Anna and Daniel strolled down the streets at night, they were silent, following closely beside themselves.

    "So you're still not going to tell me where we are going?" Anna asked him.

    "Just a little longer. We are almost there." Daniel said to her with a smile.

    "Are you sure we aren't lost?" Anna couldn't find a soul in the path they were taking and it was late. It was only the streetlights that shone brightly on their path.

    He chuckled, "I know where we are going. Don't worry, this is a private area, you don't see people take this route often." Daniel informed her.

     "Is it safe?" She asked again.

   "If it's any consolation, four of my bodyguards are stationed around. So it's safe." He answered politely.

   It was like they were heading so far away from the city. "I'm really tired from all the walking." She smiled sheepishly.

     He stopped and faced her. "Let me carry you."

    "Huh?" Anna halted, looking at him.

   "Let me." Daniel grinned at her.

   "No, it's fine I can man—" before she could complete her sentence, Daniel swooped her in his arms, lifting her up in bridal style. "Daniel!" Anna exclaimed, immediately wrapping her arms around his neck.

    He laughed richly. "Don't worry I won't drop you." He said as he began walking. "Wow, you're lighter than you look." He said to her, holding his face ahead.

    Anna smiled at him. "Thank you."

   Daniel carried her carefully for a while, until he finally got to a higher ground. "We are here." He announced.

    "Oh." Anna loosened her arms as she allowed him drop her. She looked in front of her, and from where she stood, she could see the whole city, the lights, the whole place! It was so... Beautiful. "Where are we?" Her eyes shone with brightness.

     "Somewhere called Freedom." He told her.

    Anna looked at him. "Freedom?"

   He laughed. "I gave it the name, because of its quietness and cool breeze."

     Anna looked ahead. "Wow, I like it. Here makes the world look smaller. It's so... Peaceful." She said closing her eyes as the cool breeze hit her face.

     "Come on." Daniel said, after staring at her face for a while.

    He led her to a big rock. "You can get a better view if we sit here." He said hoisting her up, enabling her to sit, then he joined her too. Sitting beside her.

    "Whoa, I never knew this place existed until now." Anna kept staring ahead, she liked the view.

     Soon they began talking about the places they could see from where they sat, they laughed and talked about one another for so many minutes.

   "Look a shooting star!" Anna pointed at the heavens and she watched Daniel look up, then close his eyes for a brief moment.

   "Did you get to say a wish?" Daniel asked her, still looking up.

   Anna looked at her hands for a moment for speaking. "I don't... I don't believe in that stuff anymore. It doesn't work."

    Daniel turned to her. "But you loved wishing on shooting stars before." Daniel smiled at her. "I remember when we were kids, you forced me to wish on them because you thought they bring goodluck to people, what happened?"

     Anna had a replay of why she stopped wishing on a shooting star. She had wished for her mom to get better. She had wished for Scott to..... She immediately stopped thinking about it.

   "Maybe I grew up." Anna shrugged nervously trying to remove strands of hair from her face. "What about you," she changed the subject. "What did you wish for?" She gave a small smile.

    Daniel chuckled. "I already have my wish right here with me." He told her.

    "Really? What is it?" Anna raised her brows at him in anticipation.

    He smiled at her. "That's... That's you." He said softly.

      Anna's eyes softened at him. "Dee..."

     "I am not asking you to feel the same way Anna, just let me handle whatever I feel, okay?" He said, placing his hand over hers.

     "Dee, I don't want to hurt you." Anna sighed looking away.

     Daniel turned her face to his. "Anna... Anna I love you." He finally said it. "Let me love you, I won't force you to love me back. I love you and I can't keep denying it anymore. You don't need to love me back, I just want you to know." Daniel said to her.

   Anna raises her eyes at him. "Give me time. I need more time." Her eyes begged him.

    "Take as long as you need, months, even years. I don't care." He caressed her face. "I am not leaving you."

    She gave him a sad smile. Daniel was in love with her....

    He tugged her hair away from her face. "May I kiss you?" He asked her with hope.

    Anna could see the sparkle in his eyes. "You... You... You.. May." Anna stuttered like a little girl.

