THIRD PERSON POV:
Everyone was left shocked after hearing that sound. They all didn't expect their princess to be back home, maybe because they were too focused on the heated argument infront of them that they didn't notice her.
Want to know what happened?
Flashback to 1 hour earlier:
Everyone was in the living room doing their own businesses, the female population was talking to Reka, Liza and Nana Rosie ( whom arrived a few hours ago ) while the male population was either talking business or watching the TV where news was playing.
Eva came back from the kitchen having popcorn she made for the younger older brothers who were watching a movie on Netflix.
"Here you guys go." She said placing the two out of three bowls of popcorn infront of them.
"Cool! Thanks mom!" Maddox said unknowingly. Everyone's conversation stopped and looked at him shocked, even Eva was. A few moments later Maddox slapped his hand on his mouth contemplating what he just called Eva. He looked at her shocked before saying. "I am so sorry, I didn't mean to call you that Eva." He said quickly.
A few moments later Eva's face relaxed and a gentle smile formed on her lips. "Don' t be sorry it's alright sweetie." She said patting his head. Maddox smiled back at her before looking back at the movie. Everyone was smiling letting it go except for one person.
"WHAT THE FUCKING HECK DID YOU CALL HER MADDOX?!?" Lara shouted from the stairs, she was coming down from the stairs when she heard what Maddox called Eva. She angrily came down the stairs and stood infront of Maddox. "Would you care to repeat what you just called this fucking whore?!" She angrily demanded pointing a shaking finger at Eva who was sitting beside Kim.
"Mom. I called her Mom." Maddox said calmly yet coldly to Lara.
Lara was enraged. "Why would you call her that?! I am your mother, not her!!! Yet you call her mom while you call me mother?!" She screeched.
"Be thankful that we even acknowledge you as our birth mother, we only call you mother out of respect." Dylan said munching on the popcorn that was in his hand.
"And for the record it's not only Maddox whom accidentally called Eva as Mom, all of us have ' accidentally ' called her Mom during the duration of her stay here." Elijah said looking at Lara coldly.
Something inside Lara's heart cracked hearing those words from her own sons but she didn't show it. "Why? Why do you call her your mom yet I am the one that has always been there for you!?!" She shouted.
"Simple, because she has been more of a mother to us for the past days that's she's been here than you being our mother for the past half of our entire lives." Blake and Blaze said emotionlessly.
Everyone else at the extended family, Eva, Reka, Liza and Nana Rosie was staying quite as it wasn't right to interfere with other's family business.
"Anthony?! Are you hearing what our son's are saying?!" Lara said and looked at Anthony who was sitting on the sofa beside his father watching calmly.
"Yes, yes I am." He said staring at her with emotionless eyes.
"And you aren't going to discipline them for disrespecting me as their mother?!" She asked angrily.
"And have you ever became a mother to them? What they are saying is true, first of all you were never a mother to them ever! Second, if Lia hadn't come back home this house wouldn't even feel like one. Third, my sons felt more at home back in Spain in the first time in their lives when we found Lia and the Del Campo Family treated them better than you ever did. And lastly, I can and will side and agree with them in this one as I can see it from my own eyes, the difference between how Eva treats not only my sons and daughter but everyone in my family compared to how you treat them. So don't coming running to me to discipline them about not treating you as their mother because you never were and never was their mother, your only role in their life is you were their egg donor and the woman that gave birth to them. Nothing more, nothing less." Anthony said standing up and taking stalking steps towards Lara whom was stepping back.
Antonio taught his sons and grandsons to never disrespect any women or child or any gender for that matter, no matter what the reason is. Whether verbally, physically, mentally or spiritually as they hated it when people do that to them so they don't do it onto others. But he knew that his son Anthony has had enough, he put up with Lara for far too long. Anthony told him about the conversation that he and Lia heard Lara was having and he was more than enraged. He wanted to kill Lara with his bare hands but they knew better than to kill her too early, they could still use her for something.
"I am your wife! How dare you speak like that to me?!" Lara said as her heart broke after hearing what Anthony had said about her.
"Not anymore, I was thinking of doing this on Friday but after everything that you just did and said? I didn't know that I'd do this earlier than Friday." Anthony said taking our his phone and texting someone.
"What are you talking about?" Lara asked.
"Let's end this, it's been 23?24 years? I've had enough and have put up enough with you, I'm filing for a divorce, all you have to do is sign it as I already have and leave." He said as Savier came in with the divorce papers in hand giving it to Anthony before bowing and leaving.
