"And it's hard to hate someone once you understand them." ― Lucy Christopher

Zandros waited for his wife in his study. After dinner, he told her to follow him. According to chief officer Espiredes, Agatha decided to be a witness against Tara Asker and Dr. Lorenzo Agnelis for covering up the crime, and the rest of the nurses who there that day, after giving her statement on what happened that day.

Tomorrow, the police will go to the suspects house to arrest them and the reporters would surely sniff it and the news will spread like a wildfire. He needs to talk to his wife soon and let her know before she'll find out on someone else.

"You look tense, honey? Is there any problem?" Lauren walks in and gave their butler a sweet smile. The butler nodded and disappeared behind his wife and closed the door.

Zandros stood up and led his wife to the couch. He assisted her until she's settled and sat beside her, holding the urge to cuddle her. He needs to focus on the matter at hand and let his big appetite for her set aside.

"Remember when you deliver our first baby? When you always complain that your belly is too big and it seems like there's a lot of feet kicking your heart but the doctor insisted there's only one?"

Zandros started. Lauren's eyes turn misty as she stares at him adoringly. She nodded with a sweet smile. A smile of overwhelming happiness. "It was the best day of my life. He was our greatest gift," she mused and Zandros nodded.

He stared at her intently, while Lauren's eyebrow starting to furrow. He swallowed thickly trying to calm his nerves. He doesn't know how to say it, but he has to. He doesn't even know how will his wife take this news.

"Zandros?" Lauren regarded him intently, her eyes filled with curiosity.

"Alexandrous has a twin," he blurted out. He hated going around the bush.

Lauren stared at him, shocked. The blood of her face seems draining off. "Moro mou," Zandros frantically scooted closer to her and pulled her to him.

"How is that possible? The doctor says there's only one? Even the—"

"I know, moro mou," Zandros cooed, his heart tightening for his wife. His anger starting to resurface at the person behind all of their suffering now. "Remember, we were both unconscious? In the system, the next baby came out a few seconds after Alexandrous and he was named Alexandrine," Zandros explained cautiously. He felt Lauren's hands around him. Her grip tightening.

"I have another son?" her voice quivering, mixed emotions felt overwhelming. I can't tell if she's angry or happy, or sad.

"Yes,"

"How did we lose him?" she cried, her voice still low but broken. He felt broken hearing her, the tension air becoming thick inside the room. His heart bleeds for his wife. He swore he would let these people rot in hell.

"Dr. Tara Asker ..." Zandros swallowed hard as he slowly pulls her away to look at her eyes " she took her," he said.

Zandros regretted to stare at her eyes. He saw the pain, her soul shattering, the glow in her eyes slowly withering. "She's the doctor who helps me?" she mumbled incoherently. Zandros nodded, his eyes getting misty, tears brimming around his eyes.

"WHY?" the sternness in her voice becoming pronounced, gritting her teeth, she stared at Zandros hard.

Zandros look away. He can't meet her perusing eyes. "Why would she do that, Zandros?" she probes. Her voice is impatient and full of bitterness and pain.

Zandros reluctantly meet her eyes and stared at her apologetically. "She was one of my one-night stands," Zandros looks down.

Lauren suddenly froze. She was silent for a while which made Zandros feels all the more guilty.

Lauren stood up, pacing back and forth. She wanted to scream, to slap him hard, to kill. She feels like she's going to explode with all the emotions she's feeling right now.

She stops, Zandros looks lost and she felt a little pity for him. "Where is our baby?" she croaked. The lump in her throat getting bigger. Blocking her voice, she couldn't even hear her own voice.

"He lives with Dr. Asker's twins. Dr. Asker died a long time ago," Zandros responded softly. He looks angry and at the same time, guilty. The pain in his eyes is very clear. Obviously, he was blaming himself.

"I want to see him!" Lauren impulsively pivoted to the door. Zandros snapped his head in her direction and frantically stood up and narrowed their gap.

"Moro mou, you can't," he disapproved all too quickly.

Lauren stops and turns swiftly to face her husband with contempt. "Why not? I want to see him. I want to see my son!" the tears that she's holding freely rolled down on her cheeks.

