I'm sorry, did I hurt you?" the man asked, his voice calm yet unsettling, as he bumped into Claire. She was on her way to the wedding venue, her mind racing after Rafael's urgent call. He had said he had something important to tell her. But it wasn’t just Rafael’s call that troubled her—it was the relentless texts and calls from another man, a stranger whose messages had grown increasingly disturbing. She thought coming here might help her escape him, but the chilling photos and texts she received earlier suggested otherwise. He was close. Too close.
"It's okay. I'm fine," Claire replied, her voice trembling as she bent down to pick up her fallen cell phone. The man crouched down at the same time, their hands almost brushing against each other."We finally meet," the man said, his tone dripping with menace. Claire froze, her heart pounding in her chest. She stared at him, her breath hitching as she took in his sinister grin. Panic surged through her veins"Alpha, what’s wrong?” Rafael asked, his voice thick with concern as he noticed Hunter clutch his chest. It wasn’t just the sudden gesture that alarmed him—it was the way Hunter’s usual composure shattered, replaced by an uncharacteristic fear that flickered across his face like a warning.Hunter froze, his heart racing—not from exertion, but from the invisible thread of connection tugging violently at his soul. He could feel Aleah, and something was wrong. Danger lingered in the air like a storm cloud, heavy and suffocating. Her heartbeat, unstable and erratic, echoed in his mind like a distant drum signaling distress.“Aleah...” Hunter murmured, his jaw tightening. The sun was sinking fast, bleeding hues of orange and red across the horizon, yet Aleah still hadn’t returned. He had felt her anger earlier, the sting of her frustration with him. But he never thought—never imagined—that she’d stay away t
Aleah woke up in an unfamiliar room, her head pounding and her surroundings hazy. As her vision cleared, her heart sank—Claire was lying on a dusty, old sofa, dressed in a pristine wedding gown that seemed jarringly out of place. The room was dimly lit, with a single, flickering bulb hanging from the ceiling, casting eerie shadows on the walls. Aleah’s gaze shifted to the walls, where dozens of photographs of Claire were taped haphazardly, like a twisted shrine. Panic gripped Aleah as fragmented memories of the events before they blacked out resurfaced.The air in the room was thick with a nauseating stench—a blend of metallic tang and decay that stung her nostrils. She instinctively covered her nose, the smell making her stomach churn. She stood up unsteadily from a wooden chair by the door, her legs feeling like jelly. As she took a cautious step toward Claire, something cold and unyielding tugged at her ankle. She looked down and froze. A heavy chain was cl
"Argh," groaned the man, clutching his neck as he woke up. His head throbbed, and his vision blurred momentarily as he tried to make sense of his surroundings. He scanned the room, his eyes darting to every corner, only to realize Claire was no longer there. The door stood ajar, and when he peered outside, the emptiness confirmed his worst fear."What did you do?! Where's my bride?" he bellowed, his voice echoing with fury as he turned to Aleah, his eyes blazing with accusation."You never had a bride to begin with," Aleah shot back, her voice steady but laced with disdain. "She's already gone, so stop living in your delusion. Wake up! Can't you see you're terrifying Claire? Is this what you want—to push her further away?""What do you know?!" the man roared, his anger boiling over. In a flash, he lunged at Aleah, his hands wrapping tightly around her neck. His bloodshot eyes glared with a feral intensity, and his sharp nails dug into her skin, leaving angry red
"Claire!" Amanda’s voice trembled with worry as she rushed toward Claire and Aleah, who had just disembarked from the helicopter. The sun was beginning to rise over the island, casting a warm, golden hue on the scene, but Amanda’s mind was clouded with concern. Claire and Aleah had returned early that morning after spending the night recovering at the hospital.As Amanda reached her daughter, she immediately enveloped her in a tight embrace. Her hands gently cupped Claire’s face as her eyes scanned for any signs of injury. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you?" she asked, her voice laced with both fear and relief."I’m okay, Mom," Claire assured her softly, her lips curving into a faint smile. "Aleah saved me," she added, glancing gratefully at the young woman standing beside Hunter. Aleah’s presence radiated calm confidence, her stance poised despite the tension still lingering in the air.Amanda turned to Aleah, her expression shifting to o
Hunter was caught off guard when, upon stepping outside, he was greeted by the assistant of Aleah's grandfather. The man spoke with a tone of urgency, informing him that Sebastian and Damian were waiting for him in the dining hall. Hunter nodded without a word, his mind already racing with questions, and followed the assistant through the grand corridors of the estate.As they approached the hall, the assistant suddenly stopped and turned to Hunter. "I’ve been instructed to stand guard here. No one else is to enter," the assistant explained before opening the heavy wooden doors for him. Hunter stepped inside, his footsteps echoing in the vast, dimly lit room. His gaze immediately landed on the two elderly men seated at the long, ornate dining table. He noticed that no one else was present—a detail that only deepened his curiosity. The assistant closed the doors behind him, leaving Hunter alone with them.The young man hesitated for a moment, then strode c
