The sound of the waves was very calming, and the scenery was unbelievably inspiring. I curved the lines before adding the colours. It was coming together nicely, and I could only imagine how amazing it would be once Onyx brought it to life.

"It's four in the morning and the love of my life has abandoned me for a sketchpad."

I laughed, looking back to see him coming towards me. He was in his pyjama bottoms, his hair in an adorable mess. He looked exhausted, and it's understandable since he only came back at one in the morning.

"Why are you up in the first place? You didn't even reach three hours of sleep," I pointed out.

He shrugged, sitting on my lap. "My human blankie was missing and I had a nightmare."

"Get off of me you giant man," I complained.

"Only if you promise to come back to bed," he bargained.

"I'm still busy with this one sketch. I'll come when I'm done," I replied.

He sighed, getting off so that he could squat beside the chair. "Agápi mou, don't you think it's time to go back to New York?"

I had to scold the butterflies that appear every time he calls me that.

"That's the third time you've asked me that in three days. Why?" I asked.

"We can't hide forever Evie," he said, almost scolding me.

"We're not hiding," I denied.

"I'm not hiding. I'm just accompanying the woman who's hiding," he teased.

I smacked his arm. "I'm not hiding!"

"Then what is it? What is keeping you away from everyone for so long?" he asked.

I didn't want to answer that question simply because I didn't know how to, or at least I didn't know what to say. There was something keeping me away from New York, and it might have to do with the fact that the fairy tale ends when we go back.

"I don't want to lose you," I confessed lowly.

He caressed my cheek. "You're not going to lose me kardiá mou. I'm yours forever remember?"

He showed me the platinum band resting comfortably on his wedding ring finger. My eyes travelled to the gem sitting on my wedding ring finger. It's a silver halo diamond ring with a vine looking design on the band.

It didn't take long for me to figure out what Gregory meant when he said that there's a difference between loving someone and being in love with someone. I loved Cain without a doubt, but I wasn't in love with him. The way I felt about him is nowhere close to what I feel for Aramis, and the love I have for my husband keeps growing with every single day we're together.

I don't know how I survived so long without him.

He proposed two weeks into our 'mini vacation', and we were married two days later with the bellboy and the receptionist at the hotel where we were staying as our witnesses in Sweden. He added a similar band to my ring to make it a wedding ring before calling in a favour from one of his high-profile clients to lend us their island for our honeymoon.

We've only been gone from New York for six weeks.

"It's easy for you to say that while we're here, but Aramis our reality is unforgiving. I don't even want to know what our family members are going to say about our marriage, and not forgetting that you have a crazy woman who's after you. Lord knows what's going to happen when she finds out that you went ahead and married the one person who's probably on her hitlist. Oh my God! I'm probably on her hitlist. She's going to tell her father to get rid of me and then my life will end and you'll be left as a widow. I'm not ready to die. I'm not ready to gi-"

My husband shut me up in the only way he knew would probably work as his lips descended on mine. Without breaking the kiss, he got me to stand before carrying me all the way to the bed where we continued to make out for a while.

The fire never dies out.

"Have I ever told you that you panic too much?" he asked breathlessly.

I blushed. "I'm just worried. Sue me."

"I just might. You're worried for nothing Evie. We're going to face everything together. You just need to be prepared to fight with me; fight for everything that you want," he said, brushing his thumb across my swollen lip.

Ever since we've left, the only thing I've been sure of is how I feel about this man. He ignites something in me, something I haven't felt before. He's been the most amazing lover I could've asked for in all aspects. He is my happiness without a doubt.

I just lost confidence in everything else.

I don't know how or why it happened, but I found myself doubting everything. He's been there the whole way, so he knows all my insecurities, and I guess he's right. I do have to face my fears and fight for the life I want.

"Where do I start?" I asked.

He stood up, walking over to his laptop. "Knowing you, you probably don't want to talk to anyone until we get back, so I guess that's off the table. We can start with planning your launch. I mean, everything was already set, so it's a case of working around that when we get back, but you said you wanted to change the name you were going into the industry with. Do you have any ideas?"

"I want to come out as me, but I'm afraid of the kind of attention that will draw to my private life," I admitted.

"Then choose a name no-one would think twice to trace back to me," he suggested.

