𝒟𝒾𝒶𝓂𝑜𝓃𝒹𝓈 𝐼𝐼

𝐻𝒾𝓇𝒶𝑒𝓉𝒽

Tokyo Japan, Mina's POV.

I'm freaking out.

And no, it's not an exaggeration.

One moment I was being yelled at by my parents and the next, I ended up meeting my long lost daughter.

While I'm well aware that everything is meant to be, traveling to Japan and finding Alaia right away seemed a little too good to be true.

I thought she was dead, but she's right here in my arms.

But there's still a strange feeling lurking around my head as time goes by.

Why did Leonardo just leave?

And why did the pilot send me on a flight to Japan, even though no one really knows I'm Leonardo De Luca's wife?

I wanted to know the truth as my mind ran in circles, back and forth, but we all know the truth is never revealed till the end.

Holding Alaia in my arms is such a different feeling.

It feels good.

But it also feels strange.

I mean, what if someone air strikes us at this very moment?

As I was occupied by these ridiculous thoughts, a small voice spoke from my lap.

"H-how did you know w-where I was? Did Matteo tell you t-that I was here?" Alaia asked gently.

I was honestly about to tell Alaia that I thought she was six feet deep in a grave right now, but I kept my mouth shut.

The Alaia I imagined in my head was ten thousands different than the Alaia in front of me.

She was beautiful and definitely resembled Leonardo, but the rest of her face and mannerisms came from someone else.

Her hair was brown and curly, just like Gabriella's and her eyes were panda like, similar to Leonardo's.

"I umm, I just had feeling! Now uhh, who's that guy that dropped you off? I've never heard of Matteo before!"

Alaia sighed and awkwardly touched her hair before hopping off of my lap and onto the bed.

She just seemed so....nervous!

"Sorry for touching you. I know I'm still a stranger." Alaia said guiltily.

Oh shit.

I know exactly who Alaia reminds me of.

Myself.

I remember apologizing to Kai whenever I even brushed my finger against his!

If this poor girl was anything like me, then she's doomed.

"No, you're not a stranger! You're my.... m-my uhm
my daughter? Right?"

Well, that was awkward.

"You really think so? You're actually going to accept me? Are you sure? Do you really want too?" Alaia said nervously.

Okay yeah, Alaia's definitely my daughter.

She overthinks, just like me!

But her demeanor makes me feel angry.

The way she's acting and talking was learned.

Alaia reminds me of my old self, when Kai and my parents molded me into this weak, fragile, delicate girl who took everyone's shitty words, attitudes, and punches.

But I'm not that girl anymore.

And I'll make sure Alaia heals, just like I did.

After Alaia backed up toward the bed, I carefully sat beside her, and stroked her long dark hair, hoping to get her to open up to me.

"Of course I'm sure! It's not everyday that I meet a beautiful girl like yourself! Now tell me a little about who Alaia De Luca is. If you're comfortable of course!"

(End of Mina's POV, Back to 3rd Person)

Alaia's cheeks flushed as Mina spoke and she awkwardly laid her head against her shoulder before finally getting the courage to speak.

"Well, I'm going to turn eight on the first of September. And uhh, I like earrings but I don't have my ears pierced. Other than that, then there's nothing interesting about me." Alaia said smiling.

Mina gently nodded and continued to stroke Alaia's head as she stared at the wall above her.

Though their confrontation seemed awkward, both Mina and Alaia were comfortable.

They didn't know much about one another, but felt comforted in each other's presence.

Alaia quickly moved her head from Mina's shoulder and laid onto the bed, hoping Mina would follow.

Alaia patiently waited for Mina to lay beside her, hoping that she could finally ask her all the questions she'd been wondering her entire life.

As Mina sat still in her thoughts, she saw Alaia laying on the bed and slowly laid beside her.

"So....how are you, Mina? Or, should I call you mommy? Or should I just call you miss?" Alaia said awkwardly.

"You can call me whatever you want Alaia. And I'm okay. My mind is just going crazy right now." Mina said blankly.

"Oh, okay. Well, why did you come to Japan all by yourself? Did someone send you here to find me?" Alaia asked curiously.

Mina sighed and got up from the bed before removing her hijab.

She knew Alaia just wanted to get to know her, but Mina was stressing at the moment.

"Can I be honest with you Alaia?" Mina said tiredly.

Alaia hopped up and quickly nodded as she admired Mina's beauty.

Even though she knew about different cultures, Alaia had never seen someone like Mina in Japan.

She was absolutely mesmerized!

Mina slowly walked toward Alaia and bent down to match her height, gently holding her hands before speaking.

"The entire world believes that Alaia De Luca is dead. I didn't mean to come to Japan, and I also didn't think you were alive."

Instantly, Alaia's face dropped.

So Kaya and Matteo's plan really worked?

Everyone thought she was dead?

Even Angelina?

Mina noticed Alaia's discomfort and gently scooped her up before speaking once more.

"But even though I didn't mean to come, I'm glad I did. I know everything feels strange right now, but we'll get through it together. How does that sound?"

A small smile rose from Alaia's face as Mina spoke.