Zandros wants to tell her that he hated them, but seeing the pain in her eyes, he decided not to. Instead, "I mean, you can't go alone," as he dried her cheeks with his fingers before giving her a chaste kiss. "We will go and meet him first thing in the morning. Tonight, you will rest," Zandros murmured to her lovingly.

Lauren burst out crying as she nuzzled her face against his chest. "I was cast out of his twenty-five years of his life!" she hissed between tears. "I will not let them after what they did!" Lauren punched Zandros' chest, venting out her anger all the while crying. Zandros held her, murmuring soothing words although he knew there are no soothing words would pacify her. And she's right, these people who brought this suffering to his family especially to his wife, they shouldn't live.

When he met the Agnelis family, Lorenzo was hard at first, denying what he has done but after blackmailing him, he finally admitted so were his wife. He begs for his forgiveness but Zandros won't forgive them. What they did to them is not forgivable. They took twenty-five years of their son's life away from them.

"I will do everything to make their life hell. They will pay for this!" Zandros grits out, oblivious of his hold that's tightening.

"Zandros, I can't breath," Lauren sniffed and Zandros automatically loosen his grip around her.

"I'm sorry, moro mou," as he kissed her forehead.

"How does he look like?" she asked after a while. Zandros led her to their room upstairs. He needs to contact some people from the Delta company, who became his friends as well because of Rafael Valiente. Isaias Vitale, Tristan Marconi, and Vitorino Luttrelli. He's going to ask help from them, but he'll need to make sure his wife will go to sleep first before he'll make a call.

..........................

"We will be leaving at exactly six tomorrow night. I'll see you at the tarmac," then I hung up the phone. I saw Vicky talking to a staff and it was obvious the staff was gushing as she spoke at her. My eyes darted to the TV screen at the waiting area at the lobby, the channel was on the international news.

A reporter was reporting something and it was hard to hear since the volume was low, but a subtitle was at the bottom of the screen.

I stiffened when I saw the name of Deshawn Prescott and it says dead. I quickly walk over to the screen and I froze to my spot.

"... Deshawn Prescott found dead in his room at his hometown at one o'clock in the afternoon. According to one of the relatives, he was devastated by his girlfriend's betrayal causing him to end his life ..."

"Xandrous!" Vicky's voice resonated in my ears and I quickly turn on my heel and approaches her.

Curling my hand around her slim waist, I blocked her from viewing the screen. "You look tense?" she looks at me with a furrowed forehead.

"I'm just tired, baby. Let's go back to our bungalow. It's been a long day today," I murmured and she nodded. I sighed with relief.

The news still reeling in my head until we went to bed. I don't know how to tell her. She'll surely blame herself. I need to do something before she found out and that news had it wrong.

FUCKING DAMNATION!

...............

"I'm back in London since Thursday and I'm bored to death here. When are you coming back?" Frankie's excited voice drags me back to her. I gave Xandrous a warning look as I tried to pry his hands off my body.

"HI, FRANKIE!" he said out loud.

"O to the M to the G," she exclaimed over dramatically "is that Xandrous?" she asked giddily. I rolled my eyes involuntarily.

"Yes," I let out a soft chuckle as I shook my head. "Hold on," I said as I pull the phone away and put on speaker. "There, now speak. He can hear you. You're on speaker," I said as I put the phone in Xandrous' chest.

We were still lying in our bed. I don't have an idea what time is it, but the sun is already up. We were exhausted for the last six days, doing skiing, SUP or stand up paddle board, we went snorkeling too, and night cruising to end the day. By the time we hit our bungalow, we are both burnout.

Today is our last day and I don't feel like leaving yet. My heart sunk at the thought of missing Xandrous. I've grown to love seeing him first thing in the morning when I wake up and the last thing I see when I go to sleep. It was the best feeling ever.

"Hi, Xandrous? When are you going to take me on a date, too?" teased Frankie. I burst out laughing.

"Silly! She's mine, bruh! Get out and find your own man!" I teased her back. She laughed.

"I'm sorry, Frankie, I'm already shackled!" Xandrous chuckles.

"You're so territorial, Vi!" Frankie's voice a little offended but I know her well.

