Chapter 127: Chapter one hundred and twenty Seven

Alessia

I hated how much relief I felt when she said she didn’t see the face of the woman who visited them.

My mother.

Something bothered me. How did she escape? There was no way such a place would have existed and it wouldn’t be heavily guarded. Something had happened. What caused the fire that night? How did she make it out alive?

So I asked her. “How did you escape?”

Diana’s fingers tightened around mine. She didn’t speak immediately. Then she looked down.

“I heard noises, then this woman that always brought food for me. She unlocked the door to the red room…” She shifted closer to me like she needed to feel safe talking about it. I could see the tears hanging on her lashes.

“She said she wanted to help me… she couldn’t bear it anymore…” she choked. “She told me to run away. I felt salvation had come, that I could finally see my parents again. They might have given up hope searching for me…” She shook her head.

“She told me never to set my foot back in Cortha unless I wanted to end up in a situation like that again. And that my parents were dead. And that as far as everyone was concerned, I was dead too.” I reached up and wiped the tears sliding down her cheek.

“There was so much smoke. I saw people, kids on fire, Alessia. It was gruesome.” She pressed her lips together, fighting another sob.

“But I told myself I didn’t want to die and my parents were waiting. Because I didn’t believe they would leave me alone. Never!”

I pulled her closer. She rested her head against my shoulder for a moment before continuing.

Her voice went soft. “I made it out.”

“It was chaos outside. Fire trucks everywhere. Police cars. People running around.” She stared into the distance as though she could still see it. “It was the first time in five years that I’d seen the sky.”

My heart clenched when I calculated it. From the files Kendrick had given me. All this happened 15 years ago.

“How old were you when you escaped?”

“Fifteen.”

A child had survived five years of hell and somehow found the strength to keep running.

I closed my eyes for a second. Mother, did you really do this to a child?

Diana continued, and I listened intently.

“I saw someone.”

“Who?”

“A man who walked with my dad.” She frowned as if searching through an old memory. “Uncle Duff. He was on the phone, but I couldn’t get close.”

“Why?”

“I was scared of people.” Her eyes filled again. “They all looked the same to me. Every time I saw a man, I saw that mask. So I ran home, but…”

She took a shaky breath and tightened her fist. I hated that I had to make her remember.

“There was no home, Alessia. It was burnt to the ground… then I saw cars waiting there. I hid. He was among them, the red mask guy. I just knew… he was searching for me.” Her voice picked up, hatred and anger.

“He said I was his life. His damnation. I was made to complete him. And he will find me no matter where I run to if I ever manage to get away from him. He wasn’t lying.”

There was so much pain in her eyes that I wanted to erase every memory she had ever carried.

“I finally understood why the lady said to leave Cortha. So I left.” She wiped her cheek.

She looked up at me. “That’s how I found myself in G-city. Then a month after I escaped, my body began changing.”

My brows furrowed.

“My stomach kept growing.”

“You were pregnant.”

She nodded. “I didn’t understand what was happening. This woman saw me roaming the streets and wanted to help, so they took me to a hospital with these male doctors. I kept throwing things despite him wanting to help me… so they left me.”

Her lips curved into a tiny smile. “Then I met Suzzy. She made me feel safe with her. We talked about an abortion, but I couldn’t bring myself to end the only family I have now. He is innocent, nothing like his father. I will never let him be.”

Diana looked at me. “And that’s it. How miserable my life was.”

Silence settled between us.

“But now it’s not. We have you.” She smiled.

Will it still be the same if you knew my mother is connected to it?

If you knew the person you are beginning to trust might be connected to the worst thing that ever happened to you?

I have never felt conflicted in my life before.

I didn’t know whether I wanted to uncover the truth or bury it forever. Because finding the person responsible might mean digging out the truth of my mother and destroying what we have. Diana would never look at me the same way again.

“You are the bravest girl I know.” I squeezed her hand. “You survived things that would have destroyed most people. And still had enough warmth to give everyone around you and give me a son.”

She tightened her hand around mine. “Thank you for making an offer to me…”

“You were just too daring to ignore.” She chuckled. I brought her hand to my lips. “You don’t have to fight them alone. If you need an army, tell your wife she will deliver.”

She chuckled.

But my mind was already somewhere else. I wanted to ask her more. Could she recognize him? His voice, height, build, or even his hair? Anything.

But I knew better. Some memories were wounds, not clues. And if the man behind the threats had attacked the hospital and somehow found Diana again…

Then he wasn’t just a ghost from her past. He was back.

The question was when had he found her and where?

Velmora? Or somewhere much closer than either of us realized?

