Our story didn't end well but it was the best one I knew. Four years passed and I still loved her just as much as I did when I had her in my arms all those years ago. It hurt me having her in my life, knowing about her betrayal and lies, and yet it hurt even more not having her in my life.

My love for her was strong but it wasn't enough for me to find it in my heart to forgive her for what she had done. I never told my family what happened between us. I couldn't tell them she wasn't who we thought she really was. I didn't want to break my mother's heart and I never wanted anyone to resent my Ana.

Most of all, I didn't want to make them feel guilty for getting in between my love life knowing I left her just to protect them.

She and I, we weren't mean to fall in love. She warned me and I didn't listen causing us both a wound impossible to heal.

I was angry, furious when I found out the first girl I ever loved lie to me about who she was. I loved her, I really did but I couldn't bare the pain creeping inside when I learned she was our family's biggest enemy with an intention to kill us all.

I knew she was willing to stop her plan for the sake of our love but I also knew she loved her father, no matter what he did to hurt her. He was her first love and a daughter's love for her father was stronger than anything.

So, I couldn't help but think the worst, what if one day her father came and made her chose between him and I all while putting my whole family in danger. I wouldn't want her in that situation. So, I knew I had to let her go for the sake of herself and mine.

I still remembered the looks on her face when I pointed my gun at her. The pains reflected in her eyes as I poured my soul out to her in that same basement. The feeling of her tears wetting the inside of my palm as we had our last kiss never left, still lingered on my skin to these days. She still owned me and I knew for the fact that nothing would be able to help me get over her.

Anastasia Rayne wasn't the kind of girl that you would ever forget.

So, I drown myself in my own sorrow. I worked all days then spent all my night drinking and partying until dawn and started all over again. The same routine repeated for four years and still I couldn't get over her.

" Nicholas Evan, we are here to enjoy the weekend together not for you to sulk in the bloody corner. " mother scolded pulling my ears.

" Ow mom. Stop. " I yelped in pain.

" Mother, I really don't think a family trip to the country is going to help him. Nico is a loss case. " Eden groaned walking into the living of our farm house.

I rolled my eyes in annoyance but didn't say a word. He was right going on some trip wasn't going to help me get over her or magically brought my old happy self back.

But, whatever mother wanted mother got.

It was rare for the whole Salvatore's family to leave the estate behind liked this but once in a while we always got together for a trip somewhere. And, today was one of those rare occasions.

My mother literally threatened everyone to stop whatever the hell they were doing for a the weekend and came to Cambridge together as one big happy family except no one was happy about this trip beside her and my father.

" We stayed in the estate so much I almost forgot we bought this farm house. " my mother said as she walked around the place, dragging me with her by my ear.

" I think you can let go now. " I said making her grunted before finally letting me go.

" Okay. I'm going to take a walk down the street. I'm manifesting hot country chicks. " Elliot said pointing to the door.

" And, I'm going to my room and never come back. " Eden said before disappearing upstair.

Father and Bella were off going on their father and daughter's bonding trip to the grocery. Mother left me to sulk alone in the living room as she told me she couldn't have this much negative energy around her for too long.

I stared out the huge window wall from the couch looking at the outside world with a scowl on my face. I would rather be in a club drinking my pain, smoking my lungs away and forgot it all.

A tall figure walking toward our house caught my eyes. Elliot was walking back with a small girl bouncing on his shoulders looking like she was in heaven.

First of all, Elliot hated children. In fact he despised them all.

He put her down to her feet as they reached the front yard along with the purple bike he was holding. I watched him whispered something into her ear creating a huge grin on her lips. I couldn't take my eyes off of her.

The little girl bounced to the front door and started knocking. I slowly got up from my seat and went over to open the door for her. She was tiny, barely taller than my knees.

Her eyes were light grey and almost as stormy as mine. She had this cute little face that no one couldn't resist. Her blonde hair was tied into two little buns making her the definition of cuteness overload. She was a beautiful child, liked a little innocent angel. I was mesmerized by this little kid.

It almost felt like I had known her all my life.

" Zio Elliot said I can come in for biscuits while he fixed my bike, sir. " she said looking at me with her doe eyes and I swore my heart skipped a beat hearing her sweet voice.

" Biscuits? " I asked finally snapping out of my daze.

" Yes. Where are they? "

" Come on let's go find them in the kitchen. " I said before taking her small hand in mine.

Soft as cloud and so tiny in my palm. I felt my chest burning with warmth the moment we touched, my head dizzy because I had never felt such connections with children ever before. Hell I didn't even know if I liked one.

We got her a plate of biscuits a glass of milk and a cup of coffee for me before heading to the backyard. The little girl skipped excitedly holding on to my hand liked a little monkey. I set her snacks on the table as she took a seat on the chair opposite of mine. I watched her eat happily and listened to her giggles liked it was musical to my ears. I watched her face lit up in excitement every time butterflies appeared at the garden of flower beside our table.