As much as Savier wants to stay and watch the show, it was a private matter regarding his bosses and that would be disrespectful as his bosses always valued his privacy so he should too.
"Why?! We were happy, we were a family before that bitch of a daughter of yours came and ruined our lives!" Lara shouted and everyone stood up protectively after hearing what she said about their princess.
"Don't you dare bring our Triplet to blame, she has nothing to do with you being the worst mother any person could ever have!" Carter and Caleb shouted together glaring at Lara.
"I am divorcing you not because of my daughter, I'm divorcing you because I love someone else." Anthony said and looked at Eva then smiled at her as she smiled back. Everyone one was smirking happily except for Lara who was glaring at her step sister.
"YOU?! YOU ALWAYS RUIN EVERYTHING!!!" She yelled before running at Eva pouncing at her like a wild animal. She would have clawed Eva with her long manicured nails if it hadn't been for Ashton and Augusto holding her back by the arms restricting her from moving those. "YOU ARE ALWAYS THE REASON FOR EVERYTHING IN MY LIFE!!!!" Lara screamed like a mad woman with some tears rolling down her eyes.
Eva stood infront of her calmly. "I never did anything to you sister. You yourself is the reason why everything in your life is upside down. You are the reason why everything in your life is miserable." She said calmly. Eva thought she heard a car pull up outside but she didn't mind it thinking it was just her imagination but boy was she wrong.
( This is the part where Lara was taunting Eva in the last part of the previous chapter.) Eva WAS hurt after what her older step sister said but she didn't take it to heart as she always did. But what shocked her and everyone was Lia coming in between the chaos and slapping her mother showing her family her bad bitch and aggressive side for the second time after the ambush in HA.
Back to Present:
Lara was sprawled on the floor shocked and held her right cheek which was burning really bad and looked at Catalia who was standing infront of her looking at her coldly.
A pang went through her heart seeing the way her daughter was looking at her, not like the usual one where her eyes held hope and softness that she was used to. Now all she could see coldness and it showed no emotion or remorse for what she did to her mother. Not that Catalia felt any.
Lara stood up angrily confronting her. "How dare you?! What right do you have to slap me?! I am your mother you ungrateful brat!!!" Lara shouted at her. But Lia remained calm and croseed her arms leaning on one leg.
"Mother? You call yourself my mother after everything that you said and did to me? Yes you may be my birth mother but the only people that I treat as my mother are my Mama Valentine, Nana Rosie and Eva. As far as I know your name isn't on the list." Lia said before she could react Lara slapped her face quickly and was about to do it again but someone stopped her.
Liza held Lara's wrist in her hand before slapping her on the face. "Slap my sister once, I slap you back. Slap my sister twice, and you are six feet under I can assure you than." She said angrily and protectively. She wasn't supposed to interfere but after Lara slapped her baby sister she knew she had to.
Lara was supposed to go off on her but a voice stopped them. "Lara zip it! Just sign the divorce papers and go!" Grandma Tali shouted standing beside Nana Rosie who was looking at Lara with narrowed eyes.
Lara knew she had no other choice but to sign the papers, but she knew she had to think of a plan to get revenge. She snatched the paper from Anthony and signed it with the ballpen that was with it and threw it to Anthony's face.
"Here, thove it down your throats. But I am warning you, I will get what I deserve whether by force or not I will bring this family down!" She shouted and ran up to their room and states packing. After a few minutes she came down with two suitcases and walking to the door without a second glance at everyone that was watching her.
As she arrives at the front door it suddenly opened reveling Valentine and Roberto with Connor and Miles behind them. Valentine saw Lara with suitcases in hand and then looked at the Rossi Family then at the papers on the floor, piecing it all up in her mind before smirking and looking at Lara.
"Leaving so soon? Didn't even have the courtesy on waiting for your guests first before leaving?" She teased as Lara's nostrils flared at her comment. " I just wanna know, are you leaving temporarily? Or permanently? Just so we all could get a heads up!" Valentine said before smirking looking down on Lara slightly as she was in flats and was naturally talk herself.
Lara huffed angrily before shoving past then out of the house as everyone followed. When they all came out they saw Lara trying to open the cars but to no avail.
"Stop trying as those won't open because those are our property so you have no right to use them without our permission." Ezra said speaking for the first time after enjoying watching the confrontations. Lara screamed in frustration before pulling her suitcases to the front gate and getting into the taxi that happened to be passing by.
As they got the confirmation from the security that she left everyone sighed of relief and smiled.
