Kayla also showed up not long after when she heard the news. Thanks to Sean who drove me home as I was in no condition to drive back home. I was later informed that it was the hospital that called him in as he was in charge of paying up her medication and taking care of her bills till she died.

A week after we put her to rest and buried her. Those who attended her funeral. just a couple of people. Sean, his driver, Kayla, people from her work, people from the hospital, Dr Griffin, Nurse Hailey and some others. some other mom's friends were present too which I recognize from the picture.

It was quiet that morning when we buried her. The clouds were misty like it was about to rain. After the short service, the undertaker lifted her corpse lower into the ground.

I hadn't cried until this part. It hit me that my mother is gone finally and I'm never going to see her.

Life is so cruel. She is too good to die. She never deserved any of this.

I felt Kayla's arms wrapped around me as I wailed. She is also sniffling in her tears but still holding herself together unlike me. I get that mom means a lot to get, she lost her mom at a young age so my mom was just like a mom to get also.

After she was buried, we all departed her burial ground and I let them into the house. Few stayed, gave me the flowers they brought with them and offered their condolences.

I muttered 'thank you' to all of them. Kayla stayed with me, so it helped get things easier. And afterall everyone had gone, I retired to my bed and didn't come out until the next day.

~~~~

It has been weeks now that mom passed away and everything seems to go back to normal except that empty hole in my heart that mourns her death. I've gotten a new house now but I won't be starting until next week.

During those last few weeks I haven't heard from Sean, after mom's death he did call once a while to check up on me but I was un-responding. I needed to meet up with him to let him know I'm still up for our deal. With mom gone, he had no other thing to help me for so I'm not going to run away now even if he needs me.

Part of me fails to acknowledge the fact that I'd do anything he asks if that means I'll be closer to him or see his face daily. That is enough for me.

So here I am, seated in a coffee shop and waiting for him. I had called him that morning saying it's urgent that we meet up.

My face lit up and I felt my heart flip a little my chest when I saw him walk in. He is dressed in the same Billionaire attire. A perfectly cut tux that fits his body. The jacket hugged his arm tightly. His hair was styled to the side, fitting his shape perfectly.

I didn't want to be caught ogling him so I averted my gaze and pretended I was watching some couple at the other end of the room.

"Hey" he says, pulling out a chair opposite me and settling in it.

"Hey" I say back suddenly, nervous.

"Glad you could make it" I smiled sincerely.

He looked at his watch on his left wrists. " I had to come here as soon as I got your message. I ditched an appointment"

"You shouldn't have done that" I say.

"No, you're more important than that meeting" I looked him in the eyes and saw the sincerity behind his words. He really meant what he just said.

My heart tingles while I hope what I just saw and heard is true. Literally, he gave me no reason to doubt him but I don't want to take any chance and jump into conclusion. My heart can't take another heartbreak.

"I.." okay, here we go. I paused, studying carefully what I was about to say.

" I just want to discuss things with you. Now that mom is gone… I want you to know that I'm still up for our deal. Whatever it takes, I'll do it" I say not looking him in the eyes. I can't bring myself to look at him.

"Katara…" he called softly and I winced. I love the way my name rolled off his lips but that name…

When he called me that—

"Do you want to know why I never called you, Katara? '' he said instead and I wiped my face around to look at him.

"You remind me of my cat" he says and I scrunch my brows up in confusion.

What? I remind him of a cat?

"She was named after you. When we met, I was obsessed with you and I had just gotten a cat whose name I'm yet to decide so I just start calling her Katie"

He smiled.

I smiled too. That's silly but it still means something.

"That's beautiful" I say.

"When you know… what happened, I couldn't call her Katie anymore. I tried calling her something else but she never heard that. There was nothing I could do so I still stick to Katie"

"It was hard calling her… you. Everytime"

"I'm sorry" I say.

"It's okay. I don't blame you anymore. I found out why you did it"

What?

"How… how?"

How did he know? The only people who knew about this are mom, Kayla and the hospital where I did the test.

I was having irregular periods and I went for a check up and that's when I discovered I couldn't have a child on my own. I knew how much Sean wanted a kid. He was the only child so he wanted a child so much, not one, not two. He talked about it frequently and when I found out I wasn't who he was looking for, I had to cut things off with him.

"Your mom… I met with her before she passed away and she told me"

"What? Why will she do that?"

"She didn't want you to continue to suffer like this".

"Katie, I've seen the way you look at me with those filled eyes. I want you to know that you don't have anything to be ashamed of. I was mad at first when I found out why but then I tried to understand why you did it. "

"I don't want a child that's not mothered by you. Don't you realize that? If you can't, we'll try surrogacy and if it doesn't work, we'll try getting adoption. We'll love and cherish it like it's our own. I don't care any of these as long as you're presence in my life"

."I know this started off as a pretense but the past few weeks you've been in my life, my life has witnessed tremendous change. Katie, let me make this right"

I sat there dumbfounded and watched as he bent on one knee. He brought out a red velvet box and opened it, bringing out a ring similar to the one I was wearing. Out pretense one.

"Let me make this right. I'm sorry I'm late and it took me three years but I'm glad I didn't lose you forever. Katara Amelia Green, will you do me the honor and be my wife?"

I nodded my head slowly,sniffling back tears that threatened to fall. What I had thought was meant to be a goodbye had turned into a forever after for me.

"Yes," I whispered slowly