The king of Diamonds

Prologue

Prologue

Eleven years ago, 3rd July 2010

"You can't do this!" Marco Casteel, the renowned businessman, shouted at his wife, Daniela. The woman stood by the front door, two large hold-all bags on the floor beside her.
"You can't take them away." His loud voice faltered.

Daniela met his green eyes, her gaze unwavering.
"I can do whatever I want," she snapped, her tone sharp, "They are my children-"

"They are my children too!" Marco argued, his green eyes leaving her brown ones and finding the car parked in the driveway where his six year old son and daughter were buckled in; when really, they should be in their beds. "They belong here, with their brothers, with me."

"No!" She shouted, "Where the twins belong is away from you! The boys don't deserve this life either but they are too old now, too caught up in your web of lies to leave with me."
She took a deep breath, holding back her tears.

"I provide for this family, yes it may not be completely legal but they will be safe here, it's the safest place for them."

"They will never be truly safe." She whispered, her voice breaking, "Not when they are always going to be the children of Marco Casteel."

His job was shadowy at best but he would never do anything to put his family in danger. He would protect them, but he could only do that if they were close, not on the other side of the world.

"They need to be with me, here in this house with their family...with you." His voice cracked.

"I'm their family now." She said simply, picking up the bags and reaching for the door handle, "Say goodbye to the boys for me."

"Please don't do this." Marco's voice turned to a whisper, pleading with her not to take his two youngest children away from him. "Please, Daniela...I love you."

Daniela opened the door, stepping out, but turned to face him one last time, wishing she could say so much more.

"Don't try to find us or come after us." She warned, her voice low and menacing, "I'm sure you don't want any dirty details about you on display to the public, no matter how many people you have on your payroll in high places."

"Daniela..." he said painfully, a tear slipping out.

She'd only seen him cry a handful of times, all of them having been during their happiest moments, so it hurt seeing those tears of sadness, and it hurt to know she was the reason for those tears.

"Goodbye Marco." She spoke firmly before softly jogging to the car, pulling open the door and slipping in.

The purr of the engine jostled the car enough to wake up one of the twins.
"Mummy?" She asked softly, using the back of her hand to wipe the sleep from her eyes, "What's happening?"

"Shhhh," Daniela soothed, reaching back to smooth her daughter's hand, "Go back to sleep, okay?"

The car started to move causing the little girl to look around confused, "Where are we going?"

"We are going on a little adventure." Her mother answered, a smile drawn a little too tightly across her face.

"Where is Matteo?"

Matteo was her older brother. The two of them, with the exception of the twins, were always the closest of the siblings. No one knew exactly why, but ever since a four year old Matteo held his newborn sister he had always stayed close to her side.

"Matteo isn't coming, sweetheart." Daniela replied, checking the rear-view mirror and seeing Marcus disappear as she pulled out of the driveway. "It's just going to be us three for a while, okay? Get some sleep, I'll wake you up when we get there."

"Ummm, okay." the little girl muttered sleepily. She closed her eyes and almost instantly returned to sleep.

"You'll understand one day." Daniela whispered.