Not too long after the kidnapping occurred, Diane returned back to where the children were, but was shocked to find only Alice and Morris there. "Where is leonia?" She asked rushing towards them. Morris immediately began to cry. "We- we don't know, A-alice told her to sit still, b-but she.." Morris sniffled amidst sobs. "There There." Diane said, trying to pacify him. "She shouldn't have strayed too far." She said, trying to reassure them. Natasha soon appeared behind her. "Diane, what happened?" She asked when she saw the tears in Morris's eyes. "Where is leonia?" She inquired when she didn't see any sign of the eight year old. Diane bit her lip. "I-I don't know." She said. Natasha pinched the bridge of her nose. "Diane I asked you to look after the children, how could you let this happen? Where were you?" Natsaha asked, a little disappointed. "I... saw someone Familiar." Diane responded in a low voice. "A family member?" Natasha inquired. Diane nodded. "My ladies, there is still time to look for the little Miss. Let us look for her while we still have the chance." Dorothy, who was silent behind Natasha all this time, suddenly spoke up. "Hmm, you are right Dorothy." Natasha agreed. Natasha and Diane then split up while Dorothy kept an eye on the remaining two children. The duo asked everyone they could find, giving various descriptions, but the efforts were futile. The sun had long set when the two of them regrouped. "Come on." Natasha gave an exhausted smile. "Let's go home." She said. Alice and Morris who were nodding their heads off in slumber by then, woke up with a start. "Lady, where is leonia?" Alice asked craning her neck around. Natasha threw a glance at Diane. "She has been kidnapped." Diane subconsciously sucked in a breath. What had she done now? When Natasha saw the two children were about to bawl their lungs out, she immediately added: "we will find her, pinky swear." She said. They all went into the carraige, while Diane trailed behind them all, head lowered. She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she failed to notice the carrige which had an eagle with the wings spread out and Roses underneath, which was her family's emblem, neither did she notice the blue eyes that peered at her in the darkness.
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"Get in." The man roughly told Beatrice when he saw her. Beatrice, used to his mannerisms these days, entered into the carraige. But she was shocked when she saw the child that was on his lap. The child had dark blue hair, and was blindfolded, arms and legs tied, but from the even breathing, she knew it was sound asleep. "Dennis you..." Beatrice began, but Dennis just placed his index finger on his lips, beckoning for her to be quiet. "You will wake her up." He said as he fondled the child's hair. Beatrice knew this child too well. She was Diego's sister after all. "Sometimes I can't understand you." Beatrice said with a frown. "You will never understand me." Dennis replied bluntly. "Are you trying to create a rift between Diego and your sister?" Beatrice asked as the carraige rode on. "Who is my sister? Do I have a sister? Oh, you mean Diane? Ha!" Dennis mocked scornfully. "She picked Diego over our family, so she can suffer with him if she pleases." He said. "To be honest with you, I have nothing against this child. She is just unfortunate to be born into Diego's family." He said while glancing at the child. "Why do you hate their family so much?" Beatrice asked. She knew that both families were competitive in business, but Dennis was crossing all boundaries. "I can't put my hand on it, but I am guessing that my mother had a connection with them. Won't be surprised if they had a hand in her death. And now they intend to steal Diane too." He said. Beatrice sighed. "If you ask me, Diane getting married to Diego is a far better choice than getting married to Cole." She said. Dennis turned to her. "Did anyone ask for your opinion?" He asked with a smile. Beatrice knew quite alright that the smile was fake and was rather a strict warning. She immediately shut her mouth. "I had everything all planned out. I was going to get a divorce for Diane, but Diego ruined everything." He said. "But you can't just assume that Diego's family is responsible for your mother's death when.." Beatrice began, but Dennis suddenly leaned in and kissed her roughly, leaving her gasping for breath. But it was more out of desire than out of love she knew. She pushed him away and wiped her mouth, feeling disgusted. "All I am saying is that assumptions can be dangerous." She said, saying no further.
