As we approach who i assume to be Angelo's family, i soon realise that this is not just 'a little girl's birthday party', because there are more people outside near the pool and it looks like a full on party.

Immediately though, i recognise Alana towards a smaller group where Lora seems to be taking me.

"Here we are, everyone.... this is Marianne.....Marianne Wright...She is here with Angelo" Lora announces when we reach them.

"Oh my God! you came" Lana shouts.

She stands up, and comes to hug me.

"Hai" i smile, hugging her back.

"Wait, you two have met already" Lora asks, looking between us.

"Yeah, we had breakfast together at Angelo's apartment this morning with Lexi aswell." She grins.

"Ohh, at his apartment? ohh, ok" she utters in surprise.

"Well, this is Stephanie, Bella and Ivan's mother and also Ben's wife" She points at them and i remember him from the other night in the car.

"Hello" I say nervously to both of them. I can't believe Angelo is letting me meet his family on my own.

"Hi Marianne, good to see you again" Benjamin mutters lowly.

"Where is Angelo?" he adds.

"Right here" Angelo's voice echoes from behind me and I feel my heart relax as his hand wraps around my waist.

We sit down to chat with his family, and avoid the larger crowd, but several people from the party still come up for a brief chat before making their way back, and leaving us alone again.

Ben and Stephanie are the ones who seem to have the job of entertaining the guests more, seeing as it's their daughters party.

Angelo's younger brother Andreas joins us too, and it's interesting to watch how they all interact with each other as they laugh and make jokes about each other.

"C'mon.... Let me show you around a little bit" Alana grabs my hand and pulls me away from Angelo's side, who has had his arm around my shoulder this whole time.

"Don't take too long" Angelo murmurs as we walk away and i give him an eye roll.

Alana introduces me to some people along the way, letting me know everyone here is a close family friend.

Soon enough, we make it to where the children are.

"You hair looks so pretty...What do you call this style?" Isabela asks, after a while, touching my braided ponytail as i sit down on the carpet with some kids.

"Thank you very much, it's just a braid, i did it myself actually" i confess.

"Really? You did this?" She asks, a look of total surprise on her face as if it's something extraordinary.

"Yes" i laugh.

"Can you do mine like that too?" she asks, coming to sit infront of me.

I look at her jet black curls that looks like a lot of time and energy had gone into creating the perfect hairdo.

"Your hair looks so beautiful aready, befitting of a princess like you" i utter.

"No, i don't like it. I want to do it like yours......please" She pouts.

I look at Alana and she smiles at me apologetically, not offering me any support.

"Uhhmm, well, why don't you go and ask your mom, if she says it's ok, then i will do it" i say and she breaks into a smile and runs off.

Soon enough, she comes back a few minutes later with a wide grin on her face.

"Sit, lets get to it then" i smile.

*

I watch Marianne walk around with Lana, already feeling the loss of her presence near me. She looks beautiful, as she always does, my eyes cannot get enough of looking at her, especially seeing her here, in the house i grew up in. It feels right. We feel right.

I feel Mom's heated gaze on me and i finally turn to acknowledge her.

"What?" i ask rhetorically.

"You haven't brought a girl home in ages" She states.

"I know, she's.......special" i confess.

"Oh yeah? Well, I love how she was looking at you"

"What? How was she looking at me?" I ask curiously with a chuckle.

How was she looking at me?

"When you were talking or laughing, the way she would look at you so attentively, lovingly......i see it now how you are doing it too." she explains.

Not knowing what else to say, i blush.

"How long have you two known each other" Mom spares me the embarrassment by ignoring my blush.

"Not long....i mean, i am trying to take it slow, but it's so fucking hard to control, because we have such a strong connection.

"Stop trying to control everything all the time. It's nice to see you with someone again" She smiles and i return her smile.

"Where is dad?" i ask finally.

"Office, you know him" she responds.

Picking up a drink, i am just about to go in search of Marianne, when i see her and Lana coming back our way again.

"Hai" She says softly, sitting down across from me.

I pick up a drink and go to her side, sitting on the arm of her chair.

"You good?"i ask, putting a drink in her hand.

"Mmhhmm" she responds.

Soon, the group is filled with laughter and loud talk again, and i am glad to see Marianne relax and start to participate more freely.

