"I see a stranger in your eyes, where I once saw a soulmate.
- It breaks my heart."

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

Lilly's POV

"Dad, why did you do that!" I snapped as I rushed forward toward Christian, unable to comprehend what just happened.

I expected his anger, but not his violence toward this.

Christian whipped the blood from the side of his mouth before his eyes fell back on my dad, the muscles of his jaw worked, "I get how this looks like," He said, taking a step forward toward dad and I pulled at his sleeves as not to get close again, "But I am serious about everything that concerns your daughter."

Dad's anger seemed to only multiply, "Serious you say?" He grated out in mockery and pointed at the door, "Get the fuck out of here and stay the hell away from her, or else your jaw isn't the only thing I will be breaking."

I felt Christian is about to talk again and defend his intentions, but I pulled at his arm, stopping him, or else dad really won't stop, "Christian, just go," I urged and when his eye fell on me, I silently begged him to leave.

I swallowed hard and nodded, silently telling him that I will deal with this. A low breath left his lungs and with one last glance toward dad, he turned around and left. I closed the door behind him, and when I turned around, my eyes fell on dad's furious ones, "Seriously Lilly, dating your damn professor?"

"What the hell is your problem?" He snapped, raking his hand through his hair in frustration.

I was furious as well, "Oh no, don't turn this around," I shook my head, "What was the point of that now, huh?" I shot out, my eyebrow raising, bewildered at how he just punched him.

"You're not seeing him ever again, you get that?" He stressed out, "Even if I have to drag you with me back to LA, I will, if you don't stop this bullshit you are pulling right now!"

"It's not bullshit!" I shot out, "It's a relationship, Christian is my boyfriend and you have no right to do what you just did!"

"Stop calling him that!" His voice bellowed and hit the four walls. Seconds and he was in my face, crowding me. My eyes widened at the harshness in his voice and eyes, "I have the right to do whatever I please with him, when he's trying to take advantage of my daughter-"

"He is not!"

"Don't be so damn stupid, Lilly, he is your..." He rushed a hand over his face, unable to handle the topic, "He is your fucking professor!"

"Well, in less than a year when I graduate, he wouldn't be anymore, so what will be your excuse then?" I pointed out, my eyebrow raised, challenging him, "Dad, you will do this same exact thing with whoever I am going to date, for god's sake, even with Chase, who you know and care about, you didn't accept our relation!"

"These are two very different things!"

I shook my head, "No, no, it's the same, you'll never accept me dating anyone, you are always way too overprotective for no apparent reason," I was fed up with his attitude toward me dating, "I know Christian for over a year by now," I stated, "He's not taking advantages of me," I shook my head again, "And no matter what you say, I am not gonna stop seeing him!"

I added and went to my room, slamming the door behind me, and not giving up to his wishes.

A couple of minutes later and I heard the main door slam shut. I took that as my chance, I changed my clothes and left the house right away, heading to Christian's place because I am sure as hell dad is trying to find out where he is staying and he will go there to threaten or probably punch him again.

I unlocked the door and walked inside, "Christian?" I called out for him as eyes drifted around searching. He walked out of his room and when my eyes fell on the now visible bruise over his jaw, I immediately moved forward to his side, worry and guilt already eating up at my inside.

On instinct, my hand went there and I shook my head, "I am so sorry," I mumbled, brushing my fingers beside his lips and over his jaw.

He shook his head, "It's not your fault," He mumbled, a low sigh parted his lips as his eyes took me in, "And I kind of get where your father is coming from, a professor dating his student, it doesn't give me the best of reputations."

"Still, he wasn't supposed to do that," I mumbled as I placed my arms around his neck, my eyes focused on the bruise as I added, "Are you going to...to do what he said and stay away?"

He shook his head, his hand went to my chin, lifting it up so I could meet his eyes, "No, never, I meant it, Lilly, I am serious about you," He brushed his thumb over the side of my chin, "No one can keep me away from you."

