Schuyler's P. O. V.“How does it feel?” Archie couldn't hide his laughter anymore after everything that I told him.I furrowed a brow at him with an annoyed look, “What?!”“Come on now, Schuyler! How does it feel to have the two leaders of a rival mafia disrupting and arguing in a meeting for you?” Archie smirked knowingly at me and even paid me a meaningful look.I groaned inwardly at his reaction and as much as I wanted to just end the call with him, I couldn't do it as I promised my daughter that I would wait for her to finish setting up her new toys. And the way I see it, Stormi is nearly done with whatever she's doing behind Archie.As I observed my daughter while listening to Archie, all I could see was the image of her father. The way she put all her attention to the job she was determined to finish, I knew right then and there, Stormi would handle Savannah's business really well when the right time came.“Archie, don't be hilarious! They merely had an argument out of business
Schuyler's P. O. V.“W-Where am I?” After an hour of crying and having a breakdown, I finally got into my senses and immediately looked around me. And as soon as I realized that I was in a car and no one was with me, fear crept into me again, thinking that someone might come out of the dark and do something to me again. My whole body shivered at that thought and I hastily opened the car door with tears forming in my eyes.But as soon as my eyes landed on the silhouette of a man at the ocean shore, tears cascaded down my eyes. I was crying and watching him, and it's probably because of my emotions mixing together that I moved forward to approach him.His back was on me the whole time, but this is Ezekiel, and I know that he knows I am coming towards him.While I was walking closer, I started to doubt if this was right. I don't know if it's fine, but I just want to feel his warmth after what I went through today. Only him. And me. Just the two of us as he watched the sunset and I watche
Schuyler's P. O. V.The next day, when I went to work, the words spread like fire. Not the one that happened to me in the stockroom, but the fact that the finance head was killed in his own office. Not just killed, but brutally killed. Some said that he was even unrecognizable anymore. As if someone has tortured him in the dark and silence that no one noticed that if not for his secretary coming in to report to him this morning.I was standing in the middle of the crowds, watching the authorities recover his body in a stretcher. He was completely covered with white cloth, but even despite that, we can see the blood staining it as they bring him to their car. His other hand and wrist were completely visible and I was able to see how his fingers were missing and he was near to being skinned alive. I wanted to look away from him, normally I really would, but… after remembering that he nearly wronged me yesterday with that same hand, I didn't look away and was even cheering inside of me a
Schuyler's P. O. V.“Schuyler, can you hear me?” There was a faint faint voice asking me at the same time I could feel someone tapping my cheek.“Mrs. Riego, can you hear us?” I slowly opened my eyes and saw someone pointing a flashlight in my eyes, looking for a sign that I am really awake now.I groaned when I felt my lungs dried and it hurt me when I tried to speak and answer them. The familiar voices were so faint to me at first, but now that I have come to my senses, I started to see their faces and one of them, sitting at the corner beside Honey, was my daughter, Stormi.I instantly regret everything I did to myself and my heart was clenching so hard after seeing the look of fear and horror in her eyes. My baby… my innocent baby. I did that to her.My eyes watered and I wanted so much to call her name and embrace her for a tight hug, but the consequences of what I did was still weakening me.I looked away from her when I felt someone tapping my cheek again and I saw Archie besid
Schuyler's P. O. V.“Are you still going to work for Ambrose?” Archie asked me the moment we left my hospital room. “You have money, Schuyler. You can take care of Stormi.”Stormi and Honey have already left the hospital together. People knew me in this part of the country. I can't be seen in public with Stormi addressing me as her mother. Although it breaks my heart to hide her, I need to keep her safe at all cost. So, Archie was smart enough to send them to his house first before driving me to my hotel place.It was hard for me, since Stormi doesn't want to distance herself from me and I do feel the same too, but what can I do? It's for our safety, especially hers.I sighed and nodded my head at Archie. “I have to. I never can tell what will happen with that money so it's better that I am prepared.”“I understand your fear. Even I despise my mother and sister for what they can do just to get whatever the hell they want.” He shrugged his shoulders at me. “Though I doubt that it's the
