Aaron stands up from the couch and starts to move towards the door when I frantically follow behind him.

"Where are you going?" I ask, catching his arm and he frowns at me.

"To kick your father's ass!" He explains and I smile a little at him. "Why do you find this funny?" He aggravates.

My hand moves upto his cheeks and my thumb strokes his skin. "I wish I had met you four years back." I whisper and he shakes his head.

His eyes are tinted with tears and I know he's trying hard to keep a straight face after everything that I have told him. He pulls me towards him and wraps his arms around me. I immediately let out a sigh as I rest my head on his chest.

"How could he kick you out when you were pregnant?" His voice almost breaks and I look at him.

"It's alright, Aaron. I am good now, Emily is safe in the other room." I try to reassure him but he just shakes his head.

"Her brother isn't there with her. They led you to that stage where you had to take medication to help you get through life. If they were there for you, Evan would be here!" He exclaims and his word cut right through my heart.

Nothing compares to the loss of child, a child whom you hold in your arms but he's still to death. I suck up my tears by a deep breath as I look at him. He isn't wrong though, I have blamed my parents for a long time for the loss of Evan, but I was mistaken more than anyone. No one forced me to overdose. That was all me!

"I just.. I am sorry I brought that up. I promised you we wouldn't discuss your past but I never knew this side, Diana! Each time you let me in, I realise there's so much pain but even then you are hiding something. You have to let me in, for all and once. Is there anything else I need to know?" He asks, regret clear in his voice for bringing Evan into this.

"That was all. I promise. No more secrets." I swear to him and he nods.

There are no more secrets. That's all the hell my life could bear.

"I don't blame you for considering them dead." He whispers, and I almost miss it but I know what compelled him to say it. "They abandoned you when you needed them the most."

"Says the guy who never did." I smile at him and he places a light kiss on my forehead.

"Is that the reason Charlotte hates you so much? Because she has just been assuming the worst things like that.." He drawls and I nod.

"It was easier for her to hate me than accept that Uncle Marcel loved me. That is also in the past. I don't let her get to me anymore." I shrug.

"You're the strongest woman I know, Diana Florence Rose." He kisses my nose tip. "I just realised your parents named you by combining their names. Wow! Were you a love child?" He asks and I nod, even though it's a thing I would have excitedly explained four years ago.

I used to be so proud of how I was born pure out of love, and how my parents loved me so much that they named me after themselves. Now, I just lack the excitement.

"I am sorry I lied to you. I just didn't know how to explain things, and it was easier to keep you in the dark, assuming that you were never going to find out or meet them." I confess.

I notice the grimace look on his face but he just shakes it off and tightens his arms around me. I lead him to the couch and we take a seat side by side.

"Do you mind if I go and change into something more comfortable?" I ask and he shakes his head.

I turn around, and motion for him to unzip. His cold fingers make contact with my skin, erupting goosebumps on the surface. He lowers his mouth on my shoulder and places a warm kiss before letting go of me.

After rushing inside and changing into pair of sweats, I come out with a couple of clothes to change for him.

"Just change here, I know you are in your lazy mode." I throw the clothes in his direction and he passes me that cheeky grin which makes my heart skip a beat.

And we are back okay, just like that. It's so easy to fall into a comfortable silence with him.

I have to resist myself, knowing that Emily is another room as the thought of attacking him with kisses comes to me. I notice him struggle to get out of his clothes and I roll my eyes.

"Move a little, let me help you." I reprimand him and he smiles at me.

I unbutton his shirt and start placing kisses on his bare skin, not being able to stop myself. He sucks in a breath at the touch of my lips but doesn't say anything. After removing his shirt, I unbuckle his belt and move down the zipper of his pants. I immediately feel his body react to my touch but I don't provoke him further as I genuinely help him change clothes.

After it's done, he pulls me on his lap and nuzzles his face in my neck, setting a giddily feeling in my stomach. I never thought I'd fall in love, because the idea sent a bitter taste in my mouth. But, this man changed that for me.

When I look at his face, there's absolute calm but his eyes tell me a different story. I know him well enough to know what's bothering him. It's his biological mother. Tomorrow is the day.

"What if I can't get past the hate?" He voices out his thoughts, looking at me, "I hate your parents for abandoning you. What if I cannot forgive her for doing that to me?" He asks and I push back the hair from his forehead.

