Salome gazed at her little sister, who lit her cigarette. She let out a painful moan, enduring the agony that coursed through her."Are you really going to leave your sister like this? Your father? Your family? Are you going to betray them like this?" Salome asked as Stacy blew out smoke from her pink lips."Family?" Stacy scoffed. "Oh, please, don't make me laugh.""I'm serious. Look, I know we've wronged you, but you can't just sell us out like this. You told the enemy how to capture us... You...""God, you're so loud. I was asked to check on you. Can you do me a favor and keep your mouth shut?" Stacy said."Stacy, we're your family...""Oh, please, can you just shut up?" Stacy groaned."I know we hate each other, but you've gone too far by betraying the whole family. Your family.""My family?!" Stacy snapped, standing up. Her gaze was cold as she approached Salome. "Father threw me out on the street. I couldn't get a job because he made things difficult for me here in Spain. And th
Tatiana opened her mouth slightly to take the food from Cassius. He had been awfully quiet since she woke up and helped her bathe.His answers were just 'Yes' or 'No.' He gave her everything she needed, and now he was feeding her. Though his gaze was calm, she could tell he was angry.She had almost lost her life, and she never told Cassius about her mission. Waves of guilt crashed over her every second."Cash," she called softly to the man who was busy cutting her steak."Hm?" he responded without looking at her."A-are you mad at me?" Tatiana knew the question was stupid. Of course, he was mad at her.Cassius paused for a moment before continuing."I found Isabella alive."He paused again, this time looking up at her with wide eyes. The shock was evident in his expression, and he looked a bit confused."I found her in the brothel. She was waiting for me the whole time—with a baby." Tatiana clenched her jaw, trying to hold back tears. "I hate myself for not telling you, and I hate my
Rafael's back hit the locker with a loud thud, and before he could breathe, his twin brother Leonard pinned his neck with an elbow. Rafael's breath seized, and he struggled to break free. "W-what are you doing?" he managed to speak, struggling."Who gave you the nerve to challenge me during dinner last night? Right in front of Father!" Leonard roared, his eyes blazing with anger."You were crossing the line. They’re our stepsisters who have suffered. You should have some respect," Rafael uttered through gritted teeth."Respect? Those bitches disrespected Father, trying to ruin our family. He taught them a lesson they deserved, and you expect me to give them respect?" Leonard scoffed. "Oh, I'll teach you what respect is."He dragged Rafael by the hair into an empty classroom, his minions following. Rafael yelped at the pain spreading across his scalp. His hands ached to remove Leonard’s grip, but his brother was too strong.Inside the room, Leonard shoved Rafael, his back hitting the
"I'm telling you, Mom. Leonard did this to me!" Rafael yelled at Odessa, who was busy applying makeup to meet her friends."Oh, please, Rafael. Why would your twin brother hurt you? Leonard is your blood. Blood doesn't hurt blood.""Well, Father hurt his three daughters. He knowingly married Maya into an abusive relationship, I heard he poisoned Tatiana, and Issabella's death was faked. He hurt them, so why wouldn’t Leonard hurt me?"Odessa paused, turning to Rafael with a frown, and was surprised he knew all this."How did you know?""Does it matter?"Odessa sighed and stood. "Look, I know what it might look like, but they deserved everything your father did to them.""But I don't deserve what Leonard is doing to me. He torments me at school every single day. He mocks me for who I am, constantly reminding me how regretful he is to have me as his brother," he paused, then continued. "He mentioned that you and Father regret having me too."Odessa stayed silent for a while, her eyes scr
Jaxon dodged the last hit and finally managed to land a punch on Valentino's jaw. They had been intensely training for the past few days, and Jaxon had learned many new skills. He didn’t wait for Valentino to recover as he swept his feet, knocking Valentino to the floor.Valentino fell, and Jaxon smirked, wiping the blood from his lips.Valentino chuckled from the ground. "Finally, dumbass. You got the trick.""Thanks for the tutoring, big guy," Jaxon said, grabbing a bottle of water and taking a drink before leaving."You're not welcome!" Valentino exclaimed.The black dire wolf, who had been watching the entire time, rushed toward Valentino and licked his face."Stop it, Loki," Valentino grumbled, turning his head away. He stood up, his eyes meeting his wife’s as she entered the room, concern etched on her face."Mi amor (my love)," he smiled and walked toward her."Mi mundo (my world)," she smiled as he stepped closer. He gently cupped her face, his gaze filled with admiration."Ar