"So... Is it true that you're in love with someone Dad?" Catalia asked and looked at her Dad with raised eyebrows as everyone else smirked looked at them while Anthony smiled proudly and nodded. "Who? Eva?" She asked excitedly, as her brothers looked at him excited as well.
"Yup we've been in a relationship." Anthony said and slung his arm over Eva's shoulder who was also smiling happily as she didn't have to hide being in a relationship with him anymore.
"How long?" Uncle Franco asked while everyone walked back inside. They all went to the kitchen to drink water and eat. As they all settled down and started eating Anthony answered.
"8 years..." Everyone was surprised at that. The ones drinking water accidentally sprayed it out of their mouth, the ones eating started choking on it and coughing while pounding their chests to get it out, the others looked at him shocked spoons and forks fell out of their hand's grip.
Once everyone was good they all shouted.
"8 YEARS AND YOU ONLY TELL US ABOUT THIS NOW?!"
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CATALIA'S POV:
I was currently in my room glaring daggers at Dad who was sitting on the edge of my bed while I sat on the desk chair. I was with our Uncles, Grandpa, Papa, Blake, Blaze, Dylan, Maddox, Elijah, Ezra, Caleb and Carter who was also glaring at Dad.
"Well? Are you going to explain why you didn't tell us about this brother?" Uncle Nico asked impatiently while tapping his foot on the floor.
"Well... Uhmm..." Dad said stuttering.
"LOUDER!" Me and my brothers shouted causing him to Juno and glare at us but we glared back at him causing him to sigh.
"Ok so it all started on Caleb and Carter's 7th birthday, I was looking for a gift to give them both at mall in California. I was looking through a book store when I literally bumped into her. At first I didn't recognize her as she had different haircut and hair color but when I started at her face that was when we recognized each other.
"After that we just clicked back and we started going out for a few days a month, then after that we just hit it off and went back to where we left off back in highschool." Dad explained as we all sighed.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Uncle Dan asked sitting down beside Dad on the bed. Dad sighed.
"I wasn't ready, as well as Eva to tell it to you guys. As my sons that time we're still little and we were still searching for Lia so we thought to not tell it for a while as alot of things were happening back then." Dad said rubbing his face with his hands before looking back up. "I'm sorry I didn't plan on keeping it a secret for this long, it only felt unfair that I was happily in a relationship while my family was depressed while longing for their little princess to come back home." He said looking down.
We all sighed at him before sitting close to him. "Son, not because everyone around you is sad doesn't mean you don't have the right to be happy. Everyone deserves to be happy." Grandpa said patting Dad's back.
"You deserve to be happy Tony, you have been miserable almost all of your married life. A little sunshine never hurt nobody." Papa said comfortingly. Dad nodded as we all smiled at him.
"I guess we have a new mom then?" Elijah and Ezra said excitedly.
"Not like we haven't called her that yet for the past few days she's been here." Dylan said nonchalantly. We all laughed at that.
"So.... When's the wedding?" Me, Carter and Caleb asked excitedly. We all looked at Dad expectedly.
"I was planning on proposing to her on my birthday. I hope she says yes." Dad said with a smile on his face.
"Oh I'm sure she'll say yes, you both have been together for 8 years and have in love with each other since highschool." Maddox said comfortingly and assuringly.
"Then I'll get ready for the planning of the wedding!" I said excitedly. As everyone except Papa looked at me curiously.
"Why Princess? We could just hire a wedding organizer." Dad said as they all nodded. Me and Papa looked at each other before laughing.
"If you're looking for a wedding organizer, then you're looking at one right now." Papa said as I nodded. Everyone looked surprised.
"I thought you were an events photographer?" Blake and Blaze asked.
"Well I'm also an event organizer as the job requires it." I said.
"And she has had alot of job offers from different people, either big time or simple for different events big or small. Outside and inside Europe everyone wants her to handle their events. But she always declined as she only does it for inside Spain only." Papa said proudly. As my family looked at me with raised eyebrows and a smirk on their face showing that they are proud.
"Alright enough! Let's go! The female population of this family is surely waiting for us as well as our herd of monkeys- looking cousins." I said as we all stood up walking to the door.
"Hey that is very offensive." Grandpa said looking at me sternly. "To the monkeys, they wouldn't want to be compared to creatures like them." He added as we all wheezed at what he said coming down from the stairs.
"Why you all laughing?" Shemaiah asked with an eyebrow raised. We all shook our heads and looked around spotting Eva sitting beside Aunt Sophia. Me and my brothers looked at each other before nodding and screaming all together.
"MOM!!!!" And ran to Eva then engulfed her in a group hug. She was shocked at first but she immediately relaxed and hugged us all back the best she could. Everyone was happy as seeing us finally calling someone mom.
