I am rummaging in the closet for the matching earrings that would go with my dress but I can't place them. A huff escapes me and I make my way to the bathroom as I pull my hair down from a bun and run a comb through them before curling the loose strands at the end.

When I am done, I go out in the bedroom and stand in front of the mirror, eyeing myself as I step into the heels. The material of the dress falls at my feet, two thin straps supporting it on my shoulder. I'm wearing the lightest shade of blue and the back cut of the dress run low till my waist. I clip on a silver bracelet on the wrist and check my make up.

Just as I'm wearing the last coat of the lipstick, someone clears their throat and I turn towards the bedroom entrance to look at Aaron. He's staring at me with such intensity, his eyes holding my gaze for so long before they tear apart and he takes in every ounce of my skin as if he's seeing me for the very first time.

I blink at him, and he breaks out of the trance as he slowly steps inside the room, his feet moving in my direction and my heart beat accelerating.

"I disagreed, so you thought of rebelling alone?" He asks, coming to stand exactly in front of me.

My hands twitch as I resist myself from touching him because of how irresistible he looks. His suit fits him even better than I remember, hugging his toned muscles.

He arches an eyebrow when I don't reply to him. His arm snakes around my waist as he pulls me close, and as soon as his hand meets the exposed skin on my back, our breaths hitch together. Mine, from the feeling it erupted in my stomach and his, from the surprise.

He turns me around ever so slightly, his eyes raking down my back and then makes me look at himself.

"You're wearing that?" He asks, and I immediately know how he feels about it.

"Yes, Ella designed it for me at her boutique. It was before Charlotte told me the dress code. It's a really light shade anyway." I shrug, trying to avoid the actual question he asked.

He nods, his hands running down the skin on my back, sending shivers down my spine. When a smile appears on his face, I know he's satisfied with my body's response to his touch.

"You look breathtaking." He breathes, making me smile and my arms hook around his neck.

"Regretting not making love to me when you had the chance?" I tease and he groans.

"Emily is getting ready with the rest of the people who are part of the wedding. I think we can manage it there on time if we start now." He whispers, his lips covering mine.

I immediately respond by closing my lips around his but before he can deepen the kiss, I take a step back, "I am not missing the chance of seeing my daughter walking down the aisle. You had your chance." I wink and he lets out a grunt.

He nods, placing a kiss on my forehead. When we reach the door, Aaron stops me, "You forgot to put on your earrings." He notices and I smile, sheepishly.

"Apparently, I forgot to pack them."

There's a smirk on his face, clearly stating, 'I told you so.' and I roll my eyes at his way of gloating.

"I'll just be a second." He says before disappearing back in the suite.

When he comes out, he's holding a box in his hand and I immediately frown, my insides churning. It better not be what I think it is.

"Relax, I am not going down on the knee, not yet and especially not like this." He clears out, reading my expression and I let out a breath.

"What is it?" I ask.

He opens the box and the familiar diamond studded earrings stare back at me. "Don't ask me why I have it here, I have been wanting to give them to you from a long time. I know we weren't in a good place when I gifted them to you. But now, we are."

I stare at them and then at him. They are crazy expensive, and that's the reason I declined the gift.

"I asked you to return them because I can't accept such a costly gift." I tell him, being honest and he shakes his head.

"You're my girl, I can gift you whatever I want and whenever I want. Alright? Now put them on." He pushes the box in my hand and I want to protest but I know it wouldn't be of any use.

So, I put them while we stand outside our suite. After I am done, I hand him the box and he puts it inside his jacket pocket. He gives me a satisfied grin and I smile at him.

"I love you." I say and he grins.

"Shall we?" He asks, holding out his arm and I nod, hooking my arm with his as we make our way to elevator.

I pray that I don't run into anyone before the reception ceremony. She's getting married in Cambridge and the reception ceremony is at Devonshire Ballroom. Apparently, she wanted to have variety and couldn't settle on having reception in just another Cambridge hall. Thankfully, both of them are at the same floor so it would be less hustle. I can't imagine the amount of money Marcel must be spending here.

Marcel is my mother's brother, so it's my maternal side of family. And truth be told, I have never been close to anyone. My grandmother seemed to disown me as soon as she heard about my pregnancy and didn't talk to Marcel for an year for helping me out throughout.

She came around, though. As soon as I moved out of the penthouse, she was okay.

When we enter the banquet, I immediately spot a few familiar faces. A huge part of me wishes that no one recognises me and I know Aaron feels the nervousness radiating off me because of how he unhooks our arms and pulls me by the waist and closer to him.

"You're gonna be okay." He whispers in my ear and I nod.

I take a deep breath before finding Aaron and myself a seat somewhere in the front row. Trust me, I have no interest in the wedding but Marcel ordered me last night that I had to act like a family and be seated front row, also because Emily would be coming to me right after. He was a little upset about us missing the rehearsal dinner, but I think a part of him understood.

