Chapter 45: Leia

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"Find out where Madisonville park is and meet me there" Rachael read the text Ralph sent to her.

He didn't think of giving her breathing space. She just got here and this was the first text he sent.

She turned to look at her bodyguard. "have you been to Miami before?"

"No ma'am"

"Okay then. I'll have to figure this out on my own. You can drop our stuff at any hotel and text me the address. I'll be back as soon as possible"

"Yes ma'am," he said and left with her luggage.

Rachael was surprised about how willing he was to leave her by herself, but she had no idea three more of Xavier's men trailed behind her at different calculative spots. All of them with one aim; to make sure she was unharmed or else, Xavier would have all their heads.

After getting the location of the Madisonville pack, she flagged down a cab. She was so exhausted after sitting on a plane for about 4 hours but she had no choice but to follow Ralph's orders if she wanted to see Leia.

It didn't take long for the cab man to pull up at Madisonville. Her heart skipped a few beats when she stared at the place. She didn't see him, but she still felt apprehensive.

"Thank you," she said as soon as she gave the cab man his money.

What she couldn't understand was why he wanted to meet her in a park.

After looking around and not seeing him, she brought out her cell phone to call.

"Rachael" she heard his voice on the other end and shuddered.

"I'm here and I can't find you"

"Yes I can see you" she immediately became self-conscious. She kept tilting her head in as many directions as possible, but she couldn't still see him.

"Relax" with that said, the call ended.

Rachael stood for about 2 minutes until a Rolls Royce car pulled beside her. She moved out of the way, not knowing it was the man she was searching for. It was when the car window pulled down, she realized it was him.

She felt her heart in her throat as she looked at him. As much as she tried her best to stop shaking, she couldn't and she was sure he noticed it too because he could read her like a book.

"Get in"

"Where are we going?"

"Don't you want to see your daughter? Do you expect to see her on the street"

"I asked where we were going?" she folded her arm under her breast. She was aware of Ralph's tactics and wanted to be one step ahead of him.

"To my house. Leia's there"

" She better be" she glared at him, trying to act intimidating. He was always good at taking advantage of her fear, but she wasn't going to give him that satisfaction.

She got into the car and sat in the backseat while he drove. "How long?"

"30 minutes"

She placed her head on the window and let out a deep sigh. Was she scared? Yes, she was, but she didn't want to show it. He could take advantage of that.

The ride was for twenty-five minutes and they stopped at a house.

"You are not with any clothes?"

She was taken aback by the statement. Did he expect her to stay with him for 1 week? "No" she replied plainly

"Why?"

"I lodged a hotel instead"

"Let's go" She heard him say, although he wasn't okay with the plans. Ralph has always been the man who wants full control over everything and when he doesn't have it, he gets angry.

"Is Leia here?" She asked, looking at the big mansion before her. It stank of wealth. Ralph had always been well-to-do, it was only normal for him to get richer.

"Yes, she is. Keep walking"

They walked inside the house, it was way more beautiful on the inside, spacious and exquisite. She loved it, but she was too nervous to admire it for long. All she could think of is how big her daughter must have gotten and if Leia would accept her or hate her for leaving her all these years. She feared what lie Ralph must have told her daughter about her.

"Leia" Ralph called out.

"Yes daddy" a little voice was heard and Rachael's heart stopped beating for a second.

"She is supposed to be in school, but I didn't let her go today because you were coming"

"Thank you" she mumbled under her breath, biting her lips as she waited for little Leia to come down.

Rachael's mouth slightly parted when she sighted the little figure running down the stairs. She had grown so big, not the little child she held 7 years ago. She was a replica of Ralph. Her Brunette hair was the only thing she took from Rachael.

"Daddy where have you been?" She ran towards Ralph and hugged him. Her heart was so pure that she didn't know what sort of an evil man her father was.

"Working darling" he squeezed her cheeks lightly.

"Who is this?" she turned to look at Rachael, still hugging her father, and all Rachael could do was smile at her. She also fought the urge to cry. She finally got to see her daughter after all these years.

"This is Rachael darling. The one I told you about" her eyes widened.

"My mum?" She asked as she hugged Ralph again. "No dad, I don't wanna speak with her. Make her go away"

Those words broke Rachael's heart. "It's okay, Leia. You can come"

"No" she snapped and hugged Ralph.

"Alright Leia, go upstairs while I have a brief word with your mother," he said those words while looking at Rachael for the satisfaction of seeing the hurt in her eyes.

"What did you tell her, Ralph?" Rachael gritted her teeth when Leia went upstairs. She fought the urge to smack the smirk off his face.

"She is just angry that you left her after all these years"

"Who's fault is that? You took her away from me when you knew I didn't have the power or the connection to fight you. How can you be so heartless to even blame me for what you are responsible for?"

He said nothing regarding what she said, instead he asked "what hotel are you staying at tonight?"

Rachael made the terrible mistake of telling him where it was located because she just got him a step closer to his plans. Ralph was prepared to attack her, but he didn't know Xavier was one step ahead of all of them.