Never do anything when you are in a temper, for you will do everything wrong.

- Baltasar Gracien

The melodic music floated around the banquet hall along with the murmurs of the guests. Pretty much everyone took their seats when dinner was served. The party was a success, no wonder.

There was a delicious cake brought to the engaged couple, as in me and Tyler. We cut it along with Lydia by our side. Later on, it was served as one of the dessert after dinner was done.

Currently I was standing by Tyler, overlooking at the party when Helen came to us with a young couple in tow. They weren't that young. They were probably around Tyler's age which I had to find out from the net because apparently Tyler wouldn't speak a word about his age.

"Claire, there's someone I want you to meet." Helen said upon reaching me and motioned the couple to come forward. I noticed the man held a baby carrier in his hand and there was a newborn, probably two or three months old laying peacefully. Could be their kid since the baby had the beginnings of the same blond hair like the woman. "This is Kate and her husband Derek Nelson."

The woman, Kate stepped forward to shake the hand I offered. "Hi, nice to meet you."

I shook her hand with a smile. "Hello, nice to meet you too." She seemed to be couple of years older than me but her vibe was as warmer as Helen's. Her husband nodded at me.

Helen gestured toward Tyler. "And you remember my son Tyler, right?"

At that Derek extended his free hand to shake my fiancé's hand. "Yeah, we do."

Tyler had a questioning glim in his eyes. He was probably trying to remember them or something. Upon seeing that his mom reminded him. "Tyler, remember Parker Harris? Kate is his daughter. You met her and Derek in couple of parties."

Instantly, recognition lit up in his eyes along with sadness which made me confused. He looked at Kate who was suddenly clutching her husband's hand and said with admiration in his voice. "He was an honest and hard-working man. I'm sorry about your parents, Mrs. Nelson."

Kate nodded and whispered. "He was. He was a great man. So was my mom." Helen leaned to her side and squeezed Kate's arm.

I was really confused with the turn of events. They were talking like as if this Kate's parents were....dead? Were they really? My eyes fell upon the men and women around me, and I asked warily. "I'm sorry but your parents...?"

The hand on my back gripped me bringing my eyes to the man beside me who upon meeting my eyes, shook his head and mouthed later. I understood his gesture and nodded. Turning my head toward the woman who seemed like she was about to answer me but instead someone behind her interrupted.

"Dead."

A man stepped around her, stopping beside her. There was no doubt this man was handsome. He had dark blond hair that looked more brown than blond on his head which were styled messily. His eyes were the shade of gold. It was like I was watching the rise of the sun in them. He had broad shoulders but not as broad as Tyler's. And he was a couple of inches shorter than Tyler plus he looked young. He wore a fine tailored suit that let me know instantly, this man was a rich guy. Hell, everyone in this party was rich.

All eyes were on him but I was briefly aware that I had been staring at him for long that I forgot to listen to his words. Shaking my head, I replied. "Excuse me?"

Those golden eyes were upon me, flickering over every skin on my face. He was inspecting me just like I was inspecting him but he had a strange glim in his eyes that made me step back to the warmth of Tyler's arms. His voice was brash when he again spoke up. "I said, they are dead."

From his side, Kate nudged him with her elbow, warning clear in her eyes. Why was she warning him? "Neil..."

And I realised at that moment they had the same hair and their facial structures were quite same. They were probably siblings so that would make Kate's parents his parents too. Oh god, so their parents were dead. I immediately felt sad. I couldn't even imagine what I would do without my parents. Thank god, I had mine because some weren't that lucky.

"I'm sorry. I didn---"

Instantly, the guy 'Neil' stepped forward with shock in his eyes, cutting off whatever I was saying. "Why? Why are you sorry? It's not your parents." Somehow I felt like he was mocking me and that shock in his eyes? I felt like it wasn't a genuine one.

My eyes widened and I felt Tyler pull me back as he placed himself between that man and me like a barrier. "Hey man, watch it. She was being genuinely sorry."

The man stepped back with his hand raised before him in surrender but a small smirk was present on his mouth and that smirk broadened when he took in the six foot something of a man standing before him who was my fiancé.