"Okay?" He asked, taking assurance from my side.

I nodded, "Okay."

He leaned down and gave me a small kiss, he sucked into a deep breath and when his eyes stared into mine, they were a bit sad, "I love you," He confessed, knocking every breath out of my lungs again.

Before I could plan what to say or how to divert the conversation somewhere else, Christian shook his head, as if reading my thoughts, "I know you are not ready to say it back yet and it's okay," He added, and my chest squeezed at his level of understanding, "I just wanted you to know."

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

Alex's POV

"Seriously Noah, I told you to keep an eye on her without her noticing and you took that as go and be her friend for god's sake!" I asked in disbelief, the news I am receiving this day are just too fucking much.

Noah gulped down, "It's not like I did it on purpose," He started to defend himself, "She caught me one day and after that, she started to notice me everywhere around her and would always talk and sit with me, she practically forced me to become her friend," Oh god this girl, she took this over-friendliness from me, she trusts way too easily which is very dangerous.

I facepalmed, "Unbelievable!"

"But it was actually better to be her friend, it made me closer to her and more aware of what she does and who she meets, made it easier to make sure she is safe," He added and the rage rushing against my chest since the morning made me want to punch him.

My eyebrow raised, "What about when she discovers I hired you to be her bodyguard?"

He shook his head, "That would never happen."

I raked my hand through my hair, my nerves wringing me tight, "What about this fucking Christian?" I asked, shooting him a glare, "Why didn't you ever mention him?"

"You said only when something dangerous happens to tell you, I looked him up the first day she met him," He shook his head, "There is nothing suspicious about him."

"What about the fact he is her damn professor?" The thought alone had my blood boiling again, "That alone is red flags all over the place!"

Noah stayed silent and I shook my head, "Something about him is just not right, go and get me everything you can find, and by everything I mean from the moment he was born up till this day."

He nodded and I added, "Do you know where he lives?"

"Yeah, of course."

"Cool, let's pay Mr. professor a visit then," I added as I rolled the sleeves of my shirt up, that one punch didn't relieve me, I need to make sure he stays as far as possible from her.

Noah gave me the address and when I arrived there, I wanted to slam the door of his apartment open, but decided to be civil for the moment and I knocked, the plan is simple; threaten him, if it doesn't work, then kill him.

A few seconds later and he opened the door, his eyes grew a bit wide at my sight, and without waiting for him to say anything, I pushed past him and walked inside.

He closed the door and followed, I turned to face him and his eyes briefly drifted behind me then back to my face, "Let's get into business right away, you either break up and stay away from my daughter or I will end your whole damn career," I didn't come here to play around the bush, "The faculty would have a blast knowing you're going after your students," At my words, I noticed how his face fell down immediately, "Your job, your projects, everything you worked for will go to waste, and I will make sure no other university takes you in," My jaw worked, trying to keep calm and not put his head through the wall, "So what do you say...Christian?"

He stayed silent for a second or two, his eyes on me, assessing my words before he shook his head, "You wouldn't do that, you wouldn't throw your daughter under the bus with me," He commented, way too confident in himself, "If you tell them, you will hurt her as well."

The son of a bitch thinks he can play on my weak points, "There are a hundred different ways to keep her name out of this."

I shook my head and took a threatening step forward, "I wouldn't do anything to hurt my daughter, but I will do everything in my power to hurt you."

The muscles of his jaw worked and anger flashed in his eyes for a mere second before it disappeared, "I am sorry, but I won't leave her, do whatever you want, I love Lilly and I am willing to fight everyone for her, including you."

The nerve of this bitch.

"You see, I don't think I made my point clear," I said through gritted teeth, no longer able to control my anger as my fingers grabbed the collar of his shirt and pushed him backward, "You don't have any other choice, I am not letting you anywhere near her again!"

"Well dad, it's not your choice to take either!"

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

Lilly' POV

His words had me snapping and I walked out of my hiding, unable to take it anymore.