He didn’t wake me up,” Aleah whispered, her voice tinged with a mix of annoyance and hurt as she stirred awake. From the balcony, she caught sight of the horizon painted in hues of orange and purple, the sun slowly descending. Twilight was fast approaching. A heavy sigh escaped her lips as she decided to rise, the lingering ache of being forgotten gnawing at her chest. She took a long bath, hoping the warm water would soothe her simmering thoughts, before stepping out to face the evening.As Aleah left her room, she headed to the wedding venue for the rehearsal. But when she arrived, an unsettling emptiness greeted her. The silence in the room was almost deafening, amplifying the loneliness she tried to push aside. With a deep breath, she made her way to the dinner hall, where the lively chatter of family members filled the air. Their laughter and voices intertwined like a melody, one she felt she could never be a part of.She lingered at the doorway, her steps
"Oh, you’ve arrived!” Amanda exclaimed cheerfully as she spotted Hunter and Aleah entering the dining hall. The woman was approaching Sebastian and Damian’s table, carrying a tray of food. “Take a seat so you can eat,” she said with a warm smile.Aleah glanced over at Rafael and Claire’s table. The two waved at them, signaling for them to sit there.“Let’s sit by Rafael and—” Hunter turned to Aleah, ready to guide her to Rafael and Claire’s table, but he froze when Aleah suddenly sneezed. The sound drew everyone’s attention.“Don’t tell me you caught a cold from just a little rain?” Hunter teased, adjusting the jacket draped over Aleah’s shoulders. Aleah wiped her nose and sneezed again.“Do you have a fever?” Hunter asked, concerned by her sneezing fit. He placed his hand on her forehead and neck to check if she was running a temperature. The scene didn&rs
“Well, they’re at it again, huh?” Dennis’s father quipped as he joined them, his gaze falling on the elders engrossed in their chess game. Dennis followed behind him, but his attention was fixed on Aleah.“Are you feeling all right? I’m sorry, I didn’t—” Dennis started, his voice tinged with guilt.“It’s okay. I’m all right,” Aleah interrupted gently, flashing him a reassuring smile.“That’s a relief,” Dennis said, visibly relaxing.“Let’s eat, everyone!” Amanda called out cheerfully, having just finished arranging the food on a long table. At her announcement, everyone stood and gathered around, eager to dig in.As they enjoyed their dinner, the beach was filled with lively chatter and bursts of laughter. Aleah observed the joyful scene, a bittersweet smile crossing her face. She couldn’t help but think of her mother, who had stayed behind
Hunter spoke to Francis, urging him to make time for his child and explaining why his child had been acting out. At first, Francis was reluctant to listen, arguing that it wasn’t Hunter’s place to interfere in their family issues, especially since Hunter wasn’t a "true Bryant." But Hunter didn’t let that stop him from making Francis understand his shortcomings as a father.Francis eventually promised to make time for his child. He said he would bring Isaac along on their next outing with Aurora, Bernard, Clarisse, and Bernard’s children for a chance to bond. However, this being the family's first vacation together, Francis struggled from the very first day due to the emotional distance between him and his son. Fortunately, Aurora stepped in to mediate, and Bernard and Clarisse also helped bridge the gap. Perhaps due to their experience with Aleah and her family, they found it easier to adapt to the situation.Francis felt unsure of what to say
“Why aren’t you and Dad more alike? He’s so harsh with me,” Isaac muttered, frustration clear in his voice. Sometimes, he couldn’t help but wonder—did his dad even love him? All he wanted was to be the kind of son his father could proudly acknowledge, someone he could hold up like his other children.Hunter leaned against the bars with a small smile. “Trust me, your dad’s a lot kinder than I am. People don’t call me the Demon Alpha for nothing, you know?” He smirked. “I mean, let’s face it—I’m the family rebel. I went off on my own path, completely ignoring what they wanted for me. Your dad, though? He’s the golden child. He’s spent his whole life trying to protect our family’s reputation and live up to being the eldest. You’ve got to cut him some slack, kid.”Isaac stayed quiet, though the faint growl from his stomach betrayed him. Aleah, standing nearby, look
"Feeling any better?" Claire asked as she walked over to Aleah, who was lying on the hospital bed. Hunter had rushed her to the hospital when she passed out, but he'd stepped out for a bit to take a call from the Alpha King. He said he'd be back soon, though.When Claire walked into the room, she noticed Aleah was awake, staring quietly out of the window."A little dizzy, but I think I can handle it," Aleah replied, smiling faintly. "Where’s Zen?" she asked."He just stepped out. Rafael came to get him—something about the Alpha King wanting to talk to him," Claire explained, her eyes scanning Aleah’s face. Aleah caught the look and raised an eyebrow. "What is it?""I don’t know whether you’re totally clueless about what’s happening to you or if you’ve got this daredevil streak—but seriously, with that angelic face? Who’d guess?" Claire teased, smirking."What are you talking about?" Aleah asked, frowning
