"Why did she disguise for so many years?"

"Is she in danger?"

Does her identity hold something really dangerous that she keeps changing her name and place?

"When will I get to finally meet her?"

"Ugh, so many unanswered questions," I mumbled, hitting the railing hard, as I couldn't get the clues. It's been years. I was trying to find her, but I can't even uncover a single thing. What happened in the past? Why was she hiding?

Gazing at the night sky, I felt an immense flood of emotions. I was angry that she just left me in an orphanage with the locket in the shape of a lock without a key and a letter. Slowly drawing my hands towards the locket that hung on my neck, I pressed it hard. "I need answers. I need to find her." I whispered.

Shaking my head as I felt a tint of annoyance, I waddled towards the house as I recalled Liara being way too strict with me. I had to inform the boys to avoid her. To top it all off, she ordered me to stay the night.

"How crazy she must be to suggest something so lame." I thought to myself and heard a voice from behind making me dumbfounded.

"If princess suggested something, then it's never lame."

"Dima, what? Oh sorry, I didn't mean it that way." I shook my hands, dismissing the conversation.

"Son, she must be hard to deal with. But if she starts a conversation herself and asks you to do something, then it must have been on her mind for days and she might have had a battle with herself about that through so many nights." Dima came closer to me and held my hand.

"Why is she so hard to approach?" I asked, as having a normal conversation with her was never possible.

"Find a way to break that wall. If you can do that, then you will meet the sweetest human you ever met." She patted my hands and assured me to do as her princess said.

"Let's hope that someday she allows you to enter her safe heaven." Dima lifted her hand and crossed two fingers, wishing that it would come true one day.

I smiled at how adorable she was and hugged her. Her scent soothed the storm inside me. But then I realized something.

"Dima, I saw you getting tense when I brought the boys. Is something wrong?" I was genuinely worried about her and instantly when she heard my question, loosened her grip around me and her smile flattered. I raised my eyebrows, surprised at how fast her expression changed.

"Uh, it's nothing. It overwhelmed me when I saw so many people at once."

"Liar," I thought in my mind as she did not look into my eyes, but rather looked at every nook and cranny of the staircase.

"As you say!" I said as I did not want to pry any further.

"I'm hungry." I heard Lily hugging my legs. "Oh, you startled me, little bunny!" I announced and hoisted her.

"I saw you coming from that room and ran towards you." She said cheerfully, pointing at the room near the stairs.

"I've never seen her this happy before," I confessed to Dima, who stroked Lily's hair gently.

"I asked Mia and her fiance to join us and Olivia brought her son too. After seeing so many people, she must have enjoyed them being around her." Dima said. A bitter feeling arose as I heard her say that Olivia came. Even though I had nothing to do with her, her drafting the damn contract made me wonder how much she knew about me.

"Zearo, you know, I made a friend. His name is Charlie." Lilly said, hiding her face on my shoulder.

"Oh my my, someone is acting shy. You like him?" Dima tickled her, and she jumped on me, giggling.

"Oh no, Dima. He is just cute." She replied, and I shook my head. A six-year-old knows how to crush on someone.

"Let's go!" I said, cutting their childish conversation and carrying Lilly towards the hall.

"Jesus." My steps automatically halted as I took in the scene in front of me and I felt a push from the back.

"Watch where you are going." Liara cursed as she bumped into me because I paused. Without giving me a second glance, she walked toward the people who crowded the living room.

"Angel, why are you standing? Let's go." Lilly said, tucking my t-shirt.

Slowly, I made my way towards the crowd. The two boys enjoyed Anthony and Mia's fiance's company. The lady on the right couch is planning her wedding theme. Poker-faced, Liara clicking something on her phone, Dima serving food.

"Oh, look who just blessed our eyes." Emma sarcastically commented and Olivia slapped her shoulder.

"Please join us, Zearo." Olivia offered, but I preferred men's company if a wedding discussion takes place.

"He knows nothing about these things. Let him be." Liara said and I couldn't thank her enough. Lilly slowly got down from my shoulders and made her way toward Charlie, who was busy playing video games.

I watched as he looked impressed with Lilly and stopped playing it. Walking towards her, he kissed her cheeks and said, "hello beautiful." That ended with a chore of Awws in the living room. My grip on the chair tightened. How dare he kiss her so abruptly?

"Don't worry, Lilly is in safe hands." Mia's fiance said, laughing harder when he saw me getting angry at him.

"Dude, you just adopted her and are behaving like her father already." Okay, I think I overreacted, but that kid dared to kiss her.

"It's just that way," I said, shrugging. I cannot stop the protective feeling I felt for her. It was visible on my face.

Massaging my head, I closed my eyes, trying hard to shut the gigglings and laughter of people in the living room. I had to inform the boys to not cross paths with Liara as she kept on shifting from her place and I knew she was uncomfortable.

"Don't you have a job today?" Aiden abruptly brought me back, poking my hand. I shook my head and was going to reply but heard Anthony butt in, "The ownership of the club has changed, and to keep things updated, the new owner allowed one day leave to the employees."

"Julie sold her club?" Aiden asked, and I felt as if I could just go away from here. Her never-ending sadness because of me and now that the new owner was my wife, made things more complicated.

"Let's not talk about this now," I said, dismissing the topic, and thankfully, Aiden nodded and started talking to his brother.

"Who is the new owner?" Mia's fiance asked.

"Liara," Anthony said proudly. I felt a surge of emotion and felt the need to punch him in his face.

