As we entered the city of Portland, I couldn't help but gape at the beauty of it. We were driving alongside Lake Oswego and the view was absolutely breathtaking. This place was greener than Seattle and that made the air fresher. The traffic wasn't heavy and the overall effect of the moment was making me feel relaxed and calm. Opposite of what I had expected earlier.

" Do you have an address, Evie? " Evan suddenly asked. I tore my eyes away from the window and looked over at him. Nodding my head, I quickly unlocked my phone and pulled up the picture of the address. " Here, this is the address. " He took the phone from my hand and looked at the address.

His face contorted in what looked like confusion and he snapped his eyes back to me. " Are you sure it is in Arlington Heights? " He asked in a skeptical voice. I turned my head towards Ryan. He had the same confused look on his face watching Evan act like this again. Why was he always acting like this? I sighed and returned my attention to the boy in question, " Why Evan. Is that not a good neighborhood? "

He shook his head quickly, " No, it's a great area. I grew up there. " My eyes widened at this. " What? " He nodded his head and replied in a weird shaky voice, " Yes. My dad and my step mom still live here. It was just a little weird that you're looking for a house in that area. As far as I remember, all the houses there are already occupied. None that I know of are empty. "

I sighed. " I bought this house four years ago Evan and two of my housekeepers live here and take care of the place. " I said, still pretty confused with the situation.

" Oh! I didn't know that. But as far as I know this is the address of the biggest house on that street and... " He trailed off. My brow furrowed up. What was the matter with him? " Evan, you're creeping me out right now. What do you know about the house? " I asked. I gave Jenny a look and she immediately scooted over to Evan and placed a comforting hand on his arm. She was the only one who could comfort him right now.

" I don't know much. " Evan hesitated. " Clearly you do, Evan. " He sighed deeply. " I.... I don't know much Evie, really. I was only six years old then. But from what I've been told...... " I scooted close to him. " Told what Evan? " I urged. He lifted his eyes up to mine and I saw that his were filled with tears. " It's okay, Evan. You can tell me. " I whispered.

" My mo-......the people in that house were shot down, Evie. It was really late at night when it happened, but I guess someone had opened fire at the house and three people were killed, one of them being a...a baby, while the rest of them barely escaped. " Evan breathed out.

My eye brows furrowed up. Ryan placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed lightly. I looked at him. " Did you know anything about this, Sunflower? " He asked. I shook my head. " No, I didn't know this. I didn't even know my parents lived here before they moved to New York, Ryan. I don't know anything."

Wrapped up in this very confusing conversation, we didn't even realise when we pulled into the said neighborhood and were now driving down the street. My nerves were now all over the place. What Evan just told me had spiked million more questions in my head.

" That's my house. " Evan said suddenly, pointing over to a house at the end of the lane. Looking at the house suddenly sparked something inside my brain. I felt like I should remember it somehow. " That house? " I asked. Evan nodded while a small smile appeared on his face. I smiled back. " We can stop here, meet your parents, if you want. " I offered and Evan just about gave himself a neck sprain with the speed he turned his head a full 180 to look at me. "Really? " He asked, excited like a child on Christmas.

I nodded my head with a smile and he jumped up and engulfed me in a hug. I laughed. " Their gonna be so happy. It's been almost three months since I came back home. " Evan was beaming now. His mood swings were giving me a whiplash honestly.

The driver pulled up the bus into Evan's driveway. The boys got down and unloaded the luggage from the back while I payed the driver for his service. Seeing that the house was in this neighborhood itself, we would just walk over to it once we're done here.

All of us made our way over to the front door with a very brooding Jack trudging along with us. I felt a little bad for him. I nudged Noah in the ribs to gain his attention. He looked at me with a smile. I pointed over at Jack and Noah sighed knowing exactly what I was asking him to do. " You're lucky I love you, Eve. " He said and I giggled.

He slowly walked over to Jack and tried to start a conversation with him. As desperate for some company as he was, Jack jumped onto the opportunity and I smiled looking at him smile a little. " You're too kind for your own good, Sunflower. " Ryan suddenly said, snaking his arm around my waist. I winked at him, " A pal of mine once said, ' Treat people with Kindness.' "

Ryan's eyebrows shot up in surprise, " Don't tell me you just called Harry Styles, your pal! " I giggled, " Being a main stream singer does have it's perks, you get to meet your celebrity crush time to time. " Ryan scoffed, " I'm your only crush. " I laughed at his jealous comment and turned my attention to the front door whose knob was now turning.

An older version of Evan opened the door. He had the same brown eyes and black curls as Evan. The only difference was that he did not have any visible tattoos or piercings. His smile widened on seeing Evan standing on the porch. He quickly engulfed his son in his arms. I smiled at the beautiful scene. I loved seeing parents interact with their kids. It made me both sad and happy at the same time.

" Evelyn this is my dad, Michael Anderson. Dad this is Evelyn Johnson, she's....a friend. " Evan introduced us. All the others obviously knew him already. I extended my hand but Michael seemed to be frozen in his spot. His intense stare was making me feel a little uncomfortable. " Mike? Are you okay? " Ryan stepped forward and placed a hand on Michael's shoulder.

" I know you. " Michael's words made my eyes widen. I didn't remember him. Should I know him too? Me and Ryan exchanged an exasperated glance. " Umm, sir. I... I don't think we've met before. " I hesitated. Michael's eyes locked onto mine.

" Are.... are you... are you Irene's daughter? "

It felt like someone had just poured a bucket full of cold water over my head. His words hit me like a brick wall. My eyes widened and my breath hitched. It had been 18 years since my parents death, 18 years since anyone recognised me as their daughter.

A lot of their friends and old colleagues had come to visit us on their funeral. However, Stella didn't like these people. She didn't let any of them meet me. Nobody had ever asked me this before. Nobody had ever recognised me as Irena and Samuel's daughter because Stella never let anyone. After a while they stopped. It felt like my parents were completely forgotten.

Yet here I was, standing before this stranger, and he asked me the one question that I had never answered before. My heart twisted in agony and my eyes watered in their memory as I proudly said, " Yes. "

Michael took in a sharp breath and so did Evan. I was a little confused with their reactions. Did they know my mom and Dad? Michael took a step forward and held my shoulders in his hands firmly, making me look at him directly in the eyes.

" Are you Irena and Samuel Johnson's daughter? " He asked in a dead serious tone. I nodded my head, " Yes I am their daughter, sir. How do you know them? " He seemed to be trapped in a trance of his own because he completely ignored my question. "That can't be. Their daughter died when she was just a year and a half old. " He whispered in a shocked voice.

I gasped at his words. " What are you saying, sir? " I asked in a worried tone. He thinks I died as a baby? How the hell is that possible? God, this was giving me a headache.

Before I could say anything else or even move away, Michael pulled me into a tight hug. This wasn't something I was expecting.

" We all thought you died. I thought I lost my little angel for so many years. " He sobbed on my shoulder. Little angel? I closed my eyes. All this new weird information was giving me a massive headache.

He suddenly pulled back and his eyes held so much emotion in them that I wanted to pull him back for a hug again. He lifted his hand and placed it on my head caressing it lightly. A small sad smile reached his lips. " You look just like your mother. " He said.

And that's when I broke into tears myself.

**********

• Author's note •

And here we go, answering all the unanswered questions. What are your thoughts about Michael? Why do you think he thinks that Eve was dead?

Aside from that, I hope you liked the chapter. Drop a comment and vote if you did!

Much love

M :)