The next few days passed in a quiet rhythm. Elona found herself growing used to the subtle changes in Alaric’s condition. His vitals, though still fragile, were more stable. The room, once cold and sterile, now had a sense of life. The scent of herbs, remedies Elona had prepared herself, mingled with the soft sound of the triplets’ laughter drifting from outside.It was a delicate balance: her hopes rising with each small improvement, yet the weight of her past with Alaric, the hurt, the betrayal, never quite lifting. She would sit beside his bed, her hand on his, and talk to him for hours. She would speak of the triplets, of the life she had built without him, and of the quiet sacrifices she had made. There were moments when she would pause, her voice faltering, unsure if he could hear her. But each time, she returned, convinced that, somehow, he could feel the sincerity in her words.The triplets, as Master Fu had suggested, were the key. They were so young, so full of innocence, a
The days continued to blend into one another, each one bringing a flicker of hope, then the familiar pull of despair. Elona found herself locked in a delicate dance with her emotions. There were moments of strength, when the progress she saw in Alaric gave her courage to push forward, to believe in his recovery. And then there were the quieter moments, when the weight of the past seemed to close in on her, and the bitter sting of his betrayal resurfaced like an old wound that refused to heal.But despite it all, she continued to care for him. The triplets were her light, their laughter a balm to her weary soul. She knew that as long as she had them, she would survive. But Alaric, he was a different story.She could feel the bond between them growing stronger, in ways that terrified her. What am I doing? she thought, watching Alaric’s still face as she brushed his hair back, her fingers lingering just a moment longer than necessary. I should be angry with him. I should hate him. But I
Harley’s frustration simmered beneath her polished exterior as she stared at the messages on her phone, each one an update on Alaric’s condition. Senior Royale’s words echoed in her mind, forbidding her from visiting the villa. “The Chinese doctor does not need family interference with his treatment.” Harley could hardly contain her bitterness. Every day she was kept at arm’s length, watching from the shadows as Elona, the very woman she had once orchestrated to be cast aside, now stood at the center of Alaric’s recovery.But Harley was not a woman to accept defeat easily. The situation was getting out of hand, and her jealousy grew like a poison, infecting her every thought. Elona had the audacity to call herself Alaric’s savior, and the triplets, those children who were so unmistakably his, only made matters worse. They were his legacy, his flesh and blood. Harley couldn’t bear the thought of them growing up with the man who was meant to be hers.She had thought of many ways to reg
The villa was quiet in the dead of night, the usual hum of activity now replaced by an eerie stillness. Harley paced back and forth in her private study, the dim glow from the desk lamp casting long shadows across the room. Her hands were steady, her mind sharp, even as her heart pounded with anticipation. The information had arrived, confirming what she already suspected: Alaric was starting to show signs of waking up. It was time to act.Harley knew better than to trust anyone fully, especially when it came to the old Chinese doctor. Master Fu had been a thorn in her side for far too long, and while she wasn’t one to underestimate anyone, she couldn’t risk him standing in her way. The dark web had its uses, and Harley had called upon her connections. A few well-placed words and she had orchestrated a distraction that would buy her the time she needed.Master Fu had left the villa, having received urgent news about his closest friend being poisoned in his home country. He had rushed
The wind howled outside the cabin, a sharp, biting gust that rattled the windows, but inside, it was eerily quiet. Harley stood before the fireplace, her eyes fixed on the flickering flames, her mind racing with the satisfaction of a plan coming to fruition. But there was something else, something she couldn’t quite shake. A feeling of unease lingered in the back of her mind, like a shadow at the edge of her consciousness.She had thought she’d won. She had thought Elona was defeated, her children now in her grasp. But there was something she didn’t know. Something deeper than Elona’s innocent demeanor. The woman she had believed to be a simple, helpless victim was far more dangerous than Harley had ever imagined.Four years ago, Elona had been framed. Harley had carefully constructed a web of lies, manipulating Alaric’s emotions and fabricating evidence that turned him against Elona. It was a flawless plan, and it worked. Alaric believed the lies, and Elona had been left broken and a
Alaric's eyes fluttered open, the bright light from the ceiling blinding him for a moment. He blinked rapidly, trying to clear the haze that had clouded his mind for so long. Slowly, his senses returned. His body felt like it had been stretched, his muscles aching in places he didn’t know existed. But what struck him the most was the sound. The soft voices he had been hearing in his sleep.They were so familiar, almost like echoes of his own past. Sweet, innocent laughter. His chest tightened at the sound, the rhythm of the voices stirring something deep within him. It wasn’t just one voice, there were three. Three small voices, each filled with joy, each a perfect melody that sent waves of warmth through his body.He blinked again, his focus sharpening. His gaze flickered to the figure standing near his bed. Harley. Her face was beaming, her smile wide and proud, as if she had been waiting for this moment for ages."Alaric, you’re awake," Harley said, her voice a soothing melody that
