"So what are we going to do today? " Emerson asked Adrien when they went back to his room.

He looked at her from head to toe and then grinned.

"First we need to go to your dorm so that you could get changed. Then, we can go for what I planned, for now, it's a surprise." He literally chirped.

Emerson bit her lip and nodded.

Adrien leaned forward and pecked her lips, not being able to stop himself.

And Emerson once again turned a dark shade of pink.

Even with his soft, loving kiss, Emerson couldn't stop herself from asking him something which she knew could potentially ruin their whole day.

"Why are you doing this? Is it because you feel sorry for me and pitying me? Or it's genuine? I am sorry but I can't just go and act like nothing happened. One moment we will ve fine and other moment ignoring each other." She stated softly.

Adrien froze, a look of hurt passing through his eyes.

"I would never do that Emerson. I already wanted to give our marriage a chance, you know it. I could have jumped on the opportunity of hooking up with your sister but I didn't. I came away from my country just to follow you. I don't pity you. But I do feel sorry, not for you, but what I put you through. I didn't want increase your problems, I just didn't know you had them in the first place. I - I think we should start over. We started from the wrong hook. Lets now communicate properly . I think miscommunication too is a major problem with us." He confessed.

She hesitated a moment before nodding.

"But I can't just get up and act like everything is fine. Can we take it slow? " She asked him.

He nodded.

Adrien was at the point where he would do everything the way Emerson wanted.

Because he realised how much she was deprived the right of choice, and he wasn't any different. So he wanted to make everything right.

Emerson on the other hand, was very happy, her heart fluttering due to the words he spoke, but she just couldn't jump on. Because no matter how much she tried to be positive, good things in her life always seemed to end fast.

But this time, she would take it slow, and give her best.

Even she now said it out loud, and confessed that she love Adrien, she wasn't sure about him, nor was she in love with him.

So she decided to wait to see what future holds.

Adrien palmed her cheek and softly caressed it with his thumb.

Giving her a soft smile, he spoke,

"As you wish. This time i won't let anything get between us. This will work. The idea of us will not be an illusion but a reality we will work hard to come true." He said and rested his forehead on hers.

Emerson suddenly became aware how strong her heart beat was, and how much her stomach fluttered.

She exhaled a shaky breath and smiled.

"Thanks." She whispered.

Adrien nodded.

"Let's go to your cabin." He said.

With that, they left, not before telling the others they were going.

At her place, she showered and changed her clothes to ripped jeans and cream coloured blouse.

When she came out changed, Adrien gave her a soft smile.

"You look pretty." He muttered.

He couldn't get over the fact that she could look pretty and adorable in these type of clothes, cute in the skirt and blouse she wore at Henry's dinner, hot in the professional outfit at the last day of program and gorgeous in dress she wore for the Leone's party.

In a snap she could look so differently alluring.

She thanked him.

"Thank you. Let's go now." Before something again happens.

Adrien smiled and nodded.

Taking her hand in his and intervening their fingers, they went.

In the car Adrien decided it would best if he starts talking, more like clearing misunderstandings.

"So, I know you said you want to take it slow, but I think it's better if we clear misunderstandings between us. Do you want to ask first? " He spoke, glancing at her.

She sighed softly and shook her head.

"You go first. I will answer as I can."

He nodded. His heart beating fast in his chest.

"Why did you marry me? "

Emerson looked at him.

"I didn't exactly have a choice."

He nodded.

"Why didn't you use the card given by Grandad to you? For the wedding dress and all."

She gave him a smile, which made his heart flutter.

"I have my own money Adrien. I have a stable job. Would you use money I will give to you? " She asked.

He opened his mouth but closed it, gaping like a fish.

"You have a job? " He finally asked, coming out of his shock.

She lightly giggled at jis reaction.

"Yes, I have a job. An account. Part time full work job. It pays well. That's how I manage everything." She told him.

Adrien's heart swelled with pride for his wife.

She is precious. He thought.

But he also felt guilty for accusing her of being idler and what not.

"Is that why you declined the internship? " He asked.

She nodded.

"Internship paid less, even if the pay was going to increase with time, but I still loved my job. I could do it from anywhere."

Adrien bit his lip and nodded.

"I am sorry for saying those horrible things to you." He softly said, his voice like a child scared of getting scolded.

Emerson shook her head.

"You realising your mistake is enough for me. And I think it was evened up when Grandma Rose twisted your ear." She teased him.

His ears turned pink at the mention of it.

"Shut up." He grumbled, embarrassed.

Emerson laughed at the image formed in her head.

Adrien too couldn't help but smile.

At least it made her laugh.

"Why did you apologize on our wedding day? About me being in relationship with the bi- ahem Stephanie? Where did you get the idea of it? " He asked, suddenly remembering that , and cringing at the thought of his and her non existent relationship.

Emerson tried not to laugh out at his attempt to hide that he almost called her sister a bitch.