Once that was done, I got out from the hug and went to Mama who was sitting in between Reka and Liza. "Mama! I missed you!" I said and hugged her.
"Oh! My baby I missed you too!" She said and hugged me back equally as hard.
"Hey! Hey! Hey! You're having a huggy session yet both of you didn't think of inviting us?" We heard Papa and we looked at him looking at us with a teasing glare and pout. We all laughed at him as he walked closer and engulfed me and Mama. I looked at Liza and Nana and told them to join us which they happily agreed and joined the hug.
After that we all had a fun and problem free night. We all had fun and talked alot.
"Ok, since it's late why don't we all get some sleep especially you guys Roberto, you guys just arrived." Dad said standing up. I was currently sitting in between Nana and Reka, my hand was intertwined in her her's and my head was leaned on her shoulder.
"You guys take the extra guest rooms close to Lia's room." Dad said as I looked at him curiously.
"I thought we didn't have anymore guest rooms that's why Reka is sleeping in mine?" I asked with a raised eyebrow as Dad smiled at me sheepishly.
"Well I knew you wanted to sleep together so I decided to tell that to you guys and reserve the extra rooms for the rest ofghe guests. And besides you didn't even complain about it, so there's no problem here." Dad said shrugging his shoulders as I looked at him with narrowed eyes and pursed lips.
Time skip to the night before Dad's Birthday:
It was the day of Dads Birthday tomorrow. And me and Eva were in the kitchen making the cakes for Dad's birthday. We were planning on making 3 cakes and cupcakes. I was making the batter for the cakes and Eva was the icing.
"Shit! We're out of flour and eggs." I said as I was looking through the cabinets.
"We're all out?" Eva asked looking at the cabinets as well. "Aw shit! Don't worry I'll go buy outsi-" She was cutted when the oven timer went off.
"Don't worry, I'll go. It's just a few blocks from here so I can do it." I said taking off my apron.
"No! It's dangerous, I-. " She said but I cutted her off saying reassuringly.
"It's alright don't worry, I can handle it. I've done it multiple times." I said and smiled she was reluctant to agree but she did, she said to stay away from dark places and always stay in light areas.
I said sure and went upstairs to get my wallet and a jacket as I was wearing pajamas. I looked at Reka who was sleeping on my bed and smiled. I walked to her before moving her hair away from her forehead and kissing it. A sleepy smile crept on her face as I did, I gave her head scratchies before getting up and walking out the door.
I informed Eva that I was going out and she said to be careful again. I said I will and even showed her the little taser in my wallet just in case. As I stepped out of the house the cold breeze immediately enveloped me and it helped me relax the way it also used to back in Spain.
As I exited the gate the guards there immediately said that they will accompany me but I declined and said I could handle. I went to the grocery store a few blocks from the house but unfortunately it was closed, remembering that I still had one more option, the convenience store down the street, I decided to go there as it was a 24/7 open store.
As I was walking there I was admiring the beauty of the evening. It was peaceful and calm, but that was until I noticed a presence behind me. I looked back and saw 2 drunk looking men following me and looking at me as if I was a meal. I looked back to the front and started walking more quickly.
As I walked more quickly I heard the men behind me walking quickly too as if catching up with my strides. As I arrived at the convenience store I saw a male standing by the door entrance with his phone beside his ear. I did the only stupid thing that came into my mind, and I hope it works.
I ran up to him and hugged him from behind as he was standing with his back towards me. "Hey babe! Have you been waiting long? Sorry I'm late." I said in the most cheerful voice I could muster as my hands were literally shaking because of the fear I was experiencing.
The man looked at me curiously with the phone still beside his ear. "I'll call you back." He said before putting down the phone. "Do I-." Before he could finish I spoke quietly.
"Help me please, behind me." I said quietly. He immediately looked behind me to see the two drunk men standing by the dark area obviously trying to hide.
I could hear the growl coming from his chest as he narrowed his eyes on them. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders protectively before saying loudly. "Do we have a problem here gentlemen? Why are you following my girl?" He asked and looking at then angrily.
The two men grunted and walked away grunting something under their breathe. I was looking away from them as my body was still shaking from anxiety and fear.
"They're gone now, are you ok?" He asked looking at me worriedly but I was still looking down. He held my arms before noticing it was shaking and my breathing started to quicken and it was hard to breathe. "Hey! Hey? Come on, calm down. Look at me." He said lifting my chin with his fingers. "They're gone ok? They won't be able to do anything to you anymore ok?" He said as I nodded trying to regain my breath. "Just focus into my eyes, and follow my lead. Breathe in..." He said breathing in with me. "Breath out..." I said as I let out a shaky breath. "One more time... Breathe in... Breathe out... You're doing good." He said in a calm voice and held my hands massaging the back of it which helped my calm down.