As for Aaron, Emily and I, we roamed on the streets of Chicago, hailed a cab and went to the Lincoln Park Zoo. Emily was ecstatic at the idea and it was Aaron's suggestion who seemed immensely proud as we awed at the light decoration there because of the festive season. It was one of the best nights of my entire life. We ended up having Sushi for dinner at some really recommended place called Yuzu Sushi and Robata Grill. Honestly, it was the cab driver who suggested we try it and it was amazing.

"Hey, it's starting." Aaron tells me as we see Paul standing at the alter with the priest on his side.

I am really glad that I am sitting in the corner seat, not because it gives me a good view of the aisle but because Aaron is like a barrier between the people sitting by his side so I don't have to talk to them.

Immediate silence drops as Charlotte's bridesmaids start walking down the aisle with Paul's best men. And then, Emily walks in, a small bucket in her hand as she drops the flower on the aisle. She looks so beautiful. Her purple dress does her justice and her hair are in a small bun above her head as a crown sets in front of it. As soon as my eyes land on her, Aaron's hand comes to rest above mine as he gives it a tight squeeze.

"I can't believe it would be her walking down the aisle in a wedding dress someday." I whisper to Aaron, tearing brimming in my eyes and when my eyes land on his, I see that his expression are mirroring mine.

"I can't believe that she would be marrying someone. She better not have a boyfriend." He says, and I can't help but break a smile.

"Careful, Aaron. Your fatherly instincts are showing." I grin at him and he shushes me up as Emily finishes walking and immediately comes to me.

I give her a smile of encouragement and then the music follows for Charlotte's entrance, everyone standing up. Emily fidgets a little but when she sees how quiet the hall is, she stays silent. Aaron offers her a candy and she obliges as she happily takes it.

Despite our damaged and broken bond, I cannot help but admit that Charlotte makes a beautiful bride. When I look at Paul, I see nothing but love in his eyes. Maybe, maybe, somewhere deep inside the evil heart of her, she has found the man she wants to love and spend the rest of her life with. Marcel's arm is attached to hers and I smile at the thought of how she chose to honour him by asking him to give her away as he walks her down the aisle.

The ceremony goes on peacefully as they exchange their vows and rings, with the priest announcing them husband and wife. I let out a sigh when it ends and look at Emily.

"You look beautiful." I tell her and Aaron nods.

"You do, Em. And just so you know, your mum and I decided that you are not allowed to date anyone."

I can't help but laugh out loud at his statement and stare at Emily who looks absolutely baffled as she looks at him like he's lost it, "What?" She asks, almost sounding british in her accent, which makes me laugh even more.

"He's just acting protective of you. You are free to date whenever you want and who you want." I tell her and then the way Aaron glares at me, I bite back a smile. "Okay, how about not until you're twelve?"

"What? Twelve?" Aaron squeals and I laugh.

"Thirteen. That's it." I finalise and Emily just stares at the two of us.

"Crazy." She shakes her head, as if she's disappointed in the two of us, making Aaron and I laugh.

...

Aaron's POV

All the guests have moved from to the ballroom and the decorations here seem even more expensive than they were at the wedding ceremony. Diana is feeding Emily some snacks because she hasn't had anything since morning.

She's a beautiful woman, but today, when I saw her in that dress, it seemed as if someone had magically made her even more beautiful than usual. She looks breathtaking, and I know others agree too because I have seen at least five young guys ogling her. Well, I can blame my sour mood on that but each time I look at Diana smiling, I can't help the grin on my face either.

About five minutes ago, I had a staring competition with a man who looked a little older than us. His eyes were fixed on her bare back and on the side of her face, but then his stare met mine and I glared right at him, shooing him off.

"You gonna be grumpy all night?" Diana asks me and I look at her.

Well, I was hoping she wouldn't notice.

"Nope. Do you want to have something to eat?" I ask and she shakes her head.

Just then, Mr. Wilson and Shelly make their way to the table we are sitting at. Both of us stand to greet them and I notice the parents looks even younger than usual.

"Aaron." Mr. Wilson shakes my hand and I give Shelly a greeting nod.

"You look lovely, Dee." Shelly compliments and I see the confident smile on Diana's face.

"Thank you, you look lovely yourself."

I notice Emily staring at her surroundings before Mr. Wilson pick her up in his arms. He kisses her cheek and she grins at him.

"We're here to steal away your daughter for a while, we need photographs." He informs Diana and I know she's a little apprehensive but she nods.

"Sure."

"It was a beautiful ceremony, and an amazing party, Sir." I tell him and he gives me a warm smile.

"Call me Marcel, son." He says and the surprise must be evident on my face because of the look Diana gives me.

Just as they are about to leave, Charlotte appears in the sight and she looks straight at Diana, then at me.

"Oh, we were just getting Emily, dear." Shelly tells her, sounding a little nervous as she glances between Diana and her daughter.

"Yes Mom, get her individual photographs done. I'll be just a minute." She says, making Diana frown.

When her parents leave, Charlotte turns to Diana, "Can I talk to you for a minute?" She asks and before Diana can snap, I give our intertwined hands a little squeeze.

