CHAPTER 1

A few years later.....

"Aurora honey.Dinner is ready.Where is your brother?"Piper asked her six year old daughter.

"In our room."She answered.

"Please go and call him."

"He said he isn't hungry."Aurora helped her mom in setting the dinner table. "Should I set a plate for grandma too."

No sweetie.Grandma already ate but after dinner you can go and kiss her good night."

"Is she still sick."Aurora asked.

Piper's mother had suffered a heart attack a month ago now she was here occupying Piper's bedroom she's taking care of her mother until she recovers.

"Yes,she is.Don't worry your grandma is a strong woman she'll be okay."

"I don't want anything to happen to grandma,she's our only grandmother."

Piper cupped her daughter's cheek."Nothing will happen.Let me go check on your brother I'll be right back."She nodded her head.Piper found Cristian lying in bed when she placed a hand on his forehead he was hot but not feverish. "Cristian.What's wrong?"A few days ago he had a high fever which ultimately led to him getting an infection,Piper had taken him to a doctor and antibiotics was prescribed,he's been doing fine but it seems his fever is slowly coming back.

"I don't know."He softly murmured,those dark eyes gazed at her the same eyes as his father's she absently thought."I'm not hungry."

"You have to eat sweetie.Your sister said you didn't eat your lunch at school too."

"I'm tired and want to sleep.Please leave me alone mommy."

Piper stroked his black hair."Okay.Let me know if you need anything,I'll bring you your favourite juice."He remained quiet,she kissed his temple before heading back out to the kitchen.

"What's wrong with Cristian?"Aurora asked."Is he sick again."

"No I don't think so.Do you mind going to give him his juice I need to call the doctor."After Aurora was gone she called doctor James,her daughter is such an intelligent young girl and always does what she asks of her."Doctor James."She said when he answered on the third ring."It's me Miss Newton."

"Miss Newton.How nice to hear from you.I hope that young man of yours is doing better."

"That's why I'm calling doctor James.It's seems his fever is coming back again and he didn't ate for the day.Did you manage to find anything in his test

results."

"I'm afraid not.Everything came back normal,I ran every test I know of but it showed nothing."

Piper sighed deeply."Well there is something wrong with him."She said almost to herself.

"We didn't find anything Miss Newton.Did you gave him the medicine the way I instructed you to."

"Of course I did."She answered."I followed every step but instead of him getting better it seems he's becoming more anemic.Can I bring him tomorrow."

"Unfortunately I'm not in town Miss Newton I'll only be back in a week,I'm attending a doctor's conference."Piper gave an inward sigh,Mr James is the town's only doctor here in Valdez Alaska or should she say the only one she can afford money is tight at the moment and although she's a personal assistant for Mr Knight at his firm the company wasn't making enough money because he doesn't have that much clients this town is small not many people come here.After the passing of her husband Lucas Wright she had moved down here three years ago to come and hide,to get away from all the tabloids.

She never did regret her decision the only thing that still haunts her is the loss of Sergio,having to give him up had been her biggest mistake ever and not a day goes by that she doesn't regret that fact,now her children won't ever know their father.She never could muster up the courage to look for him and tell him about the twins,finding out she was carrying twins at four months had been a shock but Piper had been ecstatic she had two parts of Sergio in their son and daughter he'll live on in them and everyday she gets to see a glimpse of him in their son.

Aurora had taken her long blonde hair Cristian has black hair and his skin tone is darker than Aurora's but if one can look at him now you won't say that his skin is very pale and that worried her. She never did let the twins take Lucas last name or let him sign their birth certificates it's the least she could do for Sergio,after Lucas death she went back to using her maiden surname."Miss Newton.Are you still there?"Doctor James said snapping her back.

"Yes.I'll make a plan doctor James."Meaning she'll have to take Cristian to a doctor out of town and that will cost her more money,money she doesn't have but she has no choice Cristian's health is more important."I'm sorry for calling so late."