After a few minutes, I finally regained my calmness but my hands were still slightly trembling. He helped wipe the tears from my eyes that came out as I sniffed.
"Here, take my hanky." He said handing me his hanky, I looked at him warily first before he nodded and smiled at me. "Take it, you can barely breathe with all that mucus in your nose." He said lightly as I let out a short laugh. I took his hanky and blew my nose, he said that I can have it and don't mind returning it.
"What are you even doing here late at night? And alone for that matter?" He asked.
"I was supposed to buy some stuff from the grocery store back there but it was closed, so I decided to just walk my way her to this store and buy it here as it was a 24/7 store. As I was walking here that we when those men followed me, as I arrived you were the first person I saw so a thought came to mind to act as if I know you so that they would stop following me and back off." I explained to him as he nodded understandingly.
"Well then let's go buy the stuff that you need." He said opening the door of the store as I looked at him flabbergasted.
"What?" I asked as he raised his eyebrows at me.
"After what happened you didn't really think I would leave you alone again once the left?" He asked and I said yes I did as he sighed. "Well I'm not. We both will get what you need from this store and I will walk you back to your home, wherever it is. I won't be able to sleep at night, knowing that I left you alone after this incident and something could happen." He said and gestured for me to be the first one to go inside. I was shocked but thankful for his concern and entered.
I got one basket but as I was about to walk towards the aisles, he snatched it from me and held to it. I was about to say I ciukd do it but one look from him and I shut up. As I took the necessary ingredients that I needed I could feel that he was studying me as he was looking at me with narrowed eyes and scrunched eyebrows.
As we were at the cashier I paid for the things I bought before he could take out money from his wallet that he also took out. I took the one bag before he could as he continued to protest that he should carry it but I denied. We both walked in silence as we walked to the direction of my home. I couldn't help but stare at his face as it seemed really familiar I just don't know how and why.
A while ago I caught a glimpse of something light colored around his wrist, it was like a shade of green? But I wasn't sure about that. Something in me felt nostalgia as I kept walking beside him.
"I might melt from all that staring that you are doing you know?" He said smirking at me, I smirked back and looked to the front.
"Don't mind me, you just make me vaguely remember someone. I just can't out my finger on who. " I said as he nodded and looked back to the front. A few minutes later we arrived a block from my house and I looked at him. "This is my stop!" I said slightly smiling.
"I said I would walk you to your HOME, not the SIDE of you home." He said stressing on the word home.
"I wouldn't come to the front if I were you, the security here is tight and if they see you they might question it and call my family, especially my Dad. And I do not want anymore drama for tonight." I said as we both laughed quietly. He looked down before looking back up while nodding.
"Ok, atleast I now that this is your home. At least I know that you're safe." He said. I nodded looking down.
"Yeah, and thanks again for... You know... A while ago..." I said looking back up as he smiled and waved no problem.
"I guess you should go in now, your family might be waiting. Get some rest, what happened to you shook you up really bad and used up all your energy. " He said stepping back but still facing me.
"Yeah you too, you should get some rest as well. And thank you again, I would never get tired of saying that." I said also stepping back, we waved at each other before I turned my back ready to leave when he called me back. "Yeah?"
"I didn't get your name? " He said unsure himself as I laughed.
"I'll tell mine if you tell you're?" I suggested as he nodded and said sure. "You first."
"Hades. And yours?" He said extending his hand. I took it before saying my name.
"Cat." And shook his hand. We both nodded and smiled at each other before we went on our separate ways.
Well this has been an eventful night...
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Hey Flowers 🌼! So new chapter how was it? It just took me less than a day to make it and I am proud of my work!
Thank you Flowers so much for more than 55k+ views and almost 2k votes for this book!!!
Anywho, how was the divorce? Alot of you have been asking for it, and I have granted your wishes.
Did you like Eva? What about ' Hades ' ? You think he's a good guy or bad guy?
Next chapter a new secret will be revealed from Lia's past, you guys best get ready.
Till then, If you guys have any suggestions for the upcoming chapters, comment it or message me the suggestion.
Feel free to vote and leave a comment if you want. And if you could, please share this story to others.
See you guys in Chapter 29!
Stay safe, stay happy and stay healthy!
Love you guys!!!
-kittykat_1605
<3
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