I sighed, getting off the bed to sit on the desk where he was working. "Trust me, I've tried."

"Well, I might have a solution. I'm proud of you being my wife, and it would obviously make me happy if you came out as Evie Van de Woodsen, so how about Evie Woods? It's short and catchy, and if people ask questions, I guess we can always link you to the rest of my family once they get over their anger at being excluded from our nuptials," he said.

"Like saying that your parents adopted me into the family because of how close they were to my father?" I asked.

He nodded. "It's an idea. If you hate it, then that's fine. We can continue brainstorming."

I leaned down and kissed him. "I love it."

"Good. That means the first people we probably need to talk to are my parents. Once we have them on board, everyone else will follow suit," he commented.

"Are you sure about this?" I asked softly.

He frowned. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Love, I know about your relationship with your parents, remember? Are you sure you want to do this?" I elaborated.

"I would do anything for you, and if it means facing my parents, then so be it. It's not about my relationship with them, so it shouldn't matter," he said rigidly.

I knew then that it was a subject I needed to drop. It's funny how you can get along with someone, until you find out that they've hurt someone you love. I have a huge problem with Grier and Garrett now that I know how much they hurt my husband, something which he doesn't know.

"What about you? What are you doing when we get back?" I asked.

"I'm thinking of settling in New York. It makes sense since I have a house there and it's where you need to be, so I'll probably be working to make that happen," he replied.

"What about your employees?" I questioned.

I didn't exactly know much about my husband and what he does before we left New York, and it's safe to say that I was stunned once I did. Unlike Cain who inherited his father's company, Aramis built his from the ground up, which is even more impressive.

He's the CEO and Director of the Board at AVW Attorneys. It's the number one attorney firm in the country with a branch in twenty states, and nine more offices in nine other countries. He employs a total of 3124 employees across the branches, and he's still looking for ways to employ more people.

"Nothing really needs to change with the employees. I'll alert the board of my plans to settle, and then send out an email alerting my employees. I'll still travel if need be, but I just won't be travelling as much," he replied.

"I don't know how you do it," I admitted.

Even though the States isn't where he's based, he still managed to build an empire there. It didn't take long for me to learn that the Van de Woodsens actually contributed nothing to Aramis' wealth. His grandparents put him through school, while my father put him through college.

They don't have a single claim to his success, which is why it's so easy for him to isolate himself from them.

He pulled me onto his lap. "It starts with believing in yourself agápi mou. I believed that I was born for a bigger purpose, and that nothing and no-one would keep me from that purpose. I had to push through the doubt, the illness, the disappointments and the failures, but I kept pushing. It also helps to have people who believe in your vision."

With the last part, he was referring to the three men who backed him with his first branch. All I know about them is that they're prominent businessmen who were friends with my father as well. He was also a member of the board but left when the whole thing with him and Aramis went down.

"Do you really think that I can do it all?" I asked unsurely.

"I'm confident that you can do whatever your heart desires," he replied.

I was quiet for a while. "What about Emily? I don't want either of us to get hurt Aramis."

"We won't. Leave Emily to me," he said.

"That won't make me stress less, just for the record. It's difficult enough that I've had to silently sit and say nothing about the fact that you keep disappearing," I pointed out.

He sighed. "I knew that was bothering you."

"Of course it bothers me. What sane woman would be ok with her husband disappearing as much as you do?" I asked as I stood up.

"Are you hungry?" he diverted.

"You're not seriously changing the subject right now," I said incredulously.

"I'm not. I'm asking a simple question because I feel like I need food if I'm going to be doing this," he replied.

"Oh, I'm sooo sorry that it's such an inconvenience," I sassed.

He got up. "Lots of bacon it is."

"Are you being serious right now?" I shouted as we headed to the kitchen.

"If my lovely wife could calm down, then I'd be able to explain things to her," he replied, moving around the kitchen.

I huffed, irritated. "I'm listening."

"Yeah, no. I want to talk to my wife, not this dragon lady who looks cute, but just isn't as cute as my wife," he teased.

I had to fight to keep from laughing. "Aramis."

"Evie," he taunted.

"Tell me what I need to know," I demanded.

"Or, you can tell me what you want for breakfast. Eggs and bacon, or cereal and fruit salad?" he asked.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "I'm warning you dear husband."

