A month later......
|| VALENTINA'S POV ||
These days were going pretty boring at home. As I was at my trimester, I reduced my work and only attended the store once in a week. The exhibition was getting nearby. I felt sorry for James because he had to do everything all alone. I was supposed to help him but Lorenzo wasn't letting me in.
About Kylie's words, I didn't say anything to Lorenzo. If the man was mine for real, I didn't have to spare my breath to someone else. In short, Kylie was just a third person in our lives. But the problems didn't leave me for once. I heard the other day on the phone that Nana was pressuring Lorenzo to meet Kylie. However, my loyal boyfriend strictly refused to meet her and hung up on her face. I just didn't know when it was going to be normal.
All my thoughts fade away when the chauffeur said that we had arrived at the store. It was finally the day when I was allowed to come to work.
Getting out of the car, I used a hand to block the sunlight. The sun was scorching heat today, hitting the atmosphere. I felt uneasy in this weather. The sun flower dress on my body really made me a little more comfortable.
When I walked away from the car, I was too shocked to see a familiar figure, standing outside of the store. It was none other than Queen Melinda.
What was she doing here? Didn't she say that she was leaving the country?
Anyways, my heart was in joy to see her. As I walked fast to get her, her eyes became teary. Even she looked older than before. On my arrival, she started crying openly. Her drawn eyes gathered tears that she failed to hold back. I was stupified for the second time because we were really close to each other. But crying to meet others meant a real close relationship which we weren't in clearly.
" Aunty..", we hugged each other tightly at first. Later, she started sobbing without saying anything. After a long moment of silence, she let go of me and asked pointing at the car,
" Let's get in the car. I have something important to tell you, Valentina."
Confused by her behavior, I still followed her into the car, wondering what was so important to tell secretly. As soon as we got inside, her driver drove the car far away from my store.
______
" Im.. impossible....", I stared down at the report in disbelief, my eyes getting bigger at each second. Queen Melinda smiled at me emotionally, wiping the tears before telling,
" Yes, you are my child. You lost here when you were born. I had been suspecting you for a long time. Then I told your brothers to investigate your birth properly. Do you remember that I asked about your parents one day? I was trying to get the information as much as possible."
Within a few moments, I was thrown into a world of hallucinations. I couldn't believe that everything happening around me was real anymore. Queen Melinda just showed me the result of our DNA test. It showed that I was her biological daughter. Throughout my life, I always thought that I was unlucky to not have a family. But now I was suddenly listening that I had a whole big family.
Thinking deeper about this situation, I found it reasonable because my grandma told me that they managed to see me at least an hour later. Could it be possible that I was switched at that moment?
Taking a deep breath, I asked her again in a shaky voice,
" Are..are you sure that it's not a mistake??"
She nodded her head firmly, explained in a breath,
" Of course!! DNA tests can't be fake. If you want, I can do it again in your presence. You are my real daughter."
Later on, she explained the entire matter to me. I was switched with the girl of Avery family. They took her as their own daughter but the girl had a serious illness when she was only five. After running several tests, they found out that it wasn't their own daughter. Out of kindness, they did everything to cure the girl but she died very young. Then, they searched for that missing baby for years but couldn't find it anymore. From a blurry CCTV footage, they got to see the baby who had a mole under her ear just like I had.
I stayed blank at that place without saying anything. It made me wonder whether I was still dreaming or not. From being a stripper to a Royalty, my life surely had a real dramatic stage.
She kept waiting for my answer. So, I replied first after thinking deeper,
" I understand it now, Aunty..But I am sorry..I am having a child and I have a family here.Royalty comes with a huge responsibility which I am not willing to take it now. I will definitely be your daughter but I can't return to the family. A royal life isn't for me and I don't want to be in the spotlight."
Her face sank for a while. When they lifted down at my stomach, a smile appeared on her lips. Sniffing her nose, she sighed heavily,
" Look at me! I was so lost in happiness that I forgot about your own. You have your boyfriend and baby already. My daughter is all grown up now. Your brothers would have been so happy if they were here. I haven't told them yet. But baby, are you sure that you want this life? You can do anything if you come to live with us."
I gave it a deep thought again. Currently, Lorenzo and our baby are my only family. I really didn't want to go to a new place to have a better future. As long as I knew that they were family, I was happy enough.
Nodding my head, I told her honestly, smiling,
" Yes!; I can't leave them just because I have found my lost identity. I am sorry but I will definitely be in touch with you... mother..."
Tears stung in my eyes after I called her 'mother'. Her smile was priceless. Wiping my tears off, she told me her concern,
" I will never force you to do anything. If that's what you want, I will definitely grant your wish. But you remember that you will always have a home here. I understand you. Royal life isn't so easy. After you give birth to your baby, come back to visit us. Your brothers would be dying to meet you."
I couldn't hold back my tears anymore. Nodding at her, I simply hugged her tightly. Now, I really had a real family of my own.
