In her entire existence Emma had never thought to get blessed with all those things she ever craved for, she had always been thinking herself to be the unfortunate one.

There was a time when she thought loving someone so opposite of herself could never hurt her, because that love always stayed silent and hidden in her heart. But ohh... how wrong she was, at a very tender age she was taught quite cruelly that love - hidden or exposed, had the same power to break someone without any mercy. She was the unlucky one to have the later in her plate and now that she was aware of the power of that fatal emotion and how they had the vivaciousness and possibility to devastate her all over again.

She refused to acknowledge the emotions crossed into Brandan's expressive eyes. Those were the same freaking emotions she knew her eyes might have reflected approximately six years back. Shaking her head mentally she named those emotions in Brandan's eyes as his fake - moronic charms. A part of his scheme that he always managed to put on whenever he craved to get into someone's pants.

Emma matched his expressive eyes with her own stony gaze, she refused to show even a ounce of emotion to this man.

When she walked into the dimly lit restaurant, a number of scented aromatic candles scattered carefully in safe distances while giving a feel of intense romanticism. Emma spotted Brandan standing up after seeing her. Their table was at a secluded corner and Emma knew without a doubt that this whole thing was his doing. Was he that desperate to have a quick lay?

Their eyes locked, while Brandan poured appreciation and raw passion with a mix of soul numbing emotions towards her, Emma only offered her usual icy stare which would always manage to block his every single approach to her heart.

Brandan pulled back Emma's chair. Emma smirked sitting down while Brandan couldn't see her face. So much chivalry to the one you used to bully, Emma thought.

"Thanks for coming Emma." His words were sincere as he spoke spoke them softly but Emma just nodded.

A waitress approached their table. Emma rolled her eyes seeing the blond bimbo giving flattering glances at Brandan, enough buttons were open to show off more than her cleavage. Emma had to control the urge to puke when the waitress bend down with the pretense of picking up her notepad and leaving nothing to imagination.

She hadn't still looked at Brandan after settling down in her seat but she was pretty sure he was now ogling at the waitress's mostly exposed upper body. She clearly remembered every single thing about the famous ladies man named Brandan Rozario, six years of distance couldn't fade a memory of him from her mind.

Confident of her instincts Emma lifted up her eyes at the direction of Brandan only to have a invisible blow to her every logic. Brandan's eyes were not on the waitress or any kind of indecent view the bimbo was offering, he was staring at Emma with an amused expression... a tint of a smile at the corner of his lips.

Deliberately Emma lifted up her hand up to touch her face - suspicious if something was sticking there. Brandan shook his head smiling while browsing through the menu. Clearing her throat Emma proceeded to do the same.

Flashing the brightest set of teeth - which Emma imagined were probably as fake as everything else on her voluptuous body, the waitress asked Brandan what wine they would like to have. Brandan seemed to even don't notice at the seductive voice of the waitress.

"What the lady would like to have." Shrugging Brandan kept staring at Emma while she bit the inside of her bottom lip, internally screaming to herself to get up and run as fast as she could. Apparently the things she was witnessing wasn't good for her.

She tried to recall the reasons of her resolve apart from the hideous past Brandan and she shared, drama - yes, that was easy. No need to ponder over little things, Brandan was a good actor - a bloody charmer - well experienced ladies man. Too many points.

"Surprise us." Emma offered a tight lipped smile to the waitress whose expression totally changed into disapproval while looking at Emma but managed to somehow grin at her.

Serving them the most immaculate tasting wine available the waitress finally left them alone to Emma's relief.

The amusement in Brandan's expression still hadn't disappeared completely.

Enjoying the wine calmly for a while both of them basked in to silence while using it to lessen the tension between them. Emma decided to speak finally while at the same time regretting for breaking the silence as it was surprisingly comfortable when they weren't talking... just sitting across each other doing nothing at all. This thought again seemed dangerous to Emma.

"The kids are going to start school next week." Emma said.

His lips formed into a surprised smile. "Really!"

Casting his eyes downwards Brandan sighed, shadow of the earlier smile still lingering on his face.

"I have missed out too much, I wish I could have found you guys sooner." His brows knitted thoughtfully, a few creases appeared on his forehead. Emma felt like to reach out and smoothen those creases on his forhead with her fingers gently, she had to fist her hands on her lap upder the table to prevent them from doing such illogical things.

"I would tell them after that - after their admission." Emma said as she looked at him guardedly.

She prepared to snap in defense at Brandan if he opposed her in this. But just like all the other shocks this evening had in store for her - Emma was yet once again surprised.

"I understand, it's going to be difficult for them. Though I wish and crave with all my heart to be in their lives not as some other guy but as their father, I truly do understand Emma."

Emma was speechless as she stared at Brandan, she didn't expect him to get along with her decision but here he was - claiming that he understood. Did he really understand?

