‼️‼️This is Book#2 of the Lombardi family and Book#3 of the Knight family.‼️‼️

‼️‼️A/N: Read the previous books to understand the characters' background‼️‼️

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** Third Person **

Stella rushed into the kitchen as she heard her daughter's broken sob from the kitchen. She walked out there barely five minutes ago, but she came back to find her daughter on the floor crying her eyes out. Her chest moving quickly and she inhaled quickly with tears streaming down her face.

She rushed toward her to lift her off the floor so she can stand on her feet.

"Honey, what's wrong?"

"I can't find it." A ten-year-old Elena said pointing at the book on the floor.  "They always put sugar in them."

Stella furrowed her eyebrows looking at the baking book on the floor. She moved her eyes back to her daughter whose body started shaking again as she cried in frustration.

Stella sighed cupping her daughter's face and wiping her tears slowly. "Okay, stop crying. We're going to find something."

Elena nodded slowly sniffing as her twin brother can running into the kitchen too.

"Why are you crying?" He asked moving closer before placing a hand on her shoulder. "Did mom spank you too?"

"No." She shook her head sniffing. "I can't find a cake."

Sebastian looked at the book on the floor, his mother and then at his sister before frowning.

"This is so stupid." He snapped taking his hand off her shoulder.

"Sebastian, please don't start." His mother said shaking her head at him.

He didn't stop and kept his eyes on his sister. "Why do you even want to make a cake for that guy?"

"Sebastian." Stella said warningly.

"Marco is stupid anyw-"

He stopped talking as soon as his mother turned to walk toward him.

"Okay, I'll stop." He said putting his hands in front of him.

Stella shook her head at her son before turning back to her daughter who was wiping her eyes.

"Elena, come on. Let's find something." She smiled running a hand through her hair.

"No." Elena sobbed harder. "I can't. There's nothing."

"How are we going to find a recipe if you don't stop crying?" Stella asked giving her reassuring smile.

"I checked everywhere." She said.

"Okay." Her mother grabbed her lifting her off the floor to sit her on one of the stools. "You don't have to make him a cake. You can make something else."

"But it's his birthday." She sniffed. "We make cakes on birthdays."

Stella nodded. "Okay. How about a watermelon fruit cake?"

She frowned. "That's just like a fruit salad. It's not for birthdays."

"We'll make it look like a cake."

Elena looked up at her mother wondering if it could really turn out a real cake. But she tried everything, so she would just have to hurt what her mother says.

Elena finally nodded. "Okay."

"Marco is stupid." Sebastian said before fleeing out of the kitchen when his mother grabbed a wooden spoon and turned to face again.

*****
Elena looked at the result of their work with a huge smile. Her mother was right. They had used watermelon as base and it looked really good.

"See? Doesn't it look good?" Her mother asked standing behind her with a smile.

She nodded excitedly before turning to hug her tightly. "Yes! Thank you, mommy."

"You're welcome." Stella watched as Elena climb down her seat.

"It's so ugly."

The both turned toward the kitchen entrance to find Sebastian standing there once more.

"Go away!" Elena snapped looking at him in annoyance.

"Aw. So, you aren't crying anymore." Sebastian mocked with a fake pout.

She glared at him and he moved his eyes back to the cake.

"I want some. I like strawberries." He said walking toward it.

"No!" Elena ran to push him away when he started walking toward her cake. "You can't. If you want fruits, there's plenty in the fridge."

"I want this!"

"I said no!" She snapped again. "It's for Marco!"

"My father's money bought these fruits and he didn't buy them for Marco. If I want to get some, I will." He angrily said pushing her right back.

She pushed him again too before their mother stood between them, gently pushing Sebastian back. Elena got back on top of the stools pulling her dessert closer to her.

"Come. I'll cut some fruits for you if you want. But this is for Marco." Stella said placing a soft on top of his head.

Sebastian huffed glaring at his sister who glared at him right back.

"But I want it to look like a cake like that." He said pointing at it.

Stella looked down at her son disapprovingly. "Sebastian, please be nice, okay?"

