KEISHA woke up from a terrible sleep and she had zero clue as to how she ended up waking up in the bathroom, by the toilet. She tried standing up and holding onto the toilet seat to help her. The first thing she noticed when she looked in the mirror was her hair that was tied up in a low messy bun. Her brows furrowed further and she looked around the room and still couldn't remember what happened before she passed out. She opened the bathroom door and lay down on her bed when not even a couple of seconds later, Taylor came inside with a terribly worried expression. "I-is it true?" she asked in a shy and unsure voice, looking down at the ground. Keisha looked over at her and slowly blinked to process the information. "What's true?" she asked the question back and Taylor tilted her head to the left. She walked over to Keisha and sat on the bed. She grabbed Keisha's hands and held them together. "Can you not?" Keisha asked in annoyance as she tried to take her hands away. "Eros annou
THE ROOM was filled with utter silence as Keisha sat across from the annulment papers on the table. She was quiet, staring at it, and contemplating what her decision should be. "You've been staring at that paper for an hour already," Eros, the person on the other side of the table, informed her. Keisha looked up and her gaze was fixated on his cold and emotionless expression. They kept eye contact before Keisha slowly groped the paper and pulled it closer to her. "If I don't want to sign it?" she asked with squinted eyes, making him scoff loudly. The room was filled with silence yet again and Eros uttered, "Why? So you successfully kill me this time?" Keisha looked away, her tongue cut off, and was lost for words. (I still can't recall anything from last night!) she thought to herself, almost in tears as she imagined the events that led up to that moment. How could she be so stupid? Her senses were hypersensitive as she could hear the clock from across the room, the sound of her f
KEISHA sat down and tears dripped down on her face, falling on the letter she was reading. In the big empty rooms of her apartment, she was the only soul living. Yet she felt lifeless. The letter contained Eros' final words, granting Keisha's request. The final sentence Eros wrote in the letter was, 'I hope my fabricated death helps you have a new life.' She was flabbergasted and filled with emotions she hasn't felt before. Was it wrong to be guilty? He's the only target she had that was sympathetic and the opposite of ruthless. She put the letter down and hysterically cried puddles on the floor. She wept till she couldn't anymore. Her eyes dried out, her breathing seemed to stop, and she stared into oblivion thinking, "Is this really the freedom I wanted?" Minutes turned into hours, and hours turned into a day. The sun rose from the left side of her apartment where a big window showed the sky. She stood up from the ground and walked around the apartment before grabbing a glass of
IT WAS daylight yet it looked like a gloomy midnight. The sky was darker than usual, and the thunder above the snow was covering the loud sounds of weeping and crying from Keisha as she hugged the casket of her husband. She was wearing a long black dress that barely protected her from the winter. Everyone watched in silence as she held his casket closer to her. None dared to make a sound. The sky was crying with her. Eros' death might be fake, but her sorrow was real. Pure. It felt like he died the moment she made the choice to sign the annulment papers– but it was all to save Shadow from harm. "Eros, please, don't do this to me!" she screamed her heart out. The funeral was rushed, almost done too soon without enough time for people to mourn. This seemed suspicious, so Keisha hid it by pretending she requested the funeral to be done so she doesn't need to feel sorrowful anymore. As they were burying the casket six feet underground, Keisha sat down on the grass and watched with muf
SHADOW gasped for air, his eyes shot open and he looked around. Another nightmare. "Fucking hell," he whispered to himself with sweat running down his face. He can't tell the time, he only knows days– weeks, or maybe even months passed. He was oblivious to the world while being kept inside the small room to help heal his injuries. He's been having constant nightmares about being caught again, to be tortured and killed. It's nonstop, almost becoming sleep paralysis. Shadow is already sick and tired of staying in this secluded room yet the fear of dying is slowly getting to him. The creaking of the door made him look. "You have a child?" Daimon stated as he walked inside while holding a photo in hand. Shadow clenched his jaw and when the man got closer, he saw the photo of the girl he was talking about. Shadow sighed before looking away. "That's my sister," he stated and Daimon's brows raised before he nodded. He handed the photo back to Shadow. "You don't mind me searching your hous
JAMES slowly opened Keisha's door when she didn't answer when he called. He looked around the place and finally spotted her. She looked to be asleep while upside down on a couch. He put down the food on the small glass coffee table before squatting down and looking at her face. She was sleeping with her mouth open, literally falling off the couch.He grabbed her shoulder and pushed her back up. He scrunched his nose while smelling the alcohol on her, just like how he found Eros the other night. "Is this why you wanted to go out yesterday? To get some alcohol?" he asked the passed-out Keisha with a sigh. He shook his head in disappointment before standing up and grabbing the bottles around her and tidying up the messy living room. Once he was finished, he went back to Keisha. He squatted down in front of her and lightly tapped her shoulders. She didn't respond the first time until she slowly gained consciousness. "Hmm…" she moaned in annoyance as her brows met in the middle. He frown
