"Alec, can I ask you something?" Biting the inside of my cheeks, I look at him.

"Of course, you can ask me anything." He sits straight giving me his full attention.

"Who's that... Kendra?" I clear my throat controlling my tongue because apart from her name... all other names are threatening to come from my mouth to address her.

The twitch in Alec's lips reveals that even he guessed from my tone what names I am actually itching to call her

"John Thatcher was one of dad's oldest friend and his colleague, he even works in the organization with me. Kendra is his daughter," he answers casually.

Oh, a family friend. However, this doesn't answer how does she know about such personal thing such about Alec.

"Alec, how does she know so much about you? I mean something which is related to your personal health." I ask him the next question which is troubling me.

"John knew about this, and he even suggested to me that I should marry Kendra so in this way no one would find out about anything and my name along with my family's name would not be ruined because of my flaw." His jaws go rigid, and the vein on his temple pops out in anger, "Even Kendra doesn't want kids so she would not have any issue with me being unable to become a father and all this would remain a secret."

Okay, I have this strong urge to break something... like this person John's head.

How the hell he can even say something like this? It is downright insulting.

My hands ball into fists and the rage which is running through my veins almost makes me see red.

Mr. Thatcher, you must pray that we don't cross paths because I have some really nice words for you.

However, this raises another question in my head.

"How did you find out that you can't have kids?" I slightly frown because it feels weird to talk about something like this... I feel this something that is too personal and might be a sensitive issue for anyone.

When he places his hand on mine and gently rubs circles inside my wrist then I realize that my hands are still tightly clenched into fists.

"A few years back, a girl was called in for interrogation as we have our doubts that she was a member of the drug cartel." He keeps on making lazy circles on my wrist, as he stares at my hands which are refusing to relax, "Later, we found it was not her but her brother who was actually involved in the business so we released her. However, a few months later police showed up at my door saying that the same girl is accusing me of rape and claiming that she is pregnant with my child."

"We never interrogate any females without the presence of our female colleagues, also everything that happens in the interrogation room is recorded. So, I had all the evidence of her lying, but then she said I raped her at her home after she was released."

"We got a DNA test and it proved all her claims were false. Later she confessed someone gave her money to put the blame on me. When we dig deeper we found out someone from the police department was involved behind all this." He runs a hand through his hair, trying to look unaffected but I know how much all this must have affected him.

"How could someone put such horrible blame on you?" Wrapping my arms around his waist, I hug him from the side trying to comfort him, "Look at you, the guy who doesn't even know how to hug properly, how could he force himself onto someone?" I can't help but add when he loosely places his arm on my shoulder in a really weak hug.

"I don't know whether to take this as a compliment or an insult." He lightly laughs even though I didn't say this as joke but if it has lightened his mood then I won't mention this to him.

For a while, he simply holds me even though he tries to conceal his feelings, but I am aware that talking about these things is not easy for him. Because accusing someone of rape is not a matter of joke and such severe allegation will affect any man of character no matter how mentally strong he is.

"You are the most amazing person, Alec." Glancing at him, I hold his face in my hand, "Never let any negativity reach your heart. The world will try to take goodness from your heart because this world is a really dark place where goodness can hardly survive, however, you should never let them snatch this goodness from you." Placing my hand above his heart, I feel his heartbeat.

He might come across cold and emotionless, but he has a heart that is filled with nothing but warmth.

Placing his hand above mine, he wraps his fingers around my hand. Lifting my hand towards his mouth, he places a kiss inside my palm.

I can feel the heat creeping up to my cheeks, as these small gestures of his never fail to set butterflies free in my stomach. I have thought this thing would have changed among all these years, but no, I was wrong. He still has the same effect on me.

Before he can notice anything, I turn my face away from him as suddenly the loose thread on his shirt becomes the most interesting in the world.

After a few more moments pass, then his chest rises and falls in a small sigh.

"A few days later, John and I were talking about the incident, then during the conversation, he told me that once Dad was really worried and when he asked the reason for his worry Dad informed him that doctors told him that there might be a possibility that I might not have kids as allergic medication can cause this problem." He absentmindedly rubs circles on my arm as he talks, "Dad never talked to me about any of this so obviously I didn't believe John. However, I know Dad and John were really close friends so I can't just ignore what he has told me. So I got tested and in reports, it clearly said that I can't become a father." He scoffs.

There is a nagging feeling inside the back of my mind, something doesn't seem right in all this. I don't know what it is, but my mind is telling me it is not just a normal mistake.

"It means somebody has changed the reports, right?" Turning to him, I sit cross-legged on the couch my knees almost in his lap.

"Yeah, somebody paid the doctor to change the reports, but still I haven't found who it was." He nods his head, as anger passes through his eyes.

"Alec, have you thought who can benefit from all this? I mean no one would just ask someone to change someone's report for fun." I shrug, "I think instead of looking for the person, you should try to look for the reason why someone might do this. Once you have found that reason then this may lead you to that person too."

"If I were in your place I would have thought for all the possible reasons why I might forge someone's reports." Biting my lip, I shrug nonchalantly, "Sometimes you have to think like a culprit, to be ahead of them, and in this case to find them."

He looks at me with raised eyebrows, then slowly he nods his head to himself.

"What?" I ask looking at his weird reaction.

"I am sorry, I underestimated your intelligence." He smiles looking impressed.

"What can I say a person who is a fool himself, considers others as fools as well." I roll my eyes at him, "Because this is not the first time you have underestimated me."

"But this would be the last time for sure." The corner of his lips tilts upward, "Because I am not going to repeat any of my mistakes."

"Yeah, we will see." I give him an unimpressed look to which he just responds with the secretive smile of his.

Slipping his fingers into mine, he clutches my hands then he jerks me towards himself nearly making me fall on him.

Winding his arms around he hugs me.

"What are you doing?" I ask in confusion, slightly pulling back which is a little difficult as he is holding me a little too tightly.

"Not repeating my mistake to not to hug you properly." He rests his chin in the crook of my neck.

Shaking my head, I hug him back as I don't have any other option because he is holding me flush against him while an involuntary small chuckle passes through my lips.

He instantly releases me and leans back to look at my face seeming surprised.

"You laughed." His eyes roam over my face, as he whispers while a soft smile makes a way to his lips.

"I did?" I blink in surprise, I don't even remember when was the last time I actually laughed, the sound seems to foreign to my ears.

Even when it is something which I find amusing, the most I do is smile. Big smile, small smile, sarcastic smile, and a lot more types of smiles, but that is it.

"I want to hear you laugh more." He traces my lower lip with his finger, "I missed your laugh."

"You should laugh more often." He cups my face in his palm and runs his thumb along my jawline.

"Maybe you should give me reasons to laugh more often," I whisper quietly, while my heart is anything but quiet as it is drumming against my chest feverously.

Locking his eyes with mine, he weaves his fingers into my hair while he brings my face near to his. My eyes close just a moment before his lips touch mine in a gentle kiss, relishing the feeling of his lips against mine. After a moment, I feel my lips moving against his tentatively, afraid all this is just a dream.

I missed this feeling... I missed being held in his arms... but more than anything I truly missed him.

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Thank you for reading.