"You don't do hate, Aaron. If you did, we wouldn't be here. It will take time, but you will move past it. And you are just assuming right now. You don't even know the real reason you were adopted. Let's wait till morning, okay?" I say and he nods.

He lies down on the couch, taking me with him as he wraps his arms around me, as if he's afraid of what the outside world can do to harm me. I never needed protection, I still don't — but something about him makes me want to hide under his shadow for the rest of my life. It's a foreign feeling to have someone empathise with your past, but with him, it feels good.

"I love you, Dee. Always." He whispers before falling into a comfortable sleep.

-

I don't wake up Aaron the next day until I am done packing Emily's stuff, the necessary stuff that she might need at back home. My nerves have been getting the best of me as I get her ready for the airport.

She has never stayed without me like this, when I am in another city. The thought is brain wrecking but I take tiny breaths, to remind myself that she'll be with Ella and Connor as soon as she lands in New York. But, what if she starts crying in the flight?

"Babe, Marcel and Shelly will take good care of her." Aaron's sleep laced voice says from behind me.

I turn around to see him standing in the doorway, looking absolutely gorgeous in his sweats. He comes to the room and places a quick kiss on my forehead.

"Morning, ladies!" He greets the two of us.

"Monin' A." Emily chirps.

"Is your Mom a nerve wreck this morning, Em?" Aaron grins at her and she nods, smiling.

"Alright, go get fresh!" I push him towards the bathroom and he chuckles, making Emily giggle.

"Baby, you listen to me. Anytime you need Momma, you ask Ella to make a call. Okay? Connor and Ella will be with you till tomorrow, and then Mommy is going to pick you up." I explain, tucking her hair properly.

She wraps her tiny arms around me and I sigh in her comfort. God, I love this child beyond anything else.

"Why can't you come with me?" She pouts and I look at her.

"Aaron needs to meet someone important. And your Mommy wants to be there for him, because it might make him sad." I explain the best I can.

"Sad, why?" She scowls further, playing with the bow on her warm sweater.

"Because he's meeting his Mommy after a long time, Em. You would be sad if I go away for a long time too, right?" I say.

Probably not the best thing to say to a three year old who will be spending the next one and half day without me.

"Yes, mommy! Don't leave." She whispers, and I know she's sad even with the thought of it.

"Never, Em. I will never leave you. You will never be sad because of me." I promise her.

I pick her up in my arms and she puts her head on my shoulder. She'll be okay. It's just thirty hours. I can skype her in the evening through Ella.

"Aaron, c'mon! I didn't ask you to take a shower. She's going to be late." I yelled through the door and he opened it instantly.

"God, woman! Tone it down, will ya? I was just brushing my teeth." He ruffles his hair through his fingers. "All set, Em?" He asks her and she nods, like she just finished packing her bags.

I roll my eyes at the two of them before pointing at a duffle bag near the bed to Aaron. He gets the hint, and picks it up along with the car seat for the flight. We make our way down through elevator to the lobby.

"What time did Marcel say to meet you guys?" Aaron asks, his free hand set on my lower back.

"Around ten, we are five minutes early." I shrug.

When Shelly and Marcel came in our view, Aaron whispers behind me, "Or five minutes late."

He always has the habit of being early, and I didn't. So I choose to ignore his comment. Shelly takes Emily in her arms as soon as we reach them while Marcel takes her stuff from Aaron.

"She's going to be okay, you know? Stop fidgeting." Marcel comments and I smile at him.

"Thanks for doing this, really!" I mean it.

I know Aaron wouldn't have minded going alone, but I want to be there for him, just like he has been there for me all this while. And I couldn't leave Emily alone, and I also couldn't show up with her at Aaron's mother's doorstep.

"Don't fret over it. We love this little girl." Shelly smiles and I nod.

"Everything she might need is in the bag. Ella and Connor will be staying in our apartment while I am here, just to keep Emily at ease, so anything they might need will be at home." I inform them and they nod.

"You know we don't mind keeping her till you come back." Marcel says.

"I know, but you guys must be exhausted from the wedding. And as much as you love her, she can be a handful sometimes. Just rest, alright? Ella and Connor owe me anyway." I joke and they laugh.

"Alright then, say bye to Mommy, Emily." Shelly tells her.

I was so afraid that she'll cry but she doesn't. She just jumps to be in my arms and I hold her, placing kisses on her forehead, while Aaron stands behind me, making faces at her.

