"I'm really sorry Dominic," Annabelle apologized as she saw him off to his car. "I hope you're not offended?"

Dominic shook his head. "Not at all Ann. Besides, I'm the one that offered to leave. And I know that if Maxwell sees me here, let's just say it's not gonna end well and the children should not witness any heated scene between us. But I'm doing this only this time, next time I won't be leaving."

"Thank you for being understanding." She said.

"Just don't allow him sway you Anna." He said. "I know the kids are his but please do not give in to any form of seduction from him."

Annabelle scoffed. "I'm sure the last thing he'd do right now is seduce me. He hates me at the moment."

She bade him goodbye as he drove off then turned and went back into the house.

She met Samuel alone in the sitting room as he practiced his reading.

"Where's your sister Sammy?"

Samuel looked up. "She went upstairs to pee. Has uncle Dom gone?"

"Yes darling he has. Hope you're..."

She was halted as a knock came on the door.

She knew it was him.

After taking a deep breath, she walked to the door and slowly opened it.

He stood there looking dashing in black pants and a sky blue shirt that contrasted stunningly with his dark skin. He was holding a branded bag.

And there was no smile on his face for her.

"Hi." She greeted drily.

"Hi." He responded with the same tone and let himself in while she rolled her eyes and closed the door.

She turned to say something but halted when she looked at him as he stood motionless.

His face had completely softened with emotion as he looked at his son who was still innocently bent over his book.

She wondered whether he remembered she was there at all.

Then the little boy looked up and blinked as if trying to recognize him. Then a wide cute and toothy grin appeared on his face.

"Hero!"

He jumped up and raced across the room to embrace his leg but David picked him up and embraced him tightly with his eyes close as his emotions threatened to overwhelm him.

His son.

Annabelle felt like she was intruding at that moment and tears pricked the corners of her eyes as she watched father and son hold on to each other.

They looked so good together as father and son.

David finally released him.

"Where have you been hero?" Sammy asked. "You just left."

"I've been around little man." He said with a smile. "But I'm never leaving again."

"Hewo!!!"

Annabelle rolled her eyes and laughed. She could swear that the whole house shook at Sandra's loud voice.

The little girl jumped down the stairs carelessly as David gently put Samuel down.

"Sandra!" Annabelle screamed in horror. "How many times have I told you..."

"Hewo!!!" Sandra ignored her mum and jumped on David who hugged her back with a wide smile.

He kissed her head.

"How are you princess?" He asked still holding her.

She grinned. "I'm fine hewo. I missed you!"

He chuckled. "I missed you too angel. Hope you've been a good girl?"

"Yeah." She grinned.

"Alright children," Annabelle started. "Mummy wants to have a little talk with your uncle Hero, so kindly go upstairs okay?"

The children whined.

"But mum, if we go upstairs, hero might leave." Samuel said.

"Yea, we may not see him again." Sandra agreed sulkily.

He smiled at the kids and brought out one of his phones. "Here's my phone." He handed it to them and Sandra collected it with both hands. "I use it for very important stuffs. So you can hold it for me while I speak to your mum and when we are done talking, I'll come upstairs to get you two and of course my phone."

The children nodded excitedly. Assured that he couldn't leave without his phone.

"And these are for you." He said handing them the bag he was carrying.

They collected the bag and peeked inside it and their eyes widened.

"Woah cookies, chocolates and toys!" Samuel exclaimed in excitement.

"And a pwetty doll for me!"

"Thanks hero!" They chorused.

He smiled at them. "You're welcome."

The children ran upstairs with the bag chatting excitedly and their parents watched them with smiles on their faces as they disappeared upstairs.

Then Annabelle became conscious that they were alone again.

She cleared her throat. "Th-thank you. Though you shouldn't have."

"I don't need permission from you to get stuffs for my kids." He said drily, his face loosing it's warmth again.

Annabelle scowled. "Come with me please."

He reluctantly followed her to the adjoining sitting room which was more of a private sitting room and she closed the door.

" if we are going to make this work, we have to try to at least be civil with each other." She snapped as they sat opposite each other.

" I do not care!" He snapped back. "You kept them from me all these years so you have no right to dictate to me how I get to speak to you or how I get to act!"

"They are my children!" She flared up. "I carried them for nine whole months and raised them to the age that they are now, so you have no right to speak to me in that manner!"

"Well you had them because of me." He threw back. "They are my flesh and blood and you knew that but didn't deem it fit to even tell me? If I hadn't found out the way I had, you never would have told me!"

"Would you have believed me!?" She almost wailed. "I tried to tell you when I found out just after the divorce but you didn't want to listen to any word I say or even see me! You treated me like filth and gave me no chance to explain myself to you so you did not deserve to know!"

"How could I have listened to you when I knew what I saw!?" He snarled angrily.

"You should have given me a chance to explain, that's what you should have done!" She snapped. "But you were quick to jump into conclusion. You never trusted me!"

"I do not want to revisit what happened what happened in the past..."

"Well you would because it all comes down to my children..."

"Our children." He interrupted.

"That you have never never been a father to." She threw.

"For f*ck's sake, how was I suppose to know they were mine when nobody told me!?" He asked coldly.

"You should have listened to me!" She cried. "But you didn't, because I never mattered to you."

"What are you talking about?" He frowned.

"Nothing." She said drily and stood up. "I don't have much to say to you except that those children are mine and I am not taking any chances where they're concerned."

"They are mine too." He said with a piercing gaze. "Don't you forget that."

"You don't need to be a part of their life, you're getting married!" She snapped.

"My getting married will not stop me from being a father to my kids." He said firmly.

"I can take care of them like I've been doing for the past five years." She said.

He stared at her pointedly. "Don't push me Annabelle. If you want me to take this to court, I will." Then he said in a low dangerous tone. "And you know that I will win full custody of the children no matter what you do. Let's see if you'd have much to say then."

He got up when he noticed she'd paled in fear.

"You cannot do that!" She said trying to put a fearless exterior.

"Watch me do that and more." He said menacingly and turned to walk out but she halted him.

"What do you want?" She asked frustratingly.

"Simple," he replied. "Let me be a part of their lives. That's all."

That was all. He only wanted to be a part of his kids' lives.

She took a deep breath. "Alright."

He smirked. "Good girl."

She glared at him. "I hate you."

His smirk deepened. "No you don't. At least that's not what I heard."

She frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"I need to go see my kids." He said ignoring her question and walked out of the room.

"B*stard." She muttered in annoyance.