He shrugged playfully, his hand still stroking her belly. "It's easy when it's the truth. I mean it, Val. You and this baby-you're everything to me now. You're my family. And nothing, nothing, will ever come before that."Her smile could be replaced by a profound expression of gratitude so much that her eyes began to glisten. "I never knew I'd feel this. safe," she barely whispered. "With everything going on, with all the chaos, you have made me feel like I belong somewhere. Like I finally have a home."You don't belong somewhere, Valentine. You belong with me. Always. No matter what happens outside these walls, this is our sanctuary. Our family. And I'll protect it with everything I have."She reached up and covered his hand with hers as she leaned in to his touch. "I believe you, Arnulfo. I believe in us."They sat there, arms folded into arms, gazing out the window as the world outside started to melt away. Arnulfo leaned his forehead onto hers, still cradling her belly in his hand
It was midnight. Moonlight came filtering dimly through the curtains of the bedroom. Arnulfo slept undisturbed with deep and gentle breathing. But Valentine lay wakeful, feeling hunger cramps and with all her faculties upon one fixed sense of a great desire.She wriggled a little, trying to dislodge it. For all she knew, she didn't even want the cool, creamy mint ice cream dripping with sweet strawberry jam. The very thought of it made her mouth water and she sighed before rolling over to face Arnulfo."Arnulfo, my love," she whispered, lightly poking his shoulder. He did not respond so she prodded him once more, harder this time. "Arnulfo, wake up."He groaned softly and opened his eyes with a languid blink as he turned to her. "Valentine? What is it?" His voice was slurred with sleep, and immediately his face clouded with worry.She gnawed her lip a little, becoming suddenly ashamed. "I am sorry to wake you, but. I want something."He reached over and levered himself up onto one elb
It was dark inside Carla's safe house. Tension was palpable. The oscillating fan created the only sound, and that faintly, until the massive door creaked open, and Diego entered. His face a mask of exhaustion and barely held fury, he walked towards Carla, seated at the head of the room, her sharp eyes scanning the map spread on the table.Diego’s voice was heavy as he spoke. “I’ve got news, boss.”Carla didn’t look up, her fingers tracing the edges of the map. “Make it quick, Diego. We’ve already lost enough ground.”Diego hesitated for a fraction of a second before plunging in. “It’s Victoria.”That caught Carla's attention. She was snapped straight upright, eyes narrowing like a hunter spotting prey. "Victoria?" she repeated, her voice low and menacing. "What about her?"Carla shifted slightly on his feet. He didn't even know how to word it. "She used us, Carla. She used you."Carla furrowed her brows, clenched her fists. "Explain.Diego took a deep breath. "That ambush, the one tha
The faint groan of the door opened for Diego to slip back in once more. Grave but determined was his face.“Boss, I’ve reached out to a few of our old allies,” he said, his voice steady. “Some are hesitant to get involved again, but others… they’re hungry for payback. They’re ready to stand with you.”Carla’s smirk widened. “Good. And the supplies?”"We have a lead," Diego said. "There's a shipment coming into the docks in a few days. Guns, ammo, everything we need. It's risky, but if we play it right, it'll give us a huge advantage."She nodded, her mind already spinning with plans. "Risk is a luxury we can't afford, Diego. If we want to rise again, we have to take it."After a little pause, the loyalty he showed her versus concern, "And Victoria? If she hears anything.""Good, let her. She is far too busy scurrying to cover under daddy's thumb and hide. She's won this little battle but the war?" Diego nodded slowly and bowed his head in the correct manner of showing understanding, "
According to the urban life streets, it's Arnulfo and Valentine taking a walk through the shopping district of high-end fine stores. The refreshing air outside was so crisp, and the bright sun shone with a filter over the canopies of trees standing on the sides of the road. Valentine went off bubbling and pulled at Arnulfo again towards the direction of the store, a baby essentials boutique.Arnulfo laughed and let himself be dragged along. "You are more excited than I've ever seen you," he teased, his tone warm but also teasing."I am!" Valentine exclaimed, practically singing. "This is our baby, Arnulfo. I want everything to be perfect.".They stepped inside. The soft tinkle of the bell announced their arrival. The interior was a pastel wonderland: rows of tiny clothes, plush toys, and elegant cribs stretching out before them. Valentine's eyes instantly lit up at the look as she let out an exasperated gasp."Look at this!" she cried, rushing over to a display of baby onesies. She he
The soft light streaming through the nursery window dappled a warm glow throughout the room, casting it across the pale pastel walls and the early outline of what would be their baby's haven. Valentine sank back into the rocking chair, her fingers mechanically tracing patterns across her growing belly. Arnulfo sat cross-legged on the plush rug, sorting through a small pile of baby clothes with an air of quiet contentment."Look at this one," he said, holding up a teeny onesie with the words Mommy and Daddy's Miracle embroidered in delicate script.Valentine's face lit up with a tender smile. "That's perfect," she said softly, reaching out to touch the fabric. "Every time I see something for the baby, I am suddenly plunged into these vivid thoughts, imagining who they will be. What their laugh will sound like, what their little personality will be like.".He carefully placed the onesie down in the pile and went to his knees beside her. "They're going to be great, Valentine. Just like t
