Golden Melody (Editing)

Chapter 98

Chapter 99: Operation Plan B

Miexha sat stiffly at the long marble dining table, still processing everything.

The clatter of plates, the clinking of utensils, the loud chatter of children—this place roared with life. But not a single voice acknowledged her.

Everyone was too busy bickering, laughing, and tossing food between animated vines like it was some kind of breakfast circus.

Shellie adjusted a sparkly hair clip using her spoon’s reflection while scolding Xiejay, who kept kicking the table. He retaliated by drawing syrup smiley faces on his pancake. Ariel perched on Zatariel’s lap like a baby sloth, trying to steal his last piece of fried chicken. The twins, Leon and Liana, sat side by side with the grim silence of two war veterans.

And none of them looked at her. Not once.

Miexha cleared her throat.

Nothing.

She leaned toward her plate.
“So… this is motherhood,” she whispered to her rice.

Across the table, Zatariel navigated the chaos with effortless grace—like he’d been doing this for years. Maybe he had.

“Shellie, stop flinging rice. Xiejay, syrup is not shampoo. Ariel, that’s my last piece of fried chicken!”

Ariel ignored him, arms open dramatically.
“Zazaaa—hug please!”

Zatariel groaned.
“Weren’t you supposed to be a big girl now?”

But he folded fast. He wiped his hands and scooped her up.

“Fine. Come here, emotional parasite,” he muttered. Ariel giggled and buried her face in his neck.

Miexha blinked, her heart aching in a strange, full way.

They don’t even call me Mom. Just Zaza, Zaza, Zaza.

Zatariel clapped his hands. “Alright, enough chaos. We’re late for school.”

He looked at her. “Wanna come? I’m dropping them off—might as well show you the new future.”

It was the first time the kids seemed to remember she existed.

Shellie jumped from her chair, grabbing Miexha’s hand.
“I’ll give you a tour! School, garden, gossip tree—everything!”

Xiejay hopped down and pointed at her proudly.
“I’m telling my class I have a mom now! Even if she’s short!”

Ariel, cheeks glossy with chicken grease, mumbled,
“Marry Zaza so he can be Ariel real dada. Dada scary. Zaza loves Ariel.”

Miexha choked on air.

Zatariel, unfazed, wiped Ariel’s mouth and smirked.
“Pray hard, kid. Maybe the gods of the impossible will hear you.”

He winked at Miexha.

She stared at him. “You seriously have a plan.”

Zatariel grinned like a man with secret blueprints under his sleeve. Then, in full villain mode, he threw his head back and cackled:

“MWAHAHA! Operation Babysitter Trust Infiltration—success!”

“Operation Plan B!” all the kids yelled in unison—yes, even the silent twins.

Laughter exploded through the room. Even the vines wiggled like they were in on the joke.

Miexha just blinked. “Wait—what’s Plan B?”

No one answered. They just kept laughing.

She slumped in her seat, expression blank, fork in hand.
“...Someone. Please explain what's going on.”