For the first time in forever, Alaia had someone to lean on.

Maybe, just maybe Alaia could be happy for once.

"That sounds....amazing! But now, what do we do?" Alaia asked curiously.

Mina sighed in exhaustion as Alaia spoke and glanced out of the window where the sun slowly rose.

She tiredly hopped into the bed and patted onto the pillow beside her, ushering Alaia to join.

"I know it probably isn't your bedtime, but I'm exhausted. Can you please try falling asleep, or lay in bed for a few hours? I'll turn on the television if you want!" Mina yawned.

Alaia happily joined Mina and shook her head, hoping Mina would get her well needed rest until the new day began.

Mina smiled and sleepily patted Alaia's head before failing into a deep sleep.

Her soft snores were comforting to Alaia's ears and slowly helped the small girl fall asleep within seconds.

And for the first time in a really longtime, Alaia dreamt.

She dreamt about all the wonderful things in the world.

Earrings, cupcakes, and Mina.

****************

As much as Leonardo wanted to stay with Mina all day long, he knew giving her some time to take care of herself was needed.

He happily waited outside the airport restroom with Bella in his arms and watched the planes take off in excitement.

"Then after this, we'll go back to daddy's country! You're going to love Sicily, mi amor! When we get there, I'll show you Noni Valentina's jewelry!" Leonardo gushed.

Bella smiled at her father's excited expression and stared at him with admiration as they waited for Mina to finish.

Even though leaving from home to home was tiring, Leonardo was extremely excited to go back to Sicily.

For some strange reason, Leonardo felt that Sicily would finally be the place he and his family would thrive.

Staring into Bella's big, beady eyes only fueled Leonardo's excitement for Sicily.

There he knew Bella would be safe from all their enemies and Mina could finally breathe.

It was absolutely perfect.

Though as Bella and Leonardo happily stared into each others eyes, a small ball rolled towards them.

Leonardo perked a brow in confusion and slowly picked up the ball in curiosity until his heart dropped in realization.

This was no toy.

It was a bomb waiting to explode.

Within seconds, Leonardo placed Bella onto the floor and was about to run until Emiliano exited the bathroom.

"EMILIANO TAKE HER TO THE PLANE, FAST!" Leonardo shouted frantically.

Emiliano confusedly perked a brow in confusion before Leonardo pointed to the ball in his hand.

"OH SHIT! RUN CUGINO, RUN!" Emiliano exclaimed.

Almost immediately, Leonardo ran through the airport, his hair blowing in the wind and long legs going faster than Tommy seeing a lollipop.

Both Salvatore and Carlo watched in confusion

Leonardo finally made it out of the airport, although the beeping only got louder and louder as he stood beside a bridge.

Instead of throwing it into the water like a normal person, Leonardo jumped off the bridge with the bomb in hand.

"A MUSLIM MAN HOLDING A BOMB ISN'T HELPING ME RIGHT NOW! WHY WON'T YOU EXPLODE?" Leonardo said angrily.

"LEO? WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THE WATER?" Salvatore asked confused.

Leonardo groaned and threw the bomb across the bay in exhaustion while Carlo slapped his head in realization.

"There's the toy I bought for Tommy! It rolled away from me after I left the shop!" Carlo exclaimed.

Both Leonardo and Salvatore sighed in annoyance as Carlo spoke.

And of course it had to be Leonardo who jumped off of a bridge to try and save everyone from "the bomb."

After a quick swim back to land, Leonardo ran through the airport soaking wet to get back to Mina and onto the plane.

As Leonardo walked toward the women restroom, Carlo shouted from afar.

"IT'S TIME TO GO, LEO! LUCIA DID A HEADCOUNT AND YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE MISSING! COME ON!"

Leonardo sighed and sluggishly walked to the plane with exhaustion, wanting nothing more than to dry off and sleep.

The moment the plane doors closed, something felt off.

Really off.

Leonardo went to an empty cabin in the jet and quickly changed his clothes before looking for Mina.

Since the private jet carried the entire De Luca family, it was quite hard to tell who was who.

But after five minutes of walking around, Leonardo realized Mina was nowhere to be seen.

"Has anyone seen Amina?" Leonardo asked curiously.

The entire room shook their heads, until Lucia gasped in realization.

"I forgot to count Mina in the headcount! WE LEFT HER AT THE AIRPORT!" Lucia exclaimed.

Almost immediately, Leonardo's stomach dropped and he quickly ran towards the pilot.

They had to turn back.

Mina was in a foreign country all alone!

"TURN THE PLANE, NOW." Leonardo hissed.

"He can't turn the plane right now Leo! We just took off. It'd take at least an hour before we make it back to the airport!" Salvatore exclaimed.

Leonardo huffed and stormed back to his seat in anger as Bella happily crawled alongside the couch.

Even though Mina was grown woman, being a woman alone was enough for her to be in danger.

They couldn't take any chances!

"Oh calm yourself ya big baby! I'm sure Mina is doing just fine. She's a grown woman who knows her way around. But I will say, Finnish men do love submissive wives." Gabriella smirked.

