A maid opened the door and Adrian and I walked in. The maid led us to the drawing room where we waited for the family members to arrive.

The house looked different than what I remembered. Not a good or a bad different but a strange one.

I walked across the room to see the various pictures hung on the walls. Some of them I remembered clicking myself, some were new but the detail that stood out the most to me was my absence in these pictures.

I sighed and looked back at Adrian who too was examining the room, though he was seated at the sofa, his legs loosely crossed.

"When they can't even include me on the wall, why do I expect them to do that with their hearts.", I said bitterly.

"Calm down. We are giving this a last shot. If it works out, good. If not, we leave but you've got to try to see, right?",Adrian said and I nodded.

"Hello, guys! What a surprise!",Olivia said, walking in.

I stood up to give her a side hug and Adrian gave her a brief smile. Next came Nate with Avery, who was wailing, in his hands.

"I think she is hungry.", Nate said to her and then briefly smiled at us.

"No, honey! That's not the hunger cry, that's the change my nappy cry.", Olivia said, holding back on the smile that had begun to form on her face.

Nate sighed and took her back in.

"Where is dad?", I asked.

"Papa will be returning back soon. He has gone out with Mama, Jen and Jacob. They were looking for wedding venues.", she smiled and then looked horrified, unsure of whether she should have told me that.

"Oh! Have they decided a date?", I asked with a smile on my face.

I don't know why but Jennifer and Jacob didn't seem to bother me much anymore. It was either that I had become immuned to them or maybe it was because I had far more important things on my mind. I had a strong feeling that it was the latter.

"Silly me! I haven't asked if you'd like to drink something. Anything?"

"No that's fine.", I smiled.

"I'll take an espresso.", I heard Adrian say from behind.

"Okay. I'll get it made. You both can look around the house if you want.", she said and then turned around to leave.

"Wait, Olivia!", I called out,"Umm...is my stuff still up there.",I asked nervously.

"Yes. It is. I'll get it opened for you and cleaned."

I smiled and then flopped down on the sofa once Olivia left.

"Not so bad.",Adrian said.

"Yet!"

We both sat in silence, lost in our own thoughts until Olivia returned and took me upstairs to my room.

My room was probably the only thing in this house that I recognised. It was as if nothing had been moved for three years but that couldn't be possible. The room had been cleaned regularly for there wasn't that musty smell that all unkempt rooms have.

I walked around the room, taking in every detail once Olivia shut the door behind me and left.

There was the study table in one corner , next to the window. There was a beige been bag next to it, on top of the rug. On the other side of the room was my bed. Behind its headrest were some of my pictures and the framed awards that I had received. The third wall had another door, leading to my closet.

I opened it to see all my clothes in laundry bags. They were still here and they were well taken care off. I rummaged through then to find something more appropriate than a formal suit to wear for dinner.

As I looked through my clothes, I found this short red fit'n'flare dress with spaghetti straps that I had bought for Christmas three years ago but never got to wear it.

I quickly changed into it and as a final touch, I put on a golden etsy necklace. I looked at myself in the mirror and smiled at what I saw.

The dress looked pretty, no doubt but what made me smile was how I looked. I was different than the girl who left here three years ago. I was stronger now and I could hold my own. I was also less snobbish than I had been before. It was a good change and I preferred the now me to the one from before.

I picked up a knit scarf and went downstairs when I heard commotion.

This dinner was surely going to be one that I would remember.

Adrian was the first to see me and then the others noticed too. Jennifer stopped mid-sentence as she looked at me.

I slightly smiled,"Hey guys!"

"Vanessa, Hi! I am so glad you decided to join us for dinner.",Kate said,"Let's go to the dining room before we forget we have to eat and not just talk."

I nodded politely and then we went inside the dining room. I sat down between Olivia and Adrian and opposite Kate.

We began eating, rather quietly and I picked on the edges of the tablecloth.

Adrian's hand grabbed mine, under the table and I looked at him questioningly.

"Stop shredding the tablecloth."

