Nadia watched the familiar street lights pass by her as the lime slowly drove up the busy street. It was at a time of day when Blue Ridge was most busy so the slow advance of the car was understandable. Luke stirred on her side and she smiled as she looked down at his sleeping face. From the excitement over riding the plane for the first time to being tired from traveling put him out like a light as soon as they got into the limo. Nadia looked up to see Donna sipping from another flute of champagne, this one was probably her third, or maybe more. She had always been a heavy drinker, and she didn’t get drunk easily either. But at this rate, Nadia was more worried about her health than anything else. Drinking too much could have some bad repercussions for her age. Dean was busy looking into his phone and when he felt her gaze he looked up and automatically gave her a warm smile. He had always smiled at her warmly, no matter the circumstances. As Nadia smiled back at him, she wondered
“You didn’t have to hire a babysitter to stay with Luke. I would have been happy to take care of him,” Dean told Nadia for the third time that day as he leaned against her desk. He had been chilling in her office since this morning going about small tasks and having small talk with the employees. He seemed bored and it looked like he was more disappointed than Luke for not being able to spend time together. The employees on the other hand were delighted to have him. Thoroughly charmed by his presence and the mostly female-occupied office didn’t seem to mind the eye candy as a bonus of their office scenery. Dean was much more popular than her at her own office. Not that she would complain about that. But she didn’t exactly like it either. “I thought you had some business to take care of. I thought the babysitter would give you a breather and enough time to meet your associates,” Nadia answered as she signed a document putting it aside and picking up another one. “I could take Luke
“Don’t you wonder what your grandson whom you didn’t care to see for five years looks like?” Nadia asked her father. Looking carefully at his expression, the man didn’t even flinch nor did he look guilty. He had no regrets whatsoever about what he did. And he didn’t care about Luke in the least. He didn’t even ask about his name. Her Luke who asked about his grandfather so innocently, she felt bad giving him such a bad excuse of a grandfather. He was better off where he was out of her and her son’s life. “You came all the way here to make a scene about me not inviting you to a freaking party, while you dare face me like this without even the hint of an apology. Not even bothering to see your grandson’s face or learn his name. And you still dare accuse me of not knowing how to treat my family?” She asked her anger spiking up so high that she was barely managing to keep her voice level. “Do you realize what I have gone through to raise you alone without your mother? But you still wer
Nadia’s eyes scanned the CCTV camera footage from their suit’s floor. Watching in horror as Luke opened the door to the suit and made his way toward the elevator. Their suit was on the top floor in a separate section made for VIP Guests. The elevator directly leads to the lobby and no one can go up without a special card, but anyone can go down without needing one. Which means Luke could be anywhere. As her hands trembled she typed on her laptop trying to access the footage from the elevator itself but it didn’t work. As she tied access through Donna’s ID it didn’t work again making Nadia feel as if a hole was pierced through her gut. She knew this error code. She knew this pattern to the little detail of the notification window. The person behind this could be only him. “Oh god no! Please let it be so that he doesn’t have him,” She mumbled her throat closing as she accessed the lobby footage trying to track Luke. Just as she saw him exiting the elevator and looking around, then
As Nadia burst through the door, she was immediately assaulted with the delicious scent of exquisite cooking. Barely registering it, she scanned the kitchen carefully until her eyes fell on the small figure sitting in a corner holding bread and swinging his legs without a care in the world. “Luke!” She shouted running to him and falling to her knees pulling her son into a tight hug. His heart was beating in her ears and she could barely hear anything around her. Relief was taking time to settle into her stressed-out body. As she hugged Luke tightly, she took a few deep breaths before leaning back to see his face. “Oh my god. Luke, are you okay? Are you hurt?” She asked and Luke tilted his head to the side as if he didn’t understand her question. “Yeah! I’m okay!” He said with a smile and Nadia breathed a sigh of relief still checking his body for any injury. “I’m glad you came for him. I was wondering what was taking you so long,” Someone said from beside her and Nadia turned arou
Dean leaned against the wall as he sipped from his wine watching as Nadia interacted with her business associates. After five years of disappearance, and being scarce even before then, Nadia practically became a hot topic, especially regarding her management of the Keaton assets. Many were there in hopes of striking a deal with the fresh face while others were there just to read the room and see if she presented any competition. But many others were there because they wanted to see the little girl they used to know. “You! Wallflower,” Said someone from beside him, and Dean didn’t bother to look his way. “F**k off, Ray,” Dean mumbled and his friend laughed. “Is this how you treat your friend whom you haven’t seen in five years? That’s kinda cruel,” Ray said as he smiled at him and Dean chuckled shaking his friend’s hand. “To think that I would meet you here at the same place as before,” He said and Ray shrugged. “My old man received an invitation and since he knew I was acquainted
