"Nothing in this world is hidden forever. Look where we will, the inevitable law of revelation is one of the laws of nature; the lasting preservation of a secret is a miracle which the world has never yet seen." – William Collins

He was still one of the most handsome men she had ever laid eyes upon. His hair was still black, save for the roots that shone silver, and his teddy-bear, brown eyes still had the ability to melt her heart. Aside from the accidental run-in, the two neighbours had shared very little interaction over almost two decades.

"Jack," Emily warmly welcomed him into her home. "This is a surprise. Please, come in."

"This isn't a social call," Jack pointedly informed her, sensing her immediate discomfort and panic, as she wondered what small-talk would suit him best. "What I have to say won't take too much of your time. I know you're a busy woman." His hands remained firmly shoved into the pockets of his coat, defensively. "Is your husband home?" Daniel's car wasn't visible in the drive, but that didn't mean he wasn't within the vicinity.

"He's gone to collect the twins from Nolan's house," she shook her head, softly.

"Good," Jack's voice had hardened, since the days their romantic friendship blossomed. He scanned the doorways for young faces, "I'm here about Sophia."

"She's upstairs with Charlie." Inexplicably, her eldest daughters had started to avoid her, at all costs. Emily assumed it was an effect of Sophia's relationship with Chris, and their parents' obvious displeasure. "Jack, I appreciate how hard it must be for you to come here but I'm really grateful you made the first move. Daniel and I certainly aren't too happy about the relationship but I think we both know we can't force them apart. The best thing would be to let it run its course -"

"This isn't about my son," Jack clarified, "But, for the record, I don't think he could have chosen a more compassionate or suitable girl." His compliment was delivered in a warm voice, the one that belonged the man she so nearly fell in love with... again. "Sophia's a credit to you and Daniel." Emily's expression buffered with different emotions; gratitude and confusion. "Sophia showed up at the beach-house earlier. She found your Infinity Box in the attic. She claimed she wanted to return it to its rightful owner, if Amanda provided her with information about who was really responsible for the S.E.C. investigation into David Clarke's conviction." The delivery of his words suggested it was a normal conversation, when it was anything but, and it made the information all the harder to digest.

Emily swallowed hard, and whimpered, "Jack..."

"Don't worry, Amanda, I know your dirty little secret. I've known for years, in fact." His eyes pierced her heart, invasive and painful. "I assume, Daniel doesn't know." Jack placed the Infinity Box on the table in the foyer and laid one hand on the lid, and Emily shook her head. "Well, he won't hear about it from me. Even Daniel doesn't deserve that." His disappointment in her was clear as day. "And your children... they don't deserve to learn their entire existence was based on a cruel game of revenge, on their mothers part."

Emily slowly recovered from the shock, "No, please... Jack, it's not what you think." She sounded absolutely ridiculous, and she wanted to slam her head into the nearest wall for it, but she was so unprepared for his confrontation that they spilt from her mouth, uncontrolled.

"I've heard every single apology or explanation from my wife. Frankly, I'm tired of the excuses; because there's no excuse in the world to play with people's lives the way you did," he scolded her. "I came to return your precious box, and to deliver a warning," Jack mockingly stated, "Because if your children learn the truth, then so does my son." Without another word, Jack strode out the open doorway.

Emily's mind bubbled over, before she raced after him. "Jack, wait!"

Flashback

Amanda's heartbeat frantically pounded in her chest, as her husband hovered over their baby's cot. "How can I even be sure he's my son?" The distrust her husband showed winded her like a blow to the stomach. "How do I know he's not another ploy? You have fed me lies from the day we met!"

"You have every reason to doubt me," Amanda conceded, "But not him! I would never lie about that. He's yours, Jack, I swear it." The battle startled their infant son, who abruptly woke from his slumber and started to cry. "He has your eyes," she cried, and Jack's head dropped to his son once more. His little eyes fluttered open and it was like his mirror reflection staring up at him. He was overwhelmed with love... and hate. "Jack, please!" Amanda chased after him, as he bolted down the stairs.

"Don't touch me!"

"I know you have no reason to trust me but you said you loved me once. Me, not Amanda Clarke. Are you really so in love with that little girl you knew when you were twelve years old? I'm the woman you married, Jack."

"Our marriage is nothing more than a sham!"

"I didn't lie when I said I loved you. I stayed, Jack. I fought for you, even when Emily tried to tear us apart. I stayed for you." Amanda slowly stalked toward him, like a predator to her prey, and he faltered, when her hands touched his chest to feel the rise and fall. "I didn't lie when I said that you and our son are my heart and soul. I didn't lie when I said I'm a better person, because of you. I'm your wife, Jack Porter, and, if I have to fight for you, I will."

Flashforward

"Jack!" Emily desperately launched herself across the sand, unsteadily. "Jack, please!"

"I've said all I needed to, Emily." His strides placed him yards ahead, as Emily forced herself into a final sprint, in order to prevent him from moving further.

"You've known... all these years, you've known," she breathlessly verbalised her surprise, and inhaled several deep breaths. "You've known I was Amanda Clarke and you didn't think to mention it, until now. I've been in the house next door to you for nineteen years. Why didn't you tell me?"

"Isn't that my line?"

Emily brushed the blonde strands that the breeze whipped into her face. "You've been married to Aman -" she stumbled, "Emily... all these years."

"We share a son." After watching his younger brother suffer a childhood without a mother, Jack would be damned, if he inflicted a similar pain on his own child. His eyes returned to Grayson Manor and he shook off the shiver that crawled up his spine. "You and Daniel have your family, too."

"But... what, now?" Emily asked, quietly. It was the first time in years that Emily could ever remember feeling so powerless.

"I've kept my silence for almost twenty years. Like my old man used to say; why change the habit of a lifetime?"

Her eyes started to water under the pressure. "Jack, there's so much I need to say..." Before Amanda had reappeared, pregnant with his child, Emily had rehearsed an entire speech to perfection. Yet, now, she was speechless. "If I could have done things differently..."

"You did all you knew how to do." Jack afforded her a half-hearted, if not kind, smile. "It's taken me years to come to peace with that but I can accept it, even if I can't understand it." He shrugged his shoulders, "Despite it all, we're both happy. We have beautiful, healthy children and I couldn't be prouder of my son." The ocean waves crashed onto the shore and Jack was momentarily transported back to their childhood; Amanda, her blonde strands battered by the wind. "We've both experienced broken homes and neither of us want that for our children. That's the only reason I kept your secret. So, accept the box... and, take care."

He continued his slow pace back toward the beach-house, when she called him back. "Jack," she smiled, weakly, and mouthed, "Thank you."