2

"You're going to Milan?" Killian looked at me with a frown on his forehead. He sat before me, leaning back in the chair, folding his arms and looking at me judgmentally.

 

I nodded, glancing back at the one showing Ace's learning progress report. Ace is in pre-kindergarten in preparation for his entry into the kindergarten school next year. So, as a mom, I've prepared him for many things. 

 

"My cousin, Regina, is getting married. I should come there." I said. "I can't be absent."

 

"You know that your grandfather dislikes you a lot because of your divorce. You won't be able to escape his scolding and cursing. You could be kicked out again like five years ago," his heavy voice was full of factual statements.

 

I closed my laptop and looked at him. "I'm sure I can handle it," I replied, shrugging my shoulders. "I'll stay at the hotel, and then come back here straight after the party is over." I continued. I didn't want to linger there either, especially when I realized the fact that my grandfather didn't accept Ace while he was still in my belly. Granpa would accept my son on one condition : I should return with Sebastian. I refused that, and he threw me out, saying that I wouldn't be welcome anywhere in his mansion.

 

It's a painful memory, and I've told myself that I won't cross paths with him again. I won't care about whatever he says or does.

 

"Then, what makes you sure that Sebastian won't come and destroy your and Ace's peace?"

 

I tensed. "He could be anywhere. The world is too big for us to meet." I replied.

 

"And what makes you sure that your grandfather still hasn't told him about Ace?"

 

I opened my mouth and was dumbfounded.

 

"Your grandfather was many things. An asshole is one of them. He's already seen your impudence and why would you think that he wouldn't act even worse realizing that you broke his rules?"

 

I swallowed. "Grandma made sure of that."

 

He squinted at me. "And you just believe it?"

 

"I don't want to talk about this,"

 

Killian looked away with a snort.

 

"Why so serious?" came Kate's voice, exclaiming excitedly as she sat beside me.

 

"I'm going to Milan for Regina's wedding, and this man forbids me." I replied.

 

"I'm not forbidding you I just want you to think about it a hundred times." Killian snapped.

 

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. You're acting possessive right now, Buddy. Chill out. I'm sure Bella can handle it," Kate retorted. "Plus she's got her handsome male cousins, there's Vito, Max and that delicious looking young man...what's his name? Dall? Don?"

 

"Damian."

 

"Yes, Damian. They will protect the Princess and her frog son. You have nothing to worry about." She continued, giving Killian a sharp look. "What dont you just worry about your fiancé screwing up at the party at my brother's club last night?!"

 

Killian raised an eyebrow and then closed his eyes while growling in annoyance. "What else did she do?"

 

"She doused a waitress just because she couldn't give her a specially arranged bottle for a VVIP customer. She started showing off and swaggered about who her boyfriend was, which was you, and then said that she could pay for the woman's pride," Kate shrugged. "It's trivial, but Lynsey likes to stir up trouble. You'd better calm that woman down and tell her to apologize to my brother's staff because Beau isn't going to make this easy,"

 

Killian sighed. "Fine. Thank you for letting me know. I have to leave now before she makes more trouble."

 

Kate and I just stared at his departure, and I couldn't get over Lynsey, Killian's fiancée, who was entirely out of her mind. I never liked that woman. She was arrogant, always talked like she was in the sky without looking at the earth, and treated everyone like her servants. But Kate and I couldn't judge Killian about that because we respected his choices.

 

"He's weird," I said. "He has too much control over me, and insists on making me change my mind," I told Kate.

 

Kate smiles. "Naturally, he's worried about you."

 

I nodded slowly. I told myself that it wasn't something else because it was better. I don't want anything to get in the way of our friendship.

 

__

 

This is suffocating. It almost made me lose control.

 

I carried the sleeping Ace and stopped in front of the door of my grandparents' mansion. The fear of rejection and my grandfather's cynical words made me freeze in front of his door. My parents had arrived in Milan first because we had bought the ticket separately. 

 

"Let me carry him," Ace's nanny said gently.

 

I handed Ace to Elizabeth while muttering, "Thank you." My arms were already aching because, as Ace always did, he was always restless when on a plane; he was afraid of planes. I didn't need to ask because his father had the same fear.

 

Calming myself down, I braced myself to press the doorbell. I felt sorry for Ace's restless sleep but wouldn't stay here. I'd already booked the closest hotel to the church building for tomorrow's wedding because I didn't want Ace to get any snide words from Grandpa.

 

"We'll greet them quickly, and then go to the hotel."

 

"Why don't we stay here?" asked Elizabeth. Elizabeth was the new nanny my mom had chosen because the previous one was my and Belle's nanny; of course, she was old and decrepit. I always cringed when I saw her carrying chubby Ace. And she didn't know why I always chose to stay at the hotel instead of spending time here.

 

"Something." I smiled at her. "You'll know."

 

The door opened and revealed Grandma's face. Her eyes were wide with enthusiasm. She smiled happily at me and hugged me quickly. "I missed you, Bambolina." She said in Italian.

 

"Me too, grandma." I replied.

 

She then turned to the sleeping Ace. "My baby." She murmured softly.

 

"Don't carry him, Grandma. He's heavy." I said earnestly.

 

Grandma sighed. "I'd like to say I'm offended, but you're right. I am old." She replied. She kissed Ace's forehead and stroked his hair. "He looks a lot like Sebastian."

 

I would have glared at her if she was not my grandma, but this was my grandma. All I could do was stare at her dazedly. "Ace is his son. That's a fact I can't dispute," even though I hated him. I smiled at my grandmother, who looked back at me gently.

 

"Let's go inside. Ace should sleep in a comfortable bed. He can sleep in my bedroom."

 

I froze. "Grandma..."

 

She raised an eyebrow. "Your grandpa won't do or say anything. Trust me."