Alaric stood, seething with anger, in front of his grandfather’s desk. The weight of the truth pressed down on him, suffocating him in its reality. He clenched his fists at his sides, fighting to keep his composure.“You mock me?” Alaric’s voice was low, a dangerous growl escaping his throat as he locked eyes with Senior Royale. “You dare mock me for wanting to make things right?” His jaw tightened, his teeth grinding as the anger bubbled within him.Senior Royale leaned back in his chair, a knowing smirk creeping onto his lips. “Shameless,” he muttered under his breath, his voice thick with disdain. “You’re a fool, Alaric. A fool who will spend the rest of his life trying to fix the damage you’ve done. You threw Elona away like garbage, and now you want to claim her as your wife? After everything?” The old man’s eyes glinted, almost satisfied by the torment he knew was churning inside his grandson.Alaric’s fists tightened, the heat of rage flooding his veins. He refused to let his g
As he watched his grandson storm out, senior Royale could not help but think back to the first time he met the triplets. He did not need a paternity test to know that they were descendants of the Royale family. Flashback.....Senior Royale’s gaze lingered on the triplets. Allie’s bright giggles echoed in the room as she waved the design drafts triumphantly. “If we tell Grandpa, Mum will be in so much trouble!” Artie grinned, nudging his brother. “Blackmailing for ice cream? Genius.”The resemblance between the children and Alaric was undeniable. The boy’s stubborn jawline, the girl’s mischievous eyes, all mirrored the grandson son he hadn’t seen smile in years.“Children,” he called, stepping further into the room. His voice carried a commanding weight, firm yet tinged with curiosity. “Come here.” The triplets froze, exchanging glances. Artie frowned. “Who are you?”Senior Royale knelt to their level, his lips curving into a faint smile. “I’m your great grandfather,” he said softly,
Arlyle leaned back in his chair, his sharp eyes scanning the files on their mother’s encrypted server. "We’re not done yet," he said firmly, his voice filled with determination. Allie frowned, a hint of worry on her face. “Arlyle, this is serious. If Mommy finds out, she’ll be really mad this time.”Artie, the youngest of the trio, crossed his arms. “Mommy always says the truth is the strongest weapon. We’re just using it to protect her and Daddy.” Arlyle nodded. “Exactly. If we don’t do it, who will? Those witches will just keep hurting Mommy and lying about Daddy.”Using their hacking skills, the triplets had uncovered the first of many shocking truths about Maribel. Though the world saw her as the Queen Consort’s loyal personal aide, the triplets discovered her deeper ties to the royal family of Country S. A dig through confidential adoption records revealed that Maribel had been picked up from an orphanage and raised as the Queen Consort’s goddaughter, her entire life carefully e
In Emerald Hill, Harley paced her luxurious bedroom, her face twisted in frustration. She had received news that Elona and her children were back in Alaric’s life. How dare she? Harley thought. After all these years, she still thinks she has a claim on him?Her anger boiled over as she scrolled through social media, where Maribel’s calculated posts flaunting her connection to Alaric had gained traction. Harley knew she couldn’t remain silent. She had waited too long for this moment to let another woman steal what she believed was hers.Determined, she called in favors and paid an influential media outlet to release the photos and videos she had kept in reserve. The images showed her and Alaric in a jewelry store, him slipping an engagement ring on her finger, and his public announcement of their engagement. The media platform spun the narrative to her advantage: “Alaric Royale’s True Fiancee Revealed: Harley Carter Takes a Stand!”The internet exploded. Harley painted herself as the s
The family reunion was heartwarming but Elona was not as happy as she should have been. Alaric was poisoned and she was scared. Master Fu did not want to get rid of the toxins in Alaric's body at once. He would rather take a roundabout way to treat him.Elona sighed and mentally chided herself for being too indecisive when it came to Alaric. She could only comfort herself by saying that she was only concerned because he was her children's father. Even she felt silly at her post excuse for her care. "Actually, I didn't know that I was adopted until recently." Elona was snapped out of her reverie when she heard Edward's statement. She perked up her ears and momentarily set aside her worries about Alaric. Master Fu was tending to him and she knew that he would not die. That was comforting enough for her."My cousins were the ones who started bringing out how much I didn't resemble either of my parents or anyone in the Callahan family when my father was critically ill. They wanted to ous