"We'll be back tomorrow. Just remember what I said, okay? Tell Ella what you need, and I am sorry for being away. You know the reason, baby. I love you." I kiss her and she wraps her tiny arms around my neck.

"Love you, Momma!" She says and then she cries, just a little.

"She'll be okay. Don't worry." Aaron whispers in my ear and I nod.

"Bye Em, irritate Connor and Ella, alright?" He says to her, and she manages to smile at his words.

"Thank you." I tell him and he wraps his arms around me.

I wave at them as they get into the car and drive off to the airport. When I turn around, I feel upset but I try to cover it up as I wrap my arms around Aaron. He holds me, without saying a word.

"Come on now, let's get to bed, yeah?" He says and I look at him.

"We aren't here to stay in bed. We need to get ready and leave." I remind him, even though I know he's just trying to avoid it.

He groans dramatically before following me to the elevator. I press the button and a second later, the doors slide open. I almost suck in a breath when I see my parents standing on the other end. My father's eyes turn into slits as he notices Aaron's arm around my waist.

When Aaron's gaze falls onto them, he pulls me even closer to himself. We are both in our night clothes, and I know that David Rose does not approve of that.

"Come Dave, let's go." Viviana says to him and he nods, exiting the lift.

"Ana.." he calls out to me, making me shoot him a glare. He steps forward, and just then Aaron takes one back, moving me along with him.

"Don't touch her." He growls and David scowls at me.

"Excuse me?"

Aaron's jaw clenches, "You heard me. You don't deserve to touch after what you did." He spits and my father looks down at me.

There's an accusatory look in his eyes which says, 'you told him?' Well, of course I did. I would have, eventually, if not under such circumstances. I plan to stick in Aaron's life for a long time.

"Ana.. can we talk? We still have an hour to catch our flight. Please.." Viviana drawls but I shake my head.

"No. We have to be somewhere. Goodbye, Mrs. Rose." I say before taking Aaron's hand and getting in the elevator.

He holds me till we reach our floor and unlocks the suite door for me. I told Uncle Marcel we'll be moving out and down to a cheaper hotel, but he didn't listen to me. As usual.

"You wanna talk about that?" He asks and I shake my head.

"I'm going to take a shower." I tell him, and he nods.

"I'll join you." He whispers, and I almost miss it. My eyes snap at him and he's looking at me cautiously. "That is.. if you want me to."

"Depends. You going to make love to me?" I question, forgetting the lobby incident completely.

He grins and slowly shakes his head, "After such a long time and that too in a shower? No."

I grumble, "You know, one of these days, I am going to torture you like this and you'll be on your knees begging me." I point out.

"You can have me on my knees in a second, Diana." He says and I feel the heat rising in my stomach.

He chuckles at my flushed expression and I go to take a shower before he can follow behind me. I take the quickest shower before coming out in a bathrobe. Aaron is sprawled on the bed, staring at ceiling. I know he's nervous, but more than that, he's afraid. He doesn't need to say it, I just know it by looking at him.

"Hey." I say, just to make my presence known.

He sits up and I scoot on bed with him, deciding to put on my clothes later. I pull him to myself and he sighs at my actions. There's a distant look in his eyes, like he's busy thinking.

"Are you thinking what it would be like, to meet her?" I ask and he nods.

"What if she doesn't even remember me?" He asks and I smile.

"Trust me, it's really hard to give birth and forget." I tell him from personal experience.

"What if she denies it, Dee? What would I do? You have sent Emily away to New York while you are here with me. What if all of this is for nothing?" He starts panicking.

"Hey hey! It's going to be alright, baby. And even if it's not, I am going to be by your side, holding your hand. Alright?" I say and gesture for him to take tiny breaths.

He sits on the support of his elbows and presses his lips to mine. I immediately respond to him, my skin igniting under the touch of his fingertips. I have missed him, god! We haven't been able to catch each other alone enough in the past few weeks and this just.. I didn't know how much I needed it until now.

"Baby.." he groans and pulls me closer, his hand finding the band of the robe, pulling it open when I stop him midway.

"Not now." I whisper, and he practically scowls at me, pulling away.

"Really?" He asks, baffled and I smirk.

"Payback's a bitch, isn't it?" I grin and he groans, "Go take a shower. We have to be somewhere."

He nods but doesn't go away before kissing me one last time. "I have missed you."

"I know."