The third point of view:

Have you ever been so tired you have the strange urge to sleep three hundred and sixty-six days straight - the leap year added - without waking up. That was how Cecil felt that instant.

And to think she had been so serious about coming here? It didn't seem that important anymore compared to going back home, snuggling up to Emerald, and having a good sleep - where was this thought coming from?

"Cecil," Emerald leaned closer, his scent wafting into his nose and made her stomach do a backflip, "You were the one insistent on coming -"

"You smell so good," Cecil blurted out and froze when she realized what she just said. She didn't mean to say that... but he smelled real good. Gosh, Cecil, get a grip on yourself. This pregnancy was driving her crazy!

"Huh?" Emerald's brow lifted at that comment. Then, a smirk curved his lips, she thought he smelled good. He smelled good, huh?

"I mean, you smell ..... fine..." Cecil fumbled on her words, "Real fine... You know... Like no bad odor"

"A-ha?" Emerald gave her a knowing look filled with amusement.

God, Cecil wanted the ground to open up and swallow her.

And that exactly became Pedro's thought the next minute as he saw Emerald lean down and kiss his mother right in front of him.

It was one thing knowing your parents were intimate with each other and another to see it happen right in front of you. To make matters worse, it wasn't the simple innocent or quick kiss on the forehead or cheek, but a deep, passionate kiss that made him cringe.

"You can smell me anytime you want," Emerald smirked, pulling away from the kiss just as Pedro cleared his throat from behind.

"Pedro addressed them, "Mommy, father to be, I love you both, but please, no public display of affection with me stuck in the car with you guys, please," He felt like crying. He could never erase this certain memory from his head and would be haunted by it forever.

"Sorry," Cecil blushed scarlet red. Her son had seen that? How was she going to face him?

But she didn't need to worry about that because there came a knock on the side of Emerald's window the next minute and that was when it dawned on her that she was really in her father's place.

"Excuse me, sir " a man in uniform came up to them, "You can't pack here. This is private property,"

"You don't have to worry about that since we were just about to come in," Emerald responded.

"What?" The guard was confused. It was obvious that he had no idea who they were and why they were here.

"Go tell fucking Vincent that his daughter is here to see him," Emerald retorted.

"Emerald!" Cecil cautioned him on his language. She then glanced up at the man whose patience was slowly thinning out and chose to take over the conversation.

"Excuse me, I'm Cecil. One of Vincent's previous daughters - if you know what I mean. The black sheep? Ring a bell?" Cecil didn't bother to hide her ugly past, "I have an appointment with him today. So if you can ring up home, you'd see I'm right," she said confidently. She was the black sheep of the family, so what? She was happier and successful now than then. Hence no one had the right to look down on her.

The man gave them a long cautious stare before turning to the side to mutter into the earpiece and the next minute, the gate was opened for them.

"Told ya, doubting Thomas!" Cecil sassed at the guard who bowed his head as they drove into the lawn.

As expected, she couldn't recognize her birthplace; it changed. The huge historic building was majestic and stretched across many hectares of land, looking huge as a castle. When she was little, she had thought of this place as a palace and her as its little princess. But after eighteen years, she was returning to it as the castaway princess.

As soon as they stepped out, a butler - judging from his appearance - was there to lead them.

"Lady Cecil?" he asked, just to be sure.

"Yes, the one and only,"

His brows raised questioningly, "And they are?"

"This is...." Cecil hooked her arm around Emerald's, "My husband and our son, Pedro," she pulled Pedro to her side with a smile, looking like one happy family.

Emerald was surprised at that epic introduction. He was always the active one in their relationship, so her suddenly taking the lead role was surprising yet welcomed - this pregnancy seemed to be in his favor.

"Why do you ask?" Cecil went on to interrogate the butler, "Did Vincent ask you not to let anyone else in? If that's the case, then you should tell my lovely father that he can forget about our meeting today,"

"N-no, of course not, my lady," The butler refuted, "Sir Vincent made no such comment," He claimed.

Cecil saw through his lie yet decided to keep mum. She wanted to get this over with and go back home to cuddling Emerald - crap. Useless thought, go away.

"Let's go, my lady, shall we?" The butler gestured and with her head held high, Cecil followed after him.

There was total silence as they walked until Pedro decided to ask in a whisper, "Is this a castle?"

"Yes," She answered, pushing away the nostalgic memories that climbed to the surface.

"You are royalty?" Pedro was shocked, "You never told me that,"

"We came from a long line of royals," Why else was her father disgusted with her "indecent" behavior. She had tainted the name of the Vincent's and brought shame to her family. No one listened to her side of the story, they chose to believe the rich pretentious snake that came from an honorable family called Fernandez.

"Does that mean I'm a prince or something?"

She could already tell what her son was thinking.

"Trust me, you're better off without it. Besides, Vincent's all name and no power now. So no, that doesn't make you a prince, your ancestor was simply one," She explained, and thankfully, Pedro didn't bother her any longer until they came into the living room.

Upon arrival, tension crackled in the air like electricity as Cecil scanned the people around, who as well stared back at her like they've seen a ghost.

Speak about family and that bastard, Fernandez.