They rode into the outhouse, were Dennis placed the child."Keep am eye on her, but don't let her starve. Try to keep her alive." He instructed. "And if she dies?" Beatrice inquired, making Dennis to shoot a look in her direction. Beatrice immediately looked away. He seized her roughly by the hand and dragged her back into the carraige pushing her in and leaning in. "Beatrice Adriel, I dare you to play the heroine and tell my sister about this." He said, his breath hitting her on the face. Ha. Adriel. Beatrice thought. He had never once addressed her as Lewis ever since they got married. "I really have no time for your revenge and family feud." She said, trying to push him away. "I know that you saw Diane with me today. You have been stalking me, haven't you?" She asked. Dennis tried to open his mouth but suddenly coughed, making him stagger a little. She reached out to help him, but the look he gave her scared her a little. "Take her home." He ordered the coachman, his voice hoarse. "But..." Beatrice began. "Did you not hear me?" Dennis asked. The recoil of the carraige as it moved made her bounce in her seat, making her unable to do anything else as tears slid down her eys, watching Dennis's lonely figure return to the outhouse.
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By the time Diane and Natasha got home, it was already night. "Where were the two of you?" Maria inquired immediately as she ran over to them. "Do the both of you know what time it is? We were worried sick." She said as she enveloped the both of them in a hug. Diego strode over to where Diane was. "Are you okay?" He asked, seemingly concerned. Diane tried to swallow the lump I her throat and nodded her head. Theodore, on the other hand, noticed something different. "Where is leonia?" He asked, dropping the most dreaded question. "Dorothy, take the children to their rooms." Natasha ordered. "Yes, my lady." Dorothy said, taking the half-asleep children to their rooms. Diego looked around. "Where is leonia?" He asked. Natasha sighed. "Diego, I need to tell you something, but you need to calm down first.
" She said a little nervous. "What is it? Does it have something to do with leonia? Is she okay?" Diego asked in quick sucession. "I don't know." Natasha said with gritted teeth. "What do you mean you don't know? You took the children out with you, didn't you?" Regis asked this time. "Leonia, she, she has been kidnapped." Natasha finally dropped the bombshell. "Wh-what?" Diego asked, stumbling backward a little. Diane immediately reached out to support him, Making him sit on the chair. "It-it's my fault, Diego." Diane said as she stuttered. "What do you mean it is your fault?" Diego asked, looking at her. The look in his eyes frightened her a little. "N-natasha asked me to look after the children, and I did tell them to stay put, because I happened to see..." "see who, Diane?" Diego asked, his aura growing stronger every passing second. "B-beatrice" She stammered. "Ha." Diego laughed suddenly. "Could you, come with me for a moment?" He asked. Diane, who was already scared by the anger in his voice, was not even given a chance to reply, when she was dragged up roughly by him. "D-diego, you are hurting me." She said, a little scared, but Diego did not even hear her out. He proceeded to drag her upstairs, all the way to their room, before shutting the door with a loud bang.
"Diane!" Natasha called out, proceeding to run after them, but Regis held her back. "Father." She said, turning to look at him. "It's their personal matter, we shouldn't Interfere." He said sternly. "But..." Natasha began. "No buts." Her father said. "If they don't talk things out, they will never get closer." He told her, before glancing up the stairs. "And If Diego doesn't discipline Diane, she will continue to make such mistakes." "But leonia.." Natasha began. "Your father is right, dear." Maria quipped in. "We all know that Leonia is very dear to Diego, It is Diane's own carelessness for causing this." She said. "Ha." Natasa said. "You all are bothered about Diego, but no one ever bothered to ask Diane what happened." She said. "I admit that Diane should have never left the children alone, but leonia was the disobedient one. She would have been home right here with us if she had just stayed put." She said, shrugging her father off. "How come no one ever asked why it was Leonia that went missing? It is not just because she is Diego's sister, kidnappers don't care much about staus nowadays. The least you all could have done was to hear Dia e out, especially diego." She said as she ascended the stairs. "She doesn't have a family anymore, except for us, so the least we could do is support her,even if she is wrong." Natasha finally got to the top of the stairs, and went straight off to her room, Indicating that she no longer wanted to be part of their family drama.
"It is rare for sister to take a liking to someone." Theodore spoke up when his sister left. "I admit, we were too hasty to judge Diane." Maria said. "We ought to have remembered how stubborn leonia was when she was still little. It is only recently she hogan to listen to me." She continued with a weak smile. "It will be fine. I don't think Diego will do anything that he will end up regretting." Regis said, putting a shoulder over Maria. Theodore just glanced upstairs. "I don't think she will come out unscathed." He muttered to himself.