⚠️read chapter 16 first⚠️

Kian descends the stairs after laying in bed with Kiara for around fifteen minutes until she was in a deep enough sleep for her to not notice him leaving.

He hears Kelly's loud and obnoxiously optimistic voice before he sees her sitting on his couch with her usual coffee in her hands.

Atleast she seems happy instead of cautious and disbelieving now. Row must have been able to explain things well to her, Kian thinks.

"I can't wait for my boys to meet her! Gray and her are going to be best friends and they can grow up and get married-"

"I think the fuck not." Kian growls, cutting her off and announcing his presence from halfway down the stairs.

Kelly, being used to his teenage like bipolar attitude, doesn't let this dispel her from feeling completely elated at this new revelation.

She sets her coffee down on the table to free her restless hands and jumps up to meet Kian halfway.

"You have a baby girl!" She exclaims, attacking Kian with a tight, bruising hug.

"Ow Kelly. Fucking let go of me." Kian snaps, still in a sour mood from her previous comment.

Her devilish spawn will be corrupting his precious girl over his dead body. He'll be dammed if he lets her barge in here and start acting like she has any control over what happens to Kiara.

The only reason he considered telling Kelly the truth was because he trusted her wholly and had to help her understand why he was going to be taking a step back from his usual presence and activity within the public eye.

She was the one person that needed to know and the one person he knew could be a big aid in helping look after the little motherless girl.

The most suited girl figure he knew Kiara needed in her life.

"Don't you worry, Harry's going to bring the boys over after nursery and school and I'll have him help you two set up all this stuff-" Kelly rambles, gesturing to the humongous pile of brown boxes leaning against the wall, "-while I supervise the kids and make them some food." She finishes with the brightest smile.

Kian scowls at her shaking his head.

"Don't bother bringing your smelly little offspring here, just tell Harry to come over now." Kian grits between his teeth.

Kelly gasps and pushes Kian back so that he stumbles slightly.

"You two faced twat! You love my boys don't even try and deny it! Just because you're suddenly Mr overprotective father doesn't mean you can be so selfish and cruel. In fact, you need to learn how to be selfless for Kiara now since you're a dad." Kelly scolds him, pointing her almond shaped manicured finger in his face.

"Kelly-" Kian starts, his tone low in warning.

"Kian!" She warns right back, her no bullshit expression telling him not to test her.

"Get over yourself. The best thing for her to help settle into this prison is two little friends her own age. Playing is a vital part of a childs development! As immature as you two are, if she grows up with only adults she'll become this depressed little hermit. Do you want that Kian?" Kelly snaps, making Kian cower back and look to the floor like a child being told off for breaking an expensive vase.

Her exaggerated and vivid threat highlighting the worst outcome of his sheltering behaviours have him second guessing his egotistical choices as a new father.

And so eventually he sighs and storms away from her, heading to the fridge for a cold and refreshing drink he so desperately needs.

"Fine. They can play with her new toys for a tiny bit. Just while I have Harry's help assembling a few things and planning out her new bedroom." Kian grumbles over his shoulder.

Kelly smiles victoriously, knowing that once they've wormed their way in to meet Kiara once, it'll be easy to have it happen again until Kian sees that his reservations were unjustified.

"Great, now tell me what happened upstairs earlier to make you take so long organising some clothes." Rowan changes the topic as they all settle infront of the television that shows the security recording of Kiara in Kian's bed.

Kian sighs after taking a procrastinating sip of his smoothie.

"Well I would've just waited to tell you later Row because it's kinda deep but you do need to know eventually Kelly so..." he trails off whilst Kelly narrows her eyes at him.

"Gee thanks so much Kian I can feel the love. I'm so glad you're so willing to trust me and open up to me lately." She sarcastically remarks.

Just then a curious but depressing question flashes through his mind.

I wonder if Lucia would've gotten along well with Kelly? They're both strong minded people so it'd be a possibility that they'd clash but they're also both incredibly amazing and mature mothers.

"Don't be so dramatic Kelly it's not like that and you'll see why if you let me explain which I won't do if you wind me up." Kian remarks back with just as much attitude.

Rowan often tired of their argumentative personalities clashing and tended to sit back, keeping out of it completely.

