Valeria stood in front of the mirror, looking at the reflection that was returning her look. It was the first time in four months that she'd be stepping back into the bright light―not as the sullied model who had been accused of murder, but as Valeria Jayne, the woman who would reclaim her life.In a black tight designer dress, her stilettos bringing out her long legs, she was the world's supermodel. But the glamour hid her racing heart within her chest.She wasn't battling for her career.She was battling for the truth.Kim emerged behind her, arms folded. "You ready for this?"Valeria took a slow breath, shifting in her seat. "I don't have a choice. I have to rebuild what Kc attempted to obliterate. And I have to uncover who actually murdered Vanessa."Kim's gaze grew cold. "You returning to the public eye is dangerous. Kc's not finished with you. He'll stop at nothing to destroy you."Valeria caught Kim's eye in the mirror. "Let him attempt it. He's already stolen everything from
The room had tilted on its axis as Valeria gazed at the low-resolution picture on the computer monitor.Valeria's eyes widened in a gasp of breathlessness.The person fooling with her vehicle…was someone Kc trusted.Mark went pale while he spoke low, "I told you. you don't want to know."Valeria's hands began to tremble. "Who is he? What is his name?Kim zoomed in, bringing the image into focus. Although the video was poor quality, the man's face was clear enough to identify now.And when Valeria saw it—her stomach was in a tight knot of pain.She refused to believe it."Oh my God." Kim breathed.Valeria took a step back, her heart thudding.It was a person Kc worked with.A person constantly by his side.Sebastian Cruz.Kc's right-hand man. His most trusted investigator.The man who had been providing him with information, bringing him up to date about Valeria's location.The man who had informed him she was guilty."No… no, no, no," Valeria breathed, her head shaking. "This doesn't
The nights had grown colder, with the biting winds scratching away at Valeria's skin as she hung over her hotel-room balcony. Below her, endlessly extended out were the city lights, creating an illusion of peace that she no longer chose to believe existed.Because she knew now.This wasn't all about her.It was never all about Kc's agony or Vanessa's demise.It was something else.And if they didn't discover the truth in time, more lives would be broken.A loud thud on the door made her jump.She gulped, holding on to the railing as she turned her back. She already knew he was there.Taking a quick breath, she walked towards the door and swung it open.Kc filled the doorway, his face non-descript but the seriousness etched in his eyes spoke louder than words.They didn't say anything for a moment.Then—"What do you have?" Kc's tone was rough, to the point.Valeria stepped aside so he could enter. "Kim and I have been digging." She shut the door behind him. "And we found something."K
The air was thick with tension in the room as Kc and Valeria met eyes. The burden of betrayal, of deception, of hurt—it all came crashing between them like an unspoken tempest.Kc gritted his jaw so tightly it hurt. He was holding on by a thread, barely keeping himself from needing to destroy something—someone.Sebastian Cruz.A man he trusted. A man he counted on.A snake.And here was Valeria—the woman he vowed to destroy—standing in his presence, the sole holder of the truth.His world had been turned around.Valeria drew breath, shattering the silence. "We have to have proof."Kc snorted, tugging frantically at his hair. "Proof?" He sounded laced with fury. "You want proof to finish him? I could have him pulled off the earth by morning."Valeria's heart thudded at the icy, deadly threat in his voice."Kc," she warned slowly, moving forward. "If we do this wrong, he'll get off. He'll cover up the proof just as he did last time."Kc's fists were bunched at his sides, his entire body
City lights glimmered outside the hotel window, creating long silhouettes slithering into the room. Valeria leant against the glass, folded her arms together and watched as the world continued to spin around—completely unaware of the tempest inside of her.Kc Page loomed above her, his figure a black silhouette looming above her."You don't sound like a woman who is going to catch a killer," Kc growled, his voice rough.Valeria's hands clenched at her arms, her own face in the mirror just as inaccessible to sight as she was. "And you don't sound like a man who can hear."Kc growled, stepping closer. "I am here, aren't I Valeria?"Valeria spun around to confront him, her heart pounding. "I need you to trust me."His expression turned cold. "I don't trust anyone Valeria." Valeria groaned, raking her hand over her forehead. "So why did you come Kc?Kc's lips clamped shut. "Because I have to see this through."See this through.Not because he cared. Not because he wanted to want to believ
"Kc," Valeria whispered softly, the words barely above a whisper, "you don't have to do this. You don't have to hurt yourself to hurt me."His jaw was set, his whole body coiled like a spring waiting to break. "I do.""No, you don't Kc." Valeria inched closer, close enough to feel the rage brewing in his eyes, close enough to smell the heat off him. "You're working so hard not to hate me. You're grasping for your anger because you think that's all there is. What if you're wrong Kc?"Kc's intake of breath slowed, but the show of fury was still raw. "You don't get to ask me that Valeria.""But I did Kc," she answered, her voice toughening. "Because you have to hear."Kc laughed, his head moving back and forth in a scornful gesture with his hands pulling on his hair. "You don't get it, do you Valeria?"His gaze snapped, cold and cutting. "I will not let this go. I will not. Because the minute I let go of grasping on to hate for you, the minute I let myself even consider there could be a p