"When I was told by my parents that we are going to marry, she wailed loudly and all of them blamed me for homewrecking as you and Stephanie were in relationship."

Adrien scowled.

"Bloody hell. Pathetic people." He muttered under his breath.

Emerson didn't hear it properly.

"Who was the lady with whom you came to that restaurant? On out first day of our marriage." He asked.

Emerson smiled, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

"The one who threatened to cut your balls and feed to her pet." She answered, biting her lip.

"Oh? The one who got possessed right after that? Your professor? " He asked.

Emerson nodded.

"The same one. Doesn't matter how wrong it is, but she favours me too much. I got the job because of her recommendation. Even if I was told that my first month will be trial to see if I do my work properly and wether I am capable of it or not, I still owe it to her for it." She told.

Adrien nodded.

It looked like they both had great relationship.

"Is that why you had so much work? I mean with four subjects to study on and then work? " He asked.

She nodded.

"It's much less now. But will increase as soon as I start getting normal work from next week. My reports were already done this time, but now with two jobs and studies, it would be hard." She said and sighed, leaning her head back on the headrest of the seat.

She realised it was so easy for her to speak with Adrien.

She didn't open up easily, even for small things to people who weren't close to her.

Probably it's because you love your dear husband.

Her cheeks flushed at the thought . She did love him after all. Ignoring his previous attitude, he was something she would want as a husband.

Adrien glanced at her, worried the help he asked may take a toll on her.

He didn't want to burden her more.

She already had so much on her shoulders to carry.

Noticing her flushed cheeks, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Are you okay? You look flushed." He mentioned.

Her blush intensified.

"Nothing. Just the cold." She mentioned.

That's also when she realised she didn't bring anything warm with her and the temperature had dropped much.

Adrien turned on the heater and stopped the car on the side of the street.

"I have something to take from here. Can you wait for a few minutes? I will be right back." He asked.

She nodded .

He went out and disappeared from her line of sight.

Emerson sighed and pondered over everything that happened in the past few years.

She was wallflower in the high school, but her first relationship changed it. The humiliation which came with it.

Then she met Grandma Rose and Grandpa Peter. How she couldn't go to Harvard even when she got a full ride.

Then the problems she faced in NYU. Her second relationship, which was with Michael Fort, his controlling nature, then their wedding which she wasn't so keen on, but was set anyways. Then his betrayal, her sister's betrayal. Then Grandpa Peter's death, which hit her hard. Not even a year later her marriage with a big celebrity, and the problems which came with it.

It was so much. She didn't get a break. Not for a second. The waves just same on and on, hitting her coast without any mercy.

She just wanted to... Rest for a while. Take a break.

Everything looks great for now, Adrien and his family being good with her, her study in Oxford, etc. But she knew, the wave will come again, and she will regret building a sandcastle near the sea, as it will be drowned by it. She wanted it firm. Not something, like a house of cards which would blow up with whisper of wind.

She wanted —

Her thoughts were cut off by the car door opening.

Adrien sat on the driver seat with a bag in his hand.

"Take this. It's a sweater, big enough to keep you warm. Don't want you getting sick in the cold." He said and put the bag on her lap.

— something in which she can truly believe.

"Uh. Thanks, you didn't have to." She said with a smile.

Adrien gave her a cheeky smile.

"I wanted to." He said, and started the car again.

"So where were we ? Yes, your overwork. I will think of setting something. You will get the payment for the work you did, and I will see if I can get some one else do the work. You already have too much to do. But I liked you work. And yes, what happened with the blondie? " He asked.

Emerson blinked at him.

"You are almost rambling. And who blondie? " She asked confused.

Adrien's ears turned pink again. He couldn't believe he was acting like a school boy.

"The one who got the internship at company. Your first boyfriend." He pointed.

Emerson raised her eyebrows.

"He dated me for a few months in high school. One night he took me to a party, and I was ready to give my virginity to him. I was also quite light headed then. So I got drunk, and slept beside him. But he didn't do anything. He just slept beside me. When I woke up he was gone, but he didn't call me on the weekend. In school, when I went to him he humiliated me in front of whole school saying, "Don't get clingy just because I slept with you. It didn't mean anything." With that he walked away, leaving the whole school laugh at me. But the fact that he spoke the literal truth, and didn't sleep with me knowing he was going to break my heart, even when he could have taken full advantage of the situation, comforted me a little. At first I didn't understand why he said so and acted like it, but I understood it later. He just met me after seven years at the company. I was angry at him at first, but because of him, I also realised that not everything is at it seems and learnt to control my urges. He taught me self control." She rambled in breath.

Adrien sat their frozen, his knuckles turning white from gripping the steering tightly.

He again felt ashamed of himself. He also felt thankful that his parents, taught him better, and he never behaved with someone like her first boyfriend did.

He just wished he could all the bad things he did to her back.

~~~~~~~~