"I guess everything it is," he decided.

"Why did I agree to marry you again?" I asked dramatically.

"You wanted lifetime access to my goods," he joked, wiggling his eyebrows.

I laughed. "I hate you."

"Agapó agapiméni tou gynaíka mou," he said with a silly smile. (I love you my loving wife)

I had no clue what he'd just said. "I don't know what you just said, but I know it had to do with love and I don't remember saying that I love you."

He just laughed at me and proceeded to make breakfast. I watched him in silence. I was dreading what I knew he would finally be telling me, but I was also in awe of him. Aramis just never ceases to amaze me, and the fact that he's a pleasing sight to the eyes makes everything better.

"Are you now full enough to talk?" I asked. We'd had breakfast in silence and were now sitting on the couch.

"The food was for you. I've seen you hangry before, and it wasn't a pretty sight. At least now I've eliminated one of the two," he said seriously.

"That bad?" I asked nervously.

He pulled me into his side and I cuddled into his chest. "I honestly don't know. I guess it will all depend on how you respond to what I have to say. I don't want you to interrupt me though. Do you think you can do that?"

"I'll try," I admitted.

"Ok, I guess that works too. I've been disappearing a lot because I'm working with the FBI to take Roscoe down once and for all. I've been meeting up with a team of them, providing intel that I've learnt over the years from being around Emily. I ha-"

"No," I whispered.

"I have to do it Evie. It's the only way we'll be able to find peace," he argued.

"It's also dangerous. I can't afford to lose you Aramis," I said.

"And I can't promise that you won't if we don't do anything about Roscoe and his cartel. Trent also understands this, which is why we're doing everything we can to-"

"My brother is in this too?" I interrupted as I sat up.

"We figured that once he was shot, we needed to do something about it. It was a warning shot Evie. They want him to come back," he informed.

"Come back? Was he part of the cartel?" I asked, confused.

"This is the part I really need you to not interrupt ok?" he said.

I nodded and he carried on. "As you know, Trent's mom Elana, was your dad's true love, but she grew up in a really bad part of her neighbourhood. She was the daughter of a cartel owner, and when her father died, the cartel was passed onto her brother Roscoe. Technically speaking, Roscoe is your uncle, and he didn't like your father much. When Elana fell in love with Gordon, it caused a rift between the siblings, one that Gordon didn't know that he'd eventually pay for. There was a time when your father almost went bankrupt, but Elana came through for him. He asked questions but she wouldn't say where she got the money, until he eventually learnt that the money was dirty money from the cartel. He wanted nothing to do with it, but before he knew it, he'd been pulled into that world, even after paying off his debts. His mistake was thinking that by leaving Elana, Roscoe would leave him alone. Instead, Trent grew up being raised in two different homes, until Roscoe told him the truth about the Delatorre family. He didn't believe a word of it, which is when he came to me with his suspicions. I'd graduated high school early, which is why I passed the bar so early as well. Anyway, we conducted our own investigation into the whole thing and found some red flags in your father's business deals. What I didn't know was that Roscoe had gotten to Trent because I was so focused on finding evidence on your father. When the takedown with your father failed, that's when Trent came to tell me that he was leaving the country to get away from the cartel. Some years down the line, my private investigator told me that Trent was dead, but I guess he was just really good at hiding. When your father called me in to make up for what I did to him, the last thing I expected him to tell me was that I was right about his dealings all those years ago, but I was barking up the wrong tree. It took him a while and a lot to shake Roscoe, including making deals with other criminals, except with him dying, Roscoe was putting pressure on him. He wanted me to find a way around all his illegal dealings so that your life would be safe after he dies. He knew that the criminals would want to come and claim their cuts of whatever money you were meant to inherit, and while Bernard and I managed to stall that from happening, the safest way to truly secure it was for us to get married. While it's still your inheritance, it's now in my name, which means they can't touch it without causing drama and shining light on themselves with the feds," he explained.

I was speechless. I'd lived my entire life feeling sorry for myself, while my father and brother were going through so much. My father always made me a priority, and to find out that he'd gone through all of this was hard to believe.

"What happened to Elana?" I asked after some time.

