Just then the car came to a stop and driver announced, "We have arrived, Mr King."

Lilly felt his posture stiffen again while his hold on her hand tightened. She looked at him trying not to look worried. He gave a small smile which she realised was to put her at ease but still, it turned out to be stoic.

"Come on, let's go," said Ashton.

As Lilly got out of the car Ashton was already by her side. Holding Sam on one arm he put the other around Lilly's waist pulling her closer to him. The trio looked like one perfect family as they headed towards the entrance.

Lilly rang the bell and within a minute the door opened and they found Elsie standing in front as she beamed at the toddler. Delighted she stretched her arms towards the little boy hoping for him to jump in her embrace but the toddler refused her advances. Turning his back towards her he hugged Ashton. Tightly wounding his small chubby arms around his neck as he buried his face in Ashton's chest.

Ashton felt proud and happy that the little boy somehow for some reason chose him. The toddler found his safe place in Ashton just the way he had found his second chance to mend his mistakes in Sam. His second chance to live that came in form of Lilly and Sam. They were his safe zone, his heaven where he didn't need to pretend anything in front of them.

'But you still hide your secrets. Those deep and dark ones.' a voice call from inside. Clenching his teeth he tried to control those thoughts. He was determined to not let them get over him and what he was.

Lilly noticed the look of hurt in Elsie's eyes at Sam's rejection and felt the need to soothe it.

"I am sorry but please don't feel bad. It's just that Sam is not very good with strangers. Once he becomes acquainted with you he will like your company."

"I see." Elsie gave a small smile as her eyes still rested on toddler's back.

"Arthur." She called behind her. "Look honey, who is here."

An old man in his sixties appeared beside Elsie. He looked like an older version of Ashton but his eyes colour was different, Lilly noted.

"This is my husband Arthur," said Elsie introducing the old man to Lilly. She looked at Sam who still had his face buried in Ashton's chest.

"Sam," Lilly called to the toddler and he peeked just a little at his mother.

"Say hello."

The boy turned a little to look at the old couple but then turned his back again.

"Samuel." The old man called his name and Lilly saw something flicker in those expressionless eyes.

"Isn't he adorable?" Elsie smiled at her husband.

"Hmm. Don't keep them waiting at the door."

"Oh yes, come on in."

The trio headed to the living room following the old couple.

"Take a seat Lilly and feel comfortable. I will tell the maids to serve the dinner but before that let the birthday boy cut the cake." Elsie announced happily.

A maid brought a cartoon cake while the other maid placed some toys on the table. Sam peeked a little from Ashton's shoulder before turning around completely as the table covered with toys and the cartoon cake in the centre caught his attention.

"Did you like it, Sam?" Elsie asked and this time Sam didn't hide at the sound of her voice.

Maybe Elsie's idea of attracting the boy's attention with toys and a cartoon cake worked, Lilly acknowledged as Sam stretched his hand towards the table itching to touch the sparkly things.

Elsie smiled at the child as she gave Lilly a cake knife to help Sam cut the cake.

"Take him." Ashton handed Sam to Lilly and moved a step back. She frowned at this gesture. He looked so far apart even though he was standing within a metre's distance. Something about him had changed, Lilly noticed.

The Ashton she knew had forced his way into her house on their first meeting, had announced himself to be Sam's guardian on the second meeting and had threatened her into a marriage on their third meeting.

However, days after that were spent peacefully. Beautifully, if she were, to be honest. She had even given him the badge of a good man and a good father mentally. But now the aura around him had changed. He looked solemn. Lonely. And Lilly couldn't understand the chill at her spine.

After cutting the cake they all headed towards the dining room. The dinner was served and Lilly couldn't help but notice the tension that surrounded the air. Amid those laughs and Elsie's attempts to talk to Sam and get acquainted with him Lilly couldn't ignore how the old couple had still not as much as acknowledged as Ashton's presence. All their talks centred around either Sam or Sebastian.

" Sam looks just like Sebastian. Right, Arthur?" Elsie smiled at her husband.

"Yes," Arthur replied as his eyes focused on the little boy in the child's chair sitting between Elsie and Lilly.

