What was I supposed to feel? 

Sad? Angry? Betrayed? 

I didn’t feel anything. Just a horrible heartache spreading from my chest to the rest of my body. 

I sat cross-legged on the cool grass, the wind gently blowing through the cemetery. The sun was nice and warm against the cold darkness of my heart. 

I looked up at the two tombstones, one had my mother’s name carved on it, Elizabeth Knight. The other was obviously the very real tombstone with the very fake grave, with my father’s name carved into it, Carlos Knight. 

Was it weird that I felt no connection whatsoever to both of them? Sure, they were my parents, but they were rarely ever around. 

I was toughing it out through school, picking up an interest in contract making and eventually law. I had a certain need and calling to protect people. Probably because of how I couldn’t protect my own parents from their own death. 

My parents were hardly home, my father was busy with his business and mafia dealings, my mother was busy being his shadow. 

I wasn’t the product of love, quite the opposite actually. 

After Alina left with Wilson yesterday, I drove down to meet my father. I was hoping to come to an agreement for him to leave Alina alone or at least find out what he wants from her. 

Instead, he told me the horrific backstory of how the death of our mothers came about. 

Alina’s mother and mine, he killed them both. 

The wind picked up and the sadness I felt wasn’t for me, definitely not. I barely had a relationship with my parents. But for Alina, her parents were her everything. 

Long after her mother’s death, she took it upon herself to prevent history from repeating. Hence her separation from Connor. 

How could I expect her to ever accept me? The son of a selfish, murderous, lying, cheating monster? 

"Did you know what a beast he was? Did you know how fucked up he was and still decided to be with him? How delusional were you exactly? Just how messed up were the two of you to end up getting killed in the process?" I asked my mother's tombstone. 

A light breeze blew across my heated skin, wicking away whatever bit of anger I felt. There was just no point. 

There was no resurrection for me or for my father. 

I got up, looked at both graves for a moment longer before shaking my head. 

I turned and walked back towards my car. 

The car accident my parents were in was true, but they didn't die. My monstrous father got out of the car and left my mother there in the wreck. 

The car exploded into flames and she was burned alive. 

And the fucker said it wasn't his fault. 

Wasn't his fault that she fell in love with him when he loved Alina's mother. 

Alina's parents and mine were friends. Great friends. 

Alina's father and mother, Alexander and Linda, fell in love, leaving my father with my infatuated mother. 

Clearly, there was already a problem here. My father couldn't get over Linda. 

One night after some drinking, my father ended up with my mother and got her pregnant. 

He wedded her out of responsibility, not love. 

At that time Alexander and my father were working on a new company. Doing simple accounting and financing for other companies. Soon it blew up and they got into the banking business. 

Both couples hung out more often, what with all the invitations to parties and social events. The more things progressed, the more my father couldn't stand the sight of Alina's parents together. 

By this time, Alina and I were in school. Though we hardly met one another considering I was three years her senior. 

I spent my time mostly learning about contracts and law, barely even staying at home because of how much I hated my parents' quarrelling. My mother hardly bothered with me, I was her key to my father. My value ended there. 

One day my father snapped, during an event. When Alina's mother left Alexander to visit the washroom, my father got her. He kidnapped her and took her to one of his secret gang's hideouts. 

Alina's father sent out a SWAT team to rescue her but in the middle of everything, my father shot her. 

He ran from the scene, his only response to it was to blame my mother. 

He drove home, picked her up and were yelling even before they made it out the driveway. I remember looking out the balcony, seeing them speed down the road and out of sight. I never knew it would be the last I would see of them. 

The very next day, Lucy told me they were gone. That an accident took place. 

I never knew till now that the accident was only half the story. 

Kieran's father and I sat across one another, each of us having a white leather armchair to lounge on in the living room. 

He didn't seem pleased that I confiscated his walking stick. 

It didn't matter, my home, my rules. 

He was the one that came here on his own accord. 

"You don't seem happy Carlisle, is there something wrong?" I asked. 

He scoffed and grunted, "I hope you've done your research on me, or I will be very disappointed." 

"Some research. I would like to know your preference though, if I should call you Carlos? I mean, that is the name written on your death certificate." 

His face scrunched up in a frown, as if wondering how I knew such details. 

Well, I do have a very capable PA. 

Carlisle was his middle name, ever since he faked his death, he's been using it as his first. 

"Do you want to know where Kieran is?" He started off. 

I kept my calm facade on, "I'm sure he's fine." 

He chuckled, "I can tell you where he is, but I need a little something in return." 

I gave him a good hard look before recalling what Scott said, to find out what Connor and this guy wanted, “What do you want?” 

“'Sims International', I want it.” 

My brows rose, “For Kieran’s location you want me to give up my father’s life’s work?” 

He grinned, “Correction, it is partly my work as well.” 

“You knew my father?” 

“I’m sure Kieran will explain everything to you once you see him, for now, I want you to contact your lawyer and get the papers drafted up.” 

I stood up and waved him off, “Get out of my house.” 

“I’ll kill you like how I killed your mother if you don’t give me the damn company!” 