Though Leonardo knew Gabriella was trying to get under his skin, he couldn't help but cringe at the thought of other men trying to go for his woman.

They had to go back to Finland and FAST.

For Mina's and, Leonardo's sake.

******************

The world felt like a simulation.

In fact, Kai believed it was a simulation his entire life.

Although seeing, hearing, and feeling Kenji wiped away all the doubt Kai had about the world.

In a matter of months, his entire life was flipped upside down, yet Kai remained sane for his own sake.

But now?

How could Kai remain a sober minded man after meeting his deceased brother after all these years?

Before Kai could say another word, Angelina pushed him out of the way and jumped into Kenji's arms.

"KENJI, YOU'RE ALIVE!" Angelina cried.

Both Katie and Kaya took a deep breath in relief as they laid eyes on Kenji.

This wasn't real.

It couldn't be!

In the midst of all the chaos, Kenji only had his eye on one person.

His woman, Angelina.

"K-kenji! You're h-here! Y-you found me!" Angelina cried.

"A-Angelina. I can't believe it's really y-you. You've been h-here this whole t-time?" Kenji said shakily.

As the couple reunited, Sora remained somber on the floor crying, yearning, for her dear father Hiroshi.

Though Kai wanted to pay attention to his brother, Sora's helpless cries brought him back to his senses.

He sat on the floor beside Sora and held her tight, feeling a sense of euphoria as his fiancé and brother arrived in Japan at such a chaotic moment.

Kai slowly pulled Sora away from Hiroshi's bloody body and gave her a small kiss to comfort her, thought it didn't seem to help much.

"HE'S DEAD! HE'S D-DEAD! WHO DID THIS? TELL ME NOW!" Sora shouted angrily.

Sora angrily pulled out a knife and waited for someone to admit their fault, but the entire room stayed silent.

Angelina flinched from Sora's eyes and was about to confess until someone spoke from across the room.

"I did. I killed your father, Sora Tanaka." Leni smirked.

Within seconds, Sora lunged at Leni with her knife but Leni backed away and rolled her eyes.

"Why would you do that? WHY ARE YOU SO EVIL?" Sora cried.

After hearing Sora's angry cry, Leni began laughing.

How dare the daughter of Hiroshi Tanaka call her evil?

Hiroshi was no less evil then his favorite man, Kazuya.

There was absolutely no way Leni would take Sora's words lightly.

"I'm evil? I'M EVIL? EVIL IS YOUR FATHER. EVIL IS KAZUYA. DON'T YOU DARE CALL ME EVIL WHEN YOUR FATHER HAS REIGNED HELL ON MY SON SINCE THE MOMENT HE TOOK HIS FIRST BREATH!" Leni shouted angrily.

Sora tensed as Leni shouted and Kenji quickly took his focus off Angelina.

Kenji held his breath as he stared into Leni's ferocious brown eyes.

She always ready to defend her family no matter what.

It was the reason she was still alive after all these years.

"I-i know b-but-"

"AND YOU. HOW DARE YOU HIDE FROM THE WORLD AND CAUSE PAIN FOR LEONARDO DE LUCA? HOW FUCKING SICK ARE YOU?" Leni hissed.

Kenji tensed and looked down at the floor while Angelina shrugged.

For some reason, Angelina felt...bad.

Depriving Alaia from Leonardo all these years was for nothing.

Kenji was alive and Leonardo was innocent.

"I'm sorry. I just couldn't come back and face you. My father is evil, so you know exactly why I hid."Kenji said lowly.

Leni scoffed and walked out of the room in a fit of anger while Kai felt a pang in his heart.

All this time, Leonardo was telling the truth.

All this time, Kai hated him for nothing.

"Kenji, where have you been? We all deserve an explanation." Katie asked gently.

The entire room felt suffocating as each person laid eyes on Kenji.

He couldn't take the pressure of being the spotlight.

He was the second son.

The second son was never in the spotlight.

"I-i I've been in New York with uhm, Leonardo. But I lied, I lied so much to everyone and I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for bringing you all pain. I wanted to come back, but everyone moved on! I couldn't just come and ruin your lives!" Kenji exclaimed.

Almost immediately, Kai scoffed.

How dare Kenji invalidate everyone including Kai's feelings the entire time he was gone?

Nobody felt the way Kai felt when Kenji was supposedly dead.

He blamed himself for everything.

Kenji's "death" turned Kai into a monster.

And in the end, Kai hurt someone dear to him, which would forever be unforgivable.

"Everyone moved on? I NEVER MOVED ON KENJI! I BLAMED MYSELF, I WANTED TO FUCKING END EVERYTHING! YOU TURNED ME INTO THIS MONSTER BY LEAVING! YOU MADE ME HURT MINA THE WAY I DID!" Kai hissed.

Kenji's eyes widened as Kai angrily shouted at him.

He knew Leni would be angry at him, but Kai?

Kai was never angry at him.

Angelina perked a brow in curiosity at the name Mina.

She could've sworn she heard it before!

"I'm sorry Kai. I'm so, so sorry." Kenji said looking down.

Kai scoffed and dragged Sora away from Hiroshi's body before leaving the room and pushing Kenji to the wall in anger.

