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Mom walks through the front doors, her eyes frantically looking around. I slide the wine away from me, so she doesn't freak out but when her eyes lock on mine a sigh of relief escapes her lips.

She bends over and takes a few deep breaths, I feel something gently wrapping around my neck. It's soft, warm. I look down and my eyes catch on a scarf, looking over at Aiden with confusion he mouths the word 'hickeys'. Got it.

She looks between me and Ashley as she rushes to get in front of me. "What's going on?" She asks, her voice shaken.

Howard walks through, I have to restrain myself from throwing my arms around his neck. He looks a little... angry? Aiden still stands beside me, holding something in his hands.

"Hey Mom!" I pull her into a hug, feeling her melt against me in relief. I keep quiet, remembering what Aiden said. Let him take the lead on this.

Her eyes search my face, then she turns to Ashley. "What is going on?"

Aiden looks down at her, smiling. "Hello Miss. Banks," She gives him a confused look, "Are you okay?" he creases his brows.

Throwing her purse on the bar top she straightens up. Slowly she says, "Well, I received a phone call that my daughter has been missing for three days. No one bothered to call me before then, and now she's here." She gives us all a skeptical look. "I'm happy... but someone needs to start talking."

I look at Ashley, giving her an innocent look, I shrug. Aiden speaks up, "I'm sorry Ashley said that." He gives her an angry look and turns his attention back to my mom. "Emilia got some good news so we we're throwing her a party and Ashley was in charge of getting you here for the surprise."

Oh, he's good.

She rolls her eyes, looking at Ash. "Why of all the things you could have said, would you make me believe my daughter is missing?" She is dumbfounded. Ashley gives her a weak smile. "Sorry." She mutters.

She gestures her fingers, "Wine." She demands gently, I totally understand her mood right now. We came back at such a perfect time we would have been absolutely screwed if we would have waited in Italy for another night. Mafia be damned, my mother would have killed me.

After a few moments of introducing her to everyone and getting a few more hugs she settles down, thank God.

Sitting on the barstool with her legs crossed she looks around the cabin. Taking in the rich atmosphere for the first time as she sips on her glass of wine, "This is beautiful, where did you find it and why aren't you girls at the retreat?"

"It's Aiden's." I tell her with a smile, her eyes widen slightly and then she collects herself. I know what it means, did you spend the past few weeks here instead of the retreat I paid for you to go to? "We just left the retreat a few days ago, to celebrate!" I smile, my body relaxing since it appears, she believes me.

"So, what's this good news?"

Aiden hands me the paper from his hands, I unfold it and see it's the printout of the email I showed him of my scholarship. With a smile, I hand it to my mom. She sets down her wine glass and grabs her readers from her purse.

Her eyes skim over the words and I can see tears forming. "Oh Honey." She doesn't look up from the paper, "This is incredible!" She sets the paper down, wrapping me in a tight hug, "You can finally follow your dreams." I can feel the emotions in her words as she holds me tightly. A mixture of relief and happiness.

She pulls away from me and playfully slaps Ashley's arm. "I forgive you but my God you need to work on your lying skills, you almost gave me a heart attack! Poor Howard here saw me cry within the first two minutes we met." She gives him a smile, turning her head. It's odd to know that she knows Howard now but at least she just thinks he's Aiden's driver and not his head of security.

The visit goes by in a flash, at around ten at night she asks me to go somewhere private with her. We make our way to the balcony. I wish it wasn't dark out so she could see the view, she would love it.

"First thing I wanted to talk to you about Emilia." She gives me a stern look. Shit. "I know you're an adult. I get it, your friends are here, you're celebrating." She sets her glass and purse down on the small patio table. She opens her mouth to speak but closes it again, a moment of silence stretches out.

"I know we never had that talk." Oh, God.

"It may be too late now, but I never had to worry about it before, you were always so good. Coming home before curfew, always leaving the door open when Caleb would stay late. I knew you two were dating by the way." What?

"How?"

She laughs, "I wasn't born yesterday. I should have had this talk with you before you left for college but... I... you seemed so blissfully innocent I didn't want to tarnish your mind." She lets out a small laugh.

I have to stop this, "Mom, we don't have to do this. I know how things work... I did go to health class."

She blushes, I can see it even though the light is sparse. "Are you... using protection."

I throw my head back, "Mom." She cuts her eyes to me, "Yes. Of course." I tell her. We always do.

"Good." She nods, letting us end that conversation. Thankfully.

I look around the back of the cabin, "So there's plenty of guest rooms for you to stay in, Howard can bring you back tomorrow." I'm thankful for. Subject change.

A frown forms on her lips. "Oh, honey. I wish I could stay, but I can't. I've got to return home. Tomorrow is our grand opening of a new wing.

"A new wing? At the shop?"