My words had him leaving Christian and turning around, his eyes wide as they fell on me, "Lilly, what the hell are you doing here?" He snapped.

I ignored his question and walked forward, "You want to tell the department about him, okay do it, but be sure that I will go and say it's me," I said, "If you're gonna drag his reputation down, you will be dragging mine along with it."

I shook my head, "I am not gonna let you do that," I said, "Because, it's my life, whether I am gonna be with him or not, it's my decision and you can't...you just can't keep controlling my life forever!"

"Lilly, you are driving me insane, what you are doing is wrong, so do-"

"No, it is not wrong!"Anger and hurt clouded my chest at the way he's dealing with this, "Christian loves me and I love him as well, there is nothing wrong with that!"

Dad looked taken aback, so did Christian and that's when I realized the words that left my mouth. My pulse accelerated and anxiety at the whole situation grabbed my throat. Trying not to look at Christian, I walked toward dad, "Let's go back to my place and talk about this in a more calm and mature way," I shook my head, "Because dad, you need to accept this some way or another, I am not gonna leave him nor will he."

Air pushed out of his chest, "Are you trying to fucking kill me?" He hissed under his breath before he headed toward the door, purposely bumping his shoulder against Christian's, making him stumble back a bit.

My eyes drifted to Christian as his hazed gaze drifted from dad then to me. I nervously bit at my lower lip and mumbled, "I will talk with you later, okay?"

A small smile lifted his mouth and he nodded, "Okay."

I followed dad and the drive back was mostly silent, except for the annoyed breaths leaving his chest and the curses he kept mumbling under his breath.

When we walked into my apartment, I closed the door, sucked into a deep breath before I turned around to face him.

He immediately shook his head, "I am never gonna accept this."

My eyebrow raised, "Dad, is there any other guy ever that you'd accept for me?"

He rolled his eyes as I called him out on his illogical actions.

"It doesn't matter, I don't trust him."

"But, I do," I said and walked closer to him, "And he earned that trust, Christian treats me better than anyone, he never for once hurt me," I shook my head, "I trust him, so dad you need to trust me in this, not him."

He shook his head, "Lilly-"

I knew he was about to object so I interrupted him, "Dad, I don't like it when we fight, okay? I don't want us to fight over this, I was so happy that you came here to see me, I missed you a lot but you just can't keep doing this, it's why I left, because you're blinded by how overprotective you are of me that you want to control my life."

His jaw tightened, "Of course I am gonna be overprotective, you are my daughter, you are my little girl, if anything would ever happen to you, I don't know what would I do," Frustration seeped between his words, "Lilly, I can't lose you."

I shook my head, "But dad, if you keep doing this, then, you will."

Hurt flashed in his eyes at the insinuation and I immediately shook my head, I would never lead to that point, but I need to make him understand, "I don't want that either, because I love you more than anything in this world," I walked closer, "So please, just for once, have faith in me, know that I can take responsibility for my own decisions."

I edged a fraction closer and my arms went around his waist. My cheek pressed against his chest, and on instinct, his arms wrapped around my body. I closed my eyes, breathing some oxygen in, "If he hurts you-" He started, his tone threatening and I shook my head in his embrace, "He won't, but if he does, you can do whatever you want to him."

"I don't like him at all," His tone alone showed how much he despises him, which is funny considering he just met him this morning.

I pulled back a fraction, "Do you want the truth," My eyebrow raised, "He actually reminds me of you a little."

His eyes widened and he removed his arms from around me, "What the-" He mumbled, totally offended, "Don't you dare compare me to that bitch!"

I smiled, "Maybe if you give him a chance, you can see that, and probably maybe...you would like him."

His eyes grew even wide, "I am not giving anyone a chance and no way ever I am gonna like him, I am gonna watch every move he makes and if he dares, if he just dares to take one step wrong, just one, I am gonna kill him, Lilly, be sure of that, I am not joking around."

