"Papa! Papa!" Ashley ran into her father's office with tears streaming down her face.

Her father turned around and faced her with a tired expression. "Ashley?"

She climbed onto his lap. She wrapped her arms around her father's neck and started to cry even harder.

Her father sighed in exasperation. "What is it now, Ashley?" he pushed her shoulders back a little and stared into her eyes. His face held only annoyance as he stared down at her, not that she even realized it.

"Samuel made me fall." she hiccuped and wiped her tears using the back of her hand. Sniffing, she climbed off his lap and sat down on the floor, staring up at him like she usually did even since she was a small child. "Papa make him stop."

"Ashley I don't have time for this. Samuel would never do such a thing. Now go to your room. I'm busy." He gave her a hard stare before turning around to face his work.

Ashley stood up from the ground and glared at her father's back. Her tears fell down but this time, it was because of how her father has been treating her lately. Ever since he married the 'love' of his life. "Papa, you don't understand. Samuel is mean."

"Ashley, I will not tolerate this anymore! Grow up!" her father yelled at her. His face locked with hers and he glared at her harshly. "You will learn to get along with Samuel. He is always so kind to you. Stop being a brat."

Ashley was shocked. Her father has never yelled at her before let alone call her a brat. Every time, he would always sternly tell her something but would never raise his voice up at her.

She has never seen this side of her father before and it scared her immensely.

She knew that her father could see the fear written on her face but he did nothing to make it go away. If anything, he only made it worse by glaring at her so harshly.

She stepped back. Her eyes was wide and filled with fear but her father's remained angry and not the least bit regretful.

He has changed.

She turned around quickly and ran off to her room. Her eyes were spilling with tears and when she got there, she threw herself onto her bed and cried. Her whole body shook with tears and there was nothing that she could do to stop it.

Just like there was nothing for her to do to stop her life from spinning so out of control.

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There were only clanks and the sound of food being chewed at dinner that night. The room was tense and everyone knew it.

Especially Ashley.

She twirled her fork around her spaghetti while her head was rested on her palm. Her eyes were still red and swollen from the crying session that she did earlier while her body continued to shake every once in awhile.

"Ashley." her father's voice echoed through the room.

Ashley stopped and placed her fork on the plate. She glanced up slowly and stared passed her father's head. "Yes papa?" her voice was soft but hoarse.

He gave her a stare down. "Do you have anything you wish to say to Samuel?"

Her head turned to Samuel's and hatred build in her when she saw the mischievous gleam in his eyes. His face was filled with fake hurt.

No one seemed to see past his facade besides Ashley and his mother.

Alessandra sent him a quick smirk. She turned to Ashley and winked at her before looking down at her food again.

Ashley silently wished for her to choke.

Ashley clenched her fists under the table and smiled fakely at Samuel. "Samuel, I apologize for my actions this morning." she recited the words that her father has forced her to repeat.

"It's okay Ashley." Samuel said with a smile.

"Now was that so hard?" Her father spoke up.

Ashley glared at him. She stood up and pushed her chair back. "I want to go live with nonno and nonna."

Her father's fork dropped onto the plate, making a loud 'clank'. "What did you just say?"

Ashley looked down timidly and played with the hem of her dress. "Nonno wants me to go live with him and nonna." She looked up again, feeling confidence spiked in her, and stared straight into her father's eyes. "Unlike you, they care for me!"

Her father looked taken back and only stared at her. After a while, he picked up his fork and continued eating again. "Very well. You may go. No ungrateful daughter of mine is going to live in my house."

"Fine!" Ashley shouted. She pushed her chair down and ran up to her room. Only one thought ran in her brain.

I hate him.

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"Your room is still the same. I just put in a bigger bed. " Antonio smiled at Ashley and turned towards the stairs. "You can figure out what to change and I'll send some people to change it however you like."

Ashley nodded her head. "Thank you papa." she muttered quietly.

He gave her a tight smile in return. There was a part of him that knows that things can never go back to the way they use to and Ashley cannot trust in him the way that she used to.

He still hoped that things will return back to normal. That she would look at him like she used too.

Like he was her hero.

"Of course Ashley. I'd do anything for you. You're my daughter." he kissed her forehead. He had noticed her wincing when he did that and stepped away slowly. He hid his hurt behind his usual mask. "Why don't you get settled in and meet me in the kitchen?"

Her only response was a nod. She rolled her suitcase to the stairs but stopped when she realized the problem. Her room was on the third floor and there was no way that she could carry this suitcase.

It would put too much pressure on her and the babies.

"Wait papa." she called to him.

Antonio turned around and looked at her. "Yes mia figlia?"

A blush appeared on her face and she looked at him nervously. "Can you help me with my suitcase. I- uh- I can't carry anything heavy."

Antonia looked at her in confusion. He walked over to her and picked up her suitcase. "If you don't mind me asking, why can't you?" He asked her as they walked up the stairs.

He noticed that her eyes would close sometimes and her face would fill up with pain once in awhile.

"I'm pregnant." she said softly.

Antonio stopped and stared at her.

She turned away from his glance and stared at the wall. Her eyes came face to face with a baby picture of her and she smiled gently at it. Her eyes diverted to her stomach and she hopes that her babies would come out looking healthy and as beautiful as ever.

"How long?" he choked out.

"Four months papa." she muttered. She continued walking again, not glancing back to see if he was following her or not. "My husband and I are divorced."

"You were married?"

"Yes Papa. For a few years actually." She muttered. "I don't like talking about it."

And I can't trust you yet to tell you. She thought to herself.

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Dante groaned and buried his head into his hands. The memories of his ex-wife played over and over in his mind like a broken record. He couldn't stop it no matter how hard he tried. He so badly wanted to forget about her but she had already claimed the spot in his brain.

Why can't he forget about her? Why is it so hard to just let her go? She wasn't the woman he thought she was. She was evil, conniving, unfaithful, but yet, he still loves her.

Dante heard his door opening and he looked up to see his mother coming in with a solemn look on her face. "Mother." He stood up and walked over to her, kissing her cheek. His mother smiled at him weakly and sat down.

"Dante. We need to talk." She said softly.

"About?" he sat down next to her and turned his body to face her.

"Ashley." She whispered.

Dante froze when he heard her name. A scowl then took over his face. "Mother, I thought we agreed to never mention that woman ever again."

"She left the country, Dante." His mother said. She sighed. "Mayla had called me this morning to tell me that by the time you realize your mistake, Ashley won't be here any longer."

Dante felt his heart constricting with pain. He snapped his eyes shut and leaned back against his seat. Memories of her continued playing and he felt a traitorous tear escape his eyes. "It's for the best, mother." He croaked out.

"But Dante, what about the babies?" there was worry in his mother's voice and Dante knew it would break her heart when he tells her the truth.

"They're not mine." He whispered.

"What? What are you talking about?"

Dante opened his eyes and smiled grimly at his mother who looked at him with shock in her eyes. "They're not mine, mother."

"Dante, of course they're yours." His mother said with tears in her eyes.

"They're not. She cheated on me mother. That's why I divorced her." he buried his head into his hands again. "She cheated."

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