He huffed again crossing his arms over his chest before nodding with a frown.

Elena gave out a triumphant smile as she kept her eyes on the cake. And all Sebastian wanted to do was be fast enough to go over there and throw it on the floor. He would deal with whatever punishment that would come.

Sebastian turned his head toward the entrance of the kitchen he heard his brother's voice. He looked back at his sister as he heard Jason speaking to Marco.

"Looks like Jason and Marco are here." Stella smiled looking at her daughter whose eyes widened before she climbed down the stool again.

"Mom, we're here." Jason said walking while dropping his keys on the counter followed by Marco. "You said Elena had something f-" He didn't finish as he eyed his little sister around the counter to get closer to their mother.

Elena squeaked before discreetly hiding behind her mother.

"Yes. Hi Marco." She smiled placing her hands on the counter.

"Hello Mrs. Knight."

"Elena?" Stella turned her head to look at her daughter. "Are you gon-" She didn't even finish when her daughter shook her head wildly.

"She made a stupid cake." Sebastian butt in. "It's that ugly thing on the counter."

"Elena, come on." Stella placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder to push her out of her hiding place. "Go give him his present."

She looked up at her mother who gave her an encouraging smile. And then without making eye contact with anyone in the room, she walked back around the counter to where her cake was. She briefly looked at Marco before pushing an inch in his direction.

"H-Happy b-birthday." She lowly said moving her eyes to the floor and she pushed the cake in his direction once more. "Y-you don't like s-sweets so mommy helped m-me m-make this. I g-got f-fifteen candles too."

She almost ran back to her mother when he moved closer to her and stood in front of her.

"This is actually my first birthday cake." Marco lightly smiled going down to her level. "My parents would use anything for the candles but never thought of this." He said pointing at her cake.

She shifted on her feet nervously and couldn't stop the smile that took over her face. She clasped her hand in front of her and moved her eyes back to the floor.

"Thank you, Elena." He said pulling a hand out.

"Y-Y-You're welcome." She mumbled placing her smaller hand on top of his.

****
Elena's eyes snapped open as she recalled this memory, realizing how much of a mess she always was around him.

She was sitting on her bed, still in a robe and definitely not ready for work. The only she could think about was how crazy is she to even agree to see Marco without another human being present.

He knows too much.

He's heard too much.

He's seen too much.

How can I trust myself to be alone with him?

Maybe she should just stay in today. The wedding was just yesterday and she was really exhausted. Who would blame her for wanting to stay in and rest today?

Yes. She should stay and rest. She deserves it after giving organizing Jason and Victoria's wedding.

With that thought she walked out of the bedroom and down the stairs. She went down the stairs and silently walked toward the dining room. Her father was already there and he looked up when she walked.

She walked toward him to wrap her arms around his neck for a quick hug. "Good morning, dad."

"Good morning." Her father said eyeing her. "Aren't you going to work?" He asked looking at her attire in surprise. "You're usually ready by this time. I didn't hear heels digging holes into my floor."

"Leave my shoes alone." She lightly laughed taking a sit at the table. "I think I'm going to stay home today." She said letting her head fall on the table.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Why?"

She looked back at him before answering. "I'm still tired from yesterday."

"Are you okay?"

"Yes." She nodded.

"Your mother told me that the two of you are going out for lunch." He said as her mother walked in the room from behind him.

She furrowed her eyebrows looking up to see her mother quickly nodding her head.

"Yes. We are." Elena ended up saying.

"I might join you two." Hunter said as his wife took a seat herself.

"No, you're not. It's a mother and daughter thing." Stella said shaking her head at him.

She mentally thanked her mom and sent her a smile before she started eating her breakfast ignoring the looks her father was sending her way.

After breakfast, she quickly walked out of the dining room before any more questions came her way and went back to her bedroom.

She knew that if she stayed longer, her father would question her more. Or her mother would have found a way catch her in her lies. So, the smartest decision was to run from both of them.

Though it was obvious that her mother would come to her room anyways.