     Slowly, they both inched forward. Daniel had his hand on her face. As soon as they lips touched, Anna parted hers to give him entrance. The kiss was slow, sensuous and sensual, their heads tilting and switching positions. He kissed her with intense ardor as her hands found her way to his chest while his hand held her behind her head.

   Soon, Daniel trailed down kisses, leaving her lips to her jaw down to the nape of her neck.

     "Daniel..." Anna whispered softly, as she closed her eyes, fisting his shirt. As soon as she closed her eyes, she could see her teenage self in Daniel's apartment. The white sheets. His hands in her thighs. The ceiling. His bare chest. Her whimpering under his touch. Now, everything was happening like seven years ago.

     "You're so beautiful." Daniel whispered again her skin, as his hand crawled down her arms.

     "Daniel..." Anna wanted to stop but her brain had left the universe.

    Before she knew what was happening, she suddenly didn't feel his lips on her skin, she waited but nothing. She fluttered her eyes open and found Daniel staring at her. "Wha-what happened?" Anna whispered softly, wanting to know why he stopped.
 
    "I can't do this to you. I don't want to take advantage of you Anna." He caressed her face.

     "But I... I want to." That was not her talking, it was her raging hormones.

     Daniel smiled, placing a gentle peck on a lip. "No Anna. Until you're ready, okay?"

     "Dee I..." She suddenly felt guilty, dropping her hands to her laps. How could she?!

    "Until your heart accepts mine, I am going to wait." He kissed her forehead.

     Anna nodded, feeling ashamed of herself. She had almost given herself to Daniel! What was wrong with her?!
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  "You kissed Daniel." Naraya frowned at her.

    "I did." She nodded. "I wanted him to kiss me."

    Naraya sighed. "What do you truly feel for Dee?"

    "I like him." Anna answered her. "He's been there for Isla and —"

  "That's the problem. You only like him because of you're emotionally attached to him." Naraya told her.

    Anna fell to her bed as she closed her eyes, she couldn't get her mind off her kiss with Daniel.

    "What about Scott?"

   "Him?" Anna scoffed sarcastically. "I feel only anger towards him, just seeing him makes my blood boil. There's no room for him in my chest not to talk of my heart. My heart turns black anytime I see him." She said to her cousin.

     "You'll have to learn to cope with him someday." Naraya said to her.

    Her mind drifted back to the courtroom, where he held her in his arms, comforting her. His warmth was different from that of his brother. Daniel would always calm her down with his words but... Scott? Just by embracing her, Scott had melted her emotions and her aching heart seized.

    "Scott..." Anna moaned unconsciously in her sleep.

    Naraya smiled at her, shaking her head. "Would you look at that, you kissed Daniel but here you are, dreaming about Scott." She whispered quietly.
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   Anna woke up to the sounds of Isla yelling and screaming from the living room. She sounded happy. Anna groaned, as she sat up and glanced at her wall clock. It was 8pm. She suddenly jumped out of bed in a hurry.

    "Shit shit shit!!!" She cussed out loud. Anna had woken up late to take Isla to school.

   She ran out of the room, going to the living room. "Peaches I am so sorry, I over slept and..." Anna halted instantly. She batted her lashes at the sight that welcomed her.

     Isla was around Scott's neck, with her legs astride his shoulders, while he was giving her a ride around the living room.

    "Good morning mommy." Isla giggled resting her chin on Scott's head while Scott held her legs that dangled down his shoulder.

   "Goo-good morning peaches." She stuttered looking at Scott and Isla.

    "Hey," he smiled at her. "Did you sleep well?" Scott asked with a heart melting smile.

    Anna made a weird face and frowned at Scott. Why was he talking to her as if they were okay? "I did." She answered, shifting her attention to her daughter. "You've had your bath?" She asked curiously.

    "Yup! Aunt Syla took my bath for me before leaving, that's when Dad..."

     Scott coughed aloud suddenly, interrupting Isla before she could complete the sentence.

   "Oh!" Isla laughed, realizing she almost called him daddy. "I mean Scott came in. He's taking me to school because he said we shouldn't disturb your beauty sleep." Isla told her mother, grinning from ear to ear.

   Anna nodded slowly, "Do you need water?" She asked Scott after seeing him cough.

     "Um... Yes." He said, putting Isla down.

