She parked the car by the roadside, bursting into tears. She still loved him so much, no matter the horrible things she said it still didn't change the fact that she loves him. Mia was hurting so much, did he even love her at all? Was their relationship just based on lies or did he really feel something for her?

   Maybe he didn't. He was only with her because he felt guilty about what happened to her, he wanted to clear his stupid conscience! He planned everything, from how they met, he lured her and made her think she was his everything when he only wanted to make up for what he had done to her in the past. But it felt so real, she felt it in her heart that he really loved her or maybe he was just good at pretending.

    There was no consolation, she kept on sobbing.

     "Think about your baby." Mia said to herself, trying to calm herself. "Your baby Mia, it's no longer all about you." Mia said, convincing herself not to push through with any deadly plan she was thinking of. Jump off a bridge? Ram the car into a tree? Overdose? She wanted the pain and rage to all go away, but she couldn't without hurting someone else.

    "My baby." She whispered to herself, that was enough to drive those nasty thoughts away.
✴✴✴✴✴

    Of course Ryan needed to know she was safe so he had the private investigator follow her. He found out that she was staying with David, at least she was safe.
✴✴✴✴✴

     Mia entered the house, looking tired and exhausted.

     "Oh, you're back." David went to meet her, helping her with the bags.

     "Thank you." A nauseating scent hit her nose. "What's... What's that smell?" She held a finger under her nostrils.

     "I'm cooking! Mac and cheese, you'll love it." He grinned.

    "Don't think so. It smells awful." She said walking into the kitchen. "And those?" She pointed at the mangos on the counter top.

     "Those are fresh, I got them for you." David said to her.

      "That's sweet of you but..." She swallowed, trying not to gag. "They don't smell so good." She said scrunching her nose.

    "What do you mean? I only just got the mangoes Mia."

            "Are you sure? They don't smell fresh at all and—" she stopped talking when David placed the back of his hand on her forehead.

     "Totally normal." He glanced at her.

    "Stop," she chuckled. "What are you doing?" She swatted away his hand gently.

       "You're not sick, no?" He raised a brow at her.

     "Of course I'm not sick." She rolled her eyes before turning to leave.

      "Mia, I have news for you." He said to her.

    She turned around... "What is it?"

    "I located your father." He said as he watched her eyes grow wide. "He still stays in Philadelphia and—"

    Mia hugged him. "Thank you! Thank you so much David, thank you so much." She said to him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck.

     "It's nothing il mio amore... Mia." He corrected himself. He had stopped calling her 'my love' because of Ryan and Ryan had scolded him for doing such.

      She backed away from him. "I... I wanna meet him. My sister, my brothers, all of them! They must have grown so big!" Mia had tears of joy forming in her eyes.

    "When do you wanna go?" David asked her. Her excitement suddenly died but he was quick to notice. "What happened?"

     "They all think I'm dead, what if I scare them off. What if they think I'm a fake, what will I do then?" She asked sadly.

     "You're the only one that can remind them of the Sophie they knew, they are your family, they'll know it's you, they will feel it's you. Don't be scared." David told her.

       "Are you sure?" She frowned.

   "I am. They'll love the wonderful woman you turned out to be!" He said to her. "Don't be scared, I'll be there, with you." He said.

    She nodded... "Thank you."
✴✴✴✴✴

    "I'll keep going on my knees if I have to. I can't lose her." He said pacing around his study.

     "Should I talk to her?" Natalie suggested. She was seated on a chair, with Alex by her side.

       "She won't listen to anyone that kept the truth from her." Ryan said to her. "What if she goes away, I'll lose her." Ryan panicked.

      "Sophie would never do that." Alex said to him.

    Ryan turned to Alex. "You didn't see the way she looked at me today, if looks could kill, I'd be dead right now. She didn't even care I saved her from Ares."

       "Who's Ares?" Natalie asked.

   "Her lunatic of an ex fiance. He tried to harass her and I stepped him, I should have snapped his neck for even trying to touch her. If I see that bastard near her, I'll wring his neck." He clenched his fists.

      "Nobody is strangling anyone Ryan, control yourself. We'll find a way to sort everything—not with violence." Natalie suggested.

     "I... I don't know what else to do. It's like I'm slowly losing my mind. I can't live for the rest of my life knowing Sophie hates me." Ryan told them.

     "The Mia you fell in love with is still in there, all we have to do is find a way to bring her back." Natalie said to him.

      "What do you suggest I do?" Ryan asked her.

     "Share with her all the old and new memories." Alex said.

     "How do you suppose I do that? She doesn't want to see me at all." He glanced at Alex. "She hates me. She wants nothing to do with me."

      "I have an idea." Alex nodded. "Let's just hope it works." He said to them.
✴✴✴✴✴

      David and Mia left for Philadelphia two days later to meet Mia's family. David had managed to invite only her dad to the hotel room so he could explain the situation.

