Cautiously, Valentina entered the Grayson manor, her palms beginning to lightly sweat as she walked quietly into the foyer in which she was met with two familiar faces she missed dearly.

"She's here!" Teagan mustered as Valentina caught her eye.

Eyes widening and a breath of relief, both Teagan and Mia came rushing towards the newest edition to their family. The three of them joined into one mush of love and embrace as they all forgot Hazel's existence.

"No no, continue. It's not like I disappeared too." Hazel interrupted sarcastically as she broke the embrace, watching the three most important people in her life actually display some sort of emotion towards someone she brought into her life. "Kidding, kidding." The blonde said, her hands raising upwards to signal defeat as her mother gave her a warning nudge on her shoulder.

Turning her attention back to the young brunette, Mia felt relieved. "It's good you're back." She smiled, latching her hands with her daughter's fiancee. "We missed you."

Valentina returned an appreciative smile, "It's good to be back."

A part of Valentina couldn't help but feel embarrassed - she left without a word or explanation, caused trouble between Hazel and Alexander, read her father's journals and re-lapsed on her destructive stage, and now, she's back in the Grayson manor, as if nothing effected her in the first place.

The other half of Valentina felt relieved the two women weren't disappointed nor annoyed with the girl since they knew each other for less than a month, yet here they are now, caring like Valentina was a part of the family - which they were in their eyes.

However, for Hazel and Valentina, the contract was the glue that bound the two together, yet in their eyes, it was their love, and it was much stronger than a contract that had one final month left of agreement.

• • •

The two lovers were now on the gazebo after being excused from the family lunch near the botanical garden layout. As Hazel poured drinks, Valentina stood over the gazebo rail, clutching it as if it was her only saviour.

Intrusive thoughts rendered her oblivious to reality, all of these were based on her brother, whose location was still unknown.

In the brunette's mind, she brought this upon herself, it was selfish to think Alexander could muster his confidence and silence his thoughts or actions as he lived in the Grayson Estate after he suffered tremendous pain from their father's death.

She didn't know what she was thinking at that time, but at that moment, it was the most suitable option for the both of them, but all she wanted was Alexander with her, she never realised or thought about what he wanted.

It was one of the many flaws Valentina upheld, she thought of no one but herself, but she blamed it on her childhood in which she grew up alone without the love she deserved.

Capturing her out of her thoughts, Hazel set the two drinks to the side and wrapped her arms around the younger woman's waist, her head resting on the woman's shoulders as they both looked in front of the lake that was home to many memories for Hazel.

"Val?" Hazel mumbled, her eyes now trailed at the side profile of the woman she cared for. "Is something bothering you?"

"Nothing all at my love." Valentina lied, her thoughts disappearing as she turned around fully to be met with the eyes she fell in love with. "I'm just glad to be back."

Not believing her answer, Hazel smiled in an effort to soothe her fiance, she had been through enough for a lifetime so she felt no need to take her response further. "Me too."

Silence fell upon the lovers as their breath calmed down to a regular speed, their hands interlocked and the two women gazed upon eachother's eyes.

In Hazel's, Valentina found concern and love, whereas, in Valentina's, Hazel found guilt and pain.

Her hands gliding towards the older girl's neck, Valentina sighed into her chest as her forehead collapsed onto it. "I lied."

"You're worried about him, it's normal."Hazel shrugged, her hands softly playing with the brunette's hair.

Valentina became confused. "How'd did you-" 

"Val, you're good at lying, but your eyes tell me differently." Hazel chuckled as her lover groaned in frustration and embarrassment onto her chest. "C'mon tell me." She ushered softly as she stroked her hair in comfort.

The younger woman sighed before answering briefly. "I can't help but wonder where he is."

Hazel refrained from giving Valentina her input, it wasn't needed, not yet at least. Valentina took this silence to lift her head from Hazel's chest, giving her undivided attention to the woman who stood in front of her.

"He left because I wasn't thinking properly. When I found Alex, all I wanted for him was to stay with me. I had him, Haze. I finally found my brother after all those years, and I was the one to ruin it. He left because of me." Valentina spat with disgust at herself and her actions. 

Her childhood was stolen from her and given time, she moved past that. But when he suddenly returned back to her, her wounds opened and re-surfaced. She thought she could live happily ever after, yet she couldn't, something always took it from her.

"You can't blame yourself, Val. It's not your fault that he left, he chose to do that; he chose to leave. Stop beating yourself up for his choices." Hazel reassured in an influencing voice, her arms dripping around Valentina as the younger woman's face cringed at the memories of a few nights ago.

• • •