The garden fell into a comfortable silence, the kind that didn’t demand words. Elona and Alaric sat side by side, each lost in their thoughts. The soft gurgle of the fountain and the rustle of leaves in the evening breeze provided a gentle backdrop, soothing yet bittersweet.Elona’s gaze drifted to the vibrant flowers blooming around them, but her thoughts were far from the present. She wondered what her life would have been like if that young man had kept his promise all those years ago. Would I still have found my way to Master Fu?Her chest tightened at the thought. The apothecary had been her salvation. When she’d arrived at his door, her burns were raw, her face disfigured, and she had no hope of affording medical treatment. Even if a hospital had taken her in, the surgeries she would have needed were far beyond her means.But Master Fu’s traditional remedies had worked miracles. His salves and herbal infusions had not only healed her scars but restored her skin to a radiant beau
The garden was now bathed in moonlight, the cool air carrying a serene calm. Alaric hesitated for a moment before asking softly, “Elona, would you like to grab something to eat?”Elona’s first instinct was to refuse. “I should check on the kids,” she said firmly, though there was a note of hesitation in her voice.Before she could say more, Victor appeared from the shadows, bowing slightly. “The triplets are staying the night with their grandparents,” he said smoothly, his tone leaving no room for argument. Elona blinked, caught off guard. “Wait, what? Since when?”Victor glanced meaningfully toward Master Fu, who was standing a short distance away, his hands folded behind him. The wise old man gave Elona an almost imperceptible nod, his expression calm yet knowing. Elona narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously.Master Fu’s voice, steady and sage-like, reached her ears. “The little ones are safe and happy. You’ve done enough for tonight, my dear. Perhaps you should take some time for yo
Jimmy burst into the room with the supplies, relief written across his face. “I’ve got everything you asked for,” he said, placing the items on the table. Elona nodded curtly and got to work, her hands moving with practiced precision as she cleaned and tended to the wound. Her expression remained calm, but the fire in her eyes hinted at her growing frustration. “Why would you let this get so bad, Alaric?” she finally asked, her voice tight. “You’re smarter than this. You know better.” Alaric looked away, his jaw tightening, but before he could answer, Jimmy let out a sharp sigh. “You want to know why?” Jimmy said, stepping forward. He ignored the warning look Alaric shot him and continued, his tone edged with exasperation. “Because this man hasn’t cared about himself since the day he woke up and realized you were gone!” “Jimmy, don’t,” Alaric said, his voice low but firm. “No,” Jimmy shot back. “She deserves to know.” He turned to Elona, his gaze steady and his voice softer n
Alaric sat slumped in the passenger seat of the SUV, his face pale but glowing faintly with satisfaction. Elona, seated beside him, crossed her arms, her expression a mix of frustration and worry. Jimmy was driving, though he kept glancing at the rearview mirror nervously, gauging the tension between the two.“You need bedrest and proper care, Alaric,” Elona said, her voice firm. “I can’t just let you continue like this.” Alaric exhaled slowly, closing his eyes for a moment before replying, “I’m not going back to the hotel.”“Then where?” she asked, exasperated. “I have a villa here in Country F,” he said simply, his voice low but resolute. “The kids don’t need to see me like this, not looking this… haggard.” Before Elona could argue further, Jimmy chimed in, “Sir, I can...”“No,” Elona cut him off sharply. “Jimmy, carry him. We’ll settle this when we get there.” Jimmy hesitated, his loyalty torn between his boss and Elona’s authoritative tone. “Uh…”“Jimmy,” Alaric said, his voice ga
The smell of fresh pastries and sizzling bacon wafted through the villa as the family gathered around the grand dining table. The sunlight streaming through the large windows painted the room in a golden glow, highlighting the smiles and laughter echoing within.Master Fu, Senior Royale, and Julio exchanged knowing glances, their eyes lighting up when they saw Elona sitting beside Alaric. The faint blush on her cheeks and the content look on Alaric’s face told them everything they needed to know.“I see you two had a good night,” Master Fu teased, his voice low but filled with mirth. Elona glared at him, her cheeks darkening. “Don’t start, Master Fu,” she said, trying to keep her voice stern.Senior Royale chuckled, his rich laughter filling the room. “Let the man tease, my dear. We’re all just happy to see the two of you… rebuilding.” Julio smiled warmly, his eyes crinkling with joy. “I second that. It’s been far too long since we’ve had a proper family breakfast like this.”Meanwhil
The morning air at the villa was crisp and fragrant, the sounds of birds chirping mingling with the giggles of the triplets as they raced through the garden. After their breakfast adventure, the children were eager to explore every nook and cranny of the estate.Elona stood on the veranda, her arms crossed as she watched them dart between the blooming flowerbeds. Despite her initial hesitation about bringing the family to the villa, the sight of her children so carefree and happy brought a rare smile to her face.“You’re a natural at this,” Alaric said softly, stepping up beside her. He was dressed in a crisp white shirt and dark slacks, looking far healthier than he had the previous day. Though his steps were measured, his determination to move without assistance was clear.“A natural at what?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “At being the heart of this family,” he replied. His voice was steady, but the warmth in his eyes betrayed the depths of his emotions. “You make it all look so e