"Sorry. I'm nervous. No one is talking here. It's as if they are intimidated by me or something."

"Maybe they are.", he said, stabbing a piece of steak with his fork,"Just behave like you do at my house."

"People there don't hate me."

"Charlotte does now.", he said humorously.

"Not helping.", I said as Adrian slightly smiled.

"Pass me the juice.", he said and I did so.

I don't know why it felt like we were the only people on the table who were talking.

I poured myself some juice too and then whispered," This is so awkward."

"You bet!", Adrian shook his head.

"Is it okay if I ask about the wedding as an ice breaker?",I asked.

"Umm...you want to?", he said, surprised.

"Honestly, I don't care. All I want is a decent conversation.",I smiled.

"Well, then I'll ask about the wedding. You asking would be a little too unexpected.", he suggested and I nodded.

Once the topic of Jennifer's wedding began, she couldn't stop. Who would? It was possibly the most important day of her life.

She gushed about how confused she was between the legacy castle in New Jersey and Tribeca 360 in Manhattan, where she went today.

"You were always a fairytale believer. You should go for the castle.",I suggested.

"Yes, I love the idea and then I could wear a ball gown and a tiara but I also want to be a modern bride with a fitted dress and a different afterparty dress.",she said.

Those were two totally different options.

"If it was your wedding, where would it be?", Jennifer asked.

This question suddenly brought silence to the table and only moments later did she realise why.

This was supposed to be my wedding but it wasn't because she came into the picture...

Did she say that deliberately?

No, she didn't.

The look of horror on her face said it all. I knew exactly what she expected, a temper tantrum which ended with me getting kicked out everytime, somehow.

However, I was going to change their expectations today. I smiled calmly and said,"Hmm...let me think. I think the Tribeca 360 idea speaks more to me."

I didn't believe in fairytales anymore. It was because those were tales, this was reality and I didn't want to spend the first day of this new reality, imitating a fairytale about happily ever after just because of some crappy love at first sight.

In real life you actually have to do much more than just be physically attracted to that person the moment you lay eyes on them and that is why Legacy Castle was a total no no.

"I think I like the idea of Legacy Castle more.", she said.

"Of course you do.", I smiled.

When everything is handed to you easily, your life is already a fairytale so why not.

"Well! We can talk about this for hours at length but tell me more about you, Vanessa. I saw your Eccentric cover in the newspaper. Congratulations.", Jennifer said.

"Thank you.", I smiled.

"Oh! I have been wanting to ask for so long and now that the topic is here...are you both a thing now?",Olivia said, pointing to me and Adrian. I was pretty sure that the question was more her husband's than her own.

"No! We are just...um...",Adrian stuttered.

"Friends!",I completed, awkwardly grinning.

We were so not just friends.

Suddenly the entire talk shifted from the Jennifer-Jacob wedding to me and Adrian. I felt like a teenager bringing her boyfriend home for the first time.

I could see how uneasy Adrian was as he avoided eye contact, mostly with me but since he was silent throughout the meal anyways no one seemed to notice except Kate who got up and asked,"Who wants to drink some wine?"

Everyone turned to her, dropping the conversation but not for long. They would return back to it in a few moments but Kate knew better. They were her children after all.

She looked at me and asked,"Vanessa, let's go and get some wine glasses and you can select the wine."

"Great. Let's go.", I said, hurriedly following Kate upstairs.

Once upstairs, we looked for a few wine bottles in dad's room.

I picked up two dark Gallo bottles and asked,"Is this fine."

"Yes. That will be okay and here are the wine glasses.", Kate smiled.

"Let's go then."

"Wait. You won't mind my asking you something, would you?", she hesitated.

"No. Go ahead."

"What's going on between you and Adrian?"

"Noth..."

"Don't say nothing. You like him, don't you?"

"I...is it that obvious?", I asked, my face heating up.

"Well...I feel that except for Adrian, everyone can see that something is going on."

"What's the point then?",I rolled my eyes.

We had never talked about boys before but I still felt comfortable, I don't know why.