Kaya quickly ran towards Kenji in excitement while Angelina stood still in her thoughts.

She could see that Kenji was hurting, but it still didn't take away the pain she had in her heart.

Alaia was still gone.

And it wasn't the fact that Alaia was no longer on the planet that irked Angelina.

It was the fact that Leonardo never got a chance to see her, all because Angelina believed Kenji was dead.

Soon enough, everyone left the room but Angelina, Kenji, and Katie.

Kenji glanced at Kazuya's lifeless face and shivered while Katie gently lifted up his head and spoke.

"Do what you're good at Kenji. Go hide."

"Hide? Why do I have to hide? I'm back! I want Japan to know their underboss is here!" Kenji said gently.

Katie sighed and shook her head before pulling Angelina towards Kenji.

"I don't want Kazuya knowing you're back too. Hide him Angelina. Please." Katie said pleadingly.

Kenji slowly turned to Angelina, who's eyes watered as she thought about Alaia.

Her heart was bleeding, and it just wouldn't stop.

"Why d-didn't you come b-back to me K-kenji? Alaia would've b-been alive if she w-was with Leonardo. HOW COULD YOU DO THIS KENJI?" Angelina cried.

Within seconds, all the color in Kenji's face was gone as he heard Alaia's name.

She was...dead?

Though Kenji believed he was doing everyone a favor by hiding, hearing that Alaia passed away touched him deeply.

For the first time ever, Kenji felt the pain of being a disappointment.

To Angelina, to Kai, and most definitely to Alaia.

*****************

"Hell no. Who do you think I am, woman? I am not giving up my room to Satan's son! Hell, I'd rather get shot in the ass than give up my room!" Jack exclaimed.

Angelina groaned and rolled her eyes at Jack as Kenji stood beside her.

Ever since Angelina found out about Alaia's death, she left the Asahi home and bought a small home to live.

She couldn't bear to stay in the same house as her daughter's murderer.

"Alright then Jack, on your knees." Angelina smirked.

Jack rolled his eyes and threw a pillow at Kenji before storming out of the house.

The moment Angelina brought Kenji to their new humble abode, Jack rolled his eyes to the back of his head in response.

He couldn't stand the Asahi's at all!

They were just so ANNOYING!

Jack angrily drove into the city to get some air and to hopefully find a phone.

All he wanted to do was call Denise.

It had been months since he spoke to his beloved, and Jack was spiraling downhill without her.

With no Alaia to keep him sane, Jack couldn't help it anymore.

He cried and cried all night long for her, hoping to find an escape from this hellhole Angelina called home.

As the rain slowly pattered among the window, Jack sat behind the wheel and teared up.

For the first time ever, Jacquon Smith backed down from a challenge.

There was no way he could live another day in agony without the person he loved most.

As Jack cried alone in the car, someone quickly knocked on his window for help.

Jack looked up and groaned as he saw Matteo soaking in the rain.

He slowly rolled down the window with a frown while Matteo frantically spoke.

"Do you know where Kenji is? OR SORA? They're not at the hideout! Only Denise and the twins are!"

Within seconds, Jack's eyes teared up even more.

Did Matteo just say Denise?

Denise was here?

IN JAPAN?

"W-what do you mean? Denise is here? SHE'S IN JAPAN?" Jack said in disbelief.

Matteo happily nodded and Jack quickly opened the other the door to usher Matteo inside.

"Take me to her, NOW!" Jack exclaimed.

After a long half hour trip to rural Tokyo, Jack quickly hopped out of the car and into the small home.

The moment he laid eyes on Denise, his mouth dropped.

"JACK! OH BABY, IT'S BEEN SO LONG!" Denise cried.

Jack tensed as he felt Denise's bulging belly brush against his stomach and slowly pushed her away.

How could she betray him so?

"Y-you CHEATED ON ME! Who's baby is that? Cause I know damn well it ain't mine! R-right?" Jack said confused.

Denise pursed her lips in annoyance and flicked Jack's head.

He looked so much older than he was six months before.

Coming to Japan aged Jack, terribly.

"Do you see the shape of my stomach? Of course it's your child Jack! We're having a baby! Better yet, we're having a baby girl!" Denise said excitedly.

Almost immediately, Jack's eyes shut and his legs went limp.

Matteo quickly caught him and placed him on the couch while Denise gently touched his overgrown hair.

"Do you know where Sora and Kenji went?" Matteo asked gently.

Jack dizzily nodded as Denise stroked his head and finally spoke.

"The Asahi home."

Matteo held in his anger and grabbed the keys from Jack before angrily driving to the Asahi home.

Of course Kenji didn't listen!

He just had to reveal himself!

Matteo angrily broke a window and was about to jump in until someone pulled him from the behind.

He was about to throw a punch at the mysterious woman, although her comforting voice brought Matteo back to his senses.

"Mama. You're here."

Leni sighed and pulled Matteo into her arms as he took in her scent.

Despite all his actions, Matteo was only seventeen.

He was still a child and needed someone to hold onto.

Matteo sniffled as Leni held him, while Leni gently stroked his thick brown hair, hoping to give him comfort.

