It felt like we were going to give the exam of our life. I could feel the waves of anxiety radiating off Nick as he drove the car in silence. I could feel he was bottling his emotions inside him, I could feel that he was determined to do what he had to do.

I could feel he was worried about his daughter.

Kia was his daughter and no one deserves to take her away from him.

Before leaving for the mansion, I'd called Aiden so that he can be with Kia in case she gets up at midnight.

My leg bounced up and down as the car accelerated down the long road. In less than a minute, his hand came to my knee stopping my leg movements. I felt a bloody zoo in my stomach with his single gesture and when I looked at him, he made it look so casual. He seemed too focused on his driving.

The night was dark, I could barely make out the road in front of me. All I could see was the red neon lights of the gas stations and the cars that were driving by us. My heart was pounding against my chest. As we approached the mansion, my heart started pulsating so hard that I could hear it echoing down my spine.

God! We are here.

The car slowed down and we stopped. He opened his car door as I opened mine, the cold breeze hit us and he turned his head to me. I felt a cold shiver slide down my spine. He took my hand in his and we made our way inside the mansion.

The mansion was beautiful would be an understatement to describe its magnificence. The mansion was huge and it stood like a monument to human achievement. The walls were covered in beautiful paintings depicting different scenes, the marble floor was covered with a beautiful oriental rug and the entire room was filled with expensive furniture and priceless paintings. It was like a palace that no king or queen had ever dreamt of possessing.

I can't believe, people actually lived in places like this.

Nonetheless, I liked Nick's simple and classy penthouse more, it was a lot more comfortable and it was a lot homier. Moreover, it had the memories of Kia's mother, her first word, her first word which was still written on the wall of his room.

As we were walking through the hall, Nick stopped in his tracks and stared at me for a few minutes.

I wanted so badly to hug him and comfort him. I was so scared of what was going to happen but to my utmost surprise, he pulled me into a sudden embrace."I can't tell how grateful I'm for your presence today, Arielle." He said while we were still embracing.

Just then my mobile rang. I pulled away from his arms and took out the phone from my pocket. Aiden?

I took a few steps back and turned so that I could hear clearly. I received the call only to hear Kia's raspy voice," Ari, where are you and Nicky uncle? Why did you leave me alone?"

"Kia who said we left you alone? Aiden is there, isn't he?", she hummed. My heart sank hearing her voice. "Listen Kia baby. Nicky uncle and I will be back home soon."

"Nicky uncle is fine?" I felt warmth flood my heart. She was indeed too mature for her age."Yes, Kia. He's fine."

"Come soon, Ari." She said and ended the call. I messaged Aiden to make her sleep and as I turned, I couldn't help but gasp in shock and surprise seeing the person in front of me.

Caleb?

I hadn't noticed I'd spoken his name aloud. He looked at me and his eyes too grew in surprise for a moment before they went normal. Without thinking for a second I launched myself in his arms. I could feel him tense due to the sudden touch but right now all I cared was, he was back, safe and sound."Caleb, what are you doing here? No... first of all, tell me where were you for all these years? You know you were the only person in my life after Mumma, still, you left me. How could you do this?" I felt tears in my eyes as I looked at him.

But the tears of happiness soon turned into tears of hurt, he looked at me as if I was some stranger. He was acting like he didn't even know me like I was not the person whom he promised to always protect as a brother.

My eyes caught the sight of Nick and I frowned as his eyes hardened. He was glaring at Caleb, and his body language told me he didn't like him even a bit. He gently came closer to me and pulled me away from him."He's not some Caleb, Arielle. He's Alexander Arnold."I looked at him with a mixture of confusion and hurt in my eyes."He's the one who left his unborn child and wife behind just because he didn't feel any f*cking connection." With every word, his tone turned more venomous and his eyes more furious.

I looked at Cal-Alexander and he shook his head making the hurt on my heart grow more. Why did he not turn up before? Why? I thought to myself.

I looked at Nick and I felt like I'd stabbed him with a knife. He slowly moved towards me. He grabbed my arm and looked at me questioningly. "How do you know him, Arielle?" His voice had a faint hint of menace in it and I could feel the weight of his eyes on me.

"I...", All this was so ridiculous.

"Arielle.", His voice had changed since the last time I heard him call me by my name. It was more resounding. I looked at him and my mind went blank. He took a step towards me but before he could say anything else, Nick blocked his path.

"Nick, please..." His face softened and he stepped back. Ca-Alexander frowned but smiled almost instantly. His eyes weren't the brown shade I recognized, they were like the similar steel grey I loved. Kia was his spitting image would be an understatement, except for the fact that she had black eyes. "I'm so sorry for all the pain I caused you, and for leaving you alone for all these years. I should've been back and I should've looked after you. I'm sorry ." I looked at him in silence, my mind, a jumbled mess.

"Nico." I looked at Mama who had been silently watching the scene till now. She nodded at me."Come with me."

Nick hesitated as he looked between me and Alexander. I smiled at him reassuringly as I saw him looking at my face."I'll be fine." I mouthed and he sighed before following Mama to another room.

"Let's talk outside." He said and I nodded.

