Forgotten

-Chapter 24-

VOTE & COMMENT ❤️

We ended up watching the oldie classic "The Greatest Showman". Which brought out the secret theatre kid in Angelo. Who would've guessed.

Leo stormed off after bathroom convo. I didn't really think he wanted to kill that guy himself that bad. I mean in my defense, he was an asshole. And as much as my father hates me, as soon as the story left my mouth, the man had a bullet through his head.

The little girl in me wished my father did it because he wanted to protect his one and only daughter. But I know it was because he wants to protect his revenge plan pawn, aka me. Thankfully I hated Leo enough that I didn't need my dad's anger to fuel me. He was a lying, manipulative bastard. And gosh damnit I was going to make him suffer.

I woke up the next day feeling refreshed. Last nights movie really helped to calm my never-ending nerves. Especially Angelo's off-key singing. I don't think I've ever laughed that hard in my life.

Todays agenda was go check up on my girls, attend the wedding meeting I skipped yesterday, and my father wanted to call tonight. Apparently he had some "important information" to share with me.

I took my time walking to the East quarters. I took a pit stop in the palace kitchen to grab some cookies for Aries. I also stopped in the tech room (which is basically a huge fancy warehouse inside the palace) to grab Ina a new charger because the one she brought with her from the bot room wasn't "up to her standards".

When I opened the door to greet the two I consider real family I got greeted by squeals and hugs. "It's been too long!" Ina basically barked in my face as she snatched the shiny new charger from my hand. "Thanks, love!" She blew me a cheeky kiss before tossing the old charger out of the small square window.

Aries hugged me for a bit longer, her small frame completely enveloped in my arms. I can't imagine being so young yet have so much pressure on your shoulders. My heart hurt for my little friend. I gave her one last loving squeeze before pulling away. "So, how have you been?" Ina asked as she catapulted herself onto Aries bed.

"The usual. Very boring being a Princess." Aries giggled, "Right, right. Being rich and wearing fancy dresses is such a punishment." I rolled my eyes, "There's a little more to it than that."

Ina leaned forward and inspected my face, "You seem sad. Something wrong?" The smile I plastered across my face was almost comical but they believed it.

The next hour was filled with simple gossip and lots of giggles. Aries even told me how she hacked into the offices lights and created a quote "disco party" consisting of flashing rainbow lights.

I can tell Ina is incredibly bored down here but I'm too scared to take her back to the main part of the castle. I know Leo knows she's alive again, but I don't want it to make it easier for him to tear her apart again and crush her personality chip.

On the way to the meeting I had a bit more pep in my step, as I always did after talking to them. When I reached the main entrance of the castle, about halfway to my walk to the dining room, I became suspicious of how eerily quiet the place was.

Usually the main lobby was bustling with workers. Especially with preparations for the big royal wedding. My wedding. It was midday too, which is the busiest time.

"Hello?" My voice echoed off the talk ceilings. I spun in a circle, searching for any sign of life. Deciding that it was not my problem, I started heading to the dining room anyway.

That was of course until someone grabbed my arm tightly, jammed a needle into my artery, and put a sack over my head.

LEOS POV

*10 minutes earlier*

"So what exactly are you implying Mr. Leo Romano?" Alton Camel's gravelly tone passed through the hover-screen that floated above my desk. He was the leader of the American mafia. And my arch nemesis. Not only has he stolen my goods, but my men. Just like the guy who Athena's dad killed, he used to work for me.

We were currently discussing how he had stolen drugs from me. He had someone spying on me. Someone high in my ranks because I only tell my closest team the information on our recent cartel locations. I was going to find out he was betraying me and then I'm going to put a bullet through their head.

"We are discussing how you stole from me. Don't deny it. We are grown men not little boys who lost daddy's screwdriver." There was a certain amount of distaste in my tone and I knew Alton could sense it based on his low chuckle.

"Do you really think that low of me, Leo? Think I would stoop down so far as to steal your drugs when I have my own?" He was so snarky I wished I could just reach through the floating screen and choke him out.

"It wouldn't be the first time you stole from me," Alton took a deep breath and I could feel his smirk through the phone, "but you shouldn't be so focused on those missing drugs. You should really keep a close eye on some other valuables."

A deep sarcastic laugh erupted from my chest, "Is that a threat? Hilarious Alton, truly. What could you possibly steal from me? I'm a man who has no weakness."

"Everybody has a weakness, Leo. And I think yours happens to start with an A and end in an A. And this weakness has such a pretty face, doesn't it? No wonder my man did what he did. I might have to have a taste."

My heart stopped. The silence and the news he just revealed exploded like glass exposed to heat. Alton laughed menacingly and then hung up, the screen shrinking back into the little pod it comes from.

Athena. Of course he would target her. We are supposed to be in love. Now I don't love her. And I wouldn't care if she died. But it has to wait a few months, and be by my hand. I want to watch her pretty little face gasp for air as I squeeze my hand around her throat and take her kingdom from her grasp. But I can't do that if she's dead, right?

I immediately called Angelo, telling him to gather my highest security team. I also told him to get Aries to track my phone call with Alton. Wherever he was, so was she.

I ran through the halls calling her name just to make sure she was really gone. The entire palace was eerily empty. What the fuck happened?

My wrist buzzed as my hover watch rang with a call from Angelo. "What is it?" I hissed into the phone, still frantically searching the main halls for my little tesoro.

"We found most of staff tied up in the kitchen. Few are dead, some are injured, most are fine, just scared. What do you want us to do?"

I started cursing in Italian as I ran my hands through my dark hair, "I don't care, Angelo. We need to find Athena first. Send them to their rooms. You're coming with me. La stiamo riprendendo. (We are getting her back.)"