But heavy doors to grand halls shut after her, shaking the breath into Victoria's system. The faint flicker of triumph was swamped by expectation, by burden, and then even farther, by recognition of the very harsh truth: the "assignment" was no present, but some challenge a lot worse than killing. It'd either break or harden the thing inside.She turned down the turn of the curved corridor, heels clicking on polished stone, step after step repeating her resolve. Diego was in the study. His face wore its usual unreadable expression, but his stoicism was there - a man with few words, fewer allegiances, and yet always her father's shadow, the loyal enforcer."Miss Giupere," he greeted with a slight nod, his deep voice rumbling. "I assume you know the stakes."Victoria folded her arms and rested her chin on them. "Lecture, lecture, Diego, save your lectures. What's the assignment?"He handed her a sliver of a dossier, his dark eyes raking over her face for even the slightest hesitation. "
Victoria leaned back into the SUV, her eyes still fixed on the spread of the metropolis in the colors of sunrise. She could feel each glint of light to reflect off those skyscrapers as a challenge, a taunt from a city that had seen her at her worst. But that was the past. The weak, desperate woman confined to her father's mansion no longer existed. What rose in her place was a force to be reckoned with—sharp, relentless, and unyielding.Her fingers ran along the edge of the seat, tracing out possibilities in her mind. Carla, Arnulfo, Valentine, her father—each one had played a part in her fall, and each one would play a part in her rise. They just didn't know it yet.The silence was broken when Diego sat next to her. "You're quiet. Thinking about the next move?"Victoria turned to him with a smirk on her lips. "Always. The difference is, this time I'm not just playing to survive. I'm playing to win."Diego studied her for a moment before giving a curt nod. "Good. That's the Victoria w
Arnulfo pulled at his collar. "Remind me again why I'm marrying your daughter?" Valentine raised an eyebrow. "Because you love me?"Arnulfo groaned and threw up his hands dramatically. "Damn. You got me there." Don Victor chuckled. "You'll live, Vegas." Valentine stood in front of the mirror staring at the wedding gown. It was breathtaking-ivory lace, delicate beadwork, a flowing skirt that made her feel like she was floating. But what caught her breath was how Don Victor sat behind her as a reflection. His eyes were misty, his face unreadable. " Papa?" she whispered He clears his throat: "You just look like your mother." A boulder formed in the throat of Valentine. "She'd be proud," he managed to breathe the words out so that his emotions were trembling about. Watering eyes with Valentine, "Really think so?" He bent down and cradled her face. "I know so." And in the blink of an eye, she dissolved in his arms. "I love you, Papa," she whispered. Don Victor's eyes closed, and he tighten
The morning sun trickled through the grand estate's windows, dimming to a golden view of the room in which Valentine sat, carrying her newborn baby, Victoria Elise. She sighed, taking a sip from her tea when suddenly, the doors burst open. Don Victor strode into the room, full of confidence as if he had just decided to move mountains. His voice boomed across the room."Well, Valentine, mi hija, it's off again. This time, we're getting married."Valentine nearly gagged on her tea. "What?" she blinked at him, wondering if her father had finally lost it.Don Victor gave her a look of annoyance, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "You and Arnulfo. Another wedding. A proper one. A wedding that will be remembered for generations!"Valentine opened her mouth, then closed it. “But we’re already married!”Her father waved a dismissive hand. "That wasn't a wedding. That was a disaster! Do you call being shot at, running for your life, and your sister trying to kill you a wedding
Arnulfo looked at the scene. His heart was heavy but not hollow. This was the man he had been fighting for—the man who once tried to kill him. Yet today, Don Victor was merely a father holding onto his final opportunity for redemption. Arnulfo stretched out, his gaze unyielding. To this, Don Victor displayed an expression that was unreadable. Neither spoke for some time. Then, among all the men standing there, the motion of Arnulfo's hands reached out towards him. It was a challenge, a gesture of peace offering, a guarantee. Don Victor held Valentine next to him, frozen. Then, in his slow drag, he took an indrawn breath and clasped Arnulfo's hand in return. Their grips were tight—not against foes—but two men who had seen each other enough to know for far too long. Two men whose pasts would contradict themselves yet could feel the same love, a love more ample for Valentine. “Take care of her,” muttered Don Victor so low that only a few words' meanings might be gathered. The smooth si