"Sure." She says.

"I'm going to get us drinks." I say, trying to excuse myself but Charlotte shakes her head.

"It's alright, you can stay." She gives me a small smile and Diana scowls even further, "Look, Ana.. I mean, Diana. It wasn't my idea to have Emily as the flower girl, Paul suggested it. But, I could have said no, but I didn't. Whatever happened in the past, I don't want your daughter to be in the middle of that. She's a lovely girl, and I see how much you love her. I just wanted to take the chance to show her to our entire family that she isn't someone they should be ashamed of.

"I am not sure if I am being able to put this forward the way I want to, but the bottomline is, fuck the family members who whisper behind your back. Emily doesn't need to be hidden away from the world. Period."

I swear to god, I might have stared at her too long before I blinked and when I look at Diana, there's absolutely no expression on her face but then I look into her grey orbs and I see the uncertainty behind them. It looks like she doesn't know what to make out of her confession.

"I didn't know it was possible for us to agree on something." Diana almost whispers, staring at her. "Are you pregnant?" She blurts, causing Charlotte to laugh.

"No, but I can understand why that thought crossed your mind. It isn't likely of me to make your life easier. What I said when we were younger, all the drama I created, it was only because I felt threatened by how much my father had faith in you. He treated us equally, and being the only child, it was hard for me to accept that." She says.

I am not aware of the exact details of Diana's past where Charlotte is concerned, but it pretty much sounds like she's apologising for her actions.

Diana just nods at her, not saying anything further. Charlotte gives her one last smile, and then gives me a nod before turning away and disappearing.

"What the hell was that?" Diana immediately speaks, her body moving closer to mine and I wrap my arm around her.

She buries her head in my chest and I hold her close. I kiss her hair and she sighs, a huge sigh as she wraps her arms around me.

"Are you willing to tell me what exactly did she apologise for?" I ask, and she shakes her head, looking up at me as she parts away a little.

"That was not an apology, I did not hear the word sorry." She tells me, her voice determined.

I huff at her because I can sense her stubbornness, "Diana, we both know that some apologies are above the usage of that single word. And if you don't want to talk about it, we won't." I assure her and she nods.

"Can we get something to drink?" She asks and I nod, walking away from the table with her hand in mine.

"What would you like?" I ask.

"Anything with alcohol in it."

Her reply immediately makes me narrow my eyes at her, "Emily is leaving tomorrow morning, not tonight. I hope you're aware of that." I remind her.

"Yes, she'll be staying with Marcel tomorrow whole day and night, and we have a flight on monday morning back home. I am aware."

"What's with the alcohol, then?" I ask, I am not judging her at all, I am just intrigued.

"A few exceptions can be made, and I desperately need at least one drink to calm my nerves right now." She says, fidgeting a little and I smile.

I kiss her forehead, "Wait here, I'll get us something." I tell her.

I move to the bar and ask for a glass of champagne and one non-alcoholic drink, whatever they have to offer. At least one of us needs to stay off alcohol, and if she's drinking, I'll stay sober.

I am not sure if her nerves are entirely due to the conversation she just had with Charlotte, because she has been a little messed up in her head ever since last week. She think I don't notice it, but I do. I just don't give her the push that I know would drive her to edge.

She's waiting for me just near the tables and when I am approaching her, her stature looks even more nervous than usual, immediately making me frown. Then I notice a couple around their mid-forties standing and conversing with her. It must be some extended family, trying to make small conversation.

But, that usually pisses her off. It doesn't make her nervous.

When I reach her, I put my hand on her back and she almost jumps at the contact. I give her a small smile, and she looks awfully pale for someone who's wearing make-up.

"Hey, I got you champagne." I tell her, handing her the glass and she nods, barely taking a sip.

"Thanks." She murmurs.

I take a sip of my own drink before turning to the couple. I give them a small smile and a nod. The man looks confident as he stands tall and the woman looks nervous, just like Diana but probably lesser. I can sense the awkwardness and I want to come up with some excuse to get her away from them.

There are strands of white in both of their hairs and I notice the women continuously touching the bracelet on her list, Diana copying exactly her actions. I just stare at them in silence, failing to come up with anything as if my brain just died.

I clear my throat and Diana gives me a really tight lipped smile, and then I see her gaze at the woman. Their features look a little similar, and I notice the way Diana passes a look of warning to the woman, something very evident behind her eyes.

"I am not sure if Ana is going to introduce us, I'm David Rose," the man extends his hand and I give him a small smile.

"Nice to meet you sir, Aaron McCall." I shake his hand and then look at the woman.

"Hi, I'm Viviana Rose. You must be Ana's —?"

The way she leaves her sentence mid-air hanging tells me that it's her way of asking the relationship I share with Diana. I frown at that.

And what is it with everyone calling her Ana today?

"Boyfriend. I'm her boyfriend." I clear out and I notice the way David's eyes turn into slits as he glares at me.

"Well, we are her parents." He speaks, his tone undetectable.