      "Where are the others? You told me the investors were all going to be here." Colin suspiciously eyed David. He had grown white hair already and his voice was stronger but not as clear as it used to be.

      "Mr Karavagh," David sighed. "Forgive me but I lied to you. I'm not a staff from Griffin and co."

     "What!" He stood up. "Are you out of your mind young man?! Why the hell did you bring me here then? Is this some sort of joke?" Anger flashed in his eyes.

      "I mean no disrespect sir but there is something urgent and I need you to listen to me." David remained calm.

      "Bloody hell I would! Listen to me whatever-you-call-yourself, I have places to be." He said trying to walk away but David stepped in front of him.

      "Sir give me a moment that's all I ask." He pleaded with Colin.

    "Get lost!" Colin snapped at David angrily, trying to leave.

     "I have your daughter!" David quickly said.

  Colin abruptly turned around. "What?" He raised his brow.

     "I have your daughter sir." David repeated.

      "My daughter? Have you—"

  "She's here sir. Sophie's here with me." David gave him a small smile.

    Colin's eyes widened... "Sophie? You... You kidnapped my daughter?" His eyes looked murderous.

    "Kidna..." David shook his head. "No not kidnapped. She's here with me, in the room." David looked horrified.

      "In the room! Jesus!" Colin grabbed David by the neck. "You pedophile! She's only six years old! How dare you!!" Colin tried to strangle him when he heard a terrified voice.

     "Dad! Dad! What are you doing?! Dad!" Mia was more than terrified when she saw that Colin was trying to throttle David.

      Colin looked behind him and saw her, she was almost real, like a ghost.
The shock of seeing her almost made him have a heart attack.

       "Ghost!!!" He screamed, scurrying to the door.

     "No dad! Wait, it's me." Mia ran after him, locking the door before Colin could reach it.

     "Where am I?!" He shouted on top of his voice.

      David had finally gotten enough air into his lungs. "Mr Karavagh, we are not here to harm you. We only want to talk."

    Colin glanced at Mia... "Who are you? Am I on some kind of freak show? Is there a hidden camera. This isn't funny anymore." He said to them.

     "Dad let me—"

    "Stop. Stop calling me that. Who the fuck are you?! And why are you trying to torment me?"

      "Dad, it's me. It's me Sophie." Mia bit her lip, she was about to cry.

     "Shut up! You just shut up right now!" Colin glared at her.

     "She's telling the truth." David said.

      "And you too. Shut up!" Tears filled up in Colin's eyes. "What are you doing? Who sent you to do this to me? How could you disrespect my daughter's memory like this?! How did you get her face!!"

      It didn't take long, Mia had tears streaming down her eyes. "Please listen to me. I know you're confused right now but no one is playing a trick on you. This is all real. Dad, it's me, it's me Sophie."

    "No, no, no, no, this can't be happening. Sophie's gone, she's been gone." He said, crying to himself.

      "Dad I didn't die. That was all a lie. You have to listen to me dad. I am Sophie, Sophie Bibianna Karavagh. I have no reason to lie to you because I would gain nothing." Mia sobbed.

     "Who put you up for this?" Colin was furious.

     "Dad I —"

     "Who put you up for this imposter?!" He shouted on top of his voice. Mia cringed, how was she going to explain everything to him.

    Colin walked towards the door to leave.

     "I remember, even though I was only four, I remember the day you left the house dad. You, you told me you'd always be there and I was your princess." Mia wiped her tears. "We grew distant because of your new family, but you kept on trying to bond with me. I still remember when Laura and I dressed up as princesses, Laura kept saying I had the prettiest dress but you told her that we were all beautiful in our own way and in our different dresses? Do you remember?" Mia sniffled while fresh tears trickled down her cheeks.

     By this time, she had gotten Colin's attention because he stood in a fixed spot.

     "How about when you took me to that party at the MacGolden resort, you made me sing in front of the crowd because you wanted to get the contract from Ryan's grandfather." Mia chuckled at the memory. Damn, she'd forgotten so many things. "Remember when you told me never to forget bonding with my siblings because you knew I didn't want to." She laughed in between her tears. "Dad I still remember my first car, it was a sky blue jeep! Remember when I told you I had a boyfriend, you were so happy to keep a girlie secret from mom. I spent my last Christmas here with you and Laura and Jimmy and Russell and... Jennifer." Mia wiped her tears.

   Colin turned around tearfully... "Sophie?" He said to her.

   "Mhmm. It's me." Mia nodded slowly, crying uncontrollably. "It's me dad."

     Colin broke down into tears, he was so much convinced that the woman standing in front of him was his princess. His baby. Sophie. "Sophie." He went to hug her and they both cried in each other's arms. "My Sophie, my Sophie. How did this happen?"