"I'm done. I'm ready to go back home. Kazuya will be dead soon. It's the perfect time to reunite with the family Matteo. Just please, don't beg us to stay. I can't do this anymore." Leni cried.

As much as Matteo wanted to object, the stakes were too high.

If Kazuya was dying soon and Alaia was in safe hands, this would finally be the perfect time to leave Japan.

"B-but what about K-Kaya? I can't leave her ma!" Matteo cried.

"You have to. You must! I can't leave you. If you want Kaya, then tell her she has to choose. Come to New York with us, or she gets left behind." Leni said gently.

Matteo nodded and kissed Leni's head as she stared into his beady eyes.

Out of all the features Matteo got from Leni, his eyes were from his father.

So dark and mysterious.

"Okay, I'll ask. I'll see you soon mama. Meet you at the bar?" Matteo said softly.

Leni gently nodded and blew one last kiss to Matteo until he finally entered the home.

The house seemed quiet.

Too quiet.

Matteo quietly walked around the home, checking room to room, although there was no sign of people anywhere.

Although, there was one room where the door was slightly opened and also people inside.

"I want you to sedate him for as long as possible. It's finally time." Katie whispered.

"Okay, I will. But please, tell me if there's any updates on my brother. I want to go back to Vegas, NOW!" Elliott exclaimed.

Matteo's eyes widened as Elliott and Katie spoke.

He quickly shuffled on the other side of the door to hear the rest of their conversation.

"Why aren't you killing him? You know who's waiting." Elliott said angrily.

"Ares, don't start speaking on behalf of him. I call the shots, not him. Now fucking sedate Kazuya and tie him up. I'm going to make sure he suffers." Katie hissed.

Elliott sighed and slowly injected fluids into Kazuya's arm, making him weakly open his eyes.

"K-Katie? Y-you saved me?" Kazuya said weakly.

Upon hearing Kazuya's voice, Katie's angry face was masked with worry and she gently nodded to him.

"Oh Kaz, I've been waiting for you to wake up! Thank God you're okay!" Katie exclaimed.

Elliott awkwardly moved aside as Kazuya weakly pulled Katie into his chest.

It irked him how much Kazuya and Katie hated one another so badly, yet they still showed affection.

"I have something to tell you, daarin." Kazuya heaved.

"Anything!" Katie said gently.

Kazuya tensed and looked around the room before holding Katie's hands and speaking.

"I have cancer. I'm dying Katie."

Almost immediately, both Matteo and Katie gasped, although Matteo's gasp was a lot more quiet.

Kazuya noticed Katie's discomfort and slowly stroked her hair.

He never hated Katie.

He just didn't love her.

Instead, Kazuya loved Lucille.

It wasn't until two years ago that Kazuya finally let go of his love for Lucille and decided to pay attention to the woman who'd been by his side all along.

But now, Kazuya loved Katie.

He regretted the way he treated her all those years ago and wondered why she still stood by him.

"I know it's hard Katherine, but it'll be okay. I promise it'll be okay. Just make sure Kai takes care of you and Kaya. Also, make sure the De Luca's don't win. You are an Asahi. The Asahi's will always win. And you know that you hold the key." Kazuya said warily.

Katie sobbed, shaking her head and laying onto Kazuya's chest in comfort.

Kazuya groaned and rubbed her back before feeling a sharp sensation in his thigh.

"W-what what are you doing?" Kazuya groaned.

Katie glanced at Elliott who smirked widely and wiped her fake tears before pulling the knife out of Kazuya's thigh.

"I know you're dying. But I'm not going to let you have such an easy death after what you've done to my kids and I. Hiroshi isn't here to protect you anymore Kazuya. Say bye bye, honey." Katie smirked.

Almost immediately, Kazuya tried fishing in his pocket to grab a weapon, although he was in a hospital gown.

"HOW DARE YOU! I SHOWED YOU LOVE! YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS KATIE!" Kazuya shouted angrily.

"Sorry sir, but your time is up. You have four more months to live right? Well they won't be four months of peace. You'll have four months of torture. And it will all come from her." Elliott smirked.

Kazuya groaned and tried getting out of bed, although his stab wound was bleeding out far too quickly.

Katie sighed and pushed him back onto the bed until the fluids in his body slowly reached his head, making Kazuya pass out once more.

After Kazuya went quiet, Katie ruffled Elliot's hair and Matteo watched in shock.

"Good job Ares." Katie said smiling.

Elliot nodded and pinched Katie's cheek before replying.

"No, good job to you, mána."

Matteo slowly backed away from the door and tried to run, but he was quickly pulled away and pushed to the wall.

He took a deep breath and prayed before opening his eyes to reveal....

"Oh it's you. Hey." Kaya said awkwardly.

Matteo's eyes widened as Kaya pinned him to the wall and his breath quickened the longer he stared into her eyes.

Even though saying "hi" back seemed like the sane thing to do, Matteo said the one thing he had been planning to say since he entered the home.

"Alaia is with Mina and now that your dad is almost dead, we can escape Japan and go to New York together!"

Instantly, Kaya's eyes widened and her stomach churned.

