Ah!
Ah!
DIANA'S POV
My face twisted in anguish as I turned and rushed out of the mansion, heading straight to the main entrance. My heart ached with pain and betrayal. I couldn't believe Diego was the man I thought I could trust.
I burst through the front door and sprinted towards the car. Malcolm looked up from his phone, concern etched on his features, as he saw the distress on my face. "Diana, what's wrong?" he asked, but I didn't answer.
I yanked open the car door and slid inside, my voice shaking as I ordered Malcolm to drive. "Get me out of here, Malcolm. Now."
Malcolm's eyes widened in alarm as he saw the tears streaming down my face. He quickly started the car and sped away from the mansion, trying to keep up with my frantic pace.
As we drove, my pain and anger boiled over, my body shaking with sobs. Malcolm tried to comfort me, reaching out to put a hand on my shoulder, but I pushed him away. "Just drive, Malcolm," I whispered, my voice cracking with emotion. "Please, just get me away from here."
As Malcolm drove as far as possible, Diego's calls kept coming, but I rejected them one after another. Finally, I picked up, but I remained silent. "What do you want?" I asked, my voice cold.
"Please, just forgive me and give me a chance to explain," Diego said. "I love you, and that was never a lie. Please let me explain."
I wasn't ready to give him the chance he requested. As Malcolm drove, trying to put as much distance between me and the mansion as possible, I knew I had to get myself to safety. I couldn't rest my life with him if I was still with Diego. I wasn't safe if he was connected to Gideon Wildheart.
As Malcolm sped away, our car was suddenly hit by another vehicle, sending us careening out of control. My world spun around as the car crashed, and I felt a searing pain in my head.
When I came to, my vision was blurry, and I was disoriented. I saw Malcolm lying next to me, his face covered in blood. He tried to call out to me, but his voice was weak.
I tried to reach him and check if he was still alive, but as I struggled to sit up, I saw a man approaching our car. I tried to defend myself, but my body felt weak and unresponsive.
The man took note of the car's damage and checked Malcolm's pulse. He was holding a gasoline can in his left hand and a lighter in his right. I thought it might be someone sent by Diego, but the man's features didn't match anyone I knew.
As my vision cleared slightly, I saw the man's face was covered with a black mask. He checked Malcolm thoroughly, making sure he didn't have any weapons, and then approached me.
My eyes fluttered closed as he knelt beside me, checking my pulse. I felt myself being pulled into darkness, and despite trying to fight it, my body gave out, and I lost consciousness.
My mouth felt sour as my eyes slowly and blurry opened, focusing on the ceiling before me. I tried to force myself to wake up, feeling disoriented. My vision cleared, and I found myself in a dimly lit room. The first people I saw were Mrs. Claire and Olivia sitting beside me, their faces etched with worry.
"Diana, he's got you too," Olivia spoke, her voice clear despite her growing pregnancy.
Before I could process the situation, the door creaked open, and Gideon Wildheart stepped inside. His eyes gleamed with malice as he gazed directly at me. "Welcome back, my darling Diana," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I see you're feeling better now."
I narrowed my eyes, my mind racing with questions. "What do you really want from me and everyone?" I tried to speak, my voice steady.
Gideon smiled. "Oh, I think you know exactly what I want. And you think you can be a big problem for me in getting what I need." He chuckled, his laughter mocking.
My eyes widened in shock as I realized the extent of Diego's betrayal. "Are you working with him?" I asked, my voice barely audible.
Gideon chuckled. "Let's just say Diego is...cooperating with me. And he'll help me gain access to Lorenzo's territory, which has been handed over to you."
"Over my dead body will you ever rule my territory," I declared sharply, my voice strong as I regained my confidence.
"You all seem ungrateful to me," Gideon sneered, his eyes gleaming with malice. "You see me as a wicked person, but I was only trying to bring everyone together for a family reunion. I brought Olivia and her husband from Texas to London for their wedding, and then I got Mrs. Claire to join us. Then I invited you, Diana. Who's next on my invitation list?"
Gideon's men chuckled behind him, and my face twisted in anger and disgust. "You'll never succeed," I spat, trying to keep my resolve.
Gideon's expression turned cold, his eyes glinting with menace. "We'll see about that, little Diana. You're in a precarious position now. You're at my mercy, and I'll do whatever I want with you."
He sneered at me, his voice dripping with malice. "You think you can escape like you did from the warehouse? This place isn't like that. You're trapped, and your life will be over soon."
Gideon's slap caught me off guard, and I felt a stinging pain on my face. "Keep quiet," he screamed, his anger boiling over.
"You dare to make statements like that to me?" he raged. "I'll show you what it means to cross me."
He turned to his men. "Don't give her anything to eat or drink, but you can give the others what they need. As for you, Diana, you'll start suffering once I've gathered the last piece of my puzzle."
Gideon's eyes gleamed with determination. "I want revenge for my brother's death, and I won't stop until I get it. I'll get Juliet and Mark, and anyone else involved."
"What do you really want?" I asked, trying to understand his motivations.
Gideon's smile was chilling. "What I want is more than respect. I want everything, and I don't want any of you to be part of the world outside. I'm here to create my own world, and you'll all be part of it.”