"Did goodbye mean letting go,
and did letting go mean forever?"

**************

PART TWO

Alex's POV

I've tasted heartbreak before.

It's not a foreign feeling for me. Its bitterness is still embedded deep down in my mind. It's rooted in a very dark place, a one I've locked years and years ago.

It's just been long. So long since I last felt it ripping at my inside. It's been a long time since I felt like I could lose everything again.

Heartbreak was when they told me the plane crashed.

It was when Cara came back.

It was when Lilly looked at me and called another man dad.

It is now, at this exact moment as she stood right there and called me a killer.

It's ironic how I always felt that this moment would come one day. Our past was too complicated, too messed up to stay hidden and buried. I was a fool to think it wouldn't knock back on our doors again. The irony is that I tried to prepare myself for it, but now, as she looked at me like that, with so much blame, so much pain, and something akin to hate; I knew I am not ready. I was never ready.

She knows the truth. She knows part of it, there is no possible way she knows it all.

She knows only the ugly parts.

The ones that draw me and Cara as the bad ones; the one who killed and the one who betrayed.

The two that lied.

I looked back and wondered; asked myself how and when it all went wrong.

It was that day. It has to be. I should've never let her go. I should've never accepted it. I should've insisted more. I was supposed to stop her.

That place, that city, that country is tainted. It took a lot from me, and is still ready to take more.

*************

Four years ago...

"You must be kidding me," I snapped as I slammed my fist over the paper, "I said no before, I told you that I don't accept this, and what did you do?" My eyebrow raised, "You still went behind my back and applied!"

Lilly gulped down, fear at my anger flashed in her eyes but she didn't back away, she stood her ground and defended, "It's what I want," She explained, "Dad, it's Cambridge, it's something I've worked really hard to get and I did, so why are you so intent on taking it away from me?"

I couldn't think straight, how could I possibly think straight, "I told you there is no way in hell I am sending you there," I stressed out, my fingers curled over the acceptance letter, wrinkling it, letting my distress on the innocent piece of paper, "And I am still on my decision, you're not stepping a foot in there!"

Her eyes widened, bewildered at my words, "You can't do that!" Her voice raised, "It's not your decision to make, it's mine, so if you don't have a logical reason why you're against this, I will go, I don't need anything from you, not your money, and not your approval," Her words fed the anger building at my inside, "Because when Chase went after what he wanted, you supported him, but me, your own daughter and I can't even get your support!"

Tears welled up in her eyes, silencing me, "When Sally told her father, he was so proud of her, but you...you're ruining for me what's supposed to be one of the most important moments in my life!"

My fingers curled over the table's side, "You can't go there, Lilly," I said, my voice lower but my words still as strict.

She raised her arms in frustration, "Why? Why?"

"Because it's dangerous!" I shot out.

Her eyebrows pulled closer, "How dangerous?" She asked, "How is it dangerous only there and not anywhere else?" She exclaimed, "I am going there to study, dad, study; what's dangerous in that?"

I had no words. How in god's name I can explain it to her without exposing every fucked up thing that place holds?

"See, you have no answer, because you know how irrational your words are," She said, so determined, "Keep one thing clear, dad, with or without your approval, I am going."

Then, she turned around and walked away, letting me sink into the chair and the possible ways this could go wrong. Anger doubled over my chest, the thought that this could become out of my control, that she would still go despite all, the possibility of her getting hurt, it all multiplied and all I felt was my hand colliding with the coffee cup and pushing it away.

The sound of glass shattering was followed by Cara's gasp as she rushed toward me, "Alex," She said, her eyes flickering from the broken cup then back to me. Worry tightened her brows and she rested her hand over my arm, "She told you," She mumbled, her words more of a statement rather than a question.

"You know?" My eyebrow raised and I couldn't hide the accusation in my tone.

