“Excuse me, Ms. Belle, but Ms. Sanchez fainted in the garden. She’s currently in the clinic.” “What?!” Bea immediately stood up from her seat, startled by what her employee had whispered to her. Most of the people around turned to look at her because of how loud her reaction was. “What happened, Love?” her husband asked worriedly, knowing something bad must have occurred—especially from her visible reaction. “Venice fainted in the garden!” she said anxiously. “What?!” “Auntie!” “What?!” Zekiel’s family stood up in shock, especially him and their son, Zayne. Everyone turned to Zekiel as he immediately ran off. “Wait, Kiel! We’re coming with you!” The crowd began murmuring among themselves, distracted from the ongoing company employee games due to the sudden incident. Fortunately, the MC was informed right away and apologized to the audience for the unexpected disruption. Many were concerned, but most were just eager to gossip. Bea and Kiel’s parents didn’t hesitat
Zekiel was alarmed, so he immediately approached his son and pulled him away. “Son, your tita is resting,” Zayne looked at him, and Zekiel was surprised to see the boy crying. “Why are you crying, son?” he asked worriedly. The others in the room also fell silent, concerned about Claire, but they were also puzzled by Zayne’s reaction. Hero, meanwhile, could only shake his head at what he was seeing. He knew Zayne could feel that Claire was his mother—even if the boy didn’t realize it yet. “I-I don’t know, Daddy. I’m just worried about Tita. She’s okay, right? She’ll wake up, won’t she?” “Of course, what are you talking about? Tita just fainted. I’m sure she’s fine.” “But you’re not sure, Daddy! You’re not a doctor!” Everyone was startled by Zayne’s outburst, and they had to hold back their laughter. They couldn’t believe Zayne had just bluntly called out his father, especially in that situation. “Whatever, Zayne. I’m sure she’s okay.” Just as Zekiel said that, the
When the elevator opened on the floor where Hero was staying, the group quickly rushed out, led by Claire. She didn’t care if her hair was still messy—all that mattered was getting to his place as soon as possible. “Claire, where are we going?!” Bea asked frantically as she followed her. Since the rooms on this floor were numbered up to fifteen, they had already passed quite a few. “Just wait—it’s right here—this one!” The moment Claire spotted it, hope surged through her. She was about to knock when the door suddenly swung open. “Venice? You’re awake? What happened to you? You’re bleeding!” Claire couldn’t speak, especially when she saw Kiel stepping out of Hero’s room. Even the couple was startled by their friend’s sudden appearance. They didn’t even notice the long, bleeding wound on Claire’s face. Kiel immediately pulled her inside. “Hero, get the first aid kit—fast!” Hero was puzzled by their abrupt arrival but quickly obeyed Kiel’s order. Meanwhile, Claire only
“But you have a wound on your face!” “So what? It’ll heal!” “No.” “Yes.” “No.” “Yes!” “Venice, I said no!” “Zekiel, I said yes!” Zekiel’s forehead creased in frustration at Claire’s stubbornness. He pinched the bridge of his nose and massaged it in irritation. “Zekiel, stop it! You’re so annoying—I told you, I’ll be fine!” Zekiel looked at her again, and Claire flashed him a smile. “Please?” she said in a cute, pleading voice. “Hard-headed.” “Okay, I’ll take that as a yes! Thank you!” Zekiel could only shake his head at Claire’s antics, while Bea, Dylan, and Hero exchanged glances at the scene before them. If earlier it was just Dylan grinning, now even Hero was doing the same, while Bea was squealing internally at what she was seeing. That was the first time they had ever seen Zekiel act like that—getting so angry one moment, then being completely tamed by Claire the next. The three of them weren’t surprised, though, because they knew Zekiel was utterl
“I took a strand of Claire and Zayne’s hair when they briefly fainted in Kiel’s office. Even though I was already sure that Claire was Zayne’s mother based on her reaction upon seeing the child, I still wanted to confirm it.” Claire glanced at Hero upon hearing his words, and at the same time, he looked back at her. “I’m sure behind those black contact lenses are eyes identical to Zayne’s. Can I see, Claire?” Hero spoke directly to the young woman, and Claire didn’t hesitate to show him her eyes. She trusted him because Zekiel and Dylan trusted him. The couple watched as Claire removed her contact lenses. It was the first time they’d seen her real eyes since their meeting. Once the contacts were off, Claire looked straight into Hero’s eyes, leaving him stunned. “Exactly like Zayne’s,” Hero said in awe, making Claire chuckle. “Tell me, Hero—can I trust you?” Claire’s serious tone snapped Hero back to reality. “Of course! Even though Kiel is my friend, I don’t want to
The two walked together toward the exit as if Zekiel wasn’t with them. He simply let them be, happy to see the two together for reasons he couldn’t explain. All he knew was that he felt happier when the two were happy together. When they reached the beach, there were already many people there for a swim. Almost all the guests had gathered. “Let’s go, Daddy, faster!” Zayne said cheerfully because, even from the main building leading to the beach, the sea was already visible. The weather was perfect—summer at its finest. “Easy, son. We’ll get there,” Zekiel said, stepping beside his son and holding his hand with a smile. Claire was also holding Zayne’s other hand, so everyone who saw them couldn’t help but smile at the sight—they looked like a family, especially since they were together at the event. They were about to continue toward the beach when someone called out to Zekiel. “Mr. Gray!” The three of them turned and saw an older man who still carried himself with dignit