_______
Later in that same evening, I was heading back to our mansion happily. Although I wanted to share the news with Lorenzo, Kylie's words reminded me that I should really wait for him.
Right before I went into the car, I received a text message from Emily. She wrote only one word 'Help' and sent a location that made my jaw drop in horror. I tried to call her several times but it always went to switch off.
Could it be that she was in danger?
Fear crawled in my heart to think that she was in danger for real. I asked the chauffeur to send me to that location though he was unwilling. It took an hour for me to arrive at that location. When I got down from the car, I felt that I made the wrong choice by coming here.
It wasn't inside the town, somewhere far like an abandoned mansion. Swallowing hard, I called again but this time, the ringtone was coming out from the mansion. The chauffeur peeked his head out, warned me,
" Madam! Let's go back! She isn't here!"
But the ringing kept coming from the mansion. I felt fear for my friend. I had lost Lily already. I couldn't afford to lose Emily. As I walked forward, a fire was shot out of nowhere, pierced through the chauffeur's head. He let out a groan before turning to death.
It took my breath away when I looked behind to see the blood pool. Only then I realized that I had been trapped here. When I attempted to run away, a chilling voice halted me between my tracks,
" Welcome home, sister-in-law."
Turning around, I saw Leonardo with a gun, his other hand dragging out Emily who was being tied. Her lips were sealed as well. She burst into tears when she saw me and kept shaking her head as if she was telling me to run away.
" Leo.. Leonardo..", I stammered, stumbling a step back. Eyes widening, I watched the man in terror who was looking like a monster in my eyes.
My hand went up to place on my stomach protectively. Thinking that he would do anything to my baby, my heartbeat sped up like a volcano. Looking around, I saw that there wasn't a single person around. It was a dark and haunted place.
" So dumb of you, isn't it?", Leonardo made a quirky comment, his one hand squeezing Emily. I could feel the hatred, brimming from his eyes for me. Not particularly me but he hated the child in my stomach.
Swallowing hard, I tried to buy more time, praying that Lorenzo would be looking for me,
" Leo.. Leonardo..Let go of Emily..She has nothing to do with your grudges against me."
Leonardo let out a sneer, his hand contesting Emily so hard that she was choking vigorously,
" No..But it's fun to watch her suffering. And it will be more fun to see you suffering, dear sister-in-law."
I felt my heart beating so fast that it would be popping out anytime soon. Mustering up the courage that I had left in my body, I muttered weakly,
" Lorenzo will never let you go!!"
Leonardo let out an ironic laugh. Looking down at my stomach, he said jokingly,
" Yes but for that, you have to stay alive, sister-in-law. Do you think that you will walk out alive from here?"
He gave me his sinister smile. Choking Emily to death, he threw her off on the ground. By that time, Emily's face had gone pale already. It was all paper white, looking deadly pale. After coughing vigorously, she fainted on that spot. I let out a cry in fear of hurting her,
" Emily...."
I couldn't hold back the tears anymore. Clenching my fists tightly together, I shouted at Leonardo who was still wearing the malicious smirk,
" What do you want from me, Leonardo? Just tell me! Lorenzo will give you anything to protect his child."
Leonardo sneered at me, still aiming the gun at me,
" Fuck!! What I want is your child's life. As long as he dies, I will be at peace, Valentina. Do you think that I don't know about the gender of your baby?"
I gasped hard in shock and realization sank into my soul hard. I shouldn't have gone to the hospital to check my baby's gender. It felt like a torture to me to think that I had awakened the beast by going to the hospital.
Leonardo continued, his voice dripping with coldness,
" So, you must die here in my hands. I won't let some fuckers ruin my plan at any cost. The legacy should be mine only."
I began to stumble backwards slowly. His gun was on point and could pierce through my heart anytime. When I remained distracted, a Pebble was shot in Leonardo's direction. Too distracted, the gun fell out of his hands.
Fuck!!
Looking down, I saw Emily, wailing in pain,
" Ru..Run..Val...Run..."
I didn't think of anything else. Turning around, I began to run with my life. Leonardo was still on the ground. After I went several steps away, I heard a terrific gunshot. Looking back, I saw Leonardo shooting Emily in her chest. I let out a wail of pain but I had to save my baby.
Gathering up my leftover strength, I began to ran again without knowing where I was heading too. It didn't take long time for Leonardo to take over his sanity. After all, he was only hurt by a small stone. I felt sorry for Emily who saved my life twice.
Crying all the way outside, I kept weeping like a baby, hoping to see someone who could help me out. Just when I arrived at the exit door, something was shot again from behind. This time, I didn't get the chance to turn around and see. The metallic bullet went past through my body. Everything went dark around me. When I had regained some consciousness, I was laying on the ground. The blood of my baby was coming out through my stomach, wetting the ground and my heart. At that time, I could call out for only one person in my dreams.
Lorenzo!!!! Lorenzo!!