Glimpse of past

Two years ago:

Naina's pov:

I put my gun in my purse, along with three extra magazines, as I can't afford to take the risk.

Suddenly I heard a beep from my cell phone, I moved toward the dressing area and picked up my cell phone,

The cell phone screen had been flashing the date of that day when my whole life had crumbled right in front of my eyes.

All my dreams had been taken away from me and that old innocent Naina was set on fire.

I closed my eyes, and sucked a deep breath, " Dad!"

Past flashback:

Aaron was holding my bloody wounded dad in his arms, and I on the other hand was standing like a mute doll and staring at my Dad's wounds through which blood was oozing out,

Dad raised his bloody hand, he wants me to come close to him,

But I was too numb,

I wasn't in my sense,

I was hurt,

I was in pain,

My heart and mind both knew that my dad won't survive,

I knew I am about to get orphaned,

It was Xavier who grabbed my hand and took me to my dad, I fall on my knees like a dead body, putting my head on my dad's wounded chest, soon I started sobbing like a toddler over his chest,

Dad looked at Xavier and he instantly nodded his head,

"Naina...!"

"Don't make me an orphan dad! Please, " I begged him, but he patted my head with his blood-drenched palm,

"I want you to make one last promise to me..." Hearing his words, I instantly raised my head and started shaking my head violently, but dad smiled painfully and then he looked at Xavier who was holding the box and the same papers which Mr. William had left for me.

Dad put Aaron's hand in my hand while making a painful face, " My Aaron and Alex is your responsibility, Naina, ( He moaned in pain, tightening his grip over my and Aaron's clued palms) promise me, promise me Naina that you'll not let this bloodline end,

Promise me you'll carry the heir of this family in your womb and protect both brothers till your last breath..." With teary eyes, I started nodding my head, but Aaron pulled his palm out of Dad's grip and cupped my father's face,

"Please, please don't say such words, ( Aaron blinked his tears) Nothing will happen to you, the team of doctors will be here any second..." Aaron was behaving like a kid,

"You have to marry Naina, My son,

(Aaron's expression turned pale, Dad noticed that and gripped his palm) this is your dad's and my last wish..." Aaron was speechlessly staring at my dad with tear-filled eyes.

"Preparation is done chief..." Xavier said, passing the papers to Aaron,

"Sign the papers champ..." Dad encouragingly said to Aaron, but Aaron was staring at dad with painful expressions,

Soon dad started breathing heavily and seeing Dad in pain, Aaron started behaving like a restless animal, he started screaming and telling his men to bring the doctors, but dad put his palm over Aaron's mouth,

Aaron grabbed Dad's palm and started kissing his bloody hand,

"Don't! Don't leave me please, I and Alex will get all alone, " hearing his words, tears rolled out of my Dad's eyes. He raised his palm and wiped Aaron's tears,

"I have very little time champ, please fulfill my last wish, I want to see my kids getting married right in front of my eyes..." Dad said, making painful faces.

Aaron grabbed the pen and signed the papers, then dad looked at me,

"Naina! "

"Dad," was the only word that came out of my mouth. I tried to say no to Dad, but nothing was coming out of my mouth, neither my hand was ready to hold the papers of my destruction.

"Please..." My dying dad almost begged me,

I closed my eyes for a second, and then with trembling palms, I grabbed the papers and started signing the papers,

Xavier passed the box to Aaron,

Aaron's box was containing his mother's wedding nuptial chain and wedding ring,

Dad grabbed my palm tightly, " Tie this chain around her neck..." Aaron did exactly what my dad told him to do, then he shoved his mom's ring on my finger,

Dad pulled his wedding ring out of his finger and passed it to me,

Wiping my tears and controlling my sobs, I shoved my Dad's ring around Aaron's finger,

Suddenly a loud, eardrum tearing echoed in the whole mansion, hearing Aaron's scream I looked at my dad and covered my mouth with my palm.

Xavier tried to calm down Aaron, but he was behaving violently, it was hard, too hard to control him.

