Diana’s POV
"There's everything wrong with it, Raphael, please don't tell me you are going to side with this wench", Mrs Riley said. I could see the anger in her eyes. The fact that one of her sons was standing up for me was causing her pain. "She's done nothing wrong mom, she didn't choose to be adopted" He replied "So what do you want us to do? Allow your brother to get married to a fake while the original is standing right there." "She's not a fake mom; she's an adopted child; what's wrong with being adopted? Grandpa was an adopted child" he shot back at her Lorenzo senior an adopted child? Could that be the reason why he had a special love and affection for me? Who would have known? I never would have guessed he was an adopted child "That's different Raphael." "Come on, Mom, how's that so different," he said, trailing his hair with his right hand. "Your grandpa's parent never found their original child, they never had a child of their own?" "If I understand you correctly, what you are trying to say is, if his parents had gotten their real child, they would have abandoned him and humiliated him the way you all are humiliating her?" "We just don't want her for our brother anymore?" Marco said, calmly. I couldn't believe he could be this calm. I guess he was scared of his elder brother. Raphael had a different aura. I stared at him, watching the way he held himself calm, unwavering, completely unaffected by the tension crackling in the air. He exuded an aura of control like a man who didn't need to raise his voice to command attention. His presence alone was enough to shift the power in the room. "She doesn't want him either. I heard her say It over and over again, but I guess you guys chose to ignore that because you needed to just humiliate her." "Then why is she here?" Anna asked, "Why...." Raphael shot Anna an icy gaze that made her quiet instantly. Raphael carried himself with an air of quiet dominance, he was tall, well built, wearing a perfectly tailored tuxedo and effortlessly composed. His movements were delicate, never rushed, but his gaze was sharp and laced with authority. Always assessing before he speaks his baritone voice was steady and calm, making you want to listen to him whenever he talks. "Why is she here? Didn't she have a passcode? That means every one of you was aware of her coming; this only confirms one thing..." he paused and moved closer to where Marcel stood. "That you all were in it together, you decided to give her an invitation just because you wanted to humiliate her." I was amazed at how Raphael kept defending me; he was a Lorenzo; he was supposed to be on their side, but he wasn't. My eyes scanned the room and then I noticed that Serena was no longer in the room. Maybe she had run out of the room because of Raphael, or she had gone to take a leak. I wasn't quite sure. Raphael placed his hands in his pocket, "can I ask you all a question?" Everyone began to grumble but he didn't wait for an answer. "When she was with Marcel, didn't you all know she was adopted?" He paused, waiting for a reply, but no one was saying anything. "I think I got my answer..." he smiled "So what's wrong now?" "We found the real Kensington, I won't let my son get married to someone who has no future" Mrs Riley shot at him "Mom!!!" Raphael yelled "Raphael!!!" She yelled back at him, "My decision is final." "She's still a daughter of the Kensington's; by right, she's entitled to everything their biological daughter has." "Not anymore" That voice sounded very familiar. A chuckle followed. "No, this can't be happening" I muttered under my breath. No wonder I couldn't find Serena amid everyone for a while. She had gone to bring Mom and Dad. The voice had come from behind, it was mom's voice. Everyone turned to look at who it was. Mom and Dad had gotten to the living room, my eyes matching with theirs for a brief moment until they looked away. Mom walked over to Mrs Riley and handed over a document to her. "From this moment, Diana ceases to be our child legally." My world was slowly falling apart right before my eyes. First, it was my seven-year relationship. Now it was my parents people I had called mom and dad for over twenty years had disowned me-legally. Mrs Riley let out an evil laugh, passing the document to Mrs Audrey, the family's grandmother, who then passed it to Lorenzo Senior. Lorenzo senior wore his glasses and looked through the documents. He exhaled and then passed it to his wife. I was the last person it got To. My hands began to tremble, regrets etched in my heart, I shouldn't have been here in the first place. "This is insane" Raphael blurted out "Our decision has been made, and we kindly ask that you respect it. We lost our daughter a long time ago, and we have now found her. All we want to do is give her our full attention and love. We cannot share our affection with someone else's child." I staggered, almost falling but I was helped by Alexander. I could hear sounds of soft chuckle and mockery but I couldn't bother myself with that. I had just become an orphan again. My parents didn't want me anymore. I had a feeling about this earlier today before coming here, but I just didn't want to believe it. Now here it was. Officially an orphan, who would want to have anything to do with me. I have been stripped of my last name. Now I was just Diana. No last name. My heart ached, my stomach churned, and my eyes rolled. My life had taken a negative turn. I couldn't hold it anymore; I ran out of the house. It was late. Trying to get a cab by that time would be too risky, but I needed a place to hide my face and my shame. I saw a car, that wasn't too familiar I knew it wasn't for the Lorenzo's because I knew all the cars they owned. Luckily for me, the doors were not locked. I opened the back passenger seat and just crashed into the seat.Raphael’s POV"Come on Raph, you