"I gotta be!" as I rolled on top of Xandrous and place the phone on my pillow a few inches his head, while I lay on top of him, his chin under my neck. I could feel his lips occasionally pressed against my head. Xandrous' chest vibrated as he chuckles loudly.

I feel like I'm floating on cloud nine with overwhelming happiness.

"I'm sure. There's only one Alexandrous Mailov in the world," she giggles and I just shrug.

"Why did you come back so early?" I asked randomly.

I heard her sighed. "Mom and I had a fight," she simply answered. The way her tone guarded, I didn't press the matter.

"I see," was all I said, avoiding to sound prying.

"Oh, did you hear the news?"

"Sorry," as I shifted my head now facing the phone, my hands on either side of Xandrous. "What news?"

"About De—"

Xandrous suddenly shifted his body on his side with me as he spoke loudly, cutting Frankie. "WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE US TO GET FOR YOU, FRANKIE? When Vicky comes back," as he looks at me. His smile is a little stiff but his eyes held mischief.

I chuckled.

My head is resting on his shoulder, my face facing his bared chest, his yummy ripped chest laid before my eyes and I've been eye raping him since the day we arrived here in Bora-Bora, whenever he is shirtless. He gets a lot of attention since day 1 and it irritates me but he doesn't seem to notice that the opposite department has been eye raping him just as I do whenever we are at the beach, but he has his eyes only for me and that's a relief.

"Aww. That's so sweet, Xandrous," in her cute Australian accent. I giggled upon hearing it. I already missed her, her accent, and her sweetness.

"You deserve it for taking care of my Victoria!" Xandrous beams at me with adoration and my heart melted. I push myself up and kissed his lips briefly. I ignored the heating of my cheeks. Xandrous brushes the hair away from my eyes and tucked it behind my ear with his free hand then curled it again around me.

"God, you're are so sweet. Are you sure you have no twins?" Frankie asked giddily, obviously gushing.

Then I remember Taryn. The guy who looks like him that I met at the restaurant. "I actually met a guy who looks like him," I absentmindedly said.

I felt Xandrous stiffened. When I look at him, the smile on his face is gone replaced with animosity.

"What?" I mouthed.

He just stared at me without a single word. I shook my head and ignored his sudden change of mood.

"Who?" Frankie's enthusiastic voice increased a notch.

"His name is Taryn Asker, but I'm not sure if he's single," I responded quickly. Xandrous let out a strained sighed.

"Are you alright, babe?" I asked as I looked up to meet his eyes.

"Yes," but his smile came out tight. He looks bothered and absorbed.

"Why do you hate that guy?" I asked. I was thinking he's jealous but I can't think of anything he needs to be jealous of.

"He didn't do you anything. Why are you so pissed of to that guy?" I asked as I pulled myself back, putting a little distance between us so I can look at his eyes without craning my neck. I already forgot Frankie on the line probably listening to us.

"I wanted to tell you once we get back to Athens and to avoid spoiling this vacation, but since we already have this topic, I had Cassie's investigated and according to the CCTV of Pandeli, the guy Cassie went out with the other day was Taryn Asker."

"NO WAY!" I exclaimed, dumbfounded.

"OKAY GUYS, I guess I need to let you both go," Frankie's voice drags us both out of our own world back to her.

"Opps, I'm sorry Frankie," I said apologetically.

"It's alright. I'll see you soon, Vi," she exclaimed. "Bye, Xandrous," she added before hanging up.

"So are you thinking what I'm thinking?" I asked him. Since Cassie lied about being sick, I'm sure hell she can lie about the baby's father. She's capable of controlling other and she did that to Xandrous for a long time.

"It could be, that's why we need to go back. I need to start finding the truth instead of waiting. I've been escaping from my problems instead of facing it," he mused, reaching for my cheek with one palm, he caresses my cheek. "I'm going to clear all this mess and we will get married right away," he declared and I chuckled.

"I think, you need to convince my dad first,"

He pouted. "Isn't it enough when you agreed on?" he grinned lopsidedly.

"But the blessing comes from my parents?" I challenged him.

His smile withered. Like a lost puppy, he sighed, which caused me to burst out laughing. He looks so hilarious when his tough face turns out so soft and lost. Honestly, I could stare all day staring on his face, how it changes in a second according to his mood.