"Well, don't blame him. You are as oblivious to his feelings as he is to yours."

"You think he likes me too?",I looked at her hopefully.

"Like would be an understatement.", Kate smiled.

"Are you sure?", I confirmed.

"From a woman who has been in love for more than twenty years with a man? Of course I am sure, that's why I'm telling you. The way you both were passing glances throughout the dinner and how uncomfortable you both were when the topic of you was brought up, it speaks for itself."

"But you know how he is. One week and a different girl, I don't want to be the easily forgotten girlfriend number three hundred and something."

"I have been to several of the Greys' parties in the past couple of years but I have never seen Adrian as drawn to one of his conquests as much as he is to you. And as the forgetting part, trust me, you for one are not an easily forgettable woman.",she said, lifting my chin up.

I asked,"So you think I should bare my feelings to him?"

"If you feel that taking up the challenge of taming a serial dater is for you, go ahead. I can't tell you what to do but I can tell you one thing, you are like your father, you think from your head but in the matters of the hearts, don't use it...too much."

I smiled,"Thank you, Kate."

"It's a pleasure."

"Not just for today", I said, looking right at her,"but for every day since you took me in. You didn't have to do any of what you did for me but you did it anyways. So, Thank you."

"Oh Nessa! You don't need to thank me. I fell in love with your father and even when I found out he was married, I didn't leave him because I was so in love and that decision cost you a lot. So, the least I could do was be a good mother to you."

"Well, I shouldn't thank you then. I should do something else.", I said, walking up to her.

She had just said that I always used my head but this time both my head and my heart were pointing to the same decision I was going to make.

With determination, I held her hands and said,"My mother will always have the most important place in my life, no doubt about it but it doesn't mean that I can ignore everything you have done for me. I know that more than me, you have held yourself guilty for the divorce. So, I forgive you...m...mom!"

The feeling of calling someone that was more fulfilling than anything in this world.

Kate cupped her hands around her face, her eyes welling up with tears and then she hugged me.

I wrapped my hands around her, tears welling up in my own eyes. Forgiving was hard for me, it had always been but today I had let go of a big weight that had rested over my shoulder for half my life. I felt lighter.

"You can take the other room.",I told Vanessa, pointing to the room beside mine.

It was past midnight when we left the Estate and after a few glasses of wine, I didn't feel like driving all the way back to Yorkville to drop Vanessa and then go home so I suggested that we stay at the penthouse for the night and to my surprise she didn't protest even once.

She was in a good mood ever since she came downstairs with the wine.

"You look happy.", I said, sitting beside her on the sofa, tilting my head backwards.

"Today was the best dinner I have had with my family in quite a long time.", she beamed.

"It was one hell of a dinner and you fit right in, just like I told you."

"I forgave Kate.", she said, a smile still lingering on her face.

This piqued my interest,"What do you mean?"

"Well, I thanked her for everything she had ever done for me and then forgave her for ruining my perfect family",Vanessa said, making air quotes,"And I called her mom."

"That's a big leap.",I said in surprise.

"I know. It just felt right but she isn't the only one that I need to thank.", she said, turning around to face me.

"Come on. You've done plenty for me too.",I said modestly and then smiled, "I guess this is a mutually beneficial relationship."

"What is this relationship? We aren't just friends, are we?",Vanessa asked, rather bluntly to my surprise.

I didn't have an answer to this. I too was still figuring out what was going on here.

I swallowed and then looked back at her intently,"What do you want it to be?"

She didn't shy away from this question. Instead she held my gaze and gave me a sultry smile,"Don't you already know?"

Was she trying to flirt?

My eyes shifted to her soft lips I felt heat rush to my face.

Damn!

I wanted to kiss her. I really wanted to kiss her.

But I shouldn't. Last time things didn't end quite well.

Adrian, it is not her, it's just that short red dress!

Nope, it wasn't just the dress.

"Do I? I'm don't think I know clearly.",I smirked flirtatiously, knowing I was going to regret this but then Vanessa put her mouth against mine, taking me aback.

