The Heiress' Revenge

Ariana’s POV

"I need time," I said. "Time to process and understand all this... I need to figure out what this means for me."

My mother nodded. She wiped her face. "I understand. Take all the time you need. I’ll be here. When you’re ready to talk. When you’re ready to ask questions. I’ll be here."

I opened the door and walked out.

My father wasn’t my father.

Ricardo was a liar, thief, and monster, but he wasn’t my blood. He wasn’t my family.

He was just a man who had used my mother.

Used me.

Used everyone.

Somewhere out there, my real father was alive.

Daniel.

A man who didn’t know I existed. A man who had been living his life, not knowing he had a daughter.

I didn’t know if I wanted to find him. I didn’t know if I wanted to meet him.

***

The cafe was small and quiet. I had been coming here every day for a week. Since my mother told me the truth. Since I found out Ricardo wasn’t my father.

Part of me was happy. Happy that I wasn’t related to that monster. Happy that his blood didn’t run through my veins. Happy that I was free from him in a way I never knew I needed.

But part of me wasn’t happy. I was lost, confused, and empty. Who was I if I wasn’t Ricardo’s daughter? Who was my real father? Did he want to know about me?

I pushed the thoughts away. I couldn’t think about that right now. I had enough to deal with.

Dante.

Melissa.

The children.

Alan.

There was too much, too much pain, loss, and confusion.

I stepped out of the cafe just in time for cars, black sleek expensive ones.

Lined up along the street like they were waiting for someone, my heart stopped.

My blood ran cold.

Guards.

An array of them.

Suddenly walking out of the cars.

Dressed in black suits.

Dark sunglasses.

Earpieces. They looked like something out of a movie.

For a second, my heart leaped.

Dante.

Had he regained his memory?

He had come back for me. He had sent his guards to bring me home. He remembered me.

But then the feeling passed.

I didn’t want him anymore.

Not after everything.

Not after Melissa, the divorce, and the baby.

One of the guards stepped forward. He was tall. Broad with his face was hard.

Unreadable.

"Ariana," he said. His voice was flat. Professional. "You need to come with us."

I stepped back.

My heart was pounding.

My hands were shaking. "No. I’m not going anywhere with you. I don’t know who you are. I don’t know who sent you. Leave me alone."

The guard didn’t move.

His face didn’t change. "We can’t do that, ma’am. You have to come with us. Our boss’s order."

"Your boss?" I spat. "Who is your boss? Dante? Melissa? Ricardo? Who?"

The guard didn’t answer; he just looked at me, waiting patiently like he had all the time in the world.

"I said no," I said with a voice that was louder now. Firmer. "I’m not going anywhere. You can’t make me. This is a public street, and there are people watching. Cameras, I’ll scream or call the police. I’ll—"

"Ma’am," the guard interrupted. "Please don’t make this difficult. We don’t want to hurt you, but we have our orders. You need to come with us. Now."

Another guard stepped forward.

Then another.

They surrounded me.

Blocking me in.

There was nowhere to run.

Nowhere to hide.

I was trapped.

"Please," I said. My voice was smaller now. Scared. "Please just tell me who sent you. I deserve to know that much."

The first guard shook his head. "You’ll find out soon enough. Now, please get in the car."

He gestured toward the middle car with its black, sleek, tinted windows.

I couldn’t see inside.

I couldn’t see who was waiting for me.

My mind was racing.

Who could it be? Ricardo? He was supposed to be in hiding, but he had money now since I signed up Dante’s shares to him.

It had to be him.

What does he want now?

"Ma’am," the guard said. His voice was impatient now. "The car."

I looked at him at the guards surrounding me.

At the black cars lining the street.

I had no choice, and I wanted to get to the bottom of this. Ricardo needs to know that we are not related in any way, so he should let me be.

I walked to the car with my legs shaking. A guard opened the door.

"Get in," the guard said.

I got in.

The door closed behind me.

The car was quiet.

The guards got into the other cars. The engines started. The cars began to move. I looked out the window, and the street was disappearing. The cafe was disappearing.

Who could it be? Ricardo? Melissa? Dante? Someone else? Someone I didn’t even know?

The curiosity and fear kept eating me up as I waited impatiently to arrive.

It had to be Ricardo.

What did he want now?