Her throat bobbed and she nodded. I pulled my arm out of her reach, "Unbelievable," I scoffed, the rage clouding all of my better senses, "How could you possibly be okay with this?!"

A low sigh parted her lips, "Alex, you know that Lilly took the worst part of me, my stubbornness," She said, "When you refuse, you're just making her want it even more," She really had to inherit that, "This is out of our control now, so I'd rather be on her side, know what she is gonna go through in there, support her in this so she can trust me enough that when anything happens with her, big or small, she'll tell me," She explained it with the type of logic I despise so much, "I'd rather have that than her going in there with us on bad terms and not knowing what'll happen with her after."

I shook my head, "Cara, it's still a big risk, we have enemies there, we-"

"Those enemies died," She interrupted my words.

"Given that everyone in my life comes back from the dead, I am not taking that risk anymore," I shook my head, "I've hurt people Cara, and if we learned anything from our past, those people more than often come back for revenge, and I can't rest knowing she could be under threat at any moment and I am not there to protect her."

She placed her hand over mine, and understatement flashed in her eyes, "I get that, but Alex, if anyone wants to hurt us or hurt them, they'll do it wherever we are, it's not the place, it's not the city that just scares you, Alex, it's the thought of Lilly leaving that terrifies you."

My chest tightened at how true her words are, "Her getting hurt is one thing, but her knowing the truth is a whole different story," I rubbed a hand over my face refusing to believe that would ever happen, "What about Max? What if they get to know about him, then everything we have worked for will be for nothing, and I can't...I can't lose them, Cara, I can't lose her, not again."

She inched closer, her hand went to my face and in her eyes, I saw the same type of fear rushing through my veins, "What makes you think I can, I am trying to be okay with this, but I am just as scared as you are, they're my babies, she's my little girl, if anything were to happen to her or to Max, I can't even imagine-" Her voice lowered as tears gathered in her eyes, "But it's been years Alex, years and we need to let go of this fear, it had controlled our lives long enough."

I took her hand mine and I squeezed it, trying to soothe us both, and hating this whole situation. Her head tilted to the side, "At least there, she'll have Roman, he can always keep an eye on her, make sure she is okay, be right there for her when we can't."

"This doesn't make me feel any better about this," I mumbled.

"I know, but what other choice do we have?"

My eyebrow raised, "Well,-"

Cara shot me a glare, reading the thoughts in my mind, "Apart from locking her up in her room forever."

I rolled my eyes, "You really got no chill."

She leaned closer to me and I wounded my arm around her. A low tired sigh parted my lips, "What if she knew, about Nikolas, and about Max?"

"I am hoping with everything in me that she won't," She said, "The people who know this truth are either dead or on our side, so I am trying to believe that the possibility of her knowing is really really low."

She turned her head to me, "Who would tell her, Roman? Emma?" Her eyebrow raised addressing how impossible for them to ever say a thing, "Ronald? Liam?" She gave me a knowing look and I understood, "They won't, they would never."

I sighed, half agreeing, "This life just taught me to always expect the unexpected."

"Have some hope, Alex," She urged and I tried, tried to accept this, but it didn't once ease the anxiety gripping me at my sides.

"By the way, you do realize that you're cleaning up that cup you broke, right?"

My eyebrow raised, "I am over here worried about our kids hating us and you're thinking about the broken cup."

She smiled and gave me a wink, "Priorities," She inched closer and pressed a small kiss over my cheek, "And stop being so pessimistic, they won't hate us."

She was about to walk away but I grasped her wrist and pulled her back to me, "You know what we haven't done over here in a while?" I started, my tone teasing and she rolled her eyes, immediately understanding, "You see, Max is out with his friends and Lilly is too angry to leave her room at this point, so-" I cleared my throat and nodded toward the table, "I can't remember the last time we've done it in the kitchen, and I could really use a distraction at the moment so-"

She shook her head and pulled away from my touch, "And here I was worried about the kids hating us and you're thinking about sex," She said mockingly, throwing my words back at me.