"Hey, Dad wants to talk to you" Ben murmurs after returning from where he had disappeared off too. I stand up, giving Marianne a quick peck on the cheek.

*

Angelo is gone along time, but i manage to have a good time with the everyone, except for Alexis, who i am suprised to find isn't here after all.

Towards the end of the afternoon, i start to help Stephanie give out the party favors to the kids and we eventually end up in the kitchen putting back the remaining snacks.

"You know what? i am really glad to see Angelo finally move on with someone. To be honest, i thought he would never get over Claire. He just sort of shut down after her, and we all thought he would not date seriously again.....but he looks really into you and i am really happy for him." She murmurs absentmindedly and i stay quiet so not to discourage her.

"Although, i was a little taken aback when i saw you for the first time, because you know, you do look alike a little, as in the same hair and eye color, but i guess it's true that people have a type right?" She chuckles.

"Right" I murmur sofly.

I am not sure whether to encourage or stop her from talking.

Angelo has told me nothing about his past or Ex and so i am hearing this for the first time.

I am evading his privacy by listening to this?

"What was she like really?" I find myself asking despite my inner struggle.

"Uhhmm, well, i don't know what he has told you, but she was beautiful, with blonde hair and gorgeous blue eyes, a model actually with a budding career, they were the perfect match and after two years of dating, they got engaged."

"Sounds perfect." i murmur.

"Yeah well, behind closed doors, their relationship was nowhere near perfect though. There was alot of trust issues really. Angelo has always had a short temper, can be quite controlling and lacks patience, while Claire was really fragile emotionally. She grew up really spoilt and used to getting whatever she wanted, so they differed alot, argued even more, smashed things or property every time they got into a fight...i would know because Claire used to confide in me alot.

They dated on and off for another two years after their engagement untill...well untill she tried to kill herself, in Angelo apartment and she damn well nearly did, it was traumatic.....Afterwards, her family moved her away from here to Paris and that was the end of their story I guess. I haven't seen Angelo date seriously since" she sighs.

"Huh" i mumble, trying to process everything i have just heard.

"Come..lets take these outside" She changes the subject quickly.

"There you are"

I turn my head and see Angelo approaching us.

"You've been gone along time, i was starting to wonder what she's done to you? " He says, wrapping an arm around me and pulling me close to him.

"Stephanie and i were just getting acquinted." i smile.

"I can see that.....c'mon."

We walk down the hall and up the stairs hand in hand.

"Is this a government house?" i ask.

" No....private residence" he responds and i nod.

"This is your room?" i ask rhetorically, when we enter a dark blue color themed bedroom.

"Yes, when i am here. It's been mine since i was four years old actually" he laughs.

I look around the room and when i turn back to him, he is sitting on the bed and leaning back on his elbows, watching me.

"You look intimidating" i confess, as i lean against the wall by the window.

"Since when are you intimidated by me?" he furrows his eyebrows.

I think about it for a second, recalling what i just learnt about him from Stephanie. It's like they are two different people.

The Angelo she told me about does intimidate me a little bit.

"What did you and Steph talk about?" he asks sudennly. As if reading my mind as usual.

"Uhhmm.......?" i ask.

He doesn't repeat the question, just stares back at me and i swallow nervously.

"She told me abit about uuhmm, Clair" i say lightly, hoping it doesn't sound like we were gossiping.

He sits up.

"She has no right to tell you about that, that was not her place, or yours either for entertaining her" he growls angrily.

"It was just...she thought you and I have already talked about it and she was just trying to make conversation" i say defensively.

"Then did you set her straight? told her to drop it?" he asks.

"No...i.... I..."

"What exactly did she tell you?" he growls.

I have never seen him angry like this and it makes me really nervous.

"Not...not much" i lie, avoiding his eyes.

"Bullshit. You were gone for a long time, What the fuck did she tell you exaxtly?" He repeats and i look up at his furrowed brows and flared nostrils. Even the muscle on his jaw is flexing.

"Why are you overreacting? "

"Overreacting? I don't like people snooping around and going behind my back. If you want to know something about me, ask me, instead of gossiping behind my back" he scolds me like a child and i feel my eyes sting with unshed tears.

"Hey you two, i hope i am not interrupting anything" Alana pops her head through the slightly opened door.

"What do you want?" Angelo literally barks at her.

"We are all going to take a photo and you guys are the only two missing." She says slowly, looking between us.

