After the phone call Ace got from his fiancé that evening, Christina could no longer make herself enjoy the time they spent with him. Yes, she was appreciative of the time he spends with her son and how he makes him happy and excited all the time, but she can no longer hold onto the fantasy it had created in her mind. Because really, how could she? In a couple of days, Ace would be going back to his beautiful and loving fiancé.

Two days after that night, Christina had to be alone with Ace. They had to have a meeting about his wedding. She'd been trying to avoid to have any sort of long, serious, or deep conversation with him. She always made sure to have Carlisle in the room, and found an excuse for him to leave right away. She knew he might have noticed that already, but she hadn't cared. The more he knew she wants nothing more from him than be his wedding designer, the better for her. She can't make him leave Carlisle alone anymore, it would break Carlisle's heart for sure, especially if they see him around the city again. She could just wait for him to leave for LA.

But then she had to face him during their meeting. For sure, he would not miss the opportunity to clear things out. She'd been so confusing. She told him to leave them alone, then she let him spend time with them, and now she was back to her original stand. What can she do? She's so confused herself. She doesn't know what to feel and how to handle whatever it is she feels.

Ace walked in to Christina's office, and she could already feel the tension that was about to build up. A part of her wants to sink under the ground and wait it all out until he has to go back to LA, then there was the part that makes her stand there, deal with him, and get it over with.

"Christopher. Hi. Why don't you take a seat? I've got ideas for the tuxes to go over with you." She went on starting with the business at hand.

Ace just stood there by her doorway, looking at her curiously. It was as if he was looking at a puzzle he has figured out but then the pieces changed all of a sudden. He wasted no time and asked what bothered him more than the color of the tux he was going to wear on his wedding.

"I thought we were okay?" He paused, not really waiting for Christina to answer, but for the entirety of his question to sink in. "What the hell happened?"

Christina took a deep breath, trying to compose herself. She didn't want to have an unnecessary emotional encounter. Hopefully, she'd be able to get him to understand without losing her composure. And what better way to do that than get straight to the point. There was no need to beat around the bushes, because that could make things complicated.

"This." She said, making a big gesture with her hands. And Ace simply waited for her to continue. "All this happened, Christopher. I can't have you spending so much time in my house, with my son. I thought I could be okay with it. It was harmless. But I can't let it keep going on."

"Why not?" Ace challenged. He'd been so hopeful that he could have Christina back in his life even as a friend, but again, she was shutting him out.

"You're getting married! You're getting married, Chris. That's why." She could barely contain the emotion that was boiling up to the surface. She shouldn't be affected, she thought, but she was affected really badly.

"What if I'm not?"

Christina was caught off guard by the question and his serious tone. And looking at him, it was clear that he was not kidding by it. He was giving her that option. He was asking her if there could be chance; if things would be easier for them, if he wasn't about to marry someone else. And it was messing with Christina's emotions too much. It was giving her something to hold on to, but she can't take it.

"Don't say that."

"I mean it."

"Jesus." Christina was losing a hold of herself. She could feel the tears brimming.

"Ask me not to, and I won't. Tell me what I have to do, Angel. I can't lose you again. I just..."

"Goddammit, Christopher! Please just stop!" She said, her voice going louder. She turned around taking deep breaths, trying to keep the tears from falling, before facing him again. "I can't do this. Let this go and let's just keep it professional. Or I could just recommend to you another designer for your wedding."

Ace was at a loss for words. He didn't know what came over him. He just didn't want to lose her again. But to say that he would leave everything behind for an uncertain future with her? He doesn't even know if she would really take him back. What had gotten into him?

"You have a wonderful fiance, Chris. Don't let it fall for something that's long since been over."

"I'm sorry. I was out of line. Maybe I should go."

"Please, do. Let me know what you've decided."

Ace left her office totally torn apart. It was supposed to be a meeting for his and his groomsmen's tuxes. It was supposed to be about his wedding. How could he tell Diane that nothing came out of the meeting? And that in that supposed meeting, he had offered to cancel their wedding. She didn't deserve that. Diane deserve his doubts. He loves her. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. That's why he asked her to marry him. But the moment Christina made an appearance back in his life, he was second guessing everything that had always made sense to him. He needed to gather his thoughts and emotions, and keep himself in line. He was getting married. He had to stop with the fantasy of a life with Christina. The promise he made to her was a long time ago. He has to commit with the one he made last. The one he made to Diane.