 

I looked at her with disbelief. "I remember very well. The last time you said that, he kicked me out of this house," a tightness hit my chest. Five years ago, I officially became Ace's father's widow. I still remember Grandpa's words and expression when he threw me out of there. I didn't want to repeat that a second time. 

 

Especially since Ace is four years old, even though he doesn't understand, he knows what's happening around him. The actions that Grandpa might do to me would make him wonder and assume wildly. I didn't want to make him overthink.

 

"Forget about that, then." She looked at me with a gentle smile. "Let's put that behind us. He won't say anything to you or do anything bad like he did five years ago. All you can do now is trust me."

 

"But I don't want Ace sleeping in your bedroom. He'll sleep in the guest room I used to use."

 

She sighed as if resigned.

 

"And we'll stay in the hotel,"

 

There was disappointment on her face, but I wasn't afraid to give in to it. Grandma, Grandpa, or anyone else should understand that wounds don't go away that easily. I've moved on from my dark past, but that doesn't mean I'm going to forget everything that happened. I've just accepted everything and moved on with my life.

 

"Do as you please, as long as you don't leave this country before Regina's wedding." She said. "Let's go have lunch. Everyone is waiting for you inside."

 

>>.

 

Lunch went smoothly. Fortunately, there was only my uncle, aunt, my parents, Belle, Regina and her future husband, then grandma. My grandpa was at the office with my other uncle, Alberto. Grandma said there was a meeting. I don't know if it was true or not because I had my own thoughts that it was just a tactic to avoid me.

 

I looked at Ace, who was sitting next to Grandma. He was sitting in his own chair, eating the special meal I had prepared for him while Grandma was talking to him, telling funny things about her childhood, while I was blankly busy with the laptop in front of me.

 

I saw nothing but the progress of my cafe's website, where there were no visitors, no one ordering online or just browsing. I sighed softly, staring at my phone that was on because of the notification from the email from the bank that my instalment payment was approaching the due date.

 

I closed my eyes in frustration and pressed my head with my fingers. In my head, I imagined someone coming up with a lot of money and rescuing me from this hell hole; it would be fantastic. All of this darkness would be gone, and I wouldn't have to worry about where the money was. The problem was that it only existed in my imagination.

 

"Hey," Regina's voice snapped me out of my reverie.

 

I looked at her, who had just entered the back garden room. She pecked Ace's cheek before coming closer to me. "There's something I want to talk to you about. It's urgent."

 

I raised an eyebrow. "What is it about?"

 

"Come on," she pulled my hand to stand up, and I immediately followed her after closing my laptop.

 

We stopped in an open space next to the swimming pool. She looked at me with apparent anxiety and sadness. 

 

"Is something wrong?"

 

Regina sighed softly. She looked away and rubbed her face in frustration. "Yes, and I don't know how to tell you."

 

"What is it about?"

 

She looked at me without speaking for a few seconds. Like there was some indecision there.

 

I squinted, starting to get annoyed at this obscure woman. "Say it quickly. I don't have time. I have to get back to the hotel before night."

 

Regina took a breath and let it out softly. "About your ex-husband."

 

My heart jerked. My chest was tight. Apparently, I'm still not used to it. I swallowed before answering. "What's wrong with him?"

 

"Bahms and Sebastian have been best friends since college." She paused. "And they're very close. Tomorrow, Sebastian is coming. He was personally invited by Bahms."

 

The ground beneath me seemed to crumble. I opened my mouth, but no words came out.

 

"I'm sorry. I really didn't know they were close. If I had known earlier I would have stopped him from inviting Sebastian." Regret really appeared on her face, her eyes glazed over at me. "He just said it this afternoon, and... I came straight to see you."

 

I still couldn't find the words to reply. My head was completely empty of words, only filled with images of what if Sebastian met Ace and then took him.

 

"I'm not coming tomorrow."

 

Regina magnified. "What? No..."

 

I shook my head frantically. "I can't come if he's around..." My breathing was so irregular that I thought I was going to faint here. A large rock seemed to be sitting on top of my chest, blocking the smooth flow of my blood and breath. "I-"

 

Regina shook her head. "Calm down, Bella." She touched my shoulder with one hand, stroking me gently. "Bahms said that he'll come in the evening. You can go back to the hotel at that time."

 

I shook my head. "No. I can't believe in assumptions. What if he comes during the day? What if he sees us and..." I bit my lip and stepped onto a small chair to compose myself. "I shouldn't be scared like this."

 

"You have someone that belongs to him too. It's only natural for you to do so." She said as she sat down on the chair next to me.

 

"I'm scared when he sees Ace." I looked down, supporting my head with two hands.

 

She shook her head, hugging my shoulders. "He won't. We'll keep Ace away from him if he comes while you're still at the party." She said. "I'll handle this." She sighed. "It's not my intention to make you anxious like this, Bella. I just want you to be aware."

 

We were silent for a while. I tried to calm myself down, and Regina tried to calm me down.

 

"Are you still...still afraid of meeting him? Do you still have feelings for him?"

 

"No, Regina." I shook my head slowly. "I'm just afraid that if he meets Ace, and..." I sighed. "he took him."

 

"So, you're completely over him? You don't care if he shows up with someone?"

 

"I'll be fine."

 

"What if he comes after you again?"

 

I let out a squeal of disbelief at her. "He won't. His past actions already tell me that he never liked me, he was so crazy about Reina. I'm sure he doesn't even care about me. I bet he doesn't even remember me being in hislife before," He always did not care. But he will when he sees who comes between us. And then all my world will come crashing down.

 

Regina looked at me with a slight nod, understanding me. "Hopefully you won't meet him tomorrow,"

 

Yeah, I hope so.