I sighed, tired with his threats, "Uh to be honest, when I was am going to come to LA in one month, we planned that Christian will join me and then I was gonna make you guys meet him...in a more civil way."

Dad shook his head, "No, no way, no fucking way he is stepping a foot into my house, you get that?" He said and I knew that one way or another, I will convince him, "No way, I still don't accept this or him, and I am gonna keep looking till I know every single thing about him," His eyes narrowed in suspicion, "There is something wrong about him, I am sure there is and when I find it, you'll see that not even you can stop me from hurting him."

"And I am so sure that you won't find anything," I said, confident in my word, "Christian is a good guy, dad." I know that he is. He is nice, he is smart, he is mature and serious enough about me to suggest meeting my parents, to even risk his career for me.

He cares about me, he...even loves me. I can see it in his eyes and hear it in his words. At the thought, guilt pressed tighter over my chest, sometimes he is much more invested in this relationship than me.

"Good person my ass," Dad mumbled, still not buying it, "I need facts and proofs, not your opinion, Lilly, somehow he got you under his spell but I am not stupid."

I rubbed at my eyes, way too exhausted with this topic, "Can we stop talking about this now?" I requested, "I am gonna get ready because I texted uncle Roman last night that we'll go and see him for breakfast, and I definitely didn't expect you to hit my boyfriend first thing in the morning and then threaten to end his career later and ruin our plans."

"Well, I would gladly do it again, and again, and again.."

I rolled my eyes at his endless threats and raised my hands in frustration giving up on making him understand this.

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

Alex's POV

"Alex, isn't it possible that you're just reading too much into this?" Roman said, placing the file down and leaning back into his seat.

My eyes widened, "Why everyone is so damn comfortable with this?!" I really hate these people sometimes, "Am I the only one seeing how wrong everything about this is?"

"Well, he is clean," He pointed at the file, "The guy doesn't even have a parking ticket, all I saw in there were just good things, great actually, he is a hard-worker, he is apparently very smart, received some grant or something and he's already a professor or something at this age, I mean, why do you hate the guy, he is practically perfect?"

My jaw tightened, "Other than the fact that he is dating my daughter?"

Roman rolled his eyes, "You really are just over-reacting," He leaned forward and took a sip of his drink, "You're becoming really obsessive you know, suspecting every person that gets into our lives, that's not healthy."

"Well, if the past taught me anything, it is to not trust anyone, and I don't trust this guy."

Roman sighed and flipped through the file, settling on one page before he turned it around toward me, "The poor guy is an orphan, both parents dead, grew up alone, yet still made something out of himself, I just see a good man in here, not a villain."

I shook my head, "Look, I just feel it, something about his face wasn't right," I mumbled before my eyes read through the lines over the paper, the ones describing how the parents died in a fire. I shook my head and closed the file, "And as if this information can't be faked, what if these are not even his parents, what if it is just a cover-up or something."

Roman sighed, tired of arguing with me, "Who the hell has the power to fake information going back to twenty-something years ago," He scoffed, "Maybe I can, Isaac could, but last time I checked Isaac is dead, and definitely not a simple teacher can fake this much, so stop suspecting every damn thing," He stressed out, "You don't like him just because he's dating Lilly, nothing more."

"I really hope you had a daughter instead of Wyatt so I will see what you would do when something like this happens," I said, shooting him a glare for spitting actual facts.

Roman shrugged, "Yeah, that's exactly why I taught my boys down there to give the Y-chromosome and nothing more."

I huffed out and leaned back into the chair. I rubbed a hand over my face, disappointed at what I found. I was really expecting something big, to find anything suspicious or out of the ordinary about him, but Roman is right, he is fucking clean. Unbelievable.

Could it really be just my over-protectiveness blinding me and my instincts that are telling me something is just so wrong about him?

But one thing for sure, I am keeping him under my eyes, I will watch every move he makes and he better not make any wrong one.

"Did Noah tell you what happened last night?" Roman asked.