The faint scent of jasmine drifted through the room where a woman sat before a mirror. Her delicate fingers grazed the faint scars that traced her once-flawless complexion. Though nearly invisible to the casual observer, they were a constant reminder of the accident that had reshaped her life 14 years ago.She had been told that her name was Esmeralda, a name as beautiful and mysterious as the woman she saw in the mirror. Yet, the name evoked no memories, no connection to the life she had once led.Her savior, Leonardo Valtieri, had insisted that she take her time, that her memories would return when she was ready. But even now, all she had were fragments, shadows of a past that refused to come into focus.Leonardo Valtieri had always been a man of ambition. Born into a modest family in Country L, he had built an empire from the ground up, becoming one of the most powerful and enigmatic figures in international business.But beneath his ruthless exterior lay a man haunted by a love st
Leonardo Valtieri sat in the dimly lit study of his sprawling mansion, a glass of aged whiskey in his hand. His usually impenetrable demeanor softened as he stared at the photograph in front of him. It was a candid shot from the banquet at the prestigious hotel in Country F.The photo captured a radiant young woman standing amidst a crowd, her features a hauntingly familiar echo of the woman he had loved and lost so many years ago. This girl whom he noe knew as Elona. Her striking emerald eyes and graceful posture stirred a torrent of emotions within him.For years, Leonardo had lived with the painful truth that Esmeralda, the daughter he had secretly fathered, was alive but without her memories. He had raised no objections when she called herself by her royal title, believing it safer for her to remain unaware of her true parentage. But when he saw Elona at the banquet, he had no doubt. The young woman’s resemblance to Esmeralda was undeniable.Fourteen years ago, when Leonardo saved
The cold evening air bit at Alaric’s skin as he pulled up to the gates of his villa. His mind was still reeling from his conversation with Senior Royale. The curse. The imposter. His mistakes.He had wasted over a year. A year living under the same roof as a fraud while his real wife was out there, alone. No. In the hands of another man. She didn't have her memories and that made her vulnerable. His grip on the steering wheel tightened. Never again. He will set things right. This was his vow to himself. As his car rolled to a stop, his sharp eyes caught sight of two figures standing near the gate. Edward Callahan. Tania. A frown settled on his face. What were they doing here? Hadn’t they just returned from abroad?Alaric stepped out of his car, his powerful frame cutting through the dim light of the villa’s entrance. The moment Edward spotted him, the man’s piercing blue eyes locked onto his like a predator finally finding its prey.Tania, on the other hand, looked livid, arms cross
Alaric sat in his dimly lit study, the ticking of the antique clock grating on his already frayed nerves. His fingers drummed against the polished wood of his desk, his mind replaying a detail that had been gnawing at him for days.Elona was five months pregnant when she arrived in Country M with Kian. That was nine months ago. He clenched his jaw. With the right calculations, she must have given birth. So, where was the baby? Or… babies, since Elona had a history of giving birth to multiples? Since he now knew the truth, it was obvious that he was the father. A shiver ran down his spine when the possibility of Kian claiming them as his flickered in his mind. His breath turned shallow, his obsessive compulsive need for order clashing violently with the messy reality he had allowed to unfold. He was a man who thrived on control, everything in its rightful place, everything accounted for.But this? This was chaos. An unprecedented kind of chaos. The real Elona was out there, with anot
Meanwhile, in Velmorah, Aria decided not to worry about Alaric's threats or the threats that loomed in the dark. She did not even want to deal with the imposter who stole her identity. For her, the past life she once had, did not matter at all. What really mattered were her children, the flesh of her flesh. Now that they had reconnected, she felt whole again.Aria sat in the warmth of her private study, her delicate fingers curled around a porcelain teacup as she watched the triplets animatedly recount stories from their past. The soft glow of lanterns cast flickering shadows on the walls, but the only thing that held her attention was the three little geniuses before her.She had barely known them for a short while, yet it felt as though her soul had recognized them long before her mind had. They were the missing piece of her heart, the heartbeat she didn’t even know she had lost.The triplets took turns to help her understand the life they shared before she was hurt whilst accompany