It was good that Alaia was with Mina, but Kazuya was almost dead?

Kaya didn't know how to feel, especially since it was her ex boyfriend.

Even though they broke up, he still wanted to escape with her?

He still wanted to run away with her?

"What? Just tell me if you want to run! My mom says we have to meet her at the bar before the sun sets. Please Kaya! I c-can't l-leave you." Matteo said tearfully.

Though past Kaya would pledge her allegiance and loyalty to the Asahi family no matter what, this Kaya couldn't help it.

She felt a longing for Matteo and wanted to be with him, and only him.

In her dark, twisted life, Matteo was Kaya's only escape.

As badly as she wanted to stay with her family, Kaya knew she had to run.

Kaya stared into Matteo's glassy eyes before conjoining her lips with his.

Matteo looked dumbfounded as Kaya kissed him, but quickly maintained himself before Kaya finally spoke.

"Yes Matteo, I'll run away with you."

******************

Leonardo felt defeated.

In fact, he was defeated, time and time again.

Losing Angelina hurt, but he got over it.

Losing Alaia hurt badly, but he was optimistic that he'd meet her in the afterlife.

But losing Mina?

Losing Mina hurt the most.

He had no idea where she was, how she was doing, and if she was safe.

Leonardo searched the airport up and down to find her, although the name Amina Ali seemed to be nonexistent.

After being dragged out of the airport by Salvatore, Leonardo was forced back onto the jet and made it to Sicily.

Not even Bella could bring a smile to Leonardo's face, since even she was saddened by her mother's disappearance.

Leonardo stood on the balcony overlooking his entire empire.

His childhood home didn't bring him happiness like it used too, but Salvatore tried his hardest to comfort Leonardo.

"I've got eyes and ears all around the world looking for Mina right now. Don't worry caro, you've got a strong wife! Mina doesn't take shit from anyone. Just try not to worry too much, okay?" Salvatore said  gently.

Leonardo shrugged and continued to the stare at the city.

Yeah Mina was a strong woman, but she was tiny.

A man could easily overpower Mina, even if she used all her strength.

Leonardo couldn't even think about what it'd be like to see someone try and take advantage of Mina again.

First it was Amir, then Marcello.

But in both those times Leonardo was there to save her.

If something like that was happening now, then Leonardo couldn't be there for her.

It felt like a punch in the chest.

"I feel empty pa. So, so empty. How can I sleep without knowing where my wife is?" Leonardo cried.

Salvatore sighed and patted Leonardo's back.

He knew exactly how Leonardo felt.

"You know, I feel the same way about your mother. I don't know where her body is, and I don't even know if she's resting peacefully. But I try not to think about it. I try to think positively. I know that Valentina was a good person and I know that God will have mercy on her." Salvatore said lowly.

Leonardo slowly looked up from the ground and stared at Salvatore, whose eyes were glassy and dark.

Even though Leonardo wanted to cry, he just didn't have it in him.

Salvatore was right.

All Leonardo had to do was think positively!

God would definitely have mercy on Mina, wherever she was.

Leonardo was sure if it.

Since Salvatore brought up Leonardo's mood, he decided to do the same for him.

"Hey pa? Did you always love mama? Or, what I mean is, was mama your first love?" Leonardo asked curiously.

Salvatore quickly wiped his tears and chuckled at Leonardo's question.

"Valentina was my first love, but before her my heart belonged to a woman a few years older than me. Her name was Victoria." Salvatore said smiling.

Leonardo smiled and nodded, though the name Victoria sounded quite familiar.

Before Leonardo could say another word, Salvatore continued to speak.

"She was three years older than me, but everyone in town had a crush on her. Soon enough, Victoria got married and had a child, but the desire for her slowly vanished after she had an affair with a foreigner."

"Oh. Who is the child?" Leonardo asked curiously.

Salvatore tensed and awkwardly stared at the ground as Leonardo waited for an answer.

Telling Leonardo who the child was would probably bring back some bad memories.

"Uhh I won't tell you who the child is, but uhm his father is Mario Romano." Salvatore said lowly.

Instantly, Leonardo's eyes widened.

Victoria's son was....Marcello.

"O-oh. D-do you think his parents know that h-he's uhm, d-dead?" Leonardo said awkwardly.

Salvatore sighed and shook his head as the children played inside.

"Both are dead. Mario murdered Victoria after finding out about her affair and Mario was murdered by Victoria's lover. Actually, don't think too much about it Leo, just forget about all this!" Salvatore exclaimed.

Leonardo's eyes widened in shock and the guilt only consumed him as he realized Marcello was an orphan.

He stood still in his spot, thinking about the way Marcello passed away until shouting was heard from inside.

"LEO COME QUICK, IT'S BELLA!" Gabriella shouted frantically.

Within seconds, both Salvatore and Leonardo ran inside.

Bella dizzily laid in her aunt Gabriella's arms, concerning Leonardo greatly.

"W-what's going on? Is she okay?" Leonardo asked worriedly.

"She was about to fall onto the ground! I thought her walking was just wonky, but it looked like she was dizzy. And I don't know about you, but I've neva seen a dizzy baby before." Gabriella said gently.

