CHAPTER FIFTY SIX

"..."
"He left me to stay with the woman's mother. I never liked that old woman and she didn't like me either. I guess she already knew that I wasn't the couple's real daughter.
She didn't hit me like the couple and my father did, but she was always cranky and it annoyed me to my core. When she died I was happy, but then I was all alone.
Ben didn't come to take me until after three days. And he only did it because Lia begged him to let me stay with them. And of course, he agreed, why? Because he would do anything to satisfy his little princess.
But even though he only took me in because Lia asked him to, I was still happy, because I could finally be close to him again and because I had a better chance to prove myself worthy of being his daughter.
I tried so hard, just for him to notice me, but nothing worked. It was hopeless, but still a hug or a handshake, even a genuine smile would have been great.
But No, Lia got it all. His love, his attention, and his care.
I would get straight A's and maybe just a B, he would scold me and call me stupid but congratulate Lia over a C.
He would throw huge parties for Lia's birthday and buy her anything she asked, And on mine, I wouldn't even get a 'Happy birthday from him.
When Lia is there, he would treat me as if I were his daughter and when she was away I would be laying on the floor from a beating.
I never understood why. I am his daughter, not Lia, so why? Why did he treat me that way? " Mabel said and burst into tears.
Mr. Black had no words to say, he didn't know how he was supposed to comfort her.
She continued,
" When he fell ill and was hospitalized, I felt as if I was free, so I left without looking back. But my heart was burdened because I was leaving him to die.
Lia had no means of paying for the surgery, but I did, I was almost tempted to cover the bills, but then I stopped myself. I tried hard to convince myself that it was what I wanted, for him to die.
I would sometimes sneak into the hospital just so that I could see him and I would cry and ask him why he did the things he did but of course, I never got my answer.
You know, I even started to doubt being his daughter because I only bore a little resemblance to him whereas Lia looked a lot like him. Who knows maybe that was the reason he loved her so much.
I snuck into the hospital again one day and he wasn't there. The room was occupied by another. That had convinced me that he had finally passed on.
I was happy, but at the same time, I was angry at myself for allowing my father to just die like that.
But at least I was free, but that didn't last long. He came back to torment me and now just look at me, I'm suffering the consequences of abandoning him.
I guess I was just never meant to be happy" Mabel said sadly.
" No, Mabel. You shouldn't have to suffer this way, just because of that sick bastard. " Mr. Black said to her.
" What do you know? you don't understand anything" Mabel said as she wiped away her tears.
" Actually I also had a rough childhood. Before my parents died they sent me and my sister away, not because they didn't love us but because they wanted to protect us.
They sent us to live with my aunt. She already had five children to look after and was reluctant at first, but she later accepted to take care of me but she never accepted my sister.
She would always try to pick on my sister and after my parents died she always tried to hit her, but I was always there to stop her from doing so, so would hit me instead.
This continued and after a while, her whole family turned on both of us. We had to fend for ourselves. We suffered a lot but I didn't let that part of the past get the best of me and you shouldn't let it either" Mr. Black said.
" I really wish I could," Mabel said and turned her back to Mr. Black. She went back to the corner she always hid in.
One thing she was curious about though, was what Ben had to do with Mr. Black's sister and his parents. She wondered why he would destroy his family and who Diana was. But she kept her questions to herself, knowing full well not to meddle In Ben's business.
...
Lia and Cynthia had been waiting anxiously for Leo to return with Lia and they had finally arrived.
Cynthia was relieved when she saw Liana come down from the car. Leo followed after Liana and came down as well.
Liana hugged Leo's arm just as she had been doing in the car. Lia frowned and Cynthia smiled at the sight. They both looked like a happy couple.
Cynthia went to meet both of them. "Thank you for bringing Liana back home," Cynthia said but Leo ignored her as his eyes scanned the area looking for a particular someone.
Once Leo's eyes landed on Lia, he roughly pulled his arm out of Liana's grasp and rushed to meet Lia and kissed her on her lips.
Cynthia glared at Lia and Leo as she held Liana. She took Liana away from there and took her to her room. She bathed Liana and dressed her up to sleep.
She had tried to ask Liana about what had happened but Liana who was awfully quiet said nothing and fell asleep.
Cynthia came out of Liana's room and saw that Leo and Lia were nowhere in sight. She decided to go and look for them or rather Leo. She wanted to know who had taken Liana and why?
Luckily for her, she got there just in time to eavesdrop on Leo and Lia's conversation.
Lia had just asked the question,
"Who took Lia away?"
Leo didn't want to answer at first because just thinking about Jack made him feel a surge of anger.
"It was Mr. Griffon's son" Lia knitted her eyebrows together.
She wondered why Jack would want to take Liana away, and as if Leo knew what was on her mind. He said,
"He mistook Liana for you"
Lia's eyes widened. Liana had gotten kidnapped because of her. She cursed Jack in her head for causing her so many problems even though she wasn't seeing him anymore.
"What did you do to him?" Lia asked Leo.
"I just made sure that he would never be able to disturb you again," Leo said as he got closer to Lia.
He wanted to continue where they had left off before he went to get Liana.
Cynthia left where she stood satisfied with the answer to her question.
"So it is all because of that insolent brat, She should have been the one to get kidnapped not my poor Liana" Cynthia muttered under her breath as she made her way to her room.
She walked back and forth in her room, trying to think of a way she could drive Lia away.
Her phone rang breaking her out of her thoughts. She saw that it was an unknown number, but decided to accept the call anyway.
"Hello, who is this?" Cynthia asked the person.
"My daughter tells me that you are against her relationship with her husband," The person said.
"Don't call me again" Cynthia said and was about to cut the call.
"Wait," Ben said.
"What now?" Cynthia snapped.
"I agree with you, they both should break up, don't you think?" Ben said.
"So what does your dislike have to do with me?" Cynthia asked Ben.
"What If I told you that, I had a way to make them break up, then will you be interested?" Ben asked.
"I am, what do I have to do," Cynthia said.
"I will tell you when the time comes"
"Ok, but what will you gain from splitting them up anyway?" Cynthia asked.
"It's time for my baby girl to come home now, don't you think?"