She usually held back in doing things. She was a thundering cloud which seldom rained but here now, was the rain with no thunder as its warning.

She slightly pulled away and whispered," Does that clear things for you?" and then went on to mirror the smirk she had just wiped off my face.

I asked her,"Are you sure about this?"

I wanted to do this. She wanted to do this too but what if she said it was a mistake...again?

"Honestly? Not at all.", she laughed, oblivious of my worries.

My heart sank as I felt the chance of feeling her lips on mine again, slipping. I gave her a half-smile,"Me neither. I..."

She kissed me again, silencing my lips with hers but they still spoke, just in a different language.

A few moments from then we found ourselves on the floor with Vanessa straddling me, her hands in my hair and mine, grabbing her face and neither of us was ready to let go of the other.

It was as if we had this part memorised from the last time. It felt familiar yet strange but this time, the familiarity didn't bore me or made me withdraw as it had with countless other women. It made me want to savor it a while longer.

It made me want to stay.

We lost track of time and when we withdrew, we were completely out of breath. I pressed my forehead against her as she wrapped her arms around me in an embrace.

I could hear her racing heartbeat. Or was it my own, echoing hers?

She drew a ragged breath as she stood up and I followed. Vanessa tucked her hair behind her ears, which matched the colour of her face and her dress.

She stuttered," I think...we...umm."

She cleared her throat,"We should call it a night." and then smiled nervously.

I nodded, getting up and taking off my already slackened tie before I walked up to her.

I ran my fingers up her arm, my voice still hoarse from the kiss," Don't worry. I don't want to rush things either."

She gave me a relieved smile but didn't say anything.

It was uncanny how I was able to read her feelings. However, it might not have been mere intuitions.

This thing, it wasn't a one week fling, it meant more to me and the moment I attached feelings to this, I became uncertain and perhaps that is why I was as unprepared for this as Vanessa was right now.

■■■

I left for office early as I had to prepare for a very important meeting. The meeting for which I was flying to Seattle got postponed since the person I was meeting needed to handle something important that had suddenly come up.

Excuses!

I think he might not have been ready with a good presentation and so I asked him to fly to New York whenever he was done handling the "something important".

When I heard that the flights had been delayed due to a snowstorm, I went back to the penthouse. It was nearly nine and I was positive that Vanessa hadn't left yet.

After yesterday, I couldn't focus on anything without the thought of her slipping into my mind and so I decided to go on the pretext of bringing her breakfast.

I bought coffee from Starbucks and after much debating and almost calling mom to ask what breakfast Vanessa would like, I picked up chocolate waffles and whipped cream.

This would be a nice surprise, there was no way that she could expect it, not after I texted her that I had left early for a meeting.

I stealthily opened the house door and went to her room. I debated knocking since I was the only one in this house and the maid didn't come till half past nine. A knock would freak her out even more.

I just opened the door quietly and held it ajar to see where she was. She was sitting on the bed and was talking on her phone.

Seriously? I don't get why secretaries call before we reach there. Don't they have jobs?

Oh wait, this is their job!

I waited for her to finish the call but then I heard something that made me eavesdrop.

She laughed,"Okay. I'll see you tonight."

Then after a pause, she spoke again. This time in the some sultry voice she had used with me yesterday,"By the way, make sure it's a quiet place. We are past the three date rule, now aren't we."

What?!

"Oh! Isn't that a little too far away. You know what? Never mind. I'll be there by eight.",she said.

I was extremely confused but the next thing she spoke made everything clear, too clear.

She smiled again,"Bye, Blake!"

It felt like the air had been squeezed out of my lungs. Being here right now, suffocated me. Thinking of last night, made it even worse.

The moment she kept the phone down, I said dryly,"Sorry. Didn't mean to eavesdrop but that was a great conversation."

Everything that happened last night, it was a lie.

A big, cold lie.

Her face lost colour, the moment she saw me,"Adrian! What are you even doing here?"