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"Your name is Oliver Fletcher?" Aiden asked. He felt like every piece of the puzzle that was Oliver's life had just fallen into place. He felt like he understood everything and yet, had never been so confused.

Oliver nodded slowly, as if a sudden movement would scare Aiden. "Oliver Clark Fletcher," Oliver corrected. His voice was timid.

Aiden pressed the palm of his hand into his forehead. "You're a Fletcher?" Aiden thought about all the movies he had watched with the Fletcher men in them. He thought about that time Oliver had said he didn't know who Pierce Fletcher was. His mind became hazy as conflicting thoughts battled in his head.

"I am."

Aiden turned to leave. "I just can't do this right now." Aiden walked down the closest hallway, hoping that he might find another exit. A terrible feeling forced its way into Aiden's gut and he felt like he might throw up.

Oliver followed him. "Aiden, please don't leave." Aiden paused in his steps, Oliver's voice sounded so desperate. Aiden allowed Oliver to catch up to him.

"You lied to me about everything, Oliver," Aiden said. He knew how heartbroken he sounded. Aiden looked around, making sure that there was no one around. "You lied to me about your own damn name!"

Oliver tried to grab Aiden's hand but Aiden flinched away. "Aiden, you have to understand, I didn't do this to hurt you."

"Why did you do it then?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

Aiden thought for a moment. He had one second of clear thinking that allowed him to see past the hurt he was feeling. Yes. Yes, it was obvious. Oliver had been used his entire life for his families' money. If everyone knew who his family was, then he was an easy target for people who wanted to get famous or rich quick. He understood exactly why Oliver had done it.

Aiden closed his eyes for a second and took a deep breath. He was sure that he looked crazy to Oliver, or any waiters who happened to be walking by. He needed a moment to clear his head.

"Who knows about your family?" Aiden asked when he slowly opened his eyes.

Oliver was chewing at his lip when Aiden looked at him. Oliver looked him straight in the eye. "Ava."

"And?"

"No one else," Oliver admitted.

Aiden remembered the day that he and Oliver had spent hours in that café after making up after their fight. He remembered the promise he had made to himself that he wasn't going to give up on Oliver, like everyone else had. He had hoped so badly that day that one day, there wouldn't be any secrets between them, and he had gotten his wish. He wouldn't let himself ruin everything they had now. He loved Oliver too much for that. "Is this everything?" he asked.

Oliver looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"Is this the last secret?"

Oliver nodded. "There's nothing else. This is everything." Aiden nodded back at him, then he quickly wrapped his arms around Oliver's middle. Oliver seemed to freeze for a good few seconds. "You aren't leaving?" Oliver asked. He sounded surprised and relived.

"I'm not leaving," Aiden promised. He felt that awful feeling disappear from his gut. He finally felt like he knew who Oliver was. It was a strange realisation. He felt closer to Oliver, as he stood there with his arms wrapped around his boyfriend. Everything made sense. He regretted the way he had responded, but he knew that it was just the stress of meeting his family combined with the surprise of who the family turned out to be. "I'm sorry I was just shocked."

Oliver signed deeply. "I should have told you before this moment."

Aiden rested his head on Oliver's chest. "Yes. You should have," he said following a laugh. It all seemed so surreal. Aiden almost couldn't believe that the Fletcher family was going to be in the same room as him. He wished that he could of at least had a few hours to prepare himself for it.

Aiden felt Oliver laugh under him. He felt Oliver's strong arms wrap around him. "I was so nervous to tell you."

"I wouldn't have cared that you're from a famous family. You do know that, don't you?" Aiden told him. He pulled back so that he could see Oliver's face. "You know I wouldn't see you differently right?" Aiden knew that his words only held truth. He didn't care who Oliver's family was. He didn't care how much money Oliver came from. He knew thousands of things that defined how he saw Oliver, but money was never a part of the equation.

Oliver nodded. "I knew from our first date that you weren't in this for anything but the right reasons. It was just, I didn't want any more arguments between us. I hate when we fight, it tears me up inside and I feel like I can't breathe. I needed you to know, but I just didn't know if I could say the words until this moment."

"Now I know, and it doesn't change how I feel about you or about us."

Oliver sighed. "Oh my gosh, I honestly thought you were going to leave."

"I thought I was going to for a second."

"What stopped you?" Oliver asked.

"I love you too much to abandon you."

Oliver smiled that beautiful smile of his. "I love you, Aiden, more than you'll ever know."

Aiden kissed him. "Let's do this."

"We don't have to go in there," Oliver said. He glanced back down the hallway. "We can just leave."

Aiden shook his head. "And miss my chance to meet Orson Fletcher? I think not."

Oliver laughed. "Please tell me that was a joke."

"It was," Aiden said with a smile. "Come on."

They went back towards the private room. Aiden took a deep breath. They entered the room and suddenly there were five sets of eyes on them. Oliver placed his hand on Aiden's lower back. "Hi everyone," Oliver said nervously. He was trying to hide the nerves in his voice but Aiden saw straight through it. He wasn't sure if his family saw through it as well.

