As the door closed behind her, Rafael’s shoulders slumped. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, his voice hoarse. “Because of me, you both suffered. I should not have done it.”Doris shook her head, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. “Don’t say that, Rafael,” she replied gently.“It wasn’t your fault. They did this to us because of who we are, not because of anything you did. They made you suffer too, and none of this is on you.”She reached out, lightly tracing the wounds on his face, the fresh bruises from the abuse he had endured. Rafael winced but didn’t pull away.“But, auntie,” Rafael’s voice cracked.“I couldn’t save her.”And then, all at once, he broke down. Tears spilled down his face as he hugged Doris tightly, his body trembling. “She told me to forget her,” he sobbed on her shoulder. “She doesn’t want me. She told me to let her go.”Doris's eyes widened in shock as she gripped Rafael’s shoulders tightly, forcing him to look at her. “Did she tell you this?” she asked, her voi
After a short while, Lily appeared, holding a pair of scissors. She approached Hazel and handed them over. Hazel took the scissors and examined the blades, checking their sharpness with a strange, focused intensity. Lily, watching her closely, couldn’t help but ask, “For what do you need it, ma’am?”Hazel looked up, her lips curling into a smile that seemed both genuine and unsettling. “Actually, I thought I’d start making dresses,” she said casually, as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world.Lily blinked, surprised by Hazel’s response. This wasn’t the Hazel she knew —calm, composed, always in control. Before she could ask anything further, Hazel turned and walked back toward her room. The other maids, standing nearby, exchanged glances, their faces reflecting the same shock and confusion that Lily felt. Hazel’s odd behavior and disheveled appearance had thrown the entire household into quiet unease.Hazel reached her room, her movements deliberate as she opened her closet.
Francisco sat silently, his gaze downcast as the tension in the room mounted. The remaining men were visibly agitated, their nerves fraying under the weight of what they had just witnessed. Francisco’s expression remained unreadable until, with a deep, steadying breath, he lifted his gaze and looked directly at them.“I won’t allow anyone to see my girl,” he said coldly, his voice low and controlled.Before they could react or plead for their lives, Francisco pulled the trigger again. The sound of gunfire echoed off the walls, and within seconds, the rest of the men collapsed onto the floor, their lifeless bodies joining the others.Outside, Lily stood trembling by the door. She had heard everything but couldn’t bear to stay still any longer. With a heart pounding in her chest, she opened the door and stepped inside, only to be met with the grim sight. Her eyes widened, and for a moment, she froze, her mind racing.The room reeked of death, blood pooling around the bodies of men who,
Francisco’s gaze darkened, his face hardening, but he remained silent as she drew nearer, her fingers trailing lightly down his arm.“Or do you want to punish me?” Hazel whispered, her breath warm against his skin. “Like some twisted game of BDSM?”Francisco's muscles tensed, but he didn’t move. Hazel’s fingers lingered on his arm as she continued to push his limits, waiting for his reaction, daring him to respond.Francisco’s grip tightened on Hazel’s wrists, his voice low and threatening as he growled, “Hazel, you’re waning my patience.” His eyes burned with barely contained fury, yet Hazel only smiled, her defiance unshaken.Instead of backing down, she grew bolder. Reaching up, she grabbed his collar, pulling him closer until their faces were inches apart. Her tone was dripping with allure as she whispered, “I want to feel the way you torture people. Sometimes... torture me in bed, honey.”Francisco’s teeth clenched as he fought to keep control. He could feel her pushing his butt
Francisco’s sleek black car came to a halt in front of Lilith's grand mansion. The gates had opened without delay, as if they had been expecting him. Stepping out, Francisco adjusted his coat and strode towards the entrance, his footsteps heavy against the gravel. Lilith was waiting in the drawing room, as expected.The moment she spotted him, she rose from her chair, her voice cutting through the tension, "I’m glad you came so quickly."Francisco’s eyes didn’t meet hers. Without a word, he headed toward the staircase. He always went to see Mr. Victor first—Lilith’s father—before engaging in any other matters. It was a habit, one rooted in respect, and maybe even a bit of fear.But Lilith’s voice followed him, sharp and unyielding. “Dad’s sleeping. Don’t disturb him.”Francisco paused mid-step, his back still turned to her."Talk to me first."Her tone was icy. Lilith knew—he had killed her men, and she wasn’t going to let him walk away without consequences. She stood there, fierce an
"Lilith!" he growled, a warning in his voice.But she wasn’t backing down. Her eyes bore into his, daring him to face the truth. “What’s next, Francisco? Are you going to kill me too?” She tilted her head, her voice dripping with bitter defiance. “Go ahead. Kill me too.”Francisco’s face twitched, the tension thick between them.She gave a small nod, her lips pressing together as she continued, "You know what? Will you kill the other clan members too? Because they’ll come looking for their men. What will you do then? Are you going to murder them as well?"Lilith leaned in slightly, her words biting.“You’re out of your mind, Francisco. Do you even realize that?”At that moment, something snapped in Francisco. He didn’t waste another second. His hand shot out and grabbed her throat, his fingers pressing down with an iron grip. Lilith gasped, her eyes widening in shock as the air was forced from her lungs."Fran..." she croaked, struggling to speak, her voice barely a whisper. "I... can
Hazel sat leisurely on the couch, sipping her coffee, her gaze occasionally drifting toward the maids working diligently under Lily’s instructions. All her new dresses had arrived, and the maids were carefully arranging them in the closet. Hazel’s legs swung lazily over the edge of the table, her mood light, though her mind was elsewhere.Lily, standing by the closet, glanced over at Hazel. "Ma'am, we have arranged everything," she said politely.Hazel raised an eyebrow but didn’t bother replying. She continued sipping her coffee, her eyes following Lily’s every move as she picked up a pair of scissors from the dresser and left the chamber silently.The moment the door clicked shut, Hazel let out a deep breath, the casual facade dropping. She got up slowly, her bare feet padding across the floor toward the closet. Opening it, she ran her fingers across the fine fabrics, feeling the textures beneath her fingertips.Her thoughts were a mix of frustration and anticipation. She sighed, pu
Hazel tilted her head, trying to catch the conversation, but Francisco had already turned away, stepping out of the room to avoid her curious gaze. He didn’t want her to hear what was being discussed. The door clicked shut behind him, leaving Hazel alone in the room, her thoughts swirling.She remained seated, her eyes still fixed on the door. Something had shifted in Francisco’s demeanor, and it wasn’t hard for Hazel to guess that this call was related to the problems brewing from earlier that morning.Hazel smirked slightly to herself, crossing her arms as she settled back onto the bed.Outside the room, Francisco’s expression hardened as he pressed the phone to his ear. "Dimitri," he spoke, his voice calm but laced with underlying tension.On the other side, Dimitri’s cold, calm tone responded, "Francisco. I didn’t expect this from you."Francisco’s lips tightened. He knew exactly why Dimitri had called. The men he had killed belonged to the Lion clan, but Francisco had not anticip