"Spit it out then ginge." She continues to torment the younger boy who in return gives the most sarcastic grin at her overused insult.

"Kelly you can't say anything. You're a blonde through and through and I mean that in the worst way possible." Is his comeback.

"Shut the fuck up would you both? Just tell us what's up already Key." Rowan interrupts the two's bickering yet again.

Kian sets down his smoothie on the coffee table and reclines back, looking up to the ceiling to avoid having to make eye contact.

"I was obviously sorting through her stuff and I found a bunch of-" Kian cuts himself off as the familiar lump forming in his throat causes his voice to strain.

He clears his throat but when he continues it changes nothing.

"-there was a box of things from when she was a baby." His eyes well up with tears despite looking up as far as he could.

Kelly is silent as she understands the gravity of the situation, never having much time to let the fact that his baby's mother is dead sink in until now.

Her heart hurts for Kian, her non-biological brother that she has looked out for throughout his rise to fame.

She's never seen him be so open with his emotions. Not about how his parents' deaths affect him and not about how the stresses and pressures that come with being an influencer effect him.

He always hides it all behind either his immature front or his cold and argumentative, stubborn front. 

Never has she seen him so willingly and openly pour his heart out, putting all his cards on the table so that he's vulnerable.

So she listens and sticks by his side with a heavy heart. Right there with his brother to help him raise this little girl the best he can.

"There was a scan and a photo album that I haven't been able to bring myself to look at yet. But there was also..." he stops speaking abruptly when his tone rises a pitch too high and takes a sip of his drink, still avoiding looking at either of the people beside him.

Kian was able to stop himself crying eventually when reading Lucia's letter, as her humorous words served as a good distraction from the strange type of grief he was experiencing.

But looking at it with a sort of clear head again, he was fully aware of the fact she was dead.

And that she thought of him through every little milestone in the development of their child. She'd put so much effort into involving him the way she thought was best whilst protecting her daughter from dangers Kian was still blind to.

And she put her full trust in him whilst sacrificing her life. All for Kiara.

"Sh-she left me letters..." Kian's first sob racks his body and Kelly instantly latches onto him, hooking an arm around his shoulder and laying her head on his shoulder whilst he remains still, looking up at the ceiling.

He tries to sniff away his tears before continuing on.

"I only read the first one because I'm saving them but she said that she was involved with some dangerous people and that having Kiara be the daughter of Kian Wiley would have put a target on all of our backs." Kian explains through an aching throat.

Kelly's brows furrow in sympathy for both parties whilst Rowan much alike Kian conjured up pointless ways they could have still kept her safe like they are now whilst having both Kiara's mam and dad with her.

We're keeping her hidden now anyways. Why couldn't we have all just flew somewhere far away and lived out a quiet life? Kian and I would choose family over anything every time. Her mother obviously thought otherwise, Rowan pondered sadly.

Kelly understands how as a mother, you'll do anything to keep your baby safe and deep down you think you're the only one to do the job. She understands how knowing Kian through the media's eyes would make someone have high doubts about his willingness to accept his child, especially at such a young age.

"So she wrote you letters anyways? Even though she didn't want you two to ever have a relationship?" Rowan asks softly, cautiously.

"She said she never did but I think that as things progressed with whoever was after her she knew she wasn't-" Kian cuts off once again, not able to say it out loud.

In his head it all seems fine to just spit out and digest once it's over and done with but once he says it aloud it all becomes real.

Too real.

Kelly wraps another arm around his front and rubs his upper arm in comfort.

"She knew that she was going to sacrifice herself for Kiara." He sobs, the tears falling from his eyes and his body shaking in Kelly's hold.

He screws his eyes shut as he lets his forehead fall forwards onto her shoulder, his tears soaking her top.

"Oh Kian." Kelly helplessly breathes.

Rowan stands to move to the other side of his brother and when it gets to the point that he can't bare seeing his little brother so broken over the matter, he pulls him from Kelly and engulfs him in his own arms, resting his stubbly cheek atop of his head.

And his own tears well in his eyes when Kian accepts the hug for the first time Rowan can remember.

"It's okay little bro. You don't have to say anything else. We understand."

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