I opened my eyes only to shut them back again, wincing as a searing pain shot up my neck to the back of my head.

Ugh! Hangovers. The bane of my existence!

I slowly reopened my eyes, blinking repeatedly to get rid of my clouded vision.

I had dozed off in the cellar last night after drinking more than my fair share of whiskey.

I stood up with much effort and then stumbled my way up the stairs and into the living room. I asked a maid to get me a glass of water and two aspirins, slumping down on the sofa in the living room.

"Sir. Medicine.", the maid said. I instantly took it from her and swallowed it.

My head was killing me. I should have never gotten drunk alone, I lost count of how much and what I was drinking. I closed my eyes massaging my temples, hoping for a quick relief when my mind suddenly traveled back to last night.

I had seen it.

I had seen the hope in Vanessa's eyes as she asked me what I felt, I had seen it shatter as I apologized, I had seen her try to control her outburst but lose it, I had seen her run out of the party, tears streaming down her face.

I had seen it all and I felt pathetic. I couldn't stop thinking about it so I drank a few glasses...or was it bottles? Atleast it kept my thoughts at bay but now a clear image of last night was back in front of my eyes.

A sudden laughter drew me out of my thoughts. I looked in its direction to see Charlotte and Bryan walking back inside the house. They still had yesterday's clothes on...they had been out all night.

"Adrian don't be overprotective! She is your older sister and he is your best friend.",Vanessa's voice echoed in my head.

Charlotte elbowed Bryan and then they both smiled at me awkwardly as I rolled my eyes at them, getting up from the sofa. It was going to really take me some good amount of time before I accepted their...um...relationship.

I began walking towards the stairs but Charlotte stopped me, asking,"Adrian, wait! Is Vanessa home?"

"I don't know. I don't think so.",I said, not looking back.

She would kill me if I told her what happened yesterday.

I went to my room, took off my clothes and turned on the shower. As the hot, steaming water soaked me from my head to toes, I wished it would drain away my memories of last night along with the smell of alcohol and sweat.

I ruffled my wet hair and slipped into a a black t-shirt and blue jeans and then left my room.

As I was walking across the corridor, making my way down to the dining hall, I stopped next to dad's room.

He had been home for a few days now. Considering that it was a long way to Mount Sinai and we could afford to convert his room into a make-shift hospital room, it was a good idea to have him discharged once he was stable.

I slowly opened the door to see if he was asleep. He wasn't. The nurse was giving him his breakfast.

I didn't want to disturb him. Well to be honest, I didn't know what to say to him. Ever since his accident, I had only been staring at his sleeping figure, avoiding him when he was awake.

Our relationship had been built on arguments and misunderstandings. Take that away, what did we even have except silence?

I sighed as I closed the door but it creaked.

"Paula?", dad asked, his voice hoarse.

Damn it!

"Ah! It's me, dad.",I said, slowly stepping inside the room.

He motioned for the nurse to leave as I walked upto his bedside.

"Happy New Year.",I said, trying my best to smile.

"To you to."

"How are you feeling?",I asked.

"I am fine.", He said, staring at the ceiling and then frowned.

I followed his gaze to the blank roof but he wasn't looking at anything in particular, he was thinking something.

"What is it?",I asked.

"It is my third day back from the hospital, how is it that I am just seeing you now?"

I gulped,"Uh..whenever I returned home...you were mostly sle...resting."

"You were at a party last night?"

"Yeah. The Crawfords."

"I didn't know their parties were so wild."

"Wild?",I frowned in confusion.

"You look hungover.", he said, his eyes falling upon me.

I clenched my jaw, shifting my weight from one feet to the other, standing there like some thirteen year old getting scolded for missing curfew but he said nothing.

He pressed a button on the side rail to incline his bed and then he turned to look directly at me, saying,"Something happened. What's wrong?"

I opened my mouth to tell him but no words came out so I looked away. I don't know what to tell him or anyone for that matter. Half of me felt stupid for what I did and the other half just couldn't.

"Take a seat.", He adjured.

I obeyed and he continued,"I know that we don't have the typical father-son relationship but still I am your father and I am more experienced."

"It's not related to business.",I said, shortly.

"Vanessa, then?", he arched an eyebrow and I choked.

How did he know?

He inquired,"You both had a fight again?"

"No. She...um...she asked me...if I had feelings for her.", I said, knotting my fingers while staring at my feet.

This is so not the conversation I ever imagined transpiring between us.

"And do you?"

I nodded, pressing my lips in a thin line.

"So, did you tell her that?"

"I didn't. I can't...I would if...I...",I had never found myself at a loss of words like this, ever before.

I drew in a deep breath and then finally said something I never imagined I was capable of saying or feeling.

