"I think I need to sit down", I say while actually making my way to couch with a glass of wine in my hand.

What the hell is Larry saying? How could he have known? And why didn't he make the news public.

"Well how did you know about this?", Nicholas asks with his hands in his pocket.

"If your memory serves well Samantha, you'll remember that the night of the murder you were about to call 911", Larry starts as he takes his sit as well with the everyone else just standing.

"Well yes I remember but it wasn't me if I remember accurately. It was Asher. He was fondling with the phone and before he could dial it, Mr Montero here snatched him up and well you know the rest by now", I say looking at my feet no feeling exactly proud of myself.

"Well whomever placed the call, it went through. The call went through and the officer on the other end picked and heard three people struggling. Your voice was heard obviously but the other people's voice not quite. This was swept under the rug because we thought it was a prank as usual and few minutes later a call came through and that's when the whole fiasco started"

"So what's your point detective?", Mum asks the officer not really liking how the other cops were rough handling her.

"Well it wasn't until a few months later when I was clearing old archives did I see a recording of the call and it didn't take me long to put two and two together but I had to get my facts straight and sent in someone from China with the equipment used in detecting voices and emotions"

"Wait, those kind of things exist?", Eric asks munching on pack of chips.

"Yes it does and when we played the recording over the machine, your voice was laced with fear but I couldn't bring up the case to the county judge because of the assumption that you were scared so I sought your father out to see if his money could help in any way and that's when the news of his death rocks the world. I knew something was fishy so I called my Uncle who works as a majordomo in the Mafia city and he told me Mr Montero here didn't really die. It was just a ploy to get off grid", Larry says as if to conclude.

"That's it?", Damien asks with his arms at akimbo.

"Well not exactly", Eric says with a smile. All heads whip towards his direction.

"What do you have to do with this?", Nicholas asks with a little scoff.

"Well you see I don't just work for my father's company. I'm a Private investigator who goes undercover and when Larry reached out to me for help I couldn't pass it up.

"Mysteries keep unraveling", I simply state.

"So what's your connection with Larry?", Dad asks trying to loosen free himself from the grip of the officers.

"After Samantha bumped into me in the bowling arcade, I knew immediately who she was. When she ran off, that's when I got Larry's call asking for my help and I obliged immediately. I got intel on Jack here and I decided to keep more tabs on him and made him super busy at the office just so he'd be able to keep away from Samantha. I caught him calling Mr Montero one day and I tracked the call to Milan and well I guess the rest is history"

I smack him at the head and look really pissed.

"You knew and you allowed me go to an Asylum?"

"Yes just so I'd have more time to tail your mother around and map out her possible exit routes so she won't escape"

Well that makes sense to some extent.

"And what about you Nicholas? Did you have something to do with all these? Are you going to come out with some bomb dropping reveal?" I ask with a my hands flailing in the air.

"Nope. I knew nothing of this", he truthfully states.

"Well now that that's cleared up. You Mr Montero are under arrest for killing Asher and framing your daughter and you Mrs Montero are under arrest for abetting crime. You have the right to remain silent for anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law..."

As I watch Larry read them their rights I feel my eyes fill up with tears of relief.

I'm free!

I look at Eric, Nicholas and Damien.

"Thank you Eric! I would have probably been on my way to Paris or some European country if I hadn't bumped into you that fateful day"

"Well I'm glad. But why Paris?"

"I haven't been there duh", I say and wipe the tears off my eyes

"I missed you Samantha!", Damien says and gives me a bone crushing hug.

"I missed you so much and I'm really sorry for pushing you in the well"

He shakes his head and wipes away the tears with his thumb.

I notice Nicholas staring at me and I stare right back at him.

"Well I guess it's time for me to watch something that's about to show on tv I guess", Damien says in a poor attempt to excuse us

"Me too. Gotta go guys. Bye!", Eric murmurs and they both flee the room.

I roll my eyes and giggle a little.

"Those two!", Nicholas says with a smug look.
He holds my face up with his thumb and index finger and he searches my eyes for something.

"You are so brave Samantha and that's one of the things I love about you. Your passion to do things right"

"Thanks", I say feeling my eyes glisten with tears.

"So earlier you said something about the man you love leaving the country", he says with a smirk.

Oh right! I actually said it.

"Um... Yeah... Seems I did"

"Come with me Samantha. Let's leave together. I meant it when I said I love you and I want to spend every moment of everyday with you"

"It's been a long long long time since I've been with someone"

"Yeah I can imagine"

"Look Nicholas, you're a nice guy..."

"But?"

"But I don't know if I'm ready yet. You just found out about my fucked up parents. What if I bring all my emotional baggage upon you? I need to figure out who I am and who I want to be with. I don't even know what I want to do yet"

"Well let's figure it out together"

"No Nicholas. I mean why?"

"Why, what?"

"Why do you love me?"

He reaches for my hand and looks me straight into my eyes with sends shivers down my spine.

"Because you're different! You don't want me for my money or my physical attribute. You see me for me. The fact I had a wife doesn't bother you and you're so comfortable to be around me. You understand me. You comprehend me. You match my energy and most importantly, you truly care about my child."

