Touching the Heart of Ace

"Do you think he will help us?"

"Yes." I nodded. I had no doubt.

"Maybe... we can... t... try somewhere... else... no... biggie... j... just, in... in..."

I waited patiently for Tina to finish her sentence. She tried again when she noticed I was willing to wait. "In... ind... industrial visit."

"I know, guys. But he will help. He and the Director of X-FACT are friends. This is where we want to go right?"

They all nodded.

"If he can't help us, we can go somewhere else. But we would not know if we don't try."

"Fine, then. If this does not work out, it is on you." I rolled my eyes.

Pierce was the pessimistic one and if Robbie... Robert, refused to help us, 'I told you so' was going to throw at me every five minutes. I could barely tolerate him. He had no ideas of his own, he would not take over the leadership but if we met with some obstacles he would be the one to throw the first stone.

I fixed my hair and smoothed my shirt down before leading my five team members for the industrial visits.

I kicked myself when I noticed I was worried about how I looked because I was not put together like other times, when we met.

I should have talked to him beforehand. But every time I thought of calling him I chickened out. Mom talked to him, so it was fine.

I could almost physically feel the judgemental eyes on us as we walked into the Brantley's Empire Building.

Media was right to call this Empire Building.

This was huge. Very very huge.

I walked to the receptionist who was already looking us with 'fed up' face. It irked her when I asked my classmates to take a seat on plush leather couches, without her permission. Suck it up!

We looked like stray kittens amongst suited corporate sharks but that did not mean we did not deserve any respect.

"I have a 10.30 appointment with Mr. Brantley." She rolled her eyes and went through her computer.

"Name?"

"Ace Davidson Truscott."

"No appointment for anyone at 10.30." Shouldn't receptionist be cordial?

"Please check the V.V.I.P list." She scoffed and I could hear my classmates mumble.

"Look here... whoever you are. There is nothing scheduled at 10.30. You can come back tomorrow. Please leave the premises before I call the security." Wow! People really judged others by the clothes they wore. Mom was right!

"May I help you, young man?" Another lady who was listening asked me.

"Yes, Ma'am. I have a 10.30 appointment with Robert Brantley. My mother Claire Daphne Truscott fixed it beforehand. Can you please show me where he is?" She also went through the list on the computer but I beat her before she could say anything. "Please check the V.V.I.P list."

She kindly smiled at me but she did click a few times just to appease me. But soon she frowned. "Mr. Truscott? Ace Davidson?"

"Yes, that is me. Now where can I find Robb... Robert?"

Should have called the man directly, you, idiot! I could be really stupid sometimes. But mom's office was different. Everyone treated with kindness and no one normally bothered her. How the hell did I know it was special!

Whatever!

They ladies frowned at each other and I almost bit my tongue out when the first woman dialled the telephone.

"Sir, there is someone who is here to see you claiming he has a 10.30 appointment... does not look like it..." She smirked. "A bunch of kids. For donation I think... I can get rid of him for you." She purred and I almost gagged. "What is your name again?" She asked me.

I sighed before leaning to the mouth piece. "Robbie, it is me. Let me in."

I did not know what he was saying but she went pale and thrusted the phone to the other lady. She pleasantly said a lot of 'Yes Sir' before smiling at me. "Please follow me, Sir."

I motioned my team to wait here and went with her to the elevator.

Wow! Everything about this building screamed power, money and business.

I liked it.

My mom's office was a bit homey with occasional chit-chats and laughs. But here people were so busy with their work, no one noticed anything else. Did Robbie... Robert personally control them?

I was taken to a huge living room but she was still walking, so I followed her to a big door. She knocked three times before opening the door. "Mr. Brantley is waiting for you, Sir. Please call the reception if you need anything."

Yeah, right!

My face might have shown what I thought because she smiled apologetically. "I will attend the call, Sir. She was new."

"Was?"

She smiled again but did not reply.

I went in and saw the man leaning on his desk impatiently. "Ace!"

Should I wave, say hi?

Instead I cleared my throat. He was no one to me. I was just here for the I.V. I was not here to see him or anything. He could flirt with the meanie receptionist. They would be a perfect fit.

I glared at him.

Wait! He was married!

The fucking Asshole. What was I doing here? Oh, right, the I.V!