Valeria lay reclined on the floor in front of a mirror that seemed huge, bright lights reflecting off her perfect face. Make-up artists fluttered about her in a haze, finishing touches being made to her appearance. Hairspray mixed with the deep, expensive aroma of high-level perfume filled the dressing room. Designers and assistants swirled around her, their soft clothing blending with the hum of activity. She was home.Back in the industry that once celebrated her. Back on the path that had been violently ripped from her the day of Vanessa’s accident. But no matter how many layers of foundation they applied or how expensive the fabric draped around her body, there was no covering the scars Kc had left behind.“Breathe,” Manager Kim’s voice came from behind her.She exhaled shakily, forcing a smile. “I’m fine.”Kim crossed his arms. "No, you're not. But you're here, and that's what matters Valeria."Valeria glared at him in the mirror. "I need to do this, Kim. I need to get my life ba
Valeria strode away, her heart beating so hard she could feel it in her ears. Her hands shook at her sides, the argument with Kc making her tremble. But she wasn't going to let him see it.Not when he was still staring at her like an animal who did not want to let go of his prey. She took a deep breath as she reached the corridor where Manager Kim waited.Kim immediately stepped forward, sensing the tension radiating off her. “What happened?”“He’s not letting this go,” Valeria whispered, voice thick with emotion. “Even with the proof against Sebastian, Kc still thinks I’m guilty.”Kim cursed under his breath. “That bastard.”Valeria swallowed the bulge in her throat, her hands clenched into fists. "I thought… I thought that once he realized the truth, he'd stop Manager Kim."Kim shook his head. "Kc Page isn't a man who forgives, Valeria. He's the type of man who ravages. And at this point, he still thinks you're the one who destroyed his life."She clamped a hand over her temple. "I
The private plane swooped down into the midnight haze of dawn over Los Angeles, the engines roaring like the final notes of an opera. Valeria Jayne huddled near the window, forehead pressed against the glass, watching as the skyline of her history returned before her eyes.It was the city that formed her.It was the city that tried to break her.And now, the city she would take back.Kc Page beside her, his fingers wrapped around hers in unspoken comfort. The warmth of his touch informed her that broken things could once again be lovely."You're not saying anything," he said softly, stroking her knuckles with his thumb.Valeria's eyes looked up at him, shimmering like the ocean they gazed over from this vantage after a hot sun-scorched day. "I'm just. trying to remember who I was the last time I saw this place. I shattered going out."He nodded. "And now you're strolling back in flames for blood in your veins."She smiled weakly. "More embers than flames. But you. you stayed the flame
She edged near the bars, her breathing a warm whisper in the chill of the courtroom. "I survived because of you. I never became you.".He laughed then—hard, harsh, deep-bone. "You think living makes you virtuous? No, sweetheart. It only makes you deadlier. That's why they'll fear you in return.""No," she spat, eyes blazing. "They'll notice the difference. I don't use people as weapons. I won't hide behind shadows.""You already have."The words burn her like a slap. She takes a hard breath, but doesn't step back."You used Sebastian," Lazarus rose, his voice venomous and calculated. "You had him burn for you. Asked me to rescue him, Valeria. Vowed it like a child. And I saw him fall—for you.""You're lying.""Am I?" He smirked. "Tell me, did he ever speak to you of what he saw in you? That flash of cruelty he worshipped? That darkness one day he thought would take my place?"Her fist closed, nails digging into the meat of her palm."He told you you were hope," Lazarus continued, now i
Valeria's hands were balled into fists. "You never understood. Any of you never did. You manipulated lives, fates of people, and for what? So you'd control everything?"Instinctively, Lazarus sneered. "Control. Power. Is not that what you have always wanted too, Valeria? Do not act like you do not know. You inherited it all from your mom, and now you're going to save the world? Please. It's in your blood. All that greed, all that lust."Her stare was locked onto his, a battle unto itself. "Perhaps," she finally said, her voice precisely that: a statement of fact, "but at least I'm attempting to mend the damage you've done. I'm no longer able to abide lies. And I'm not letting you get away."A silence. And then Lazarus leaned forward, his eyes piercing blue and glaring at her, and whispered, "And what do you think you're going to do to me? Think the law's going to be able to cover you? Your little empire is going to be intact once I'm dead? You've won? It never works out like that, Vale
