Chapter 2 The Poison Ring and "Enemy Files"

# Chapter 2: The Poison Ring and "Enemy Files"

Three days after the breach, Walter Craig had barely slept. Dark circles had formed under his normally sharp eyes, though his immaculate appearance—tailored navy suit, precisely knotted tie—betrayed none of the internal turmoil that had consumed him since that night.

The dossier on Jade Annable sat open on his desk. It was disappointingly thin. Former personal assistant to Eleanor Craig. Employment at the Craig residence lasted approximately eleven months. Terminated following accusations of theft. No criminal charges filed. Current status: owner of Annable Security Solutions, a boutique cybersecurity firm that specialized in penetration testing for mid-sized companies. The company had grown significantly in the past two years, securing several high-profile clients.

What the dossier didn't explain was why three children had broken into his company's systems using his birth date as a key.

Walter's private phone buzzed with a message from Marcus Chen: "Facial recognition complete. 71% match to Annable. Location tracked to Bluebird Café, Greenwich Village. Three subjects present."

Walter grabbed his jacket. "Cancel my meetings," he told his assistant as he strode toward the elevator. "All of them."

Twenty minutes later, his driver pulled up half a block from the Bluebird Café, a quaint establishment nestled between a bookstore and a vintage record shop. Walter adjusted his sunglasses—a poor disguise, but better than nothing—and entered the café, immediately scanning the space.

The café was moderately busy with the late morning crowd. Laptops open, coffee steaming, the typical New York scene of people working remotely. And there, in the corner booth partially obscured by a decorative plant, sat three children hunched over a single device.

Walter's breath caught in his throat. Even from this distance, the resemblance was unmistakable.

Two boys and a girl, all appearing to be around nine or ten years old. They shared the same dark hair, though styled differently—one boy's cut short and neat, the other's slightly longer and messier, while the girl wore hers in two braids tied with blue ribbons. But it was their faces that made Walter's heart pound against his ribs. The sharp jawline. The high cheekbones. The intense concentration in their expressions as they huddled around what appeared to be a tablet.

His children. There was no doubt in his mind.

Walter approached slowly, as if moving toward wild animals that might bolt at any sudden movement. When he reached their table, the three heads remained down, apparently absorbed in whatever was on the screen.

"Excuse me," Walter said, his voice steady despite the earthquake happening inside him.

Three pairs of eyes looked up in perfect synchronization—and not a flicker of surprise crossed any of their faces.

"Hello, Mr. Craig," said the boy with the shorter hair, his voice coolly polite. "You're four minutes and thirty-seven seconds earlier than we calculated. Impressive."

Walter stood frozen, staring at the children who were undeniably his own flesh and blood. The resemblance was so striking it felt like looking at photographs of himself as a child, but with subtle differences—softer features that must have come from their mother.

"May I sit down?" he finally managed to ask.

The three exchanged glances, seeming to communicate silently before the same boy nodded. "You have approximately nine minutes before our mother returns from her meeting across the street. We suggest you use the time efficiently."

Walter slowly lowered himself into the empty chair, never taking his eyes off the children. Up close, the similarities were even more pronounced. The boys were clearly identical twins, though one carried himself with rigid posture while the other slouched slightly. The girl was smaller, perhaps younger, with the same dark eyes but a fiercer expression.

"You hacked my company," Walter stated, not as an accusation but as a fact.

The slouching twin shrugged. "Your firewall had seventeen vulnerabilities. We only exploited four."

"Ethan," the other twin warned quietly.

"It's fine, Alexander," the one called Ethan replied. "He already knows it was us. That's why he's here."

Walter's mind was racing, cataloging names and personalities. Alexander: formal, cautious. Ethan: casual, direct. And the girl, who hadn't spoken yet, watching him with unnerving intensity.

"What are your names?" Walter asked, looking directly at the girl.

She tilted her chin up slightly. "I'm Olivia," she said, her voice small but steady. "You're our biological father, but Mom says that doesn't make you our dad."

The blunt statement hit Walter like a physical blow. He had suspected, of course, from the moment he saw the security footage. But hearing it stated so matter-of-factly by this tiny person with his eyes and jaw was overwhelming.

"How old are you?" he asked, trying to calculate timelines in his head.

"We're nine years and four months old," Alexander answered precisely. "We were born on February 12th."