"Why did you take an appointment to see me?" He glared back.

The nerve of this bastard.

"Have you received my mom's mail?" I raised my face high because I was not shying away from him. Never again.

"I have. But I have not opened it. Whatever this is, you can tell me personally." He was not backing off. "What is it?" His voice had gone soft and it tugged on my heart.

I nibbled my lips but stopped when his eyes slipped to them.

"The curriculum expects an Industrial Visit this semester. We- my team- have been thinking of X-FACT. You are friends with the Director. Could you, perhaps, help us? They do not appreciate 'kids running around between machineries'. Well, we are not kids, we are the future engineers, who they are going to hire when we graduate, so why could not they just... Well, we want to know what we are signing up to." I rambled but stopped abruptly when I noticed his fond smile. I blushed and turned my face.

Stupid Ace and stupid Robbie!

I gulped when he started to walk towards to me but I was frozen on spot. He leaned down and his warm breath fell on my cheek. "What do I get?"

"Huh?"

He leaned closer and I took a step back, but he smiled and stood right in front of me. "You heard me."

I won't blush. I won't blush.

Dammit!

"So beautiful." I felt the back of his forefinger on my cheek. I flicked that finger away.

"Look here, Robert."

"What happened to Robbie?"

"I will never call you that." I was serious. He was Robert. He hated 'Robbie' anyways.

"Was I too rough last time?"

I hoped my eyes were lasers and the angry beams cut his handsome face. But he looked like he was melting... with adoration.

I hated how he found my anger adorable. He did not know how much I wanted to hate him.

"If looks could kill I would be dead right now, then baby, would you kiss me one last time, so I could die happy?"

"I never kissed you!" I spat. I never did. He... he... It was he who... I twisted my face away.

"That could be changed, love."

"In your dreams Asshole Brantley."

"In my dreams you do more than just kiss me, sweetheart."

I fucking blushed like a fragile little lover who ached for empty sweet words. "YOU!!!"

"Here is the deal. I take you and your friends to the X-FACT but you give me a kiss... on my lips."

I saw red!

"Don't bother, Robert Brantley. I am sure we can find some other place. Good bye!"

I turned back to the door, ready to storm out but I had expected his hand to stop me. I was pulled back to his strong firm chest and he whispered to my ears. "Mmm... Love, stop being so angry at me. You know I will do anything you ask me to do, brat. Then again you might have already told your friends how you have me wrapped around your little finger. Haven't you?"

I hated that I had no control over my blush. And I hated that he loved my blushes.

He kissed the nape of my neck and squeezed my stomach. "Let us go. I am taking that kiss after all this. So don't cry... a lot."

"Asshole." I hissed.

"Pretty Baby." He whispered with a fond smile before ushering me out of his office.

His hand was firm on the small of my back but it was okay or I would get lost in this maze of cubicles.

Thankfully his employees were in the elevator. What would have happened if we were alone?

"Didn't want your friends to see you all ruffled up. So we did not take the private elevator." He was staying in my head nowadays or what!

I crossed my hands in front of my chest.

I saw the previous receptionist sniffling and putting everything in her cardboard box. I did not bother to glance at her. She was flirting with her boss; that was very unprofessional of her. So why was she crying? Robbie pointed his fingers to the other lady who helped me and he called someone from the reception.

"I am coming over there accompanying someone who is precious to me and his friends... Yes... He wants to see your shi..." I pinched his arm and he amended fast. "...machines, codes or something... he says it is in his curriculum... I don't know, man. You can ask him when we come there... Well, if he steals something you can call the cops on me." Robbie winked. "That is why I called you from my reception, not my personal phone... Yes, he is special, very special... Yeah yeah, I call you only when I need something... Consider it done... by Monday... Okay then. See you."

I introduced Robbie to my team and vice versa, keeping in formal and simple. We told him briefly about our expectations from the visit. I wanted to see the programming behind all the machines, Tina wanted to know about the efficiency, Philip wanted to work there after graduation and others honestly just wanted X-FACT visit in their I.V certificate.

"C... can we we... we t... ta... take the Metro?"

"I can give you guys a ride, no problem." Robbie assured everyone but Philip pointed out that we wanted to see the whole factory from public point of view and we were expected to add that to our report as

well.