And she was right because she didn't even have time to close her bedroom door before her mother pushed it back open.

Elena silently walked to her bed and sat down as her mother closed the door.

"Why aren't you going to work?" Her mother asked walking closer to sit on her bed too.

"I'm tired." She said.

Stella gave her a clear look that she didn't believe a word of it. Who could blame her? She wouldn't believe herself.

"That's what you told your father. What's the real reason?"

"Mom." Elena sighed, not really wanting to go there right now.

"Because Marco said he was going to take you out." She continued with a knowing look. "You're hopeless, I love you and I want to strangle you."

Elena laughed straightening up. "No. It's not because of that."

"So, then you could just call him to tell him that you stayed home. He will pick you up from here." Stella suggested raising an eyebrow at her.

"Mom, please."

"Baby, you can't embarrass yourself in front of him more than you already have in your twenty-five years of life."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Elena asked as her fear came back once more.

"It means that he's seen all the possible bad sides you would be afraid to show him."

She frowned, not really liking that. "Like what?"

"Your stubborn side, every time your father and I told you not to do something and you did anyways. When you punched your prom date for calling your father a maniac. Your cunning side when you sabotaged his date. Your dramatic side when you cried on the kitchen floor for his cake. That time Marco was sick and couldn't go to school, so you hid Jason's school bag so he wouldn't go either and learn more than Marco. And also, th-"

Elena waved her hands wildly as heat came up to her cheeks. "Okay, okay. I get it."

Stella chuckled. "My point is there's nothing crazy or embarrassing you can possibly do now that he hasn't seen before."

"Mom, that is not making me feel better." She said before letting out a sigh. "At least I never put my life at risk."

"What?" Stella laughed. "Have you forgotten about almost drowning and breaking your leg on his skateboard?"

"Oh my God." Elena groaned placing her face in her hands.

"There were times when your father was ready to send you to an all-girls boarding school." Her mother causing her to look up before nodding.

"Well he's threatened me with that a few times." She chuckled.

"At least you've never been crazy enough to sneak out of the house in the middle of the night, like in some movies." Her mother chuckled causing Elena's heart to literally skip a beat. "How crazy would that have been?"

Her mind replayed a certain event and it was all she could not to break eye contact with her mom.

"Really crazy." She muttered playing with the end of her robe.

Oh, dear God. If only she knew. I would have been dead years ago.

"You still don't want to go?" Stella asked.

"I don't know what to do."

"What exactly is the problem?" Her mother asked and she let her shoulders drop.

If only she knew herself.

She whined loudly before laying down. "I don't know." She said causing Stella to look at her with a questioning look.

"You don't know why you're scared of him?"

She shook her head in denial at the implication. "I am not scared of him."

"Why are you so nervous around him?"

"I don't know." She said again.

"He's nice, very polite compared to you and your brothers."

"Hey!" She chuckled giving her an offended look.

"Tell me I'm wrong." She smiled teasingly. "I'm just saying. You're loud, he's not. He's composed, you're not. You're dramatic for no reason, he's not. You're immature, he's mature. things are balanced."

Elena laughed again not even being able to defend herself.

Stella patted her leg before standing up. "Go get ready for work. You're going to work."

"Mom, I'm n-"

"Young lady, I carried you for nine months, then fed you, and raised you. I am not letting you ruin a life I've created, or waste all that beauty that I've put on you." She said and left the room without waiting for a response.

Her mother walked back in as soon as she walked out. Elena looked at her confused.

"I don't trust you. So, I'm just going to stay here and wait for you to get ready." She said sitting on the bed.

"Wow." Elena muttered turning to go to her bathroom.

And people say dad is the one who's out of control.

She knew that her mother wouldn't leave her alone until she was sure that she wouldn't run away.

It took her less than an hour to get ready, which was fast compared to any other day, but her mother's eyes following her every movement stressed her out.

So, she stood in front of her mother fully dressed.

"Happy?"

"Very." Stella grinned.

