Chapter 6 EPILOGUE - DADDY'S LITTLE HELPERS
# CHAPTER 6: EPILOGUE - DADDY'S LITTLE HELPERS
The Forbes magazine cover featured an unprecedented trio—Shawn Page flanked by two small children in matching business attire, their faces bright with intelligence and mischief. The headline read: "PAGE FAMILY REVOLUTION: How Twin Prodigies Transformed Tech's Most Ruthless Empire."
In the two years since the "Baby Bottle Incident," as it was now affectionately called within PageTech, the company had undergone a metamorphosis. Once known for aggressive acquisitions and cutthroat tactics, PageTech had emerged as a pioneer in ethical technology, family-friendly corporate policies, and revolutionary innovations in cybersecurity—many of them developed by the now seven-year-old twins.
Shawn adjusted his tie as he prepared for the quarterly all-hands meeting. Through his office window, he could see Noah in the glass-walled innovation lab, directing a team of engineers with the confidence of someone four times his age. The boy's hands moved animatedly as he explained some complex concept, his miniature bespoke suit making him look like a time-traveled executive from the future.
Down the corridor in what had once been the executive dining room, Lily presided over the "Ethics Think Tank," a division she had insisted on creating after what she called "Daddy's morally questionable historical business practices." Today, she sat cross-legged on a conference table, her copper curls pulled back in a professional bun, as she led a discussion with the company's legal team about digital privacy rights.
"They're something else, aren't they?" Nicole said, entering his office with a tablet in hand. As PageTech's new Chief Innovation Officer, she had finally received recognition for her groundbreaking encryption work—and compensation for the patents that had been appropriated years before.
"Sometimes I forget they're children," Shawn admitted. "Then Noah asks for dinosaur-shaped pancakes or Lily throws a tantrum over bedtime, and I remember."
Nicole smiled, setting the tablet on his desk. "The board approved the twins' proposal for the Children's Technology Education Foundation. Full funding."
"Did they ever doubt it would pass?" Shawn asked wryly. "The last board member who voted against one of their initiatives found his offshore accounts mysteriously donated to penguin conservation."
"They promised they'd stop hacking board members," Nicole sighed.
"No, they promised they'd stop getting caught hacking board members. Different thing entirely."
They shared a knowing look. Parenting genius children with a penchant for digital vigilantism had its unique challenges.
"Your mother called again," Nicole said, her tone cooling slightly. "She wants to see the twins for their birthday."
Shawn's jaw tightened. Eleanor Page had spent six months in a Swiss rehabilitation facility after the "tea incidents," returning to public life with a carefully crafted story about medication interactions and exhaustion. Though she had been removed from PageTech's board, she remained a formidable presence in their social circles.
"What did you tell her?"
"I told her I'd discuss it with you and the twins," Nicole replied diplomatically. "Though I think we both know what Noah and Lily will say."
Advertisement
As if summoned by their names, the office door burst open and the twins tumbled in, their professional demeanors momentarily abandoned for childish excitement.
"Daddy! We just had the best idea!" Noah exclaimed, his glasses slightly askew.
"It's revolutionary!" Lily added, twirling in her pinstripe dress. "We're going to solve global warming AND make ice cream that never melts!"
Shawn exchanged an amused glance with Nicole. "Those seem like... different problems."
"Not the way we're approaching it," Noah insisted, pulling out his advanced tablet—a custom-built device he had designed himself after finding commercial options "insultingly simplistic."
"Look!" Lily pointed to complex schematics on the screen. "We can use the same carbon capture technology to stabilize ice cream molecular structures!"
Shawn leaned forward, genuinely impressed despite himself. "That's... actually quite innovative."
"We know," the twins replied in unison, with the matter-of-fact confidence that still occasionally unnerved him.
Nicole checked her watch. "The all-hands meeting starts in ten minutes. You two need to finish your presentations."
The twins groaned dramatically, another reminder of their dual nature—business prodigies one moment, normal children the next.
"Can we announce the ice cream project?" Lily asked hopefully.
"After we finalize the patents," Shawn answered automatically, having learned the importance of intellectual property protection from his children's numerous lectures on the subject.
As the twins reluctantly headed back to their respective domains, Noah paused at the door. "Oh, Daddy? Grandma Eleanor's trying to access the family trust documents again. Her lawyer hired another hacker."
"I took care of it," Lily added casually. "Sent them on a digital wild goose chase through servers in seventeen countries."
"We should probably update our security again," Noah concluded thoughtfully.
After they left, Shawn slumped in his chair. "Sometimes I wonder who's really running this company."
Nicole laughed. "You know exactly who's running it. The same people who hacked your dating profile to make sure you'd ask me to dinner last month."
"They did what?" Shawn sat up straight.
"Oh, you didn't know?" Nicole's eyes danced with amusement. "They edited your profile to say your ideal date was 'a brilliant cybersecurity expert with copper hair who might consider forgiving past mistakes.'"
Shawn shook his head, not entirely surprised. The twins had been not-so-subtly pushing for their parents' reconciliation since the family truce. Their "Operation Parent Trap"—which they thought was secret but had been obvious from the start—included everything from mysterious calendar invitations to "accidental" double bookings at romantic restaurants.
"For what it's worth," Nicole added softly, "I'm glad they did."
Their relationship had evolved slowly over the past two years, rebuilding trust through co-parenting first, then cautious friendship, and finally something more. The wounds of the past hadn't disappeared, but they had healed enough to allow new growth.
The intercom buzzed, interrupting the moment. "Mr. Page, the all-hands meeting is ready to begin."
---
The PageTech auditorium buzzed with excitement as employees filled the seats. What had once been routine corporate meetings had become must-see events since the twins had begun participating. No one ever knew what Noah and Lily might announce, demonstrate, or hack during these gatherings.