I nodded, "Lilly being attacked?"

Roman shook his head, addressing the more important topic, "Lilly being saved."

I sighed and Roman raised his eyebrow, not satisfied.

"Come on, it was her birthday," I defended.

He shook his head, "Still, too close, too dangerous."

"Well, if Noah was doing his job right, that would've not happened!"

He nodded, "But still, we all should be careful."

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

One month later...

Chase's POV

"You think your dad will accept to be my reference?" Conner asked for the umpteenth time, "I mean I know that he loves me a lot," He added proudly, "You know that he once told me I am like the son he never had."

I lowered my shades and turned around, giving him the most unimpressed look. He just rolled his eyes, "Anyways, I really need his reference, this company I am applying for is really big news, if I get accepted, I would do anything you want," The security pressed the card, allowing us to walk inside and I gave him a thank-you nod, "I might even kiss you from happiness."

I winced at his words, "No, thank you."

He narrowed his eyes at me before we walked into the elevator, "Uh, do you know that..." Conner cleared his throat, "That Lilly is here in LA for the summer?"

I looked at him and nodded, "Yeah, my mother mentioned it the other day."

His eyebrows pulled closer, as if expecting a bigger reaction, "Do you plan on seeing her?"

I shrugged, "If we come across each other, why not, I am not running away from anyone," I mumbled, "I doubt it will happen anyway, I have a busy flight schedule this next month, I won't be around here as much."

The elevator door opened and before Conner could ask more, I pointed in the direction of my father's office, "Go straight, then right," I explained, "I am gonna go see Alex, I haven't seen him in some time, then I will join you."

He nodded and headed there as I made my way in the opposite direction and down the corridor. Just as I was about to turn around to Alex's office, I stopped dead in my tracks, my eyes grew a bit wide and the sight of her froze me down in the spot. Against my better judgment, the heart that felt only for her for so long, it skipped a beat, or maybe two.

It's been years...fuck, it's been four years since I last saw her.

Nothing would've ever prepared me to see her again after so long. Nothing.

She stood there at a distance by her father's office, looking at her phone and unaware of my presence. She was still the same, but yet so very different. She looked familiar yet felt like a stranger.

She lifted her head from her phone and looked around as if searching for someone. Same big brown eyes, surrounded with long lashes, but the look in them didn't feel the same. They are not the wild eyes I once fell for, they didn't feel like...my Lilly's eyes.

Because there was no my Lilly anymore.

She wore a little grey summer dress, and fuck she still is breathtaking, if possible, even more than before. Her hair has gotten longer than I last remember, it fell down her shoulders, with a bit of a wave in it, but there was no ribbon anymore. When we were still talking, she told me that after I left, she never wore a ribbon again. That they reminded her of me, that only I understood what they expressed to her.

Subconsciously, my hand went to my pocket, as if checking for the blue ribbon that I used to always keep with me, just as a reminder that there is hope, there is a promise, to give it back in five years. But now, my pocket was empty. No ribbon. No hope. No promise to be fulfilled.

Her lips lifted into the most beautiful smile and I followed her path of sight to see the reason behind that smile.

That's when I saw...him.

"Did you get lost?" She asked with a low chuckle.

"Kind of," He mumbled, looking around, "I took your directions and somehow ended up in the janitor's room."

His accent alone proved to me he is the one, the one I heard through the phone...Christian something.

You see, I knew that I was moving on in a way, because Lilly wasn't the first thing I thought about when I woke up, nor the last thing before I went to sleep.

But, there was always that part, that little boy in me who could never just let her go.

But at this moment as her smile grew wider and as she inched closer and her arms went around his neck, at this moment, as I saw her looking at him, the same way she once looked at me, that part of me moved on as well.

And I became very aware of the fact, that Lilly and I, we don't stand a second chance.

"Okay, let's not be close when your father is around," He said in horror, retreating himself back, "He is already waiting for a reason to kill me."

