Chapter 146: et Him
Ariana’s POV
They arrived at a huge mansion that left my mouth agape. The house was huge. Bigger than anything I had ever seen, bigger than Dante’s mansion.
It was made of white stone, tall columns, big windows, and a fountain in the front.
It was amazing
The guards got out. One of them opened my door. "We’re here, ma’am."
I didn’t move because my heart was pounding. I didn’t know where here was. I didn’t know who owned this house.
I was scared and at the sa ti awed by the house.
"Please," the guard said.
I stepped out of the car, and my legs were weak. I almost fell. The guard caught my arm.
He held
steady, then he let go. He stepped back.
The other guards ford a line.
They stood at attention like soldiers. Like they were waiting for sothing.
Or soone.
The front door opened.
A woman walked out.
She was older.
Maybe sixty.
She was wearing a simple dress with an apron. She looked like a maid, but she didn’t act like one. She walked straight toward , her arms open.
"Ariana," she said, her voice warm and soft. "It’s so good to finally et you. You’re even more beautiful than they said."
She hugged .
Tight.
Like she knew
like I was family.
I stood there.
Frozen.
I didn’t know what to say.
I didn’t know what to do. I just let her hold . I just let her squeeze
tight.
She pulled back and looked at my face. Her eyes were wet. "You look just like him. Just like Ares. The sa eyes. He’s going to lose his mind when he sees you."
I stared at her. "Who? Who is Ares? I don’t know anyone nad Ares. I don’t know what’s happening. I don’t know where I am. I don’t know why I’m here."
The maid smiled. She took my hand and led
toward the door. "All your questions will be answered soon. Mr. Watson has been waiting for your arrival. He’s very excited to et you."
"Mr. Watson?" I pulled my hand away. I stopped walking. "Who is Mr. Watson? Why does he want to et ? Why did his guards kidnap
off the street? I have rights. I can call the police. I can—"
"Please," the maid said, her voice was gentle. "No one is trying to hurt you. Mr. Watson is a good man. He’s been looking for you for a very long ti. Please just co inside. Let him explain."
I looked around at the guards, at the big house. At the maid with the kind eyes, and I had no choice.
I was outnumbered.
Outmatched.
Out of options.
I walked inside.
The house was even more beautiful on the inside. Marble floors, crystal chandeliers, big paintings on the walls, with flowers everywhere.
The maid led
down a long hallway.
Past closed doors.
Past more guards.
See more paintings.
We stopped at a big door.
Dark wood and gold handles.
The maid knocked. "Mr. Watson, she’s here."
A voice from inside Deep. Smooth. "Send her in."
The maid opened the door and stepped aside. She smiled at . "Go on. He’s waiting."
I walked in.
The room was a study with books
everywhere, big windows, a fireplace, and a large desk in the middle
My eyes fell on a figure sitting behind the desk.
He was young.
Maybe late twenties with dark hair, sharp jaw. Intense eyes. He was too handso. He looked like soone I knew.
Soone I had seen before.
Before it registered with .
He must be Ared cause damn, he sure looks like an exact replica of , but a male version.
He stood up and walked around the desk, walking toward .
"Ariana," he said with a soft voice, "It’s so good to finally et you, sister."
I stepped back; my heart was pounding. My hands were shaking. "Who are you? What do you want? Why did your guards kidnap ? Are you insane?"
He stopped his smile faded.m. "Kidnap? No. No, that’s not... I didn’t... I sent them to bring you here. To escort you and not to kidnap you. I would never—"
"Escort ?" I laughed. It was a bitter sound. "They grabbed
off the street. They surrounded . They wouldn’t tell
who sent them. They forced
into a car. That’s kidnapping. That’s not escorting."
The man ran his hand through his hair. He looked frustrated. "I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. That wasn’t my intention. I told them to be gentle. I told them—"
"You told them nothing!" I shouted. "They didn’t say a word. They just grabbed
and put
in the car. I thought lissa had sent them or Ricardo."
The man’s face changed, his eyes darkened. "lissa? Ricardo? The people who hurt you? The people who took your husband? Your children? Your life?"
I stared at him. "How do you know about that? How do you know anything about ?"
He stepped closer. I stepped back. "I know everything about you, Ariana. I’ve been watching you for years from a distance. Waiting for the right ti, waiting for you to be ready."
"Ready for what?" My voice was shaking. "Ready to be kidnapped? Ready to be trapped in so stranger’s house? Ready to—"
He put his hands up. "Please, just sit down. Let
explain. Let
tell you why you’re here."
"I don’t want to sit down," I said. "I don’t want to hear your explanations. I want to go ho, I want to—"
"You can’t go ho," he said, his voice firm. "Not yet, not until you understand."
"Understand what?" I scread. "What could you possibly tell
that matters?"
The man opened his mouth to answer, but before he could speak, the door opened.
An elderly man walked in. He walked slowly with his eyes on ; his eyes were wet. His hands were shaking. His whole body was shaking.
He stopped and stared at . Tears were falling down his cheeks.
"Ariana," he said, his voice was cracked and weak but full of sothing I couldn’t na. Sothing that made my heart stop. Sothing that made my breath catch. "Ariana, is that you?"
Could this be Daniel?
"Who are you?" I whispered, but I already knew. Deep down in a place I had locked away, I already knew.
The old man took a step toward , his eyes never leaving mine
"I’ve waited so long," he said, his voice breaking. "So long to see you, to hold you."
"Who are you?" I asked again.
"I am your father, Ariana. Your real father and I didn’t know you existed until a year ago. Your mother... she never told . She never gave
a chance. She let
believe... she let
think..."
He stopped his voice, cracked that he couldn’t finish.
Oh my god! Was life playing a trick on ?
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