"I'm going to go outside for a while." Mara said as she put her glass down on the table and got her purse.

I looked at her, a little worried. "Are you okay?"

She smiles brightly at me. "Of course. I just need some air."

I nodded my head but stopped her before she could leave. I kissed her on the lips without much hesitation, enjoying the redness of her cheek afterwards. "Happy Birthday, shortcake."

She looked down. "Y-yeah. Thanks." She said hurriedly and walked out of the place.

I smiled at her retreating back, glad that Alec is caught up with talking to some people. Glad that I got a few minutes alone with her.I just love how beautiful she looks even when she's all shy and embarrassed.

"I saw that." Mom's teasing voice startled me. She lets out a chuckle, amusement clear on her eyes. "I'm glad you're happy."

I smiled at her. "I've always been happy whenever I'm with her." I answered truthfully.

She nodded her head in understanding. "I know that, Dustyn. I'm your mother after all."

"Then why did you hate her so much before?" I asked. I know that Mom has gotten past that nasty feelings toward Mara, but I couldn't remember a time that she was nice to her before all this.

She smiled sadly. "I was scared, to be honest. I didn't want you or Mara or even Alec to end up hurting and even, hating each other."

I looked at her with confusion. "Mom, that's a really stupid reason, you know that?"

She laughs, slapping my arm lightly. "Yes, I'm aware. But your father and I, we were friends. Childhood friends. We never really thought we would get married but there were a lot of ups and downs in our relationship. A point where I really hated your Dad and never wanted anything to do with him. Honestly saying, Dustyn, if it weren't for you, I would have divorced your father."

Her words surprised me. This might not be the place to discuss this but; curiosity is getting the best of me. As I scan our surroundings, I noted that most of the guests are still out on the backyard. "But that would have never happened to Mara and I."

"I was irrational. I knew your love for Mara was honest and pure. I didn't want you to lose her forever. People make a lot of stupid mistakes when they're in a relationship, and sometimes, those mistakes lead to them losing the person they love the most."

"Like you and Dad." I mumbled.

She nodded. "Yes. But I've seen Mara grow, even if I didn't want to. And I raised you. So I know you won't be making the same mistakes your father did." She said, sounding proud of me.

"Thanks, Mom." I said, knowing all this time that she was just probably scared off of her mind that I would end up hating the person I loved. I look more of a jerk now, at how I acted towards Mom but glad that we had this talk.

"Of course honey. I have to go look for your Dad." She said before standing up and leaving to do as she just said.

Eros came over then engaged me in a conversation regarding the final preparations or requests with the flowers his company would be supplying and decorating the wedding venue with. He didn't leave out a single question as he wanted to make sure everything is in order. At some point, Aurora joined the conversation out of curiosity.

"Where's Mara?" Alec asked me as he stops and looks around for her. "I haven't seen her since the fireworks display." He added.

"She went out to the front garden." I told him, taking a sip of the drink in my hand.

"I'll go get here. People are starting to leave, anyway." He said, not waiting for my reply before disappearing from my line of sight.

"That's just like him." Aurora said rolling her eyes at Alec's retreating figure. Eros and I looked at each other and laughed.

People are starting to leave when we heard Alec's frantic shout. Our eyes widened in surprise, as everyone stopped their movements to see what the commotion is about.

I was quick to run outside, to where Mara went. Just in time to see Alec running to reach Mara who is falling quickly to the ground. Alec wasn't fast enough to catch her, as she falls to the ground, completely unconscious.

"Alec!" I shouted at him as he scrambled to get Mara to wake up.

"Shit. What happened?" Eros' surprised voice snapped me out from my staring.

"Call a fucking ambulance." I hissed in anger as I jog next to the sibling. I was close enough when a gunshot rang through the air, followed by four more shots. Shouts and screams filled the air as people run for safety. I run closer to Alec and helped him carry Mara inside the house to provide safety. "What the hell happened?" I asked angrily as I help Alec put Mara on a couch inside a room on the first floor.

"Ambulance is on its way." Eros said as he entered the room followed by Apollo, Artemis and Aurora. "And he already called the police." Eros said pointing to Apollo.