Both of their heads turned to the door when someone knocked. She was sure that it was her father. None of her workers knocked on her door when she was in it, specifically because her father said so.

"Come in." Stella called before her father opened the door looking at the both of them.

"Are you two decent?" He asked.

"Yes." Elena said going to her bed to close her jewelry box.

She looked back her father who was looking at her as if he was trying to break her and that was even worse than when her mother looked at her.

"Dad, what's wrong?"

"Just making sure you aren't making extra effort today, for your date with your mom." He said and she almost groaned out loud.

He knows, doesn't he?

"Dad I look the same as any other day." She shrugged, trying to act normal before discreetly glancing at her mom.

"I know. I just wanted to make sure. I'll drop you off. Come downstairs when you're ready." He said before walking out.

He walked out and Elena let out a breath looking at her mother.

"He knows." Stella said with a shake of her head. "And he wants us to know that."

"So that I would be looking around the restaurant and jump every time someone walks in."

Her father was sadistic like that. But she couldn't help but feel like it would have been worse if they had told him.

If only she could read his mind. Life would have been so much easier.

"You know your father." Her mother's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

"I do." She nodded grabbing her purse and Victoria's wedding binder before they both walked out.

*****

"Dad, it's been over two months. I can go alone now." She said placing her phone down to look at her father.

"You're my daughter. Let me do what will put my mind at ease, will you?"

She shrugged leaning back against her seat. "Fine. I don't even know why I'm complaining, since I don't have to drive myself anywhere."

"You're spoiled."

She gave him an offended look. "You spoiled me."

"I didn't do it for you."

"Yeah I know. You did it for yourself. Spoiling me so much that any guy who takes a look at my closet or jewelry box would just run away because they wouldn't be able to compete."

He scoffed glancing at her before looking back at the road. "They will never go far enough inside the house to see your closet, but yeah."

"Well that method never worked." She said with a proud smile.

"That's why I have my gun." He smirked parking the car in front of her shop.

"Don't make me bring Michael again."

He scoffed. "Usain Bolt's apprentice?"

"Dad!" She gasped.

"He is." He just shrugged as she grabbed her stuff. "I have work later, so Carlos will pick you up."

"Okay." She said leaning in to kiss his cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"I know." She grinned opening the car door.

"Get out of my car."

****

"What are you doing here?" Elena asked eyeing Sebastian.

She was talking to one of her workers when she saw her brother come in over his shoulder. He walked into her shop with a big smile on his face.

"Can you take care of inventory today, please? Amanda will be back in a couple of hours with our new orders." She said before he nodded walking away.

She turned to her brother who was still smiling at her.

"What are you talking about? I always come here. Why would it surprise you?" He asked raising an eyebrow at her.

He was right. He always comes here when he has time. He always comes here to flirt with all her employees, to make her days longer and cause her unnecessary stress or make her day better and give her much needed laughs.

But it's that big smile he has on his face today that bothers her. That and the fact that he knows that she supposed to see Marco today.

"And, we're going out for lunch, aren't we?" He asked.

She slapped his hand away when he reached for one of the dresses she just hung.

"This is couture. Don't put your sinful fingers on my wedding dresses." She said causing him to laugh lowly. "And what are you talking about?" She asked grabbing a dress laying there to hang it.

He shrugged. "Yesterday, Marco said something about lunch."

"He was talking to me." She said shaking her head.

He hummed thoughtfully before shaking his head. "I don't know about that."

She almost stomped her foot in aggravation. "I do!"

"Okay. Then maybe I can call dad so he can come with us. I'm sure he wouldn't mind having lunch with all of us." He smirked when he noticed that his sister was about ready to punch him.

Elena looked at him with smoke practically coming out of her ears before she turned away from him and started walking toward her office.

"Where are you going?" Sebastian asked following her inside.

She didn't answer but grabbed her phone from her desk when she got there. Unlocking it, she looked at him while dialing the number of the person she was sure would be on her side right now.

She dialed her mother's number and brought it to her ear while looking directly at her brother.