Aaron was holding my Dad's body like a toddler holding his favorite broken toy with tear-filled eyes,

"Naina..." I heard Alex's voice, I twirled and noticed Alex standing near the stairs, he was looking scared seeing the dead body of my dad,

I instantly moved to him and hugged him tightly, Alex also wrapped his arms around my waist.

"Naina..." I heard Xavier's voice, I twirled back and look at Xavier,

"It was your dad's last wish that before taking him to the pyre, you and Aaron marry each other with all the customs..." Xavier said,

"Whatever happened is enough, I don't want anything more and..." I was harshly cut off by Aaron,

"will do what the chief said..." Aaron said,

his tear-filled gaze was still fixed on my dad,

Flashback end,

I came out of my thoughts and looked at my image in the mirror, then raised my arm and started stroking my fingers over the cold mirror, with cold expressions.

In the beginning, I asked God many times why me.

Why did it happen to me?

but got no answer, then with time, I accepted my destiny.

So much has changed in these past three years, every day brings a new twist in my life and takes me far away from my past.

I don't remember anything from the past except the face I've lost hope of seeing again

I closed my eyes and fisted my palm,

Jacob's image was still clear in my mind,

It was not that I could not visit Jacob after my marriage with Aaron,

But on one side I had the responsibility of my new life and on the other side, there was a fear thriving inside me,

How would Jacob react?

Would he be able to accept my marriage with Aaron?

Would he let me come back to California?

Will he ever forgive me?

I opened my eyes and rest my head over the glass,

I could see the fog of my breath over the glass, I raised my finger and wrote Jacob's name then smiled seeing his name like a teenage idiot girl...

I had thought that with time I'll forget Jacob,

I had thought time would heal my wounds but with every passing day, all the wounds were getting worse.

**Knock**

**Knock**

With a heavy sigh, I get out of the closet, then hurriedly moved toward the door and opened it,

"Mac"

"Happy wedding anniversary!" Mac said, staring at me from top to bottom, then he fixed his gaze on my eyes,

I took the bouquet from his hand with a forced smile, "Thank you!"

I stepped out of the room and starts walking downstairs to make breakfast for Alex, holding the flowers near my chest,

"Where is Aaron?" I asked Mac while fixing the flowers into a vase,

"College! " hearing his words, I frowned and instantly twirled back to look at him,

"What? (I closed my eyes for a second and calmed my emotions)

Why did you leave him to go alone?

Why didn't you go after him?

You know how he is and..." Mac cuts me off,

"He had warned me not to come after him, and if I dare to come after him, you'll bear the consequences " hearing Mac's words, I cursed under my breath, and fisted the edge of the table tightly,

"What could be worse than what has happened to me..." I said thinking about that day when my father tied the knot with Aaron,

Mac sighed,

"I don't think he would like your decision of joining his college, I think you should drop this idea and hire some new bodyguard for his security from a distance..." Mac said, with a tight lip smile,

I smiled and turned my face to him to look into his eyes, but the pity in his eyes was piercing my heart brutally,

I gulped my anxiety with my saliva and starts walking toward the kitchen, Mac was silently chasing me,

The moment I stepped into the kitchen every chef greeted me with a warm smile, but I only nodded my head with cold expressions,

I picked the bread from the basket and starts making cheese toast for Alex,

"You should think about my idea Naina...!" Mac said, standing beside me

"I can't trust the new men and this could also increase the risk of Aaron's identity being exposed,

I have to stay around him for his safety, " I told him in a clear tone while cutting the veggies,

"What about business..." Mac said,

"I'll stay online, and visit the office on weekends, "

"But the office needs your attention, Naina, and how long you'll protect Aaron, one day he has to understand his responsibilities and stand on his feet right..." Hearing his words, I once again smile putting the chopping cutter over the counter.

"Right now more than business my husband needs my attention, and I have to protect him till my last breath as my father hired a lifetime bodyguard for my husband in the form of a wife,

And about him, being understanding of his responsibilities so you and I, we both have been seeing him for many years, he won't change, he'll never change..." I said with a heavy sigh, and once again started cutting the bell peppers,

"Ma'am your coffee..." The head chef said,

"Oh, give this coffee to Mac, " I said, but the head chef patted my head like a father,

"He already had his tea in the morning, " The head chef replied, passing me the mug.