"You're late," Orson huffed.

"I'm glad you two came," Adelaide sighed. She used her hands to push up the edges of her hair, almost as if she was trying to fix it before Aiden saw it.

Aiden didn't understand why no one was hugging. Family reunions involved hugging, didn't they?

"You must be Aiden," Pierce said after only glancing in Aiden's direction. He motioned for them to sit down.

"Yes," Aiden said as he and Oliver sat next to each other.

Pierce looked back up at him. Aiden thought that Pierce was going to say something more, but he was just looking at him expectantly.

"Aiden! I remember you!" Aiden's eyes followed the voice. Eden was looking at him with a bewildered smile. "Do you remember me?"

Aiden nodded. "Yes, I definitely do."

Eden tilted her head slightly. "I never thought I'd run into you again. What a coincidence!"

Aiden felt Oliver tap him on the thigh. "You know Eden?" he asked.

Aiden suddenly noticed that everyone was looking expectantly between he and Eden. "We met at a red-carpet event a few months ago. I carried her shoes for her."

Pierce's gaze was on Aiden. "You did what?"

Eden's gentle laugh filled the room. "You were my lifesaver that night!" She focused on Oliver. "You've got a good one here."

Oliver wrapped his arm around Aiden's shoulders. "I do."

Orson coughed under his breath. Aiden felt Oliver's arm slowly drift back towards his side. Aiden wondered what Orson's problem was. He didn't know how his parents had taken him coming out as gay. Aiden had just assumed that they didn't mind. Oliver had never made any reference to them being upset or not accepting him for it, so he had assumed there was no problem. Aiden was starting to think that he had been wrong on that count.

"We were just talking about you, Aiden," Adelaide said quickly to change the subject.

"Mother was telling us that you're a photographer," Rosie chimed in.

Aiden blinked at Rosie a few times. He was astounded at how different she looked. Her hair, which had been messy and carelessly thrown up in a ponytail only a little while ago, was now curled tightly and didn't move very much when she turned her head. He wondered how much hair spray she had put in it. The bright pink of her dress made her look like a different person, much more like the Rosie he had been originally expecting and not the sass filled teenager that had walked through his hotel room door. She even spoke differently too and even held herself in a different way. He wondered which Rosie was the real one, or if she were a mix of the opposite ends of the spectrum.

"What kinds of photographs do you take?" Adelaide asked when he didn't respond.

Aiden sent a quick glance over to Oliver. He wasn't sure if Oliver's family would take kindly to the fact that he worked for a gossip magazine. Oliver's slightly widened eyes prompted his response. "I mostly do landscapes. I do freelance work for a few fitness and environmental magazines."

"Do you enjoy that line of work?" Adelaide asked.

Aiden nodded. "It's my passion."

"Why were you at the red-carpet event if you're a landscape photographer?" Pierce asked suddenly. There was a strange tone in his voice, like he was proud of himself. "Which event did you go to, again? How did you end up helping my wife?"

Eden shifted towards Pierce. "It was your movie premiere. You were busy talking with reporters and Aiden helped me with my shoes because my feet were too swollen to walk with heels on," Eden reminded her husband. She said it with an underlying tone that reminded Aiden how much he liked her.

Oliver reached for Aiden's hand under the table. "He also does a little bit of work for 'Celebrity Today'," Oliver told them. Oliver heavily emphasised the word "little".

Orson grunted. "That publication is a joke. Its contributors are even more so a joke for supporting such nonsense."

Aiden furrowed his brows at Oliver's father. He had to quickly smooth out his expression before anyone saw. He had always seen Orson on television as a happy, kind man. He always seemed to be joking in interviews. He had never envisioned the man as hostile.

Everyone at the table was silent for a moment. No one knew what to say to that.

Adelaide chewed on her bright red lip. "Orson and I have experienced a lot of problems with gossip magazines over the years. He doesn't mean to offend you."

Orson started to speak but Eden quickly cut in. "I have read the most bizarre stories about myself in those magazines!" she said happily. "I think that they are quite funny."

Aiden sent her an appreciative smile. Oliver squeezed his hand under the table. Aiden heard both Rosie and Oliver sigh in relief when a waiter walked into the room to take their orders.

Aiden stayed quiet most of the dinner. Everyone seemed to stay clear of any controversial topics. Even Orson started participating in the conversations. Aiden ate his dinner, which was just like Oliver had said, very small and extremely overpriced.

While the family was engrossed in conversation, Oliver lent close to Aiden's ear. "Are you okay?" he whispered.

Aiden nodded slightly. "Are you?"

Oliver shrugged. "It's uncomfortable, but there hasn't been any fighting yet, so I can't complain."

Aiden smiled. He noticed suddenly that Orson was watching them with careful eyes. He pulled away from Oliver and focused on the conversation that Eden was having with Rosie about her school.

