Breakfast was as usual a quiet chore as always, Robert finished his breakfast and got up first, right at that moment Brandan walked in the dining hall. It had become a rutine now Robert ignoring Brandan like a plague and Brandan keeping this sacred distance intact as if acknowledging it as his punishment.

"Morning mom." Brandan kissed his mothers cheek as he scooted back his chair to sit.

Martha greeted back smiling at her son overly sweet while filling his plate with breads and bacons.

Brandan was almost done emptying his plate when he noticed Martha giving him weary glances and fiddling with her fork. He sensed that Martha was trying to say something to him, something important maybe. But he didnt push it, knowing Martha's nature she wouldn't be able to keep it in herself for much longer.

Finally Martha spoke nervously after clearing her throat. "Brandan. Can you be at home by 5 o'clock ?"

Brandan dropped his fork on the plate gently, sipped his coffee and looked at martha from above the edge of his mug. "Why mom ?"

"Nothing serious Brandan. I had just promised one of my friends that I would visit them this evening and..." Martha paused.

"And?" Brandan asked.

Once again Martha cleared her throat before continuing. " ...and I said - I mean I promised that my son would accompany me."

Brandan sat up staright now, eyeing Martha suspiciously. "You promised your friend that you would meet her with me accompanying you?"

Martha gave a hesitant nod.

Brandan asked quitely, "Without knowing if I had any time for this social rubbish mom ?"

Martha held her forehead with one hand, "You never have any time for anything other than work Brandan."

"That's not an excuse." His voice was cold.

Then as if a bulb lit up in his mind, Brandan scoffed. "Uhh! Wait wait wait. Is it about setting me up with a girl !! Not again mom !! Not again !! We already discussed about this !! Why won't you still understand ?"

Martha placed her head in her hands tiredly. "Brandan. I am getting old son, I want to see you get settled, be happy, make your own family."

Brandan stood up, the chair he was sitting on made a loud screeching noise being pushed backwards along the floor so violently.

"Happiness has died for me long ago, it doesnt exist in my life anymore. Never it'll ever be."

He stormed out of the house like a bat out of hell, to live in a life where there was no liveliness left anymore.

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Emma sat across her desk giving quizzical glances at Jonathon who was gobling up his sandwich like he had not eaten in weeks. Emma took a small bite of her own sandwich and started chewing it in a relaxed manner.

It was one of the most awkward moments in office for Emma. Jonathon being the boss of this company never shared his lunch with her.

Yes. Jonathon and Emma were friends but not to the point of taking the risk to show it to the whole office, they always believed in taking their professional lives seriously.

Jonathon was behaving a little weird too with those nervous glances he was passing at her when he thought she wasn't noticing.

The whole lunch time had become extremely awkward.

Jonathon was wiping his mouth as Emma was finished up the remaining crumbs of her sandwich when Jonathon spoke up. "Emma... I was thinking that..."

Emma looked at Jonathon who was trying to act all confident suddenly but failing terribly to keep up the act. Seriously what was it with this guy today ? She wondered.

"that..." She encouraged.

Jonathon stuttered. "Ermm.. that..."

Emma raised an eyebrow.

"Would you like to go out with me tomorrow ?" He asked in one breath finally. Emma almost choked on her sandwich, she swallowed it down in a rather slow manner all the while processing his question in her all of a sudden blanked mind.

"I mean I want to take you out for dinner." He looked at Emma expectantly while she swallowed down the rest of the food in her mouth with water and stared at the file before her.

She looked up to see Jonathon still looking at her with that same puppy look, she knew she had to say something.

Emma had never dated anyone throughout the last six years. The thought of going out, getting to know someone, establishing a stable relationship - it was all totally out of her mind and schedule, she was too busy for all that. Building up her career, mending her broken heart and nurturing two innocent souls had kept her life and mind occupied in such extremities that anything else never crossed her mind. Then there was this sore spot, this old wound in her heart which sometimes seemed still so raw, so achingly fresh. Her only lover, the only one she could ever feel making her heart quicken with excitement and love. He had left her so scared and unwilling to give that broken heart of hers to anyone else.

Now as she looked at Jonathon sitting straight and so uncomfortably before her, she smiled slowly. There was no doubt that Jon was a wonderful guy, the two times when she brought Sarah and Sammy to show her office Jonathon had been so kind and friendly to them. He had immediately mixed up with the kids, specially with Sarah. Sammy also didn't dislike him, Emma could say that for sure.