"I like her. No, I more than just like her...I...I love her. I am in love with her, dad!", I said with appalling gravity as every second that I had spent with her flashed in front of my eyes.

My yelling at her for being late, the confrontation for locking me in the sauna, sharing my problems with her, having ice cream and wine while watching movies, the trip to Cairo and two incredible kisses.

Well, three...

Dad raised his eyebrows as a smile formed on his face,"I knew there was something going on between the two of you, the moment I saw that magazine cover."

I smiled remembering how easily I had denied my feelings for her back then to be honest, I was just pushing it to the back of my head because I was upset that she chose Blake over me.

"If you feel that way, why don't you just tell her?",he pressed.

At this, I looked straight at him,"What is the one thing that you have always hated about me?"

He didn't say anything so I replied for him," You have always hated my tabloid presence, getting labelled something everytime I get a new girlfriend. One of them was "The Heartless Playboy", the guy who dates women and dumps them according to his whims and fancy. He really doesn't give a shit about their feelings, he himself doesn't have them..I enjoyed being called that but...",I sighed.

"You think the tabloids are right about you and if you date Vanessa, you might repeat what you have done before. You are afraid of your reputation.",he completed, his eyes remaining fixed on me.

I nodded," I don't want to tell her because I don't how long it will last. Maybe I will ask her out now but later realise that it wasn't love and my interest in her was simply because she was hard to get or something like that. I don't want to hurt her and I so don't want to lose what I have with her for it, I can't. She is too important to me."

"When she asked you if you had feelings for her, what did you reply?"

"I said sorry and I left.",I said, pinching the bridge of my nose as he audibly sighed.

"And how did she take it? I'm guessing she is not at the Manor right now?"

"She isn't.",I said, slumping back in my chair, recalling how she ran out of the party, crying.

"Adrian, just like in business, falling in love has some risks too. Your relationship with her can end up like mine or Charlotte's first one, there is always a chance but if you are sure about how you feel, you have to take the risk."

"I guess you are right.",I nodded.

"Now go have breakfast and reflect on what I have said."

"I have to admit, you are good at giving pep talks.",I smiled, lightening up.

"You'd know sooner if you hadn't wasted your time arguing against every decision of mine rather than taking my advice.",he smirked.

"Well I am the CEO of Greys & Co. now and I guess if I don't agree with a decision of the board, which you are a part of, I should debate, right?",I asserted.

"There is a fine line between an argument and a debate and I am afraid you don't know where to draw it."

"I am sorry but I have been mocked by so many for your decision to send Blake's name for the businessman of the year, is that right? Did you ever think how it would affect me if you did that?",I said, trying my best not to raise my pitch, considering that he was still in bed rest.

"I...Adrian, I never meant for this entire issue to drag you down. You remember how you had claimed that you were going to win it. Confidence is appreciated, arrogance is not. It was life lesson you needed and I could see no better way to do it but I know it was wrong, you did work hard for it.", he said with regret-filled eyes.

"I should have never misbehaved with you either. I am sorry too."

He nodded,"You are too much like me and I didn't want you to ever repeat the mistakes I have made along the way but I am not the best teacher, I'm afraid.",He said ruefully,"I am proud of you, son. I have always been."

"Thanks, dad",I smiled, letting a wave of emotion wipe out the resentment I had harboured for him for so long.

I left his room and went downstairs, feeling much lighter than I did this morning. Either it was because my hangover had dissipated or it was because I had shared my feelings with dad.

Downstairs, as I proceeded towards the dinner table, I saw mom sitting with a familiar woman.

I took a seat opposite to them, keeping two toasted pieces of bread on my plate.

"Happy New Year! Is William here too?",I asked Kate who was sitting next to mom, sipping coffee.

She looked at me with tired eyes and ignoring my question, she asked,"Adrian, were you there at the party with Vanessa last night?"

Oh no!

What did she do now?

"I...uh...for a while. Yes."

"Did something happen? Anything at all that could make her upset?", she inquired.

Oh God!

I needed time to think things through, this was happening way too soon.

"Nothing that I know of.",I said, swallowing a gulp of apple juice.

She sighed, resting her head in her hand.

"Would Charlotte know?",she asked mom.

"I think that is a good idea.",Mom said, getting up to call Charlotte downstairs.

My mouth went dry. She had asked me about Vanessa this morning, she must have seen her crying. If she opened her mouth, she was going to land me in thick soup with these two mothers.

"Wait!",I yelped,"I remember now. People were pestering Vanessa about what happened with Blake the other night, I guess she must have been disturbed by that."

Kate nodded, giving it a thought and then shook her head,"Maybe but I am not so sure."