Later, as their dirty plates were being taken, Pierce spoke to Oliver. It was the first time since they arrived that Aiden saw Pierce interacting with his brother. Their relationship was hard to read. "How is the business?"

Oliver's voice sounded strong and steady. Aiden admired that. "It's going very well. We are actually considering opening another branch in Japan."

Adelaide seemed impressed. "Japan! That is an exciting prospect!"

Aiden didn't miss the smile on Oliver's face after hearing his mother's comment.

"I've never understood your drive to work in that sector," Pierce muttered. "You could have had a bright future in acting or modelling. You have the looks for it."

"I did always think that you'd make a good actor. You and your brother were so talented in acting classes as children," Orson chimed in. "It's a shame that you didn't use your skills."

"I'm more skilled in computers and software than I ever was as a six-year-old in acting class," Oliver told him. There was a defiance to his tone that worried Aiden.

Aiden felt the tension rising at the table. "Oliver has built an incredible company," he told Orson. He faced Pierce. "He can do incredible things with software and coding, all incredibly complicated stuff that requires a huge amount of skill and dedication."

"I do disagree with your brother on one point," Orson continued. He completely ignored Aiden's comment. "You would have made a terrible model, what with your photo anxiety." He spat out the last few words.

Aiden met Rosie's eyes. Rosie looked like she was about to cry. "Dad," Rosie started to speak but Orson shushed her.

"Oh, don't bring up that again," Pierce huffed.

Aiden felt Oliver let go of his hand. "I had camera's shoved in my face from the second I was born." He sat straighter and placed his hands flat on the table. "I was terrorised by flashes every day of my childhood."

Adelaide sighed. She spoke to Aiden. "He refused to have one photo taken of him his entire teenaged years. I have no photographs of my own son growing up. He wouldn't leave the house with us after he turned fourteen. He had his own driver who would take different cars so that we could go out as a family."

"Mother," Oliver said, "stop it."

Adelaide's eyes widened. "I didn't mean to upset you. I just wanted to explain to Aiden why this is an issue for us."

"The entire world forgot that I even had a second son," Orson said. His fist was in a ball on the table. "You spent all day locked up in your room with your computer, coding or hacking or whatever you were doing. Then, the second you could you were out the door and we never saw you again. This is the first time I've seen you in years. You don't get to waste your life for years and then come crawling back pretending like you didn't abandon this family."

Aiden couldn't stop himself. "Oliver has built a fantastic life for himself. He has great friends and a successful business. Why can't you be proud of him for that? At the very least you could be happy for him."

Oliver was watching Aiden with wide eyes. In fact, everyone was.

"This is none of your business, young man."

Aiden froze. He didn't know what to say. He turned and watched Oliver carefully. He could tell easily how angry Oliver was getting by the second.

Oliver said, "Every person I knew was only friends with me because of you! I had no one to talk to, I was trapped in that house."

"Stop," Adelaide pled. "All of you, stop!"

The table was silent. A few minutes' past with nothing but awkward silence. Eventually, conversation started again. Aiden didn't participate, instead he watched Oliver closely. He was glad when everyone started getting ready to leave. As they walked out the door, Adelaide made Oliver promise that they would meet her for breakfast the next day.

Aiden led Oliver out of the restaurant and onto the street. "That was...eventful," Aiden said.

Oliver shrugged. "It went better than I expected."

"How?" Aiden asked. He couldn't help but laugh. "How on earth was that better than expected?"

"We survived," Oliver replied.

Aiden felt a hand grip at his arm. He was suddenly faced with Rosie. Rosie smiled sadly at them. "That was a disaster, but it could have been worse."

Oliver looked back at where they had come from. "Where is everyone?"

"In a cab, but I told them I was going to walk back with you."

Oliver wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "They were okay with their terrible, black sheep of a son walking their princess home?"

Rosie laughed. Aiden didn't see how it was funny, yet Rosie's smile was huge on her face. "Well, you just better get me there safely otherwise you'll never be invited to another family dinner."

"What a shame," Oliver muttered. The three of them started walking. "I've missed you," he told Rosie.

Rosie snuggled her face into Oliver's side as they all slowly walked. "I haven't missed family dinners with all of us."

"Did it used to be like that before?" Aiden asked.

"Worse," Rosie told him. She pushed Oliver's arm off of her and slid her arm around Aiden's. "I wanted to say thank you."

Aiden looked down at the bright-eyed girl. "Why?"

"I've never seen anyone stand up to my father like that," Rosie said, "well, anyone other than Oliver. I liked it."

Oliver smiled sweetly. "I forgot to thank you for that myself. It was quite the bold move."

Aiden shrugged. "It was nothing."

"It was everything," Rosie whispered.

The three of them walked slowly back to the hotel. Aiden may have gotten on the bad side of most of Oliver's family, but he was glad that he at least won over Rosie.

What did you think of Oliver's family?