"Nothing?" when the men in front of her shook their heads Adriana gave them a cold glare.
"Get out and continue looking!" She told them. When they were all gone and only her was left inside the office Adriana sighed.
She looked at the stack of letters on her desk and she scoffed. "I can't believe a little six tears old is playing with me like this. Aria you will be in deep trouble when I find you….."
She had been receiving letters for the past four days. All of them were from Aria but the odd thing was that no one could tell where they came from. They would simply appear in the mailbox.
What do the letters say, you wonder? Some very sweet and reassuring words! As if that's supposed to make Adriana less worried about her. All of them told her that she's fine and that she will just spend a few days with this 'handsome friend' of hers.
How is that supposed to calm her down? Knowing her daughter went missing to live with a stranger. A strange man she doesn't even know of!
It had already been 4 days and she was worried sick.
…..
"What do I do now? If I tell mommy I'm helping my sister she will be angry." James explained everything to his uncle Bryan.
3 days ago, he had reached out to Aria who called him with Noah's phone. Since she explained her plan James decided to check who the friend Aria keeps talking about. He found out it was Noah and he was shocked.
"I think it's best if you come clean." Bryan sighed. "But-"
"If you don't I will have to tell her."
James pursed his lips and reluctantly went back to his room. He took an hour to mentally prepare himself because of how nervous he was. He didn't want to get scolded by his mom but he knew that the safety of his sister was the main priority.
He walked towards his mother's study room and knocked on the door.
After receiving permission from his mom he walked inside and took a seat in the chair in front of her. "Mommy I have something to confess…" He started. Adriana frowned but she waited for him to continue.
"I-I actually have been hiding something from you. But please don't be mad at me." He fidgeted with his shirt and looked up at Adriana bravely.
Adriana laughed. "Why would I be angry? If you are honest with me I won't be angry. I promise." She gave him a gentle smile.
"Mommy I know where Aria is!" He shouted, getting it off his chest as quickly as possible. "She is staying with an uncle called Noah Preston and he said he wants to adopt her! She told me to keep it a secret from you but I know we should be careful about her safety so I came to tell you the truth!" He shouted again, closing his eyes tightly.
Adriana laughed not knowing how to feel. She was angry of course but seeing how cute James was softened her heart. But then again Aria is with Noah!
Her heart started racing. "Go back to your room. I have some things to do." She told him with a small smile.
"Mommy, you aren't angry?" James asked. "I am. You are grounded for keeping such an important thing away from me. I will go pick up Aria but you have to stay here in Paris with Uncle Bryan as punishment. And your computer will be taken away from you for a month." Adriana explained.
She needed to be strict or else this might happen again. Thankfully it was Aria who went with Noah and not James.
Since Aria had spent a few years in the orphanage she can easily say that she's her adoptive daughter. But James is a literal copy of her father. It would be much more complicated if it were James.
She was relieved and frustrated at the same time but she stayed calm. The fear in her heart was gone. At least now she knows that Aria is with her father and not some random stranger she calls her handsome friend.
She knows Noah is capable enough to keep her safe and that's her main priority.
"I accept my punishment and I promise not to do it again mommy!" James sniffed. Adriana nodded her head and suppressed her urge to comfort him. "You can go now." She told him and James left the room feeling guilty.
Adriana sighed. She didn't want to be harsh but this must definitely not happen again. No matter how much she loves her children and wants them to have all they want she can't let them do as they feel like.
"Ralf came to my study room." She called over the intercone.
A few minutes later Ralf entered the room. "Aria is with her father." Adriana told him.
Ralf frowned. "That's impossible. The Young Miss has never interacted with her biological father."
"It seems that's not the case. Aria isn't dumb. She must have known Noah from somewhere or else she wouldn't blindly let him take her with him, much more let him adopt her!." Adriana rubbed her temple.
"We will have to reschedule our plans for earlier. I will be going to New York in a few days so prepare the plane and the reporters." Adriana paused to think about her decision carefully.
"If I appear before him to take Aria with me he won't trust me. Tch, get the papers ready. I need to manipulate the truth. Prepare the evidence of the grandma who abused my daughter. I will say I rescued her and decided to adopt her but Aria wanted a father so she ended up with him…..is that convincing enough?" She turned to Ralf.
"Ma'am I'm sure it will work out but the main problem is, are you ready to face your ex-husband?"
Adriana flinched in response. "You're right. I'm not. I will start my plans early so send the announcement to LABELS. I have no choice but to expose my identity early. I want my face all over the news a day before meeting him. So that he is also prepared." She told him.
"You are always so considerate to your ex-husband. Perhaps you still have feelings for him?" Ralf pointed out gaining a glare from Adriana. "Do as I told you and stop asking me these things. They aren't important."
"Yes Ma'am! But what about your parents?" Ralf asked. "My parents? They abandoned me in an orphanage,Ralf. I don't need to see them. Even if they find my face familiar they won't recognize me. I'm dead to them anyway. In fact, I'm dead to a lot of people…."