Hello all you lovely readers, friends! Hugs to you all and Happy Mother's Day to all the mommys out there who have lovely kids - just like Sarah and Sammy here. :)

And thanks to all of you who have been voting and commenting being my loyal friends and readers. Love you guys. Muaaahhh...

Dedicating this chapter to :)

_______________________________________

_________________________________________________

"Looking cute together.. right ?"

Oliver's voice from behind her made Emma to snap out of her train of thoughts. Her smile stayed prominent on her lips but she didn't turn back to answer his question. No answer was needed actually.

Sammy mumbled something in sleep and instinctively Brandan patted his little back comfortingly moving his head a little deeper in the pillow, Sarah's nose cutely twitched at the slight movement as she snuggled more closer to her father from the other side.

Oliver chuckled low and then sighed, he was still standing behind Emma with his gaze fixed on the sleeping trio as he looked from over her shoulder.

"Just one is still missing from the picture."

He stared at the back of Emma's head when her smile dropped and back stiffened. Her brain automatically imagined herself with Brandan on that bed... their children snuggling them from both sides. She shook her head quickly, damn Oliver for making Emma picture something like that.

Oliver noticed how Emma's shoulders went tensed, he very well could guess what was going on inside her brain.

"Why don't we have some coffee downstairs and then wake them up a while later. What say ? " Oliver offered.

Emma nodded slowly, she didn't have the heart to wake them up. So she followed Oliver with soft steps down in the kitchen.

She made herself comfortable on a bar stool and watched Oliver pour some delicious smelling coffee from the coffee machine in two mugs.

"You make excellent coffee Oliver, thank you. This is what I needed after such a long tiring day, truly." She couldn't help but recall with worry and annoyance of Jonathon's stuck up attitude the whole day.

Oliver smiled and bowed playfully from the other side of the kitchen counter making Emma laugh. "Well, you are welcome and thanks for the compliment. There's a reason why Brandan always keeps me around, I have multiple talents. But I wonder sometimes why he pays me so less!" Pulling a fake sad face he sighed dramatically.

Emma couldn't help but laugh again. "Seriously Oliver, you are such a wife thingy to Brandan."

She sipped from the mug still giggling a little.

"Nahh..." Oliver dismissed her comment twirling his the coffee in his mug.

Emma raised a eyebrow while Oliver smiled knowingly glancing at her from the corner of his eyes.

"That wifey - wife position is reserved for you, it had always been."

The playful atmosphere suddenly went out the window, Oliver felt that change from inside his guts. A grave expression shadowed Emma's face as she slowly kept sipping the coffee not making any eye contact anymore.

Oliver sighed heavily. "You know Emma... after you left and everyone thought that you were dead, he became this lonely shell of a man. I remember meeting him for the first time when he took my interview just a few days after he joined his family business. I got the job and became his only friend soon. He began sharing his griefs with me... and his guilt." After a short pause he said in a low voice, "One day he tried moving on..."

Emma's head snapped up, she looked at Oliver's serious face. Oliver continued gazing out the window. "When the girl began touching him, he got so disgusted he just threw up all over her. Since then he has been living a life of a celibate."

Emma didn't know whether to laugh or sympathize but one thing was for sure that she felt quite satisfied. Now was she supposed to feel like that? Was it even right?

"You ruined him for anyone else Emma. He would never be happy without you and as I can see neither will you. I agree he was a number one jerk, a man-wh*** but Emma he had been suffering too - repenting all these years. Don't you think that's enough? I know it's difficult Emma but isn't it worth it giving the poor fellow a chance? I mean I can't handle this crying baby Brandan anymore."

Emma closed her eyes instead of answering Oliver and inhaled the delicious aroma of coffee while her thoughts ran haywire.

Brandan wasn't pretending, he truly did change. She trusted Oliver's words and moreover she trusted her own eyes and instincts.

But the question remained the same. Was it worth really it like Oliver was saying? Was it worth it at the cost of the risk of her heart getting all vulnerable once again? When the person in question was the same one who was the source of all the years long ache of the very same heart.

----------

------------

Tapping on the crystal clear glass over his office desk seemed to be irritating him even more. Evan's mood was on edge, he had already snapped on a few unexpected employees.

With a huff of annoyance Evan slammed his pen on the blue writing pad.

Damn! he didn't want to be in office, his heart and mind both was back at home with his wife and his unborn child. Bubs had been kicking up a storm inside Zess's belly the whole night keeping Zess awake, Evan kept his hand around her stomach the whole night feeling his baby kicking and moving. He will be a little trouble maker for sure and Evan and Zess couldn't wait to hold him in their arms. The feeling the waiting... it was euphoric.

Zess's due date was the next month, she had been looking really huge and her mood swings... phewww...