I thought Robbie would ask us to meet him there but he simply shrugged off his suit jacket, handing it to his secretary and asked his driver to take us to the metro station. He asked his secretary to cancel all his plans for rest of the day.

"You don't have to come." I whispered to him.

"And miss an opportunity to be with you?

Whatever. It was his lose anyways. I couldn't care less.

"It will be boring. You already had this day planned out. I just wanted you to call the Director."

"My V.P will handle the important conferences; rest of the people will be given some other day."

I nodded. I sat far away from him in the Limo and thankfully he did not stare... much. My team did their best and asked him some business related questions, asking what he expected from his employees, did he feel the educational qualifications of his employees influenced their working efficiency, and he was impressed by them.

He answered professionally and truthfully; he had a way with his words though he barely spoke. He gave Tina her time to formulate her words and ask her questions without rushing her.

The metro journey was surprisingly not boring though I did not participate in any conversations though I keenly listened to words. He was very wise and practical.

I missed our talks. Did he miss them? Did he miss the times we strolled along my mom's gardens as we shared our dreams and whatnot?

I was not surprised when I knew all of his answers before he said them.

The industrial visit was long and Robbie followed us as a chaperon, not trying to meddle in. He simply followed after introducing us to the Director who assigned his trusted employee and she took us to different sections of X-FACT.

Tina had typed her questions in precise and compact form, so she did not lag our time but Robbie and the Director had assured her that she could have all the time in the world. X-FACT would not be at this level if they did not have patience to listen to intelligent minds. I thought it was a jab at Pierce who asked Tina to kindly shut up and let others ask the questions.

When the I.V was successfully done we were over the moon. We had lunch at cafeteria and Robbie bought us ice cream before getting into the metro but this time the rush was so bad we had to scatter away to stand comfortably.

Robbie did not leave my side and everyone bid us good bye because their stations were before us.

Someone was purposefully pushing me and it was annoying the hell out of me. I knew how Robbie would behave if he saw someone trying to brush their hand on my butt, so I settled with glares and tsks. But when that man refused to take his hand off his own messenger bag which was right on my butt, I moved away.

Robbie frowned but I just shifted my stance.

"What is it?"

"Nothing." I wiggled again and was standing too close to Robbie.

"Are your legs aching?"

"No... just... the rush... and crowd."

"Ignore them. If you are uncomfortable tell me, we will get down."

I nodded but this was fine actually except I was surrounded by his enticing aroma. When a hand creeped around my hip, I took that hand away praying Robbie was not noticing but his eyes were fixed on me

for discomfort.

He would make a scene. He would knock the teeth of this fucking... a hand tried to wiggled in front of my jeans.

I had enough!

I elbowed hard on that ugly face who was invading my personal space and he yelled out a howl, clutching his lip. The cabin was so full that only some people next to me saw what I did.

"What the fuck! You..."

"Touch me again and you will regret it. Keep your hands to yourself!" My voice was steadily raising and I could not control it.

"What did I do? You were standing way close to my... aah!"

Robbie twisted the sicko's wrist. "You okay, baby?" He asked me without taking his eyes of the whimpering man.

"I am fine. He tried..."

"Can I please break his arm?"

I touched his elbow comfortingly. "No. I just don't want him near me."

"You heard him. Go somewhere else or I break it." The sicko nodded and rushed away without looking anywhere.

Robbie turned around covering me with his whole body and trapped me to a corner. It was safe; I could only see him now and the comfort was like a warm blanket.

"Why did you not tell me?"

"You know why." He would have done some serious damage. He huffed and angrily looked away from me. "I am fine."

Silence.

I did not like the feeling and my heart felt heavy.

"He did not do anything."

Silence.

I gulped. Well, if he wanted to be this way, so be it. I did not care if he was angry. He could be silent all he wanted.

"I thought he was only being selfish and did not care about personal space but when his hand tried to purposefully touch me, I retaliated and then you scared him away."

"You could have told me. We would have switched the spot."

My left eyebrow rose up. "After you break his bones."

He tried to assure his dominance but we both knew I was right, so I did not back off. Then he chuckled; amused with himself.

"Oh. well..."

I shook my head.

I felt him leaning closer and closer but I was trapped in this corner and only my fists in between our bodies prevented his smothering.