"Tyler Sanders." He bobbed his head in appreciation. "I feel like I know you well already. They talk a lot about you at the office."

I thought Tyler was the most confusing guy but upon meeting this guy, I realised Tyler was a lot more easy to understand. Tyler slipped his hands in his pockets and stated. "Neil Harris."

Neil Harris grinned and pointed his fingers at Tyler saying in a sing-song voice that caught several curious ears from our surroundings. "You got me."

My fiancé didn't even falter by him. Instead, he calmly replied. "Yeah, I know you too. But I know your father more. Well, everyone knows him." He took one of his hands out of pockets and pointed at the man who still hadn't stopped grinning. "I heard you're taking his place in the company."

And suddenly, the grin left his face replaced with a hard look. The sudden change of expressions completely scared me. When he grinned and mocked, he seemed harmless to me but this look, this hard look made him a predator. Even his voice was hard. "No one can take his place."

He spoke with such intensity that I felt like he wasn't talking about the place in the company. I didn't know why but I wanted to know this man even though he had the look of a devil.

Kate placed her hands over his arm, pulling him back. "Neil, that's enough."

But 'Neil' stared at Tyler's eyes for a moment then he blinked once and with that his face changed back to that grinning face. He looked at his sister and exclaimed. "What? I was just talking." He turned back to us and sighed. "You know what? I'm here at a party so I'll just enjoy it."

He saluted to Tyler. "Nice meeting the guy, my dad spoke so highly of. You're a cool guy." Then he bowed dramatically to Helen. "Mrs. Sanders. I must say you look very pretty." And there was his signature grin which I bet how he got girls with. Nodding at his sister then her husband, he pivoted on his heels and started to walk forward but stopped suddenly.

Turning back, his golden eyes found mine. "See you around." He smirked at me charmingly. Then with a wink, he inclined his head and whispered as if he was letting me in on a secret. "Claire."

Then he was gone. Mixed in the crowd.

Tyler moved forward to follow him with his hands balled up in fists. Immediately, I grasped his tuxedo jacket in my fist to hold him back.

I knew I should be repulsed by his behaviour but truth be told, I wasn't. He didn't seem like a bad guy.

Kate looked at us with a. apologetic face. "I'm sorry about him. He never was like this. He just...changed."

Helen took a hold of her shoulder gently with her usual warm smile on her. "It's alright. It has been only two months. Give him some time."

I stepped toward them to console the poor woman but Tyler held my arm and turned toward them. "Excuse me, ladies." And walked away with me. I had to lift my dress high to keep pace with his steps in my high heels.

When he found a secluded place, he stopped and I bumped into his back. He turned abruptly and said with clenched jaw. "Stay away from him. Don't ever go near him."

I gulped. Looked like, that devil got under his skin. Really I thought my fiancé was a tough one but he just couldn't handle that Neil guy, could he? I shook my head at him. "You know he was just mocking, right?"

He let go off me and rubbed his forehead. "I know but how did he know your name?" His eyes turned hard and looked at the direction that Neil guy walked.

My hands found their way to his face, taking his attention back to me, feeling the smooth skin on his jaw. He shaved. No rough stubble. I rolled my eyes at him. "Tyler, this is our engagement party. Everyone has been talking about us. He must have heard it from someone."

He shook his head, dropping my hands from his cheeks and breathed hard through his nose. "But the way he looked at you---"

"Was harmless." I completed for him. "He was just using his charms but I didn't fall for it."

Tyler stepped closer to me and whispered. "You didn't?" Not again. He was too close. This was getting harder and harder.

I placed my hands on his chest to push him away but they just sticked themselves upon his chest, feeling those rippled muscles under the garments. Traitor hands! I shrugged trying to even my breathing at this close proximity. "No. He wasn't that charming to begin with plus if you haven't noticed...." With great difficulty, I lifted my left hand away from his hard chest and dangled it in front of his eyes. "... I'm engaged."

His grey eyes clouded with desire and pulled me more to him, closing the remaining inches between our bodies. I knew desire when I saw it in his eyes. His eyes were open to me. I was sure my eyes reflected the same. My body touched every part of his body.