   "Mommy, you're not going to object if Scott takes me to school?" Isla asked her mother.

     "No baby, why would I do that when he's your father." Anna said casually without realizing what she had said.

    Scott and Isla blinked at her in shock before turning to glance at themselves.

    "What?" She noticed the weird look Scott and Isla were giving her. "Why are you both staring at..." It was her turn to freeze. Anna sucked in her breath, with her eyes almost popping out of the sockets. Oh my God!! She said father in front of Isla. "No!" Anna shook her head abruptly. "Sweetie that's not what I meant to say. I mean, you're both close and that's how you see him, as a father.... Right?" Anna chuckled nervously, she saw the look on her daughter's face showed that she was not buying the lie.

   "Pe-peaches..." She reached out to hold her daughter but Isla went beside Scott, taking his hand to hold him.

     "Mommy..."

   "Baby, what are you doing?" Anna frowned at Isla.

    "Mommy I know. I know Scott is my daddy already." Isla held Scott's hand tightly.

    "What?" It was as if the whole world paused. Her heart was racing rapidly.

     "I want to be with him mommy. Please don't get upset with me." Isla rested her head on Scott's leg before Scott picked her up in his arms. 

     "Isla..." Anna swallowed nervously.

    "She told me not to tell you she knew." Scott told Anna.

   "What?! You knew?" Anna frowned at him.

    "I overheard you and Naraya talking about it some weeks ago but I decided not to say anything because you'd get upset." Isla didn't look at her mother.

    "I found out before the hearing." Scott told her.

    The fact that Isla had opened up to Scott about it made Anna worried and hurt. Her daughter trusted Scott. No wonder Isla bonded well with Scott in an instant.

     "Baby, please don't be mad at mommy. I kept the truth from you even though I knew how much you wanted to see your father." Anna sighed sadly. The truth was bound to come out one day.

    Isla looked at her mom with a smile. "I am not mad mommy, I am happy. I was really happy when I found daddy." Isla  wiggled out of Scott's arms, as soon as her feet touched the ground, she went to meet Anna.

    "Sweetie..." Anna squatted to Isla's level. "I am really sorry, okay?" She played with Isla's hair. "Forgive mommy my baby." She had tears in her eyes.

     Isla hugged Anna's neck. "You're forgiven mommy." Then she leaned close to Anna's ear. "You should also forgive daddy too." Isla whispered into her ear. "He is really sorry for making you cry before." She spoke only for Anna's ears.

    Anna pulled her daughter away. "Did he say that?" She asked and her daughter nodded. Anna smiled, patting Isla's cheek gently.

   "Sooooo..." Isla went back over to Scott. "Let's go! I'm already late for school!!" She left Scott to go to the window.

   "Anna, I'd like to ask for your permission." Scott smiled at her.

    Anna eyed him, folding her arms over her chest. "Why are you suddenly nice today?" She gave him a suspicious look.

    "I am always nice, you just misjudge me all the time." Scott said to her.

    "And now you're even seeking for permission? Did you hit your head hard on something while you were asleep?" She kept giving him suspicious eyes.

     Scott laughed. "I want to remove the bad energy between us. Just like you said, actions speak louder than voice. I am going to show you how capable I am to take care of Isabelle."

     "Hmmm...." She narrowed her eyes at him. She was skeptical. "What do you need my permission for?" She asked.

    "My parents want to meet our daughter, I was thinking if I could pick her from the preschool with your permission, from there Isabelle and I would go over to my parents' house. What do you say?" Scott asked her.

    "Your parents want to meet... Isla?" She frowned at him.

   "Yes." He nodded, but noticed her frown. "But only if you're okay with it." Scott added.

     Anna raised a brow at him. He was suddenly acting weird, why? "I can't let my daughter go." She told him plainly.

    Scott sighed... "I understand." He nodded in understanding.

   "What?" She knew something was definitely wrong for Scott not to react like he always does. Anna walked up to him. When she was close enough, she fisted her hand and then SMACK! She had slapped his face.

    "What the hell was that for?!" Scott's hand went up to his cheek. He glared at her in confusion.

    "I needed to be sure you're real, and not some clone sent to my house to pretend to be you." She replied unapologetic.