"Your dad is tough," he commented and I nodded.

"Probably getting you pregnant would make it easier for me to convince him?" he teased as he scooted closer to me and pulled me on top of him causing me to squeal in surprise.

"He'll kill me!" I chuckled.

"I won't allow him to do that. He'll kill me first before he lay his hand on you?" Xandrous said reassuringly. His palm cupped the back of my head and kissed me hard on the lips. Whatever I want to say muffled as he darted his skillful tongue inside my mouth.

Everything turns into a blur and the room then filled with thick carnal air, both lost in each other's arms.

......................................

Lauren woke up before seven too excited and at the same time scared to meet her son. They were supposed to leave tonight to New York, but after this news, she doesn't want to leave now. She will stay. She'll come and see her daughter or maybe Angelik can come home for the Christmas.

After finding about Alexandrine, she didn't sleep much last night. She wanted to see him right away. She can't wait. Her husband was still sleeping beside her. She knew after putting her to bed, he came back to his office and work.

She tried to stop him from working but he was unstoppable. He seems fully recovered now and she's relieved that he was fine after that heart attack.

Feeling reluctant, Lauren woke him up by giving him a rainbow kisses on his face. How she loved him so much and even after the years, her feelings for him never changed and she thought she even loved him as they grow older.

"Hmm.." Zandros curled his hands around her and pulled her on top of him. She squeals as landed on top of him.

"Wake up, please!" Lauren murmured.

"What time is it?" Zandros asked still eyes closed.

"It's almost seven," Lauren bit her lip.

"Don't you want to sleep more, moro mou?" It's too early and you didn't go to bed until one," as Zandros slowly opens his eyes and met hers.

"I'm fine and I can't go back to sleep. I want to go see Alexandrine now," she slammed down the bitterness that starting to lure her system, the anger that slowly resurfacing and the pain from the truth that she was cast out of his son's life for twenty-five years.

Zandros sighed. He nodded his head and gently shifted to his side and gave her a hard lingering kisses before getting out of the bed.

Meanwhile .....

Chief Police officer Hermione Espiredes knock on the door of the Asker's house. After a while, finally, Ms. Tamara Asker opened the door and was surprised to see the officer at her doorstep.

"Ms. Tamara Asker?" the officer asked.

"Yes," she replied, gulping inaudibly as she stares at the uniformed man in front of her. He was holding a paper and handed it to her.

"Ms. Asker, you are under arrest. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law," the officer said. That's when she realized what was happening. A couple uniformed policemen approached her with a handcuff.

"On what charges?" she squeaks trying to squirm when the two officer seized her hands and handcuff her.

"For child abduction," the officer briefly said and motioned the two to take the suspects to their patrol car. Some of the people from the neighborhood are now watching. Ms. Asker's head was hanging down to avoid the scrutinizing look shooting at her by her neighbors as the two officer drags her to the their car park in her driveway.

Just as the three police office got inside the car together with Ms. Asker, a group of reporters in a minivan approaching.

......................

Zandros looks at the address in his phone. Taryn Asker's new property. The Season's Condominium.

"Let's go," Lauren's excited voice drags him back to her presence. The car door was open waiting for them to climbed out of the Lincoln small limo.

Zandros led Lauren to the entrance, holding her by her waist. The guard in green suit tip his head slightly as he greeted them in Greek.

Zandros responded tartly and told them he's here to meet Taryn Asker. The guard recognized Zandros, so he ushered him and his wife to the empty elevator and even punched the top floor button for them.

After Zandros thank him, the guard left swiftly. The elevator moves up smoothly. Lauren's heart starting to drum. She doesn't know what to feel and she felt the tears starting to well up under her eyelids.

"I'm scared!" she murmured softly,

Zandros squeeze her waist, murmuring soothing words to relax her, but deep within him, he was scared as well of the what might his son's reaction of their sudden visit.

He just hope he'll be polite to face Lauren or it will hurt her to hell and he can't stand that.

The elevator stops and the door seem to go in a slow motion as it slides open. Lauren felt rooted as she watches the door opens. She suddenly felt terrified and reluctant. Zandros felt her body went rigid.