"We're not sure if Roscoe has killed her or not," my husband said honestly.

"So now you're working with the FBI? Does that mean you're not getting anywhere alone?" I asked.

He shook his head. "On the contrary. Through all that I've collected, they're closer than they've ever been. I figured that going at it alone wouldn't get me anywhere, so I considered working with them, and so far, it's working. They have a full list of everyone your father ever made illegal deals with, and they've already arrested four of those people."

"How many of them are there?" I asked in confusion.

"Fourteen," he replied.

"With that many people, don't you think that they'll perhaps start to notice the trend and possibly trace it back to you? This is extremely risky Aramis," I said, panicked.

He pulled me back into his side. "Agápi mou, this is the only way that I can think of protecting you. I need to take this risk because there's a higher chance that we'll be free from Roscoe with him behind bars, than with him shooting whoever he pleases to get to you. He hasn't contacted you directly, but that doesn't mean that he won't, and the last thing that I want right now is to lose the love of my life because I didn't at least try to fight to keep her safe. It's risky to do this, but it's just as risky to sit back and do nothing."

"Why are you so stubborn?" I mumbled.

"Can't let you steal all the shine astéri tis zoís mou," he teased. (star of my life)

"I'm tired of living in fear of everything Aramis, including what Emily will do once she finds out that we're married. I don't want to live in hiding, and neither do I plan to hold back anything. If we're going back to New York, then I'm leaving all my fears and insecurities behind. I am going to be Evie Van de Woodsen, fearless owner of Evie Woods and wife to Aramis Van de Woodsen. We're either in this all in, or we don't leave," I told him.

"Kardiá mou, I'm with you whichever decision you choose. Like I said, I'm proud to have you as my wife, and we'll fight everything together. You're all I need to face the world and feel invincible doing so," he said before kissing me.

We spent the rest of the day in the bedroom, planning our future, making love and just being silly together. I'd like to think that we both knew that once we left, it would be hard for us to come back to this fairy tale life that we'd built for ourselves.

But we were ready to fight for it, and that's all that mattered.

We left early in the morning and my pilot alerted us that we'd get to New York in the afternoon. For the first time in five weeks, I switched on my phone. I had to wait for an hour before it finally stopped vibrating from all the incoming messages.

"Someone was missed," my husband teased. Unlike me, he had his phone on the whole time; he just chose to ignore everyone.

"If only that were the case. I'm looking at more death threats from your sisters than anyone else," I replied as I went through my messages.

He laughed. "I'm glad my siblings love you, even though they'll be mad at us for a while."

"They'll have to get over it. I'm honestly the happiest I've ever been with you, and if they make it about more than that, then it's their own burden to deal with," I said.

"I like this feisty side of you a lot," he said seductively.

"Keep your hormones to yourself Van de Woodsen. It took me thirty minutes to get my hair like this," I warned.

Like that stopped him.

By the time he collapsed beside me in the room on the jet, I didn't even have a hairstyle altogether, something he enjoyed seeing. He loves seeing my hair all messed up, especially if he's the cause behind it.

"I really do hate you," I said, getting up to go and freshen up.

"And I really do love your body, especially when you're as naked as you are now," he replied.

I turned back, raising an eyebrow at him. "Just my body?"

He stalked up to me, a mischievous gleam in his eyes. "I love your brilliant mind."

He kissed my forehead.

"I love that you see the best in everyone you meet."

He kissed my eyelids.

"I love how you always smell like berries."

He kissed my nose.

"I love that you challenge me with your smart mouth."

He pecked my lips.

"I love seeing you blush."

He kissed my cheek.

"I love how attentive you become when I whisper sweet nothings in your ear."

He kissed under my ear lobe.

"I love feeling your pulse whenever you're getting hot and bothered."

He kissed my neck.

"I love how your breath hitches in anticipation."

He kissed between my breasts.

"I love that you love so wholeheartedly, even when you're afraid to."

He kissed below my left breast.

"I love that one day, hopefully soon, you'll be carrying our bundle of joy."

He kissed my stomach.

"I love every curve on your body, big or small."

He kissed my hip.

"But most of all, I love how you're the only woman for me and I couldn't be more blessed to have you love me back."

"Oh my God," I moaned.

And the rest is history.

