9 The Reveal: I

A month had passed and the twins were back from Varna. Keira was unexpectedly called back to Gallo and had to leave five days after arriving in Drase. Megan and Jared also had to leave a few days after Keira left. Zac spent the four weeks that the twins weren’t in town helping his aunt out in the company. He also spoke quite often to his mother and was anticipating her arrival in the next few weeks.

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"Zac! Come down would you? There's a surprise waiting here for you," Aunt Kailey called from what sounded like the foot of the staircase.

Zac glanced towards the door and got up from where he was laying on his bed. The twins were over and when he glanced at them he saw that they were deeply engrossed in some Drop the Mic battle on YouTube.

As soon as Zac stood up, Jane looked at her phone and nudged her brother. She got up from where she was lounging on the bean bag in Zac's room and stretched before saying, "Our dad said he's one minute away. So we might as well go down with you."

Zac nodded and they took the long trek down the hallway and then descended the stairs. While they were walking Jake couldn't stop laughing at the video they had just watched. He kept repeating some of the things that were said and Zac couldn't help but smirk at how annoyed Jane was getting.

They finally reached the foyer when his aunt's voice called him from the visitors lounge. Zac glanced at the twins and gestured for them to come too.

The sight that met Zac brought him tremendous joy. He launched himself at the woman who had just gotten up from her seat as soon as he had entered.

"Mom!" Zac exclaimed and stared at her in awe, "I've missed you so much."

Diaan gave her son a sad glance and pulled him in for another hug. Kailey gestured for the twins to come closer as they awkwardly hovered by the door. They stood by her and watched the mother-son exchange with a pang in their hearts.

Diaan finally released Zac and he stared at her with a frown. Her hair was in its natural state: black. Zac had never once seen his mom without her hair dyed. Her normal brown contacts were also not in, instead her green eyes so much like his own was staring right back at him.

His mother would often go out without her colour contacts but not where she would be spotted by the paparazzi. That's why he didn't find that strange but there was a certain tiredness to his mother that he had never seen before. His mother had always been the epitome of youthful energy and now she just looked so drained.

"Mom, what happened? What's wrong? Where's Will?" Zac rapidly fired questions at his mother.

"Now, Zac, your mother is exhausted," Kailey chastised him.

Diaan kept her eyes on her son when she said, "Its fine, Kailey, thank you. Something has happened Zac. Will stayed behind to sort things out. I was supposed to stay with him but I had to see you."

Diaan looked like she wanted to say something else when Jane accidently sneezed, drawing her attention away from Zac. Diaan looked like she only now noticed the two other people in the room.

She visibly paused before straightening up. Her usual calm persona was back in place and she gave the twins a charming smile. The twins were staring at Diaan in awe. They had never seen the model without reddish-brown hair, brown contacts and make-up, so to them she almost looked like a totally different person.

"Oh! Sorry. These are my friends, mom. Jane and Jake Darcy," Zac introduced sheepishly. He didn't notice the way his mother's shoulders stiffened before she relaxed them again.

"Twins, this is my mother, Diaan Blue," Zac told the awe-struck twins. He couldn't help but laugh at their bewildered expressions. Right then the doorbell rang and Kailey got up to go and open it.

"It's nice to meet you Ms. Blue. I know you probably get this a lot but we're huge fans. You're really beautiful in person too. Actually you look even prettier without the contacts and dyed hair," Jane sputtered.

Jake visibly cringed at his sister before giving Diaan a sheepish smile. Diaan, with her natural hair and eye colour, standing next to Zac was quite the sight to behold. At that moment one would almost assume that they were siblings.

Carson Darcy's voice travelled towards the visitors lounge and the twins glanced back regrettably. They really wanted to spend more time with this beautiful lady; a lady who was their idol no less.

Diaan's eyes widened as she heard the owner of the voice approaching. She glanced at her son and wondered how exactly he had gotten mixed up with the Darcy's.

"Really, Kailey, its fine, don't worry. The twins are actually in a lot of trouble," Carson Darcy had now entered the room and locked eyes with the twins. He gave them a disapproving stare before telling Kailey, "You see, these two decided to hide the neighbour’s..."

Carson trailed off when he realised that there was someone else in the room. He looked towards the other side of the room with a greeting ready on his lips when he froze. His children didn't seem to notice this as they bounded over to him and pulled him closer to Diaan.

He was so shocked that he allowed the twins to pull him forward. "Dad, this is Diaan Blue! We finally got to meet her!" The twins were telling him. Their words registered in his head and he stopped. The twins stopped tugging him and quickly introduced him to Diaan.

It was as if the world seemed to cease. Carson's eyes were glued to the lady in front of him. His eyes were glued to ‘Diaan's.’

Zac seemed to notice this and narrowed his eyes. "Do you know each other?"

Carson looked at Zac and his eyes widened. He glanced from Diaan to Zac and whispered, "How could I not have realised?"

The twins were staring at their father strangely and Kailey stared at Diaan in confusion. Carson looked towards Zac again and this time a tear fell out of his right eye. By now everyone was dumbfounded.

Diaan just stared at Carson passively. She was waiting to see what he was going to say. Quite frankly, his reaction puzzled her.

Carson gave Diaan a tortured smile before saying, "Jessica."

When he received no reply, Carson turned towards the twins and said, "Twins, this is your mother, Jessica."

©Crimson B