The prison wardens office swirled with a suffocating tension. The revelation hand a certain ominous feeling that was pressing down on everyone in the room. The forensic team stood frozen, the results on their screen a glaring contradiction to what had been believed for over a year.“This… this isn’t possible,” the warden stammered, his face turning ashen. His fingers trembled as he clutched the paper detailing the fingerprint results. Feeling the colad and fore doing aura emanating from the Royale grandfather and grandson, his knees nearly buckled. Alaric sat across from him, and his cold, calculating gaze drilling into the man like a sharpened blade. His posture was deceptively relaxed, but his aura was suffocating. Even the most hardened officers in the room dared not meet his eyes. “Explain,” Alaric said, his voice dangerously quiet.The forensic specialist cleared his throat, stepping forward. “Sir, according to our records, this woman”, he pointed to the prison cell's current oc
Aria paced the length of the study, her fingers curled into tight fists. The weight of the letter still lingered in her mind, but it wasn't fear that consumed her now, it was frustration."Who does he think he is?" she muttered, her voice sharp with anger. "He had an imposter by his side for a year, and now he thinks he can summon me like I owe him an explanation?"Kian leaned against the desk, his arms crossed. "Alaric is a desperate man, Aria. The fact that he’s finally figured out that the woman beside him isn’t you means he’s digging deeper. We need to be ahead of him." Aria exhaled sharply. "I don’t care about what he figures out. I care about keeping my children out of this mess."Master Fu, who had been silent until now, set down a document on the table. "We might not have the luxury of staying out of it anymore. Our sources have confirmed something troubling, Maribel is not working alone. There's someone orchestrating this deception from the shadows."Aria stilled. "What do yo
The days that followed were quiet but suffocating. The peacefulness of the Vortigen Grand Villa, which had once been a refuge, now felt more like a gilded cage. Aria's thoughts often wandered back to the time before her memories had been taken. Before she had learned the truth about her life, about Alaric, and about the world she had once belonged to. But those days seemed like a distant dream now.She focused on the present, on her children, and on the promise she had made to Kian. They would not let the past destroy what they had built. However, the threat of Alaric’s return still loomed over them like a dark cloud. The truth was out there, and it was only a matter of time before it reached him.Kian, ever the protector, was especially vigilant. He spent long hours studying the files and information Master Fu had gathered about Alaric’s movements, searching for any sign of weakness, anything that would give them an edge. He wasn’t about to let Aria slip through his fingers again. F
The ominous, foreboding feeling that lingered over Vortigen Grand Villa had settled into a tense silence. Master Fu paced slowly in the study, deep in thought, while Kian and Aria sat with the triplets, who were now playfully rolling around on the rug. Their laughter seemed like a distant melody, a stark contrast to the storm brewing on the horizon.Aria absentmindedly played with Allie’s hair, the feel of her daughter’s soft curls grounding her, anchoring her to the present, to the family she had found in Kian and these beautiful children. She had made her decision. The past, with all its pain and lies, was behind her.But even as she tried to savor this peace, her thoughts kept drifting to the woman who had taken her place in Alaric’s life. The imposter.A gnawing unease began to grow inside her, the certainty of what had been done to her, what had been done to the triplets. It was a heavy feeling, one she couldn’t shake. Kian noticed her growing quiet and placed his hand gently on
The Vortigen Grand Villa was silent, tension swirling around the whole place. Master Fu sat at the grand study’s desk, his fingers drumming lightly against the polished mahogany surface. The triplets sat on the plush couch with Kian and Aria, their small faces serious as they waited.In his hands, Master Fu held the DNA analysis results, sent directly from Alaric himself, who had unknowingly delivered the truth into their hands.The envelope was already opened, the paper slightly crumpled from his grip. He had read the contents twice, yet the the truth was a bittersweet revelation. Although he expected it, Aria had no recollection of her past. But it was also good for the triplets to know that they were right.Aria took a slow breath, her fingers entwined with Kian’s. Although she had braced herself, though she had always felt an inexplicable connection to the triplets, a part of her still feared, feared that this was all a cruel trick of fate.Master Fu exhaled sharply before looking
Forty-Eight Hours Later......Alaric Royale sat behind his massive oak desk, his fingers rhythmically tapping against the polished surface. The clock on the wall ticked steadily, but his mind was anything but calm.Forty-eight hours had passed. A whole two days since he had Maribel’s blood drawn under the guise of a routine check-up. Any minute now, he knew he'd be drawing closer to the truth.A soft ding echoed in the quiet office and his phone screen lit up with a message from Dr. Hastings: "The results are ready. You’ll need to see this in person."Alaric’s grip on his phone tightened. He rose from his chair, grabbing his coat with a sharp motion before striding out. Jimmy, who had been standing nearby, immediately fell in step beside him. “Sir?” Jimmy inquired, softly.“We’re going to Hastings’ clinic.” Alaric's response was clipped. Jimmy felt the suppressed rage and shuddered inwardly. Jimmy needed no further explanation. His sharp gaze darkened as he nodded. “Understood.”Dr. H