Farewell

Steven and Xander went to an abandoned place. When they got there, the kidnappers were already there.

"I said just go alone, why are you with someone?" Brando asked Steven angrily.

"He's my friend and he doesn't carry a weapon like I do." Steven replied calmly.

"Release the hostage!" Brando called to a companion.

Steven was furious when he saw Danica. She was obviously weak and had wounds on her face. Even her lips was cracked and stained with blood.

"It's her fault why I hurt her. She fought so hard so that's what happened." Brando explained with a smirk.

"When can I get my sister?" Steven asked the man whose face was covered and only his eyes were uncovered.

"Wait for my call. I don't want the authorities to find out, understood?" Brando pushed and released the captive.

Steven quickly approached Danica and helped her stand up. The three men quickly moved away from them and they could not follow.

"Steven, Rita… they might hurt my friend!" Danica cried and hugged the young man.

"I need to take you to the hospital first. Don't worry, I'll do everything to get my sister back from them."

Danica just breathed a sigh of relief when she laid down on the hospital bed. She felt great earlier when Steven carried her and she felt that she worried him a lot. The self-harm she did was worth it because she got his attention again. She even had a huge sum.

Steven refused to allow Nicole to leave the house for fear that they would also be abducted.

"How's Danica?" Asuncion asked when Steven got home. Danica was already with him, but she was asleep and was taken straight to her room.

"She has a trauma, she just fell asleep, so I can leave her temporarily."

"The kidnapper has not called yet. I'm already worried about Rita, those men might hurt her."

"Xander has already talked to someone who will help us, so don't worry too much."

"Don't contact the police yet!" Nicole quickly objected to what Steven thought. "I'm just worried that the kidnapper might find out that you disobeyed their order, they might hurt Rita." She explained when he looked at her questioningly.

"Nicole has a point, Hijo. Those kidnappers were smart. They thought of giving Danica back first because they knew Rita's life was more important to you." Asuncion agreed with Nicole.

Danica smirked and left her hiding place and returned to her room. She immediately sent a message to Brando and ordered him.

Nicole's sharp eyesight caught Danica secretly leaving from a corner. She quickly excused herself and followed Danica into her room.

When Nicole entered Danica's room, she was lying down with her eyes closed. But when she felt her presence, she opened her eyes with a smile.

"Danica, I beg you. That's enough, it's not too late. I'll help you change your life, just let Rita and my daughter go." Nicole almost knelt down to have Danica's mercy.

"It's your fault why it all happened, so you have to suffer!" Danica replied while glaring.

"I'll do everything, Danica. If you want, my kids and I will go away and never show up to you again."

Instead of being happy, Danica got even angrier with Nicole. She must be thinking she could fool her. She had a different plan now.

"Take on the crime as the mastermind of the abduction."

Nicole stared at her old friend for a long time. She felt numb and she could not even open her lips.

"When you do that, your daughter will live."

"Wh-What will you do to Rita?" Even though Nicole already knew what Danica was going to answer, she still wanted to hope that she just thought wrong.

Danica grinned, "that woman knows a lot. I know you wouldn't believe me either if I said I would release her with Natasha."

"B-But she's been good to you, Danica. Don't you feel sorry for her? She gave almost everything to you and…"

"Blame yourself why she'll be gone from this world. If you hadn't come back and tried to take everything back from me, this wouldn't have happened. No one would have been hurt and die if you had just kept quiet in another country." Danica scolded Nicole angrily. She blamed everything to her and she already loved Rita, but she had to kill her. She will not have a normal life if she let her live because she will definitely sue her.

Depressed, Nicole came out of Danica's room. She no longer knew what to do. She could not allow Rita to die, so she made an agreement with Danica. She knew Danica wouldn't let her stay alive either. But what was important to her was to save the lives of Rita and her third child.

"Mommy, why are you crying?" Sean asked his mother when he saw her crying. He woke up because he felt his mother lying on his bed.

"Son, I'm leaving tomorrow to see your sibling."

"Have you found her yet?" He asked joyfully.

Nicole nodded at him with a smile. He thought she was crying because of happiness. She indulged herself with hugging him because she didn’t know if she would ever come back alive.

"Son, no matter what happens, don't leave your siblings."

"Don't worry, Mommy, I'll be their protector."

A forced smile flashed on Nicole's lips as she caressed her son's cheek. She put him to sleep again before leaving and went to her other child. It was already late at night and she knew that all the housemaid were asleep.

Nicole burst into tears as she stared at her sleeping daughter's face. She was sleeping peacefully, so she tried to avoid making any sound. She approached her carefully and kissed her on the cheek. She wanted to make her feel her love, thus she slept next to her.

"Forgive Mommy if I will leave you again." She whispered under her breath as she hugged Daniela's small body tightly.

Nicole didn't know what time she slept last night. She just woke up to the ringing of her phone. She intended to set the alarm at that time, in accordance to her agreement with Danica. She was just thankful that the woman allowed her to be with her children last night.

Nicole carefully left the mansion even though it was still dark. She had decided wholly to take the risk for the sake of two lives. While driving, she thought of calling Gaven. His life was certainly in danger too, because everyone who knew Danica's true identity will be eliminated.

"Nicole, where are you?" Gaven asked in astonishment when he heard the sound of the car. He just woke up because of her call and he was worried about her because of the time.

"Gaven, listen. Please tell Dad that I am grateful to him for everything and be careful. It's better for you to just go back to Canada and don't tell Steven about Danica for the sake of my children."

Gaven's forehead furrowed and it seemed like she was saying goodbye to him and her last will. "Did something bad happen? And where are you going at this time?"

"I have to do this to save Rita and Natasha."

Gaven felt that Nicole was scared, so he was very worried. "Tell me where you are and I'll help you. Don't do this alone because you'll only be damned with them."

"I need to say goodbye."

"Nicole, wait! Hello…? Nicole?!" Gaven's voice grew louder as Nicole disappeared on the other line.

Nicole quickly turned off her cell phone and hid it in her chest. As Danica said, someone will pick her up to take her to where the child and Rita were.

"Shit!" Gaven cussed when he could not contact Nicole's number. Even though it was still dark, he decided to leave his father with the maid first. He needed to find Nicole.

"Hmm…"

Gaven looked back when he heard his father mumble. The anxiety disappeared for a while and was replaced by joy because his father woke up.

Kanor growled again and wanted to speak.

"Dad, wait a minute and I'll call the doctor." He held his father's palm tightly. When he tried to withdraw it, he stopped him by holding him in his hand, much to his surprise.

Kanor moaned again, unable to speak because of the oxygen mask.

"Dad, please don't remove the oxygen!"

Kanor shook his head so Gaven wouldn't stop him. He had to say what he wanted to say even if he can't breathe.

"To-Tony…"

"Yes?" Gaven did not get what he said because of his hoarse and weak voice.

Kanor could only say Tony's name because he was having trouble breathing. He could not speak again because his son put on his oxygen mask to him and called the doctor.

At the mansion early on, there was a commotion and everyone were surprised because of a letter left by Nicole.