They went to Claire’s room. Claire made him wear a male tern outfit she had bought a long time ago, the same time she had bought Zoey’s dress. “It suits you so well, Zayne,” Claire said tearfully, making Zayne smile. “Thank you, Tita-Mommy! You’re so good at picking clothes, it’s so beautiful!” Claire couldn’t stop smiling at that moment. She and Zayne spent the whole day bonding, which made her heart swell with joy because it was the first time she had spent so much time with him—just the two of them. She never expected that handling that event would turn out to be so much fun, so she was overjoyed. The day went on until evening, and they walked around downstairs. There were many people there—guests and employees wandering around, with waiters circulating with trays of wine. Claire took a glass as they walked. “Tita-Mommy, you might get drunk!” Zayne tried to stop her, but she shook her head. “Don’t worry, I can handle this!” Zayne had no choice but to let her. What
Claire woke up to the sunlight streaming through the window. The open window greeted her, the rays of the sun pulling her from sleep. She stretched, savoring the comfort of her slumber, but then suddenly froze when she noticed something strange. Her hands Immediately clutched the blanket covering her as she realized she wasn’t wearing a single piece of clothing. “You’re awake.” She flinched at the voice beside her and quickly turned her head—only to see Zekiel. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest, panic setting in. Especially as memories of last night flooded her mind. ‘N-no… this can’t be happening.’ She whispered to herself, tears welling in her eyes. Zekiel noticed and immediately grew concerned. “Hey, why are you crying?” He reached for her arms, but Claire jerked away, startling him. “No! Don’t touch me. This is wrong. What happened between us shouldn’t have happened, Zekiel.” The man fell silent at her words. He hadn’t expected her to say that after what had
This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and events are products of the author’s imagination and are not intended to represent real individuals, particularly the respected royalty of Spain.~B.NICOLAY/Ms.Ash
“JUST A MOMENT!” Claire shouted from inside as she had been hearing the knocks on the door for a while now. At first, she thought nothing of it since they were faint, but as the sound persisted, she was sure someone was there. “Z-Zayne?” Claire gasped as she opened the door and was met by her child, who immediately clung tightly to her leg. “I-I told you not to leave me, Mommy!” Claire froze at the child’s words, feeling him tremble with sobs. She quickly knelt to his level. “Zayne, shh, stop crying. Don’t cry anymore, Mommy’s here,” she said, embracing him again. --- THE NEXT DAY, Zayne woke up early and immediately left his room to look for Claire, but she wasn’t there. He went outside and saw his mother preparing breakfast. “Mommy!” Claire turned to the voice and smiled when she saw him. “Come here, Zayne, let’s eat.” At her words, Zayne rushed down and hugged her again. Last night, the child had fainted, terrifying Claire, so she immediately called for Faith
Meanwhile, Zayne was crying uncontrollably in his room after what he had learned from his father. He couldn’t accept the truth, but his sobs suddenly stopped when he remembered something. He quickly stood up, grabbed his cellphone, and opened the tracking device. “Mommy’s alive! Mommy’s alive!” His tears immediately dried up, and he jumped for joy when he saw a red dot on the screen—indicating his mother’s location. He was sure it wasn’t the ravine where they claimed she had disappeared. “Mommy isn’t dead! She’s somewhere, and I need to go to her so I can bring her home. Daddy’s already worried.” The child hastily grabbed a bag, packed some of his things, and took cash for his journey. He rushed down the stairs and hid in a corner when he saw someone approaching. He planned to pass through the maids’ quarters since that was always the open exit. The servants had a separate pathway from the main house. Once he confirmed no one was around, he sprinted toward the maids’ qua
When Zekiel and the others arrived at the scene where Claire’s car had crashed, they found the vehicle being pulled up—a car he immediately recognized as hers. “Where is my girlfriend?! How is she?!” he shouted, drawing the attention of the police officers nearby. “Sir, are you Zekiel?” one officer asked. Zekiel nodded in response. “These are her belongings. So far, her body hasn’t been found—we’re still searching,” the officer said. Zekiel’s anger flared at the officer’s words. “What body?! Venice isn’t dead yet!” he yelled, struggling against Hero’s hold as he nearly lunged at the officer. “Sir, no one could survive a fall from that steep a cliff,” another officer remarked, only fueling Zekiel’s fury. “Get out of my face! I want to speak to your superior! My girlfriend isn’t dead!” Zekiel screamed, tears streaming down his face. Another officer approached the two and whispered, “Don’t you know who he is? That’s Zekiel Gray—he could have you both fired.” The two officers
ZEKIEL received powerful punches from Hero, which knocked him to the floor. “Oh my God, Hero, what the hell?!” Camille screamed, grabbing a blanket to cover her naked body. Hero ignored Zekiel’s state of undress and just kept punching him relentlessly. “Kiel, wake the hell up!” Hero shouted, but the man beneath him only smiled deliriously, as if in a daze. “What did you do to her, you bastard?! You’re gonna pay for this!” Camille’s eyes widened at Hero’s words. She quickly grabbed her clothes, hurriedly dressed, and ran out. “I-I didn’t do anything!” she stammered before bolting from the room. “Zekiel, wake up! Sht, what the hell did that woman give you?!” Hero growled, storming into the bathroom to grab cold water. He splashed it on Zekiel’s face, jolting him awake. The moment Zekiel’s eyes snapped open, Hero pinned him down and started punching him again. But then, Hero was suddenly thrown back when Zekiel retaliated with a punch of his own. “W-What the hll, Hero?!