“Ah I can’t believe I drank this much,” Nadia said as she sat back on the couch and leaned her head back closing her eyes. “Come on, I kept pushing a glass of water at you all night long, You would be dead drunk by now if you didn’t drink it,” Dean said as he came into the room after her holding her shoes and purse in his hand. She’d discarded her shoes on the way up to their suit, Dean had leaned down picking them up for her before she could, and then used the other hand to steady her as she wobbled. She had also completely forgotten her purse if Dean hadn’t picked it up it would have been left here. “Come on, off to bed with you,” He said putting his warm hands on her shoulders gently pushing her up from the couch. Nadia persisted looking up at him upside down her vision barely holding up. “This place reminds me too much of many things,” Nadia said softly and Dean paused. “Like what?” He asked as he reached out for a blanket and draped it over her shoulders. The way he was tak
Nadia looked around the calm terrace as she reached for her cup of coffee trying not to cringe at the consistency of these memories. Last time, she had talked with Kate in the same place, smiling at her and supporting her to become the next heir of the Talbot family. Just remembering it makes her feel disgusted enough to forego brunch. But her upset stomach was also partly because of how much she drank last night. “You’re lost in thoughts,” Dean said as he reached across the table handing Luke a plate full of cut pancake pieces. “I was just lost in memory lane,” She answered with a smile ruffling Luke’s hair as he munched at his pancakes. When she woke up this morning, she found herself alone in the room. Going out hunting for Dean, she found him deeply asleep with Luke in his bed. She barely remembered what happened last night and she wanted to think that suspiciously close kiss was a figment of her disillusioned drunk mind. But it was hard seeing as Dean left the room to her all
Nadia woke up with a start breathing heavily as sweat dampened her temple. Feeling someone shift beside her, she shivered at the whisk of air passing through her damp skin as Dean sat up in bed beside her.“Hey…” he whispered and Nadia sighed covering her face with her palms.“I’m so tired of this…” she said hotly as she tried to suppress the frustration tears that threatened to fall down her cheeks.She felt a blanket being thrown on her shoulders before Dean’s big and warm hands stroked her back slowly soothing away the nerves that had been keeping her body tense.“Come on, lay down…” he said in a soft tone and Nadia followed his command laying against him as he circled his arms around her.His fingers combed through her hair slowly massaging her skull. Her heartbeat was begin in to slowly return to its natural rhythm when he finally spoke again.“Maybe you need to say your goodbyes..” he said slowly.The way Dean spoke and how he acted was becoming their routine. Since her days in t
Three weeks later, "So, how was your last check-up with the doctor?" Nadia asked as she sat at the bedside of the huge man before her.The man chucked and gave her a wry look as if asking her if she was really asking him this question."I should be the one asking you this question, Miss. You're the one who got admitted recently," he said with a smile."Oh, come on, Blake! Mine was just a flesh wound and too much drama. You're the one who was about to cross to the other side for a moment there," She answered with a fake frown.Blake, the man who saved Luke when he was kidnapped, regained consciousness only after Nadia was admitted to the hospital. The first thing the man asked for was his hospitalized daughter and Luke.Nadia had made a vow to herself that she would do her best to protect the man and his daughter no matter what. So once she heard that he was awake, she visited him and they began talking. It turned out that the man wasn't a criminal and that he only did this mission b
Dean raced down the seemingly endless corridor, each step echoing with a sense of dread. This floor had been reserved exclusively for Nadia's penthouse, accessible only with her permission or a special keycard. Yet, Dean knew that Mark had the potential to breach the security. Nadia had been aware of this vulnerability in the system, which was why she'd consented to have a bodyguard with them at all times.But Miller, in his attempt to spring this trap, had incapacitated their bodyguard, leaving them vulnerable just when Mark arrived. As they approached the open door, Dean's heart raced with a mix of fear and determination. Agents ahead of him cautiously entered the room, assessing the situation. When Dean was finally permitted to move forward, the sound that greeted him was heart-wrenching.Nadia's muffled sobs pierced the air, a stark contrast to the chaos within. Mark lay on the ground, his face a grotesque mask of brutality. Nadia was in Karl's arms, her tears flowing uncontrollab