Brandan continued, "Starting school... it's going to be a new phase in their lives which they need to step into without any other pressure. Me appearing suddenly as their father is going to be a big bomb itself."

After a pause he finished thoughtfully, "I'll wait."

Silence stretched between them during the food was served and they without a word, too much busy with their own thoughts. The stunts of the attention seeker waitress on a Brandan - who was now quite disturbed at the advances made Emma to snap out of her surprised state and silence.

Nibbling on a piece of her roasted chicken Emma glanced at Brandan fiddling with his fork. That's when she remembered that Brandan wanted to talk to her about something important, so far she had told the important thing. What about him?

"I thought you wanted to say something important." Emma reminded him.

"Yeah..." Brandan looked unsure of if he wanted to say it or not. Emma wasn't oblivious to the lingering tension in the air.

After a moment of hesitation Brandan finally spoke, "When do you plan to tell our families back home?"

Emma loosened the grip on her fork which dropped with a clattering sound on her plate, from shocked to troubled - her expression in the end constricted into sheer nothingness.

Families. She recalled all the memories of the people back at the place which she called home six years ago.

Evan. Was it right to consider him as her family? The things she recalled about her brother, his behavior towards her, the amount of hatred and disgust he always showed he possessed for her, his words from the night before she left - everything came crashing back like large waves on the sea in a vicious storm.

She didn't realize when Brandan had clutched her hands and was shaking her lightly and whisper-yelling frantically at her, attempting to snap her out of whatever pit she was falling into. Looking at his worried face she gazed down at his hands upon hers. Gulping the painful lump in her throat she peeled her hands away from his, not because of disgust but because of those crazy jolts of electricity shooting through her skin where he touched, they traveled up her arms and settled down in her stomach stirring up whirlwinds of emotions.

She sucked in a deep breath not quite knowing what she was more afraid of, visiting the memories or the sensations he was causing her or the thought of facing the past she left behind her a long time ago - facing the people she never thought she would see ever again.

Brandan said frantically, "Emma! Hey... We don't need to tell them, they won't know a thing till you are ready baby. Relax."

Emma gulped down the refilled wine in one go. Her instincts screaming at her to flee in the opposite direction but instead of making a run out of the restaurant she leaned back on the backrest of her chair staring blankly at the now empty glass and the left overs of food on her plate.

"Emma."

He said her name in a scared way, his voice came out hoarse and shaky. She looked up at him, why was he acting like he cared for her? The things she remembered of him were how he never left a chance to hurt her of how pleased he looked while humiliating her alone or publicly. Now the hollowed place in her heart would always scream in agony as the pain of the memories came back to bite it's aching edges, like now.

But Emma refused to break in front of Brandan or of anyone existing in this earth. While the hollowed part of her heart couldn't be filled up or cured, the rest of her heart was filled with love for her children. And as Sarah and Sammy's smiling faces appeared in her mind, she picked up her scattered strength in the same way she did when five years back she held the two little angels in her trembling arms. She clearly remembered how the first rays of sun in the breaking of dawn fell upon her babies from the slightly parted curtains of the hospital room. Drops of tears from her eyes fell on their reddish skin of their chubby cheeks which weren't still ready for the roughness of the world as they were just declined of the warmth of her womb.

She gathered her strength once again, picked up her heart and locked it down in the safety of the flawless walls of sheer determination.

Brandan was still looking at her worriedly as he again reached out for her hand, Emma pulled back and a flicker of pain - of the hurt of the silent rejection crossed his eyes.

"I would really appreciate if you stay out of my business, as far as I remember I was clearly unwanted and more of a burden to certain people. It doesn't seem that important to give them the unpleasant news of my being alive." Emma said trying to contain her emotions.

"Not even to mom- dad?" Brandan asked as he pierced her with his scrutinizing glare and Emma stilled. Robert and Martha, the two persons closest to her after her parents, especially Robert who had always showered her with his fatherlike love. He was the one who was the only light of hope and shelter for Emma after she lost her father in the clutches of death. Brandan's parents - the only people she regretted to leave behind and keep in darkness.

Martha and Robert, they were not even aware that they were grandparents. How would they ever forgive her for keeping this from them?

Brandan's voice startled her, it was like he was talking to himself in a low murmur, "Things are not the same anymore back there. As much as not believe it Emma, trust me - when you left everything... everything became..."

He paused for a second trying to find a proper word. Twirling the remaining wine in his glass Brandan absentmindedly stared at a painting in one of the walls.

"...pathetic for everyone. Evan and I, we suddenly found ourselves standing in front of a mirror and looked - really looked at what we had become."

Deliberately Emma sighed, she didn't want to hear all this.

Brandan chuckled low with so much remorse, "Never had dad talked to me ever since then."

Emma snapped her face up to look at Brandan, with disbelief. He met her shocked gaze and curved his lips in a painful smile.

She stuttered. "He... he knows."