Evan shook his head chuckling a little as he remembered how Zess snapped and yelled at him during breakfast this morning that too without any reason. He had to sometimes hide and runaway after calculating or predicting her next mood. But it was true he loved this pregnant Zess even more, she looked hot with that round belly of hers which held his child, her sexy curves which were more prominent. But no matter how much he told her that - she wouldn't believe. She thought that she looked like a female whale... now that was ridiculous.

Sighing Evan looked at the picture of Zess sitting on his desk, her smile dazzling his world.

He just hoped that Emma was alive and with them so that he could share his happiness with his one and only sister.

It was really sad that how you don't value the precious thing when that is with you but realize it when it is lost.

Another heavy sigh escaped his lips. Pushing all the depressing thoughts far inside him Evan picked up his phone. After the intended number came into view he pressed the call button. He didn't know how beneficial this phone call would go but he wouldn't bother to call Oliver if it wasn't really necessary.

Oliver's sing-song voice came through the phone muffled as he received the phone call. Evan guessed he might be eating something, trust Oliver to talk with food spraying out of his big mouth. That man-child had no bones in his body called manners.

"It's me.. Evan... "

"Yeah? Is it my birthday or something!" Oliver's voice was cool as he replied.

Grinding his teeth Evan forced to make his voice come out polite. "I'm glad it's not that unfortunate day. I just needed to know something..."

Evan halted speaking hearing gulping noises - Oliver might be drinking water or something. This conversation was getting really annoying.

Finally after the pause Oliver spoke. "Okay now, you may spill the reason for your precious phone call."

Evan spoke quickly wanting to get this over and done with wasting no more of his time. "When is Brandan coming back?"

Listening the whistle and chuckle from the other side Evan gripped the edge of his desk really tightly and reminded himself of why he needed to have this conversation with the ever so insolent man - Oliver.

"Uhhh! You missing him!" Oliver said smugly.

Evan was so close to punch a hole through his office desk. He inhaled a deep breath and forcefully calmed himself yet once again. "I have been watching Robert managing the whole empire with his lonely hands Oliver. It has been a couple of months of his stupid son playing tourist and God knows doing what overseas. Uncle's delicate health is really worrying us sensible people over here Evan. Don't you think it's high time for Brandan to come back and help him?"

"Well..." Oliver tried saying something but Evan didn't give him the chance to speak.

"But who would make him see sense huh... his highness must have again gone back to his past player self. It must be too much fun going on between the legs of those city chicks over there, so why come back and help your old parents, forget about responsibilities..." Evan almost now shouted through the phone.

"Hold on right there man - you know nothing, so just stop making ridiculous assumptions." Oliver's voice was now defensive. Oliver knew Evan was trying look after Robert - his father's best friend but how could he make them all understand about the situation here.

Evan barked out a sarcastic laugh. "Really! Then tell me Oliver what he has been doing there for over two months."

Oliver's comeback was instant. "If he wasn't trying to win back Emma and their children he would have flown back and shoved his fist in your stubborn face..."

Oliver's words suddenly trailed off in to the distance as the words slowly sunk in the terribly heavy silence that followed. No one said anything, it was as quite as a grave for a good ten minutes.

It seemed like after a decade of muteness Evan's voice came out - disbelieving, shocked, choked. "Is there something I need to know yet I still don't know about?"

Oliver tried to say something - anything. His voice was a screech at first, he cleared his throat and then gulped on his own saliva loudly. A nervous chuckle was what came out of his throat not knowing what to do.

------------

---------------

Emma strolled towards the front yard, Sarah and Sammy on tow. The twins had bounce on their steps as they happily followed their mummy. And why wouldn't they be happy? After all they loved getting dirty and muddy, it was so much fun doing some gardening.

She leaned down to take the hosepipe in her hands. It was Sunday and it was funday for her and the kids and she hoped that Brandan would wake up late and not show his face to her any time soon. For as long as possible she wanted to stay ignorant of whatever happening around her and wherever her fate was taking her and her traitorous - confused as hell heart.

"Sammy go ahead, turn on the faucet."

Sammy ran towards the faucet which was on the far end corner of their house.

Sarah knelt down to look at the rose plant they planted a few weeks back and scrunched her nose in utter concentration.

What was she looking at? Emma was about ask her when to her dismay she saw the great Brandan striding towards them with a big grin on his face. His hair was tousled, clearly he hadn't fixed his bed hair. Emma hated to admit that he looked hot. This wasn't fair.

Here she was again going at it. Gulping the lustful lump in her throat she asked Sammy loudly in an attempt to snap herself out of those indecent thoughts.

"Sammy! Turn it on boy."

"I am trying mommy." Yelled back Sammy. "It's too tight!" He added with murmur which no one noticed.

Brandan looked at Emma briefly, and oh... that brief look was so intense that it made her knees weak.

Emma dazedly stood like a statue. It was only when Brandan bend down to look at what Sarah was looking at. "What are you looking at kido?"

Still wearing that serious expression Sarah lifted her head up. "There's a rose bud, our rose plant is going to have rose babies."

She pointed at the rose bud and added, "I think it's going to be red... or pink."