I gulped and glared up to him.

Why was he so...

I surreptitiously looked away concealing my shyness but my blush gave myself away.

"Move." I breathlessly mumbled out.

"Can't."

His hand wound behind me and finally settled on my butt cheek.

What the hell was he doing!

"Take it off." I hissed.

"It is mine. I touch."

I pushed at him angry but the bastard did not budge. He took off his phone, ignored me; with his palm safe and secure on my butt. I did not know what to feel.

So I went with annoyance.

"Pierce has a crush on you."

Viola! There it was!

I was wondering when his nonsense was coming out. I did not bother to reply but the man was always so persistence.

"Jesus, Robbie! Not everyone has a crush on me."

"Well, he has."

I huffed. "Then he has. No one was bothering you when your receptionist had a crush on you or when Tina was ogling when you came back from restroom with wet hair."

Sweaty head, my ass!

I averted my eyes but I knew his astonished eyes were on my face.

His breath fell on my ears. "The receptionist is fired and I do not even remember how Tina looks like."

"What? They are beautiful. You can try again."

"I already have my eyes set on one beauty and I need no one else."

My heart jumped at that.

His wife. He was talking about his wife.

"But... Pierce on the other hand, he was staring at you at every pause."

"I am the team leader. He is supposed to look at me when he is doubtful."

"So you are not interested?"

I ignored him but pushed on his chest to move him away... without success. I stood with an overgrown baby's head on my shoulder until we climbed on his car that was waiting for us.

Yeah, had to walk like that from metro to car and it was annoying as hell but warm.

I had to remind myself that he was married and he would never be anything other than... other than... nothing... when he reminded me of his promise and we kissed.

I thought it would lead somewhere, but he kissed my forehead before taking me to the car my mom had sent for me.

"I missed you so much." He was reluctant to let me go. He played with my hand and I did not know why I was not pulling it away. "There is the Annual Gala next month. Madam is attending. Will you come?"

"No."

I went.

That time I did more than just kissing with someone who I had reminded myself would not be mine.

How times changed huh?

Now I was lying on our bedroom, with his baby hugging my chest.

Yes, our bedroom.

Yes, our beach house.

Though Robbie sold this 12 million house to Jason for 500K, it was still ours. I remembered the first day I came in this house. We were back from the hospital; Baby Lia was so small back then and she was

sleeping in my arms held close to my heart.

This time I came here again with my baby sleeping, but on my shoulders.

But this time this was my home.

Mine.

The man who was holding me from behind was mine too.

And this time when I went to my bedroom after putting our kid in hers, his hand had pulled me to him... to his bedroom.

When I opened the door and set my foot in, I noticed it was no longer his... but ours.

His Californian King bed was covered in my bedsheet. The pillowcases were my favourites but the comforter was his. There were two nightstands on either side of the bed instead of one.

"I want you here." His words were stern but I knew it held his vulnerability too.

"I will be here."

There... that gulp and the sparkle of his eyes were enough for me.

I curiously went through the changes. When had he done this?

"When we came back here I wanted it to be yours." It was mine, alright.

I smiled seeing the ivory coloured curtains. Robbie preferred dark coloured curtains so he would get extra sleep without sun trying to wake him up. But I really loved light coloured curtains that would wake me

up earlier, naturally.

The dresser had his side and my side now. I noticed my 33-dollar kitty hair bow in a glass security box while his James Bond Rolex was abandoned carelessly next to it.

Oh, Robbie.

The closet was cleared up and it was more organized than before, with two doors. His and His.

"Just in case we have to get ready together."

I smiled. "I love it."

"You are going to stay here."

"Who did all this anyways?"

"Windy helped. Her girlfriend owns a small interior designing firm. They did a good job, right? You can change anything if you want."

I nodded. I needed some changes. Especially the curtains. Big Baby loved his morning sleep before gym. The ivory curtains would annoy him the first thing in the morning.

The first day we lied on 'our' bed, we could not sleep for a very long time. I finally curled up on his chest, limps tangled and his hand on my hair; we just talked nonsense, not quiet believing that was happening.

It had been days since and we got used to it. But I still look around our room and my heart still jumps seeing 'us' in nook and cranny.