After Ace had left, Christina asked her assistant to cancel the rest of her day. She had to go home early, clear her head, and just be with her son. He has always been her greatest remedy for her sadness. Just being with her boy eases some of her worries away.

She picked him up from Kindergarten school. And the smile on his face when he saw her was enough to brighten up her day. She took him out for some ice cream. Carlisle would love the idea and she needed some comfort food.

"Mommy. Is Ace going to visit us again today?"

And that was what she'd been afraid of, that Carlisle would one day be expectant of his presence.

"I don't know. He might be busy."

"Oh. Okay."

The disappointed look on Carlisle almost broke her heart. It was something she had been trying to avoid. As much as possible, she would never want her son to ever feel that. She would take all the hurt as long as her son doesn't have to.

--------------

When evening came, Ace just sat around his hotel room. He was in a complete and utter loss. He had dug himself such a deep hole that he doesn't know if he can get out of it without burying himself any deeper.

He picked his phone up wanting to call someone, but didn't know whom he could call. He thought of his mother, but then what would he tell her? And telling her would lead to his father knowing, and that was the last thing he wanted. His sisters, but then they also adored Diane and are close with her. Then there was Toni, he knew he could talk to him about it, but damn the time. His friend would definitely be busy working in the kitchen, especially that he wasn't there and had left Toni in charge of everything. He can't bother him at the moment.

Then his phone rang as if sensing his need to talk, but it wasn't someone he was prepared to talk to. It was someone he wanted to avoid talking to, at least just for the day, but he couldn't do that. He'd done so much already that she doesn't even know of. He can't do more to her. He can't just avoid his fiance.

"Hey, baby. How was your day?" Diane quickly said when he picked up.

"It was fine. How was yours?" He didn't want to talk much about his day. His day was crap. And he felt like one too.

"It was alright. Busy day in the office. I miss you."

It was good that she wasn't able to pick up the glumness in his voice. He just doesn't have the strength to even pretend that things were okay.

"I miss you too." He said, but he knew there was not much heart in it. Jesus. What the hell is he doing?

"Were you able to meet with Christina?"

What should he tell her? That he's a total screw up that went there not to talk about their wedding attires but instead suggested that he would not go through with their marriage? And even if he leaves that out, how would he tell her that he might have lost the wedding designer she had wanted. Shit. What a mess he had put himself in.

"Uhm, no. I was stuck in the restaurant planning, but I called to reschedule." He lied. He wanted to kick himself. Why can't he bring himself to just tell her the truth? She doesn't deserve the lies he was spinning. He doesn't deserve her, yet there he was holding on to her like she's the only one that could save him from the damned situation he had gotten himself into. But could she save him if she doesn't know that he needs to be saved, or what it is he needs to be saved from?

"Oh, okay. Just let know what you've discussed. I'm sure it would be great."

He hoped so. He has to plead with Christina first and convince her that he would keep his end of the agreement and keep things professional. He should at least do that for Diane. He can't screw everything up and hope that she would still accept him to be her husband.

"I went to the restaurant, by the way. I checked on Toni, to see if he hadn't burned anything or anyone yet." She said with a small laugh. And it made Ace smile. Somehow, though she doesn't know what he's really been going through, she knows exactly what he needs to be cheered up.

"So has anyone been burnt?" He said feeling his spirits being lifted.

"No, no one yet. Though he said that you just stay there and just leave the restaurant to him. He doesn't need you."

"He just misses me."

"I'm sure of it. I think he misses you more than I do."

"He would never admit to that though. That would hurt his manly reputation."

Diane gave him a sweet laugh from the other side of the connection. He wished he could see her and just hold her. That would definitely make him feel better.

"Yeah. Sounds very like him."

They talked more about the restaurants, the wedding, and the baby. They were enough to soothe away Ace's doubts about everything. He made a vow then to himself to be a better man for his fiance and their child to come. No matter how difficult it would be to turn away from Christina, he will do it.

They were making great time with the plans, meaning Ace would be going back to LA soon. He had enjoyed his time in New York. He made sure to see some Broadway shows while there. He went to numerous landmarks and tried some restaurants. He enjoyed every minute of his stay there, with the added bonus of the times he spent with Carlisle and Christina.

The following day after their encounter in Christina's office, Ace had come to make amends. He didn't want to leave without patching things up between them, and he couldn't let Diane down.

"I'm sorry about yesterday. There's no excuse for it. If I promise to keep my distance, would you still work with us on the wedding?"

