I was surprised to see Mara standing outside of my office as I was heading back from my meeting with future investors. Dressed in a blue knee-length dress, she stands there with a beautiful smile on her face. My mood lightens and my tiredness disappears as I set my eyes on her.

I couldn't help but close the distance between us faster. "Why... You look beautiful." I said with a smile, cupping her cheek as I do.

She closes her eyes as I do. "Thank you. I was hoping we can have lunch together?"

I nodded my head then turned to looked at my new assistant, Millie, who is staring at Mara in shock. This is the first time that Mara has been here since Veronica resigned to focus on her pregnancy. "Can you cancel my lunch meeting?" I asked her.

She nodded her head. "Of course, sir"

"Thank you." Tamara said gratefully as I took hold of her hand. Millie hands me my phone and wallet, and I pull Mara to leave.

"How did you get here?" I asked as we ride the elevator down to the parking lot. Now that Alec has completely dismissed their bodyguards, and even let Emil go, there's no one following Mara around. She's on her own and I don't think Alec has even bothered to buy her a car in the past after getting her driving's license.

"I had Alec drop me off. I asked him to go check how Rory is doing with the wedding in two days." She said with a smirk on her face.

I shake my head, knowing that she's planning something to make the two get closer together. It's possible it's what she has been doing for the past weeks that I haven't been to see her. "You little devil."

She gasped, acting so innocent. "Who? Me? I would never." I watch as she breaks out in laughter and couldn't help but smile at the sight. "I'm just helping my brother out."

"And Alec didn't say anything?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

She rolled her eyes. "Of course he did. Are you kidding me? Alec never lets anything slip by him." She said sounding a little disappointed that her plan has been busted from the start.

I took hold of Mara's hand again as the elevator door opens. I guide her through the parking lot and to my car which was parked near the entrance. I opened the door for her and jogged to my side of the car.

"So. Where do you want to eat?" I asked as I enter the busy streets of New York.

"Is pizza a bad idea?" She asked, looking sheepishly at me.

I shook my head. "Nope. That sounds good, actually." I replied with a smile.

She grins. "Then you know where to go."

I nodded, knowing the only pizza place that she loves in the city.

I enjoyed my lunch with Mara. It was fun and relaxing. After we ate, I dropped her off at their house before heading back to the office.

The employees greet me with a smile, but a weird look in their eyes. It must have been the first time, in weeks, that I've come back from a lunch whistling a happy tune as I walk to my office.

"You look happy." Mark's voice made me stop from entering my office. I turned around to the direction of his voice and found him standing in front of Vero's old office. He looks out of place in his casual clothing in a building where everyone is wearing work clothes.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. Mark hates traffic, especially during the rush hours. He barely goes to the city aside from picking up Vero from work or buying something. But since Veronica resigned, I haven't seen much of him either.

"Vero left some things she wanted me to collect and she wanted me to check on you. See if you're still alive." He said shrugging his shoulders.

"Doesn't she have a baby to worry over?" I asked as I make my way into my office with Mark following behind me.

"Oh yeah. She's all over the place worried. She just bought a bunch of baby stuff and had it delivered at home." He said, shaking his head and laughing at his wife. "But we're still worried. You and Mara. That's one hell of a ride you've been on."

I nodded my head in understanding. "We're fine. I just went out to lunch with Mara." I said. I couldn't help but smile at just the thought of her. She just makes everything a hundred times better in my life.

"Ah. That's why you were skipping." Mark said laughing at the memory of it.

I glared at him. "I was not skipping." I said. Was I?

"Oh no. You were definitely skipping. It was so funny. No wonder the whole office was talking about how happy you were. It was almost scary." He said, still not letting up on the idea of me skipping.

"Shut up and go. You annoying ass." I told him, throwing a balled up paper his way.

"Man, I can't tease Vero these days because she would kill me. But it's so much fun teasing you."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, whatever. Leave!"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm going already." He said with a wave of his hand before leaving the room and closing the door behind him. "By the way, Vero said that if you don't come to visit soon, she'll have to go back to work."

I rolled my eyes as Mark ran out of the office after I glared at him.

He was dressed in a pair of dark blue jeans and a simple grey shirt. He stood outside of my door with a pensive look on his face. I stood in front of him, waiting for him to notice my presence but to no avail. He continued to look at his feet as he stood there like a statue.