"Hey, that's not fair, I am always thinking about sex!"

She backed away and mumbled some incoherent words under her breath before she left the kitchen, ruining all of my previous fantasies.

I pulled into a deep breath and tried so hard to accept this, to see it end with anything but a disaster. One thing Cara was right about; I'd rather have her go with my approval than end it with a fight.

I got to my feet after and headed toward Lilly's room, trying to deal with this more logically this time. I knocked at her door and waited for her low voice to mumble, "Come in."

I opened the door and stepped inside, her eyes flickered from over her laptop's screen to me, "If you're here to shout at me some more, can we do it later?" She raised a challenging eyebrow, "Because I've got homework to do."

Seriously, what did I give birth to?

I shot her a glare before I walked closer and sat by her side on the bed. I lowered the laptop's screen and pushed it away from her lap, "Hey!" She said in annoyance, "You can't just do that."

"I am your father, I gave you life, I can do anything," I said, spitting facts, "Now, come here," I tried to place my arm around her back to pull her to me, but she refused and pulled away, "No," She said, strictly.

I didn't take no for an answer and pulled her closer against her will, my arm wrapped over her shoulder, "Of course I am proud of you, you stupid little bug," I mumbled, addressing her previous words.

I really am proud of her. Despite everything and how much I hate this situation, I've seen how over the past year she's worked really hard on her school and exams. Lilly changed, a lot. After Chase left, we've all noticed how devastatingly she changed. It was months and months later that I was finally able to see her genuine smile again. No matter how hard I would try to cheer her up, I would always fail.

She rarely went out of the house, rarely hung out with her other friends. She just threw herself into her books and school, as if trying to speed things up, just so she would reach here. I know my daughter, I understand her, maybe more than anyone could ever do. Her persistent to leave and go, is part of her trying to run away. Just like her mother, she really loves to run away.

When Chase left, he took with him the part of Lilly that made her who she is, and now that she herself realized that, she wants to find that part of her again and on her own.

It wasn't till very lately that I saw her energized and excited self back, and it's only due to this news; that soon, very soon, she'll get the chance to leave as well, and it kills me that I am ruining it for her, but what can I do when I am scared shitless that something bad would happen to her.

"I really am so proud of you," I stressed again and sad eyes looked up at me, breaking my heart all over again, "And I want to support you on this, more than you can imagine, but Lilly,' I pulled into a deep breath, "I am not very good at letting people go," I admitted, "I've endured it many times that I can't afford to go through it again."

She stared up at me and I rested my hand over her cheek, "So, out of all people, how can I ever be able to let you go," I said, "I am just so scared Lilly, I am scared you'll need me and I won't be there for you."

Tears welled up in her eyes, tears I've last seen that day when I took her to the airport, tears that I can't handle no matter what, they've got to be my weakness, this girl is my weakness, "I am scared too, dad," She admitted on a low whisper, "For my whole life, whenever something happens, I'd come to you and you'd always make it alright," She shook her head, "For the past seventeen years, I was never scared of anything because I knew that I've got you, and now as much as I want to go, I am so scared, terrified even that I would need you and I wouldn't find you there," She leaned into my embrace, "But I have to do this, I should stop myself from being so dependent on you and on the people in my life, I should learn to face things on my own," I hated it so much that she had grown up to the point where she doesn't want to need me anymore.

She sniffled and lifted her teary eyes back to me, "I've depended on Chase to make me happy, so when he was gone, I couldn't..." Her eyes pressed shut and tears fell through, "I couldn't make myself happy anymore," I wiped at her cheeks, every single drop tearing at my inside, "I needed him and I need you and I am just so tired of needing people," She added, "So please, please dad, let me have this, let me go on my own, let me depend on myself for once, and let me figure out who I am outside of here, outside of your shadow and away from Chase."