Lia shifted in her sleep, her face diving deeper and deeper to my chest. Baby had a tiny tummy ache last night and she could not sleep properly, so she was cranky in the morning and throwing tantrums after

tantrums crying and then she passing out under the dining table. I had picked her up and took her to 'our' room.

My God!

'Our' room.

I kissed her cheek, savouring the chubby soft skin. I had to get up soon or who would give me a pout seeing her favourite dishes not on table.

Such a spoiled tiny princess.

I had to slip out without waking her up or she was going to cry again. I kissed her one more time, before going to the kitchen.

I was almost done with the salad when the front door opened in hurry.

"Daddy! You are here early. What happened?" I looked outside and saw Nick getting out of the driver seat to close the passenger door Robbie had left open. "What is wrong?"

He pulled me to a hug, picked me up by my thighs and pressed me to the wall; his face smushed to the crook of my neck. I giggled feeling ticklish.

My finger threaded through his thick hair and I pressed kisses too.

"Work?"

He shook his head but he took another whiff of my scent. "Where is our baby?"

"Sleeping in our bedroom."

'Our'.

When would I get used to it?

He smiled before sighing. "Missed you."

I sarcastically winced. "Aww... You have been gone for a very long... four hours, Robbie."

"Brat."

"I love you too. Now put me down or your salad would turn soggy." Robbie really enjoyed the crunch of freshly chopped salad. Since he came early I would not have to make another batch just for him.

I could feel the reluctance when he eased the hug. I pecked his cheek, taking his hand and pulled him along. "Go change your clothes, pick up our baby and come down. Stay with us today, if you do not have

any important meeting."

I normally would have thrown him out after lunch but he was feeling down for whatever reason. He could take a day off.

Lia was clinging on Robbie with angry eyes and pouty lips. "Ohh... my baby... what is this pout for?" I pecked her forehead. "Look what Davey made for you."

Lia sat on Daddy's lap, still grumpy but eating without too much fuss. Then we all sat down to watch a movie but Robbie was spacing out occasionally.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah."

"Please don't lie to me."

He sighed but dropped his head on my shoulder. "Janice. She is making everything difficult. She came to my office and made a scene right in front of everyone."

"What did she do?"

"Nothing. She never does anything but spew crap after crap." He chuckled mirthlessly. "I had to call the cops. She said she would make me pay if I ever divorce her. She will make sure that no one will ever be

with me after knowing what I had done to her or something. Jesus! I had to fire the security guards for letting her in. The whole office now knows the fucking drama."

How could anyone be so insensitive?

"I am stressed, Angel."

"What for?"

He blinked.

"You have Lia. You have me. You are Robert Brantley. What more do you need?"

He smiled slowly. "Yeah... Just she said something really hurtful and I got scared that you will leave me... and I don't know, she said no one would ever be with me for long because how pathetic and... 'unmanly

I am... She thinks company is running at lose, so she told all the employees to find greener pastures... and I already got six resignation letters before coming here."

"I will not leave you." I rubbed between his shoulder blades with my thumb. "I am in love with you. So get that off your stress, first. About employees, you can let go of them, right? Would it drastically affect your

business?"

He nodded. "It will. But Aaron and Chance told me that they would send their employees in deputation. Their business runs independently but they are under my umbrella, so it would not be too much of a

problem. It is more about credibility. I could not state my real profits and net worth before the divorce. I would rather have my competitors take all my money before letting that leech touch a penny."

"I've read mom's will."

He frowned. "So?"

"I can appoint you as my company's C.E.O, right?"

"You can, but why? How would it change anything?"

"It won't but it will."

"That is very helpful, Angel."

I chuckled. "You already have the power of attorney. My mom is... was not stupid. She knew we would choose each other over everything. Take 'over' my company. You already do anyways but pull up a

document stating you work for me. So, all the profits and funds end up being Truscott's but you can have the employees as yours at the Brantley's."

"That... that..."

"You are 'broke', Robert Brantley. Your employees are worried about the salary. It will be under our payroll."

"It will work. But I will have to find a good corporate lawyer. How did you figure this out?"

"Mom's will. She kind of wanted Truscott and Brantley to merge. She knew that line of business is not my thing. If I start my own, then this business will be more of a stress to me. She trusted her business with

you... and she trusted you with me..." I pulled him for a kiss. "... she wanted me to have an option. So she did not push me to it. But the whole will is set up like that." I giggled.