Walter did the math quickly. If they were nine years old, then Jade must have been pregnant when she left the Craig household five years ago. The twins would have been around four then. But that didn't explain...

"All three of you are the same age?" he asked, confusion evident in his voice.

Ethan rolled his eyes. "We're triplets, obviously. Identical boys and a fraternal sister. Mom says it's a statistical anomaly, but then so is our IQ distribution."

Walter's mind reeled with the implications. Triplets. His triplets. Children he never knew existed until three days ago when they hacked into his company's secure database using his birth date.

"Why did you break into my systems?" he asked, trying to maintain his composure.

Alexander and Ethan exchanged glances again. Olivia kept her unwavering stare fixed on Walter.

"Reconnaissance," Alexander finally said. "We needed to confirm certain information before proceeding with our operation."

"Operation?" Walter repeated.

"Mom doesn't know we did it," Ethan added quickly. "She'd be really mad. She's very big on ethics."

Walter couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at that. "Ethics that include teaching children to hack into private systems?"

"Mom teaches cybersecurity," Olivia spoke up defensively. "We're just good students."

"Exceptionally good, apparently," Walter muttered.

He studied them more carefully now, noting details. Alexander wore a small watch that looked more advanced than any children's watch Walter had seen before. Ethan had a smudge of what appeared to be circuit board soldering compound on his sleeve. Olivia wore a delicate silver ring on her right hand, which she kept touching absently.

"Does your mother know you're meeting me?" Walter asked.

"No," all three answered simultaneously.

"But she'll figure it out soon," Alexander added. "Mom is very smart."

"The smartest," Olivia agreed fiercely.

Walter leaned forward slightly. "I'd like to meet her. To talk."

"Why?" Ethan asked bluntly. "You didn't want to talk to her five years ago."

The accusation stung more than Walter expected. "There were... circumstances. Misunderstandings."

"You believed Grandmother Craig instead of Mom," Alexander stated flatly. "That was statistically unwise given the character assessment data available to you at the time."

Walter blinked, thrown by the child's analytical framing of what had been an emotionally devastating event. Before he could respond, Olivia suddenly sat up straighter.

"Mom's coming," she whispered to her brothers. "Three minutes early."

Walter turned toward the door just as it opened, admitting a woman he would have recognized anywhere. Jade Annable had changed in the five years since he'd last seen her. Her formerly long dark hair was now cut in a sleek bob that framed her face elegantly. She wore a tailored charcoal suit that spoke of success and confidence. But her eyes—those intelligent, expressive eyes—widened in shock when they landed on Walter sitting with her children.

For a moment, she froze in the doorway, one hand still on the handle. Then, composing herself with visible effort, she strode toward their table with purpose in every step.

"Children," she said, her voice controlled but with an undercurrent of tension, "it's time to go."

"But Mom, we haven't finished our hot chocolate," Ethan protested.

"Now," Jade insisted, not looking at Walter.

Walter stood slowly. "Jade," he said, her name feeling strange on his tongue after so many years. "We need to talk."

Finally, she met his gaze, and the coldness there made him instinctively step back. This was not the warm, gentle woman he remembered from his household. This was someone hardened by years of struggle and determination.

"I have nothing to say to you," she replied, her voice low and controlled.

"We have children together," Walter countered, keeping his own voice down despite the shock still reverberating through his system.

"No, Mr. Craig. I have children." She gestured for the triplets to gather their things. "Let's go."

Alexander and Ethan reluctantly closed their tablet and slid out of the booth. Olivia, however, remained seated, staring defiantly at Walter.

"Olivia," Jade said, a warning in her tone.

"He should know who he's dealing with, Mom," the little girl said, not breaking eye contact with Walter. Then, with deliberate slowness, she raised her right hand, displaying the silver ring she'd been touching earlier. "Mommy says you're the enemy," she said in a voice that chilled Walter to the bone. "This ring contains cyanide."

Walter instinctively stepped back, shock evident on his face.

"Olivia!" Jade exclaimed, horrified. "That is completely inappropriate! Apologize immediately."

The little girl's fierce expression faltered slightly at her mother's tone. "But you did say he was the enemy. You have a whole file labeled 'Craig: Enemy Assets' on your encrypted drive."

Jade closed her eyes briefly, as if summoning patience. "We will discuss the boundaries of privacy and appropriate conversation topics at home," she said firmly. "Now apologize to Mr. Craig."