"Mom? Sebastian wants to sabotage my lunch." She said and watch as Sebastian scoffed at her. "Yes. Okay" She continued and gave him a smirk before handing him her phone.

He groaned lowly before grabbing it from her before bringing it to his ear.

"Hello?"

He waited and Elena could hear her mother's voice though she couldn't tell what was being said.

"You really want her to go alone with him?" Sebastian said moving his eyes back to her as his mother spoke. "Fine."

He hung up and placed her phone in her extended hand.

She smiled placing her phone on her desk. "You heard her. You have to leave me alone."

He nodded shoving his hand into her pocket. "I will. But you're going to be alone with him, you will have to make conversation and he is not a talkative person. You are, but you can barely say a word around him. It's going to be a mess."

She swallowed looking at him with furrowed eyebrows.

"Do you really want to go through that?" He asked.

She frowned at him, really hating the fact that he would tell her things like that right now.

He shrugged turning away from her to walk toward the door. "At least if I was there, I would be able to talk too. But since you d-"

"Wait!"

"What?"

"You won't make fun of me or embarrass me?" She asked and he turned back to face her.

"Well I don't want to go anymore, since you had to call mom." He said giving her a smug look.

"I'm sorry."

"Nope." He shrugged shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Please!"

He looked at her with raised eyebrows. "Why would I help you? What's in it for me?"

"Mom helped me this morning and you just ruined everything." He said pointing a finger at him before he slapped it away.

"Well I'm sorry about that." He said moving again before she stopped him again.

"Please, don't go."

He huffed looking at her for a few seconds before shaking his head. "No. I'm not going with you guys. I'm not fond of being the third wheel."

"It's not even a date. It's just lunch. So, you won't be a third wheel." She said.

"Still." She shrugged reaching over to pinch her cheek slightly.

She pushed his hand away.

" I'm not going." He sais again. "I don't feel like it anymore."

"Sebastian." She frowned.

Her brother looked at her for a few seconds not saying anything.

"Elena, why are you so afraid of the guy?" He finally asked.

"I am not afraid of him."

"Whatever. You don't want me to come. Because if I do, I will sabotage your lunch." He stated and her frown deepened at his words.

"Why would you want to do that?" She asked showing her annoyance.

"I don't want to. It just happens naturally. I can't help it." She smirked when she narrowed her eyes at him.

This guy.

"You promised not to embarrass me in front of him anymore."

He nodded. "Which is exactly why I don't want to go anymore."

She walked closer to him grabbing his hand with a small pout. "You're my big brother. You have to be there."

A laugh escaped him as soon as the words left her mouth. She almost smiled too but she wanted him to take her seriously.

"I'm only your big brother when you try to get something out of me." He laughed. "We're twins. That card won't work."

She sighed letting his hand go when she didn't get what she wanted.

"You were born first."

"Knowing how bossy you are, you were probably ready to get out before me but you pushed me out anyways."

"That doesn't even make sense." She smiled since it's not even the first time he implied something like this.

He turned his back to her and made him toward the door.

"Just text me if you feel like you're about to faint." He walked and walked out before she could get another word out.

He is so horrible!

He just came here to add to her stress just to walk out on her. He wants her to text him if it is too much for her, and that could mean that he could just follow her.

He would.

So, after he left, she couldn't even focus on her work and she did have for calls to make. But she was just pacing while practically talking to herself.

"Hello. Hi Marco. How are you, Marco? How was your day, Marco? Hello Marco." She kept repeating to herself.

No stutter. No pause. No break. Why can't it be this easy around him? It has to be. Maybe she can imagine him as a clown.  Or maybe she needed help from her friend.

She paused with a long sigh before looking at her phone.

She could call Victoria for help. But she also didn't want to call her on her honeymoon and she was sure that her brother would just make them rush their conversation.

She snapped her head toward the door when someone knocked.

"Come in." She called furrowing her eyebrows.

Amanda, one of her workers opened it and looked at her with a polite smile.

"Excuse me but a certain Mr. Lombardi is here for you."

Oh, dear God.