Leonardo took a deep breath and carefully pulled Bella out of Gabriella's arms, hoping she'd come back to her senses.

Bella merely stared at Leonardo, though she still looked as if she'd pass out any second.

Within five minutes, the doctor came into the room and asked Leonardo a few questions.

"How many months is she?"

"Ten months."

"Are you her only guardian?"

"No, her mother is on a trip."

The doctor nodded and jotted down Leonardo's answers before asking one final question.

"Do you or your wife have any diseases on either side of the family?"

Suddenly, Leonardo's eyes widened.

Her constant sweet cravings, the sleepless nights, and her low weight made sense.

Leonardo gently ruffled Bella's thick hair and kissed her head before speaking.

"Diabetes. Her mother and my father both have diabetes."

***************

Nausea.

Nausea was all Mina felt as the hotel breakfast filled her nostrils.

Perhaps she was just jet lagged.

"Are you going to eat those? I really really like soufflé pancakes you know!" Alaia said excitedly.

Mina giggled and handed the plate of pancakes to Alaia before running to the bathroom.

She sat above the toilet, waiting for the vomit to arise, though nothing came out.

Alaia quickly finished her food and helped Mina onto the bed before worriedly touching her head.

"Oh no, I think you're coming down with something! You probably have food poisoning!" Alaia said worriedly.

"No, I don't think it's that. Now forget about me, what do you want to do? I know I should be looking for a way back home, but I want to spend as much one on one time with you as possible!" Mina said happily.

Alaia nodded and quickly turned around to giggle.

For some strange reason, Mina made Alaia feel so safe and happy.

When they woke up this morning, Mina held Alaia in her arms.

That never, ever happened to Alaia!

Despite it being less than twelve hours of meeting, Alaia found great comfort in Mina.

All the suffering and crying was worth the wait, especially now that Mina was officially her mother.

Although, Alaia had yet to call Mina mommy.

She was just too nervous!

"How about we go get your ears pierced? We can get matching earrings and even buy some for Bella!" Mina said smiling.

Almost immediately, Alaia began hopping in excitement and from there, the pair were off to all the shops Japan had to offer.

Alaia's was amazed as Mina waited for her to choose a pair of earrings.

She couldn't believe Mina bestowed her the honor to pick one for Bella as well!

"How about these ones? Bella would like them, right?" Alaia asked hopefully.

Mina smiled and touched Alaia's curls.

It seemed as though Alaia was scared of saying certain things around her, and even though Mina wanted her to open up, she decided to give Alaia space.

"You're her older sister. You know what she'd like." Mina said gently.

Alaia quickly nodded and hid a smile before choosing three matching pairs of purple earrings for her, Bella, and Mina.

As the piercer pricked Alaia's ear, Mina held her hand the entire time.

"What else do you like, other than earrings?" Mina asked curiously.

"Dresses. I love dresses!" Alaia said happily.

The words were said, and the card was scanned.

Dozens of dresses, earrings, shoes, and clothes were added to Alaia's collection, all courtesy of her mommy, Mina.

The long walking and shopping made both Mina and Alaia feel exhausted.

They decided to take a bullet train to the hotel, but first they needed to refuel their energy by grabbing a few snacks.

"Hey, I know the owner of this shop! She loves Katie so much!" Alaia said smiling.

Mina perked an eyebrow in confusion as they entered the convenience shop littered with snacks.

"Who's Katie?" Mina said confused.

Within seconds, a woman hopped up from the cashier and smiled upon seeing Alaia.

Mina flinched from the woman's action and pulled Alaia aside until the woman introduced herself.

"Oh hello there little Alaia! It's Aunt Emi, how are you daarin?" Emi, the convenience store woman said happily.

"I'm good miss Emi! Can we please get some sweets please? My uhm.. my dad's wife is feeling a little weak!" Alaia said awkwardly.

Both Emi and Mina glanced at Alaia with confusion until she quickly ran across the isles to avoid the awkward tension.

As Alaia hid, Mina weakly held onto the counter, making Emi concerned.

"Please, please sit down! Are you alright my friend?" Emi asked gently.

"I think so! I've been feeling nauseous for a while, but it must be because of traveling!" Mina reassured.

Emi sighed and nodded, but continued to stare at Mina, very closely.

Mina awkwardly handed Emi a bill as Alaia walked over with a handful a snacks.

"Umm, nice to meet you Emi. We're going to go now,  but.."

"WAIT. COME BACK HERE, NOW!" Emi shouted frantically.

Almost immediately, Mina sat down in fear and quickly pulled Alaia into her lap.

Moments later, Emi came out with a bag, some soup, and water.

"W-what's going on?" Mina asked worriedly.

Emi smiled widely and touched Mina's belly before speaking.

"You're expecting a child my dear friend! Congratulations to you!"

Within seconds, Mina's face dropped.

Was this some type of Japanese tourist trap?

"I-I think I'd know if I'm pregnant or not. And even if I was, how would you know?" Mina said confused.

"I can see it in your eyes! Your skin is glowing and your eyes are beaming! I can assure you that I am correct, especially because I predicted all of Katie's four pregnancies!" Emi exclaimed.

