The balcony window cast a checker board of brilliant sunlight onto the dark hardwood floor. The watery daylight pushed back at the darkened edges of dawn, reclaiming the colours of day that had been washed into grey by the moonlit night. The world came back like a freshly developed photograph, every colour bright and new. Mirabella opened her eyes fuzzily and closed them again, relishing the warmth of the covers draped tightly around her body. Even though she had woken up, she refused to leave the comfort of her bed just yet. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she felt a small gust of air on her neck.

And then her blankets nuzzled her neck.

Mirabella's eyes snapped open instantly. She was quick to notice what was wrong: Blankets do not nuzzle people...

It took her a few seconds to realise that it wasn't the warmth of her covers that she was savoring minutes ago, it was Daniel's. His arms were wrapped around her waist, his hands resting on her stomach. His chest was leaning towards her shoulder, and his face was buried in the crook of her neck. Her breath caught in her throat as she felt Daniel snuggle closer to her, his nose tracing her neck - for a split second, his lips brush her skin. Mirabella's cheeks turned a hundred different shades of red.

A part of her mind liked the intimacy, it felt oddly safe to be wrapped up in his arms, but she discarded the thought quickly. She tried to speak, but her voice had disappeared somewhere deep within her.

Very slowly she wiggled her way out from his arms, making sure not to wake him. In victory she mentality sighed and went to get ready.

••••

She walked down the staircase and made her way to the kitchen where Bianca, Ilara and Helena were already seated at the table. Marbella sat down opposite Bianca and greeted everyone with a smile and a good morning.

"Aurora, don't run or you'll fall" Ariana said as she entered the kitchen from the garden. "Morning, ladies" she greeted and sat down next to Bianca.

"Can I have some orange juice?" Aurora asked as as she sat down next to Mirabella. Mirabella smiled and reached her hand out towards the glass bottle and poured the orange juice in a glass cup.

"Alessio, will you be coming with us too?" Ilara asked the young man once he sat down next to Helena.

Alessio nodded, but looked like he was in no mood to talk to anyone. "Awe," teased Bianca. "He misses his Vanessa." Everyone at the table laughed expect for Alessio. He looked at his sister with a look that could kill. He had been teased by his brother last night when they went out with Diego, and now it was Bianca's turn.

"I'll talk to you soon...okay, Ciao." Maria had entered the kitchen just as she finished speaking to someone on the phone. She looked at the people in the kitchen and greeted them with a good morning as she walked towards the head of the table and sat down.

"Who was that?" Ariana asked her mother.

"Oh, a friend of mine" Maria brushed off. "She asked if I wanted to go shopping with her, but since we are not in the city I had to decline. Must I explain myself to my own daughter now?" She asked. Ariana rolled her eyes and sighed.

••••

"Can I go with uncle Daniel?" Aurora asked as they all walked out of the villa to get to the cars.

Ariana shook her head. "No, baby" she said. "Maybe on the way back you can, but you'll come with me for now, okay?" Aurora pouted and looked down at her shoes as she marched to the silver Mercedes and got in the back seat. "This girl," Ariana sighed as she closed her eyes and then opened them again as she walked towards the front passenger seat.

It was hot. The seat which Mirabella sat on was hot under her thighs and it felt like she was getting burned even though she wasn't wearing shorts. She reached her hand out and pulled the sun visor down to block the brutal sun from shinning in her eyes.

They drove for a while, and then they made a left into a wide driveway that had the tall iron gates wide open. Daniel parked the car and turned the engine off and both he and Mirabella got out of the car.

Music was playing in the garden of the villa, and the sound of laugher and chatter filled the air, as well as the smell of a nostalgic campfire filling her nostrils, and the wisp of aromatic herbs and spices that created a carnivorous desire to anyone who was intoxicated by the smell.

They walked around the villa where a beautiful garden was with a pool, trees and plants, an outdoor kitchen and a table with chairs. "Daniel!" A woman smiled. She held her arms wide open and approached Daniel and embraced him. "First time in three years you have decided to finally attend a family barbecue," she said as they broke apart from the hug.

