I saw the shocked expression on Alex's face. I know I should have told them from the beginning that I had those documents, but I was scared that they weren't the right people to trust.“If you had those documents, why didn't you sue Mr. Philip? You could have easily done that with the help of a lawyer and even the police.” He said, his gaze never leaving mine.When I turned eighteen, I thought about running away from my foster home and going to the police to seek help, but I didn't know who to trust. Even the police didn't show up the night my parents were attacked. I couldn't do it, so I chose to hide like a coward. I looked up at Alex and opened my mouth to answer his question, but I realized I had nothing to say.I couldn't tell him that the lady who attacked my parents wasn't human. I was confused and left in my own confusion.“Can we talk about this later? I really need to be alone,” I said to him and started heading upstairs. The last time I cried my eyes out was on the street t
I took a cab to the restaurant. When I arrived, I paid the cabdriver and thanked him before rushing inside. How on earth did I get myself into this mess?I was trying to hasten my steps, but my heels wouldn't let me. I struggled to maintain my balance to avoid falling. I can't believe I'm doing this just because of that brat.I was so distracted, complaining about why I had to meet Vivian, that I mistakenly bumped into someone, knocking me off balance as I fell."Ouch," I let out in pain as I landed on the ground. I could swear I heard the sound of my own bones screaming from the pain."I'm so sorry, are you okay?" My eyes were still closed, anticipating the pain."Yeah, I'm fine. I just need to find my way up on my feet," I replied, finally opening my eyes to see who I had bumped into."Let me help you with that," the guy in front of me said, reaching out his hand to help me up. But I was too distracted by staring at him.The face I'm looking at is the face I have missed for eleven y
I made Alex drive his car back home while I boarded mine with Lilly. She was leaning against her chair as she stared blankly out the window. She is awfully quiet, and I really don't like it.I tried focusing on the road as I looked away from her. Something was definitely wrong with her. Those police officers better provide me with the CCTV footage of what happened between Vivian and her.I don't know why they had to arrest her just because Vivian was a recognized citizen and Lilly wasn't. I sighed and ran my hand through my hair.I drove into the compound and parked my car in the garage. Lilly helped herself out of the car and walked straight to the front door, ringing the doorbell. I went after her and grabbed her by the hand.“We need to talk.”“Tomorrow, let's talk tomorrow,” she said, finally looking up at me. Her face was flushed from probably crying for hours.“Did Vivian say anything to you?”“She called me trash and threatened me to leave you alone,” she plainly replied.“I do
I took the food upstairs and knocked on Lilly's door. I really thought it was going to take a while for her to open the door, but she actually did on my first knock.“Eric?” She asked in surprise. She peeped her head out and looked around for a while before setting her gaze on me.“What are you doing here?”“I brought you food,” I replied.“You brought me food?” She asked, twisting my answer into a question. Instead of answering her, I just nodded and headed inside her room. This would be my first time entering her room since she arrived here.“But how come Jess and Alex didn't do it?” She asked, her voice still curious.“Are you disappointed to see me?” I asked, dropping the tray of food on her bed before facing her.“Well, not really, but I never expected you to come here to bring food for me.” She said, averting her eyes from mine. She looked uncomfortable. Am I really making her feel uncomfortable?“I see. I will have Alex or Jess bring the food up next time. I never knew I would
I couldn't sleep all night long. I just couldn't get Eric off my mind. When morning came, I dragged my lazy self into the bathroom to freshen up.I didn't want to go down for breakfast because I didn't know how to face Eric, but my stomach betrayed me when it started groaning. I knew I had to eat, or I would die of hunger.But why am I acting like I committed a crime? It was just a kiss, or was it a peck? Yeah, it was a peck; it wasn't technically a kiss. What is wrong with me? Why am I pacing around my room like I'm about to be arrested for some crime?I summoned the courage and left my room, heading downstairs. Upon reaching the sitting room, I peeped inside, checking to see if Eric was present.“What are you looking at?” My heart jumped out of my chest when I heard someone whisper in my ear.“Jess, you nearly scared the living hell out of me.”“Sorry, but who are you looking at? The room is empty,” Jess asked curiously.“Nothing. Let's just go to the kitchen. I'm sure you need an e
I watched as Jess dragged Alex out of the room, leaving me alone with Lilly. She was avoiding looking my way. She stood up immediately after Jess and Alex left and started heading out of the room.“Lilly, where are you going?”“To get the documents,” she replied before she left. She was acting kind of strange, and I noticed she was quieter than usual.A few minutes later, she returned with some documents, which she handed over to me. I took the documents and went through them. Everything we need is here; just wait a little bit longer, Mr. Philip, and you will get what you deserve.“I have to go; I have something I need to do,” she said to me, but I knew she was just avoiding me.“Lilly, what are you doing today?”“I haven't figured it out yet, but I will. Why do you ask?”“I want you to come with me.” I walked up to her and took her hands, leading her outside.“Eric, where are we going?”“To register our marriage,” I replied, opening the door for her.“Wait, like right now?”“Yes, we
“Do not mess this up,” Alex said, and I glared at him.“Don't you think you should be the one trying not to mess things up? We have successfully gathered enough information on how to set up a meeting with him, so don't mess it up.” I said and pointed my lips.“Oh boy, I am so tasty.”“Then find water and drink.”“But I don't want to get off the car just in case he sees and recognises me.”“We followed Mr. Philip up here to know what he was up to, but that doesn't mean we can't go ahead and pretend like we are two lovely couples in love who came to have fun at a club.”Alex and I never planned on following Mr. Philip, but after wasting most of Alex’s time, he later decided to give him a listening ear. Just as we planned, we offered him an offer he couldn't resist.Alex was able to schedule a meeting for me with Mr. Philip, but just as we were about to leave, that lady appeared. The way she commanded Mr. Philip has me curious about what their relationship could be.I had to drag Alex wi