I took the mug from his hand, but didn't say anything to him,

The head chef cared for me a lot as a father cares for his daughter but after Dad's action, it's difficult for me to trust anyone's love.

"Mommy...!" I came out of my thoughts when I heard the sound of my son,

"Mommy!" This time Alex screamed louder,

I instantly put the mug over the counter and ran outside, but the moment I stepped out of the kitchen My son wrapped his tiny arms around my legs,

"Good morning mommy..." Alex said, snuggling with my legs

Alex was my only happiness in this mansion, he was the second biggest reason why I had been tolerating his crazy brother...

Yes! Alexander wasn't my real son, but he was Aaron's little brother,

I tried to pick him up in my arms but he stepped back, "Mommy I am a big boy, I am 10 now..." I ruffled his hair,

"Good morning big man..." Mac said, giving a high fi to my son,

I was about to go to bring Alex's breakfast, but the head chef brought the breakfast trolley out.

"Ohhh cheesy toast!" Alex screamed in enthusiasm seeing his favorite cheese toast,

Seeing Alex's beautiful smile, my gaze stuck on him, "What are you looking at?" Mac asked,

I sighed, and picked up the cup of my coffee, "Why Aaron isn't like Alex?"

"I thought you would know since you play Aaron's wife role on the one hand and Alex's mother role on the other..." Hearing Mac's words, I looked at him in a questioning manner but he didn't say anything and turned his gaze toward my excited son who had been busy stuffing his mouth with cheese toast,

"Alex, honey don't stuff your mouth like this (I instantly amble toward Alex, putting my coffee mug over the table) you'll choke your food..." I scold Alex in a motherly manner, but just like his brother, he also ignored my words.

I instantly pulled the plate away from him, and opened my palm near his mouth, "Spit out..." Alex looked at me but I glared at him,

"Spit out right now Alex?" This time I told him in a cold tone,

He instantly spewed the toast on my palm but made a sad face.

Mac and the team of chefs were staring at me and my son from a distance. Of course, their gazes used to make me uncomfortable in the beginning but now I am habitual.

I threw the spewed cheese toast in the disturbed, washed my hand, and then sat beside Alex,

I pulled Alex's chair close to me and started feeding him with my hands. I thought that he would show me tantrums but no, he had been eating silently.

Well, it was truly magical for me,

"Mommy can I skip school today, please...!"

Oh! So that was the reason for his silence,

I sighed, making him take a sip of milk,

"You'll get bored at home because your bro joined his college today and mommy also has errands to do..." I said, feeding him another toast,

"Mac is here...!" Alex said, looking at Mac with puppy looks,

Seeing his actions my heart melted,

"I also have errands to do at the office Champ...!" Mac replied,

"Mommy!!! (He said louder) Please (Then in a pleading tone)...." Alex cried like a toddler,

I puffed out a heavy sigh, " You have to go to the office with Mac, I'll pick you up around 3'o o'clock..." Hearing my words, Alex instantly jumped down from the chair and threw himself at me,

I instantly wrapped my arms around my baby, and kissed his head,

"You are the best mommy in the world, " his words poured divine pleasure into my ears.

"Take care of him and don't let me go out of your sight..." I said to Mac,

A half-hour later:

I sat inside the car and sped my car to my husband's college. I don't know how he would react after seeing me in his college, but one thing I know was that tonight he'll show me hell with open eyes.

My and Aaron's relationship has been more bitter than Bittrex,

After my Dad's funeral, for a month I, and Aaron didn't talk.

hell! We used to avoid each other like cancer diseases,

But everything turned worst between me and Aaron the day when Mr. William's lawyer announced me as the power of attorney owner, and then Aaron heard my chat with his family lawyer where I was convincing the lawyer for my and Aaron's divorce.

Since that day Aaron started considering me a gold digger, he thinks that I am after his father's money, and because of his thinking, he made my life worse than hell.