Chapter 274 - Two Hundred And Seventy-four: Where Are My Kids.
Reina's point of view
"What do you plan to do to Niklaus?" I questioned father as soon as I strode into his office. Anger was boiling through my veins like never before. Though I didn't remember most things about Niklaus, the thoughts of knowing that we had something great together made me just so angry. Even if he did hurt me, I deserve the right to know the truth. I felt cheated and hurt.
Sakuzi looked up from the desk where he and Emerald were having some sort of meeting. He must have seen the fury in my eyes hence instantly dismissing Emerald.
"Why are you here? Shouldn't you be at the office or doing anything else than glaring at me," He said lightly, but I was not in the mood for jokes.
"Niklaus loved me, why did you lie to me?" I finally asked what was on my mind.
"People never treasure what they truly have until they lose it," Father glanced up without even an apologetic smile, "Just apply that in your case,"
I was numbed with disbelief, I couldn't believe my father had this side to him all along.?But he loved me, he favored and treated me well at this time.
Tears stung my eyes but I hardened my heart to see the end of this before my emotional meltdown, "What are you planning to do to Niklaus?" I asked again, this time firmer.
"I'm already doing it already," Was his answer.
"What," My brows furrowed together in confusion, "What are you talking about?"
"As I said earlier, people never realize what they have until they lose it. I'm just preying on his guilty conscience and by the time you're done with that, I'll take everything he's ever worked for and watch as he crumbles in defeat,"?he revealed.
"Oh my God," A gasp left my mouth as I came to a startling realization that I've been torturing Niklaus all this while.
Today, I just had a realization of how much Maya meant to Niklaus, her death truly devastated him. Then suddenly, out of nowhere, I, Maya's alleged doppelganger appeared, not only was I bringing up that ugly past for him, I was killing him with despair amid feeding him with hope.
Not to talk of the fact I took away seven years of father-twins bonding from him. The guilt was forming an ache in my heart, I was killing Niklaus a second time and my father knew that.
This was his plan all this while: when Niklaus finally gets an idea of who I am and his kids, Father would cut him down; take away everything he ever treasured, and probably send us away to where Niklaus would never find us - that is, if he keeps him alive. There was no doubt that would break him; Niklaus already lost me once, he can't lose me a second time.
I banged my hand on his desk, "You can't do that to him, Niklaus is the father of my kids,"
"Just because I accepted Allen and Ailee whole-heartedly, doesn't mean I would accept him. The kids have Armani blood running in them, Niklaus doesn't," he replied, sitting back on his desk.
"I'm going to tell him the truth," I decided.
Father scoffed, "Then what happens next? Might I remind you that his father is the reason why you went through that hell in the first place?"
I stiffened, the ugly memory of me falling off that bridge resurfacing in my mind. I think I'm going to need a therapist, again.
My fist clenched, "I'm not going to let Adam got scot-free for everything's he's ever done if that's what you're worried about,"
"Just the same way I'm not going to let Niklaus go scot-free for what he did to your brother," said Father.
"Seriously, stop it! Okay?!" I snapped at him.
"What?"
"Don't compare your vengeance to mine!" I felt like tearing something apart. I grabbed my scalp, "You talk about Niklaus taking something from you when for christ's sake, you took something away from him first!"
"What?" there was a crease on his forehead.
"I studied that incident years ago, turns out his wife died after you ordered your men to open fire on them -"
"Because he betrayed me!" Father stood up in a rage, sweeping stuff off his desk to the ground. But I stood unfazed even though I have never seen that look on him - he had always shown me his soft side.
"If he hadn't disclosed our location to the authorities nor stop his wife from tagging along, such thing wouldn't have happened,"
"And out of spite, he shot at your son," I concluded, "I would have done the same if I were him. You killed his wife right in front of him, Father"
"Correction," He spat, "She was caught in the crossfire,"
"And so was Maxwell - he died in the shootout you ordered," I said pointedly, holding his fierce gaze. The moment I stepped into this study, I already knew this confrontation was going to end on a bad note, hence no need to hold back my mouth.
"All this wouldn't have happened if he hasn't gotten the federal police force involved. I lost not only your brother but a lot of good men that day -"
"Which is why I'm begging you to end this craziness already. This bad blood has gone on for a long time now, we need peace, don't you see it, father?" I pleaded desperately, already on the verge of tears.
Yes, I wanted to hate Sakuzi for using me against Niklaus but if it wasn't because of him, I wouldn't be alive by now. Moreover, he's my father, a parental figure I had wished in my life for years, so I can't lose him - especially now the whole world has no idea of me. I don't want to be lonely, I need my father by my side.
Also, I keep getting vague recollection of my past with Niklaus, and my subconscious somehow wills me to trust him, like I'm on the right track or something. But I don't want a war between Niklaus and my father. I don't want to be in a situation where I have to choose a side or die.
I don't remember how or if I loved Niklaus - I still had to be cautious here- but he's the father of my kids, he shouldn't be harmed. But I love my father too, so they have to stop this madness.
"Reina dear," Father walked over to me, caressing my face with his thumb and wiping the tears that fell from my eyes, "What I need is honoring the code for Maxwell. Niklaus must pay for his crime," he made up his mind.
"You're too weak for this mission. I should have known that a person's personality is hard to alter," his tone softened, "Even as Reina, you are still soft and selfless as Maya,"
My tears fell harder.
"I'm sorry for lying and using you princess. But my mind can't be changed," He concluded and left the room for me.
I couldn't remember how I found my way back to my apartment that day. But at night, after video calling my kids, I cried myself to sleep. The worst part was that I couldn't even tell why or who I was crying for? And I don't want to talk about it.
I found myself waking up the next day with quite a migraine. "Wonderful," I groaned, lifting my ass off the bed. My body hurt entirely, it was almost as if a car ran me over - which was impossible considering that I'm still alive.
Taking a shower, I ordered some food and took painkillers that made me feel better. I sat on my swivel chair in my study, thinking about my next plan when I heard my doorbell rang.
I wasn't expecting anyone, I thought. Still yet, I went over to see who was disturbing my peace by this time of the morning.
"Oww, I'm going to need a drink," I groaned, staring at the person in the live feed on the camera's screen.
After Allen and Ailee played a prank on me the last time, I installed a peephole camera that lets me see who is outside my door before I open it. And right now, I was seeing Niklaus - which I didn't appreciate at the moment.
I didn't know his objective for coming over to my place but God knows I wasn't ready for another argument nor drama, so I did what I knew what to do best - ignore him. When he's done ringing and I don't open up, he'd eventually leave, I thought.
With that belief in mind, I went over to the bar and picked out one of my best wines; it would help with the stress. So I went back to the living room to go drown my senses with the drink only to receive the greatest shock of my life.
The wine slipped from my hand. Thankfully, it landed on one of the throw pillows I had messed around with during my breakdown yesterday.
There was Niklaus, sitting on my couch with his leg crossed over the other and a straight face tilted in a sneer. He was patiently waiting for me to drag my ass over to him.
My heart began to pound in my heart, how did he come into my apartment? My place had one of the best security - my father made sure of it. Even if he had it hacked, it would take time for him to do so.
"Reina dear, can you tell me where my kids are?" Niklaus drawled, there was no smile on his face. A storm was brewing.
My pulse quickened as it dawned on me, my kids were the ones who gave him the password to my place. They secretly communicated with their father and I didn't know.
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