" What's your name, little one? " I found myself asking out of curiosity.

" My mommy said to never tell my name to a stranger. " she swallowed the sweets before answering me.

Smart kid. Her parents must have done a great job raising her.

" Then may I ask how old are you? " I asked bringing my coffee cup to my lips.

" I'm three. Say it with me. One. Two. Three. ino. due. tre. " she giggled like a maniac clearly proud of herself.

And, somehow I was proud of her too. I chuckled at her cuteness not taking my eyes off of her. There was something about this girl that made my heart skipped in way I had never felt in four years.

" Your parents must be so good looking as fuck and a pair of geniuses to have a kid this beautiful and smart. " I muttered silently to myself.

" Where are your parents, little one? "

" My mommy is working at our house. I don't have a dad. " she said slowly putting the half bitten biscuit back on the plate.

I felt anger building inside my chest and rage crawling across my skin. I felt myself getting clouded with protectiveness as I watched her eyes started to glisten with clear water. She didn't deserve that dick head of a father. This little girl deserved so much more and the whole fucking universe.

" Your dad must be a real ass. " I said out loud.

" My aunty said that too. But, I can't say that word or mommy will get mad at me. " she gasped.

I chuckled awkwardly while I mentally slapped myself at the back of my head for swearing in front of kid.

" How can your mom ever be mad at this little face? " I said leaning in to pinch her chubby cheek.

She threw her head back laughing at me hysterically making my heart swelled in pride for earning that laugh. I chased her around the backyard for hours enjoying the big smile on her face as she ran away in her little dress looking like a princess she was.

I was going insane. Who would have thought I could be this invested with a stranger's child. I even enjoyed her company more than the spending time with my family. My life was getting sadder everyday. Bloody hell.

" It's getting dark. Can you not go home? I want to keep you forever. " I picked her up and started nuzzling my nose against her cheek.

" My mommy must be worried. " she giggled pushing my face away, claiming that was beard was tickling her.

" Come on. Let's go and see if my brother had fixed your bike. " I walked back into the house with her still in my arms as she wrapped hers around my neck.

Her giggles filled the room as we both walked inside making all heads in the living room turned toward us. Everyone cocked their eyebrows at me in confusion about the fact that I had an unknown child on my waist or maybe the fact that I looked as happy as an insane guy.

" Kiddo? I thought you have gone home after biscuits. " Elliot said furrowing his eyebrows.

" She said she can stay. " I shrugged.

" Elliot, did you steal someone's kid to lighten up your brother's mood? " my mother gasped.

" Mother, do you think I'm crazy? I don't even love him that much. " Elliot huffed.

Mother narrowed her eyes at him in suspiciously making him sighed heavily. " I found her sitting on the sideways next to her broken bike. Look at that face who was I to leave her sitting there? So I offered to help. That's all. "

" I think you stepped on my bike and broke it when I went away to pick flowers. " the little girl furrowed her eyebrow scratching her head in confusion.

I glared at my brother making him raised his hands in surrender.

" Hey. Thank to me you two got to play and I fixed your bike. " Elliot defended himself.

" I saw you went to store and bought the same bike. Why are you lying to a kid? " Eden cocked an eyebrow at him.

Mother shook her head in disbelief before turning back to us. " You played with my son? "

" We played together all day. " the little girl grinned before placing her head on the crook of my neck, slowly melting my heart.

Fuck. I hadn't feel that since Anastasia.

" You played with my boring depressed looking son all day? " my father blurted in surprise, his eyes never leaving her face.

" You had a tea party and didn't invite me? " Bella gasped making the little girl giggled.

" Oh my goodness. Look at this cute face. Give me a hug. " my mother rushed toward us and took her from me.

Cold. I felt cold as her warmth little body leaving me. I wanted nothing than to grab her and pull her back into my arms. But, I stopped myself.

" Okay, Alana you can stop squeezing the poor child now. " father said taking the little girl out of my mother's grip.

He gave her a kiss on her cheek, her nose then finally her forehead. " We have the same eyes. "

" We can be eyes buddy. " she giggled throwing her arms around his neck.

How could such a little kid be so energetic and this brave. She was basically hanging out with a bunch of strangers and clearly was enjoying it too.

" Hey, I have the same eyes too. " I pouted holding my arms out, wanting to hold her in arms again.

" I think he's jealous of you, sir. " she giggled silently into father's ears making us all laughed at her cuteness.

I guessed I wasn't the only one obsessing over a little child we didn't even know and ended up spending the whole weekend with the small ray of sunshine before sadly going back to London.

Madeline was her name. She whispered in my ear a minute before I got in the car. It was a secret between me and her.

" Cross my heart and hope to die, my little Mads. "

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