Christina hadn't had much time to think about it. She had cried herself to sleep that night, feeling the pain of wanting the man standing right in front of her, but not certain if she should. When he had told her that he would leave his fiance for her, she had wanted to leap into his arms and be whisked away. But she knew it was wrong. He may have promised to marry her a long time ago, but they were kids who didn't really know better. The promise he made to his fiance was the one that should weigh more, it was a choice he had made knowing what he wanted and what he was getting into. She can't bring herself to break that.

"Of course." She replied simply.

"And could you please not mention anything about what I had said."

"I won't. I promise."

"Thank you."

Ace left without another word. He wasn't sure he could handle being in the same room with her again just yet, after what had happened. He thought that whatever feelings he had left for her had faded when he met Diane, if it hadn't with time. But seeing her again, and spending some time with her brought back all those to the forefront and he lost all his senses being sent back to those years he had lost.

He had to go back to LA soon. He has to remind himself of the life he has there, the life he has with her fiance and the family they would have. He has to set things straight. He can't let himself get dragged back into all that. Back at his hotel, he arranged for a flight in two days. He would just wrap things up with the restaurant and maybe the next arrangements could be done over the phone.

Frustrated at himself, Ace went to the market and bought various produce. He decided to bury himself in work to get his mind off all his worries. He went to the empty restaurant, though there were a lot of renovations going around, the kitchen was still intact and functional. He liked the set up of it, maybe he would add a few other things or upgrade some, but he liked the feel of it.

Ace was glad to find the pots, pans and other utensils there. He laid every ingredient he had bought out at the counter in front of him. He started grabbing one after the other, cutting, chopping, mincing. Though alone, it was musical for him as the steel of his knife meets the wooden chopping block, the sizzle of the pan, the sound of stirring and whisking. Every single sound he hears in that kitchen was music to his ears. It never mattered if the kitchen was that silent that he could hear every clatter of utensils, or as loud as it could be with people shouting around to each other, it's the most wonderful sound he could ever hear.

He hadn't noticed how much time had passed, until he heard voices bellowing through the rest of the restaurant. He had worked through the night until the sun had come up. It had been a while since he had done that. It was nice to get lost in his process of creating a beautiful and masterful dish once again. He was able to come up with at least three new dishes that he could put in his menu in LA, and just about two for the new one there in New York. He wasn't sure exactly how many others he had gone through and set aside. Well, it was never an easy process and not always a successful one like that.

Since he was still there and with some produce left, he decided to make a meal for the workers. And sure enough, with all the glorious scent wafting through out the place, they had all gone hungry and the food he prepared had been welcomed wih great appetites. After the meal he shared with them, they offered to help him clean up in the kitchen, but of course he refused. It was his mess and they had their own work to do. And it would keep him distracted even longer.

Like Ace, Christina had been putting herself to work even harder willing all her worries and unwanted thoughts away. It was really difficult though, because like after she had gone home that day, Carlisle asked about him and she didn't know how to tell him that he might not be spending anymore time with him. And the sadness she sees in him just breaks her heart.

She tried to tough it out, but after a couple of days of that. It was tearing at her. Distracting herself with work wasn't doing much for her. She needs to let it out, talk it out with someone. When she got home, she found Carlisle already asleep in his room. Still feeling so defeated, she grabbed her phone and dialed home.

"Hello?" Her mom picked up at the third ring.

"Hey, ma." She replied.

"Are you okay, dear?" Her mother said in a sympathetic tone, as if she already knew what was troubling her.

"I don't know, ma."

"Tell me what happened."

"Chris. He spent some time with me and Carlisle here, and it was great. It was really great. It made me go back to those times when everything was fine between us. For a moment, he made me think he was part of this. This life I have with Carlisle. But it isn't real. He made me want that again."

Her mother was just silent on the other end, waiting for Christina to finish. Tears started to fall down her cheeks as she recalled the encounter in her office.

"He told me that he'd leave her. A part of me wanted that, ma. But I couldn't. I couldn't bring myself to ruin that. And I don't want to put Carlisle in all this. He's already falling in love with him."

"Why don't you just tell him?"

"I don't know, ma. I'm trying to distance us from him. If I tell Ace that Carlisle is his son, he'd want to be with him even more. What do I tell him then? What do I do?"

Unbeknownst to Christina, Carlisle had gotten up to get some water and had overheard what she had said in the process. Upset and feeling betrayed, he left without a word with only one thing in mind, seeing the man her mother had said to be his father, Ace.