Sarah exclaimed unsurely now grinning at the rose bud. Emma smiled too.

"Where? Let me see..." Brandan poked the rose bud with his index finer. Emma and Sarah looked horrified as the moment he touched the bud it fell down on the ground.

Brandan's hand paused in the air with his finger still pointed - now at a vacant place. Emma stood dumbstruck with her jaw hanging open. Sarah on the other hand gasped loudly, her eyes the size of saucers. She looked at the rose bud lying on the ground to the rose plant and then to Brandan's shocked face, then again at the plant to the bud.

It was Sarah's favorite plant, she had been too excited since the moment Emma bought her this plant and described her how one day so many beautiful roses would bloom on this plant. Sarah had been waiting since then and now that there was the first bud - it lied dead on the ground. The poor thing!

Sarah reached out to pick it up from the ground when a guilty looking Brandan picked it up before she could.

"It would have been a red one I guess?" Brandan said nervously.

Emma watched Sarah's face change from shock to sad to anger. She looked at Emma with a big pout, eyes moist - brimming with tears, her lips were quivering. And then she burst out crying - angry tears running down her eyes as she pointed her tiny finer accusingly at Brandan looking at Emma.

"Mommyyy!"

Emma placed her fisted hands on her hips glaring maliciously at Brandan who was on the verge of making a run for his own dear life.

Crying at the top of her lungs Sarah ran towards Emma and hugged her knees. Brandan too ran after her and started apologizing and consoling Sarah. It was only after when he held his ears and promised to bring Sarah ten more rose plants with already blossoming roses did Sarah stopped.

"Promise?" Sarah asked wiping her red cheeks.

Running her hands on Sarah's hair Emma didn't know whether to be mad at Brandan or be awed at the way he soothed and calmed Sarah.

"Promise honey. Promise."

There was some weird shuffling noises and Sammy's angry groan could be heard and after that water started pouring down on them like it was raining heavily. Emma and Brandan both gasped in shock as the cold water pierced their skin.

"Yeah! I did it!" Came Sammy's victorious howl from the distance which was approaching them in speed.

Emma suddenly remembered about the hose pipe, squinting her eyes she saw the hose pipe dangling from a nearby bush aimed right at them with it's head bend a little upwards. It might have fallen down from her hands when she was watching Brandan mauling the rose bud.

She abruptly went for the hose pipe to grab and move it away from facing their direction.

So much for a nice morning. Emma cursed under her breath and then squeaked as suddenly her feet slipped on the muddy ground. Anticipating the pain of falling she closed her eyes but the pain never came, the fall never happened.

She opened her eyes to get spellbound at a pair of dark eyes gazing back at her intently. Brandan's arms held her protectively around her waist, the palms of her hands were rested as a reflection on his chest over his see through wet shirt now. She was very much aware of his booming heartbeats. In fact that was the only sound she could hear.

Brandan watched dazed as droplets of water crawled down from Emma's forehead to her eyes and rested on her eyelashes - and then dropped down to her cheeks. Her cheeks - so red were they. He loved the way he could make her blush like this.

They were lost in each other so much that they didn't even notice Sarah and Sammy jumping and dancing around them in a circle screaming in joy. Their little footsteps splashing mud on their own clothes along with Emma and Brandan's clothes as well.

Brandan rubbed the back of his hand on her jaw. It was like he had passed a million years separated from her. He had done enough mistakes and foolishness in his life to drive away all his happiness that had once stood on his doorstep. He would be damned if he ruin this with her again when God had unexpectedly given him this second chance. No way. He would never let her go again - he promised to himself as he strengthened his hold around her.

And now that Brandan knew the happiness he had with Emma and his children he wanted to know nothing else. He could pass an entire lifetime by looking at her eyes only - his tiny bundles of joy squealing and jumping around them surrounding them in utmost happiness.

The scene looked like a happy family enjoying their love filled mischievous morning together.

Unknown to them someone was watching this vision of perfection a few steps away. He was standing stiff in front of his car - the car door still opened wide as he totally forgot to close it behind him after witnessing what was before him. His fists were clenched and so was his jaw. Anger was what he felt in a terrible amount that he never felt before.

He turned around from that scene, after entering his car he slammed the door shut and sped away.

"I would be damned if I let this happen. No one can snatch you away from me Emma - not before what I want from you."

He watched something passing the road, a little white kitten. There was enough space for him to spare it considering the road was nearly empty but with a malicious grin he ran his car right over the white furry thing.

A blast of blood was sprayed upon the whole front of his car.

"That's what happens when you cross your path with Jonathon."

______________________________________

________________________________________________

(Evil Laugh) :D No words to say about Jonathon, because I want to hear them from you guys. ;) But I must admit I'm loving writing his evil scenes - his slow transformation to evil. I'm confused, why is it so fun creating a villain? Anyone have any answer to this question?

I hope you haven't forgotten about that another twist I've added in this chapter - Evan. Emma's big bro.