, to the three boys standing near the car, watching quietly. Her lips parted slightly as she gasped.

“Oh, Goddess,” she whispered. “They’re perfect.”

I turned to the boys and smiled softly. “Come here, loves. This is your grandmother.”

Oliver, always the one with the sweetest tongue, stepped forward first. His face lit up with a small smile. “Now I see where Mom got her beauty,” he said in a sweet voice.

My mother laughed softly, wiping away her tears. “Oh, you charming boy,” she said, bending to hug him. “You must be Oliver.”

He nodded proudly.

Oscar and Ozzy came closer too. My mother looked at all three with tears in her eyes. “You’re even more handsome than I imagined. I can’t believe I have three grandsons.”

Ozzy smiled shyly. “Hi, Grandma,” he said softly.

She smiled warmly. “Hi, my love.”

She hugged them all, her arms full, her heart full. For a moment, everything felt right, the kind of right that made the pain fade, even if just a little.

Peter watched quietly from behind us, a small smile on his face.

After a while, my mother pulled back, still holding my hands. “Come,” she said. “Your father is waiting.”

My stomach turned at her words. “Father?” I repeated quietly.

She nodded, her expression soft but unsure. “He’s not well, Hailee. The years have not been kind to him. But he wants to see you.”

I froze for a second. My heart raced. The last time I had seen my father, his face had been full of anger and disappointment. I still remembered the echo of his words when he banished me, the way his voice thundered through the palace halls, calling me a disgrace to the family, a shame to our name. I remembered standing there, crying, begging him to listen, but he never did. He had turned his back on me as if I no longer existed. That memory had haunted me for years, in my dreams, in my silence, in every lonely night I spent far from home. Now, the thought of seeing him again brought back all the fear I thought I’d buried.

But now, hearing that he wanted to see me, I didn’t know what to feel.

Peter stepped closer, placing a steadying hand on my back. “Let’s go,” he said softly. “You can do this.”

I nodded slowly, swallowing the lump in my throat.

We began walking toward the grand doors of the palace. The boys followed close behind, still looking around in quiet wonder. The marble floors shone like mirrors. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling, bright and beautiful.

Everything looked the same, yet my heart beat faster with every step.

When we reached the end of the hallway, Peter stopped beside me. “Father is in there,” he said gently.

I took a deep breath, my hands trembling slightly.

“Okay,” I whispered.

The guards opened the large doors.

And as we stepped inside, I realized I wasn’t the same girl who had left this palace ten years ago.

I was a mother now.

A survivor.

And no matter what waited for me beyond that door, I knew one truth—I could face it.