Chapter 428 - Four Hundred And Twenty-eight: Leave With The Kids
The third point of view :
Reina had a bad dream, and in that horrible dream, Niklaus betrayed her. However, it was not a dream.
She woke up with a startle, senses muddled, and definitely pissed as hell. Dizziness overwhelmed her the instant she sat up and had to lay back on the bed till the whirling sensation stopped.
Niklaus betrayed her, that realization drummed in her head and hummed in her blood. She had trusted him and thought he trusted her too. But then it had all been a lie; he had used her; made her lower her guards so she doesn't suspect his intentions. The thought of it pained her greatly and with that grief, Reina made her way out of the room amid the nauseating sensation in her chest.
Where was she going to begin? Since Niklaus tricked her already, that meant they were already far gone, and heading over there would do her no good.
She would get herself harmed; get caught in the crossfire or even distract them in the fight. In one word, there was nothing she could do but wait patiently for their return - and then she could skin Niklaus alive with her own hands. How dare he drug her?
Despite the fact she felt horrible, Reina made her way downstairs to find her kids, having suspected they might be in the living room watching television when the light suddenly gave out.
What the hell? Was there a blackout or something? Reina wondered and was just about to take a step to inform the staff to change over to the backup generator when the sounds of gunshot reverberated across the house.
Reina screamed as she ducked, choosing to take cover behind the sofa beside her. What the hell was going on? Were they under attack or what? But then who dares to attack her home? She didn't seem to remember offending anybody and even if she did, her father's reputation did a good job of scaring them. Except…..
Her eyes widened to the size of saucers when that sudden ugly thought formed in her head. Un no, it couldn't be Miguel. No way, Niklaus and the others were on their way to capture Miguel. Unless they had been tricked and the real Miguel was out there shooting down their men.
Oh God, Reina realized it was a trap. Miguel had gotten her defenders to leave so she would be alone and vulnerable. Reina's heart began to pound in her throat, she had to inform Niklaus of the change of plans. However, her phone was in her room. Shit!
Reina turned around, searching blindly for columns and hoping to God she doesn't bump into anything to draw noise - she didn't care about getting injured. Her whole concern now rested on the kids, she had to get to them before Miguel did - no, she can't lose them.
Heart pounding in the chest, Reina traced her way back to her children's room and occasionally tipped over the steps, yet she didn't mind-her kids mattered more. Although there were troops stationed outside to protect them, Reina wasn't foolish to think they stood a chance against the enemy.
The fact that Miguel had successfully deceived her father and came all the way meant that he was well prepared and could only hope the defense outside bought her enough time to escape with the kids.
"Allen? Ailee? Neon? " Reina called, stressing her eyes to scan their room in the dark. But unfortunately, she didn't get any reply which made her panic more, could it be that Miguel had already gotten to her kids?
No, she refused to lose hope and headed over to Isabella's room with difficulty. However, the instant she entered, Reina felt a whoosh in the air and instinctively bent just as something crashed into the wall beside the wall. Yep, those were her kids doing.
"Allen?" she still called to make sure
"Mother?"
A sigh of relief escaped her mouth and she was so tempted to hug her kids but couldn't locate them until someone flashed the torchlight from their phone. Isabella? Thank God.
"Mom, what Is happening?" Ailee was the first to ask after they ran into her arms.
"We're under attack honey but I promise you that we will make it out of here," Reina made a promise she wasn't even sure of keeping.
"I've been calling Niklaus, he's not answering," Isabella informed her, still calling him.
"Don't bother with that, if he does not answer, that means they've started the raid and no distraction is needed on the battlefield," In one word, he's fine and we're dead meat, Reina of course didn't say it out loud to the kids. There was no need to cause more benefit amongst them.
"Alright, I'll send him a text message then," Isabella's fingers were already working as she spoke.
"We have to leave now!" Reina announced to the kids.
"How do we do that without getting caught in the crossfire? Bullets are flying from all angles nor would they hesitate to shoot if they sense us leaving - we can't even leave from the entrance!" Isabella pointed out the flaws in her plan.
"Which is why you are here Isabella,"
"What?" She couldn't understand where Reina was coming here.
"You lived here the longest with your father and I know Niklaus, he must have a secret passageway out of here or a panic room where we can be safe until help comes,"
Reina regrets never asking Niklaus about that. Each time the thought came to her mind, she waved it away seeing how strong Niklaus' defense was. But now, that defense was being tested and she had no doubt it was just minutes before Miguel stormed the place. She had to get her kids to a safe and fight out her own survival - if she was destined to survive tonight.
"I don't know. I haven't really thought about that but I'm sure as hell, Niklaus must have one around," Isabella was sure of it. The house had been remodeled after they returned years ago and she hadn't the time to explore hidden areas since she was already good with her father then.
"Isabella, think, you're the smartest kid I know out there and our lives depend on you at the moment!"
"I'm trying to think, mother!" the girl snapped under pressure, "How do you expect me to know of a secret room I haven't explored…. Maya's old room!"
"What?" there was a faint hope in Reina's heart.
"If there's a secret escape or panic room, I bet Nik would build one in your old room since he was tormented by the guilt of your death at that time nor has anyone gone there since it was remodeled - not even me," she explained.
"That's great, take the kids and leave,"
"Alright… wait, what?!"
"Take your siblings and leave Isabella,"
"What about you?"
"I'll be fine,"
"Are you fucking kidding me, you'd be fine? That asshole wants you dead!" Isabella cursed with no care that she would get punished for that.
"Is me that Miguel wants, I won't give him the leverage of getting to you kids too. He must have gotten Intel that I'm here hence would surely scour this place to find me. So take your siblings and leave!"
"No! We are not leaving you! We'd help you fight!"
"Please Isabella!" The gunshots were now fewer and closer. There was no more time.
Isabella wanted to disagree but the desperation in her mother's tone stopped her.
"I love you," The girl said and hugged Reina suddenly.
"Yeah, me too!" Reina pulled back immediately, "Now leave! Keep your siblings safe!"
It was at that moment that the crisis dawned on the triple trouble and they became hesitant to leave.
"Come on, we should go," Isabella urged Ailee.
"No, I want to stay with mother!"She refused to move nor did the others seem willing as well.
"Listen to me, you have to leave. I can't escape later?if you become a dead weight to me, understand?" She clasped her daughter's cheeks before dropping a kiss on her forehead, "Now go. I love you guys."
"Mother!"
Allen whined.
Neon cried.
"I said GO!" Reina bellowed with intensity and this time their perseverance melted like ice.
"I'll see you later," Isabella told her, even though she had a disturbing feeling in her heart that this might be the last time.
Reina simply nodded as she finally went away with the kids. Not less than a minute later, the lights came back on and she knew,
"It was time,"
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