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"William and Matthew Morris were orphaned at a very young age when their parents died in a car accident." Aaron Grady, Dmitri's assistant and father of Flynn Grady, one of Kiara and Lucas' friends, and also the boy that little Kiara had a teeny tiny crush on. "They were moved to St. Jacob's Home for Children. William was adopted soon but Matthew lived there till he was an adult. Matthew never went searching for his brother but William found him an year ago."

"So Victor is the name given to him by his adoptive parents?" Dmitri asked, drinking his wine.

"Can we skip to the part which is useful in me getting to my kids?" Mateo asked impatiently.

"You really are an impatient fellow huh?" Sergey laughed.

"Try having your kids kidnapped and see how that feels." Mateo rolled his eyes. He would not have said that if Sergey had kids, but he didn't so Mateo felt no regret in saying it.

"Which is why I believe bachelorhood is the best option for a made man of the Mafia." Sergey said and then waved at Aaron. "We can have all those conversation later. Now let's get back to the matter at hand."

"From what I understand, Matthew and William did not really have a relationship. It is safe to say that Matthew rejected William when he appeared in front of him." Aaron said. "They met once and only once if the proofs are to be believed."

"Well, we are missing something then." Sergey rubbed his almost bald head. "Something that can help us get to the bottom of things."

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"Dr. Johnson?"

River almost jumped out of her skin when she heard her name being called. She was in the neighborhood of Mateo's apartment... From an year ago... Where they had a one night stand and then went their different ways.

Time really do go by so fast.

"Detective Sanders?"

River looked over at George and Davis for backup. Though this man had proven himself to be useful to them, River did not completely feel safe around him. And she was someone with a hunch that was never wrong, so she knew that something or the other was definitely fishy with this man.

"Are you going to Mr. Adesso's apartment?" He asked bluntly.

River narrowed her eyes. How did he know?

"You must be wondering how I knew that." Ian scratched the back of his neck.

She nodded. She decided that she was not going to beat around the bush with this guy.

"I was doing the same."

"Why?" River asked.

Ian scratched the back of his neck again, looking at George and Davis.

"Can we talk in private?" He asked.

River poked the inside of her cheek with her tongue. She didn't want to talk to him in private. She did not want to go anywhere with him. But what if he had some information? Information he was with-holding but for some reason, he was willing to share with her. She had to take her chances for her children.

River nodded.

"George, Davis, go wait upstairs." She said.

"I think we should go upstairs." Ian said, looking between Davis and George. "We will get our work done and I will be able to tell you what I want to tell you."

River felt as if some danger loomed over her, but she also felt like she was going to find her children now. And though danger lurked, she was positive that she would be able to get out of it.

"George, Davis, stay here!"

"But-"

"Trust me." She whispered and the two of them entered the building.

"What is it that you want to tell me?" She asked as they entered the lift.

Ian took a deep breath. "I am trying to impress you."

"Huh?"

"I am trying to impress you by finding the children before all of you do." He said.

"I don't understand." River was surprised. This was definitely not what she expected him to say.

"That's okay." He chuckled and looked ahead.

River was flabbergasted for a moment.

Did he mean that?

That was the reason why he was always so vague? Not because he had any ulterior motive? That is, this was his ulterior motive?

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Jacqueline rushed out of the room where she was with the kids when she heard the front door being opened and closed.

"Victor." She said.

Victor smiled at her, a smile so pure that she had to remind herself that this man was not what he seemed to be.

"It will all be over soon."

Jacqueline felt chills down her spine. He seemed so genuinely happy. As if he had been freed from some sort of torture.

What did he mean by it would all be over soon?

What was he planning?

Was he going to harm the kids?

"I feel like Mommy and Papa are going to come back home today." Lucas said out of the blue, coming out of the room.

Jacqueline gulped as she looked from Lucas to Victor, to see that there was no change in his expression except for a small twitch of his lips.

"And why do you think that, Lukey?" Victor smiled at Lucas, playing with his phone.

"I just have a feeling." Lucas shrugged and turned to Kiara who too walked out with a doll in her hand. Her face lit up as soon as she saw Victor.

"Vicky, you are back!" She exclaimed, running to him, Jacqueline unsuccessfully trying to stop her from going to him.

"Yes, I am!" He chuckled as he lifted her up and tossed her in the air before catching her and hugging her. "Did you miss me?"

Kiara nodded and then pouted. "But I miss Mommy and Papa more, Vicky. When are they coming home? And I miss Skye, Chase and Rubble!"

"I know I know, princess." Victor helped Kiara back to the ground and knelt down in front of her. "You will be with Mommy and Papa soon. And you four will be together forever and no one will be able to separate you after... today." Victor looked up at Jacqueline when he said 'today' and Jacqueline felt chills run down her spine when he said that.

He did not mean good.

Something was going to happen today. Something that wasn't supposed to.

Jacqueline could only pray that he did not win in whatever he wanted and her sister and family remained safe.

She jumped when she heard a knock on the door.

Victor smiled devilishly when he heard it.

He looked at Jacqueline and then at the kids who were curiously staring at the door.

"Go to Jackie, let me see who it is." He gave Kiara a little push and she walked over to Jacqueline and her brother.

The door knob turned and it was unlocked.

Jacqueline blinked. Had she missed a chance to get out of here?

Victor took out his gun and unlocked it as the door was pushed open, River emerging from behind it.

"Mommy!" Kiara and Lucas exclaimed happily.

"River..." Jacqueline whispered in shock and relief as the two children ran to her.

River was in a daze, seeing nothing but her children who had gone missing for almost a month.

"My babies!" Tears trickled down her cheeks as she bent down and picked them up like she always did, hugging them.

"We missed you!" They said in unison.

"I missed you both too, my loves. So so very much."

The sound of the door closing had her turning on her heels.

Ian smiled at her as he locked the door and pocketed the key.

"Gotcha!" He chuckled.

"I knew it..." River muttered.

"What's the use now?" Ian asked. "You are here. We are here. No one can save you all."

"Mommy..." Lucas whispered, realizing that they were in danger again.

"You know George and Davis are gonna come here any minute now right?" River took a step back.

"Doesn't matter." Victor spoke. "They are with me."

"What?" Jacqueline exclaimed.

Now that was another shock.

River stepped back so that she was standing next to Jacqueline now, her children in her arms and them facing the two men.

Ian raised his gun and pointed at Ian.

"I would love to see Mateo's face when he sees all of your dead bodies."

The children didn't cry or make any noise, but they were terrified and so they clutched onto their mother's shirt.

"Mommy, I am scared." Kiara whispered.

"Leave my children out of this." River warned.

"And what makes you think that I would listen to you?"

"The fact that you will die if you don't."

Ian turned around to face Victor, and he had his gun trained at him.

River and Jacqueline looked at each other confused and then back at the two men.

Ian tilted his head, his crazy mind not the least scared by this sudden change of events. He had not expected Victor to turn against him.

"What happened, Vicky?" Ian spoke. "You forgot so easily what the Adessos did to your brother?"

River slowly lowered the kids to the ground before taking her own gun out of her waist band. Jacqueline pulled the kids back so that now they were shielded from the men by the two of their bodies, and River raised her gun training it on Ian.

"Matthew brought that upon himself." Victor said emotionlessly. "He had it coming for him."

"I am going to kill you!" Ian bellowed and raised his gun but before he could pull the trigger, someone shot him, and he fell to the ground. The children screamed and Jacqueline bent down and hugged them.

River's eyes widened when she saw the figure that emerged out of the supply closet right next to the front door.

"Sia?"

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