Brandan nodded casting his eyes down confirming that Robert was well aware of that night they slept together and what followed the morning after. She breathed twice now recovering from the shocks of the revealations. "Well, now I understand why you are being so kind with me lately."

Brandan narrowed his eyes while Emma shrugged and continued. "You really don't need to behave yourself like that and endure my presence and..."

She lifted her hands up and twirled them with a tight lipped smile, "and show... I mean pretend this generosity. I know you are trying to get in to good terms with your father..."

Brandan cut in agitated. "No! Damn it... you are getting it all wrong again. I am guilty alright. I am. And I should be for treating you like that all those days. But Emma..."

His voice now desperate but Emma just tilted her head wearing that disbelieving look on her face.

"...all the things I'm doing has nothing to do with getting in to good terms with my father - as you're assuming. I..."

He stopped suddenly registering what was just slipping out of his mouth. He couldn't just announce his love for her - just like that. What if things got even more complicated and out of control after that. What if he found himself in point zero all over again, he didn't want to go back to the place from where he had begun weeks back and risk loosing her this time - now once and for all. No, he couldn't take a risk like that.

Emma asked, curious of his incomplete statement. "I - what Brandan?"

Brandan dragged a hand down his face and then clutched at his hair with both his hands, no words escaped his mouth except a loud defeated sigh.

Furious at the silence now and frustrated with everything that was going on and exactly leading to nothing logical at all, Emma quickly dabbed her mouth with the napkin and smacked it down on the table.

Brandan looked up at her sensing her hurried movements. "Where do you think you are going?"

Picking up her purse Emma stood up abruptly. "Well the dinner went nice, thanks Mr. Rozario. I should be heading home right now."

She marched past all the tables and went out of the restaurant briskly, a loud noise - might be of someone knocking a chair away and she could hear furious footsteps on tow. A pull at her wrist made her to stop at the front stairs but she quickly yanked her hand away and turned to face Brandan.

"What the..."

She stopped looking at the horror in his eyes, something banged in her heart at the sight. Closing her eyes for a few seconds she inhaled and exhaled slow - long breaths trying to calm her nerves. Then she looked back at him again, she felt thankful that he didn't step anymore closer towards her and invade her personal pace.

She spoke in a relatively calm tone this time. "Now that our kids are involved in this Brandan, I don't want to argue with you anymore not at least in front of the kids. Their hearts are fragile and I don't want them to witness the disturbed relation of their parents. I am not asking us to be friends or something because I very well know that's not possible and I don't want that too."

Brandan opened his mouth to protest at that but she lifted a hand up stopping him.

"But we will act civil in each others company from now on. No talking about the past, even better if we don't talk at all when the kids are not around and we wouldn't in no way give them the idea that their parents are a couple like other normal parents. There are a lots of single parents in this country - the number is huge. So that won't be a problem for them to understand I guess and if it does... we would have to just make them understand. "

Brandan looked angry now with his eyes narrowed at her but he didn't say anything. Emma noticed it but decided to ignore.

"And as you are so eager to be a good father to them, then try not to bring random girls home everynight, afterall you stay in the neighborhood and they would notice and get a bad impression. Bang your mistresses discreetly please."

Brandan groaned furiously. He was this close to burst out of his skin and rip someone's throat apart. "Damn it Emma! I'm not like that anymore, I don't keep mistresses. You..."

Emma cut in, her own tone raised, "And one more thing..."

Brandan was now breathing heavily, Emma assumed he was trying hard to control himself. "There's no need to act like you care about me and suddenly you are not unhappy anymore with my disgusting presence. Let's not your guilty thoughts as you say them to be - become a leash around your neck."

A muscle twitched under his left eye as he felt fury bubbling inside him, his head throbbed in order to fight and control keeping his mouth shut and stand still - stiffened in a place while Emma walked away and slipped in to her car. He didn't want to say or do anything when he was feeling such impossible amount of anger boiling inside himself.

This woman had the ability alright - to push him to his limits like no one had ever done before.

Swinging around he growled dangerously and kicked on the stairs. How was he supposed to break so many walls? Her armors were stronger than ever and he didn't know how to fight through her restraints without hurting her.

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They say - love finds a way. Do you think love will find a way to reunite Brandan and Emma? I want to know about your opinions and what do you think will happen in their lives.

If you guys are thinking that everything's so painful and tough for them than you've another thing coming. Wait for the new drama's, twists and surely the new complications I'm going to throw in their way. The question remains the same, would love really find a way?

If you've enjoyed reading this chapter - please vote, comment and follow me.

Thanks to all of you for voting and commenting. Thank you for keeping this story on #27 in General Fiction for so long, you guys made me so happy.

Dear friends and readers, each vote you give this story is so precious to me and your comments let me know what your opinions are about this story, if you're enjoying reading or not. So keep voting and commenting.

- Lots of love from Lara.

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