SHE doesn't seem to know when to stop. It's been days since Elaine kept coming back for Eros. And every single day, he rejects her request but she's persistent and wasn't taking no for an answer. Arriving yet again in the mansion, she was let inside like any other time. Her heels clang against the floor as the staff inside twisted their neck to her direction, all thinking the same thing (Her again, the mafia boss seems to favor her,) they thought to themselves while quietly watching.She was happily going along the halls when a woman, a little shorter than her, stumbled back and hit her. "Hey!" Elaine screamed as she stumbled back but saved herself from falling. She fixed her clothes and didn't hesitate to grab the woman by her cheeks. "What's your name?" she asked with annoyance and a raised eyebrow. The young woman gulped while her heart palpitated in fear of Elaine as she gripped her cheeks tighter. "T-taylor," she whispered like there was no sound coming out of her mouth. Elain
KEISHA, who stashed bottles of alcohol inside the apartment, is drinking again but only has taken a few shots. She was a hot mess, sheepishly walking around while crying. She's not exactly in the worst state, but certainly not in the best either. A knock on the door interrupted her. With an annoyed look, she walked to the door and opened it knowing she would be safe here. "Eros…?" she asked in shock, staring into the mafia boss' eyes who was holding the frame of the door with his hand as if to help him stand. Keisha started hysterically laughing while clapping and staring at Eros who was not speaking. "I must be going insane, I'm seeing things!" she shouted in joy while still in awe of how her imagination felt surreal. "I've only drunk a few shots!" she shouted again, in disbelief. Eros breathed heavily and couldn't help himself anymore. He walked inside the house before grabbing her by her waist. He kicked the door to close it before pushing her against the wall. "I need you," he
IT WAS early in the morning and Keisha was waking up from her sleep. She groaned in frustration as she hugged what was next to her. "Eros…" she whispered as she stared at his sleeping face. She was falling back asleep when she suddenly opened her eyes and looked at who she was hugging. "A pillow? Hah," she muttered how ridiculous she was to hallucinate about Eros. She threw the pillow away and wrapped herself in her blanket. It's almost been a month since Eros was hospitalized and she has been handling things until he wakes up and recovers. She immediately took a bath and got ready before heading to the hospital. "How is he?" she asked after entering his hospital room and removing the cover she used. The doctors who checked on his progress informed her of the situation. "His body is recovering rather quickly, there is a good chance he will wake up soon," he muttered and she nodded her head. She sat by his side and held his hand. "I really hope you wake up soon," she whispered with
All day without rest, Keisha stayed by Eros' side in the hospital until the response of their enemy finally came in. "Do you think I can trust you to take care of him?" she asked with crossed arms as she eyed Reyna who just arrived at the hospital. "Do what you want. Someone will keep watch so don't do anything stupid," she muttered before standing up. "He's my son, Of course, I'd take care of him," Reyna responded firmly and Keisha sighed heavily and nodded her head. She had no intention to trust her with this but she has no choice but to leave. "Sebastian will be there," she informed her and waited for her answer. Reyna took a deep breath before looking over at Keisha with a raised eyebrow. "Are you planning to make a peaceful exchange or not?" Reyna asked curiously and as a response, Keisha shook her head and turned around for the door. "Kill him," Reyna told her as Keisha walked out of the room to face what was to come. That's the plan, to end things once and for all. No more
"YOU'RE not going to let him die, you understand me?!" Keisha slammed the doctor against the wall out of frustration. It's been hours since the surgery started and the doctors inside the operating room are yet to finish. "Yes, Mrs. Galaz, however, you also need to calm down and rest or else you'll also be hospitalized," the doctor reminded her with sympathy. "No one here survives unless Eros does. I would kill every single one of you–" Keisha, who was overpowered by her emotions, was pulled away from the poor doctor. She looked behind her and saw Shadow pulling on her and dragging her away. "Let me go!" she screamed and tried prying away but he held her firmly. "You need to fucking calm down," he whispered to her as he pushed her against the wall and held her hand together. Still stubborn, she tried retaliating again. "Do you think you're helping by causing a ruckus?! Eros is being operated on and you're over here threatening the doctors!" he screamed, finally making her pause and