After one year of fighting with herself, she was finally letting it out, "Because sometimes I feel that I've lost sense of who I am," Her broken tone had me wrapping my other arm around her and pulling her closer, my hand cradled the back of her head and I rested my chin on top of it, "Okay," I mumbled, "I get it, and little bug, all I want is for you to be happy," I left a kiss over her hair, "But, I am gonna have so many rules, and you better listen to all of them or I will be dropping by there at every chance I'll get."

She pulled away and sniffled, her teary eyes that look so much like mine stared back at me and she smiled and nodded, "I am okay with your rules," She mumbled.

Her smile made me smile, "Wait till you hear them, you may change your mind."

She shook her head, "It's okay, I just don't want us to fight on this anymore," She said, "I hate it when we fight."

"I hate it too," I said before I leaned and pressed a kiss over her forehead. I pulled her back into my embrace, and took into her flowery scent, something I won't be able to get very soon.

God, I am gonna miss her like crazy when she is going to leave.

I just hope, I hope with everything in me that I won't regret this moment one day, that I won't regret letting her go.

Because then, there will be no one to blame but me.

**************

Lilly's POV

"I can't believe your dad is finally okay with this!" Sally squealed, pulling me into another hug.

I hugged her back, "Me neither, but he did make me a big huge list of rules, he is probably just trying to discourage me from going, I swear," Sally chuckled at my words and shook her head, "Still, this is so exciting, we both are going, I might burst from happiness, I can't help it!"

I smiled at her enthusiasm and crossed my legs over the bed, thinking about what's to come. It is exciting. A new country, a new place, a new me, and most importantly, a new beginning.

"Did you tell Chase?" Sally's words broke through my thoughts and my smile slowly dropped. I shook my head, "We haven't talked a lot lately," I mumbled, fidgeting with the cover of my phone, "Actually we haven't talked at all for like two weeks," I pulled into a deep breath and looked at my lap, "He is busy with finals, I am also busy with mine, so it's okay, whatever."

I felt her hand rest over mine, "Lilly, are you sure you're okay with this?"

My gaze lifted up to her and shrugged, "Well, it's not like we are dating or something, when he left, we both promised that we will be there for each other when needed, and we are, we used to always talk," We talked a lot in the beginning, and with time, our texting, phone, and video calls just started to decrease, from both his side and mine. Sometimes the pain would make me feel like I couldn't stand to see his face, and sometimes I needed to.

You see, it's the distance. I always knew how badly it can affect a relationship.

"And then later, when the right time comes, when we are in the same place again, we can see and try, but for now, I've got a lot ahead of me and I need to concentrate on that only."

Sally didn't seem to buy my words, "But like you said, he is busy with finals and when they're done, he will back for his summer vacation, what do you plan on doing then?"

I pulled into a deep breath and told her my plan, "I won't see him," I said, "My parents, Max and I are planning to go and sail around this summer, and then I can stay with my uncle for a while before I settle down in there so when the new semester starts, I will be all ready," I explained, "I can find a suitable apartment for you and me to stay in, I might even start looking for some part-time job," Although I believe dad won't let me, but I really meant it when I said I want to depend on myself, in all aspects and even financially.

Sally's head tilted to the side and worry tightened her brows, "You're running away, Lilly."

I shook my head, "No, Sally, no, I am not," I defended myself, "Look, I don't remember how long it took me to finally go to sleep without crying, I don't remember how long it took me to be okay again, and I finally am, I am finally starting to feel like myself again, I am finally able to enjoy life somehow," I am finally laughing and smiling again, "When he was gone, it's like everything else lost its taste, every time I walked into the school's corridor or even just passed by the gym, my heart would break all over again, because everywhere I went, we had memories."

"And it took a lot from me to move on from those memories," It's taken me this much long to also talk about it out loud without feeling that ache press up against my chest.