Daniel smiled at the women. Her name was Camila and she was his auntie from his father's side of the family; His oldest auntie. And even though she was older the years were kind to her. She had olive skin, hazel eyes and light brown hair which she always kept twisted into a loose bun and clipped with a hair clip. She had three children; two sons and a daughter. Camila never really dressed up like her sister-in-law, Maria or let her hair down all the time. Why? Because if she dressed up, applied a little makeup and let her hair down she looked very young. Some would say she had a hidden elixir that kept her young and beautiful.

"Well, I did say I'd be here this year," he said, and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "I wouldn't want to disappoint my favourite auntie."

Camila shook her head and turned to Mirabella. "Don't let how charm and handsome looks fool you, Mirabella" she joked. "You should have seen him when he was a teenager. He had all of us as fools when he wanted to. Now come on. I'm sure you're hungry."

The sun baked the dryness outside. The low, warm breeze was like air conditioning and a blessing to the skin. Mirabella sat next to Natalia, Camila's daughter. Natalia was a beautiful girl with dark, long, dirty blonde hair, sun-kissed skin and grey-blue eyes. "I feel like pushing one of them in the pool," Natalia said, her eyes fixed on the children playing and running around.

Mirabella remembered when she'd go to barbecues with Vanessa, and Andrea would be there something, and the three of them would pick on the little kids and blame it on Antonio afterwords. "And then blame it on someone," they both said at the same time, and then laughed.

"Girls, come here!" They heard Camila shout, as she waved her hand for them to come over to the table. Natalia and Mirabella stood up and made their way to the table.

It's been a while, and night had already fallen. The sky was pitch black with a void of stars hanging as though they were dangling from invisible strings. A low and cool breeze brushed over her as she walked from the table and to the kitchen where Natalia was sweeping the floor, while Bianca washed the dishes and Mirabella helped putting them away. Ariana sat with the woman at the table in the kitchen and was listening to what they were talking about. She'd nodded her head and sat a few words from time to time, but that was because she had Aurora on her lap sleeping.

Once Mirabella finished putting away the last dish, she grabbed a clean cloth, dabbed it in the water and then went over the kitchen counter and the island with it. She exhaled a sighed when she went to stand next to Bianca, who yawned. "I'm so tired," Bianca said with her eyes closed for a second before she opened them again.

"What's wrong, ladies?" Camila asked them. Bianca and Mirabella turned their heads to look at the table where the rest of the woman were. They smiled at Camilla, but didn't say anything. They were too tried to even speak.

"Mum?" Aurora whispered as she woke from her sleep. "Can we go now?"

Ariana nodded. "Si, amore" she said, and then turned to look at Natalia. "Natalia, could you go and tell Mathew to come in please?" She asked, and Natalia nodded her head as she went outside.

(Yes, love)

Moments later not only Mathew followed Natalia in the kitchen, but also Daniel. "She's sleeping," Mathew stated, as he fixed his eyes on his daughter and Ariana nodded. He exhaled a sigh and reached his arms out towards Aurora and took her from her mother and into his arm. The little girl wrapped her arms around her fathers neck and placed her head on his shoulder, but didn't wake.

"Awe, she's so cute" Natalia chimed. Everyone in the kitchen agreed and smiled. "Soon," Natalia continued as she wrapped an arm around Mirabella's shoulder. "Our Mirabella will have little cutie as well."

Mirabella laughed with everyone else. But this wasn't a normal laugh. No, this laugh was a mask to cover up just how nervous she really was. Ariana and Mathew bid everyone their farewell and wished them a goodnight before leaving. And not long after they left, Mirabella turned to look at Daniel who was leaning against the wall, listening to what everyone was talking about. "Daniel," she said his name loud and clear for him to hear over the chatter.

Daniel turned his head to look at her. "Yes, my love" he said in a playful tone.

Mirabella held back a smile. "Can we go?" she asked.

Daniel pushed himself off the wall and rubbed his hands together. "Right, thank you auntie for the barbecue," he said.

Camila smiled. "You're most welcome," she said before asking, "Do you want to take some food home with you? I don't want anyone complaining that they didn't eat."

