"What are you doing here?" My mother asks, descending the stairs.

"Uhm...he was just leaving, Mom." Her eyes flicker to me then to Nick then Marcel and back to me. She raises an eyebrow. "Everything's fine. You can go back to bed."

Shaking her head, she continues down the stairs. "Nick, darling." I roll my eyes. My mother could be a real piece of work. "Are you alright? Were you sleeping okay?"

"Yes, ma'am," is his polite reply.

"Oh, stop it. How many times do I have to tell you? It's Maria." She smiles.

I notice Marcel flinches. My mother never allowed him to call her anything besides Mrs. Brady. I decide to step in. "Mom, that's enough. Marcel, thanks for stopping by. I appreciate it."

With a small smile he nods and leaves. I shake my head at Nick and Maria and go back upstairs. Sometimes she could be so unbelievable. Why does she love Nick so much?

Or is she just trying to hurt Marcel's feelings. But if that's the case then why? He's never done anything but try to earn her and my dad's respect since the moment they met. Why Nick? Is it the money? I know my mother isn't a shallow person so that can't be it.

I just don't get it.

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I wake up to the bright rays of light that are streaming through the windows of my childhood bedroom. My head feels a bit heavy but I ignore it and focus on the fact that it's my birthday. I'm​ officially twenty-three years old. Not to mention that the party last night was amazing. I was surrounded by people who I loved and people who loved me. I plaster a smile on my face and get up to start my day.

"Good morning, baby girl. Happy birthday!" My dad greets as I entered the kitchen. Mom is busy making breakfast and since it's my birthday she is not to be disturbed as she prepares my favourites. I smile in reply and ask where everyone is.

"Well I'm here," Nessa answers, entering the kitchen. She takes a seat on the stool next to me around the kitchen island. "As for my cousin and Ariel, they went for a check up at Dr. van Hale, Lee had a few sessions at the studio-"

"Hold up. Her doctor is Nick's dad? I didn't know he was a baby doctor," I interrupt.

"He's not. His wife is. Well sort of. She was but now she still accepts one or two clients," Dad answers.

Oh. I nod thoughtfully. "So where's Nick?"

"You didn't give me a chance to get to that. He said he had some business to do today but said I should tell you that if you need him for anything, anything at all, he's just a phone call away." Nessa finishes with a wink.

That catches my mother's attention. Of course. "Oh he's a darling isn't he?"

"Good morning to you too, Mom," I mutter.

"Oh hush up and eat. We have a long day ahead of us," she says as she placed my breakfast before me. It looks and smells absolutely delicious and I can just see the jealousy radiating off of Nessa and my dad.

I laugh as Mom smacks away both of their hands when they try to steal some and then she goes ahead to make theirs.

When my mother said I had a long day ahead of me she wasn't kidding. She insisted upon a four hour shopping spree, a spa treatment, a hairstylist and a tour of the town, including a stop at Granville van Hale Hospital. I tried telling her that Nick had already showed me around and I admit that a lot has changed but she is a determined woman. It's​ like she wants me to see how much she loved it here and how she hoped I liked it enough to come around more often.

Is that it? Have I really stayed away from here for so long? I feel a pang of guilt. "Mom." I catch her attention as we pass by the town park. "It wasn't his fault, you know."

She raises a perfectly done eyebrow at me. "What's not whose fault?"

"Marcel. It wasn't his fault I didn't come here much. He actually always pushed me to visit you. He loved spending time with you and Dad," I say. She stays quiet. Marcel is obviously not her favourite topic. I go on anyways.

"One reason I stopped coming here was because I felt like there were always secrets. Something you're not telling me. I gave up trying when I noticed you and Dad wouldn't stop with the hushed conversations or arguments or whatever they were. Even Marcel noticed it."

"Oh look. We're here," she exclaims. I decide not to push it. It's my birthday and I'd rather not spend it smacking my mom and regretting it.

I look at where she's pointing, the Gran van Hale Hospital. This is the second time I'm seeing it since it has been bought and taken over by Nick's family and it's​ still a sight to see. Before, it was just the Granville Hospital and it was an ordinary sized place. Now it's​ large enough to hold most of the town if they got sick.

Just a few months. That's how long I haven't been here. And the van Hales had all but taken over.

"Quit staring and come on," my mother orders. I follow her until we end up on the fourth floor of the hospital. Of course it's​ where Dr. van Hale is.

"Oh my Lord! Maria, is that you?" Dr. van Hale gushes.

"In the flesh," my mother replies as they hug. "Oh Cara, this is my daughter, Evelyn."

"Hello, dear. It's nice to finally meet you. I've heard so much about you, it's almost like I already know you," Dr van Hale says. She's​ a very beautiful woman. Her green eyes are like a replica of Nick's and her blonde hair highlights the pink in her cheekbones. She's a little taller than my mother and quite slim. If I didn't know better I would've thought she's in her twenties.

"Hi, it's lovely to meet you too, Mrs van Hale. I hope my mother's been telling you good things." I laugh and they both join in.

"Oh honey, call me Cara. And your mother describes you as an absolute angel. And boy does my son agree," she adds.

I freeze. "I'm sorry, what?"

She and my mother laugh. What's​ so funny? Does Nick talk to his mother about me? As I'm​ about to ask, a familiar voice catches my attention. I look around and I see...

"Marcel?" I ask in disbelief. He's outside the room talking to a lady at the desk. She points to Dr van Hale's office and he starts to make his way over. My mother and Cara look to where I'm​ staring.

"Oh you know Mr Jamison?" Cara asks. She looks a little upset.

"Yes. How do you?" I'm​ puzzled. What does Marcel have to do with Nick's mother?

As she's about to reply the door open and Marcel walks in. "Mr. Jamison. You've missed another appointment. Miss Evans has already-"

"Evelyn? What are you doing here?" He seems shocked to see me at a baby doctor. Well he can imagine how I feel seeing him here. "Are you..." I almost laugh at his expression.

"Cara, what is he doing here?" My mother asks.

"He's the father of one of my client's-"

"I'll tell her, please," he interrupts​, desperately.

But it's too late. He walks over to me and I flinch when he tries to touch me.

"Father? You're a..." Realisation dawns on me. "That girl you cheated on me with. She's pregnant." I look up at him and I can see his face contort in pain. "All that time. All that time you were trying to get me back and you..."

"I wanted to tell you. I was going to but then-"

I push pass him and blindly run out of the office. My eyes flooding with tears. I can't believe this.

This can't be real.

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