Esmeralda sank into the armchair, her hands trembling as she recalled the harrowing days of her youth. The truth of what might have happened was dawning on her, and it left her breathless.“When I gave birth to Elona,” she began softly, her voice barely steady, “I was just a scared girl, exiled from my home, hiding from the Queen Consort’s spies. I didn’t have the luxury of a reputable hospital. The doctor who delivered Elona… he was someone I found in desperation.”Julio clenched his fists, his expression darkening with fury. “And you think that man.....”Esmeralda nodded, her eyes misty. “If I was carrying twins and didn’t know... it would have been easy for him to take one of the babies. I never suspected. I thought Elona was my only child.”Edward listened in stunned silence, his mind racing. Could it really be true? Could this woman, this elegant and regal figure, truly be his mother? And Elona, the woman he’d worked alongside for a while, his sister?Leonardo broke the silence,
Elona sent a message to Edward Callahan telling her that something had come up and she would entrust Arlyle, Artie, and Allie to him. She would only return the next day. Edward Callahan immediately called her. The moment she answered Edward was a little too excited. He rambled on about meeting the famous artist from country S Julio and how they resembled each other like looking in the mirror. Julio had just come for the triplets' birthday as their grandfather. Elona was surprised and suddenly thought back to how people in the capital kept saying that Elona and Edward looked more like brother and sister than a couple. Could it be Julio had Edward with another woman, and they were half-siblings?Elona frowned as Edward’s voice bubbled with excitement through the receiver. "Elona, you won’t believe it," Edward gushed. "I just met the Julio! The artist from Country S. He came for the triplets’ birthday, can you believe it? And here’s the crazy part, we look like we’re cut from the same
Elona’s fingers paused mid-motion as she arranged the herbs for Alaric’s next dose. Her sharp gaze cut through the flickering candlelight to where Master Fu sat, sipping tea with deliberate calm. The room’s silence was thick, broken only by the occasional groan from Alaric in the adjoining chamber.“You could cure him, couldn’t you?” Elona asked, her voice low but accusing. Fu set his teacup down, meeting her eyes with the unyielding calm of a seasoned mentor. “I could.”Her hands clenched into fists. “Then why drag this out? Why make me mix temporary antidotes when you have the skill to end this suffering now?”Fu leaned back, his expression unreadable. “Because suffering sharpens resolve. Alaric needs to endure this pain. It will awaken the fire he has long suppressed.”Elona’s anger simmered. “You’re withholding his treatment... to provoke him? He’s already half-dead! If you’re trying to teach him a lesson, this isn’t the way!”“Enough.” Fu’s voice carried the weight of years, sile
Elona felt her anger flare, but she quickly tamped it down. Losing control wouldn’t help her find what she needed. "Do you have any stock left? Even scraps?" she asked the shopkeeper.The man hesitated, then leaned in closer. "I have a few dried remnants, but they won’t be enough for what you’re concocting. If you’re willing to pay..."Elona didn't wait for him to finish. She handed him a pouch of gold, her jaw tight. "I’ll take it. And if you hear of any other suppliers who can help, send word to this address." She scribbled her clinic's location on a scrap of parchment.The shopkeeper nodded, pocketing the gold. “Be careful, lady. If they’re buying these herbs in bulk, they’re up to no good. You might be stepping into something dangerous.”“I already have,” Elona muttered under her breath as she walked away, her cloak billowing behind her. Although she paid much more than she would on a normal day, Elona felt no loss. That's the rule of these underground markets. The only currency t
The sudden motion caused Elona to stumble, but Alaric caught her before she fell. For a brief moment, their eyes met, and the world seemed to stand still.“Alaric?” Elona’s voice was barely a whisper, her fingers clutching his wrist instinctively. As a doctor, she felt his pulse. It was erratic and weak, a telltale sign of a raging toxin.Her heart skipped a beat, her professional instincts kicking in. “You’re sick,” she murmured, her eyes searching his face. “It’s nothing,” he said gruffly, pulling away.But Elona wasn’t convinced. Her gaze lingered on him, a mixture of concern and heartache.“We need to talk,” she said firmly.As they stood there, the noise of the party fading into the background, Elona's eyes searched Alaric's face. "What's going on, Alaric? You're not well."Alaric's expression turned guarded, but Elona could see the faintest glimmer of desperation in his eyes. "I told you, it's nothing." Elona's grip on his wrist tightened. "Don't lie to me, Alaric. I can see it
The moonlight spilled through the tall windows of the Royale penthouse, illuminating the sleek modern decor that screamed wealth and power. Alaric Royale leaned against the marble bar, a crystal glass of bourbon in his hand. His expression was unreadable, his sharp jawline set as he swirled the amber liquid absentmindedly.Across the room, Maribel sat on a leather chaise lounge, her crimson silk dress clinging to her figure as she sipped wine. Her perfectly painted lips curved into a coy smile as she tilted her head, watching Alaric like a predator assessing prey.“You’ve been quiet tonight,” she remarked, her voice honeyed but with an edge that prickled Alaric’s already fraying patience.He didn’t bother to look at her. “I’ve been busy.”“Too busy for the mother of your child?” she countered, resting a hand on her stomach. The gesture was calculated, her fingers lightly brushing over the slight curve of her abdomen.Alaric’s gaze flickered to her stomach briefly before returning to h