Tatiana felt a rush of excitement strike her core. She moaned when the man grazed his teeth on her neck and then used his tongue to soothe it."Such a bad girl, making Daddy fucking hard." His husky voice and dirty words made her core throb with desire. Her breath was uneven, and her body ignited."I'm not sorry, Daddy," she whispered, wanting the man to go crazy, and he did. Like a vice, he took her neck into his hold and slammed his lips on hers. The kiss didn't start slow; instead, it was wild, demanding, and crazy.Tatiana couldn't keep up. His mouth was ravishing hers like she was his last meal. His tongue thrust in, diving deep into her mouth, tasting all of her. Tatiana moaned at his rough side. Cassius had never kissed her this hard before, and she loved it. She wanted more. But she needed to breathe, yet the man wasn't releasing her.When she reached for him, he took her hand and pinned it behind her back. Tatiana felt her mind thrill. Oh, yeah. She loved this.Her lungs bu
[BRAINSTORM HIGH SCHOOL]During class, Rafael's gaze was hard. His leg kept fidgeting under his desk. He watched the teacher's lips moving but wasn't hearing a thing.The bell-that was the only thing he was waiting for."Is your brother okay?" one of Leonard's girlfriends who sat beside him asked. Leonard's gaze shifted to Rafael, who seemed unsettled.Rafael had been acting weird lately. Always locking himself up and trying to avoid him at school. He didn't even appear during lunch and returned late to the mansion.Was he running away from him? He'd find out where he always went today.Finally, the bell rang. Rafael was the first to grab his bag and leave the class.Leonard stood and rushed to follow him. But when they got to the hall, swarmed with students, Leonard lost sight of Rafael.He kept searching for minutes until he spotted a door open. Rafael and the male teacher stepped out. Their gazes met, and Leonard swallowed at the man's cold blue eyes.He composed himself, raising h
"My father fell sick last night. Rosa called to say he had a fever. I had to rush back home. I'm sorry for not telling you. I thought you might need some rest after your return," Jolene's voice sounded over the phone, and Tatiana smiled."It's alright. I... I was just worried you left so late. How is your father's health now?" Tatiana asked."Here, talk to him," Jolene said, and Rowan's voice replaced hers."Hello, Tatiana. I'm sorry I stole Jo away. I had called her to find out where she keeps the first aid, and she came running here. Such a fragile heart she has," Rowan's voice sounded weak. He cleared his throat."It's fine. I hope the fever isn't serious?""No, it isn't. After some rest and medication, I'm as good as new," Rowan chuckled weakly."How's Rosa?" Tatiana asked."She's out," Jolene answered instead. "She went to get some appliances. The kitchen sink had a problem, and she said she could fix it... I'll head back to the mansion tomorrow. I'll see you soon, Tatie," Jolene
[Four years later]Issabella spun around to look at the women in the room. "How do I look?" Nervousness was evident in her voice. She was wearing a professional outfit, her hair tied into a bun, with light makeup accentuating her beauty."Fantastic!" Tatiana responded. "You're really made for this.""President Issabella, right on track!" Jolene exclaimed, a ring glittering on her finger. She had married Jaxon last year. In her arms was little Elsa, dressed in a blue fluffy dress."Gosh, I feel nervous," Issabella exhaled, fanning herself several times."You're fine," Tatiana approached and adjusted her shirt.Jolene added, "Just be yourself.""Are you okay with this? I mean, you've been handling it for a year now..." Issabella asked Tatiana."With you by my side. You're way more capable than you think. Besides, handling it with my career is stressful," Tatiana said."Especially when Tatie won the Best Actress Award three times in a row," Jolene added."Drama queen," Tatiana mumbled."
Cassius's face paled, mirroring the expressions of the others. Jaxon choked on his drink before bursting into laughter. The others joined in, and the room erupted with laughter.After they finished eating, they all headed to the park. Cassius decided to buy the entire place for his son and wife.Jaxon stood at a distance, watching Tatiana, Cassius, and Dylan riding the carousel. Aurora stood beside him, also watching."A wonderful sight, isn't it?" she sighed. "For a fleeting moment, I thought I'd never see this. Silly me."Jaxon put his arm around her shoulder. "You'll get to see this every day." He then recalled what Cassius had said about Silence and Aurora not wanting to meet each other.He knew it was for the best, but his heart ached knowing Aurora never experienced true love... or maybe she did.She cared for her family more than anything. The smile on her face and the happiness glittering in her eyes were priceless."Aren't you going to ride with them?" Jaxon asked Jolene, who
Meanwhile, Rafael glanced at the man seated beside him with his eyes closed. He was now so used to his cold aura. "You're not going to see her? I mean, Mr. King's mother?" he asked. "I'm not going to meet her." "Why not?" Rafael asked, curious. "Can you keep your mouth shut? I'm trying to meditate here." "Says the man who used me. I'm still mad at you, you know... But weirdly, I'm glad you found me," Rafael mumbled. "So what are you going to do with me?" "Your choice. Either you stay and get the hell out of my way, or you come with me and become like me," Silence said curtly, standing to leave. He had gone far when Rafael ran to walk beside him. "You called me your apprentice. I'm going to stay that way. My place is with you," Rafael responded, and the man shot him a glare. "You wanna die? 'Cause I'm damn sure you won't last a week." Rafael laughed confidently. "Try me." Silence's lips curled up. "Fine then," he muttered, continuing to walk with Rafael beside him. "What are
