~•There is never a night that could defeat a sunrise•~

Kara gasped for air, her eyes flung open. The darkness of that night disappeared and she stared around her lighted study room. Every hair on her body stood in shock. Her heart raced. She took a deep breath and sighed. She palmed her face. It felt like it all happened yesterday. She had to make herself remember that she was not in Los Angeles anymore. She was in New York.

It was late night and Kara was sitting in her study room, scrolling the cursor over the laptop screen as she went through her e-mails. She didn’t know when her eyes closed, taking her back to the memories of her childhood and her parents.

She had always heard that time is a great healer. It fills all the wounds but sometimes she used to wonder, does it?

Some pains could never be healed, but she got used to live with them. It was difficult to live without her loved ones. Sometimes, she would fall in the walk of our life and there was be no one to support her, but slowly-slowly she learnt how to live. She knew, tears always give them pain, so it would be better to remember and cherish the moments spent with them with a smile, so wherever they were, they would feel peace. She made her fragile heart strong and life went on.

The pages of calendar flicked.

The nights rolled by.

Days scrolled by.

Months changed.

Years passed.

That's what the specialty of life. It never stops. It never waits for anyone. Or anything. It keeps flowing ceaselessly, and endlessly like a river. If it stagnated at a place, the essence of life would be spoiled and blemished.

As the time flew away, the small seven-year-old girl was now grown up into a beautiful young woman with vibrant green eyes and silver blonde hair. She was a beauty with brain. A girl to be desired for. She had joined a fast track fashion-designing course in New York University and at the same time was handling the New York branch of K.D. Industries.

After the death of Kara's father, William White, Rosh as per his friend’s last will, merged both the companies, Steel Heights and White Industries together, and renamed it as K.D. Industries, which was spelled from the initials of their children. The company had now flourished across the world and largely spread in sector of housing and construction. But Kara wanted to expand this company in fashion sector too. She was planning to start Aura, a fashion designing company, under the name of K.D. Industries, which she would handle herself along with her business partner.

A black Convertible entered the main gate of the mansion and halted the entrance. When the door of the car clicked, Daniel climbed out from the driving seat.

"Park it safely," Daniel ordered, throwing the keys to the gatekeeper who came running towards him. Then he tiptoed inside the mansion.

Daniel Steel, twenty-two-year old, handsome man with dark blonde hair and sharp features. His chocolaty eyes had the tendency to capture any girl in it. He was pursuing his MBA degree at the University of California, Los Angeles and helped his father in handling K.D. Industries. He was all set to take the responsibilities of the company over his shoulder.

‘She will be really happy,’ he gleamed at the thought.

Crossing the foyer, when Daniel reached the hall, it was all dark. His steps halted, unable to step further. Sweat beads appeared on his forehead. He was scared of darkness; this was something that even he did not know the reason behind this fear. Maybe Kara's trauma after her parents' death was the reason. At that period of time Kara started hating night and darkness. She often used to get attacks. . . severe panic attacks. But after consulting many shrinks and attending numerous counselling sessions, she finally became normal, and since Daniel always hated to see Kara in pain, that phase caused Daniel hate the darkness. Darkness made him feel as it was consuming him.

"Mrs. Jones, why isn't any power here? Mrs. Jones?" Daniel called the housekeeper, not moving an inch. Getting nothing in reply, he decided to call Kara. "Baby, where are you?"

A faint voice reached to Kara's ears as she shut the door of her study. Listening, a familiar voice she rushed to the hall with a bright smile on her face.

"Danny bear!" She cheered, while running to him. That's what he was for her. Her Danny bear. Even after growing up she didn’t hesitate to address him like before and moreover he never objected too. It was only between them.

Kara switched on all the lights of the hall before looking down the stairs.

"Daniel, is that you?" Kara asked animatedly from the top of the stairs and ran towards Daniel, taking two stairs at once.

Daniel smiled, looking at her, ever in her round reading glasses and messy hair, she seemed to the same beautiful.

Reaching near him, she pounced on him, wrapping her hands round his neck. The sudden impact knocked him off balance. He enclosed his hands around her waist, securing her from falling and took a few steps back to balance his body and then twirled her round in the air, earning heartily giggle from her.

"I missed you very much," Kara murmured with a never ending smile and a new found glow on her face.

"I did too, Wifey. I did too," Daniel whispered, feeling content having his life in his arms, after a long time. He pulled Kara more to his chest and kissed her crown.

She was his love. His Life. His Wife. The soul reason of his existence. One scratch on her and you will see the real devil. Not only him, but the whole Steel Clan would set the world on fire.

Pulling out of his embrace, she looked at him with opened-eyes. "You here? When? Why?”

“You don’t want to see me?” Daniel faked a hurt face.

“No. Of course, I’m happy that you are here. But I mean . . . when did you plan this? And why didn't you inform me?" Kara grumbled and then pouted at him.

Daniel smiled at his babbling wife and softly pecked her pouted lips making her avert her eyes from him, her cheeks turned a shade of pink. She wasn't a shy girl but with him all these reactions burn inside her of its own.

"What is that for?" She knotted her eyebrows at him who shrugged his shoulder in response and moved towards the couch. "And you didn’t answer my question?"

"It was a surprise baby," he replied in a matter-of-fact tone, "which got spoiled. By the way, why all the lights were off?" He inquired further.

"Seriously? Did you see the time? Its past midnight and all are sleeping. I was in my study finishing some work, so I heard you. And moreover, you didn't give me any clue of this surprise visit of yours then how did I know that you'll show up tonight?" Kara pointed her finger at him, accusingly to which he rolled his eyes at her.

"That's why it's called 'S-U-R-P-R-I-S-E'." Daniel used his two fingers each hand to air quote 'surprise'.

"No need to be sarcastic," Kara twisted her lips showing her annoyance. "Are you hungry?" She decided to change the topic. It would be better at this time of the day.

"Yes, I'm. I was so excited to see you that I lost my appetite and didn't have anything in the jet but now I need something. Besides, you know how much I loved the food made by you. It's been long," Daniel gushed warmly. Kara knew he was a big time foodie, his love for food was not hidden from anyone in the family and whenever he stayed with her, she made sure that the food was made by her only. Plus, during his stay, he was treated royally, that he was, no doubt.

"I knew that!" Kara shook her head. “This is so you.”

"Will you cook for me? I know you'll never let me sleep without having anything."