think you can fool me?" "No, gramps, I am not trying to fool you. It's just, the way it is, I don't have a plus one.""So you are saying that all through your twenty years over there, you don't even have an ex that you could try to bring with you?""If I told you I don't would you believe me?" I asked Gramps was quiet for a while "Well, I will believe you; you've always been the weirdest amongst us all." He chuckled "Come on, gramps, what do you mean by weird.""How will a thirty-five-year-old man be single? How do you free yourself when you are full?"My jaw dropped; I hadn’t expected Gramps to ask me a question like that."Come on, Gramps, there are other ways of freeing oneself. It doesn't have to be through a girlfriend.""Son?" He called I knew the next thing that was going to come out of his mouth was going to be ridiculous. "Do you have a boyfriend? Are you gay?""Come on, Gramps", I laughed hysterically "Gramps, bye. I need to start prepar
Raphael’s POVIt was the morning of my grandfather's birthday. Honestly, I wouldn't have gone to the party if my grandfather had not invited Me personally. My family? Those guys? They are a lot, they can be a pain in the ass too.Sometimes I wonder if I was their child because they all seemed to have the same kind of annoying character, one that I detested so much.Maybe because I had been staying abroad, far away from them, maybe because I left them early. But I was different.While growing up, I spent more time with my grandfather and grandmother; I was the first child of my parents, Mrs Riley Lorenzo and Mr Lorenzo Junior.Yes, my father's name is Lorenzo Junior, named after my grandfather. At five years old, I was doing things most of my peers wouldn't. I had a mature way of thinking. My brother Marcus, a real pain, was born when I was five.All my parent's attention went to him even after he had grown older; they still gave him all their attention. Honestly, I wasn't even bothe
Diana’s POV I tried to look inside for the key. Maybe I could borrow the car for a while and use it to drive back to Ciara's, but the car key wasn't there.One thing I was grateful for was the tinted glass the car had. It made it hard for anyone outside to see me.I heard someone approaching. I lay on the seat, wishing it would open up and swallow me. The next thing I heard was a tap on the window screen. Followed by the sound of the driver seat opening. "Hello" I exhaled when I recognised the voice to be the voice of Raphael. "Is this your car?" I asked "Yes it is my car" He replied firmly"I’m sorry, I didn’t know... I will come down now," I said, gripping the door handle. Just as I was about to push the door open, the lock clicked shut."I didn't say you should leave.""I am sorry, I just wanted to leave...,""I understand," he said staring at me.His gaze was searching. There was something about him; it felt like I had seen him somewhere before, but I couldn't remember. He
Diana’s POV "There's everything wrong with it, Raphael, please don't tell me you are going to side with this wench", Mrs Riley said. I could see the anger in her eyes.The fact that one of her sons was standing up for me was causing her pain."She's done nothing wrong mom, she didn't choose to be adopted" He replied "So what do you want us to do? Allow your brother to get married to a fake while the original is standing right there.""She's not a fake mom; she's an adopted child; what's wrong with being adopted? Grandpa was an adopted child" he shot back at her Lorenzo senior an adopted child?Could that be the reason why he had a special love and affection for me?Who would have known?I never would have guessed he was an adopted child "That's different Raphael.""Come on, Mom, how's that so different," he said, trailing his hair with his right hand."Your grandpa's parent never found their original child, they never had a child of their own?""If I understand you correctly, what
Diana’s POV Okay, okay, calm down I am sure you are surprised about the sudden outcome of things right? Well here's what happened before Raphael came to the rescue ******I Wasn't quite sure what I would call this. I stood amid every member of the Lorenzo's family. Marcel had a wicked smile on his face. "Come, Serena," Mrs Riley said Serena made her way to where Mrs Riley stood.Holding her hands, she declared, "Henceforth, this is Marcel's fiancée. She is the real daughter of the Kensingtons." She paused, then turned to look at me. "This one is a fake—an impostor."An impostor?A fake?How is a legally adopted child a fake?I didn't choose to be adopted, nor did I choose the family I wanted to be adopted into. I was chosen by Mr. and Mrs. Kensington, so why the hell would anyone think I'm a fake?"She thinks she can deceive us?" Anna laughed At that moment all I wanted was for the floor to open up and swallow me. I shouldn't have listened to Ciara; I should have followed my gut
Diana’s POV I inhaled deeply and steadily, pushing myself to stay calm. I refused to provide them the pleasure of witnessing my hesitation or worry. Instead, I let a small, knowing smile curve my lips. "So that's what this is about", I scoffed, "You think you can just erase me because Serena is back? Like I was never on the surface of this earth?""We wouldn't mind doing that if we could." Anna blurted out. I scoffed, ignoring her, making sure my composure and smile were intact. "Let's get one thing straight, I didn't beg for this... I didn't beg to be adopted, I didn't beg to carry the name Kensington....""Oh good, which means you wouldn't mind if we strip you of that name." Serena snapped I ignored her."I was chosen, and for many years, I lived as their daughter. Relationships were built, memories were made, and I became part of something bigger, than just a name." I folded my arms, my voice growing sharper. "You can't change all of that just because it's suddenly inconvenien