We had to stop our discussion when Lia called for us to play. But we both knew this needed more than just words. We had decided to call Liam, Dr. Adam's husband. He owned a law firm with almost a hundred

of employees working under him.

Jason would represent the Truscotts and it would not come as a huge surprise to the business world. Mom had personally mentored Robbie and Jason. They would ace it.

Snort!

That was a bad pun.

I knew something was brewing when Gabe came home running to Robbie's office without properly hugging me. Then in two hours there were about eight people in my home who were whispering and shouting

I finally had enough and barged in to see them rapidly closing the laptops and monitors.

"What?"

A chorus of exaggerated chuckles went off along with some flimsy excuses with holes more that Swiss cheese especially from Gabe and Robbie.

"I had specifically told you to keep this away from home." Robbie bit out.

"Your phones were switched off. Who should I call then? Lia?"

Gabe was used to Robbie's stand offish attitude. Working in narcissistic, toxic, model industry might have made him impenetrable to Robbie's better-than-thou attitude.

"You have five minutes to explain, Robert Brantley." I was done being the outsider in my own home. I did not care about Robbie's need to hide me from reality.

He tried his best but I managed to crack everyone else in the room. The Big Baby could keep his secret but I had my ways.

It was a picture of me holding Lia, in a gossip article.

The angle of the photo was perfect. I looked good if I could say myself.

I did not know I was considered as a model and I was this 'famous'. I had done a photoshoot for Killers a few months ago. They were focusing on androgynous beauty and I was their first consistent patron. So,

they had asked me if I would do a photoshoot for their annual magazine.

I was excited because their clothes nailed 'Androgynous Fashion' to the core. The shoot was done in our home and around the beach because of my overly jealous man. Gabe was there too.

But the article started off saying I was the 'model' in Killers but soon they morphed to speculations of my being Robert Brantley's hidden Treasure.

WOW!

The choice of words.

There were ten pictures of me and Lia in different poses. The one with her clutching my knee as I was paying for her cupcake and my coconut panna cotta touched my heart. She was giggling up at me, waiting

impatiently for the treat.

Another was one with Robbie holding me under his jacket. Our face was not clear as we were rushing to our car to get out of our home as Paparazzi's surrounded us after Janice's stunt. A red circle was drawn

over my head in one photo and in another, a red arrow was pointing me leaning down to Lia. They wanted readers to draw the picture in their dots.

"Babe, please say something." Robbie sounded nervous.

I ignored him as I went through the choice of words in the gossip article. They were hung upon the factor that Lia and I seemed 'close' and they had ended it, stating, 'no wonder Robert Brantley keeps this

person hidden'.

Everyone was talking together at once assuring me that they would take this article down as early as possible.

I shrugged. "This is it? Is this what you were trying to hide from me?"

Everyone looked at each other and Robbie hugged me. "Baby, are you okay?"

"Of course I am okay. What about you?"

"Uhhh..." His eyes were searching mine trying to find anything that would set me off.

"Well, they are not very wrong. Lia and I do not seem close. We are close. She is my Little Baby. Then the pictures were nice. I look good. They did not really say anything mean... just giving something for

mean people to be happy about. And they do not know who I am, just 'that model' in Killers Magazine."

I meant, it was not like we could hide our relationship forever. Even though it was nobody's business except our own, people found happiness in commenting in other's lives. Being a judge without any

entitlement was how pathetic people rolled their lives. Let them be.

Sadly, they could never be executioners.

I was in my home happy and safe tucked under Robbie along with my baby. They could throw stones at me all they want but they could never reach me much less hurt me.

I had Demon as my lover. If anyone thought, it would be cute to poke at me or Lia they would suffer his wrath.

Robbie was hovering over me and I could not blame him. Few weeks before all these incidents happened I had a break down. I was seemingly fine on outside but one time I woke up in the morning missing my

mom.

It was piling up for days but I had ignored it until I could not.

My mom was not with me and so was my Aunt Marie.

Everything crashed down and I had run to Robbie frantically. I had taken me days to be normal. The gravity of their absence had taken its toll after months.

Robbie did everything he could. We visited my mom's favourite places, we went to Aunt Marie's home- my house- and that was where I had actually told Robbie how their absence scared me and how much I

missed

them.

