TWO

Max smiled at an inebriated Gwen, who couldn't stop giggling. Finally, it looked like his little sister was happy after the tragedy that had happened nine years ago, leaving them all sad and struggling to come to terms with it. He and Darren, his younger brother, had tried the best they could to help her overcome it but she’d still ended up depressed and heartbroken. It was hard for his family, but it had been twice as hard for him because his wife abandoned him when he needed her the most. Had he not been busy looking after Gwen and his mother, he would have been the one who fell apart. The thought of Emilia made his stomach churn with anger. He'd loved her so much, but how had she repaid him? Realizing he was gripping the glass he was holding harder than necessary, he loosened his grip, banishing thoughts of that woman. He made a promise to never allow himself to be deceived like that again.

It was a happy day for the family. His little sister had gotten engaged, and that was cause for celebration. Of course, being the overprotective guy he was, he'd refused to give them their blessings until he knew for sure that Albert Knox was good enough for Gwen. He had investigated, interrogated, threatened, and sweet-talked him into doing things that would get him into trouble with the law, but the guy was clean. Which only made Max happy that his sister was a lucky girl for finding someone honest. Someone who loved her and would do anything for her. So, even if he wasn’t in the mood to party, he would plaster a smile on his face all day and celebrate with Gwen. It was the least she deserved. Later, when he was alone in his room, he'd let himself continue feeling dead inside.

Assuming Lisandra would leave him alone.

Moving around the crowd, he made conversation with everyone, making sure they were enjoying the party before moving to the next table. Most of the guests were Gwen's friends and colleagues, but he had also invited a few of his closest friends. When he spotted an empty table, he walked to it and placed his glass on top of it. His face hurt from smiling too much, but he wouldn't let them see any other expression. He was genuinely happy for Gwen, but it also reminded him of a time he had been happy. When he'd proposed to Emilia. They were so in love that they hadn't waited to plan a real wedding. She had found a veil at a thrift store and worn it with jeans and sneakers, while he had dressed in shorts and a T-shirt. They had been spontaneous because they couldn't wait for another second to be man and wife. How blind he'd been back then. What he wouldn’t give to go back and… He felt eyes on him, and casually looked over his shoulder, thinking it was one of the guests, but it wasn’t. Max felt the ground beneath him shift as he came face to face with his estranged wife.

Shock at seeing her there rooted him in place. It had been so long that he thought he was never going to see her again. Christ. She'd changed, but for the better. She looked stunning, so beautiful like his Emilia but also so different. The woman staring back at him had matured. One look at her and he knew the Emilia he'd married was long gone. And then relief flooded through him. Because she was okay and healthy. A part of him had feared that one day he'd get a call telling him to collect his wife's body, and he realized that had been his biggest fear. Her leaving without an explanation.

The anger kicked last. How dare she show up there after what she'd done? Why had she taken so long to go back?

"Hello, Max. " When had she walked towards him? He hadn't seen her moving, but fuck! Up close, she was even more beautiful than he remembered. He wanted to grab and kiss her, but he also wanted to strangle her. How could he experience two completely different feelings that were so incredibly strong all at once?

"Who the Fuck invited you?" Lisandra's voice boomed from beside him, making him snap out of his haze. He looked at her, waiting for a reply.

"I don't need an invitation to my house, Lisa," she replied sarcastically. Sounding so different from the woman he knew. Max didn’t realize he’d moved, but suddenly his hand was around her neck and he was squeezing. He flexed his fingers, noticing how smooth her skin was. The more he wanted to put his mouth there, the harder he squeezed. As if she could hear his conflicting feelings, she asked,

“Now, Max, are you about to commit murder in front of all these witnesses?” Dropping her voice, she added, “Or are you wishing you could bend me over this table and fuck me the way you used to?”

His brain must have short-circuited because suddenly someone was pushing him back, forcing him to drop his hand from her neck. Emilia coughed, but he could see it in her eyes. She was laughing at him. What was wrong with her? After all that time, why had she gone back? Oh, how he wanted to snap that little neck of hers.

"What the hell Max? Are you trying to kill her?" Darren asked from beside him. Max threw him a glare. Of course, it was his younger brother. Figures, since he always defended her, even after what she’d done.

"You shouldn't have stopped me, Darren."

"Control yourself. You’re making a scene," Darren hissed in his ear. He glanced up to find everyone staring back at him. He'd forgotten they weren't alone. Damn this woman for making him embarrass himself like that. Had someone taken photos? Or a video?

Fuck.

His eyes shifted back to Emilia, and he cursed again.

"Now that we've gotten past that, let's move on, shall we?" she asked, then turning to the guests, said, "Sorry for that little show. My husband tends to get carried away sometimes. I promise this is his way of saying he's happy to see me. Don’t misunderstand him. " Snarling, Max broke out from Darren's grip and grabbed her shoulders.

"Carried away? You Fucking bitch! After what you did to my..."

"Mom?" a voice said from somewhere behind her, stopping him. Max dropped his hands and stepped back. He didn't remember anyone showing up with a child. Either way, he wasn't going to do what he wanted to do in front of a child. He was so angry, but he had limits. Emilia turned, smiled at the little boy, and asked,

"What happened to staying in the car until I came back?"

"You took too long. Can we leave now? I don't want to be here," the boy said, looking at him. It was strange how he conversed with Emilia like he was... Mom. 

He'd called her mom. He was her son? Emilia had a son? Max took a step back unconsciously. Did she also have a husband? Is that why she came back? To get a divorce so she could start a new life with her new family?

His heart pounded. Why did the thought of her with another man make him want to punch someone?

"Honey, this is our new home now," she said, making him snap his eyes up to her. What did she mean this was their new home? This woman had definitely gone crazy, and he was going to stop this madness right that second. Squaring his shoulders, he moved closer to her.

"Emilia..."

"Oh. Pardon me. Max meet Zander. Zan, honey meet your father" She said then moved to point over at his sister "That's your aunt Gwen, your uncle Darren and… I don't know who these people are but I'm sure we have time to get to know them. Say hello, darling."

His father? The kid was his? It couldn't be. No, it couldn't. Emilia had aborted their child before she left. The hospital had told him so. He had the documents and the ultrasound picture she'd left behind like it was nothing. How could this boy be his son? It wasn't true. But even as he denied it, he saw the similarities. He was the spitting image of his younger self at the age of nine or ten. And if that wasn't enough proof, what Darren said confirmed it.

"Christ. I feel like I'm looking at my older brother when I was a kid. It's so weird"

"Get used to it Darren," Emilia said, winding her arm around the little shoulders and pulling him closer to her. Max was still in shock. His eyes kept bouncing from Emilia to Zander, then back. How?

"Listen here, you bitch. No one is going to believe that the little brat is Max's son, so take your stupid allegations and get out!" Lisandra said, approaching them. When Emilia didn't move, Lisandra bent down, grabbing the boy's arm, ready to throw them out, but a hand stopped her.

"Zan, honey, look away for me, would you? It'll be just for a second baby," Emilia told him and he turned a second before she slapped Lisandra, who stumbled back from the force of it. "You lay one finger on my son, and I swear, I will send you to meet your maker. Have I made myself clear, Lisa?"

Max looked at the two women, still in shock. Everything was happening too fast for him. First, his wife was back after disappearing for almost ten years and she had a son. They had a son. A son who didn't like it there and wanted to go back to where they'd come from. A son who was looking warily at him like he was scared, but also ready to hate him because he’d seen him manhandling his mother.

What the hell was that? How had he not known he had a son? Was Emilia fucking with him?

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