I have decided to share the sneak peeks on my instagram handle (@sarahannawrites). So follow me if you next a glimpse of next week a lil beforehand!

Also I would like to dedicate this chapter to Safire95Blues for making me feel like a mini celebrity! 😂

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Brian's POV:

The rain drops slowed down to a drizzle, but the commotion inside my head didn't seem to have an end. That face. I have seen it somewhere but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. "Have you met her here before?"

Cathy seemed startled but quickly recovered. "No. She just came by here recently."

"That's strange." I frowned. "I think I've seen her before."

"There's no way for it."

"You said that she was from London right?"

She nodded. "Did you introduce her to me then?"

She shook her head. "Uh, we were not exactly friends then."

I frowned and she explained. "She is Michael's ex."

My eyebrows shot up. "What do you mean? What were you doing with her then?"

"Hey relax." She smiled. "She means no harm."

"But you just said that she is your boyfriend's ex girlfriend and you weren't exactly friends back then. What makes you think she would see you any different now?" She was too naïve for her own good sometimes and I wonder how no one took advantage of that during the year she was absent from my presence. It was during times like these that I was glad she had Sam with her.

"Ex boyfriend's ex girlfriend." She corrected and I could see the pain on her face.

I sighed and turned her face for her to look at me. "Why are you doing this?"

"I can't hurt him." She choked out.

"You are doing exactly that now."

She sighed and turned away. "That's what he said."

"Look I know you are scared and getting all confused. But I swear I will take care of this. Please don't ruin your happiness for this."

"I can't risk their life for my happiness. I can't live with myself if something were to happen to them."

I looked into her eyes. "Nothing will happen to them. I will make sure of that."

"How?" The look in her eyes said it all. She was sure that I was helpless as she was. "Are you thinking of going to the police?"

"No." If she was surprised by my answer, she didn't show. After all as the good law abiding citizen she expected me to be, that should have been my first option.

"Then what are you planning to do?"

"I have my ways." I hesitated. "Just trust me."

"I do trust you, but would it be enough to stop him from ruining everything?"

"Just.." I sighed. "Just don't worry about it. I'll take care of everything."

She smiled wryly and I swear my heart just died down at the sight of that. "There's nothing to worry about anymore. I just did his job of ruining everything so that he wouldn't have to do that anymore."

I wish I could say something to make her feel better but I knew nothing I say could ever do that now. "How did he take the news?"

She sighed. "I don't want to talk about it."

I placed my hand over hers. "If you will like it, always remember that I'll be there to just listen to you."

She smiled and leaned her head on my shoulder. "I know. That's the only reason I still can go through this."

I kissed her forehead and looked out the window as the cab slowly made its stop in front of our house. We got out of it and I paid for it. Cath stopped in front of the gate and stared at the house next door.

She must feel terrible for what she did to Sam.

When she noticed my eyes on her, she just smiled and proceeded to open the gate to our house as if she wasn't in the verge of a breakdown already. I sighed and looked up at the house she was looking at.

Light was shining out through the windows and it felt strange to see that after having seen it still and lifeless for so many years. I should have been happy for it, but this life in that house right was for all the wrong reasons and I have to make it all alright very soon.

I need to!

With that determination in mind, I followed Cath into our house, hoping tomorrow would be a better day for her.

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Daniel's POV:

After my phone call with Harry I decided to join the others and volunteered to be ignored by the others. How fun! Sighing, I walked down the stairs only to be bumped into by Michael.

He didn't even seem to notice that I was there as he stomped on the stairs. I could hear the giggles and laughter of the other three as I descended down.

"I can't wait to see him in that!" Sam giggled.

"Oh, I love you for that evil brain of yours! Did I tell you that already?" Blake cooed and I rolled my eyes. Be nice. Just ignore. I reminded myself. The three of them were still oblivious to my presence.

Sam grinned. "Well, I won't feel bad if you praise me one more time."

He grinned and pinched her cheek. "I love you, you cute little Devil of mine!"

Deep breath. Take a deep breath!

Zoran rolled his eyes. "She is not yours."

"She will be if I blast my charm on her. I am just trying not to hurt poor Danny boy's ego."

"Maybe you should have done that earlier and we would be together right now." She winked at him.

THAT'S IT!

I stomped towards them but they still didn't realise that I was there. So I cleared my throat and all eyes turned towards me, but I had mine only on one. Her smile fell and she became sober once again, just as I had left her be before the call?