I was

thankful for Robbie. He called down all my favourite people across the globe and slowly I had come out of it. Robbie said this was the time I had actually grieved. All those times I was brutally chucking

the pain in the deep corners of my heart, knowing my mothers were happy together in heaven with my dad.

So, he was expecting another breakdown because of this stupid article.

But I was serious. This was okay. I couldn't care about their opinions.

"If public finds out, they find out." That was all I told him but a comment from Robbie was bugging my mind.

'She said something really hurtful and I got scared that you will leave me.'

What was that? Robbie was not someone who got hurt that easily. Let that be words or punches, he had very good pain tolerance.

When the guests left along with Gabe I toyed with how to breach the topic. He had already stressed a lot today but I had to know. All those times he stated 'It is my life, Angel, not yours', he was saying 'I do not

want to get hurt trying to fix my pain' I had promised myself to be as nagging as I could.

God!

'It is my life, Angel, not yours' was the most painful thing I had ever heard from him but it hurt even more when I came to know that he was not saying it in the way I had thought. Robbie had a life which he

thought was a dark maze that he would not let anyone he loves to go through. His pain was his alone and he did not want me to suffer.

But he was mine, so was his pain.

As expected Robbie froze when he heard my question.

"It is my life, Angel, n..." I paused that sentence with my forefinger.

"Well, I am here with you. In your home, in your bed, as your lover, Angel and brat. You no longer have 'your life' as I no longer have mine. I need to know, Demon."

"But... that is..."

"You tell me or I find out. You know I can. Pick."

Then I saw something flashing in his eyes.

Fear.

"Robbie..."

"No."

"You are here with me. You stay here. That is all you need to do."

I could not believe there were times I thought he did not care about me except my body when I heard this. But at this moment I knew what these words meant.

His instinct to protect me.

"I am here with you. Not just literally. I want to know."

"No."

I waited patiently.

"Whatever that is, I am not leaving you."

"HOW DO YOU KNOW?"

This divorce procedures, Janice's power over our lives was really affecting us, especially Robbie. And all these times, running away from him without listening to him first had not helped our situation.

But this was time for our change.

"I am in love with you, Robbie. How can I leave you? Then you know you will come for me. What is there to be afraid of?"

"You will stop looking at me the way you do. I know you have run away from me. There is always a chance you will run again trying to leave me." He did not let me interrupt. "... but all these times, despite how

hard you pushed me away... you have this look in your eyes... the look I am living for... how you trust me... how you know whatever that is I am the only one capable of giving you what you want... how you only

see me when you see me... I... can't live with you... but I think your eyes... so clear and amazing, trusting, vulnerable for me... that is what I... lo... lo..."

Love.

My eyes watered.

He bit his lips hard and stopped that word. My baby so afraid of that one simple word.

"You will stop looking at me like that."

"Is it really horrendous?"

"Yes. Stay away from my life, baby, please."

"You no longer have your life. It is our life now. So whatever that is I have right to know. Whatever you did, I am here to listen. I will not leave. I will not stop looking at you like you are my world. I promise.

Please tell me."

I tried to open up his heart by kind words and appreciative touches. I locked the door so I would not run away.

"There was a baby before our Lia."

My heart beat like crazy.

What?

Wait... he said 'was', not 'is'.

I nodded with my heart filling up with anxiousness.

His eyes were fixed on me waiting for them to change but I knew they would not.

"It was my fault. I should have... I hate that day. I hate that day I met this fucking fucking... It all started with accepting to go to a bar I don't like for a partner I don't like. There were people around us, looking to

sniff our money and there she was, trying to impress me. I did not mind, her or her ramblings... or her cleavage... I was busy drinking my night away... but it happened... only because my ego could not handle

when those fuckers said I would not get pussy if I did not smile. I proved them wrong. I even accepted to be her date to a family event... just to prove them wrong"

My hand wound with his because he was shaking so bad.

"All of them took their bitches home, I took her to a motel, she did not mind. Got her a nice dress and planned to ditch her after the family event. I did not even go with her together. But that day on the plane,

which I hated, I saw you. You... my... Angel."

Where was this going? So he did not love her ever in his life? But then why???