She hesitated a little before replying. "Ermmm... Jon is it okay to answer you tonight? I mean, the kids. I don't want to leave them alone."

Emma had never seen Jonathon grinning so wide, it was like she had given him his Christmas present.

"Yes! of course, Emma, just please try and say - yes. I'll be looking forward to your call." Springing up, he then left briskly, leaving the awkward atmosphere behind intact.

Emma was puzzled to limits when she returned home, today she was extremely late. Thanks to the tension Jonathon left her in her mind which was working as an obstacle to be attentive to the works in her hand.

Elli opened the door beaming her usual dazzling smile. On the other hand Emma walked in forcing a smile of her own.

Elli was home early tonight.

Like always Emma called out to her favorite people in the whole universe. "Mommy's home cupcakes. Where are you ?"

An animation movie was playing on the TV, Sarah and Sammy were engrossed watching it. They perked up and jumped down from the couch and ran towards Emma with larger than life grins on their sweet faces. Emma knelt down and the twins ran into her opened arms. Kissing both of their heads Emma pulled back to look at them.

Sarah immediately started blabbering. "Mommy we watching Mada.. ma.. Mada.. sa.. ga.."

She tried to remember what it was while Sammy slapped his own forehead in a cute display of frustration. "Its Madagascar, Sarah."

"Yesh! Madasasar." Sarah corrected and the wrong word sounded even more dearer than the correct one to Emma.

Emma chuckled. "Uh huh. That's one nice movie now."

"I want to be Alex. Can I be Alex in halloween, mommy ?" Sammy asked as he made a scary face trying to imitate a lion's looks, unfortunately it looked funny instead but Sammy didn't need to know that.

Emma ruffled his hair. "Why not? Sure you can be him."

Sarah was not interested in the conversation, she was sneaking glances towards the TV. Noticing, Emma patted their butts and laughed.

"Okay now. Mommy doesn't want to miss you that fantastic movie, go go..." Emma said smiling at them and they ran away at the same speed they came.

She moved her head to see Elli still standing there in silence, staring at Emma with curiosity. "What? Is there something on my face?"

"Armm..." Elli strolled behind Emma while she entered the kitchen to grab a bottle of cold water. The adoring summer season had arrived, a season of beauty and all the pleasureful activities in sweet vacations.

"What is it?" Elli asked crossing her arms.

Emma placed the bottle back in the freeze and closed the door shut before swinging around to look at Elli.

"What ?" She asked back making Elli roll her eyes.

"Don't you what me Emma. I know you too well, something's surely bugging you. What is it ? You know you can tell me, sharing is relieving yourself off the tension."

Emma looked away. "And throw it to someone else's shoulder huh. It's nothing Elli, don't you have any work rather than annoying me all the time by assuming nonsense things ?"

Elli was tapping her nails on the kitchen counter. Emma looked at her from the corner of her eyes at first then groaned and looked at her directly. Giving up.

"Okay fine. I am a little tensed about something."

Elli rested her hip against the counter folding her arms upon her chest. "Got a dose of serious scolding from the boss. Right ?"

Leaning against the counter Emma shook her head back and forth. "Nope. Got the shock of boss asking me out."

Elli almost slipped down from her position, she squeaked in surprise. "What the bloody! holy... f*** !!"

Emma just nodded, her face again tensed.

Elli slapped her shoulder playfully. "Good thing it is then, why are you sulking?"

"What do you expect me to do then?... Say yes? Go out with him? Just like that !" Emma huffed.

Elli said casually shrugging. "Exactly. Go out, have some fun. Moreover, give someone a chance to enter into your life Emma. It's time you should think about your future, find a life partner to share your life with."

Emma sighed, only if it was as easy as it was said. "You don't understand Elli, its difficult for me..."

Elli cut in, "I know, Emma. Someone in the past has broken your heart and you are not still healed yet, not totally. All I am saying is, maybe this hotshot boss guy can be that healing potion for you."

"But I think of him just as my friend nothing else." Emma protested weakly.

Elli held Emma's hand and sqeezed it. "There's nothing wrong to give him a chance Emma, just see where it goes. Take baby steps."

