Chapter 67

Five months later, Lisa had officially given up.

She stood in the middle of the nursery like a defeated soldier, staring at the newest addition to the chaos.

Little Ella.

Tiny. Round. Soft-cheeked. Already suspiciously identical to Jennie.

From the crib, Ella blinked up at her with the same calm, slightly smug expression Jennie always had when she knew she was right.

Lisa exhaled slowly.

“…No,” she whispered.

Jennie, sitting nearby while rocking Ella’s blanket into place, looked up innocently. “What?”

Lisa pointed at the baby. Then at Ruby. Then at Jane.

Ruby and Jane were on the floor, playing together—both with identical mandu cheeks, identical eyes, identical everything. When they noticed Lisa pointing, they paused in unison.

“Hi, Mama!” Ruby said.

“Hi, Mama!” Jane echoed instantly.

Lisa’s eye twitched.

Then she slowly turned back to Jennie.

“…Explain.”

Jennie smiled sweetly. “Explain what?”

Lisa gestured wildly. “THIS! This is not normal! This is not genetics! This is identity theft!”

Jennie snorted. “They’re literally your children too.”

Lisa shook her head in despair. “No. No, they are not. I think I just live here.”

Ruby crawled over first, grabbing Lisa’s hand. “Mama, I’m hungry.”

Jane followed immediately, grabbing her other hand. “Mama, me too.”

Lisa looked down at both of them hanging off her arms like koalas.

Her voice cracked.

“…I’m outnumbered.”

Jennie laughed from the crib side. “You always were.”

Lisa slowly sank onto the floor like her soul had left her body.

“I’m living with a Mandu cult,” she muttered.

Jennie blinked. “A what?”

Lisa lifted one finger weakly. “Mommy Mandu.”

She pointed at Jennie.

Jennie smiled proudly.

Lisa pointed at Ruby. “Ruby Mandu.”

Ruby giggled, completely unaware she had just been categorized.

Lisa pointed at Jane. “Jane Mandu.”

Jane clapped like it was a compliment.

Then Lisa turned dramatically toward the crib.

“…And now Ella Mandu.”

Ella blinked once.

Then smiled.

Lisa froze.

“Oh my—she smiled like YOU,” Lisa gasped, pointing accusingly at Jennie.

Jennie laughed so hard she had to hold onto the crib rail. “That’s not my fault!”

Lisa crawled closer to the crib, dramatically placing both hands on either side.

“I used to have hope,” she whispered to the baby. “I used to think maybe, just maybe, one of you would carry my genes.”

Ella just grabbed her finger.

Lisa melted instantly.

“…Traitor,” she whispered affectionately.

Ruby and Jane climbed onto her back at the same time, giggling.

“Mama horsey!” Ruby announced.

“Go faster!” Jane added.

Lisa collapsed face-first onto the floor.

“I’m not even a person anymore,” she muffled into the carpet. “I’m just transportation for Mandus.”

Jennie sat beside her, gently brushing Lisa’s hair back. “You’re being dramatic again.”

Lisa turned her head slightly. “I have been robbed.”

Jennie raised a brow. “Of what?”

Lisa gestured vaguely at all four of them. “My DNA contribution to society.”

Jennie laughed again, unable to help it.

But Lisa wasn’t done.

She slowly pushed herself up, sitting cross-legged on the floor as all three girls clung to her like she was a playground structure.

Her hands instinctively moved—cupping Ruby’s cheek. Then Jane’s. Then she leaned over and gently poked Ella’s soft cheek through the crib bars.

“…So unfair,” she whispered fondly.

Jennie softened at the sight.

Because despite all the complaining, Lisa never stopped touching them like that—like she was memorizing every inch of their faces.

Like they were something she never wanted to lose.

Lisa leaned back, staring at the ceiling.

Then sighed dramatically.

“I am living with a Mandu empire.”

Jennie tilted her head. “Empire?”

Lisa nodded weakly. “Mommy Mandu. Three mini Mandus. And now… final boss Mandu.”

Jennie burst out laughing. “Final boss?!”

Ruby raised her hand. “I want to be boss too!”

Jane copied immediately. “Me too!”

Ella made a tiny sound from the crib.

Lisa closed her eyes.

“…They’re evolving.”

Jennie leaned closer, kissing Lisa’s cheek softly.

“You love it.”

Lisa opened one eye.

“…Unfortunately.”

Jennie smiled.

And as Ruby and Jane finally settled into her lap, and Ella softly drifted to sleep in the crib, Lisa quietly gathered them all closer.

Her hands—still instinctively cupping cheeks, smoothing hair, holding them like fragile treasure.

“…Fine,” she sighed again.

Jennie hummed. “Fine what?”

Lisa looked at all four of them.

“I accept my fate.”

Jennie grinned. “And your fate is?”

Lisa sighed dramatically one last time.

“Living with four Mandus.”

Then, softer—

“…and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

Jennie’s expression melted.

Ruby giggled. Jane giggled. Ella slept peacefully.

And Lisa, the so-called “robbed one,” stayed right there in the middle of it all…

completely, hopelessly, happily outnumbered. 💛