Talia

12

Ethan's POV

She left me standing by the balcony. My legs felt like stone as I tried to go after her but found myself on my knees clutching my chest as realization set in. She didn't want me, I had done nothing wrong and she still didn't want me. 

I felt a hand on my shoulder as I looked up to find Sam looking worried. 

"We should leave sir," he said helping me up.

Using the back entrance we left under the radar. I did the only thing I knew that would help numb the pain as I drank straight from the bottle. Sleep was the last thing on my mind as I knew I would see her once I close my eyes. 

How could the woman I loved do this to me, break my heart into a million pieces. Only she could mend it, only her. Mel and Linc arrived just as I drank half the bottle.

"Ethan!" Mel called out grabbing the bottle from my hand. I was too drunk to fight her off as Linc pulled me off the floor. 

Helping me up to my room Lincoln dragged me to the shower closing the door just as a cold jet of water hit me making me become wide awake. A few minutes in there I found Mel holding a cup of tea which I gladly accepted. 

"Where is Lia?" She asked.

"I don't know. She left me at the party. In fact she broke up with me after speaking with that woman," I said seeing Mel's eyes widen in shock and worry.

"Was the woman, the senators wife by any chance," Linc asked.

"Yep," I said my eyes closed slowly opening them up.

Taking out his phone, Linc spoke to Walter.

"Haven't I told you not to drink too much," Mel scolded.

"Yep," I said popping the p giving her a lopsided grin.

"You look stupid right now," Mel said.

"Yep," I said before frowning as I looked at her funny.

She shook her head looking concerned just as Lincoln turned to us.

"Did she tell you who the senators wife is?" He asked.

"No, why do you ask?"

"It's her mother and Dante just sent me a file showing that they are the ones behind the threat on her life," Linc said softly as both Mel and Ethan looked perplexed by this.

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Lia's POV

I woke up in a dingy looking room welcomed by the sound of water dripping into a bucket from the rusty looking sink. Next to it was a toilet. The room had no windows, just the toilet, sink and the worn mattress I lay on. 

My gut had told me to tell Ethan the truth but I was thinking of my brother. He was my family after all and there was no way I would allow her to hurt him resulting in my niece being orphaned.

It broke me to say those words to Ethan as I watched the light in his eyes die, his smile being replaced by pain and anger. I had no idea what the woman who had given birth to me was capable of. Being a senators wife, I feared she could hurt my family including the man I loved. She stood beside a powerful man, a man running for the presidential office from what I had heard.

The door creaked open as I looked up to see her walking in. 

"It's a good thing you follow instructions or else we would have had a big problem," she said as her heels clicked against the floor. 

"Where is my brother?" I asked as a man came in with Jay looking beyond recognition. "You promised he would be set free if I did what you wanted."

"No my dear, I never made such a promise. Now that you are both here, this makes everything so easy," she said with a smile.

"What do you mean?" I asked confused by her statement.

"You see, I might soon become the first lady of this here country and you are liabilities I need taken care of i.e. Kill both of you," she said with a wide grin. "You see my husband suggested this and since only my two sons are the only recognized children I have you have to be wiped out," she said. "We wouldn't want the past to come haunting us now would we," she said turning on her heel leaving Jay and I alone.

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Ethan's POV

Arriving at her old apartment my heart almost stopped beating as we found her place trashed. 

"We need to tread carefully from here onwards," Linc said. "The senator definitely has her," he said pulling out his phone. 

This time not using his security team he called in a favor. This time they would sort out the problem with the group of gentlemen he only called as a last resort.

I on the other hand called the Prince brothers to find out if they could help and was pleased when they said they could.

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"Than you for coming," I said said looking at the twins as they walked into my house. 

"Ah gentlemen glad you could make it," Linc said with a warm smile.

"When are your men arriving brother," I asked Linc.

"They just arrived," he said looking at the two men. 

Deciding not to question what they truly did for a living besides owning the largest bank in the world I let it be.

"Now from what I have found out, your girl is being held hostage in the senators personal home. Now the security is not a problem, it's the senator who is a problem. The man can't be hurt but how we expose his shady ways is what we have to take care of first. 

"Can you get to Lia?" Mel asked.

"Yes," both men said simultaneously.

"Good. Then leave their exposure to me," she said in a flat tone leaving the room.

The gentlemen went over the plan. Only the four of them would be going in while the others remained on standby in case they needed assistance.