Chapter 76

“Your father?” Heather asked hesitantly.
Diona corrected her cousin, “My stepfather.”
“I do not comprehend." It was more of a statement than a question.
“Even I could not initially understand what had been going on. I could never have imagined him not being my biological father. Canute Gonzales has always treated me as his own, but it was much later that I realized that it was for his own greed.”
“How long have you known about it?” Heather could not help but ask. She was stunned to learn this information and felt ignorant about not knowing such significant information about her sister.
"Since I was a teen.”
Heather's eyes were wide. “That long?”
“Yes. I heard an argument between mother and father, and that is when I discovered that my mother had an affair outside her marriage. I had always blamed her for it. For committing such a heinous act, but now that I look upon it, I do understand why my mother did so. Father’s good façade was only in front of people and me. His monster self was revealed behind the closed door before my mother. I never fully understood the impact he had on her and how much she had suffered and protected me from him until the very end.”
“Diona…” Heather's heart cried.
“He never laid his hand on me, though. He treated me like a true daughter, and that is because he wanted to use me to get access to Diadems and terrorise my mother with my life. Your alliance with that family was fixed the day you were born. But when I was born, he considered me a ticket.” Diona said as she tried to keep the emotions under control.
“Why did you not mention anything about it?”
“He asked me not to, and I did agree with his perspective. I would have lost all respect after being called an illicit child. I was left with no choice but to adhere to his words. Later, it became second nature. When I actually found his true self, I did want to come to you and everyone, but he had my mother as his captive. I could not lose her. She had suffered so much on account of me, and I could not afford to lose her. She had given up her entire life and lived like a prisoner, and this was the least I could do for her. Even when I felt like giving up, I could not. Every single second, I have this fear of never seeing her. I cannot lose her, Heather.”
“And you will not. It’s about time we put an end to everything.” Heather spoke her words.
Her Aunt Fredica, is a loving soul. She might not have been a blood relative, but she has always treated her kindly. However, she felt for the first time the pain behind that sweet smile.
“It is not easy. There is someone working in Diadem’s family. That someone is the one who attacked me.” Diona said. It was truly unfortunate that she was not aware of the person behind it.
“Are you sure it is not Uncle Canute?”
“Yes, he cannot be the one. He will not kill me. After all, I am the only woman who can be a ticket to Diadem’s family. Alexander is still a bachelor, so he will not harm me. He needs to get me married to Alexander.”
“You never loved him?” Heather asked her hesitantly. She really wanted to know Diona’s feelings towards Alexander, even though it was apparent that she loved Juan, but she wanted to listen to her words.
“God, no. Heather, I know that you have your apprehensions about him, and rightfully so, but trust me when I say that he is innocent. He has always loved you. Marrying me was a way to free you from the clutches of his mother. And whereas I am considered? Even though my stepfather blackmailed me into marrying Alexander, I knew that being part of that family could help me reach the person who is cahouting with my father.”
“How can you be sure that it was one of Diadem’s family members?” Heather asked her cousin curiously.
“Canute Gonzales had every piece of information about Diadem’s. Every minute detail is only possible if there is someone else from Diadem's family working with him. Even with all the greed, he hardly showed himself much to the world and came out of his territory.”
Heather understood Diona’s point, and she was also convinced. If she recalls all the times she has stayed in Diadem’s mansion, she has never once seen her uncle not even at the celebratory engagement party, and neither at the wedding.
“How did everything change? Why do people not remember me?” Heather asked another question she had been curious about for a long time.
“Because of a spell. A spell so powerful that it is almost impossible for anyone to break. I do not know who cast it, but because of that spell, everyone forgot about you and your family's existence. For them, my father and I are the only Gonzales family. But even then, you all found your way to each other. Alexander always found a way to you. Multiple times.”
Diona saw tears in Heather’s eyes.
“Heather, give Alexander a chance. I know I have done lots of wrong, but he truly loves you.”