Schuyler's P. O. V.I looked up only to see a handsome man beside me. His eyes were so dark that it made me shiver in fear, but I still ended up smiling at him like a teenager girl, admiring a handsome schoolmate from afar.“I think I know you from somewhere.” I giggled before drinking my alcohol again. “You're very handsome, sir.” I let the table to carry my weight while admiring his side view as she drink too. “Is that a scotch?” His eyebrow shot up before he glanced at me. I stretched my arm, asking him to hand me the glass. “Can I taste it?”He glanced at my hand and to his glass before he handed it to me. I know that it's not right to drink on someone's glass, but I can't help tasting it. And after I did so, I instantly regret it as I could feel it traveling to my lung like a shot of thunder.I was left looking dumbfounded at him. It was a scotch like the one I have tasted before, this drink is different. So different that it made feel so hot and my stomach felt like in need of s
Schuyler's P. O. V.“Can we go to the mall?” Honey suddenly asked me while we were having breakfast together. She was sitting on my side and I don't even know why she's distancing herself already when they're still engaged to each other. “I need to buy something.”I looked at her and was about to answer when Archie cut me off.“Sure. What time?” Archie abruptly said and now I started to notice that Zehan's movement slowed down.Ah, this is awkward.I saw when Honey lifted her gaze to him before she smiled, “If Ms. Savannah—”“Schuyler.” I cut her off and she just pouted her lips at me before looking back at Archie. “If she can't come with me, then I won't be going.” She simply said before drinking her juice.“I can go with you.” Archie said while staring straight at her.Honey lowered her gaze and focused on her food as she answered, “Aren't you busy with your son? It's alright, I have other things to do anyway.”Archie clenched his jaw before he stood up and walked towards Honey. He
Schuyler's P. O. V.“I didn't know, I’m sorry.” Honey apologetically said after I told them everything I found out when I was admitted to the hospital. “I went out for a while to buy her some snacks and Archie was out of work, so I thought it was fine to leave her for five minutes. She was watching on my phone too!”I didn't know that they met each other that day. None of us really does.“My guards never said anything to me either.” Archie said as he wrapped his arm around Honey. “They were probably not paying attention when Ezekiel Riego came to pay you a visit, but I doubt that he didn't know who Stormi was at that time. Clark told me that you two had an agreement before you got hospitalized.”“Here's your fruit, kids!” Zehan suddenly went out of the house with a tray in her hand. She handed the bowls to Stormi and Archer and I looked at my peripheral vision when Honey pushed Archie's hand away from her. “Oh, careful, Stormi! You might get dirty clothes.”“It's okay, Aunt Zehan! Aun
Ezekiel's P. O. V.“I saw mommy in the dressing room!” A smirk formed in my lips as soon as Stormi ran to me.As days passed, she became more of me in every physical way, but her attitude was more of her mother. Although my wife says otherwise.“She was so pretty!” She cupped both of her cheeks. “You should come see her now!”Of course, I’d come see my wife, but before that, I must take care of these first. The picnic basket was filled with most of Stormi's snacks. It was all her request as soon as Schuyler went to take a bath.“Did you bring my strawberry cupcakes, dad?” I heard my daughter asking when I saw her sitting at the table and looking at me with an analyzing eyes.I tilted my head to the side, “Don't sit at the table. Your mom might see you.”She pouted her lips before she crawled out of the table and crossed our distance. “Let's go to mommy, dad!”I carried her in my arms as we both went upstairs. Stormi was singing loudly on our way and I couldn't help the smile on my fac
Schuyler's P. O. V.Gunshots filled the air and Stormi woke up screaming because of that. Mr. Andrews kept on cursing, but he didn't open the door of his van. The driver and guards went out and we're trying to fix the tires as soon as they can, but I saw them dropping dead before they could even move an inch towards the tires. My heart was beating fast and nervous, but I still tried to calm myself.“Mr. Andrews, they're ambushing us!” I heard someone say something over the speaker.“They're too many, sir!”“They must be expecting us!”“Fuck, damn it!” Mr. Andrews shouted in anger. “So, this is why they didn't come right away, huh?! That fucker had been planning this!”Stormi screamed more when gunshots were directed at the van’s door, forcing it open, so Mr. Andrews looked in our direction before he smirked evilly.“You…” She pulled Stormi from me.“No! Let her go!” I kept on screaming to have my daughter back, until he opened the door and exited the van. “Give her back to me! Stormi!