"Damn, she owns a club here too? Isn't this amazing?" He asked, and I furrowed my brows.

"Where else does she own a club?" I asked as my curiosity peaked.

"You don't know?" He asked, surprised, and I shrugged my shoulders.

"Many places. And her clubs are the best to date. She has some in LA, France, Venice, Milan, California, Canada, Mumbai, and..."

"Dinner is ready!" Dima stopped him, but my ears buzzed with the sound of my heartbeat. Does she have a club in Milan? I had all the clubs under my control. How did she enter that market? So many questions as it was really hard to get the membership. And owning a club in Italy is no joke. You have to be powerful and into bad stuff to keep your business going.

I looked at Liara, who smiled at Charlie and Lilly as they were hopping around her. Her face had a small sheen of sweat. "Who are you?" I whispered and suddenly realized I have people around me. Turning around, I found none of her family members but the twins looking at me as if I'd lost it.

"She is Liara D'Waner." They said as a matter of fact and I facepalmed.

"Why are you so stressed today?" Aiden came closer to me and whispered.

"I'm worried about you. You are here because someone precious to her allowed you to stay. She did not." I pulled them aside from the crowd and explained.

"You hurt her, and she is still recovering. She will never forgive you and be glad that she hasn't called the police yet." I took a deep breath and told.

"Just don't come out when she is home." I felt bad for the twins and Liara, but I had to keep them safe and that's what my priority was.

"You know you take your wife for granted." Adrick pushed Aiden aside and looked me in the eye, accusing me.

"Oh, stay out of it," I said, waving him off.

"If I had a wife, and someone attacked her, I wouldn't have brought the attackers to her house. Her trauma would have been eating her up, but she'd not show it on her face." Adrick said, pointing at Liara. I glared at him and Aiden covered his mouth before I could do that myself.

"I've done this to protect you guys." I justified.

"We've been through so much and survived. We know the pain of having a trauma. We know how it feels to be taken for granted. You will realize it when it's too late." He said, pushing Aiden away and walking towards his room.

"He was right. I hope you see things from her point of view and realize what you are doing to worsen her condition." Aiden whispered and walked away tailing his brother. I stood there dumbfounded as I did everything to keep them safe and they were charging at me.

"Kids nowadays." I sighed and walked towards the dining table where everyone was waiting for me. My mind replayed the things those twins said. Did I overdo it?

"Nevermind," I whispered to myself as I saw a plate full of delicious dishes on the table.

*********

Covering the duvet, I tried to shut the sound that irritated my sleep. I groaned when the sound intensified. Too tired to open my eyes, I put on two pillows to cover my ears but the sound never curtailed.

"Damn it." I cursed under my breath and massaged my eyes forcefully, opening them. After dinner, Liara straight up went to her study and never returned. I waited for her in her room, but slowly I grew tired and didn't realize when I fell asleep. Having a good night's sleep was becoming impossible for me for a few days. However, her scent oozing out of the bed and the room soothed my mind, and I fell asleep until I heard a crashing sound again.

"Princess!" I heard Dima's frantic voice, followed by footsteps. Hurriedly, I dashed towards the sound and it took me to Liara's study.

I halted on my way when I saw the painful scene in front of me. Slowly taking a few steps, I tried not to disturb them as Dima held Liara tightly, who was on the floor trembling and spoke gently to her.

"Sussshhhhh, I'm here, I'm here. You have me." Dima repeated the same thing again and again. It pained me watching Liara in such a vulnerable condition. I heard some noise behind me and saw the boys hiding behind the door. I raised my eyebrows at them as it was past midnight. They should have been asleep.

Adrick had an angry expression and glared at me, pointing at Liara as if telling me he told me she was going through so much and I was worsening things.

"Does that mean I've made a mess and I have to clear that?" I murmured. Still watching as Dima kept on soothing Liara, I walked towards them. Slowly, making myself visible to them.

"Let me take her to our room. She needs proper rest." I suggested. Dima still held her tightly and stroked her back, calming her. Liara didn't look at me as she had her head hidden on Dima's shoulder.

"Dima'' I called her again, and she looked up at me. Her eyes were blood red and tear-stained. She looked helpless, considering Liara's situation.

"I've never seen her like this before," I admitted. Of course, I've never stayed by her side, but by the time I stayed, I'd never seen her so vulnerable.

"Tomorrow is her mother and grandmother's death anniversary. I knew something like this would happen. I shouldn't have left her alone." Dima sobbed, making my heart clench.

Slowly parting ways, Dima allowed me to carry Liara. She was still shivering with her eyes closed as if she had some bad dream. Her body was too cold. I kept her close to my body, supplying heat, and slowly carried her to the room. Dima left us alone as I entered the room.

Gently, I placed her on the bed and wiped the sweat that formed on her forehead. Wondering what would soothe her, I scooted closer to her by dragging a chair. Holding her hand, I gently massaged her palms to calm her aching nerves. Her eyebrows were furrowed as if she was having a bad dream. Her body was too cold but sweat formed continuously, confusing me.

"What are you even hiding from us? Why suffer alone?" I sighed slowly and gently, massaging her palms.

***†****†****†****†***†****†****†***

PS: I wrote this chapter based on the things I found on the internet about panic attacks and other things related to them. This is not meant to physically or mentally trigger anyone.

Let me know if I'm wrong anywhere and I will do the necessary changes.

And all the pictures are from Pinterest.

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