I faked a smile trying to control myself from glaring at Blake. "What's so funny that finally has the honour of being acknowledged by you guys?"

Sam seemed to realise what I meant and she looked away. So you were ignoring me on purpose! Blake either didn't have his brain developed enough to detect social cues or was good at being plain stupid as he ignored the glare I was throwing at him and grinned at me.

"Oh, Sam just made Mike.." He stopped mid sentence as his eyes fell on something behind me. "OH MY GOD!" He laughed hysterically clutching onto his stomach.

Soon Sam and Zoran turned his eyes towards where he was pointing at and they began laughing as well, even more than Blake if it was even possible. What the hell was happening?

I turned around and my eyes almost popped out from my sockets. What the hell? There on the stairs stood Michael in a tight pink tank top that barely covered his torso and a red skirt that reached just below his knees. His wet mop of black hair stood wild and untamed.

I couldn't control myself and soon I found myself bursting out in laughter. "W-Why t-the hell are you w-wearing that?" I asked between breaths and he glared at someone behind me.

"You should ask your girlfriend that."

"I am not his girlfriend!" Sam hissed and I pretended like it did affect me.

The hall fell silent but Blake being his usually self, didn't realise the awkward atmosphere as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her towards him. "Yeah, she is my girlfriend now."

"Says who?" Zoran rolled his eyes.

"Says I." Blake stuck his tongue out at him. "And Sam will too. Won't you?"

He looked at her expectantly and her eyes fell on me. I quickly diverted my eyes. I didn't want to stay there any longer so I excused myself and walked out of the house.

The weather outside was chill, owing to the sudden rain I suppose. The single step in front of the door seemed dry enough, and I sat down on it, looking at nothing in particular.

A few seconds later the door opened and then shut again. My body tensed up involuntarily but it relaxed at the sight of a red skirt that was visible from my peripheral vision. Slowly Michael parked himself beside me and the two of us sat in silence, lost in thought.

Then it occurred to me that maybe something wasn't right with him. Michael would never be silent; especially after a date with Cath. And he definitely wouldn't be spending his time here dressed as a drag queen if everything had went well.

"Are you alright?"

He picked up a pebble from the ground and threw it into the muddy water patches formed on the ground. "Just peachy."

"You want to talk about it?"

"I won't stop if I did." He smiled wryly and I could see his eyes moisten in the glow of the moon.

"Okay what the hell happened? You need to tell me right now."

He sighed and pulled his knees to his chest, wrapping his arm around it. His skirt floated in the breeze and he tucked it under his feet. "Well, let's just say that you and I are in the same state now; almost."

"Confused?"

He shook his head. "Single."

My eyes widened and it took me a couple of seconds to fully take in what he said. "What do you mean you're single now? What ha-"

"Before you ask if I did something wrong, let me tell you, no, I did not. I didn't break up with her. She did and I have no idea why."

"I know you wouldn't have broken up over something stupid that you did. Cath is too forgiving for her own good."

He gave me a blank stare. "I was hoping as an unrequited lover you would know what its like to be insulted like that."

I raised my hands up in surrender. "I am just stating the facts. She wouldn't break up with you even if you did something. Unless it is something serious."

"We all live in the same house and I bet you spend more time with her than I do, and today was the only day I get to spend time alone with her. What could I have possibly done to take such a decision?"

I frowned. "But it doesn't make sense, unless.."

"Unless?" He raised his eyebrows.

My face turned serious at the thought of it. "Unless she is planning something."

"EXACTLY!"

Another voice startled the both of us. We turned around to find three figures hunched over each other, trying to hide behind the window.

"I thought we were trying to eavesdrop." Zoran looked confused and Sam blushed. "Sorry, I couldn't control myself."

Michael chuckled. "You were always a sucker in hiding."

She stuck out her tongue before she came out of the house, followed by Zoran and Blake. "I knew she was up to something. There was no way she was going to let her mother insult me like that in front of everyone!"

My eyes shot up at that. "Her mother insulted you, and you tell me that now?"

Her eyes met mine and she looked away embarrassed. "Well you know the state I was in last night after that. And I fainted today morning. There was-"

"YOU FAINTED?" Michael, Zoran and Blake shouted in unison. She blushed even more at the attention and waved her hands dismissively. "It's nothing serious. I just fainted in fatigue."

