Billionaire's Second Chance At Love

Chapter 125

Hours passed but nothing new happened.

Ronin, Carmen and Diana still sat in the living room, waiting.

Diana sighed and rubbed her temples. She knew Simon would do something about the situation, mostly because he always kept his word, and he had said that he would take care it, then she had no other reason but to believe him.

But as the time slipped by, and nothing changed, she was starting to have doubts.

What if he didn't make it in time? What if Ryan woke up and came downstairs? What if these men lost their patience and decided to shoot someone? Diana shuddered. She couldn't let that happen. She wouldn't be able to live with herself.

"How long, mom?" Carmen asked, and Diana almost winced at the question. She knew what her daughter was trying to ask, and if Diana were to be honest, she was beginning to believe that maybe handing over the device was the best choice they had. It was better than putting her family in danger.

She sighed. "Soon."

Carmen shook her head and leaned against the couch, her eyes closed. "I can't believe this is happening to us."

Guilt ripped through Diana as she heard the disappointment in her daughter's voice. She didn't mean to cause this much trouble to her family. She had only wanted to protect them. But instead, she had done the complete opposite.

She was a horrible mother. "I'm sorry, Carmen. It seems like I always screw things up."

Carmen opened her eyes and turned to her mother. "Don't say that. That's not what I meant. I'm not blaming you. I know you did what you thought was right."

"But I was wrong."

Carmen reached for her mother's hand, squeezing it gently. "Sometimes it's hard to differentiate between what's right and what's wrong. I don't blame you for that. Besides, I should have believed you when you told me to hide the device. But I was stubborn and stupid and..."

Diana shook her head, cutting her off. "Stop it, Carmen. You're none of those things. I was the one who messed up. And I am going to fix it. Just give me time."

Carmen smiled, just a little but it was there. "I know. And I'm sorry if I sound impatient. I'm just worried about Ryan, that's all. He's alone upstairs. I just...I just wish I could see him, talk to him, assure him that everything is going to be fine."

Diana rubbed Carmen's arm. "I know, sweetheart. I know."

Carmen nodded and leaned back into the couch again, and turned to glance at Ronin. "You okay?"

Ronin nodded, though Diana could see the fury burning inside him. Carmen and she weren't the only ones upset with the situation. Ronin was too. But Diana knew that, unlike Carmen, Ronin wasn't going to wait. He was going to act. Diana had to be careful. She knew Ronin loved her daughter. He would do anything to make Carmen happy. And if it meant taking matters into his own hands, then he would.

Just when Diana was about to open her mouth to say something to Ronin, the same man who seemed to be the leader walked towards her. Diana got to her feet, her gaze questioning. "Did you talk to your boss?"

The man nodded. "Yeah. He had agreed to hear you out. I'll arrange a video conference for you. Follow me."

Diana exchanged a look with Carmen before she followed the guy to another room. He switched on the laptop and dialled someone before stepping away from the table. "He's all yours."

Diana sat down on the chair, her heart hammering inside her chest. She hoped the man on the call wouldn't be too mad. The last time she had seen him, he had been beating one of the scientists in his lab with his cane. It had been brutal, but none of the other scientists had interfered, including Diana. She had been too terrified to even move.

But that was a long time ago, and she had to believe that a part of him was still as rational as it always had been, even if the other part was just as crazy.

The call connected and a man with his back turned to the camera appeared. Diana recognized him instantly.

Lewis Ladder. The head of the organization Diana worked for.

He turned around and Diana sucked in a breath. She hadn't seen him ever since the day he had fired her and she had decided to escape his lab with the device.

She swallowed the lump inside her throat and steeled herself. She needed to stay strong. She couldn't show him that she was afraid. She couldn't show him that he had any kind of impact on her. She had to pretend like she wasn't scared at all.

"Diana Price," Lewis greeted, and Diana could hear the arrogance dripping from his voice. He looked older now, with his salt and pepper hair and his wrinkled skin, but Diana could still see the fire in his eyes, the same fire that had terrified her all those years ago.

Diana cleared her throat. "Mr Ladder."

The past hummed between them. There was a time when Diana had almost cheated on her husband with this man--Lewis had been kind, driven and passionate, and Diana had been attracted to him. But luckily, she had realized the mistake before it could happen. She was glad she had listened to her heart that day, she was glad she had stayed faithful to her husband all this time.

"I heard you wanted to talk to me," Lewis spoke, drawing Diana back to the present.

"Yes. About the device."

"So I have heard."

Diana took in a deep breath and tried to keep her voice calm. "I want you to leave my family out of this."

Lewis smirked. "Is that so?"

"Yes. It's between you and me. And I promise you if you let them go, I'll give you back the device."

Lewis narrowed his eyes at her. "And why would I believe you? It's not like you haven't betrayed me before."

Diana flinched, but she kept her chin raised. "That was a long time ago, Mr Ladder. Things have changed since then. I've changed. And I swear, I will return the device to you.

Lewis stared at her for a while, before he broke into a laugh, followed by something that could only be read as disdain. "Are you telling me that you're surrendering? After wasting so much of my precious time? Do you even know how many resources I used to look for you? How much money I spent to find that device? And now you expect me to believe that you'll give it back? Why would I trust you after what you did to me?"

Diana flinched, but she kept her head high. "I know I have no right to ask you for forgiveness, but you must understand that I was young and naive. I thought I was doing something good. But I was wrong. I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" Lewis hissed, his tone filled with rage. "You think sorry will be enough to wash away all the mistakes you committed? No, Diana. You made a fool out of me. You humiliated me. And I won't forgive you for that. Never. In fact, I'm going to do you better," his smile was back on his lips again, but his eyes...they were cold and cruel.

Diana shuddered. She had seen that look before, and it never ended well.

"What do you mean?" she asked, fear twisting her stomach.

Lewis leaned closer to the camera and Diana had to hold back her gasp. His expression was terrifying. She was so glad she had left him all those years ago.

"I'm going to destroy your family, Diana. I'm going to take away everything you love, one by one. And I'm going to make you watch. I'm going to make sure you suffer for everything you did to me. And I promise you, Diana, it's going to be slow. And painful. And you're going to beg me to end it, but I won't. Not until I see you broken. And helpless. And weak."