An awkward silence prevailed between us as we walked out of the room. I looked at him and my eyes darted to his. It felt I was reliving the moment when I first met him.

"Your habit of saving others hasn't changed a bit, has it?", he nodded to himself as he turned to face me. I didn't say anything, I just kept my mouth shut. The fact that he was in front of me after all these years was difficult to digest and in addition to it, he was the brother of Nick and the father of Kia.

"Say something, Winter.", I felt tears of anguish in my eyes as I looked at him with disbelief.

"Don't call me that. Only Caleb had the right to call me Winter. You are not him."

"I'm sorry for lying to you, Arielle. I had to leave. I didn't want to put you or anyone in danger." His words were filled with regret as he looked at me with tear-filled eyes. "You saved my life, how could I risk your safety?"

"What does that mean?" I asked in a whisper. I hadn't realized that the air had been getting colder and thinner. I could feel the tension growing in the air around me.

"Remember how we met?" I flinched remembering the day.

I met him two months later after Mumma's demise. I was helpless, depressed and utterly dispirited. I just had to stop crying, I needed to be strong and I needed to find a reason to not die, and then came him. It was evening time and I was coming back from the cemetery. "You found me dying." He said remembering the traumatic incident. I looked at him. He was smiling, "You gave me life the time I didn't want to live."

It was such an irony, I used to push him to keep surviving when I myself was falling apart.

"And then you left," I said bluntly. "You knew how alone I were, still you left. You were the only person who..."I paused as a wave of anger rushed through my veins " I'm really too good for this world, you were right." I looked at the tears in his eyes and my heart sank.

Damn you, Arielle Summers.

I turned around, as much as I was aggrieved, I couldn't see the man I treated as my brother crying. "Still can't see people crying?", he said as he pulled me into his arms. "I'm so sorry Winters.", he mumbled with so much pain that I couldn't even find it in me to react.

"What happened Caleb?" I found myself asking.

He pulled back and walked me to a bench kept in the garden. "The day you found me, I told you two lies. The first that I was some Caleb Kestel from LA and the second that I met with an accident." I grabbed my hand back in shock."What the hell do you mean by it wasn't an accident."

"I...", he hesitated."I was indebted to a few people."I frowned. "I owed them a lot of money. It was them who hit me with the car. They wanted to finish me, but then you came, like an angel." He smiled. "You took me to the hospital and then your home. You took care of me even when I behaved like a total a*s."

"Why didn't you tell anything to your family, Caleb? You could have told your brother at least."

"I told father." His face hardened."But he cared about his reputation more than his son." With every word his tone filled with hatred."I was an embarrassment to him." I saw the pain on his face. "Which I really was." He looked away."I hurt everyone, I am the culprit of my Amara, my daughter."

Tears ran down his cheek as he took the name of his wife. "I loved her, I still do." He said, "She was so beautiful, so pure. I couldn't bring her happiness but I didn't know my one wrong decision would take her away from me forever. I just wanted to protect her." I couldn't help but shed a tear. I wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "I just want to see my Kia for once. I had always wanted to come back but every time Amara's face would come to mind. I would remember the hatred of Mama and Nicky."

"Then why now? Why are you back now?"

"Last month I got to know from Daniel about you. You saved Kia. I really didn't expect to see you again after so long but when I knew you were with her, I was happy. She'd get the love I took away from her."

"You aren't here to take her away from us?"

He chuckled humourlessly as he shook his head."Kia is Nicky's daughter, I never gave her the love of a father, instead, I hurt her mother. I don't have the slightest right on her."

"Why did you say to Nick that you wanted Kia back?"

"That's for me to know and you to dot dot dot.", he smirked. I rolled my eyes."Don't go all Damon on me."

He chuckled and hugged me again." I missed you Arielle Bear."

"Don't call me that." I scowled making him chuckle. It's been a long time, I felt his embrace and it felt so warm. It felt so good to be here with him again, so good to feel his touch.

"So Nicky huh?", He smirked once he pulled back. I couldn't help but feel the blush on my cheeks. "Didn't know you'd settle for that dumba*s." I smacked his shoulder gently glaring at him. "Aha! Defensive much!" He laughed as he wrapped his arms around me and kissed my hair gently."I'm happy for you Winters."

I smiled and grabbed his hand, "Come on." I pulled him inside the mansion back and towards the room where Nicolas and Mama went. As I entered the room, I saw him sitting beside Mama. His gaze was on the floor, his head hung low. I looked at Mama and she stood up and walked towards me and both of us walked out of the room locking the brothers in.

As soon as I took a step to go, I heard a crash come from the room. As much as I was tempted to know what and how they were 'talking', I chose to follow Mama.

She sat down on the couch and took a deep breath, my heart broke seeing the single tear that ran down her eye. "I failed as a mother." She whispered. "I was too occupied in fighting with Arthur that I failed to see what my kids were going through." I could feel a lump in my throat as I wrapped my arms around her. "No, Mama. You're the best mother anyone can have."

She shook her head as she cried her heart out. With every tear, I could feel her pain more vividly.