"No problem.Goodnight."She sank down on the chair,where will she find the money to take her son to see a specialist it will cost a fortune.She's the only breadwinner in the house,her mother's medical bill came yesterday Piper is still trying to figure out where she'll get the money to pay for it.She snorted with laughter,how ironic a few years back she'd been married to a very wealthy successful man,money hadn't been a factor,look at her now barely surviving to make ends meets.After Lucas death she had found out he was bankrupt and had been defrauding tons of people for years,the news had made headlines for weeks on end until Piper had decided to leave.

She had left all the designer clothes and expensive jewelry behind,to know he had robbed people out of their money just for his lavish lifestyle had appalled her in the end all the media had been too much for the twins,her father's passing two years ago has been tough on her mother Piper suspects that's what caused her mother to have a heart attack the pain of losing him had been hard for her.In a way she can relate to her mother's pain she also lost a man she loved.Still loves Someone who could've made her happy,a man who loved her and she has noidea where he is or what he's doing.Piper couldn't eat her dinner she's worried about Cristian and why he has been getting sick lately.

At dinner Aurora had told her during lunch break at school he had had difficulty in breathing,she wonders what could be wrong with him doctor James can't find anything wrong and that worries her further.She can see he is sick but the doctor can't find anything wrong with him,she'll have to make a plan and take him to a doctor out of town it's their best option,she can't sit and wait and not know.He could be seriously ill.After tucking Aurora in and making sure Cristian is alright she went to bed herself the living room couch has been her bed for this month since her mother is using her bedroom.

She's renting out this two bedroom house there isn't much space but at least they have a roof over their heads and Miss Hart is asking a reasonable price for the house compared to other accommodations around here.Instead of going to bed she took her blanket and headed out to the porch.She can't sleep these days Sergio has been on her mind,ever since Cristian began getting sick he's occupied her thoughts. Alot. Even when Aurora had undergone a blood transfusion due to low blood count Piper had wanted him to be there,to support her.

She couldn't sleep that whole night and had waited while Cristian had donate his blood to help his sister after a few days in hospital her kids had been fine.Aurora never had problems since then it's a full year and her daughter is healthier than ever,her last tests has come back clear.Now out of the blue Cristian is becoming sick for no apparent reason.Could they be longing for their father.They never did ask about Sergio and when Lucas had been alive she never did allow them to call him dad.She heard the front door open and saw it's her mother,immediately she stood."Mom?Is everything okay.You should be in bed resting."

Rose Newton took a seat next to her daughter."Why aren't you in bed resting."

"I can't sleep."She admitted sitting down again.

"You thinking about him again."Her mother was referring to Sergio she knows everything after Lucas's death she had told her mother the truth.

"Not only him.Cristian is worrying me.I called the doctor Cristian's tests came back clear but he's still not getting better,he seems to be getting worse."

"If that's the case then you should get a second opinion.Doctor James is quite old could be he is missing or overlooking something."Piper is beginning to suspect the same thing even with Aurora's low blood count he couldn't diagnose her Piper had gone outside of town which had cost her a fortune to cover the medical bills she had even asked a loan from her boss Mr Knight just to pay for the whole procedure,she's still paying him back for it,and now there's Cristian.

"I know mom.That's why I've decided to take him as soon as possible,but the money I have won't be enough to cover everything and I'm afraid to wait until the end of the month when I'll get my pay check.Work has been slow Mr Knight had told me I don't have to frequent the office like I used to."And that worried her because if she loses her job they'll be out on the street.

"Do you think he wants to let you go?"

"I don't know.I hope not.I need the job every other position in town is filled.Oh mom."She wearily sighed."I have no idea what to do."

"Have you tried contacting Sergio."

"I can't bring myself to.What if he's married.Has a life of his own with a family. Who am I to ruin that after I left him and broke his heart all for a man

who never deserved it.How could daddy even get involved with a man like Lucas."

"Your father never did care who he did business with as long as he got his money's worth.He didn't care."