    "Have you lost your mind?!" He said between his teeth. He was very mad at her for slapping his face... Again!

    "Mommy... Daddy... What's going on?" Isla scrunched up her nose, looking at both parents.

    "Nothing sweetie." Anna smiled sweetly at her daughter. When Isla went back to looking at the window, she turned to Scott.

    "You're unbelievable!" He threw his hands in the air.

     "Oh, so you're real." She chuckled. "Now tell me, Mr Ontario, why are you being like this? What are you planning?" Anna asked, ignoring his glares.

     "You know what, I am leaving with my daughter. I was only trying to be nice but you don't even want to change at all." He was mad at her. "I am here because of Isabelle wants us to be okay, but you, you don't even want to put any effort into fixing our relationship. We are parents for goodness sake, put the past aside and think about the happiness of our kid. It's fine if you don't want to forgive me, but don't do this in front of her." He was really mad.

    Anna could see how serious he was, making her face soften. "I'm sorry." She apologized looking down at her feet.

    "No you're not." Scott frowned, turning to leave.

   Anna stopped him. "Don't... Don't go." She was already feeling bad as she knew Scott was right. "I've been so impulsive lately towards you, but you're right, hell everyone is right! I am sorry, it won't happen again." She was sincere with her apology.

    "I have to take Isabelle to school, it's really late." Scott ignored her apology and he tried to walk out but Anna stopped him.

    "Scott no, please, you can't leave until you forgive me." She begged him. "Okay fine, Isla can go with you to your parents' house." Anna didn't like the way he ignored her. "What if... What if I come with you both? We'll go to the house together, the three of us." She saw that Scott gave her a look, and he seemed interested in what she had said. "Ye-yes, I mean it. You can come pick Isla and I later in the evening, we'd follow you over to the house. It will give me time to prepare my daughter... And myself." Anna said to him.

     Scott kept looking at her before finally nodded. He liked the idea she had just come up with but he still kept his face rigid not to show how pleased he was to hear her.

     "You're just saying that." He rolled his eyes.

    "What, no! Scott I meant what I said." Anna shook her head. "Trust me."

    "How?" He eyed her.

    Anna closed her eyes for a second and then opened it. "If I don't keep my promise, you can hit me all you want." She said.

   Scott chuckled softly. She looked really cute when she had her thinking face on. "Sweetheart, I would never hit you, ever." Scott smiled at her. His anger had suddenly vanished. "What if I showered you with lots and lots of kisses if you fail to keep to your word." He smirked at her.

    Anna turned away, turning pink. "Tha-that can work." She agreed with him.

   Scott nodded, "Should I pray you go back on your words, because I definitely need to taste those lips of yours again." He said to her.

    Anna raised her hand to hit him again but stopped midway when she saw Scott's eyes narrowed into slits.

   "One more and you're dead." Scott threatened her with his serious voice.

   Anna dared him. Her hand was about to hit his face when in Scott caught it. In a twinkle of an eye, Scott grabbed her, pulling her closer with his strong arm. He pinned her against his body when she tried to struggle free.

   "What are you—" Anna was caught off by an open kiss planted on her mouth.

     Scott gave her a demanding possessive kiss while she squirmed, trying to get away but his grip was strong. It wasn't up to a minute, his scent began to intoxicated her and she allowed him dominate their fierce intense kiss.

     "You're supposed to kiss me back." Scott who had slowed down and said to her between his kisses.

    Anna did just that. She kissed him back and her knees gave in. His hold on her was pretty strong that if he lets her go, she would certainly fall.

    "Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!"

    The sound came from a disgusted tiny voice.

   Anna and Scott inched away from each other's lips, panting but their foreheads placed against each other. They turned to their daughter whom they had forgotten was still in the living room.

     "Close your eyes baby." Scott smirked at his daughter and as soon as Isla closed her eyes, he looked back at Anna with a mischievous smirk.

    "I think we should—" Anna was cut off again as Scott reclaimed her lips.

    "Stop talking sweetheart." He whispered against her lips seductively, wrapping his arms around her body as her hands found its way to his dark fluffy hair, raking it with her fingers.
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            Playlist
  Kiss me more by Doja Cat ft Sza.
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     Longest chapter written 😪...

     (3318 words.....)