"Yes but that's not enough Nicholas. What if one day you get tired? What if one day you look at me and decide you're tired of seeing my face? What if one day everything I do seems to bother you? What if one day you think I'm just too much or worse if I'm not enough? What happens then huh? Would you stop trying? Would you put in more effort?"

He looks at me forlornly as the tears fall from my eyes.

"I really don't know what happens then but I believe we will be able to work it out"

"I hate commitment Nicholas so when I go all in for someone I expect nothing less but I can't go all in for someone who I'm already afraid of losing. I love you so much Nicholas. I hope you have a great flight "

"No wait Samantha please!", He calls but I just run upstairs like a damsel in distraught.
I run to my room and lock the door behind me. I lie on the bed for Lord knows how long and just weep.

What really am I scared of losing? What do I have to loose? Did I make the right choice.

Now I understand why Love Stings.

There's one person I have to ask for advice and oh I'm not going to like this.

The next day I wake up feeling chipper than usual. I have my bath and just throw on a regular biker's short with a shirt and a pair of black boots.

I drive myself to the police station.

For the first time in a few years, I enjoy the autumn breeze without the thought of any cars chasing me. In a few hours from now I'm going to make an appearance on live television beside the detective as he announces my freedom. I couldn't be more nervous.

But first I need to make a quick stop to see mother dearest.

Few moments later I pull up in front of the station and walk casually into the station.

"Hi. I'd like to see Mrs Montero"

Soon after, Mrs Montero comes out in an orange uniform and I just smile devilishly at her. I take off my sunglasses and pop my gum loudly.

"Orange sure does look nice on you doesn't it?", I say with a smirk.

"What do you want Nadine?"

"How does it feel being put in the same cell I was put in", I ask gently.

"Why are you here?"

"Why did you support dad through everything?", I ask trying to get some bit of closure.

"You may not understand it now and I really don't expect you to. I love your father very much and for him I'd go to hell and come back"

"Well that's a bit extreme" I say with a very scornful look.

"And what about Nicholas? I heard you say you love him yesterday", she says.

"Well he's okay. He leaves tonight though"

"Well when's he coming back?"

"Never I guess. I pushed him away"

"You should go after him. He's the one person that kept you sane during your days in the Asylum. He kept coming to see you. Bringing you your favorite cookies. Reading you books. He even brought his child with him once and that's something you're never going to get anywhere. You just have to ask yourself if you can live without him" she says and asks the guard to escort her back to the cell.

"Oh hi Sam, glad I caught you. Your expertise in disguises and hiding and multiple languages has made the Chief of the FBI to consider you for a new private investigator", Detective Larry states

"What? I know nothing about crime stuff. I know football though ", I say with a smug smile as we get ready to appear on TV.

"That's why your first case is to disguise as a pro footballer on the Mexican team to help us catch a woman named Lauren Dash who has been on the run for six months... Well if you agree you'll be filled in on the details", he says smiling at me.

"Do I get to play?" I ask and he nods. I just smile in agreement and shake his hand.

This could be a whole new chapter for me. Catching bad guys and playing football. Isn't this exciting?

But my mind keeps wandering off to Nicholas. Can I leave without him?

After fifteen minutes with the press. I race to my car in a bid to get to Nicholas before he boards the plane.

How could I have been so blind. Of course I want to spend the rest of my life with him. He has helped me so much these past few weeks and I'd be such a fool to let him go.

I love Nicholas. Oh My God! I actually do love him.

"Phew. I didn't know I could race that fast" I check my wrist watch and I just have about three minutes left to catch him.

"Nicholas!" I yell frantically and flag him down.

"Samantha? What are you doing here?" He asks holding on to Stefan.

"Oh hi Stefan!"

"Daddy look, it's the nice lady", Stefan says putting his arm up for me to carry him. I carry him gently and hold him close to me.

"In case you don't know, I have a flight to catch"

"Oh yes" I put Stefan down and straighten my dress.

"I love you Nicholas Macaulay and I didn't come all the way here to tell you that I can't live without you. I can but I don't want you and I'm really sorry for not realizing this sooner but please don't go Nicholas", I say reaching out for his hands.

He rushes towards me and gives me a kiss and I lean in towards the kiss too.

"Is that a yes?", I ask pulling away
"Because if it isn't I plan on kidnapping Stefan here" I say with a smile.

"Oh you can keep him while I'm away then but I really have to go for this meeting", he says.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. That's if you don't mind little one", Nicholas says ruffling the hair of Stefan. Stefan shakes his head and waves yo his daddy.

"Bye Sam. I love you okay. And I love you little one", he says going towards the plane.

We wave at him with huge smiles on our faces.

"So what are we gonna do now?", Stefan asks.

"Well what do you wanna do buddy?", I ask.

"I want cookies". He says childishly and I chuckle lightly.

"And cookies you shall have. We are gonna have so much fun", I mumble the last part out as I put him in the back seat and buckle him securely.

I drive slowly and carefully to the Montero mansion as it starts to rain and suddenly I start whistling...

"All around the mulberry bush,
The monkey chased the weasel,
The monkey thought 'twas fun,
Pop! Goes the weasel"

THE END...

A/N: Well this has been one incredible journey and I hope y'all really enjoyed it. What are your thoughts on this story? Feel free to leave your

Anyway... Thank you guys so much that have stayed far with me in this journey. Love you all so much❤️