It was a very convincing reason, considering that it was headlining in the papers by now but if she didn't believe that was the reason, something was awefully wrong.

"Did something happen?",I frowned.

She hesitated in saying anything, glancing at mom.

"You can tell me. Vanessa and I are good friends.", I persuaded.

Kate slowly took out a balled piece of paper out of her bag and handed it to me, explaining,"Vanessa came home today, five in the morning with a tear-stained face. I asked her what happened and she just said she was tired and she needed to sleep. When she changed into her pyjamas, I took her dress for laundry and found this in its pocket."

I straightened the piece of paper and my heart stopped.

It was a ticket to London for four in the morning.

She was going to leave.

She was so hurt that she was going to leave.

My head became heavier the longer I stared at the ticket until it began throbbing. My headache had returned.

"Is she still home?",I asked Kate desperately, a sinking feeling enveloping me and she just nodded.

Last time Vanessa left, she was so heartbroken that she couldn't take it anymore, so much that she chose to run away and save herself from the pain of seeing the accusing faces of her family members.

She must have felt the same way now.

I needed to make things right with her.

I couldn't let my fear of losing her let her lose herself.

"I need to talk to her. I'm coming with you.",I stated.

I left the house with Kate, driving my Lamborghini, dangerously close to exceeding permissible speed limit.

Once I reached the Hudson Estate, I was about to go upstairs when I saw Vanessa coming down herself. She was wearing a yellow sundress, her hair tied at the top of her head in a sleek ponytail and a smile plastered on her face.

"Is my friend here?", Vanessa asked Nate cheerfully.

She actually looked happy...

"Just arrived.", Nate,who was sitting at the well-laid out breakfast table, said, pointing at me.

The moment she looked at me, her smile disappeared.

She said shortly,"Not the friend I was talking about.", proceeding to sit on the table, not giving me a second glance.

Who was she waiting for?

I grabbed the seat right next to her and smiled like an idiot,"Hey!"

"Hello, Adrian.",she said, still not looking at me.

"Happy New Year!", Nate greeted me and I returned his greetings.

"I didn't know you were joining us for brunch.", Nate said, subtly showing his displeasure at my arrival.

Considering that it was very obvious I was not on his side, it was understandable.

"Well, Kate invited me.",I told him.

"You did?", Vanessa's head snapped towards Kate.

"Ya...I...um...we were having such a good brunch and he hadn't had any breakfast yet...I thought it was only right to call him.",she smiled, dumbfounded.

We really should have thought of an excuse before arriving here.

"Can we talk?",I said, lowering my voice so only Vanessa could hear it.

"We talked quite enough yesterday.", came her reply, her voice devoid of any emotion.

"Look, I am sorry. I...", I began but she interjected.

"How many times are you going to say that before it loses its meaning. I hate that bloody word!", she whisper-yelled as she finally looked at me, her eyes puffy, red and angry.

"Can we please talk.",I insisted, taking her hand in mine.

It always worked on her.

This time, it didn't.

She violently swatted my hand away, glowering,"Don't!"

Before I could do anything, the bell rang again and she got up, looking intently at the door, with the same smile from earlier back on her face. It was as if she had practiced it before a mirror.

Nope! She wasn't okay, like I had misinterpreted before. She had a smile on her face but her eyes accounted for a different story. They were glassy, trying to hide her hurt feelings. I shouldn't have come here so soon. I was making things more difficult for her.

There was a commotion at the door and I turned around to see Jacob and Jennifer walking in, greeting everyone. Vanessa smiled and greeted them as well, though she looked dissapointed. She had hoped for someone else to walk through that door.

Who was this friend?

Soon enough Vanessa's entire family was seated on the table around me while Vanessa sat on the second last seat in the row with an empty chair next to her.

As we began eating the starters, Vanessa looked at her watch again and again, every two minutes, still not touching the food in her plate.

"I think your friend is a no show.",Nate mocked.

"Nope, she will be here any minute now.",she said.

She? I am pretty sure I hadn't heard about any friends of hers except Sarah, her secretary. She wouldn't call her secretary to a family brunch, would she?

"Who is this friend?", Jennifer finally asked the question I wanted to but didn't, considering how pissed Vanessa was with me already.

Before Vanessa could say anything, the bell rang again and Vanessa once again stood up.

"See for yourself.", She beamed as she walked out of the dining room to escort her friend in while we looked out in anticipation.

As this new arrival walked in, I heard all sorts of gasps. Nate even managed to choke on his salad. As he began to cough loudly, his daughter woke up and began wailing while I just looked at Vanessa with wide eyes, who had a mirthful smile playing at her lips.

What the hell was Vanessa upto?