When Alex and I got back, we found the house empty. I was worried because it was already getting late, but there wasn't any sign of Eric or Lilly.“Are you sure you are not supposed to call Eric and know if everything is okay?”"Relax, Jess; they are both practically fine, so let's just eat and wait up for them. I am starving.” I shook my head at how hopeless Alex looked. He only said that so he could eat. I glared at him before I started setting the table.I kept looking at the door every second, waiting for the doorbell, and when it finally came, I quickly rushed to the door, ready to question Lilly.My words seized in my mouth as I saw how she looked. A frown was sitting on her face, and the way she walked past me showed that she was pissed about something.“Lilly, are you okay?” I called after her.“I'm fine; I'm just tired, so I will be going to sleep. See you in the morning.”“But what about dinner?” I asked, but she was already storming upstairs. What on earth happened? What go
“Lily, is not going to be easy,” Jess said, but that was not what I wanted to hear.“It has never been easy, Jess, and I’m done waiting around for some miracle when we can end this. What I need right now is everyone’s support. With you, Alex, and Eric, I believe I can do it,” I said, taking her hands in mine. I needed her to see how much I wanted to get this done.“Lily, I believe you can do this, but we don’t have much time. We need to make it back to Terranovae before Eric’s second transformation. I spoke to Eric’s dragon side, and it wants us to find the heart before the second transformation, or both the dragon and Eric will be lost. If that happens, a beast shall be born. It doesn’t matter if Eric or the dragon is in control—they will both go wild because they’ve been together since birth,” Alex said, leaving Jess and me staring at him.“Okay, I’ll help you, but first, I need to heal myself. I can’t help you if I’m this weak,” Jess said, and in that moment, all I wanted was to hu
Just as I suspected, Lily was still sitting in the exact spot she had been when I left earlier. But now, she looked far worse—her face blotchy and swollen, as though she'd been crying the entire time.Eric stood silently at the doorway, his eyes fixed on her. He looked utterly heartbroken, his pain written plainly across his face as he watched Lily in her despair. She hadn’t noticed our presence yet, lost in the dark cloud of her thoughts.And then, her head lifted, her glassy eyes locking with mine for a brief moment before shifting to Eric. Recognition flared in her gaze, and in the next heartbeat, she flew into his arms.Understanding they needed this moment, I stepped out of the room, giving them the space they so desperately needed. I headed toward the sitting room in search of Jess.When I walked in, I found her curled up on the couch, her legs hugged tightly to her chest. Even in sleep, exhaustion clung to her like a heavy weight, her face taut with tension. The sight of her vu
I watched as an enraged roar tore from the dragon’s mouth, reverberating through the water like a violent storm. His massive body shifted with a rippling motion, scales shimmering ominously from his head down to his long, spiked tail. In one swift movement, he swung the deadly appendage toward me.The sharp, menacing spikes aimed my way forced me to dart aside, narrowly avoiding his weapon. He charged at me with terrifying speed as I swam deeper into the sea, frantically searching for a place to hide. My gaze landed on a large rock near the ocean floor, and I surged toward it. But before I could reach it, the dragon beat me there, cutting off my escape.His wings unfurled, creating a shadow that enveloped me, while his spiked tail lashed menacingly through the water. Those piercing green crystal eyes locked onto mine, burning with fury. The intensity of his glare was suffocating, a silent declaration of his rage. He didn’t just see me as prey—he saw me as an enemy.I had nowhere to ru
“No, no, no, we need to find him! Alex, do something!” Lily's frantic cries filled the room. Her face was a portrait of horror, her pale skin only adding to the starkness of the moment. Tears streamed down her face, and her breath came in sharp gasps, the kind that made my chest tighten with worry. I feared she might pass out if she didn't calm down.“Lily, please, look at me. I need you to calm down!” I pleaded, my voice trembling with urgency as I reached for her. But she recoiled, her body trembling violently, only intensifying my concern. I turned toward Jess, who had been standing behind me, silent and distant. The look on her face told me she was too devastated to help.Why is Eric doing this to me? Everything is spiraling, and I'm losing control. How am I supposed to handle Jess, let alone Lily?Before I could even try to speak, Jess moved toward Lily, gently approaching her before pulling her into a tight hug.“It’s okay, we’ll find him. But I need you to calm down,” Jess said
I saw the shock on Jess’s face and felt a pang of guilt for putting her on edge. I just couldn't keep it to myself any longer. I wanted to tell Eric, but I couldn’t bear the thought of him spiraling back into his self-loathing.“What? If she didn’t kill Eric’s parents, then who did?” Jess asked, her voice trembling as she tried to recover from the shock etched on her face.“I don’t know, Jess. I didn’t want to believe her when she said it, but deep down, I felt she was telling the truth. She mentioned that exposing the dragon heart to the world had attracted other creatures, but I still don’t understand why Eric’s parents were caught up in all this. They didn’t have the dragon heart—my mom did. So why didn’t they come for my parents eighteen years ago, before my aunt showed up?” My voice cracked under the weight of my thoughts, every word exposing the turmoil in my heart.“This is going to shatter Eric if he finds out,” Jess said, her voice heavy with sorrow. “We can’t tell him, Lily.