Just then Alessio walked in. "I'm complaining," he said, and everyone laughed while Camilla shot him a serious look, but failed not even seconds later and also laughed.

"Are you leaving already, son?" Maria asked her son.

"Yes," Daniel said. "It's late anyways. We'll see you tomorrow."

Maria only nodded but don't say anything. She watched as Mirabella bid everyone a goodnight with her lips slightly pursed.

••••

They have been driving for some time now. Mirabella had began to wonder if Daniel was even going the right way. "Just a random question," she said. "Do you know where you're going?"

Daniel frowned as he looked at her for a moment. "Of course," he replied before he turned back to the road.

"Just asking because we have been driving for a while and not everything is exactly bright out," she said. Daniel shook his head with a small smile. He knew he was going the right way Mirabella was just really tired and lost track of time.

They continued to drive when out of nowhere the car jolted and Daniel slammed his foot on the break really hard. "What just happened?" Mirabella asked. Daniel told her to wait in the car while he went out to see what was going on.

He unbuckled his seatbelt, opened the door and got out. He walked to the back of the car; nothing. He then walked to the front and that's when he saw that one of the was flat down. He cursed out loud and ran a hand through his hair. He stood for a moment before he turned and went to sit back in the car. He got his phone out and searched for Diego's phone number.

"Who are you calling?" Mirabella asked.

"Someone who will bring a spear trie," said Daniel as he held his phone to his ear.

"Don't you have a spear?" Mirabella asked.

Daniel exhaled a sigh and began to search for Bruno's number. "If I did," he said sarcastically. "I wouldn't be calling Diego or Bruno to bring one."

Mirabella rolled her eyes. "Maybe this is a lesson then," she shot back mockingly with just much sarcasm as him. Daniel watched Mirabella with an arched brow as he held the phone to his ear. He didn't know what to say. No one ever mocked him, but her.

"Bruno..." She heard Daniel say, but didn't as so much look away from her phone screen. "I need you to bring me a spear tire...I tried calling him but he's no answering...we're..." Daniel trailed off as he looked around, but all he could see was darkness.

Mirabella rolled her eyes and went to her maps, and that's when she saw that she had been right the whole time. They had been driving for a while because they were nowhere near the villa. "Nowhere near the villa," She said out loud. Daniel looked at her and then at her phone. "I told you we had been driving for a long time," she said, before looking down at the time. "Ah, look. One in the bloody morning."

Daniel rubbed his temple with his hand. He didn't want to start with Mirabella, who was already grumpy because he was also tried and didn't have the energy to argue with her. He told Bruno that they'd wait the night out and that he was to send someone early in the morning after them.

It's been half an hour and Mirabella turned her phone off because she didn't have enough battery. She took her sandals off and pulled her knees to her up while he back was against the door. She leaned her head to side and then frowned. "Are you sleeping?" She asked, as she watched Daniel who had his eyes closed.

Daniel shook his head, but didn't say a word. A minute or two went by and Mirabella was thinking of a way she could make time pass so she wasn't bored. She looked at Daniel and even she was surprised by the words that came out of her mouth. "I met Juliette."

Daniel felt his brain freeze. He thought he had misheard her. He opened his eyes and looked at Mirabella. "What?" He asked, and by the way he asked her that question she could tell that he was trying very hard to stay calm. "How? When?"

Daniel began to wonder if she had met her when she came to the mansion to see him when he told her that he wanted nothing to do with her. But that was almost two months ago, so why would Mirabella bring it up now? And what did she tell her? What lies did Juliette sell his wife?

"At Bianca's engagement," said Mirabella. "She's actually nice. She said that you were playmates once."

Daniel took in a deep breath. "Yes," he said. "We were once, but that was a long time ago."

"Why didn't she come to the wedding?" Mirabella asked.

"She travels a lot," Daniel replied shortly.

Mirabella nodded, before speaking again. "Ariana doesn't really like her," she said. "You mother, on the other hand, she really adores her. She's charming. I'm surprised that you two didn't get together or dated."