Ashton who was sitting beside Lilly silently continued stuffing whatever was served to him into his mouth. He wasn't even sure how he was managing to stuff it all in without throwing up. Lilly looked at him from the corner of her eye and realised just how much he had lost his colour.

She had come to this dinner with the hopes of building a bridge between father and son but the two hadn't talked much rather than the few words of acknowledgement. Well, it was just a nod that they gave to each other before looking away and they both were ignoring each other since the moment they entered the house.

'Was it was like this for Ashton? Was he always treated like a stranger? Someone who is invisible...no one even acknowledging his presence.' Lilly felt hurt for him and remembered Grace's words when she had said that no one cared much about Ashton after his mom left.

'But why was everyone like that with him?' Lilly frowned. She could for once discern and excuse Elsie's behaviour but why was his dad treating him like this she failed to understand. But there wasn't much she could do about this situation other than praying to heavens for this God awful dinner to come to an end as soon as possible so that they could head back to their own home. Their heaven where Ashton acted normal. Where Ashton shows that cheerful face and those heart-melting smiles which always for some strange reason made her heart skip a beat.

"Lilly." Just then a voice brought her out of her reveries. It was the old man Arthur.

"Yes?"

" I heard you work as a translator."

"Yes, I do," Lilly affirmed.

'Ok. Even though the father and son relationship isn't that good but I guess they both share the habit of checking up on people by sending detectives behind their back.' Lilly shook her head mentally at that thought.

"For how long have you been working?"

"I started internships when I was still in college and became a permanent employee after completing my graduation. They liked my work so we signed a long-term deal. Since I had to look after Sam I decided to work from home."

The old man simply nodded his head and went back to eating. With the suffocating air, this dinner was becoming even harder to digest now but Lilly had no choice other than to just sit there and pretend to eat.

She heard Samuel dropping his spoon and looked at him. He had fed half of his food to his clothes which now needed a desperate washing.

" I will take Sam to clean up," said Lilly.

Just as she was about to get up Elsie stopped her saying, "Let me take him. You continue with your dinner."

"But-" Lilly tried to reason but got interrupted.

"It's alright. Let me handle this. I have looked after Sebastian before so don't worry."

Lilly wasn't sure if those words were meant to put her at ease or just make her worry even more. She couldn't help but remember Sebastian's behaviour when she met him for the first time. Even though she had said that she has already forgiven Sebastian but first impressions are hard to change and harder to forget. And Sebastian's first impression in her was horrible.

However, looking at the old woman's excitement Lilly couldn't bring herself to say anything. So she just nodded her head into a yes.

As Elsie got up from her seat she took Samuel out of his chair and into her arms.

"Come, Sam, let's get you clean and shiny again." Elsie smiled as a confused toddler looked from his mother to the old woman who was holding him and then back again.

"Say bye to mommy." Elsie smiled at the toddler as she started walking towards the door.

Just as she put one step out of the dining room the little boy started to cry. It was Ashton before Lilly who got out of his seat and headed towards the crying baby.

"Let me," he said stretching his hands towards the crying boy in an attempt to take him but Elsie refused to give the toddler to Ashton.

"No, Ashton. I will manage it. He is my grandson."

Lilly noticed the way she emphasized the word 'My'. No matter how possessive she sounded for the baby. However, at the moment what worried Lilly more was not her obsession but Samuel's cries. She couldn't bear to see him wailing like that. She got up quickly and rushed to Elsie before she could turn her back and leave with the toddler.

"He isn't comfortable with you yet so please give him to me." Lilly requested but Elsie was just not listening and the baby was wailing harder and harder.

She looked at Ashton as he stood there. His eyes looking like a cool storm. He had fisted his hands so tightly that his knuckles had turned white. He was trying his best to contain that anger inside him and she knew he was about to lash out soon.

Now Sam's cries were making Lilly restless too but Elsie was just not ready to give him up.

As Elsie headed towards the washroom Sam couldn't take it anymore and he started pulling at whatever came in his hands whether it was the old women's Cardigan, her pearl necklace or her hair. He just wanted to get out of her hold.

"Maa..." Sam started calling for Lilly as he stretched his arms towards his mother in hopes that she would come running to him.

His face was drenched with tears and had turned red and it was then that Lilly finally lost it.