Mia Regina (#1)

Chapter 37: Past

(Leo's POV)

Stomping to my office, I slammed the door shut behind me and glared at Belle who helped herself to the bar in the room. "What the hell were you thinking?" I yelled and snatched the drink from her hold, banging the glass down onto the counter.

"I was angry. Lina got abducted and Amelia did not fret one bit. She claims to love us, but where in the bloody hell was that love today?" She screamed at me, pushing me to the side as she shambled towards the sofa. "She and father were both so nonchalant about it. How did it not anger you that your beloved mother supported father through this idiocy."

"I know how you must feel, Belle. Lina is our baby sister and we have tried to keep her safe from all this, but the way you were going about it wasn't right."

"Please, Leo." She scoffed and shook her head. "You worship Amelia like she's some kind of goddess. You're willing to do anything for that woman."

"Because she's our mother and I don't want to hear anymore of your nonsense. If I ever hear or catch you trying to say whatever your mouth was about to spit out today in front of her, I'll be your worst nightmare. Is that understood?"

          "It's not understood." She laughed out menacingly. "You accepted her immediately all those years ago and Lina loves her because she doesn't know the bloody truth. Me and Gus had to follow your lead through it. Gus had no problem adjusting, but I couldn't accept it. Neither you nor father told me when it all happened." Hot tears began stinging in her eyes as her lips quivered. "I was in England and no one thought of telling me anything about Lina's birth or mother. You guys waited a month to shove it all on me. I didn't get to say goodbye, brother. Father ripped that right away from me."

My frowning brows creased my forehead as I walked towards her and hung my head low. "I'm sorry, Belle. Father made all the decisions back then. I was just a kid. I couldn't rebel against him and we were all grieving due to the loss." I swallow the lump in my throat that threatened to choke me up and took a seat next to her. "No one saw that coming. It happened so suddenly that it shook everything up. The foundation of the empire began to falter and father did what he thought was best then. Keeping you in the dark until he got everything under control was part of it."

          "Father always does what he thinks is best. He never held me when I broke down right in front of him as he slammed the news on me. I felt like I was dying and that man didn't move a muscle to comfort me." She tried to wipe away the tears that continuously fell down her face, but it was to no avail. They wouldn't halt. "He closed us all off and encased his heart in titanium that no one except Lina seemed to scrape. He would melt only for her and his actions of training her the way he trained us just pushed me over the edge today. I thought he would be gentle with his little baby, but no. He pushed her down the same hole that we all burned in."

"Father somehow blamed himself for what happened all those years ago, but he considered Lina a gift despite what happened. Closing everyone off was his way of punishing himself."

"Why the hell are you taking his side?" She whipped her head in my direction and yelled.

          "I'm not endorsing his behavior. He went against my order and has been sending Lina to training for I don't know how long and forbade my men from telling me. He put her in danger and he'll regret doing so. I don't know what came over mother though. Even a little injury on Lina would sadden her, but a whole kidnapping and she was so calm and composed."

          "That's because she doesn't care anymore or perhaps it was all just a façade for all those bloody years."

          "Belle, quit your nonsense. She's our mother."