"If he comes and if I see him, I might feel everything all over again, I might get lost in him again," I added, "And for what? So he would leave again, so I would have to go through all of this again," I shook my head, "No, I can't, I owe it to myself to keep moving on with my life, and when the right time comes, then we can try and see if we would still fit together."

"For now, I just want to concentrate on me, not on the heartbreak loving him has brought me, because I am tired, I am so tired of feeling it Sally," Her hand soothingly squeezed mine and I carried on, "I want to go and to live this college experience to the fullest."

She nodded, "I understand, but you need to tell this to him," She is right, "Because I really think that Chase is still waiting for you," She added, "If you are deciding to move on, he has the right to move on as well."

I stayed silent, thinking her words through, "You know that girl in their class who hangs with them all the time, Conner told me she is always making the moves on Chase, but he isn't giving her much of a chance, he even stopped hanging out with them when she does, which means he is still waiting for you, Lilly."

Of course, I know that girl, one time she posted their pic and tagged Chase and I kept stalking her after. See this, this is something I don't want. Worrying about where he is or with whom he is. I don't need that stress and anxiety in my life anymore.

I tried to change the conversation, "You talk with Conner?" I asked, my eyebrows pulling closer.

She nodded, "Yeah, from time to time we talk."

Just as she finished that sentence, her phone started ringing, she looked at the screen and her eyes widened, "Wow, it's like he's reading my mind."

She answered the video call, her eyebrow raised, and immediately said, "I was just talking about you!"

"All good things, I hope," Conner said and at his voice, I smiled, I've missed him.

"Not really," Sally teased and he asked, "Whatcha ya doin?"

"I am at Lilly's house, what about you?"

"Oh, Lilly, Lilly!" He shouted for me, so I inched closer to Sally so I can see his face through the screen, "Hey," I waved my hand and smiled.

I was met back with his smile, "How are you?" He asked, "Didn't you miss your son? You haven't checked up on me in so long."

I rolled my eyes at his son reference, "It's just been a hectic couple of weeks," More like months but yeah.

"What about you, what are you doing?" I asked.

"Well, I have my last final tomorrow and I am so not in the mood to study so I called Sally, because when I see her face, I see what failure looks like and I get motivated," He said and I chuckled.

She pulled the phone to her side, "Hey, you little shit!" She snapped, "This failure you talk about worked so hard and got herself into Cambridge!"

I saw his genuine smile through the screen, "Yeah, and I couldn't be prouder."

I noticed how at his words, her angry look immediately faded away and she smiled, a bit of redness rushed to the skin of her neck and I stared at them amused. Since when they are this close?

A bitter taste came to my mouth, they're even closer than Chase and me.

"So, where is Chase?" Sally asked, maybe changing the subject or maybe asking for my benefit.

"That son of a bitch finished his exams today, he and the guys went out for a drink and I am stuck here studying," He said in annoyance, "It's so unfair, they didn't even wait for me to finish!"

So, he finished his exams but he didn't think of even calling me at least? Is this the still waiting for me Sally was talking about, because it definitely doesn't look like it.

Sally and Conner kept on talking, him complaining about his exam and Sally telling him how he always does that but ends up getting the highest grade. I was too lost in my thoughts to keep track of their conversation. She finally kicked him away so he can study since it was getting late and she needed to get to her house.

I tried to sleep after she left but with no use, I kept turning and turning. The reason that kept me awake had me opening my phone, logging into my fake Instagram account, and opening the search button, right on the top was that girl's name. Alison.

I clicked on her profile and noticed that she had uploaded a new story. Knowing that Chase is outside, I couldn't help but wonder if she is there with him as well. My finger hovered over the story, hesitant at first, that same old ache pressed against my chest reminding me just how much I hate this.

I closed my eyes for a second and when I opened them, I pressed my finger over that pink circle surrounding her profile picture.

It was a video, this Alison, who is really beautiful by the way, something I hated the first time I've seen her. She has the typical blonde hair, blue eyes, perfect body, height, and weight and she makes me feel something I've never felt before. Insecure.

