The kids, Jackson and Emily, ran back to their mom, Alice, who was chatting with Brenda and Joe. They were bubbling with excitement, their eyes shining with joy.
"Mommy, Mommy! We saw our daddy!" Emily exclaimed, tugging on Alice's hand.
Alice's expression turned cautious, and she warned, "Babies, what did Mommy say about calling a guy your daddy?"
But Emily was undeterred. "Mommy, he's too handsome and cute! And he has our features!"
Alice shrugged, dismissing their claims. "You must be mistaken, sweethearts. Let's finish our dinner and go home."
The family finished their meal, and as they left the restaurant, Alice couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. But she pushed the thought aside, attributing it to her exhaustion.
Meanwhile, at the Golden Suites bar, Diego, Leo, and Steve were huddled together, discussing the DNA test results. Leo, who had conducted the test, smiled as he handed Diego the report.
"It's positive, Diego. You're the father," Leo announced, his voice filled with excitement.
Diego's face lit up with joy, and he pumped his fist in the air. "Yes! I knew it!"
Just then, James walked in with a folder containing the investigation results on Alice Smith. Diego's eyes scanned the documents, taking in every detail about Alice's life, from her home address to her workplace.
As he finished reading, Diego turned to James and ordered, "Cancel my schedule for tomorrow. I'm going to meet Alice."
The next morning, Saturday, Alice took the kids to Joe's Diner, where they settled in for a quiet morning. The kids behaved themselves, playing with their toys while Alice, Brenda, and Joe worked on preparing for the lunch rush.
Just as they were getting into the swing of things, a sleek black SUV pulled up outside, and Diego, Leo, Steve, and their bodyguards stepped out. The group walked into the diner, their presence commanding attention.
Alice, who was still fuming from their previous encounter, hissed loudly and stormed into the kitchen. But the kids, Jackson and Emily, ran to Diego, calling out "Daddy!" in unison.
Diego's face lit up with joy as he scooped up the kids, peppering them with kisses. He set them down in a chair, his eyes never leaving theirs.
Then, he turned to Joe and ordered, "I need to speak with Alice. Now. Can you give us a private room?"
Joe, sensing the tension, nodded and quickly ushered the group into a private room. He called out to Alice, who was still seething in the kitchen.
"Alice, you need to come out here. Diego wants to talk to you," Joe announced, trying to stifle a grin.
Alice, still fuming, reluctantly made her way to the private room. As she entered, Diego broke the news that would change everything: "Alice, I'm the father of your children."
The room fell silent, the only sound the heavy breathing of the occupants. Alice's eyes widened in shock, her face pale. The kids, sensing the tension, clung to each other, their eyes wide with uncertainty.
As the news sank in, the room remained frozen in time, the occupants struggling to process the revelation that would alter their lives forever.
As the news sank in, Alice's face turned beet red with anger, and she slapped Diego across the face with all her might. "You bastard!" she spat, her voice venomous. "You think I'll believe you, you proud brute? You're just a selfish, arrogant, womanizing, egotistical... How dare you show up here after all these years and claim to be the father of my children?"
Leo quickly intervened, holding up the DNA test results. "Alice, please, look at this. The DNA test confirms that Diego is the father of your children."
Alice's eyes narrowed, her anger boiling over. "Maybe you forged it. I don't believe you. You're just trying to manipulate me, to get what you want."
Leo sighed, pulling out his phone. "I have a video of the entire DNA testing process. Would you like to see it?"
Alice's expression faltered, and she nodded reluctantly. Leo played the video, showing the DNA testing procedure from start to finish. Alice watched, her face pale, as the video confirmed the DNA results.
As the video ended, Alice slumped into a chair, her hands covering her face. She took a few deep breaths, trying to compose herself.
But her anger and hurt soon boiled over again. She stood up, her eyes blazing with fury, and hit Diego repeatedly, her fists flying. "You bastard, you put me in this position! I bore these children alone, without your help or support. If not for my friends and family, I don't know what I would have done."
Diego stood silently, allowing Alice to vent her emotions. He didn't flinch or react, even when she hit him.
Finally, Alice exhausted herself, her chest heaving with exertion. Diego stood up, dusting off his suit, his expression calm and collected.
"I will take custody of my children," he announced, his voice firm and authoritative.
Alice's eyes widened in horror, and she stood up, her voice shaking with rage. "I will never let you have any custody of my children! You were never there when I gave birth to them, when they grew up, when they needed their father. You don't even know them! You're just a stranger to them, and to me."
Her voice rose to a shout, and she pointed at Diego, Leo, and Steve. "You're just trying to buy them, to use your wealth and power to take them away from me. But I won't let you! I'll fight you with every breath in my body!"
Diego's expression remained calm, but his eyes flashed with determination. "I'm not trying to buy them, Alice. I'm trying to be their father. And I will do whatever it takes to make that happen."
Alice's face twisted with anger and fear, and she shouted again, "LEAVE! GET OUT OF MY SIGHT! YOU'LL NEVER TAKE MY CHILDREN AWAY FROM ME!".
Diego smirked, his eyes glinting with amusement, as he turned to leave Alice's workplace. "We'll be back," he said, his voice dripping with confidence.
Leo and Steve followed Diego out of the diner, leaving Alice shaken and distraught. She watched them leave, her eyes brimming with tears, and whispered to herself, "Never come back."
Alice left work early, her mind reeling with thoughts of Diego's sudden appearance and his claim to be the father of her children. She gathered her kids, Jackson and Emily, and hastily left the diner.
Brenda, noticing Alice's distress, approached her and whispered, "Be careful, Alice. He doesn't seem like the kind of man to give up easily."
Alice nodded, her eyes scanning the surrounding area nervously. "I will, Brenda. Thanks for understanding."
Meanwhile, Diego had already set his plan in motion. He ordered his guards to keep a close eye on Alice's movements, anticipating that she might try to flee with the children.
"Women like her," Diego said, his voice laced with disdain, "will stop at nothing to keep their children from the father. If you notice anything suspicious, block all borders to prevent her from leaving America."
Alice, unaware of Diego's plans, quickly packed her bags and prepared her kids for a sudden departure. Jackson asked, "Where are we going, Mommy?"
Alice forced a smile, trying to reassure her son. "Another beautiful home, sweetie. Don't worry, Uncle Joe and Aunt Brenda will come visit us soon."
As they left their apartment, Alice hailed a cab, and they sped off into the night. Unbeknownst to Alice, a black SUV, identical to the one that had been parked outside Joe's Diner, tailed them, its occupants watching their every move.
The SUV boxed in the cab, two men in the front and two in the back, effectively blocking their escape. Alice gritted her teeth, her heart racing with fear.
The cab screeched to a halt, and Diego emerged from the shadows, his eyes fixed intently on Alice. He strode towards the cab, opening the door and gently taking Jackson and Emily's hands.
"Come, kids. We're going home," Diego said, his voice low and soothing.
Emily looked up at her father, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Daddy, where's home?"
Diego smiled, leading the kids towards his SUV. "You'll see, sweetie. It's a beautiful place."
Meanwhile, Alice was dragged away, struggling and kicking, and thrown into another car. She watched in horror as Diego drove away with her children, feeling her world crumbling around her.