Schuyler's P. O. V.“You’re a traitor!” I snapped at him.“A traitor?” There was a smug look on his face. “What makes your family different?”“I have nothing to do with my aunt!” “She's still your family,” he dismissively said before he turned his back on me. “Sedate her!”Worry creeped into me as my eyes widened. “No, please! Please, don't!”There were two nurses who came to me and tried to hold both of my arms while the other scientist took out a syringe filled with something. The man left us and that scientist held my hair before pulling it to the side. I tried to get away from his hold, but it only gave him access to inject the syringe in my neck. It was stingingly painful, but I couldn't get away from them.My eyes fixated on my daughter as I hoped to leave my face… My tears flowed while I felt my boy weakening again and they laid me back on the hospital bed, tightening the ties even more.My vision was spinning and darkness was slowly engulfing me again when I heard a whisper i
Schuyler's P. O. V.“It's incredible how they do that!”“These creatures can be of the same bloodline, but they don't carry the same genes. How is that even possible?”A small groan escaped my lips as soon as I felt myself waking up because of those voices I’m hearing around me. My vision was still blurry when I opened my eyes and my temple was aching so bad. I could feel a sticky feeling from my temple too, dripping to my jaw.When my vision finally cleared up, only then I realized what was happening around me. There were a lot of people piling at the corner and looking at something on the screen. Their faces say just how happy and thrilled they are to what they're looking at.My attention was only averted as soon as I felt a stinging pain in my arm and I saw a needle there, buried in my skin and taking out my blood. Something that's been weakening my body and it was connected to the machines in the middle of the room, where it was also connected to the computer they're facing.‘Wher
Schuyler’s P. O. V.“Where’s Stormi?” Zehan greeted me with her question. She was walking towards me with Archer beside her.I smiled and hugged her before I knelt to level Archer. “Hey, there, little Arch. Stormi’s with her dad so you two can’t play today.”Silently, he nodded at me before letting go of his Mom’s hand. He walked towards the couch and just turned the TV on. I straightened myself before facing Zehan again.“I heard what happened,” she started in a soft voice. “How are you, Schuyler?”A small smile grazed my lips before I shook my head lightly, “On the process.”Her eyes became gentle before I felt her reaching out to hold my hand, “Hey… It’s gonna be alright.”I slowly nodded at her before noticing a figure on our side. When I shifted my attention there, I saw Honey with an unexplainable look in her eyes as she walked towards me. I heard Zehan clearing her throat before she excused herself and Honey stood in front of me.“Schuyler…” There are only a few times that she
Schuyler's P. O. V.“Do you also know?”There was a deafening silence between us after I asked that question. A tight smile appeared on my lips as I slowly caressed my daughter's hair while she was asleep in my lap.“Why did you not tell me?” I knew that despite my low voice, he could tell how much pain I was in.He sighed deeply before I felt him approaching me and he sat on my side.“Would you accept it if I told you?” Slowly, I glanced at him with no emotion in me. “But still… I recently just found out about it. And you were already living with him.” Archie clenched his jaw as he looked down. “Beatrix confronted me that day, and everyone heard it. The next thing I knew, the Lycans were already talking about it until it finally reached the Riegos'.”“How did Beatrix know?”“That, I can't tell, but surely, she dug through it. There's no way she’ll find out, out of random curiosity.”I took a deep breath and dried my tears before I carefully carried my daughter to her bed. She fell as
Schuyler's P. O. V.“You're lying…” I whispered in a low voice, almost not wanting anyone to hear me. “Ezekiel has nothing to do with my parents death!”“Has Ezekiel really managed to get a hold of you?” Beatrix laughed sarcastically. “Even his family knows who your parents' killer is.”“Don't say that, he has nothing to do with them!”“Oh, my dear niece!” My aunt shakes her head in disappointment. “Just how naive can you be? Beatrix is telling the truth. Ezekiel killed your parents!” As my lips trembled and I wanted to attack her for it, her smirk widened while watching my reaction. “Well, perhaps not directly? But it was him who did that to them.”My tears were at their peak when I heard a car pulling over and Beatrix stood up as they both looked from behind me the moment the door opened.“Damn it! That ride was freaking long!” Marisse's voice was too loud as she complained. “I wasn't even able to purchase more— What the hell are you two doing here?!”“Beatrix, what brought you here
Schuyler's P. O. V.“You okay?” I felt someone nudging my shoulder. A small smile escaped from my lips when I felt her leaning her head on me. “Do you have any idea how much risk I take just to save your ass?”I glanced at Ezekiel on the other table, he was playing with Stormi and Archer, who are only forcing him to go along with them. Even Archie had no choice but to join as well. While Hunter was standing at the corner, smirking while watching them suffer.“I'm sorry…” I genuinely said in a low voice. “It has been a real pain in the ass to all of you, huh?”Hannah clicked her tongue, “I’d be lying if I say you were never, but honestly, Schuyler…. I’d never been prouder to you after hearing everything you did to save your daughter and keep her safe.”My gaze averted on Stormi as I heard her laughing while running away from Ezekiel. She was so bubbly, and she looked really happy.“When I found out that Ezekiel couldn't remember anything, I knew right then that you did the right thing,
Schuyler's P. O. V.“Done?” Ezekiel's eyes analyzed our daughter's looks before he stared at me. He was leaning at the hood of his car, crossing his arms over his chest, and waiting for us to approach him.“Mall!” Stormi almost screamed in excitement while jumping at the stairs before she ran to her dad. “Carry me, daddy!”Ezekiel's eyes bored into hers before a smirk escaped on his lips. He crouched down to carry her in his arms and they both waited for me to reach them.“Mommy,” Stormi stretched out her hand, as if she's reaching for me so I quickly walked towards her. “Hurry, please!”I chuckled as I showered her cheeks with kisses while cupping them. Stormi laughed loudly before she buried her face to Ezekiel's neck, hugging him tighter. And when I glanced at Ezekiel, I found him still looking at me. Slowly, my smile disappeared before I avoided my eyes on him.I went to the back door of his car and opened it, only to see the child seat already settled in the middle of the car. He