My blood ran cold, “You what?” 

He ran his hands over his tired face, “That’s right, I killed your mother. I killed Kieran’s too. And it’s all your father’s fault! He owes me this company! He led a happy life while I had to hide away in the shadows!” 

I could barely breathe. Wilson was holding me, my head pounding hard at the revelation. 

“You killed them, my father did nothing wrong. He lost my mother but he never let that drag him down. He gave me a life worth living and I won’t give the company to you even if you kill me.” 

His eyes widened and he went ballistic, he charged for me but was held back by my security guards and Wilson shielded me with his body. 

“You’ll regret this you bitch! I’ll have Connor mess your whole life up! I’ll mess Kieran’s life up! It’s all his fault! I had to marry that stupid woman because she was pregnant with him! Linda should’ve been mine!” 

The guards dragged him out and they closed the main door. I instructed Wilson to increase security and to contact Scott about Kieran’s whereabouts. 

I went back to my room, closed the door and sank to my knees. 

What do I do now dad? 

- Kieran - 

I rounded the track and jogged back up to my house. 

After visiting the cemetery yesterday, I drove up to my 'floating' treehouse in the woods. 

It was absolutely beautiful, wall-length glass windows with metal support beams to keep the whole thing in the trees. 

The silence bothered me yesterday, I was so used to the hustle and bustle of the city that I couldn't think clearly. 

But when I woke up this morning, I finally relaxed. 

I caught sight of my beautiful fortress but froze mid-step. 

A silver Land Rover sat parked next to my matte black Land Rover. 

There she was, standing there in a white knitted top with black and white striped pants, looking as angelic as always. She turned upon hearing my heavy breathing. 

I swallowed hard, it didn’t take her long to find me. 

I strode up to her slowly, noting the iciness in her eyes. She stared at me like I was walking out of a kids’ storybook. 

I kept a good two feet away from her, “Hey.” 

Her voice came out in a breathy whisper, “Hey.” 

I had to clench my fists to keep from touching her, “Did anyone come with you?” 

She nodded, “I told Wilson and Scott to leave though. They’ll be back in an hour if I don’t call in.” 

We stood there for a moment longer, the gentle breeze blowing through the wisps of her hair. 

“Would you like to come up?” I asked. 

“If you insist.” 

I smiled slightly and led the way, up the black metal steps and into the glass confines of my space. 

Her eyes wandered everywhere and I stood back, watching her take everything in. She sat on one of the bar stools at my kitchen island and I went over to the cabinet. I grabbed a tea bag and steeped it in a cup of hot water. I gave the cup to her along with some milk and sugar. 

“Thank you,” she whispered. 

I started up the coffee machine and the wind from the open window breezed in. I was about to reach out and tuck her hair behind her ear when she spoke, “Your father visited yesterday.” 

My eyes widened slightly, “Are you hurt?” 

“I’m fine, Scott was there with his men like a battalion or something. And I talked to your father one on one, without his walking stick this time.” 

My gaze immediately flicked to her neck where the cut was covered with concealer. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know he would come looking for you.” 

"I didn't know you would leave." 

I sighed, "I had to." 

She looked around us, “Seems like a good place to run away to.” 

“Alina-” 

“Can I ask you something Kieran?” 

“Anything.” 

“Why did you tell me you love me?” 

“Because I do.” 

“Is this what you do when you love people? You tell them you love them and then leave to hide in a forest?” 

“My father killed-” 

“No, I’m not here to talk about your father. I’m here to talk about you, about us.” 

My mind struggled to understand, “My father killed our mothers Alina, I am the son of a fucking monster. You detest the mafia and I’m the son of a mafia leader. What else is there to say?” 

“Then why tell me you love me? You rescued me from your crazy dad then told me you loved me. What did you expect or want by confessing to me?” 

“I don’t expect anything from you-” 

“Then why?” 

I held her face in my hands and kissed her. Her lips were hard at first, but they melted against mine when I moved against her. 

She tasted amazing, I could never get enough of her. Her hands ran up my chest before pushing me back firmly, “Kieran-” 

“I told you because when I found out you were taken away by Connor, it was all I could think about. That I didn’t tell you when I had the chance. I swore if you were safe I would tell you and make it all up to you.” 

“By leaving me?” 

“It’s for the best darling, I can’t live with myself knowing that my own father killed your mother.” 

“Your father’s mistakes are not yours to bear Kieran.” 

“I can’t-” 

She took my hand and kissed each knuckle with a painful purpose, reaching the wedding band on my ring finger. 

She intertwined our fingers, showing me her ring that I gave her, “I love you Kieran. It doesn’t matter what your father did, because I know if my mother was still alive, she will smack our stubborn asses for letting his mistakes ruin our lives. You’re a good man honey, I know you are. You’re beating yourself up over someone else’s crime, you’re more precious than you think you are. Even my father has approved of you. If I can let your father's mistakes remain in the past, I'm sure you can too. I’m not letting you go.” 

I saw the determination and love in her eyes, the confidence in her tone. 

That was probably all I needed. 

I needed her and nothing else.