She bounces on her heels, "Yes! I wanted to wait to tell you in person. Since Aiden's investment we have been doing so well we decided to buy the lot next door. We're adding an interactive butterfly exhibit, you know how much I love them and with the warm climate of the greenhouse we will be able to have more tropical flowers. I am so excited!" I love watching how animated she gets talking about her florist shop and I'm just so happy for her.

"It's late though." I try to reason with her, I don't want her to go just yet. So many things have happened that she doesn't know about.

"Hardly, I'll be home a little after eleven if we leave soon. Howard." She pauses, "He's a nice man."

I haven't seen THAT look before, but okay.

"Oh! Before I forget." She pulls an envelope as well as a small box from her bag and places the contents in my hands, "This came for you at the house, the return sender was Scott Investment Corporation so I assumed it was for you, I know we do business together but those letters are normally sent to the shop. I was tempted to open it though when Ashley told me about not being able to find you just to see what it was." She laughs, I'm so happy she's blissfully unaware of how much danger I've been in lately.

"The box is for your birthday." She smiles. "From me." She adds.

I set down the envelope on the patio table and place the box in my hand. I open it slowly, tilting it in the direction of the porch light so I can get a better view. A golden shimmer cast against it, igniting tears in my eyes. It's a bracelet, a couple charms line the golden threads.

"Your father bought this for you when you were a little girl." Her smile turns downward as she wipes fresh tears from her eyes. "I was supposed to give it to you on your eighteenth birthday, but I didn't have the strength too. It's the last gift you'll ever receive from him and it broke my heart."

Her honesty and bravery are something to be admired. I twirl the bracelet in my hand, "It's beautiful, tell me about the charms." I ask, my voice shaky as I try not to cry.

"This one." She gestures to a rose gold tiny whisk was my choice. I added it recently." She lets out a small laugh, "and now look at you, you made it baby. You get to use your scholarship to follow your dreams."

"I love it." I tell her with a quivering lip.

"And this one." She pauses, pointing to the diamond encrusted yellow rose that dangles from the chain, "Is of course, your father's choice."

"It's beautiful." I throw my arms around her, then I pull back to let her fasten the bracelet on my wrist. It takes my breath away looking at it sitting against my skin.

I think the wine has taken its toll on her as we walk back inside. Aiden places his arm through hers after she gives me and Ashley around five hugs a piece. He guides her outside with Howard close behind.

I return to the porch with a glass of wine, alone. Anxious to see what this Manilla folder holds. I move the prongs and pull out a sheet of paper.

Aiden's handwriting, not an assistant. Okay, so it was meant for my mom. What is this? My eyes narrow to adjust to the dim lighting.

'

I slip my hand inside the envelope and pull out the check.

"The letter was fine, but don't look at the check." I turn around to see Aiden leaning against the balcony door, a smirk on his face. "I was wondering when your mom was going to tell you about that, I assumed it was unopened or she would have fucking flipped when she got it."

"How long have you been there?" I ask, tears brimming my tired eyes.

He shrugs, coming to me and holding out his hand. I shake my head, "Aiden, not only were you going to take care of me but my mom too?" My words are slow, for weeks my days have been filled with anguish and now ever since he's returned to me, I feel nothing but happiness.

"Yes, of course. She made you." His simple words bring tears to my eyes, I look down shaking my head and that's when I see the numbers on the check... Two Million dollars.

"Aiden!"

He throws his head back, "I just told you not to look at that."

"She would have never accepted it."

He nods, "I know, that's why I had it set up where if it didn't get deposited or she sent it back that another would be delivered until she did."

"Why did you send it to the house?" I ask, remembering where mom told me about how the letters normally go to her work.

"I didn't want to risk someone at her work opening it."

I mouth the words 'O' and then set down everything, making my way to him. Bringing my hands to his face I mutter the words, "You don't realize how amazing you are."

He scoffs, "Amazing?" stepping away from me he sighs, "Emilia, I can't even fathom your reason for still being with me."

His words take me back, "Do you not want me to be?"

His smirk accentuates his dimples, "You're so smart, but sometimes you can be so oblivious. Yes, I want you. I want you every second of every fucking day Emilia Banks. That's the only thing I do know anymore."

He paces the porch, running his hands though his tousled hair. "What I can't figure out is why you stay."

He's normally so confident, what's gotten into him? Stopping such a large man takes a bit of effort as I stand tall to reach his hands and pull them from his face. "Don't you get it by now, A?"

He looks at me, his expression grim. I soften my voice, "You're it for me. You're made for me. It's that simple."

He gives a small laugh, no trace of humor in it. "It's not that simple Emilia." His voice becomes stern. "I almost got you killed, I put you in danger."

"No. You made some bad business decisions before you met me, before you got close with Ash again. You didn't know your life would involve all of this." I gesture towards the living room where everyone is. "You didn't know you would have us, now you do."

He pulls me into a hug, breathing me in as he tangles his face in my hair. "That's what I'm scared of. I have everything to lose now."

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S E E Y' A L L F R I D A Y!

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