"It's nice to see you always running to the rescue of your fiance... But we can't have you going in there ruining our plans yet," Miller said with a smile as he looked at his agents and nodded."Make sure they won't run away," he ordered."Hey! What are you doing!" Keith protested as they surrounded him."You were in on this all along..." Dean said gritting his teeth as he struggled against the agents that were holding his hands back.How had he not seen this?"Wait a minute, What are you talking about?" Miller asked looking at him with a frown."You're acting like nothing is wrong, then why are you standing at the door of our apartment building stopping me from getting inside? Is the agency now supporting Mark, or were you on his side all along and we were the idiots believing you?" Dean asked feeling helplessly frustrated as he pushed back against the men holding him only to be overpowered again."Wait a minute, I think there is a misunderstanding here..." Miller trailed off and Dea
"Dad, call the bodyguards and make sure to keep an eye on Luke!" Dean told his father as he made his way to the front of the house where he parked his car."What's going on?" He asked following him."Mark managed to escape from the police. The first place he would be heading to is where Nadia is. I need to head there right now," Dean explained and his father nodded."Okay, be careful. I will call the police to make their way there too." His father said as he closed Dean's car door after he got in.Dean nodded and started his car starting to back up when the passenger door opened and Keith jumped inside."Think that I would let you go alone this time too?" He asked with a smirk."It's gonna be dangerous," Dean warned."The more reason I need to go with you," Keith insisted, "What are you waiting for?"Dean sighed and backed away from the spot making his way toward the penthouse. He sped through the street his car eating up the road between them. He had never regretted the distance bet
Nadia opened her eyes as she felt someone lean against the bed beside her. Looking up, she found Dean smiling down at her the sunlight streaming through the window making him look as if there was a halo around his head.Groaning, she shidted to her back readying herself to cover her face with the blanket only for him to stop her with both arms."You need to wake up," He said softly."Said the guy who wore me out last night," She retorted with a sigh, "You're way too bright for me to look at, go away,"He chuckled finding her statement funny, even though she wasn't joking."It's already noon, you're going to sleep all day at this rate," He informed her but she simply shook her head stubbornly."I can't move... My muscles are sore," She complained.Dean smiled and leaned down against her pressing a kiss against her neck, right where he left a mark last night."Realy? Even though I went easy on you last night. I was having such a hard time holding back while you called out my name, in mo
"Oh, it's finally here..." Nadia remarked as she walked past Dean at the kitchen counter. He nodded absently as he stared at the test making Nadia wonder for a moment if there was something wrong with it. Leaning over his shoulder, she could see the positive green letters standing out like neon lights in the darkness."It's positive," She stated."Yeah..." He said with a satisfied smile kissing the palm of her hand as he resumed staring at the paper. Nadia smiled shaking her head at the man, he was just way too cute. Ruffling his hair, she resumed walking toward Luke's room to see if he was ready."He should be here anytime now," She informed Dean who nodded again not moving from his spot.Nadia found Luke in a similar state to his father bent over his toy his shoes and socks only half worn."Luke! You're supposed to wear your socks. Our guests will be here any moment," She said with a smile."Who's our guest?" Luke asked as he finished wearing his socks."It's my father..." Nadia s
"You..." Dean took an exasperated breath letting it out slowly..Nadia sat on the couch uncomfortable as she looked away from him. She was readying herself for another scolding when she felt a hand on her head softly patting it. Dean was looking at her with a gentle smile."If this is going to give you some peace of mind then by all means, let them meet. But I don't want you to do it at the expense of your feelings," Dean reassured her."I want Luke to meet him and know that he has a grandfather... But I can't bring myself to trust him. I don't believe that someone can change like that overnight..." She explained.Dean leaned back and she leaned against him snuggling into his arms."I always thought that it was strange that your father seemed to always think that he was the victim. It was as if he felt like he was betrayed by you but in fact it was Kate who was lying to him about you all the time. Perhaps he was never that bad of a person in the first place..." Dean said, then he corr
Standing before the hole in the ground, Nadia was filled with so many thoughts and feelings. One of them was that she was probably a hypocrite standing there wearing black and listening intently to the prayers of a man who knew nothing.Another thought is that... Well... It was sunny. Nadia always had this conception that it never was sunny on funerals, it was always raining or gloomily grey. But no, it wasn't, it was sunny, and flowers were blooming around while butterflies were mating. Burds chirping and most of all... it was warm and pleasant.To sum it up, it was the weather that destroyed her conception of funerals...Nadia watched silently as they started lowering the coffin to the ground. The coffin was made from dark wood. One Kate would have hated. And decorated with white spider lilies. Kate hated white. She always said it wasn't a color. Although she would conveniently wear it whenever she felt like the situation would require from her to add a flare of innocence. Mainly w