Michael didn't seem to be convinced as he glared at her. "Are you telling me the truth? If I find out that you're lying, I swear I'll kill that woman!"

"That's your future mother-in-law you are talking about." I pointed out.

"More like ex-mother-in- law and it is giving me all the more reasons to kill her."

"Hey, she is not all bad." Blake interrupt. "She was really sweet to me."

"For once I agree with him." Zoran piped in.

Michael rolled his eyes. "You don't know her true colours. She is a snake in the form of a sweet lady."

"I will have to agree with Blake and Zoran on this one." Michael and I looked at Sam in surprise.

"Didn't you just say that she insulted you?" He asked.

"Yeah, usually I would be the one standing against her, but regarding what happened last night it may partly be my fault. She was having a celebratory dinner with the Mathews regarding Cath's engagement with James and I.."

"CATH AND JAMES ARE ENGAGED?!" This time it was my turn to shout along with Blake and Zoran.

"How can she not tell me?" Zoran looked hurt and I felt bad for him. He truly looked up at her as his own sister.

"Well she didn't tell me either if that makes you feel better." Sam smiled bitterly. "I just happened to be there and I thought the whole thing was a faux but ended up making a fool out of myself. They really were celebrating her engagement with him."

"So he was speaking the truth." Michael mumbled more to himself but we heard him nonetheless.

"Who are you talking about?" I asked.

He sighed. "I met with James this morning before my date with Cath. He said that Cath was going to break up with me."

"Which she did." Zoran pointed out and he nodded.

"I didn't believe him. He went on to say that he wanted to warn me before it happened and that Cath was planning something. It made me go crazy thinking that he was spinning stories. I trusted Cath to not do something like that; especially not to go to him about it before she even told me that she wants to break up with me but seems like I was a fool to think that." He sniffed and rubbed his eye before the tear could fall out.

"She must have done that for a reason."

"I bet that James guy is threatening her to break up with you and marry him." I had never seen Blake so angry before.

"He is not." Sam said.

"How do you know?" Michael asked.

"She told me that."

"Maybe she was scared to admit the truth?"

She shook her head. "I know him well enough. He might have broken her heart once, but he would never force her to do something like that. Besides he seemed just as confused and surprised as me when they announced that during dinner."

"You mean to say that he had no idea of it? It's highly unlikely." Michael rolled his eyes.

"What if her mother had forced her to do it?" I asked.

"Brian wouldn't let her force Cath into anything. He knows how much Cath is in love with Michael." Sam seemed pretty confident and I tried to control the irritation. Be open minded. Don't act carnal.

"Maybe that's exactly why she is making Cath do it. She hates me and she hates my guts. She also knows that I love Cath. This must be her way of retaliating for a revenge." He glared into the empty space behind us.

"Uh, that would be taking it too far. Don't you think?" I asked.

He shook his head. "That woman is capable of doing that. She would do anything to take me down, and make her beloved James dear her son-in-law."

"But why would Cath accept that?"

"Simple. That woman is a walking heart disease. She uses the 'I am too old and I might die' card on her and bend Cath to her will."

"That's not possible." Sam shook her head.

"Why not?" Michael asked, annoyed.

Sam seemed to be in thoughts for a few seconds before she spoke. "If you told me this before we came to London, I would agree with you in a heartbeat. But now, that's highly unlikely. She was different even to her mother this time. I had never seen her so brave and strong enough to stand up for herself against her mother. But she did it a few days after we came back. She even fought with her. That's why I am saying. She wouldn't agree to her whims anymore."

All of us stood silent trying to digest in all the information that Sam just spewed on us. "So what other option do we have now?" Zoran asked.

"There is one." I looked up at them. "The decision to marry James was her own."

"What?" Michael gasped. "You think she loves that douchebag more than me?" He laughed. "There's no way that I am agreeing to it."

"No." I tried to signal him to shut up and understand what I was trying to say but he just wouldn't. I couldn't just remind him of the him in front of Sam without being suspicious. I wanted to explain all that to her on my own and not when I am in a situation where I have no other choice.

"Then what are you trying to say?"

I slightly shook my head without gaining Sam's attention but he continued to stare at me in confusion.

"He is talking about the Mysterious Mr S, you idiot!" Blake hissed and my eyes widened. Zoran quickly closed his mouth with his hand and alluded to Sam. That's when Blake seemed to realise his mistake. Michael too finally understood what I meant but it was too late for Sam looked at us with confusion and asked, "Who is the Mysterious Mr S?"
 