Daniel looked at her with a confused, but shocked expression. Did someone tell her about their little fling that had when they were kids? He asked himself.

Mirabella rolled her blue eyes at him. "Oh, come on," She said. "You don't need to pretend that you haven't flirted with other girls before. We all have flirted with someone at some point."

Daniel shook his head and laughed. "Well?" Mirabella pressed.

Daniel sighed in surrender. "Yes, we did have a little things going" he said.

Mirabella watched him for a moment in silence and then asked, "And then you broke up because of me?"

"I knew that you were promised to me since I was fourteen," said Daniel. "And Juliette always knew that what we had was never real. She knew I didn't do the whole relationship thing. She knew what she was signing up for." Daniel always knew that his mother loved Juliette. She always wanted them to get together, but he was betrothed to Mirabella since he was fourteen. He knew that no matter how much his mother wanted him to be with another his father's word was final.

Another silence filled the car as they locked eyes, before Daniel broke it this time. "And you?" He asked. "Any admires? Secret love affairs?"

Mirabella shook her head, but then had a thoughtful look her face. "Hmm, well there was one," she said. Daniel was surprised. His brows shot up as he looked at her, waiting for her to continue. "He always knew exactly what I wanted and never disappoint me."

"You really liked him then," Daniel stated.

Mirabella sighed in daydream. "His wife was also nice."

"Wait, his wife?" Daniel was confused. He began to wonder how old she must've been and how old this man must've all been since he had a wife.

"He'd always make a special cake just for me and his wife would make the best cookies. Oh, how I wish I could turn back time," Mirabella sighed, and then looked at Daniel who was still shocked and confused. She laughed, lapping her knee as she threw her head back. "Oh, the look on your face" she laughed.

"He was a baker?" Daniel said slowly. "With a wife?" Mirabella nodded her head, still laughing.

"They were the nicest couple," she said. "They had an older daughter and she'd always take me to the park with her and her friends. Even if we went to parties she'd take me with her. She called me her little sister. But then they moved away and we'd only talk over the phone."

Daniel laughed. He thought that she was actually involved with a man who had a wife. She had him fooled for a moment. "All jokes aside, there was someone, right?" He asked. Mirabella shook her head, and Daniel didn't want to believe her. "Seriously? No one? You're lying," he said, not wanting to believe her.

"You could drag me to church and my answer would still remain the same," she said. "I never had a boyfriend, or kissed anyone and I didn't mind. Everyone was in relationships, but that didn't peak my interest."

Daniel was surprised. That was the first time he had ever heard a girl say that being in a relationship did not peak her interest and that she didn't mind that she didn't have a boyfriend or even kissed anyone before.

Mirabella saw how quiet Daniel had become. She exhaled a laugh, breaking the silence between them. "I know," she said. "Weird. But I had plans and I didn't want a boy in the way. I knew he'd only slow me down from it all saying I don't spend enough time with him, or that I didn't text and call him all the time— I," she paused and took in a deep breath with her eyes closed before exhaling and opening her eyes. "I didn't want to deal with that. I wanted to study and then graduate so I could accomplish something. And you? Didn't you have any goals you wanted to accomplish? Any ambitions?" She asked him.

Daniel had never been asked a question like this before. No one asked him what he wanted— what he truly wanted to do. He threw his head back and looked at the stars. There was a short pause before he spoke. "I wanted to study as well," he said. "I always knew about the life my father and family lived. I knew what they were doing and I knew I would take over someday. But I also wanted to study. Finish school the proper way. Get a first job the proper way."

"What stopped you?" Mirabella asked.

"I was heading to my final exam when I got a phone call from my father saying that something came up," he said. "Something important. It turned out to be my first job."

Mirabella wanted to laugh. She thought it was funny how similar they were when it came to education and school. They both valued them, but they didn't finish them as they planned due to family matters.

"My kids will have to finish school," Mirabella said. "I don't care if there will be a tornado on the bloody way, they will still going to school."

Daniel arched a brow. "Planning the future I see," he smirked at her. "And do our kids have names?"

Mirabella rolled her eyes and couldn't help the smile on her face as she turned to look out of the window.