   David excused himself from their midst to allow them spend time together.

It was a lot to take in but Mia explained everything. David had taken her to his house, it took a while to convince everyone. It was all so surprising and shocking especially to Laura who had come to visit. Mia found out she had another sister who was named after her and she was only six years old.
✴✴✴✴✴

      Mia walked into Laura's old room. "Hey, can I come in?" She asked.

    Laura had grown so much from the fifteen years old girl Mia knew. From the way she talked, Mia could see Laura wasn't the same wild girl she used to know. She was not much of a talker, completely reserved.

     "Of course." Laura smiled at her.

     Mia walked into the room, glancing around. "Not much changes around here."

     "Yeah." Laura said to her with a smile. "You grew so much."

     "You did too. Wait... You're like twenty one right?" Mia fluttered her lashes.

      "I am, you're supposed to turn twenty three in two months. No one forgets your birthday." Laura smiled at her.

    "Shit! I... I hadn't thought about this. So, I'm not almost thirty? I'm only twenty three? No wonder people thought I never age, this all make sense now." Mia ran her fingers down her hair.

      "Are you okay?" Laura frowned at Mia.

     "Absolutely! I've never felt better for the past seven years of my life! If someone told me my life would suddenly turn around, I would have never believed it." Mia looked at Laura. "You don't know how happy I am to be back, and our little sister, she's such a darling."

      "Everyone says she takes after you." Laura chuckled.

    Mia sighed... "Laura," She embraced Laura. "There's so much I wanna tell you in such little time." She pulled away, holding Laura's hands. "Let's go out, talk,, make up for the times lost."

      Laura chuckled... "You're so excited aren't you?"

     "I am! Jimmy is so big, I almost didn't recognize him. How old is that guy?" Mia asked him.

     "Turned seventeen recently and Russell's almost fourteen." She replied.

      "God, I missed out so much." Mia said sadly.

    "Hey, it's not too late. You're in no rush to leave right?" Laura asked her.

      "Not at all." She smiled.

    "That's very good. We'll share the same bed, like old times."

   "Like old times." Mia chuckled, hugging Laura.

    Mia enjoyed two days with all of them, getting to know her siblings. It was so wonderful and she was quick to bond with her baby sister Sophie. On the third day, David came to get her, to take her back to New York.

     "David, meet my sister Laura. Laura, David." Mia introduced them.

     "Hi." Laura smiled sheepishly.

    "Hello." He took her hand for a handshake. "It's nice to finally meet Mia's —I mean Sophie's sister." He smiled at her.

      "You too, she's told me so much about you." Laura blushed as she shook hands with David.

      Mia pressed her lips together, suppressing her smile as she looked at David and Laura. Indeed, they looked great together.

     "I'll leave you two." She turned to leave. She winked at Laura who rolled her eyes.
✴✴✴✴✴

     "What do you think about my family?" Mia asked him as they were both driven to the airport.

     "You have a very welcoming family." He smiled at her.

      "Sophie's so cute. I already miss her." Mia smiled back at him.

      "Although your brother Jimmy he's a bit—"

   She completed the statement. "Obnoxious. I know." Mia laughed. "And my sister? Laura." Mia smirked at him.

    He turned to her. "Laura?" He cleared his throat. "She's Laura... I mean she's friendly, she's... She's um.." He couldn't place the right words in his mouth. "She's pretty."

   Mia shook her head... "Prettier than me." She had mirth written all over her face. "It's okay to say that."

     "You're both beautiful," he placed a finger under her chin and lifted her face. "Beautiful in your own way."

    Mia sighed happily, placing a peck on his cheek. "Thank you David, thank you so much." She smiled at him.

    "There's nothing to thank me for il mio amore."

    Mia laid her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes.

      He smiled... "One more thing, about your sister Laura..."

    Mia laughed.... "I knew you were hitting on her!"
..................................................................
    
    "Hey, you go. I wanna get something down the road." David told her.

   "Okay, let me come with you."

    "No, no, it's not necessary. I won't take too long." David said to her.

     Mia nodded. She climbed up the stairs, heading to David's condo unit. She unlocked the door and it was all dark, Mia hated darkness. She reached for the light switch, as the whole place lit up, she saw someone seated.

     He stood up, turning to her.

      "Oh je..." Mia almost jumped. "You scared me." She heaved a sigh. "What are you doing here Ryan?" Mia asked.

       "I'm not here to argue with you, I came to talk." He said to her calmly.

    Mia pouted, raising a brow as she stared at him. It was obvious she didn't want him around.

      "There's nothing to talk about, all has been said so I think you should leave." She said to him as calm as possible.

      "I'll leave." He nodded. "Not until I give you this." He said holding out the box in his hand.