Then Don Victor wanted to patch things up with Valentine, so he approached her again. "Valentine, you are my only living daughter. I hope you can forgive your father for not knowing you. I tried to search for your mom, and lately, I found the truth. Please, Valentine, my dear, forgive your dad." Tears filled Valentine's eyes. "But how can you forgive me? For killing Victoria, my only sister?Don Victor shivered. "Because I failed you first."Her breath hitched."You grew up alone," he went on, his voice thick with remorse. "You suffered alone. If I'd been there-if I'd known-you would never have had to fight for your life in the first place."He touched her hands, his fingers digging into hers. "So if you can do in your heart forgive me then I—" His voice broke. "Then I'll spend the rest of my days proving to you that I'm worthy to be your father."Valentine watched him as if studying every feature on his face for one sign of lies. Every mark of the brutal Don Victor that she knew seem
A very trusted man of Don Victor arrived at the hospital when the sun was barely rising. His face was serious, though his body was stiff with unspoken words. Valentine sat on a chair by the window; Arnulfo rested beside her. His wounds healed considerably, though he still needed to recover more time.She heard the footsteps turn. She saw the man. Her heart fell. There was something about him, and she felt her chest constrict."Señora Vegas," he said, respectful but low. "I come on behalf of Don Victor."Valentine stiffened, her fingers going instinctively to grab at the material of her dress. "What is it?" she asked sharply.The man took a deep breath before his eyes met hers. "It's about Victoria."Her heart stopped."Today is her final interment," he said. "Don Victor wanted you to know. He hopes you will come… to send your sister off."A lance shot through Valentine's chest. She gasped and felt her fingers begin to quiver.Her sister.Victoria was her sister.And she had murdered h
There on the veranda of his estate, Arnulfo sat sipping the sweet scent of a breeze carrying wet earth. He had healed the wound, and though the marks both on body and heart remain, he blew out slowly as he rested one hand over where the bullet tried to take him from this life. Nearly from Valentine and the child she had inside her womb.His tranquility was only temporary.The stillness shattered with the heavy sound of his steps. He need not turn around to know who he was but the heavy-laden air that felt fraught with tension and something else, deep within—it was something left unsaid.Don Victor.The older man stood behind him, a storm rolling in behind him. Whatever words were being said, his silence was saying louder than they ever could.Arnulfo straightened himself but did not turn. "I was expecting you.“Is that so?” Don Victor’s voice was gravelly, lined with years of authority. Years of power. But beneath it was something else—grief, perhaps. Or anger. “Then you know why I’m
Dark eyes met his; something she had never seen in him before; regret, pain, a sadness so deep that there weren't enough words to account for it. They were both silent for what felt like an eternity. And then, after the great long silence,he spoke."Valentina," he said, his voice rough, unsteady.She flinched. She hated it when he said that. That wasn't his name for her. Not today. Not ever before.Her fists were curled tight at her sides. "Don't say that."He exhaled, nodding slightly. "I… I understand." His voice cracked, but he went on speaking. "I don't expect forgiveness. I don't even expect you to look at me without hatred. But I need you to know—I never knew. If I had—She laughed, the laugh sharp, bitter. "If you'd known? What, Don Victor? Would it have been any different? Would you have come to find me? Raised me?" Her voice cracked as she took a step closer, the burning eyes intense. "Or just another soldier in your empire?His face contorted into a grimace as if she slap
The door shut with a soft click behind Don Victor, and silence swallowed the hospital room. The revelation was like a boulder, suffocating Valentine's chest.She could hardly believe it.Victoria. her sister.Don Victor. her father.It felt like a bad joke on truth.Arnulfo grasped her hands in a tight grip but a gentle one as he said worriedly, "Valentine, speak to me.".She shuddered, drawing an involuntary breath into her lungs. Her fingers were clutching him hard. "I don't know what to say my love," she whispered. "I don't know how to feel,Arnulfo."Arnulfo touched her cheek and raised her chin. "Then don't make yourself understand everything right now," he said, soft. "Just breathe."Breathe.How was she supposed to breathe when her entire world had just been turned inside out?She forced her hands free from his hold, wrapped them around her body to hug herself, and started pacing the room. "All this time," she said shaking her head in disbelief. "I thought I was alone. I thought
Valentine sat up on the bed in the hospital, her head in her hands. Arnulfo sat besides her, had his arm thrown over her shoulder, said not a word while holding her back.Valentine sat up when she heard a knock on the door.Arnulfo's muscles tensed. The door opened slowly, and Don Victor entered.Valentine's head snapped up. Her eyes were red and puffy. "What do you want?" she croaked.Don Victor's eyes softened, but his face remained unreadable. "To talk.""There is nothing to talk about."Don Victor took another step inside. "There's everything to talk about."Valentine shook her head, turning away. "You can't come out of the woodwork now and pretend you care about me."Don Victor took a breath. "I always cared."She laughed, and the sound was bitter. "Liar.""I didn't know about you," Don Victor said. "If I had—""If you had known," Valentine cut him off, her voice shaking with anger, "what? You would have raised me in your world? In a world full of blood and power and control?"Do