At nine in the night Vance leaves for his duty but before going he looks in my direction and says "Sort your differences with your husband Princess, because I want you to stay happy." He asserts and waves goodbye to Ulrick leaving us alone.

After Vance leaves I close the door and relax on one of the comforters in the living room along with Ulrick. I lay my head on my husband's chest while he ran his hands on my thick hair. After some time he speaks softly. "Why did you color your hair and those eyes....." He pauses for a while gauging me, "To get away from this devil?" He points to himself with a tinge of sadness. "You got frightened of me after seeing my devilish form. Isn't it?" The tears that threatened to shell couldn't be stopped anymore and I wailed letting out all my emotions. He pacifies me by running his hand on my back and utters with softness, "Doll, I want to touch you not just physically but by psyche. Discover things you keep locked away until we are 'ONE' not 'You' and 'I'. "Never take any spontaneous decision in the future. If something is bothering you let me know. I promise I will never hurt you."

I stop him by shaking my head and putting a finger on his lips to prevent him from speaking any further. Kissing my forehead his voice goes emotional. "I may be the beast for the outside world but just a loving husband for you ready to satisfy every wish of yours at your beck and call." He puts a finger under my chin tipping my head up to meet his eyes. "Do you understand me doll?" His eyes held so much warmth and care. "You are this devil's untainted possession." He declares and hugs me tight like I was going to slip away.

Inhaling the scent of my hair he speaks again. "Doll, will you promise me with one thing?" I look at him and bury my head back in the crook of his neck - the place where I have desired to be for a long time. He runs his hand softly on my tresses and asks me holding me firm to his chest. "You look beautiful but I want you as before. Tomorrow morning will you go to the parlour and change your looks?" I felt nothing but a compressing guilt for letting myself away from my husband. He was left unshielded and it was just because of me. I betrayed him for my selfish goals yet he nurtures unsurpassed love for me. Culpability consumes me like quicksand.

Both of us were absorbed in the tumult of our thoughts when we heard a squeal. Ulrick looks at me puzzled. I run to the bedroom without answering him while he tails behind with so many questions popping in his mind. I console our crying baby with some sweet talk but when she doesn't stop crying, I bring her to the living room rocking her to sleep.

Ulrick stared at Ulia deeply in thought while I was busy comforting her. Then he extends his arms to hold her. Ulia doesn't leap a moment and expands her little arms to her father making me surprised. Probably she recognized him from all the pictures I had shown her of her dad. He gently rocks our crying baby, wiping her tears while she encircles her tiny arms around his neck. Ulrick is overjoyed at our daughter's cute traits. Dipping his head he kisses her head and consoles. "Princess, don't cry." His voice held unbound tenderness.

I try to tell him "She is our" but he doesn't let me complete and finishes the sentence by himself "daughter." After sometimes when he puts her back to sleep he asks me in a gentle tone. "Why didn't you inform me about her?" I did not know how to tell him my cruel truth. For the time being I brushed the topic away.  "You can rest for today. I will inform you when I am ready to leave." He tells the driver walking to the entrance still holding our sleeping daughter to his tough chest and softly patting her little back to sleep.

I watched my husband's care for our daughter but it was still a puzzle. Feeling unsolved I ask him "How did you know she is our daughter? I never informed you about her." He smiles and answers with pride looking at our daughter resting in his arms. "It is obvious. She looks just like me." and winks "I already had my doubts. You were puking your guts out the other day." My eyes go wide in surprise. "You already had your doubts? He nods like always giving me his charismatic smile which never failed to arose butterflies in my belly.

"I planned to take you to a gynecologist the next day." My optics gaze at my handsome husband in appreciation and he lowers his head to capture my lips holding our daughter.

Ulrick is a man of limited words but the kiss proved everything on how much he missed me in the past months. His actions speak louder than the words only thing is he wouldn't emancipate. My eyes automatically seal enjoying the warmth of his lips after a long time. His tongue swirls in my mouth causing me cold shivers and I encircle my arms around him absorbed in ecstasy. Both of us were thrilled in a moment of ludicrousness squashing each other in ardor unknowingly crushing the tiny body between us.

Moments later we hear a loud cry from the centre. A smile crosses our lips looking at each other and we release ourselves from the jubilant hug before attending to the tiny human we created a few months ago. Ulia gazes at us with teary eyes blemishing the look of 'what the hell?' Ulrick smiles at the cute monster and puts her back to sleep by singing a lullaby. I was euphorically surprised.