Olivia sighed dramatically. "I'm sorry for threatening you with poison," she said, not sounding particularly sorry. "It's actually just a mood ring Aunt Tessa gave me."

Walter found himself at a loss for words, caught between relief that a nine-year-old wasn't actually carrying poison and distress at being classified as an "enemy" in Jade's files.

"We're leaving," Jade announced, taking Olivia's hand and guiding her out of the booth. "Children, say goodbye to Mr. Craig."

"Goodbye, Mr. Craig," Alexander said formally.

"See ya," Ethan added with a casual wave.

Olivia just stared at him, her eyes—his eyes—filled with a complexity of emotions no child that age should possess.

As Jade turned to leave with the children, Walter found his voice. "Wait," he called out. "Please. Five minutes."

Jade paused, her back still to him. Then she turned to the children. "Go wait by the counter. I need to speak with Mr. Craig privately."

The triplets moved away reluctantly, though Walter noticed they positioned themselves at a spot where they could still observe the conversation. Smart kids. His kids.

When Jade turned back to face him, her expression was composed but cold. "You have two minutes."

"They're my children," Walter said, still processing the reality of it.

"Biologically, yes."

"Why didn't you tell me?" he demanded, a hint of anger creeping into his voice.

Jade's eyebrow arched. "Tell you? When, exactly? When your mother was accusing me of being a thief? When security was escorting me from the premises? Or perhaps when you stood there silently, believing the worst of me without a single question?"

Her words struck him like physical blows. "I didn't know you were pregnant."

"Would it have made a difference?" she challenged.

Walter wanted to say yes, but the truth was more complicated. Five years ago, he had been focused solely on expanding his company, trusting his mother to handle household matters. When Eleanor Craig had declared that the new nanny had stolen her precious heirlooms, he hadn't questioned it—partly out of trust for his mother, partly because it was easier than dealing with the uncomfortable attraction he'd felt toward Jade.

"I would have taken responsibility," he said finally.

"Responsibility," Jade repeated, the word sounding bitter on her tongue. "My children aren't a corporate obligation to be managed, Mr. Craig. They're brilliant, complex human beings who have thrived without your 'responsibility' for nine years."

Walter glanced over at the triplets, who were pretending not to watch while obviously hanging on every word. "They broke into my company's secure system. That shows considerable talent."

For the first time, a flicker of something other than coldness crossed Jade's face—pride, mixed with exasperation. "Yes, well, that particular talent display will be addressed appropriately at home."

"I want to be part of their lives," Walter said, surprising himself with the certainty in his voice.

Jade's expression hardened again. "You lost that right five years ago when you chose your mother's version of events over mine without investigation." She checked her watch. "Your two minutes are up, Mr. Craig. Do not approach my children again without legal representation present."

She turned to leave, but Walter caught her arm gently. "Jade, please—"

The look she gave him could have frozen fire. "Remove your hand, or I will remove it for you. My company specializes in security for a reason, Walter. I'm not the helpless nanny you remember."

Walter released her immediately, recognizing the steel beneath her composed exterior. This was not a woman to be underestimated or manipulated.

"This isn't over," he said quietly.

"You're right about that," Jade replied. "Children," she called, "we're leaving."

The triplets fell into step beside their mother, a united front against the world—against him. As they reached the door, Olivia looked back over her shoulder, her small face solemn as she deliberately touched her ring again, a silent reminder of her earlier threat.

Walter watched them go, his mind racing with implications and possibilities. He pulled out his phone and dialed his lawyer's direct line.

"Stephen, I need you to clear your schedule," he said, his eyes still fixed on the door through which his newly discovered family had disappeared. "I've just learned I have children. Triplets. And I intend to claim my rights as their father."

On the street outside, Jade hurried the children toward their car, her composed facade beginning to crack. For five years, she had protected them, raised them, built a life independent of the Craig fortune. And now, in the space of ten minutes, everything she had constructed was threatened by the one man she had hoped never to see again.

"Mom," Alexander said quietly as they walked, "we calculated only a 12.7% chance he would find us this quickly. We may have miscalculated his determination coefficient."

Jade looked down at her brilliant, complicated children—Walter's eyes staring back at her from three different faces—and knew that the battle she had been preparing for since their birth had finally begun.