"Mama." I gently wiped the tears off her beautiful face."Circumstances were cruel. No one is to be blamed, we can't change what has happened. You see the good thing, Cal- I mean Alexander is back and he's not here to hurt anyone of us. He had not changed even a bit. He didn't deceive Amara, he just wanted to protect her." I whispered to her as I held her.

Mama looked at me with teary eyes. "You'd been this family's guardian angel from the start, Arielle. Thank you so much." I shook my head," I'll always be proud of my Nico to listen to me and wait for the right woman. To wait for you." I couldn't help but feel warm seeing the smile on her face."I'm so grateful to you."

"Please don't thank me, Mama."

"... Another word Alex and I'm shipping your a*s back LA.", I heard Nick say loudly. I couldn't help myself but laugh, "Didn't know my brother was such a loser in the subject of romance." I heard Caleb's voice and I frowned.

What the hell are these guys talking about?

"F*cking hell! You're such a pain in the a*s." Nick yelled as he walked inside the living room.

"Mama can I kill him?", he asked and I let out a peal of laughter looking at his dramatics.

"Not yet Nico. He's back after a long time." I heard Mama answer and I couldn't help but look at her in amusement.

She was a MOOD, I swear to God.

"Wow, Mama. In all these years, Nicky has surely got you in his team." Mama shrugged and he came to my side."No worries. I've my Arielle Bear in my team." Nick raised his eyebrows at him and then at me challenging me to take his side. I smirked and shrugged."Of Course."

"Well, I think Alex's team is stronger so I'll go with my daughter," Mama said and Nick looked at her in disbelief.

My phone vibrated and I opened it to see another message from Aiden."We're leaving."I typed back.

I looked at Nick and he nodded. He hugged Alex and I swear I saw a bright glimmer of happiness in Mama's eyes."Kia's calling for Arielle. We need to leave Alex. "

Caleb hesitated and Nick smiled."I'll bring Kia with me tomorrow." The smile he gave back to him was so brightening it'd light the whole room.

We walked out of the mansion waving a bye to Mama and Caleb but as soon as I was about to open the door of the car to sit inside, he held my hand and pinned me against the car. I gasped and he smirked at me.

"Someone's becoming too tantalizing?" he said rubbing my neck. I blushed furiously and tried to push him away but he held my waist tighter. "I guess", he paused as he placed a kiss on my lips."To get you in my team permanently, I've to make you mine first." His hand pushed my hair away from my face and he kissed me again. This time more slowly and sensually. I felt the blush grow stronger than before.

"Ni-Nick." I internally cringed listening to my own voice."Someone would see us."

"As if I care." He laughed and wrapped his arms around me tighter. I felt myself burning under his skin as his lips pressed on mine again. "You're so f*cking beautiful, Amore." He whispered into my lips. "You are an angel in disguise of a beautiful soul." I felt my chest flooding with warmth, a few minutes Mama called me an angel and now he.

Like mother, like son, Indeed.

I let out a breath hearing his words, "I've always been a lucky man," he said as his lips kissed their way to my neck. "F*ck! I can never get enough of you." I felt my skin burning under his fingertips as he caressed it.

He kissed a line on my neck and I gasped. It tickled. "Nick Kia is waiting for us at home." He scrunched his face and opened the door. As always, keeping his hand above me, he made me sit in the car.

As he settled in the driver seat, I held his hand before he could turn on the engine."Why do you always do that?"

"What?"

"That... That hand thing."

"Because you-", he flicked my nose making me blink in surprise." mi amore, you are f*cking clumsy."

"So mean." I scowled but internally, my heart was bursting with love for him.

When we reached home, Kia was sitting with Aiden and both of them were sleeping in front of the television on the couch.

I lifted Kia and walked to her room and made her sleep there comfortable. Lucky for me, I didn't have to answer any questions of hers but I knew tomorrow I will have to answer her.

I sighed as I kissed her forehead. Nick was smiling when I turned to leave her room. I walked past him and woke Aiden so that he could sleep in the guest room comfortably.

Now Evans.

I went to the room where Nick made him sleep only to see it unlocked, I pushed the door open a little and a sigh of relief left me when I saw Sienna sleeping beside him.

She must have come in our absence. I just hope the misunderstandings between them clear up tomorrow as soon as Evans wakes up.

I yawned as I saw the time. Sh*t it's already 4 am!

"Tired?" I heard him say.

"No sh*t Sherlock.", I rolled my eyes as I made my way towards the other room but the next moment I was in his arms. My arms involuntarily encircled his neck as he looked at me with utmost adoration."Stay with me, tonight?"

I don't know how but I nodded at his request. As he pushed the door of his room, my heart raced against my will. He lowered me to the bed and I felt as if I'll get a heart attack. He chuckled as he sensed my tense muscles, "Don't worry, Amore. I'm never going to touch you without your permission."

I closed my eyes as I felt my face flush at his words. The mattress beside me dipped as he lay beside me and before I knew it, I took the initiative and shifted closer to him. He chuckled as he felt me cuddling against him.

His arm wrapped around me and I felt him kiss my hair before his breathing got even. I looked at his face and smiled.

"I'll marry you."

***