Mina confusedly nodded, but still thought about who this Katie was!

"So, what does this mean?" Alaia asked curiously.

Both Mina and Emi glanced at one another until Emi happily spoke.

"Your...father's wife is having a child! You will have a younger sister Alaia!"

Within seconds, Alaia's eyes widened in shock and Mina confusedly nodded.

Mina realized her cycle was a few days late, but it was still quite strange how Emi knew right away.

"Oh how wonderful! Now tell me, what is your name friend?" Emi asked curiously.

"My name is Mina. Nice to meet you madam." Mina said lowly.

Instantly, Emi's smile was wiped off her face.

Both Mina and Alaia stared at her in confusion once more, thinking about how strange she was.

"You're Mina? Mina, Leonardo De Luca's wife?" Emi asked frantically.

Mina tensed and slowly nodded.

The woman was strange.

Really strange.

"Y-yeah. But what does that have to do with-"

"STAY HERE, NOW! SHE'S COMING TO SEE YOU!" Emi shouted loudly.

Mina quickly grabbed Alaia and tried leaving the store, although Emi shut the doors tight and put several locks on them.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" Mina hissed.

"You must wait for her. She wants to meet you." Emi said smiling.

Alaia shakily held onto Mina in fear and backed away into the corner of the store.

Of course these people would hurt them.

Mina said the name De Luca.

Anything with the last name De Luca attached to it was bound to trouble.

"Mommy? I'm s-scared!" Alaia cried.

Though Mina knew she could kick old Emi's ass, she couldn't risk Alaia or her supposed baby's safety either.

Hearing Alaia say mommy made Mina feel a bit more confident, but they were still at risk.

Mina hugged Alaia tight and kissed her head, whispering, "nothing will happen as long as mommy is here."

As the room felt more and more suffocating, the door to the back finally opened, and a woman emerged from the shadows.

Mina quickly sprung up and held Alaia beside her, until she finally saw the woman's face.

"Well well well, it's nice to meet you Mina." The woman said smiling.

"Who the hell are you?" Mina said angrily.

The woman smiled while Alaia slowly turned around and sighed.

"I'm Katie, your ex mother in law."

Almost immediately, Mina's face dropped in realization.

She had entered the forbidden city.

The city known for being a black hole.

Because once you get in, you can never get out.

Hi friends!! Hope you enjoyed the chapter!!

OMG.

Next month it'll be 5 months since I started this book and I've been slacking soo bad.

Like I've had the worst writers block ever.

I literally just lay in bed all day.

That's it.

Anyways, tomorrow is the first day of school BUT I AM DETERMINED TO BE MORE ACTIVE!

There's a hurricane that came to California and Alhamdulillah there was only a tropical storm that came to my city.

Literally everyone starts school on Tuesday or Wednesday because of the hurricane, but guess who's college doesn't give a shit?

MINE OF COURSE!

Me tmw: ⛈️☔️🧕🏼🏃‍♀️

(UPDATE: THEY CANCELED!!)

I feel like this chapter is soo boring but it's fineee.

I can't believe we're only on chapter 20.

Like I'm so lazy I can't even lift my hand scratch an itch on my face.

For those of you who don't know what Hiraeth means, it's a Welsh (Also known as Cymru) word that means a feeling of longing of a home or missing something that never existed.

How beautiful.

ANYWAY, I'm going to force myself to write until my fingers break and my brain explodes from the ideas.

I just can't take it anymore.

I know wattpad is so dead, but I realize there are so many ppl waiting for me to deliver!

I'm SimplySafs, the best plot twist author ever.

I'm Jk, I only wanted a moment of clarity for myself. 😪

I hope everyone is doing well, but I have a bone to pick with some of y'all.

How come you read Diamonds, but not Diamonds II?

How come you skip a chapter, then move on to another?

How come you don't comment at a plot twist, but gasp on your bed?

But most of all, how come you don't show me the same love I show you? 🥲

JKJKJK

Jk only about the last sentence.

Everything else is VALID.

ALSO, MY OLDER SIS GRADUATED UNIVERSITY!!

Yes everyone, I have another older sister who finished university and it isn't the same one from last time!

But congrats to her!!! 🥳

Cant wait till I'm done.

(Which is probably never)

IM SORRY BELLA!

I feel like it just makes sense for one of Leonardo's children to have diabetes, especially because it's something both Mina and Salvatore struggled with their entire lives!

(Such a lame excuse, I know.)

AND WHOOOHOOO

MINA IS PREGNANT!!

Hopefully this pregnancy will be a little slower than Bella's!

Only ppl who read Diamonds know what I'm talking abt lol.

KATIE AND ELLIOT ARE A LIL SUS.

I wonder what they're planning.

Anywho, I'm going to sign off bcs as I'm writing this authors note, I haven't even finished the chapter!

Look at me multitasking 😏

Love you guys and please STAY SAFE AND SANE!

Make sure you aren't hard on yourself this school year because I'll be taking all the stress for you!

Toodoolooo everyone!

Till next time!!! XoxoSaf