See, this is not me. I am not like this. I am not insecure. I don't stalk a girl I suspect is with the boy I've...I've loved at fricking midnight. I am not this person, and I hate this person.

It looked like she is in a bar, with very loud music on, the beginning of the video was her just showing her face, singing along the lyrics, then she moved the camera, angling it to show who is sitting behind her, there were three more guys and right by Alison's side was him.

He wasn't aware of her taking the video, his eyes were only on the other two guys who were screaming along with the lyrics, singing it in a really funny way. Chase started laughing at them and I didn't realize how involuntary I smiled, my fingers pressed over the screen, pausing the video so I can get a clear look at his face, at his smile, at his eyes that I miss so much.

My smile slowly dropped and I suddenly felt the tears sting my eyes, it's been a while since I last cried because of him, and here I am, right when I thought I am moving on, I am right back at where it started. I pulled myself up and tried to shake those tears away, not letting them pass the threshold.

I removed my finger and let the video go on, this Alison laughed at the other guys, "Hey, you should leave the singing for the guy who actually has a good voice!" She said, nudging Chase with her elbow.

He turned to her and his eyes fell on the camera, he immediately shook his head, "There is no way in hell I am singing," He said, dismissing her and turned around to talk with the guys.

She placed her hand on his face, letting him face her again, "One day, I am gonna make you sing for me," She said, her tone teasing, before she tapped her hand over his face, and the video finished. After it was a group picture of the whole group gathered around, there were four guys and the only girl is Alison, sitting right by Chase's side, almost sticking to him, she wrote over it, "Advantages of being the only girl in class." Under it was, "One year down, three more to go." And a couple of airplane emojis.

Anger doubled over my chest as I watched the video another time, then another, till I lost count. In the end, having enough of this, I logged out and decided to never ever open her profile again.

I turned on the lamp by my side and went through my contacts, finding Conner's number, I video dialed him. A few seconds later and he answered, "Hey you, missed me already?" He asked, raising a playful eyebrow.

"Are you still studying? Did I disturb you?" I asked, checking at first.

He shook his head and placed what looked like a cookie in his mouth, "No, enough studying, I need sleep, my brain can handle no more."

"What's up?" He asked, and he looked like he sat down, his full attention is now on me, "Are you okay?"

I shook my head and asked, "Can you deliver a message for me?"

His eyebrows pulled closer, "To Chase?" He asked and I nodded.

His confusion doubled, "And why aren't you the one delivering that message yourself?"

"Because I am not strong enough."

He straightened himself in his seat, "Lilly, what's wrong?"

And then I explained it to him, I told him what I told Sally, I told him how hard it has been and how desperate I am to move on from this.

"Lilly, I didn't know it was this much hard on you," He said, genuinely concerned.

"Will you deliver my message?" I asked.

His eyebrow raised, "You sure you don't want to tell him yourself?"

"I am sure."

He didn't seem satisfied with my choices but he nodded anyway, "Also, Lilly, if you ever feel like that again, just call me okay, I will always be here for you," His words had me smiling right away, "I know, you are the best son in the world, you know that?"

He chuckled and shook his head, "But my parents are getting separated again, what can I do," He sighed, "I am still rooting for you guys, years and years from now, you never know what will happen."

I nodded, "I am kind of counting on that."

***************

Three months later...

Cambridge, UK

Alex's POV

I checked the time again, my eyes drifting from the apartment's window to the end of the street hoping he'll get here before Lilly notices. Just as that thought crossed my mind, a speeding car came and parked by the road's side.

Ronald went down and when his eyes fell on me, a big smile came to his face, "Well, well, Alex in the flesh, it really has been a while," His eyebrow raised before he stepped closer, "Last time you were here, you told me you're never stepping a foot inside this country ever again."

I shrugged, "Well, when you have kids like mine, shit like this happens."