"I saw you wanted you, craved for you, begged for you... did not even think of my 'date' who I was planning to ditch anyways. My one-day stay as date of that 'maggot' ended being a vacation, only to be with

my

baby."

I swallowed hard. "Daddy..." I hugged him taking in his haunted eyes.

"I wanted a lot of somethings which never made sense at the time. To touch your little finger, to boop your nose, to give you a piggy back... made no sense at the time. I had never felt that before... but I wanted

to fuck you, that I knew. But I..."

"Forgot?" I chuckled.

"Yeah, I forgot." He tried to smile.

"Then the vulture was pregnant."

Don't panic, Ace, don't panic. This is the past. Your man is here with you. Your baby is watching her cartoons. Don't panic.

"She was pregnant; I was not ready to be a father. I wanted those somethings with you. I am not fit to be a father. Hell, what do I know about 'loving' a kid." He made air quotes. "I am the son of a pathetic as

shit father. I did not want a kid to suffer. Told her I want nothing to do with it. It is hers. I will pay for whatever she needed, to be out of my life."

"Condom?" I did not know why I asked but he only stopped using it when I had begged him not to.

"It had broken when she went to dispose it. Whatever. It happened. She said she would abort because she was scared. It is her decision; I would pay I said. But she said her mom would disown her if she did.

Her being Christian is against it. So she was going to give it to her relative. It is her choice, again. I had nothing to do with it. But... then she said she would put it in an orphanage. That I could not, Angel. Her

mother was so adamant... I said I would handle it."

My Aunt Marie? No, she knew all about the pressure on having a baby she would never do such a thing.

"That was not the end. She wanted a marriage. Her mother wanted her to give birth but give to an orphanage to raise as a pastor for getting pregnant out of wedlock. I had to... I..."

What was he talking about? My Aunt Marie would never do something like that. She would have helped Janice with whatever she wanted to do.

"I was not a good person to her, baby. I did not care about her, I could not. It was you who held my life not her and the baby suffered. It did not make it. My fault. I should have..."

"Are you saying that she lost that baby?"

He nodded.

"All because of me Ace. Her mother had written it down on her will, when Lia was born. If I annul the marriage Lia goes to orphanage. I read it with my own eyes. I am a killer. I killed my own kid."

No. No. No.

I had read everything Aunt Marie had written. Was this why he was scared that day? I remembered how shaken and horrified when Robbie heard Lia would not make it. Was this why he hated my Aunt Marie?

"Baby..." I hated how broken Robbie sounded.

I hugged him to my chest. "It does not matter now, Robbie. You are a father. Not just 'a father'. You are an amazing father. Your daughter loves you so much. She misses you so much when you are not here.

She waits for you to come home every evening, waiting impatiently at the window. You are not your dad. You would die before letting go."

"Who would have thought!"

He tried to ease up the tension but something was bugging my mind and I did not know what it was. Somethings were not adding up.

Why did my mom not know about this? Why did Aunt Marie hide it? Where was the part in her will where Aunt Marie wrote Robbie would not get Lia? Made no sense.

A memory was pressing on my head and I frowned to pull that up.

"Robbie..."

"Yeah baby?"

"I don't think you will believe me. But Aunt Marie was not like that. She would have supported Janice's choice whatever that was. Sure, she would have scolded Janice for being irresponsible. But she would

never pressure Janice in anyway and my Aunt Marie was never religious. She was spiritual, yes, but she never attended masses or anything of that sort. Father Gregor was her good friend, they did charities

together and she helped around church but... to turn her grandchild to a pastor, was not something she would do."

He did not reply me. "I read it myself. But... the handwriting was different from the letter we read that day. Do you think she lied?"

I nodded.

But... I thought that was not the only thing she lied about.

"Big Baby, I will be right back." I stood up.

"Where are you going?" His eyes narrowed in distrust.

I smiled. "To your office. I want to check something. I will never leave you silly baby."

hammering its way out of my throat as I went through the hacked file I had downloaded to his P.C from the first hospital and another one from the hospital she had delivered. Then I went through

My heart was

Janice's medical report that cleared her off Postpartum

depression.

My fears where true and I had no idea how to tell Robbie.

Janice was never pregnant like she claimed to be nor did she lose that child.

She conceived Lia first.000‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