Alec still seemed in shock as he continued to stare at Mara's unconscious body on the couch. Out of nowhere, he punches a wall near to him with so much force it broke a hole through the wall.

Wide-eyed, Aurora carefully walked closer to Alec. She pulled his fists from the whole and carefully pulled him to the nearest couch. "If I'm not mistaken, there's a first aid kit in the bathroom down the hall. Will you get it for me Eros?" She asked in a low voice as she carefully assesses the wound on Alec's fist.

Eros doesn't say a word but does as his cousin asked.

"Punching through walls will not help you." She said in a condemning manner. Eros comes in with the first aid kit in his hands, followed by the paramedics.

"She needs to get to the hospital as fast as possible. She hit her head." I told them as they carefully put Mara on the stretcher.

After asking for some quick questions regarding Mara's medical history, they immediately made their way out and gave us the name of the hospital she would be taken to.

******

, not shocked to find Alec sleeping on the couch. Half of his body almost falling off of it. He has not left the room since Mara almost got kidnapped. He had asked me to worry about both of our business and making sure that I am as updated as he is when it comes to Mara's case.

Apparently, when Alec got to the front garden, a man dressed in all black, was covering Mara's mouth with something in his hand. Alec quickly shouted at the man which in turn made the unknown man jump in surprise at being caught red handed. He then let go of Mara but Alec's loud voice alerted the security and he was chased down the vicinity. That was the reason we heard shot go off while we were outside. They caught three guys that night. The man who tried to abduct Mara, and two men waiting in a van, not far from the mansion.

Mara is still unconscious.

It has been three days since she fell on the ground, which resulted to her hitting her head. But the doctor assured us that she's not in a coma. She's sleeping off the drugs that the perpetrators made her smell involuntarily, in the attempt to kidnap her. And the tranquilizer the tranquilizer that the doctors to administer to her when she woke up dazed, cowering in fear and even trembling. The doctors think that she might be in some kind of a dream where she's under the impression that the kidnappers have gotten a hold of her.

Yesterday, when I got here, Alec was sitting by Mara's bed, crying and begging her to wake up. I didn't have the heart to tell him that I saw him crying when he welcomed me with yet another smile.

"Sir Dustyn.." I turned my head around and was met by a tired-looking Emil. He has two cups of coffee in one hand and a paper bag on the other. "I didn't know you'll be here today." He said quietly as he enters the room and puts the bag on the table.

"I needed Alec to sign some documents since his secretary can't contact him." I said, showing him the envelope in my hands. Alec is pretty much living in this hospital room. Refuses to leave and refuses to accept any form of work that might take his time away from taking care of Mara. As a result, I had to practically take over his work in his company while doing my own work. Right now, I am the messenger for Alec when it comes to their family business.

Emil nodded his head in understanding. "He completely blocked his secretary."

I sighed. "That was not wise."

"If they can't do the work I pay them to do, then I can find a new one." Alec's groggy and sleepy vice caught our attention. "It's too early to even be talking about business."

"Well, I need these signed and I'll leave you alone." I told him as I hand him the envelope. "Will you please take a shower?"

Alec snatched the envelope in my hands and basically ripped it open. I can tell he's not in the mood to do business but since I am already here, he probably felt like he had to. "I'm clean." He said.

"But you smell." I said honestly. And just by looking at him, I could tell grooming is not a first in his priority.

He basically ignores me and asked Emil for the update on the investigation the police is doing.

"I think they found the hideout where she was supposed to be taken to yesterday evening. No word about the owner of the place yet. But I'm guessing it's not under the Natividad." Emil said.

"Well, get me my attorney and we'll work on the case." Alec said impatiently.

"We can't just go after the lackeys, if you know what I mean." I told him, as I watch him sign the last page of the document and place it harshly inside the envelope.

He smirked at me. "Who said I'm only filing one case?"

I shook my head at him. "I should have known."

"Yes you should've." He said confidently.

I was shaking my head at him when Mara suddenly sat up from her bed, screaming her head off.