“Let’s hurry, guards. Don’t let my child follow me,” The guards nodded at me, and the car started moving. I saw Zayne running after me, struggling against the bodyguards’ grip, but he couldn’t come with us. My chest tightened with anxiety as I clutched it. Zekiel was fast asleep, shirtless. Fear crept in—what if Zekiel had lied to me? What if his overtime excuse was just a cover? But I believe in Zekiel. I believe in his love, so I’ll hold onto his promise that he’ll never leave me. When we arrived at the company, I immediately took the elevator—there were hardly any people left. As soon as I reached his office floor, I saw Hero sitting there, working on his computer. “Where’s Zekiel, Hero?” He looked up at me, his eyes widening before he quickly stood. “H-He’s still in a meeting, Claire.” My brows furrowed at his nervous stutter. “What meeting? I just need to give him this.” Hero rushed from behind his desk and tried to push me away. “Sir is still busy—“ I
CLAIRE I’m here now at the place where Melodie was buried. I found out where it was because I asked Quinn. I tried to contact Louise, but I couldn’t reach her anymore. I think she’s upset because I wasn’t able to attend Melodie’s funeral. “Melody, I’m sorry I’m late.” I couldn’t hold back my tears because the three of us were really close friends. “You know, I told you that once my problems were settled, I’d bring you here so you could meet my family—especially Zekiel.” I wiped my tears and sat on the grass, then lit the candle I brought with me. I also placed the flowers I bought beside it. “Melodie, I just want to say I miss you so much. And then I find out you’re gone… why? Why did you leave us so suddenly? I can’t accept it." More tears streamed down my face, and I could barely hold them back, so I just let them fall. “Y-You know… I’m pregnant.” I bit my lip after saying it. I remember how she once said she wanted to see my future children. “It’s been a month—I’m a
Zekiel followed Claire’s wishes, and they returned to the Philippines. As soon as they stepped off their private jet, Hero was already waiting for them, nervous about the news he had to deliver. “Uncle Hero!” Zayne greeted him cheerfully, running over and hugging the man. “Did you know, Uncle? Mommy and Daddy are together now!” the boy announced excitedly. Hero already knew about that—it was all over the world after so many people had seen them at the Eiffel Tower. He barely acknowledged Zayne, immediately turning his attention to Zekiel instead. “Sir, there’s big trouble! The board members are in an uproar. They already know about you and Ms. Venice!” Zekiel was shocked by the news and glanced at Claire, who looked just as stunned. “Let’s go to the company first,” Claire said decisively. Zekiel nodded, took her hand, and they immediately got into the car headed for Gray’s Company. Claire felt uneasy for no clear reason. She wanted to visit her friend’s burial site, but th
“It’s okay, Claire. I just wanted to ask if you could come here today. My sister Melodie d!ed a few days ago, and today is her burial. I was hoping you could make it since I know you two were close.” Claire froze at what she heard, her words momentarily stolen by the shock. Her knees weakened, and she sank into a nearby chair. She and Melodie had also been close friends—the three of them, along with Quinn—but ever since life got busy, they had drifted apart. “S-She’s gone?” Her tears began to fall. “Yes, she passed away in a car accident. We brought her back to the Philippines because this is where she’ll be buried.” Claire covered her mouth as she sobbed, the sound reaching Louise’s ears. “I know this hurts you too, Claire, so I wanted you to be here on my sister’s final day.” “I-I wish I could, Louise, but I won’t make it in time. I’m in Paris right now with Zekiel and Zayne,” Claire replied, still crying. Louise fell silent for a moment. “Oh… I see. Must be business-r