"I blew up the Core. I sacrificed every real asset. If Lazarus has proof—let him bring it. Not shadows. Not rumors. Proof.".A reporter shouted, "What if he does?"Valeria answered, "I will take care of it. But I will not let a man like him write my mother's redemption or my family's destruction."A second hand rose. "And what about your safety? He's threatened us before."KC took a step forward now. "Valeria has the full protection of U.S. intelligence allies and the tech tribunal. But more than that—she has allies who won't quail at Lazarus Vane's name."Tension eased somewhat.Then Valeria said, "And if he wants war, he'll find I don't fight shadows."The room fell into hushed silence.She turned, left the stage.KC was close on her heels. "You were fantastic.".She nodded, speaking softly. "Let's hope it was enough."LATER THAT NIGHTKim faced Valeria across the study in the estate."We followed the trace from Lazarus's broadcast," Kim stated. "Somewhere outside of Cairo. But when
The atrium's glass panels sparkled with Geneva morning light. The reek of dust still lingered in the air, but the structure was no longer rubble—it was reborn.Valeria gazed from the tall windows, coffee going cold in her palms."Looks like… it's over," KC replied, coming to stand beside her, eyes cast over the horizon. "Think so?"“No,” Valeria murmured. “But the storm here has passed. For now.”She set the mug down and reached for her comms unit. The screen flared to life, and she scrolled through her encrypted contacts until she landed on Kim Avarelle – U.S. Division Head.She hit call.After a few rings, Kim’s voice crackled through. “Valeria?”“Hi, Kim. I’m calling to say…” Valeria glanced at KC. “We are coming home.”There was a moment of quiet, and then suddenly, laughter filled the air with excitement. “You’re serious? After all this time?”“Everything’s stable now,” she replied. “The Geneva base is secured, the files are locked down with global oversight, and the remaining te
Geneva — Two Weeks AfterThe Headquarters of the Montecillo Foundation did not tower over the horizon like it had before. Its glass front, which had previously symbolized technological and power progress, was now reduced to an exposed skeleton of pipes and supports shrouded in scaffolding and caution tape. The explosion that ripped its servers apart with the Core's final detonation reduced it to mere rubble.And yet it was being reconstructed.And they were too.Valeria stood amidst the remains of what used to be her mother's office—her haven. The winds had shifted. The stench of ash had dissipated, giving way to fresh concrete and glass in wait to rebuild.She clutched a blueprint. Not of a fortress. Not of a Core. But of a research center built for transparency, learning, and ethics.No more secret vaults.No more secrets.Just light.Kc came in, sleeves rolled up, a construction helmet under the arm. "They've okayed the new floor plan," he told her, handing over a clipboard.Valeri
Kc nodded slowly. "Then let us finish it."Valeria put both hands on the sphere. Her voice thundered, firm and unyielding:"Override protocol: Core dismantle sequence. Authorization—Valeria Montecillo. Code zero-zero-zero… end."The orb writhed furiously, light flashing in wild surges. Sparks flew like fireflies. Metal creaked. Steam exploded from hidden vents."WARNING: System destabilization imminent."Kc drew her away. "We have to go!"But Valeria stayed an additional second—witnessing the creation her mother had built dissolve into smithereens.And then she spoke in a low voice, as a promise to the ghosts of the wiring,"Rest now, Mom. It's over."BOOM!The globe burst in a blast of flames and silver light. The ground trembled at their feet as they escaped from the room, the ashes of the Core blazing.EXT. GENEVA – FEDERAL INTELLIGENCE BUREAU – DAYRain had turned into cold drizzle.Valeria stood at the feet of the tall government building, soaked to the bone, but unshaken. Her co
THE CORE CHAMBER — INSIDE MONTECH VAULTSmoke wrapped around the walls like snakes. The Core beat behind her—vibrant, alive.Valeria's hands were clenched at her sides, her breathing slow, shaking breaths. Not because she was afraid.Because she was angry. Because she was heritage. Because she was blood."I see it now, finally," she spoke, voice low but resolute. "You're not the mastermind behind anything, Sebastian. You were just a shadow. A coward sneaking in my mother's light."Sebastian's mouth curled, even though blood had begun to line his teeth. "Still using borrowed fire, I see.""You're nothing more than a parasite," she growled, advancing, the light of the Core flashing in her eyes. "You clung to the greatness of my mother, fed on her drive, and now you expect to steal our legacy like a pilfered crown?You have the nerve to stand there and act like you know what this power is?" he growled, taking a step forward. "You, who disappeared for years, who stuck your head in the san
He nodded. "Then it's time we stop running."Kc's words hung there, suspended in the air like a flame burning with fury.Valeria searched his face, and for the first time, she saw not only the man who had chased her, not only the man who had cursed her life—but the man who would now sacrifice his own life to protect it."We go to Geneva Kc," Valeria whispered.Kc nodded once again. "We go to claim what's yours."Valeria stared at the screen packed with layers of encrypted files—bank accounts, deed titles, tech patents—all that had belonged to the late Celeste Montecillo, her mother.Kc stood beside her, his arms crossed, reading over the data."So this is what Sebastian wants," he whispered. "Power to topple a government, remake nations."Valeria ground her jaw. "But it was never meant for him."She halted, voice trembling with emotion. "It was meant to defend, not kill. That's why my mother hid it. That's why she never told anyone—not even me.""You don't believe you're ready for thi