His minty breath fanned my face when his husky voice whispered. "Yes, to me." His knuckles graced my cheek slowly. The hand on my waist went under the elastic wrap and touched the bare skin there initiating a gasp from me. "You're only mine. You and Lydia. I don't like when someone gets their eyes on what's mine."

I should fight him. I should curse him that I wasn't a object, that I wasn't anyone's but I couldn't. It felt so soothing to hear him say I was his. His! I bobbed my head at him like an idiot agreeing to whatever he said.

Accepting it, he leaned close to my mouth and kissed the corner of it then stepped back as if he didn't feel the spark of it. That was the second time we kissed. Well, if it even considered a kiss. I blinked twice, getting rid of the emotion that were flowing in my blood and taking it to my heart. There were people around. It was not the time to analyse every freaking emotion that went through me.

Tyler's voice made me look at him. "Still stay away from him."

I sighed irritably. "I don't think he will do anything. As I said, he seems harmless to me." I raised my head and met his grey eyes. "Tell me the truth Tyler, do you think he would try anything serious on me?"

He shook his head in annoyance. "No. I've heard about this guy from Parker. He is the wild guy but he has his limits too." His eyes searched behind me as if looking for that guy then he met my eyes. "After Parker and his wife died, Neil disappeared for a whole month. No one had seen or heard from him for a whole month. His father's company was going down because no one was there to take care of it. I was planning to terminate my contract with that company but then he came back and I heard he's planning to take over the business."

I nodded at him, taking in everything he said. I still didn't know what he did exactly. Like what his company was about but I would ask him about it later, because right now hearing these things about this Neil guy made me curious. I was itching to go find him and pounce him with several questions of mine.

Touching his hands, I muttered in understanding. "His parents died, Tyler. That's something hard to deal with."

He nodded and replied. "But you know, he changed. When he came back, he was a total changed man."

Why did I feel like Tyler was more curious about him than me? I narrowed my eyes playfully. "Are you defending him now?"

He rolled his eyes and took my hand on his arm to start walking toward the crowd of people. "As you said, his parents died. We should cut him some slack. Now, lets go. I'm sure mom is waiting for us."

I kept quiet and walked further. Though one thing was clear to me, before the end of this night, I knew for sure I would find this Neil Harris guy to know more about him.

What? I had a curious mind to sooth.

*******

"Come on, mommy! You're too slow!"

Slow? I was going as far as I could in these damn heels plus if I walked more faster then I bet my thighs would be exposed to a whole new level. This split wasn't helping at this moment. Though it caught Tyler's eyes, it became a bothersome while walking with Lydia. Her little feet could walk really fast.

At the moment, Lydia and I was finding her daddy who left me after a while to talk to some of the board members. I pulled back the hand Lydia was grabbing onto and whined. "Oh come on Lydia, this heels are killing me. Walk slow."

My little girl sighed and shook her head at me. "I thought grownups had longer legs and they are walked fast."

"Well, I'm not that grownup. Your daddy is the one who's ancient." I snickered and she started giggling with me.

She whispered, trying to hold back her giggles. "Daddy won't like it if he hears it."

"I know." I whispered back with a mischievous smile but then I saw the bar up ahead. "Hey honey, how about I drink some water? I'm really thirsty."

She nodded and we walked toward the bar, asking the bartender for a chilled water bottle when a voice from my side reached my ears.

"I told you I'll see you around, Claire."

Whipping my head around, I found myself face to face with the devilishly charming guy.

Neil Harris. Huh! Looked like he found me before I could find him. Even better.

"You!" I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Yeah, me." He smirked. As usual he had his charms ready. On closer inspection I found two small dimples on his face. It was kind of cute. "Does your fiancé over there approve of you coming to me?"

"Excuse me!" I told him. "If you haven't noticed, this is my engagement party too. I can go anywhere I want. You just happen to be sitting at the bar drinking...." I noted three to four glasses in front of him. Instantly, I called for the bartender and when he came around, I ordered. "No more drinks for this man. Give him water."

His smirk went away and he glared at me but not scary enough to back me away. I had enough people who got me tongue tied. Example, Tyler. I didn't need another. "Hey, that's none of---"

"Mommy?"

The small whisper from my side brought our attention to the little girl who was looking at me with doe eyes. "Can we go now?"