She chuckled, "I think I am gonna be here for a while, my dad wants to talk to me about this new project and me taking on it after I graduate or something," At that, his eyebrows pulled closer, "You still didn't tell him?"

"Telling my dad that I plan to stay and work in London after I graduate when all through my life, I've been telling him that I want to work here and take after him, that's gonna be a bit hard," She mumbled and shook her head, "He is still recovering from knowing about you, I will take this step by step."

Her words were like another punch straight to my chest and I immediately turned around and walked away, not having it in me to witness more.

She is even planning on staying there...for him. She didn't even consider that option for us when I went away.

I scoffed. Today just keeps showing me that I made the right choice of trying to move on.

I exited the building and headed to the parking lot. I stood by my car and texted Conner that I will be waiting for him down here. Now, the last thing I want is to run into her, or come face to face at this point. I don't know how I will react, or how will she.

I leaned against the car's door and looked up at the sky, the summer's sun was up and high, but its warmth wasn't enough to take away the coldness seeping across my chest. When I looked down, my gaze fell on him, he walked out of the company's building and was making his way in my direction, his eyes occupied by his phone as he headed to the car parked right in front of mine.

My jaw tightened and I wished it wouldn't be too immature to go and break his jaw or something. He pulled his keys out, his eyes went from his car then back to mine before his gaze fell on me and he walked closer, "Excuse me, your car is kind of blocking mine," He said.

"It's not my car," I said, looking away from him.

Yeah, immature, I know, but I waited four fucking years for nothing, let him wait for a little.

"Do you know whose car it is?"

I sighed and looked down at my phone, "My friend's," I mumbled, showing him I am not interested in continuing this conversation with him.

"Can you call him or something?"

Without looking at him, I only shook my head.

Just when I thought he wasn't going to add more, "Don't think I don't know who you are," his comment had me looking up.

My eyebrows pulled closer and I straightened my back, "Excuse me?"

He smiled, "You're the famous ex," He chuckled and my eyebrow raised, "And you are?"

He gave me a knowing look, "I am pretty sure you know who I am,"

I took a calm step toward him, "Your point exactly?"

He shook his head, "Nothing, it just it took a lot from me to get you," he pointed at me, "Out of her mind."

"I am still not getting why exactly we are having this conversation right now," I commented, my calm composure the total opposite of the fire burning through my veins.

He shook his head, "Nothing, I just want to thank you," His words were vague, "Because of you, I knew what to do...and what not to do," He shrugged, "To make this relationship work."

He took a step back, still smiling, "Just stay away from her, okay?" He asked, "She's mine for now."

He turned to wait by his car, but something about his words had me snapping, my finger curled over his shirt stopping him and the second he turned to face me, I pushed him back against his car, and my eyebrow raised, my tone still composed as I asked, "What do you mean?"

His smile dropped and his eyes drifted down to his shirt, where my fist is and he wrapped his hand over my wrist and shook his head, "Go fight someone your age."

I pushed my fist against his chest, slamming his back again, "If you dare and hurt her, in any way," I stressed out, "I will fucking destroy you."

Then, I released him and that's when I saw Conner coming to a stop beside my car, his eyes confusingly drifting between me and him. I stepped toward my car, "Let's go," I said to Conner, and with one last glance at him, I opened the driver's seat and got inside, before I pulled the car back and into the street.

"Who was that?" Conner asked and when I didn't answer, he nodded, already understanding, "I saw Lilly upstairs," He added and my fingers tightened over the steering wheel, "She asked about you," He mumbled, carefully dropping the news on me.

I looked at him, "I will drop you, then I am going to meet Edward, he said there are a few things we need to go over," I said, totally ignoring whatever he said.

"Gotcha," he said, understanding my disinterest in the subject.

A couple of minutes later, I dropped him off and drove to Edward's house. As I was getting near to my destination, a car suddenly sped off from the right and took a turn right in front of me, the stupid Taxi driver's mistake had me instantly pressing my feet over the brakes to avoid colliding with him. Thankfully enough, I didn't as he sped fast into the opposite direction.

