Stephen woke up and was stunned that Emily was still asleep next to him. Usually she was up at the crack of dawn but not today. He kissed her cheek and smiled when she groaned. He snuck out of bed and stepped into the shower. When he emerged from the bathroom fully dressed Emily was just waking up. He chuckled.

"Morning Sleeping Beauty."

She smiled and sat up. "You kept me up late last night."

"That's never bothered you before."

She rolled her eyes and kissed him. She then climbed out of bed and took a shower. She was looking through her closet when her phone dinged. She looked and saw that she had a new text from Charlotte. But it wasn't Charlotte texting her.

Emily, I want to talk. Meet me at Seaside café at 11am.- Daniel

She paused and read the message over and over. She sat down on the bench at the foot of her bed and took some deep breaths. Stephen walked in and took in the look on her face.

"What's wrong?"

Emily didn't speak, she just handed him the phone. He read the text and sat down next to her.

"Are you going to go?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. What do you think I should do?"

He hesitated. "Honestly?" She nodded and he continued. "I think I should go for you."

She raised her brows. "Why?"

"Because if he has anything he wants to say to you he needs to run it by me first. And I'm not letting him anywhere near our girls."

She smiled and kissed him.

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Stephen followed the hostess out to the private patio. He sat down and Daniel looked up from the menu. he sighed and set the menu aside.

"You're not Emily."

Stephen settled and accepted the menu. Once they were alone Stephen spoke.

"No i'm not Emily. But Emily and I do not have secrets that we keep from eachother. So anything that you need to say to her you can say to me."

Daniel nodded. Their waitress walked over and smiled.

"Good mourning gentlemen. Can I start you both off with something to drink?"

Stephen smiled. "I'll have an ice water with lemon."

Daniel nodded. "Same for me."

"Okay i'll be right back."

They didn't speak until she came back with their drinks. She looked between them.

"Are you ready to order?"

Stephen smiled as he handed her his menu. "I'll have the smoked salmon with a side of grilled vegetables."

Daniel handed her his menu. "I'll have the cob salad."

She nodded and walked away. Stephen took a sip of his water just as Daniel spoke.

"Why did you marry her?"

Stephen set his glass down. "Why did you?"

Daniel sighed. "It's complicated."

"What isn't?"

Daniel was quiet for a minute but then he spoke. "She was different then the other girls I dated. She didn't know the old me and that was nice. She was nice. And at one point we were in love." He fidgeted with his tie. "Your turn."

"I met Emily a few years ago at a fundraiser. I never met anyone so guarded. It made her mysterious. I wanted to know more about her and her past. The more things that I found the more I admired her. She is kind, loyal and extremely smart. Not to mention beautiful. I fell in love quickly."

Daniel could see that. But something that Stephen said made him nervous.

"She tells you everything?"

"Pretty much."

"So you know why we got divorced?"

Stephen leaned in and dropped his voice. His voice turned cold. "About how you accused her of lying to you about being pregnant? About how you shot her and left her in the ocean to die? About how you and your parents covered it up? Yeah she told me."

Daniel grew increasingly uncomfortable. Stephen continued.

"So what gives you the right to ask anything of her?"

Daniel spoke quietly. "Nothing. But I am the girls father."

"No you're not. A father is someone who offers them unconditional love and support. The person who tucks them in every night, who checks the closet for monster and plays tea party with their dolls. That is a father. You are their sperm donor."

Their food was brought out and Daniel spoke when the waitress walked away.

"When everything happened with Emily and I she held all the cards. I didn't want to go to prison so yes I did as she asked and signed away my rights to the girls. But that was a mistake. When I saw them at the wedding...I saw me in them. I saw Emily in them. I want to know them."

Stephen looked at him with raised brows. "Why now? You've had five years to contact them."

"Because now they're right next door. I can't have them be so close and not know them."

"Well that sounds like a personal problem to me. The house is Emily's. They are Emily's daughters. You should have known that you would see them eventually."

"Yeah and I thought that I could handle that. But I can't. It's driving me crazy."

"Look Emily has made it very clear that she does not want you or your parents anywhere near the girls and I agree."

Daniel suddenly went a little dark. "You really think that they are yours? That just because you put a ring on their mother's finger that means your their dad?"

"No but the fact that I legally adopted them does. They are legally my kids. They have my last name and even before that they never had yours. Your name isn't even on their birth certificates. Never has been. They know nothing about you."

"And when they get older and discover the truth they will want to know me."

"Maybe. Maybe not. That will be their decisions."

Daniel sighed frustrated. "All I want is to meet them. They don't have to know that I am their father."

"Like I said, Emily and I discussed this before we got married. We don't want you anywhere near our kids. We will get the courts involved if we have to."

Stephen stood and tossed some cash on the table. He then looked at Daniel.

"Do not come near Emily or my kids."

Daniel watched as he walked away.

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When Stephen got home Emily was waiting nervously.

"Well?"

He sighed. "He wants to see the girls."

She sank into a chair. "I figured that."

"Well don't worry he isn't going to be able to. I called my dad's attorney on the way home. I'm not taking any chances."

She nodded. He sat down across from her and grabbed her hand.

"Em it's going to be okay."

She cracked a small smile but it didn't reach her eyes. "I'm sorry to involve you in all of this."

He kissed her forehead. "Emily I knew who you were when I married you. I knew what happened to you and I knew it could come back to haunt us one day. I accepted it then and I still accept it now."

She smiled a true smile. "You are amazing."

"And don't you forget it."

She laughed and kissed him. He then wiped her face.

"Really you have nothing to worry about."

She then turned on her wicked smile. "Well actually we do."

He cocked his brow. She pulled something out of her jacket pocket and handed it to him. It was a sonogram photo. He smiled at her.

"Really?"

She nodded. "I didn't want to say anything until I knew for sure."

He grabbed her and kissed her deeply.

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