Shawn took the stage to applause, still adjusting to the warmer reception he now received from his employees. The company culture had transformed from fear-driven to innovative, largely due to policies the twins had insisted upon—from six-month parental leave to on-site childcare and education centers.
"Before we begin today's updates," Shawn announced, "I'd like to invite our Chief Innovation Team to share their latest projects."
The crowd erupted in cheers as Noah and Lily bounded onto the stage, their small statures belying their massive influence within the company.
Noah adjusted the microphone downward. "Thank you for your continued enthusiasm for our initiatives," he began formally, sounding like a miniature CEO.
"Today, we're especially excited to announce PageTech's newest division," Lily continued seamlessly, their twin-speak on full display.
"Introducing PageTech Junior!" they announced in perfect unison.
Behind them, the screen displayed a colorful logo featuring a stylized baby bottle—a reclaiming of the symbol that had started everything.
"PageTech Junior will develop technology specifically designed for children," Noah explained.
"By children," Lily added with emphasis.
"Our first product line will focus on educational tools that grow with the child's abilities," Noah continued.
"No more dumbed-down interfaces," Lily declared passionately. "Children deserve technology that challenges them!"
As the twins outlined their vision for child-designed, child-tested technology, Shawn stood to the side, watching with pride. Nicole joined him, slipping her hand into his.
"They're changing the world," she whispered.
"They changed my world first," he replied softly.
The presentation concluded with Noah and Lily unveiling a prototype of their first product—a learning tablet with adaptive AI that could evolve from simple games to complex programming challenges as the child developed.
"And the best part," Lily announced with a mischievous grin, "is that it's completely parent-hack-proof!"
"Unless your parents are us," Noah added with a wink that sent ripples of laughter through the audience.
As the crowd gave the twins a standing ovation, a notification appeared on Shawn's phone—a security alert from his private system. He opened it to find a message from the twins' joint account:
"Check the last slide! ❤️ N&L"
Shawn looked up just in time to see the presentation screen change to a personal family photo—one taken at the twins' recent birthday celebration. The four of them sat together on a park bench, ice cream cones in hand, looking like any normal family enjoying a Sunday afternoon. Below the photo, text appeared:
"Coming Soon: Page Family Addition #3! (Mom doesn't know yet... don't tell!)"
Shawn's eyes widened as he turned to Nicole, who was staring at the screen in shock. The auditorium erupted in confused murmurs and tentative applause as employees tried to determine if this was an official announcement or another of the twins' famous hacks.
On stage, Noah and Lily beamed proudly, clearly pleased with their revelation.
"How did they—" Nicole began, then stopped, shaking her head in disbelief. "The home medical scanner. They must have reprogrammed it during their 'science experiment' last weekend."
Shawn took her hand, a question in his eyes.
"I was going to tell you tonight," she confirmed softly. "I just found out yesterday."
As the implications sank in, Shawn felt a complex wave of emotions—joy, fear, and overwhelming gratitude for this second chance at fatherhood from the beginning.
The twins bounded over to them, faces alight with excitement.
"Are you mad we told everyone?" Lily asked, though her tone suggested she already knew the answer.
"We calculated a 97.3% probability that public disclosure would prevent any interference from Grandma Eleanor," Noah explained matter-of-factly.
"Always thinking ahead," Shawn said, ruffling his son's meticulously combed hair.
"We've already designed the nursery," Lily informed them. "With advanced monitoring systems and educational stimulation patterns."
"And security protocols," Noah added seriously. "Triple-encrypted."
As PageTech employees continued to applaud, now understanding this was indeed a real announcement, Shawn pulled his family into a tight embrace. From technological terrorism to family planning—his children's hacking had come full circle.
Later that evening, as the twins finally slept after hours of excited planning for their new sibling, Shawn and Nicole sat together on their terrace overlooking the city.
"Are we crazy to do this again?" Nicole asked, her hand resting gently on her still-flat stomach. "Knowing what our combined DNA is capable of?"
Shawn laughed softly. "Probably. But I wouldn't trade it for anything."
Nicole leaned against him. "The twins have already started a college fund for the baby. They've allocated stock options and set up an educational trust."
"Of course they have," Shawn said with a mixture of pride and resignation. "Should we be concerned that our children have access to financial markets?"
"Probably," Nicole echoed his earlier sentiment. "But their investment returns are impressive."
They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, watching the city lights.
"I found something today," Nicole said finally. "In the twins' shared cloud drive."
She handed him her tablet, displaying what appeared to be an elaborate flowchart titled "OPERATION: COMPLETE FAMILY." The chart detailed a five-year plan that had begun with the contract virus and culminated in "Baby #3" and "Parents Remarried."
"They've been planning this since the beginning," Nicole said softly. "Everything—the hacks, the revenge plots, even the reconciliation—it was all leading here."
Shawn studied the meticulous chart with its decision trees and contingency plans. "They're terrifying," he said with genuine awe. "And brilliant."
"And ours," Nicole added.
In the final box of the flowchart, in Lily's distinctive handwriting, was a simple note: "Mission Accomplished: Daddy's Empire Hacked. Family Version 2.0 Successfully Installed."
Below it, in Noah's more technical script: "System functioning at optimal capacity. Heart hardware fully upgraded."
Shawn set down the tablet and looked at Nicole, the woman he had lost and found again through the machinations of their extraordinary children.
"I think we've been thoroughly hacked," he said, taking her hand.
"Completely," she agreed with a smile. "Best virus ever."
In their rooms, the twins slept peacefully, their matching smartwatches glowing softly as they synchronized data—monitoring home security, tracking their mother's pregnancy hormones, and updating the family calendar with potential wedding dates.
Daddy's little helpers never truly rested.