But, whoever was behind me wasn't lucky enough, my sudden stop had him bumping the car into mine from the back. The bump wasn't harsh enough but if it wasn't for the seatbelt, the reflex would've had my head bumping into the steering wheel.

I immediately turned the car to the nearest empty spot and went down to check on the other car's driver, the bump would've been much worse for whoever was behind me.

She was already down, I couldn't see her face yet but I was met with a mass of blonde hair looking at the back of my car, "Oh my god, what did I do?" She mumbled to herself, in panic.

At my footsteps, she looked up, "I am so sorry, I am-" She paused when her green eyes fell on mine, they widened a bit, "Chase," She mumbled, almost in disbelief.

"Aylin," Oh, it has been years.

I shook my head and walked closer, my gaze assessing her state, "Are you okay?"

She pulled the hair from over her face away and nodded, "Yeah, yeah, I am, I am so sorry, you just stopped and I was driving a bit fast and-" She started to ramble, a bit out of breath, "I will fix, I will fix this, I promise," She added, addressing the affected portion of my car, her eyebrows pulled closer as she looked at me, "Are you...are you okay?"

I nodded, "Yeah, yeah, it wasn't your fault, don't worry, it was that," I pointed in the direction of where that stupid taxi sped off, "It was his fault."

She breathed out and nodded, "I am sorry again, still if I wasn't speeding I would've been able to catch in time, I will fix this I swear," She added, anxiety etching lines over her forehead.

"No, don't worry about it," I assured her, "The important thing no one got hurt," Her tensed shaken-up state had me take another step forward, my hand went to her arm, "Are you sure you're okay?"

She placed her hand to her chest and shook her head, "It's just it was a bit scary, the way the car shook," She gulped down and sucked into a deep breath, her whole being vibrating with something like fear and panic.

"Okay, why don't you sit down a bit," I said, leading her way to the opened door of her car, she sat there and I walked back to my car and pulled the water bottle from the backseat. I went back to her and opened the cap before I handed it to her, "Here, drink some water," I added, trying to calm her freaked out state.

She drank a bit, and I noticed her shaky fingers as she held the bottle to her lips. When she gulped it down, her eyes fell back on mine and she offered me a small smile, "Thank you," She said, a bit of relief invading her tone.

"Sorry I freaked out," She pressed a hand to her forehead, "It's just I've had a long day and I haven't slept and now I thought I hurt someone," She explained and that's when my gaze fell down and I noticed the uniform she's wearing.

My eyebrows pulled closer, "You work for the same airline I am working at," I commented.

Her eyes grew wide at the revelation and they looked down at her attire then back at me, "You already started?" She asked, in disbelief.

I nodded, "Yeah."

She smiled and her head tilted to the side, "Congrats," She said softly.

I returned her smile and she explained, "I've been a stewardess there for almost a year now."

"Well, I just started."

She nodded, "I guess I will be seeing more of you now."

"I think you will."

I looked at the little damage that happened to our cars, "Did you calm down?" I asked, "Can you drive?"

She nodded, "Yeah, yeah, the moment passed," She smiled in embarrassment as she got to her feet, "I am sorry again," I shook my head, dismissing the topic.

She offered me another smile, "And it was really nice to see you after so long."

She extended her hand forward and I placed mine in hers, "Likewise."

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

For those confused about the timeline, if you calculate since chapter 31, Four years has passed.
So, one year separate it us from the time jump you all are waiting for.

And by one year, I mean one chapter, yup, the next chapter is the one right before the teaser you read in the beginning of part two.

Shit is about to get real!
Fasten your seatbelts!

So, whatcha ya think? Alex and Christian? Chase meeting Aylin?

Some of you are actually guessing things right. Some are wrong lol xD

Anyways, I think next chapter will be updated really soon! Then after it, I will go back into updating Unraveling him.

See ya then! Love ya!