Nathalia’s POVI woke up feeling light and as if I were still on cloud nine. Even though I hadn’t caught Stephen this morning, it was alright. I anticipated that he would leave early again.I woke up with a smile before getting up and peering out of the window. I warmly greeted the mafia guards stationed outside the mansion.“Good morning!”They looked up at me and nodded. “Good morning, Madame!”I chuckled at their formality. I left the window and quickly got ready for the day. Before heading out, I visited Belen, who was busy watering the plants in the garden.“You seem happy today. I hope you’ll always be this smiling,” she said, taking my hand and giving it a gentle tap.I nodded. “Exactly. Let’s have dinner together again tonight, shall we?”“You really are such a child. Now go, or you might be late for your class.”I looked down at my watch. There was only half an hour left before my first class.I bid her goodbye and left in a hurry, heading towards where my car was parked.How
Third Person’s POVMERRILY drinking in a private room of a concealed casino, Jonathan Dela Cruz and Cris Fuentebella are enjoying themselves. The two of them are the heads of the Dela Cruz and Fuentebella Mafias. They are the last remaining group that continues to strategize in order to overthrow the Anderson Mafia and its allies.“I’m sure the fish in the sea have feasted well on the mangled bodies of Anderson and his sycophantic friends. They fell for my trap without knowing it. I thought they were smart. But they themselves paved the way to make their lives easier,” Jonathan proudly said before raising his shot glass.Cris, his companion, did the same. They clinked their two glasses together, creating a loud sound, before simultaneously downing the contents. Their respective men stood quietly behind them.“They probably think we’re unaware that they’re monitoring us. Luckily, I managed to hide quickly.” Cris adjusted his seat before putting down his glass.Jonathan nodded in agreem
Nathalia’s POV“Are you sure you won’t come inside? Just when I finally decided to bring you along, now you don’t want to come in.”Cole raised an eyebrow. “I’m fine right here, Madame. You rarely get to spend time with your parents, after all. It’s better to make the most of the time you have together.”I smiled at him. We were currently in front of the restaurant owned by my family. I was about to leave the university earlier when I received a call from Liam. He said that Mom wanted to see me and also wanted me to join them for a meal.It’s been a long time since I last saw them, and I just can’t help but feel excited. That’s why I quickly told Cole to head here.“Alright. Maybe we won’t stay too long.”“Just take your time, Madame. Feel free to call me if any issues arise.”I just nodded at him before turning around and starting to walk into the restaurant. I was warmly greeted by the guard and even our branch manager, Mr. Villafuente.“Long time no see, Ma’am Nathalia.”“Likewise.
“Auntie, come on. Nathalia is still studying. Let her finish her education first,” Liam countered.Mom shook her head. “That’s okay! They’re already married, and she’s of the right age. She could take a semester off if need be.” She even gave me a pointed look.I couldn’t believe we were just sitting there staring at her. I silently wished the ground would open up and swallow me whole.I let out a sigh of relief when we didn’t continue discussing that topic as we finished our meal. After paying our respects to Mr. Villafuente and the other staff, we left the restaurant. Cole was quick to greet me outside.I couldn’t help but feel a sense of sadness. It might be a while before I see them again.I forced a smile when I faced them. “When will we meet again?”Mom gently caressed my cheek. Her eyes were teary, but I knew she was holding back from letting her tears fall completely.“When everything is alright, sweetie.”I looked at her in confusion. “What do you mean?”“When the right time
Nathalia’s POVNearly thirty minutes have passed since I arrived back at the mansion. But until now, I still couldn’t believe what I discovered.“Ouch! Slow down! Let me do it.”Mads was trying to wrestle the ice pack from Damon’s hand. He was applying it to the bruise on his face.I couldn’t help but wince. I felt bad for what happened to Mads. Her smooth face was marred now. If only I had known it was her behind that mask, I would have bravely intervened before she got punched.“No. Just stay still. Don’t move,” Damon said authoritatively before continuing his task. His face was filled with concern.I suddenly recalled what happened earlier, during the first time he witnessed what happened to Mads. Even though the enemy was already down due to the way I repeatedly struck him with a rock, he didn’t stop kicking and punching until his face was unrecognizable.It was the very first time I saw Damon rage like a fire. Even I felt a pang of fear from him. If Mads hadn’t stopped him, that
The cold breeze brushed against my skin. I shivered a little as I had no jacket on, but I didn’t mind.I took a deep breath before gently tracing Mom’s engraved name on the tombstone and then Dad’s. I shifted my gaze to both of their graves.“Mom, Dad. I’m really confused. I don’t know why, but I feel like Stephen is connected to my past. If by any chance he was part of the group that attacked us before, I hope he wasn’t. Because if that were the case, I don’t know what I would do.”It was Saturday, and I decided to visit my late parents. I had a lot of questions for them, too. They knew about my past, which I still couldn’t remember.But no matter how many times I asked them, I knew I wouldn’t get any answers. So, I secretly prayed that maybe I would meet someone—just one person who was part of that past—to tell me more about what happened back then. Someone who could shed light on the events.I forced a smile. “But don’t worry about me. I’m in good hands. I have kind people taking c
Third Person’s POVACE AND SHANTEL both cursed under their breath as they arrived at the mansion, only to be greeted by scattered corpses outside its premises.“What the hell just happened here?” Shantel exclaimed, her disbelief evident.“It looks like someone beat us to it and had the same intentions,” Ace remarked, signaling the team to secure the entire mansion.“Carefully inspect the surroundings, including the bodies. There might be some who escaped or are still alive.”His team nodded before swiftly dispersing. Meanwhile, Shantel instructed her own team members to explore the dense area at the back of the mansion. It was a challenging task, as there might still be lurking enemies around.Once everyone had taken their positions, Ace and Shantel cautiously entered the mansion. They gripped their firearms and remained vigilant as they scanned their surroundings.Even inside the mansion, there were scattered corpses. Both of them winced, unable to ignore the stench that filled the a
Third Person’s POVNATHALIA still couldn’t believe what she saw in the photo. So, she picked up the fallen photo album once again, and with trembling hands, she looked at the pictures inside one by one.She felt as though her breath was being taken away when she saw that she was included in all the photos. Even though she couldn’t remember the children she was with there, she was certain that Stephen and his friends were among them.She bit her lower lip as she noticed that the young Mads, Damon, Harold, and Albert were also with them in the pictures. She had visited their house a few times and seen some of their childhood photos. Thus, she couldn’t be mistaken.“What the hell? What’s their connection to a past I can’t remember?” she quietly questioned in her mind.She blinked and tried to hold back the tears from escaping her eyes. She quickly closed the photo album and held it tightly.She needs to hide this one until Stephen comes back. That way, he won’t have a chance to avoid her