I smiled at her and answered. "Yes, honey. We'll go now." I turned my head toward the idiot in front me. "I'd really love to continue our talk, trust me I would love it but now I gotta go. See you---"

The man stood up while lifting his hand in front of my face. "Hush!" His eyes were on Lydia and he had a small genuine smile on his face. "Hey, Cherry!"

Lydia moved closer to me hiding her face in my dress and I removed his hand from my face, pushing him back. "Stop right there."

He flaked his hand at me and snapped with irritation clear on his face. "Oh, shut up!"

My eyes widened at his behaviour. Oh I took it back. His behaviour was very repulsive and there was no way he was coming near my daughter and Cherry? Really? Ariel was so much better!

I turned my body, covering Lydia completely and giving this A-hole my back. "Stay away from my daughter!"

But that didn't stop him. Oh no. This psycho came around me, placing himself before me with disbelief on his face. "Who do you take me for? An idiot?" His eyes flickered to the girl who still hid her face from him then to me. "She isn't your daughter."

"She is!" I snarled at him. Lydia was mine. No one could change that.

Disbelief turned into disgust. He gestured his hand to me then my daughter. "Oh please! She doesn't look anything like you."

Ouch! I staggered back at his words. Wow. He had no control over his words. I knew Lydia didn't look anything like me. Hell, I knew she wasn't my own daughter but that never meant he would throw that at me quite brutally. I frowned at him. "That's pretty harsh."

He rolled his golden eyes at me and muttered before kneeling down. "So? Sue me princess but it was just the truth."

At that, Lydia lifted her little head to me and whispered. "He called you princess."

Before I could even do anything, the psycho kneeling down spoke up. "Yeah I did. Can you turn around so that I could talk to you for a sec?"

Lydia turned around but kept close to me. I gripped her shoulder gently and glared at him, warning him. I swear to god if he scared my little girl, he wouldn't live to see another day.

"Who are you?" Lydia asked him in her small voice.

His face was set in a soft smiley expression. A genuine one. Why didn't he keep that in front of others too? He lended his hand and said. "I'm Neil and you are Cherry."

Cher---I meant Lydia lended her hand and shook his hand. I really needed to sit down with her for a talk about strangers. She looked up at me then him. "But I'm Lydia. Sometimes mommy calls me Ariel."

"Ariel is so much better than Cherry." I pointed out to him.

Neil glanced up at me with a grim face. "Ariel, really? What are you? Five?"

My mouth parted in disbelief. "She is a six year old and Ariel is better for a six year old, not Cherry!"

He smirked. "Why? You jealous?"

I snorted very unladylike which by the way if my mom saw it, I would be lectured very badly. "You know you're very annoying." I told him.

He shrugged. "Same to you!"

I closed my eyes in anger. This guy was so frustrating. My Tyler was so much better than him. Wait! My? When did that happen and where was Tyler? If he saw this psycho talking to me and Lydia then psycho would be dead in a second. Though this time I wouldn't stop him cause I was annoyed as hell.

"Okay, Cherry! Tell me something." The guy Neil Harris said. "Where is your mommy?"

And I stiffened. What was this guy up to? Lydia, my sweet little girl pointed at me. "Here."

He clicked his tongue, shaking his head and asked her again. "No, your real mommy."

I opened my mouth to stop this charade but he raised his finger at me without taking his eyes off Lydia who again pointed at me. That's my girl! I grinned at the pathetic fool with triumph.

He sighed with annoyance. "Little girls are so hard to deal with."

"So don't speak to them." I said uncaringly, checking my manicured nails.

Rather than seeing, I heard his groan but then he explained further to my sweetie. "Not her. Your real mom. The one who brought you to this world...yada yada..keeping you in her tummy? Yeah, that mommy!"

I stifled my smile at his explanation but it still hurt to always hear that I wasn't Lydia's real mother but I accepted it long ago. I shouldn't dwell on it anymore.

Lydia kept quiet then after a moment she pointed up with her little fingers and muttered slowly. "Up."

Neil leaned forward, squinting his eyebrows. "What?"

I rubbed my baby's shoulder gently and felt her take a breath then she looked at him. "She's with the angels."