"It's been a while since we have laid down together," Keisha muttered as she squeezed herself closer to Eros who was just a breath away. Under the blankets of his bedroom, they were hugging each other. She can feel his breath touching her skin. "Y-yeah," he murmured and her brows furrowed slightly. She looked up and saw Eros just staring above her head into nothing. Keisha pushed him slightly and looked at him with confusion. "Are you alright?" she asked out of concern. "Yeah?" he answered unsurely with a nervous smile. "Now that I look at it, you don't seem well. Do you have a fever?" She raised her hand, checked his forehead's temperature, and found it hotter than usual. Eros was also sweating which made her more concerned. "I'll get you medicine–" Eros grabbed her hand and put it back beneath the blanket before hugging her tightly. "I feel this way because we haven't been together like this in a long time. Just let me enjoy our moment," he murmured sweet nothings that made
It was past dusk and Keisha just arrived at the computer lab of the mansion where James had been working countless hours to retrieve whatever was in the USB drive that Ellaine handed her. "What's wrong with your face?" she immediately asked after noticing the bruise on his face. He closed his eyes and clenched his jaw before glaring at her. "Why do you think?! Eros almost killed me because you told him we accidentally kissed!" he shouted, already in a bad mood and she added more to his stress. Keisha only chuckled before sitting down on the chair next to him and looking at the computer. "Cracking the code is almost done, that's why I called you in." He cleared his throat before typing. She leaned back and watched closely how he was hacking into it. It was unbelievable how much security a small USB drive has. "Where's my brother anyway?" he asked and she shrugged. Eros has been gone since earlier because of well… preparations for the possible attack. It's dangerous so everyone has
"Do you wish to braid your hair today, Ms. Keisha?" Edith, who was brushing her hair, asked with a sweet tone and she simply nodded in response. The vibe in the mansion seemed to have been better ever since Eros revealed he was alive. This lunch, she'll be meeting someone important. "It's a shame our friend got transferred elsewhere," Keisha muttered, a little disappointed that Taylor was moved to another department a month or so ago. Now it's only one person helping and serving her. However, the mafia boss promised to make a salary increase to help support her family. "How about you? What's your goal?" Keisha suddenly asked and the latter paused. It seems there was a lot for her to stop what she was doing. "I don't really know… I'm glad I was saved. An illegitimate daughter like me doesn't have many goals," Edith answered with a chuckle. (Ah, that's right… She's living for herself only. No one else has her back…) Keisha thought to herself, feeling pity. She knows how that feels, b
DAIMON was in his office chatting with Shadow as they planned for defense instead of offense. If anyone was to make the first move to attack, it would be the enemies. "I've been so busy that I haven't seen Keisha in such a long time," he muttered while they were on break drinking coffee. "Why not visit tomorrow?" Daimon questioned and the latter nodded his head. He's been so caught up in his own problems that he keeps brushing over visiting his partner in crime, the reason he was able to be here in the first place. Keisha was the only woman he wanted to protect yet now that the possibility that his sister is alive… His focus went to his sister. The odds of the mansion being attacked is low yet they still need to be prepared. "The mafia is split in half because of Eros' sudden reappearance… Some are reluctant to side with him yet he is powerful enough to reassure them," Daimon stated his thoughts with a sigh. "What about you?" Shadow asked and the man looked at him with a curious
REYNA crushed yet another piece of paper that suddenly appeared inside her room. No matter where and when she looked, she could not find who the culprit was. Someone's threatening their safety that knows its way around the mansion. "This is not good," she whispered to herself. It's almost two in the morning and she is sleepless. The mansion promised to be safe is turning into a time bomb. "I really need to talk to Eros," she whispered to herself with frustration before her anxiety made her search her room for a second time in case it was bugged. However, she did not find anything again. When the sun came up, she was restless, and without a doubt, her mind filled with questions and concerns she wanted to bring out the moment she meet Eros. Before she left her room, she blocked the door from the inside and if anyone tries to break in, the items would be out of place. However, when was told that breakfast was served, the only ones there were Daimon and his little brother who was havi
DAIMON sighed heavily before leaning back on the bench. "Why don't you play a bit more?" he sweetly asked his little brother so the two of them can be alone to talk. The kid obliged and once he was far enough, he turned to Keisha with a serious look. "There's one more thing you need to know," he started off. Keisha raised an eyebrow expecting some news. He cleared his throat before revealing what he knew. "We might've found Shadow's sister and already contacted her." Keisha's eyes widened and she covered her mouth. She couldn't believe what she just heard. "What?" she asked with wide eyes, that was all she could say. "Shadow is obsessed to know if she is actually his sister. He's doing everything he can to make the DNA test happen." She breathed heavily as her eyes kept shifting. "Is that why he hasn't been here since?" He nodded his head and she inhaled sharply. "I know he'll do anything to find his sister. There's always been the slightest bit of hope in him to find her alive,"