I try to give her a smile but it does nothing to hide the tense atmosphere.

Angelo stands up and walks to the door, holding it open for me. I walk past him and towards his sister. As we go down, he walks alone and says nothing.

I steal side glances at him and feel really awkward.....It's really a bad place to have our biggest fight yet.

Was i really so wrong to encourage Stephanie's stories about him?

"Ahh, there you are...your mother won't stop gushing about her." Ivan Morreli says, looking between us.

I can recognize this man anywhere. I read and followed some of his high profile cases over the years, and it is so surreal to imagine i am meeting him now, even more so that he is Angelo's father.

The man doesn't have a friendly bone on his face, he is tall and big statured, every bit as intimidating as you would imagine a judge to be, but he is surprisely warm.

After meeting Angelo's father, everyone gathers for a family photo and i try to stay out of the way until Angelo pulls me with him.

"Come here" he whispers hoarsly, as he sits down on the arm of the chair that his mother is occupying and brings me to stand between his open legs, his arm tight around my waist.

There is nothing romantic about his gesture, it doesn't feel loving nor is he even gentle with his grip. It's just possesive, living no room for argument.

*

I appreciate how kind and sweet everyone is but everytime Stephanie comes near us, it makes me very nervous because i fear a possible confrontation with Angelo who has barely said a word to me.

"Alright, i think Marianne and i are going to call it a day" Angelo announces at last.

"Aww, you won't stay for dinner" Lora pouts.

"Not tonight" Angelo responds flatly.

Lora looks at me appologetically, his sour mood is not lost on her.

"Thank you so much for having me, and for your kindness." I say.

After a few more minutes of goodbyes to everyone else, and some extra added time for Isabella and Ivan who don't want their uncle to leave just yet, we finally head off to the car in silence.

The drive is equally silent.

Honestly, i feel really hurt by him. We have argued before, alot, but today, he yelled at me, it feels different. I didn't mean to snoop around his past and i am really sorry i encouraged it.

I stare out the window and try to busy my mind with the view from outside. He seems to be busy with his own thoughts too, because he doesn't make any effort to talk to me either.

Soon the radio silence is interrupted by a phone call, which he takes via the car bluetooth.

"What?" he grunts.

Great, his mood is not improving.

It's a woman's voice asking him to go somewhere right now for an emmergency or something.

He cuts the call and takes a turn to where ever it is he was asked to go to without even asking me if i want to tag along. My fustration with him takes an even greater turn.

After driving for a couple of minutes, we make it to a house that is surrounded by alot of police vehicles and media people.

I wonder what happened here.

Angelo gives them his name at the gate and they let our car through. He parks to the side of the driveway and gets out.

"I will be back soon, don't come out of the car " He says before shutting the door, his gaze lingering on mine through the window.

What else? Don't talk to strangers, don't open the door for anyone you don't know....? Don't breathe unless i tell you to?

But i don't say anything and just look ahead of me instead. I feel him linger, as if to say something else, but he doesn't, he walks away instead. He walks towards the house and i recognise Eva walk to him and lead him inside.

Soon, few minutes turn to thirty minutes, as i wait for him to come back, although i am not short of entertainment as i watch the frakus between the police and media people outside. I wonder if it's something really important and i should call Luke for a scoop or something.

But then again, i could just create more problems with Angelo.

Fifteen minutes later Angelo walks out of the house with another man.

"Hey, sorry that took long" He says, leading me out of his car.

"Look, i have to stay here a little longer. Lordes will take you home ok?" He says, leading me to a different car.

"Sure" I murmur without argument.

He opens the door but stops me before i can go in.

"Listen uuhhmm, we will talk at home ok" he says hesitatantly.

"Goodnight Angelo" i mumble and get in.

As soon as i realise the car is heading in the direction of Angelo's apartment, i tell Lordes to take me to my place instead.

*

As i sink into my bed later that night, i think about how eventful the day has been and take pleasure in actually being alone right now.

It feels like forever since i have slept in my own bed and i have to admit, it gives me a feeling of fulfilment and contentment being here right now after the past nights away.

But my fulfilment is shortlived, and i start to feel the difference from spending four nights straight in Angelo's arms and falling asleep to the beat of his heart, compared to the silence and chillness of this room.

I struggle to fall asleep and lay awake for a long time not knowing at what point exactly i finally found sleep.