They really thought everything would be fine after the CEO got arrested and the data mine shut down. But nope—they were way off. The guy wasn’t done messing with Natasha. He found out all the video data sources were destroyed, and because of that, his company shut down and he lost his job. He blamed Natasha for all of it. He even showed up at the hospital, telling her that if she didn’t do what he wanted, he’d post the video from his cellphone online—and make sure her family saw it.“And you’re seriously just gonna believe him like that?” Aleah said to Natasha during her hospital visit. She walked into Natasha’s room just as the guy was heading out. He didn’t say a word to her, just stormed off. But Aleah heard every single thing he said—every nasty, threatening word.“Can you just leave me alone? I don’t need your lecture,” Natasha muttered, refusing to look at her sister. Aleah clenched h
Moments later, the screen lit up with a pop-up—it was the location of the data mine."Alpha Hunter," Joyril said, his voice steady through the earpiece connecting them to Hunter. "We found it.""Good," Hunter replied with a smirk. Without hesitation, he snapped the chains binding his hands. They were no match for his strength, which far exceeded that of an average Alpha. Even the specially designed chains meant to restrain his kind couldn’t hold him any longer."Why, Alpha Hunter? Lost your mind already, talking to yourself like that? If you want, I can hand you the first copy of your wife's video," the man taunted, his smile oozing arrogance as he stepped closer. "She’s young, beautiful... Heck, I might even start liking her myself," he added with a smirk that made Hunter's blood boil."Save your breath," Hunter said coldly, his piercing glare stopping the man in his tracks. "She’d never look twice at scum like you." His words cut deep, m
As Hunter dug deeper into the case, he uncovered that the website was owned by a company spreading explicit videos. Natasha wasn’t the only victim—there were countless others. Although they managed to shut down some sites, new ones kept appearing every day.Aleah and Hunter tried to shield Natasha from what had happened, but the truth got out. Daniella, furious after piecing everything together, stormed into their home with Melissa and Alfredo. They dragged Natasha and her baby back to the mansion against her will.Aleah wasn’t spared from the fallout. Her father gave her an earful, berating her for hiding the truth—especially the fact that Natasha had given birth to a child with no known father. No matter how hard they tried, Natasha wouldn’t reveal who the father was.“You want this family to accept you?” Daniella spat at Aleah. “Then stay out of our business. We’ll take care of Natasha and her baby ourselves,&rd
Aleah had been dropping by the hospital every day to see her sister, Natasha. And every single time, it bugged her how Natasha didn’t even bother visiting her baby in the nursery. One day, when Aleah came to check on her, she noticed a man walking out of Natasha’s room. As she got closer, Natasha’s face said it all—she was scared out of her mind. “What’s going on? Who was that guy?” Aleah asked, but Natasha just shut down, refusing to say a word. The thing was, Aleah kept seeing the same guy hanging around the hospital. Something wasn’t right. One day, she overheard Natasha arguing with him in her room. She didn’t plan on listening in, but her sister sounded so shaken she couldn’t help it. “You need to give me that video!” Natasha pleaded, her voice trembling. The guy chuckled. “Why would I? That video’s making me a ton of money,” he said, completely unbothered. Aleah’s gut twisted. What was this guy talking about? She couldn’t shake the bad feeling. Then sh
Aleah and Natasha got to the hospital, and right away, Claire came up to them. Her eyes went wide as she stared. “Aleah? Natasha?” she gasped. Seeing Natasha’s round belly made her freeze for a moment. Nobody was expecting this—least of all Claire.“What’s going on?” Claire asked, still staring at Natasha, who avoided her gaze.Aleah didn’t miss a beat. “Her water broke. She needs attention,” she said firmly.Claire blinked, catching up with the situation. “Oh, right! Hold on.” She waved down a nurse and gestured for Natasha to follow them to the delivery room.When Natasha was out of sight, Claire rounded on Aleah. “What happened?” she demanded.“I saw her outside the mall. There was a hostage situation,” Aleah said, keeping her voice steady.“No, I mean… she’s pregnant!” Claire exclaimed. “How come no one knew?”Ale
For a week, Aleah stayed in Italy to accompany her mother in taking care of her grandfather, Antonio. Fortunately, he had passed the critical stage. According to the doctors, he just needed rest and would soon recover. In the meantime, Guiller temporarily took over his responsibilities. Since Aleah had to return to her country for work, her mother stayed behind in Italy to look after her grandfather, along with her husband.Currently, Aleah has been accepted into Dennis's law firm while waiting for her bar exam results. Dennis mentioned that it would be beneficial for her to be there, as he could assist her and she could gain valuable experience. She could decide later whether to continue working there or leave. Aleah didn’t turn down the opportunity, and Hunter agreed as well. However, he warned her not to trust Dennis too much, as the latter still had feelings for her. Aleah assured Hunter that he had nothing to worry about.On her way home in a taxi, Aleah noticed