Well damn! That's one too many revelations for one night already.

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Cath's POV:

Every step I took towards the house felt heavy. How was I going to face him? How was I going to face them? I felt a hand squeeze my shoulder and I looked up to find Brian smiling at me encouragingly. "You can do this."

I smiled back and nodded my head. I didn't know what I would do without him. The two of us walked inside. The hall was pretty dark and empty, reminding me of all the years it had been like that before my escape from this place. It was natural back then; normal, but now it felt so wrong.

I felt a movement from the kitchen and found Mary rushing towards us. She smiled at the sight of us. "You're both finally back! Shall I heat up the dinner?"

I shook my head at the same time that Brian spoke. "Yes, Mary. We'll be having dinner together." The hard stare that he gave me told me that I had no other choice. Sighing, I nodded my head and joined him at the dining table.

The two of us sat opposite to each other as Mary placed bowls and bowls of food that could serve a small village. "Didn't our guests eat?" Brian asked.

She shook her head. "They went next door to visit Sammy dear and haven't come back yet."

I looked down at my empty plate at the sound of her name.

"What about Michael? Did he come back home?"

"You mean the boy that's always running after our Cathy?"

My eyes shot up at her, and my cheeks blushed at her words. Brian looked at me from the corner of his eyes before he nodded at her. She shook her head once again. "I haven't seen him since breakfast."

My stomach dropped. Where would he be if he wasn't home yet? "He would probably be with Sam next door. He doesn't know much places around here." Brian quickly said. I nodded, hoping that it was true even though I wasn't really sure of it.

The two of us began eating in silence; well he ate, and I tossed the food around and pretended to eat.

"Oh, you're back." Another voice startled me. I looked behind to see Harry peek into the dining hall. It felt nice to see he was here. It made me feel that at least one of them decided to stay by my side in spite of all that I was doing to push them away.

"Hey Harry." Brian greeted him. "Why don't you join us?"

"Uh, okay! Just a minute." Harry disappeared before he came back into the dining hall a few seconds later. He walked stiffly before he smiled and sat down in the chair beside me. I smiled at him, but I could see the wheels turning in his head. If he noticed that something was wrong, he didn't ask, and for that I was glad.

"Mary said all of you went to Sam's house. How is she feeling now?"

I looked up at that. "What happened to her?"

Brian looked guilty. "She..." He cleared his throat. "She seemed tired when I visited her this morning. So I am just concerned."

He must be lying. He almost never hesitates. Before I could speak, Harry beat me to it. "I didn't visit her yet, but Danny said she was fine."

"Will he be staying over there tonight?"

He shrugged. "Most probably. The rest of the boys might as well."

Brian nodded. "That's good. Sam doesn't like to be alone. Having you all around here would make her feel better."

"I meant to ask this though. I thought she would be staying in this house. Why did she suddenly go back to her own?"

My hand stopped fiddling with the food and I looked up to find Brian looking at me already. He scanned my face and I tried not to show him my guilt. He then turned towards Harry. "Maybe she just wanted to stay there for a while. It's her house after all."

Harry nodded but I could see that he wasn't completely convinced. He was a psychologist and one of the best at that. He can very well detect that we weren't telling him everything but he didn't prod more. That's one of the best qualities I loved about him.

The three of us finished the rest of the dinner in silence. Just when we were about to exit the kitchen, Harry called out Brian. The two of us stopped to look at him.

"I would like to talk about something important with Cath. Will that be okay with you?" He asked Brian and he smiled at him.

Brian always loved people who knew the boundaries of others and respected them. The fact that Harry had just asked his permission to talk to me alone just made Brian's respect for him higher.

"Okay." He nodded. "Just don't be out late, and don't be loud, or my mother would wake up."

Harry saluted. "Yes, Captain!"

Just as Brian disappeared up the stairs, Harry pulled out a file from under his shirt and gave it to me. "Can you tell me what this is?"

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So....

What did you think of Michael's 'manly' attire?

I can't image him having all that serious conversation in those clothes!

What is your take on why Cath is doing all this?

Should the boys tell Sam what's happening already?

Keep commenting and let me know!

Don't forget to vote for this chapter!

Also follow me on instagram @sarahannawrites where I will be sharing the sneak peeks for the next chapter!

Until next time,

- Love, S!