Thomas’ diagnosis was done 2 days ago. It was confirmed he had Severe Combined Immunodeficiency. Doctor Malik said he was a rare case to still be alive because most children don’t make it past infant age. He also said we made the right decision bringing him in because he was hanging on a thin thread.

My stare stopped him from spilling more and scaring my wife. Of course, I could scold him out loud.

Thomas was immediately taken for HLA testing so the doctors could begin the search for a compatible stem-cell donor.

Diana was tested too.

Diana picked the water up for the uncountable time today. Her legs wouldn’t stop moving. She attempted to pull her hand off mine to wipe it on her cloth. Last night she hadn’t slept a wink. She woke up after I did, searching every site she could about HLA and bone marrow transplant.

I squeezed her hand, not letting go.

“We would visit a free town after Thomas’ transplant so he can write his name on that sea block too?” I smiled.

“We should.” She returned it.

Doctor Malik came in holding a file in his hand. Diana sat up immediately. He set his stethoscope down as he sat. Then he opened a file, his face grim. He locked gazes with me.

“Tell me, Doctor,” Diana said impatiently.

“Your child’s HLA profile is exceptionally rare.”

“Be more clear?” I ordered.

“We can’t find a donor because it’s hard for us to find one. His mother’s doesn’t match his either.”

The room fell silent.

“It’s possible to find one, but it might take time.”

“How long?”

“Days. Weeks. Months. Years.” He said vaguely.

Diana trembled where she sat. “He had so much hope of being better. How do I explain this to him?” She pressed a hand to her face.

“Check me.”

Her hand snapped towards me.

“Alessia…” Our gazes locked.

Malik got up. “There’s a 99 percent chance of you not being a match,” he stated.

“I will rely on the one percent to save our son.”

Diana stared at me, tears already dropping down her cheeks.

Her lips parted, but no words came out. I reached out to touch her face.

“I’ll go to hell if I have to,” I whispered. “And bring Thomas’s match back with me.”

She let out a shaky breath.

“I hate seeing you cry.”

\~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kingdom of Borgatta

Festus Borgatta POV

“…the coronation will take place in three months’ time,” the announcer said, the last line I had been waiting for, before rolling back the scroll.

The cabinet and the few trusted citizens began clapping their hands. I had waited for so long. The forty years of mourning period was finally over. So was everything that was standing in my way.

I looked at my mother. Her hair was all black when she first sat down there as the dowager. Now it was fully silver. But something about her didn’t change. The way she embodied authority. She still commanded the room without raising her voice.

My woman king.

The hall emptied as they came forward, bowing respectfully and leaving one after another.

“Congratulations, Crown Prince.” Henry bowed deeply to me.

I nodded.

“This parcel came for you. It doesn’t have a name.”

My brows furrowed. I quickly adjusted it and took it from him.

I retired to my chambers and opened the parcel. It was filled with pictures of someone in the hospital, her face fully bandaged. Tubes ran from her mouth and nose. Machines surrounded her.

Who would send this to me?

I kept searching until I saw a paper in between two pictures, and it read: Jemima Borgatta. My daughter.

My heart skipped. I spoke to her last night. She said she had a cough and went to bed early.

I flipped over the picture. Then I saw a handwritten note:

Your daughter is brain-dead. Whoever Kendra is showing you is a clone.

Then it kept playing for the last month. It was excuses upon excuses.

The door opened.

“Festus.”

I turned. My mother stood there, leaning heavily against her cane.

“M-mother… something is wrong…” I thrust the photos forward, and she looked at them. Her expression was unreadable.

“I think we need to go get Jemima back from Horrixo…” I stammered, moving over to show her the pictures.

We had sent her there since Kendra had something on us, but Alessia is dead. There was nothing Matteo or the opposition could use against us now.

“It already said she’s dead. Why go to Horrixo?” Mother said ruthlessly.

Maybe she didn’t hear me.

“Mother, Jemima needs us right now.”

“She doesn’t. I already sent her off. I never said I was taking her back. She was a stain in your perfect life.”

I felt a prick in my chest.

“She is my daughter!”

The room went quiet.

“Three months to the day, and you want to sabotage it for a tumor. Fine.” She stepped aside.

“Walk through that door, say goodbye to the throne. Matteo will ascend the throne in the absence of any Royal blood. My blood will be on your hands.”

The moment my daughter was born flashed before my eyes. Her toddler age, her preteen, teenage age. I ran a hand through my hair.

“Kendra is dirty,” she continued. “We go there to pick a fight, and she will make sure she doesn’t go down in Horrixo alone. Play along. When you sit on the throne, you will avenge her…”

That was her consolation.

Play along?

I took a deep breath. My eyes locked back on the picture.

“Grief.” She tapped my shoulder, and just like that, she left.

Kendra and whoever did that to my daughter should get ready to pay