The Billionaire Twins Need A New Mommy! - Chapter 453

Chapter 453: Drown
Somewhere deep in Derek’s heart, he had truly wished the person who saved him back then was Melissa. Because if it were her, then their love story wouldn’t have begun with deception. Sadly, it wasn’t her, and he had already confirmed that more than once.

So seeing the same necklace around Aileen’s neck made him freeze.

He didn’t think it would be Aileen, but it made sense. She knew how to swim, and she lived in the Young residence.

But her answer had been a quick, blunt, “No.”

Aileen almost snorted as she looked at him. “Why would you think I would do that?”

She never liked Derek. In fact, she disliked him from the beginning for the sole reason that he was Lola’s fiancé. Her dislike only grew when he started hanging around Melissa more often, constantly fighting with Lola. And that resentment never went away.

If anything, she hated him even more now.

Deep lines etched across Derek’s face as he studied her expression. He knew she didn’t like him. Not that he liked her either. There had always been plenty of things about Aileen he couldn’t stand, even back then.

Still, he had to ask.

“Then… why are you wearing that necklace?”

“Huh?” Aileen scrunched her nose and instinctively touched the pendant. “So that’s what you’ve been staring at, and here I thought you were ogling my chest.”

“You’re flat,” he shot back immediately. “Why would I look at your chest when it looks like your back?”

“…” Aileen deadpanned. “I really hate you. Good thing Lola didn’t end up with you.”

She clicked her tongue and turned, intending to leave, when Derek panicked.

“Wait.” He rushed forward, grabbing the edge of the driver’s door to stop her from closing it. “Just tell me.”

Aileen rolled her eyes, giving him a long, unimpressed stare. “Is it weird for me to wear something I own?”

“It’s… yours?”

“Do you think I stole it?” she scoffed sharply. “Derek Lancaster, are you still accusing me of being a thief after all these years?”

It wouldn’t have been the first time. Back then, he had accused Aileen of that exact thing simply because she was the maid’s daughter. Thankfully, Lola had defended her.

“No,” he stuttered, a little flustered. “That’s not what I meant.”

But she was already annoyed. “Derek, I don’t care what world you’re living in, but this necklace is important to me. So even if I can afford prettier or more expensive jewelry, I prefer wearing this because it has sentimental value.”

She let out another irritated huff. “Lola saved her allowance to get these. So trust me. It’s worth more than any necklace you could afford.”

His brows twitched, and Aileen didn’t miss it.

“So stop accusing me of anything—geez!” Aileen tugged the door again, but Derek held on tighter.

“Lola?” he repeated. “She gave that to you?”

“Yes,” she snapped. “She bought one for herself and one for me. It’s basically our promise ring, but in necklace form. Happy now?”

“…” Derek’s breath hitched. His eyes widened slightly. “Lola… also has one?”

“Yeah—and that psycho ex of yours stole it.” Aileen clicked her tongue again. “Derek, I know you worship Melissa like she’s the best thing that happened to you, but you truly don’t know how crazy that woman is. And you have no idea what Lola had to endure because of her.”

“Well, how would you know?” she sneered. “You were the first one to enable that bitch. You even added to Lola’s suffering. If I were you, Derek Lancaster, I’d go back to Melissa and marry her. The two of you are a match made in hell.”

She clicked her tongue and hissed, “Also, I’m not the thief. The thief has always been with you all these years.”

With that, Aileen finally pulled the door free. She climbed in and slammed it shut, then drove off without hesitation. She didn’t linger. If she stayed any longer, she might’ve run him over on purpose.

But as she drove down the driveway, she clicked her tongue again.

“Why is he asking who saved him back then? It would’ve been better if Lola hadn’t saved him at all. That’s minus points for her tormentors.”

Aileen was well aware that Lola had saved Derek. She simply refused to confirm it, afraid he would keep bothering her.

Little did she know she had already given him the answer by mentioning Lola in relation to the necklace.

*****

Derek remained standing in the same spot, eyes fixed on the car speeding away. He stayed frozen even after the vehicle disappeared past the gates.

He swallowed hard.

“It was… her?” he whispered, his voice shaking. “Lola was the one… who saved me back then?”

As soon as the words left his lips, his entire body went rigid. His mind went blank. And when it finally rebooted, the realization hit him like a truck.

Back then, before he fell into the pool, he had been waiting for Lola. He planned to console her because Loren had just passed away. It was possible—no, likely—that Lola arrived, saw him drowning, and jumped in after him.

“How did I not think of that…?” he whispered, his lips paling, his knees turning soft like tofu.

But he knew the answer.

Because just like him, Lola didn’t know how to swim.

At least not back then.

Had he known Lola learned how to swim in her first life, everything would have made sense.

Right now, though, his chest tightened painfully.

“She saved me… even when she didn’t know how to swim…” he murmured, stumbling backward as he touched his head. Even before he could fully say what he was thinking, his heart already felt like it was going to burst.

Memories flooded him to the point that it felt like he was suffocating. All the times he sided with Melissa. All the times he chose not to believe Lola. All the cruel, thoughtless words he threw at her. All the pain he caused her.

It all came back to him like a truck without brakes.

Derek staggered back another step, hitting the side of a nearby car. The impact was enough to trigger the alarm, its shrill sound piercing the air.

But to Derek, the shattering in his chest was louder.

His lips trembled as he whispered the truth that crushed him completely.

“…and all I did in return was hurt her.”