By the time we landed in New York, I was what they say, and excuse my French here, 'thoroughly fucked', and I can gladly attest to the fact that it works to relieve any kind of stress or worries you had. By the time we got off the jet, we were both smiling from ear to ear with no care in the world about anything but how much we love each other.

It was a cool day, and we were thankfully dressed for it. I was dressed in a pair of white ripped jeans, a blue shirt and fawn heels. My husband was dressed similarly in white chino pants, a blue jersey and brown shoes with a matching belt.

I had to bite my lip as I checked him out. He was talking to one of the people who work here at the airport, while I stood at a distance. He made the bold choice to cut his hair, and not many men can pull off different haircuts. The shorter hair works just as well as the long hair did.

"The poor man is going to fall over with how much you're devouring him."

I jumped and looked to my side to find Bernard and Gregory there. "Don't do that to a girl. What are you guys doing here?"

"We're here to fetch you since we're the only people who know that the two of you got hitched. I had to draw up your papers, and Aramis needed someone to shut Trent up, and who better than Gregory?" Bernard replied.

"You're mad, aren't you?" I asked them.

"We got over it when he told us that you're happy. He sent us a picture we're sure you don't know he took, and when we saw how true his words were, we were sold. Everyone else won't be as forgiving though," Gregory reminded.

"Like my beautiful wife said, they'll get over it," Aramis said as he joined us.

Bernard scoffed. "I'm pretty sure it was very easy for the both of you to not only say that, but to believe it as well. I'm sorry to be the one to tell you that you couldn't be more wrong. These people want answers. Cain wouldn't say anything about Evie's disappearance, and I don't know how, but none of them have linked your disappearance. They're all pretty much convinced that something big went down between Cain and Evie since he moved out, and now she's in hiding."

"That's madness," I commented with a scowl.

"It's all they could come up with. They didn't exactly have much to go on given the fact that they hadn't even spoken to you all that much before you left," Gregory pointed out.

"What do you want to do?" my husband asked me.

"I don't know. I thought we were starting at your parent's, but now I don't know. Do we tell them alone or do we call a meeting with everyone?" I asked him.

"Again, we're doing whatever you want. I honestly don't care much for this," he said nonchalantly.

Ladies and gentlemen, Aramis Van de Woodsen, ever so helpful.

"What do you guys think?" I asked my brothers.

"They're obviously going to be upset whether you tell them together or apart, so I would suggest you call a meeting and do it at the same time. It will save you time," Bernard suggested.

"I agree. You just have to pick a place and time," Gregory added.

"Is there anything going on tonight?" I asked, just for precautionary measures.

"Nah! Everyone's still recovering from Max's fashion show from last night, which by the way, you missed. They'll probably be free tonight," Bernard replied.

"We can't tell them at my apartment, and neither can we call them to the house," I said in thought.

"How about at your offices?" my husband suggested.

"That could work, but how do we get them all there?" I asked.

"I'll do that for you," Bernard said as he got his phone out.

"I don't know if it helps, but I'll organize drinks and food for anyone who doesn't turn out to be mad at you and instead wants to celebrate," Gregory said, making me laugh a little.

My husband wrapped his arms around my waist once it was just the two of us left behind. "Are you ready for this?"

"No, but I don't think I'll truly ever be ready. They're right in saying that people will be mad. A part of me cares that we were probably wrong in getting married without telling anyone, but the bigger part of me couldn't care less," I admitted.

"Just remember that I'm here for you every step of the way. I have a feeling you're the one that they're going to try and guilt the most because they know that I already don't care about what they have to say," he said.

"Can't I be the brute for once?" I whined.

He laughed. "I'm afraid not agápi mou. There's only space for one brute in this marriage."

"Se agapó Aramis Van de Woodsen," I told him as I caressed his cheek. (I love you Aramis Van de Woodsen)

He leaned in and kissed me softly. "Se agapó Evie Van de Woodsen." (I love you Evie Van de Woodsen)

"It's done. Everyone will meet at the Beautiful Sunshine offices," Bernard informed as they returned.

"And there shall be food to celebrate either your engagement or your demise," Gregory teased.

Aramis and I rolled our eyes at him. "Are you ready for this fight kardiá mou?"

"I'm ready to fight for what I deserve."