I stared down at our entwined hands resting against my waist as Eric’s steady breath fanned my neck. His body pressed close to mine, and for the first time in forever, everything felt… right. I wished, desperately, that the world could pause here, in this moment, so I could stay in his arms forever.Turning slowly, I shifted to face him, letting my gaze linger on his sleeping face. Peaceful, serene—it was such a stark contrast to the chaos we faced. I reached out hesitantly, my fingertips brushing against his cheek. My touch was light, almost reverent, as I leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek.“Why are you awake?” His deep, hoarse voice startled me, his eyes fluttering open to meet mine.“I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t dreaming,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. “I’m trying so hard to stay in this moment with you, but… I can’t stop thinking about everything—the chaos, the danger.”Eric’s brows furrowed slightly as he pulled me closer, his arms wrapping prot
Lily's POVHe dragged me to his room, shutting the door behind him with a decisive click as he locked it. Yet, I wasn’t scared. This wasn’t my first encounter with Eric’s dragon side, but the absence of his usual glowing eyes told me that Eric was more present this time—or at least a part of him was. I just couldn’t understand why his dragon side was fully using Eric’s body while keeping him locked away.Once the door was closed, it took him a moment to face me. When he finally did, his crystal-green eyes were back, their glowing light burning into mine.“What’s your deal? Were you pretending to be Eric? Jess and Alex don’t seem to know that something’s off about you.” His words dripped with amusement as he began closing the distance between us, a smirk playing on his lips. If he thought he could use that face to intimidate me, he was sorely mistaken.“You’re here, my mate,” he said, dragging the word ‘mate’ out deliberately, as though daring me to notice. His hand reached for my chee
“What? Lily, are you insane? There’s no way I’m letting you leave!” Michael’s voice cracked with panic, his wide eyes brimming with disbelief. The mention of Terranovae sent a visible wave of unease through him, making me wonder if he recognized the name.“I’m sorry, Michael, but I’m going,” I said, my tone firm despite the trembling in my chest. “Nothing you say will make me change my mind. I can’t just sit here, waiting for her to end his life. I need to warn them about what’s coming.”Michael’s jaw tightened, and the lines of his face deepened with worry. “But why, Lily? Why would you even want to go there?” His voice softened, but I could still hear the tremor of fear beneath it.“Because she threatened me, Michael.” My voice broke slightly, but I pushed on. “She used Eric’s life to lure me in, and… she said Mom and Dad might still be alive.” My words hung heavy in the air, and I watched as Michael’s expression crumbled, shock and pain etching across his face.“What?” His voice wa
I gasped, my eyes snapping open as shock coursed through me. My heart raced as I found myself back in Michael's house. The throbbing headache from the nightmare lingered, but I knew this was more than just a bad dream.It was a message.She had told me all those things for a reason—so I would go to Terranovae. But did Terranovae even exist? A world ruled by demons? What was I even saying? Could I be like them? If what that woman said was true, and Mum was a demon, then I might be one too.Panic clawed at my chest, my thoughts spiraling into chaos. Eric was in danger. Everything she said echoed in my mind, threatening to drown me. But it was her last words that haunted me the most.Could Mum and Dad truly be alive? Had they been held captive all these years?“Lily!”A gentle tap on my shoulder jolted me, and I turned sharply, my heart pounding, only to find Michael’s worried face staring back at me.“You scared me,” I muttered, my voice trembling as I struggled to steady my racing hear