"I lost a man I love because of his dodgy dealings.A man who made me happy." Unwanted tears gathered in her eyes the pain of losing Sergio still cuts deep."I didn't care if he had money or not,all I wanted was to build a life with him but I got deprived out of that.My kids got deprived of ever knowing their father. I'm gonna have to carry this regret and guilt inside me for the rest of my life."

"You don't have to honey."Her mother said pulling her close."Find him and tell him about his kids.Do you have any idea where he can be."

She shook her head."Last time I saw him was in Madrid when we part ways. Even if I wanna look for him where will I begin.I didn't know his parents or family,he only ever talked about his sister the one who passed on."

"You named Aurora after her."Her mother said.

"It's the least I could do mother.His little sister drowned in a lake because she couldn't swim he regrets not being there to save her and every time he mentioned her name Aurora one could see the love and pain in his eyes.So when the twins were born and I was told it's a boy and a girl,the first name that came to my head was Aurora and I knew in that moment I had to give our daughter that name."

"Cristian.."Rose said.

"It's Sergio's middle name.Sergio Cristian Marquez."

"How did you meet him."Rose asked.

"We met in Vegas one of my college friends took us out for a weekend to have fun.I got bored with all the clubbing and drinking so I left for the docks,the open waters always gave me peace,still does.I was walking down the harbour it's then I saw him busy tying the rope of a beautiful yacht."Piper smiled still remembering that day as if it was yesterday that night a warm breeze had been in the air so he hadn't had a shirt on she wasn't about to tell her mother that."When his eyes looked up to meet mine I was lost.No words were needed as we both walked towards each other.He made me feel alive,with him I was free,happy,his gentleness and kindness was so touching,sweet.The first guy I ever met that treated me like a queen he made me feel wanted like I belong.On our first date I knew deep down in my heart that he's the man I wanna spend the rest of my life with.Is there something like love at first sight cause that's what it felt like with him,I still feel it even now,my heart refuses to let go of him it yearns for him.It feels as if I'm mourning the death of something that was never truly mine and to know he could be married and have kids,hurts so bad the pain is unbearable mom because I should've been that woman not anyone else.The look I saw in his eyes when I told him I couldn't marry him haunts me day in and day out,he'll never forgive me for hurting him the way I did."

"Don't lose hope Piper.Faith has a way of intervening when we least expect it to.No wonder you can't bring yourself to move on.You still in love with

Sergio if not more."

"I won't ever love anyone the way I love him because of that I can never give myself to another.Even my marriage to Lucas has never been consummated."

"I'm sorry Piper for your dad's actions and the way you were forced to marry Lucas.I'm so sorry my child.Please forgive me for not fighting hard enough to protect you."

"There's nothing to forgive you for mom.All that we can do now is move forward.I want mom to focus on mom's health and leave the rest to me."

"Don't over exert yourself."She gave her mom a tight hug.

"Time for bed."Piper said standing up."Tomorrow is another day."

"When are you taking Cristian to the doctor."Her mother asked inside the living room.

"Monday.I'm gonna call Mr Knight tomorrow and ask for a few days off."That means she won't get paid for the days she takes off."In the meantime I'll closely monitor Cristian and how he's doing for these two days."

"He's strong.Everything will be okay."Piper hopes so she thought as she went to bed that night.

Rose couldn't close a wink her thoughts are on her daughter and this profound love she has for a man she never did meet.Piper had told her once Sergio's family weren't rich that's also one of the reasons she had fallen for this man because he didn't try to buy her with jewels and all other expensive gifts like most men did.Around the time the two of them had met they had money her husband Frank had owned businesses so at the time they were well known by society.

Her daughter never did take a liking towards their lifestyle Piper is a simple woman who likes simple and unique things,she was never charmed by the life of comfort all she ever wanted was to lead a quiet, ordinary life out of the media and when she had met Sergio she'd seen herself having that life with him.Never has Piper openly told her she loves someone and when she had met Sergio her daughter had been happy after losing him her life had fallen apart till date she's incomplete and unhappy,her heart goes out to Piper there's nothing she wants more than for her to be happy she deserves it.Rose knows what she must do next for her daughter's happiness.