"Alec." I called him, trying to get his attention. When it didn't work, I tapped him on the shoulder which seemed to do the trick.

He looked up at me with wide eyes, obviously startled by my presence. "What the fuck man. You scared me." He said, trying to calm himself down.

I shake my head at him. "I've been standing in front of you for at least a minute or so. I've tried to call your name. You leave me no choice." I said.

I fished my keys out from my pocket and opened my apartment with Alec following after me. He immediately took a seat on the couch and closed his eyes. It was obvious that he hasn't been paying attention to his surroundings for a while since he looked shocked to see me standing in front of him.

"I stopped by to give you the list of the guests that won't be able to attend." He said, handing me a piece of neatly folded paper. "Mara crossed them out after your lunch so she wasn't able to give them to you." He explained further.

I opened the paper and immediately saw the neat cursive writing of Mara. It was almost like a computer did all the hand writing but I knew it was hers just by the way the letters were carefully written. There was no mistake in the writing, just complete names in alphabetical order.

"Thank you." I said, folding the paper again and placing it on top of the coffee table.

He nodded. "Also, Dad said to tell you to not see Mara until the wedding. Something about bad luck?" He said, unsure of what his Dad meant.

Mom told me the same thing just last Sunday. The only difference is, I didn't believe in this bad luck. Besides, Mara was the one who showed up at work without prior notice. So technically, I didn't break any rules.

"Sure. If that's what he wants." I said. It's only two days before the rehearsal dinner. I will see her then, with that beautiful smile of hers.

"Well. That's that." I'll see you in two days." Alec said and left without another word.

Two days. Just two days. I can hold out for that long.

Mara's classes had already begun. She's busy for most of the day attending those, at night she studies for her next lessons the following day. I can't say that I blame her for being busy as I am as busy as she is, maybe more so.

A very pregnant Vero greets me as I entered the wedding venue. Waddling her way to me, with Mark standing beside her looking like a mother hen more than a husband. She stopped in front of me and immediately slapped me on the chest with an impatient look on her face.

"I told you to come and visit me!" She said angrily, already teary eyed.

"I'm sorry. I was busy with work?" I said, but sounded like a question more than anything. I looked at Mark for help, but he just shook his head with a smirk on his face. The guy is obviously having fun seeing me get beaten by his wife.

Vero turns a little red as her anger spiked. "That is not an excuse." She whispered-yelled at me.

"Vero! I got you food! Come sit." Tamara's energetic voice came from behind Vero and Mark.

I looked behind them and immediately saw Mara. Dressed in a cream colour above the knee length dress paired with a pair of black sandal. Her hair is curled at the ends, framing her face.

"Dy! Your here!" She said her eyes lighting up as her eyes fell on me. "Vero, I got the food ready. Come on."

"Your fiancée is a little energetic today." Mark whispered to me as Mara stole Veronica. "She's been like that since we got here."

"You're worried about that? She just stole Vero from you." I said, stating the obvious as I follow them with my eyes.

"Eh. She'll be fine. Her feet re probably sore from standing." He said.

"Dustyn." Alec came to stand beside me.

"Why is your sister so energetic today?" Mark asked Alec.

I wanted to roll my eyes at him. The man can't seem to get over the fact that Mara is happier than usual. Or that she's more energetic than usual.

"She managed to find a relative of mine." Alec said.

I turned to look at him with wide eyes. "Say what?"

"Hmm. It seems she's been trying to find them since I resigned from my position as the CEO of the company. They arrived yesterday morning." He said then pointed in the direction of an old woman who was sitting beside Jack at the front row seats. "That's my biological mother's older sister. She's suffering from polio and was living in a shelter. That's how Mara found her."

I chuckled, despite the circumstances. "Seems like she inherited your stalking skills." I said to him.

He shrugged his shoulders. "She's better than me. That's for sure."

I nodded my head in understanding.

"We're starting the rehearsals." Artemis said, appearing in front of us. "Then off to a party to start the party tomorrow." She said happily and skipped her way to Apollo who was waiting near the entrance to the garden of the place, where Mara dragged Vero to.

"Booze and kids." Mark said.

"I'm not that old." I said and walked away from them.

"You mean Mara is not old?!" I heard Mark shout after me followed by their hysterical laughter.