He chuckled and inched closer, I did too and gave him a hug, "Well it's good to see you again," He said, pulling away.

I shook my head, "I wish I could say the same," I said, "Every time I see you, it means I need something."

He nodded, "And I'v always got what you need," He said not so modestly as he knocked on the car's window.

The door opened and a guy went down, he seemed to be in his twenties, definitely not more, his physique built well, I gave him one full look from head to toe and felt him fitting enough for his role.

"His name is Noah, I've trained him myself, he was young when he first joined us," Ronald explained, "I trust him enough, and I think he is capable of this, so you have nothing to worry about."

I nodded and faced Noah explaining his job, "Everywhere she goes, everywhere she is, whether it's school, or with her friends, or here," I pointed at the apartment, "I need you to be always there, always by her side, never let her out of your sight, never," I ordered and he nodded, already familiar with his duty, "Every person she meets, whether it is her classmates, professors, neighbors, I don't care, whoever it is, you make a full background check on them, if anyone seems like a threat, if they are by any chance related to this," To this fucked world I thought I am free from, "You tell me right away."

"Noted, sir," Noah said.

It's true I've agreed to this, but no way in hell I am leaving her here just like this, without any assurance that she'll be safe, "Look Noah, I am not spying on my daughter, I don't need to know where she is or who she's talking to, just when something happens, as small a threat as it can be, you immediately inform me."

Ronald turned to him, "Also inform either me or Roman about it, so we can take care of it right away."

I nodded, "Make sure she never knows anything about this, so you need to be really careful," She'd hate me if she knows I've assigned a bodyguard behind her back, but I am not taking any risks, I've learned my lesson.

"Don't worry, sir," Noah said, "I won't let anything happen to her."

"That's all I want."

Ronald ushered Noah to go back into the car then turned to me, "So, when will you be leaving?"

I pulled into a deep breath, "I came yesterday with Lilly to help her get settled in," I said, "I think I will be staying for maximum two days till I make sure everything is taken care of."

"Cool, then tomorrow's night, my place, Roman, Liam, and everyone else is coming, we are in desperate need to blow off some steam," He said.

My eyebrow raised and I suspiciously remarked, "And by blowing off steam, you mean?"

He shook his head, "Oh no, we are not gonna kill anyone," He shrugged, "I hope so."

Before I could say more, I heard footsteps behind me, I turned around to see Roman and beside him Emma, "What are you two talking about?" Roman asked.

I looked at Emma and rolled my eyes, "Why does she have to be here, again?"

She gave me a knowing look and stepped closer before she casually placed her arm over my shoulder, "Aww, admit it, you've missed me," She said with a smile as she cutely pinched my cheek, "I am your favorite cousin after all."

I sighed and shrugged her arm away, she'll never change, "You're my only cousin." I stated.

Her eyebrows pulled closer and she shook her head, "That's so not true."

I shook the meaning behind her words and turned to Ronald, "Don't tell me she'll be joining guy's night tomorrow."

"Of course I will," She said as a matter of fact, "There isn't a guy's night without me."

I rolled my eyes at her before my gaze flickered to the apartment's window, that heavyweight still pressing over my chest; how in two days will I walk away from here and just leave her? How can I possibly do that?

Emma seemed to sense my hesitation because I felt her hand rest over my arm, "Alex, you need to stop worrying," She said, seriously this time, "No one would even dare to hurt her as long as we're here."

Ronald nodded, so did Roman, and Emma added, "She's got an army behind her."

**********************************

She literally has an army behind her, lol xD

So, what are your expectations of what's to come, I mean all these precautions and she still discovered the truth. Damn.

Also, the timeline will continue from here, there will be jumps to only focus on the important parts. Then, we can get back to the overall five years jump.

Also, spoiler alert, next chapter we will meet Christian!

Btw, I made this little trailer for "Unraveling him," In case you didn't see it there; check it out!

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

Love ya all!