"It's not about only me Elli, my kids..." Emma still protested.

"The kids need a male figure in their lives Emma, they need a complete family. A father figure along with a mother. You know that, right ?" Elli asked her in a soothing tone.

Emma sighed, Elli was right and wasn't at the same time. But it was true that Sarah and Sammy were getting the idea that their's was an incomplete family. She recalled the way Sammy would look longingly at Steeve and his father, when Steeve was taught playing basketball. Sarah, watching intently when her friend Anna was riding on her father's shoulder.

Emma felt her eyes beginning to get moist, it would only start increasing when they start going to school. How was she going to answer them when they would ask about their father? What would she explain to these naive souls? And when they would be all grown up and leave to explore their own worlds, make their own families... she would be left alone. To silently wait for her turn to go and have some nap in her grave.

"Hey." Elli hugged Emma softly, attempting to comfort her.

But how she was going to trust someone, give someone a chance to peep into her life, moreover share her life? She didn't even know if her damaged heart would ever be able to love someone again? It had always learnt to beat for Brandan who never cared, not once, but her fool of a heart had always thought him to be 'the one'.

Emma felt anger bubbling up inside her at the thought of that wrecked man - that Brandan Rozario. Why the hell was he still having so much control over her heart. Why?? He didn't deserve that.

With a feeling of vengeance came a new found determination. Emma pulled herself away from Elli's consoling hug. She would prove it, that Brandan wasn't 'the one'. He definitely wasn't 'the one' for her. She would move on. Be happy in her life.

So with determination in her tone she asked Elli, "But what should I wear tomorrow?"

Elli shone in a victorious grin. "Leave that to me, hotness."

When Emma was going to her room in need of a shower and change of clothes, Elli stated seriously from behind.

"And don't let your past ruin it for you, Emma." Elli added with seriousness.

Glancing at Elli from over her shoulder, Emma nodded. "I won't."

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Brandan was barking away orders in a breakneck speed on the phone. He yelled and threatened whoever was on the otherside for their possible pending mistakes.

The phone almost broke into pieces as he slammed it down on his desk and glared venomously at it, like he wanted to put it on fire with the power of his eyes.

A bunch of files were kept down upon his desk with minimal noise but it didn't fail to irritate the already seething Brandan.

"Did you eat coal by any chance in breakfast?"

Oliver the managing director of The Rozarios' and Brandan's most trustworthy person in the business asked with a straight face.

Brandan ignored him with a scowl and dragged all the files closer to him.

When Brandan had distanced himself from everyone in his life, especially from the group of his rowdy friends, Oliver came as a blessing to him. He was the only person Brandan could call as his friend and the only person who would get away with talking to him like that.

Oliver stared at Brandan for a few minutes and silently observing him. "Anything wrong ?"

"None of your business." Brandan spat tight lipped

Oliver shrugged nonchalantly. "Anyways, you're always like this."

Then as if remembering something, suddenly Oliver exclaimed in a cheerful tone, "By the way Brandan don't forget to learn to take care of yourself. I hope you do remember that I'm leaving for New York next week."

Brandan shot up his head suddenly, the scowl long gone. "For that busted issue in our company over there."

Oliver smiled. "Exactly and I know that you'll miss me. After all, it's going to be a damn long tour."

Oliver paused mid sentence, seeing Brandan smirking. Something didn't seem right with the way Brandan was looking at him. Oliver felt uneasy. "Ehhh... May I ask, why are you smirking like that my lord?"

" 'Cause..." Brandan leaned back comfortably in his chair and picked up his phone. "I'm accompanying you there in that tour." He said texting away in his phone, as he ordered the head of his security team to make all the arrangements from the tickets to all the other procedures. His brain finally relaxing at the scope of freeing itself from all the matchmaking tortures raised by his mother.

He would have to runaway from this situation if it was too much to ask from the heavens to make his mother understand that he was absolutely incapable of sharing his soul with anyone else.

People has only one soulmate, for him it was Emma. She was the only one for him and she would always be, no matter she was with him or not.

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That bam moment is so close. So very very close. How many of you are excited ??? Let me know how you felt about this chapter ?? Do you like Brandan's recent friend Oliver's charachter ?? How are you feeling about my matchmaking of Emma and Jonathon ??

Please vote and comment if you liked this chapter that will really encourage me.

Take care. Tada.