Cassius gazed down at Silence, his father, his emotions in turmoil as he recalled how he had stormed into Silence's room, eyes blazing."You're helping me," he said, and Silence turned to give him a questioning look. "Helping? And what makes you think that?""Rafael told me everything. How you made him turn against his family, causing their death. You hate the Wallingtons," Cassius said, and Silence simply returned his gaze to the sky he was looking at."If you want me to hate, then just say so instead of acting like a fucking asshole."Silence shut his eyes and sighed. "You're one stubborn son of a bitch. I'll be done and gone soon. So if you're going to throw a tantrum, do it later.""Why didn't you ever show up?" Cassius persisted. He wanted to get the answer out of this man at all costs. At least he knew something-Silence wasn't an enemy."I clearly recall telling you not to bother knowing who I am.""Well, sorry, Dad... I'm going to trouble you until you spill the shit," Cassius
Horror flashed across their faces as they exchanged glances."Is this a joke?" The middle-aged man on the right slammed his hand on the desk."Do I look like a comedian?" Tatiana asked in a calm tone, her aura composed. She looked up at the guard standing behind her."Do I?" she asked him."No, ma'am," he responded."I didn't think so, so no, it's not a joke... Oh," she gasped slightly. "Maybe because I didn't explain it well." Her face suddenly turned cold, and the shareholders wondered if she was the same calm woman they had seen seconds ago.She leaned down, resting her elbows on the desk, her chin on her knuckles. "This company has been in the hands of trash-people who use innocent lives for their selfish interests. I'm here to take out that trash, starting with you."Another man stood up and roared. "You wench! Do you even realize what you're saying?! This company would collapse without us. We are the backbone of this place!""Oh really? Let's test that, shall we? I'll prove to y
"Uncle Conrad," Dylan called as he accompanied Butler Conrad in the kitchen."Yes, Dylan," Conrad answered, his voice calm."Don't you think it's wrong not to tell my parents about good Grandpa? My mother will be so mad at me once she finds out," the boy said, his tiny legs swinging as he sat on the stool."They'll find out about him soon. You don't want to spoil the surprise, do you?" Butler Conrad asked, and Dylan sighed."I don't know. Strange things are happening lately. Mom, Dad, Grandma, and everyone are so busy. I haven't seen Aunt Jojo since she left that night. A bad grandpa plans to hurt my parents, and my birthday is coming up. School's started, and I haven't gone yet." Dylan paused to catch his breath."I just hope they're okay and everything gets back to normal.""Stop worrying, kiddo," Butler Conrad said softly, glancing over his shoulder. "You'll see them soon enough.""Alright, if you say so," Dylan nodded.___'If that motherfucker turns out to be an enemy, we'll all
Hudson advanced towards Tristan. "I've been waiting for this my whole life," he said, shoving the poison into Tristan's neck. Tristan gasped as the guards released him to the floor. Tatiana watched as Tristan struggled for his life, screaming in terror, wishing the pain would end soon. She recalled how the agony had driven her to madness... but the poison used on Tristan was even more painful than what had been inflicted on her. "Make it stop!!! Arghhh!!!" Tristan's screams echoed through the room, the veins in his face and neck bulging, his eyes changing color as blood spilled from his mouth. His hand reached out, trying to grasp Tatiana's dress, begging for the antidote. "Please... Argh!!!" For the pain he had caused her loved ones, especially Issabella, who had once seen him as a father figure. For the trauma he had inflicted on so many. Tristan deserved every ounce of the pain ravaging him at this moment. He deserved ten times more. Several minutes passed, and Tristan's movem
Cassius gritted his teeth. "I'm going to destroy Maximus and his empire... And if you get in my way, I'll destroy you... Until my last breath."As the men spoke, Rafael remained silent. Mr. King was also terrifying, his aura menacing. No wonder he's Silence's son.If you look closely, they share a striking resemblance.Silence sighed. "Chatting with my grandson was way more fun than chatting with you."Grandson? Wait! Dylan?!"When did you speak to my son?" Cassius asked, a deadly warning lacing his voice."Let's just put it this way..." Silence paused and chuckled. "Your butler, Conrad. He works for me."Cassius's eyes widened.-[SPAIN]"¿Estás seguro? (Are you sure?) You've heard what the man has done and seen the traces, and yet you're going to face him? Val, my world, I... I can't lose you," Maria panicked over the phone as she paced around the room, fidgeting with her dress."My Donna, I told you not to worry. Since Silence is Cassius's father, there's a probability he might not
"I killed Leonard... I really killed my brother without a second thought... I pulled the trigger... He wasn't going to kill me, but I did it anyway... Or maybe he was going to kill me... I'm a murderer... I'm a fucking murderer who killed his own brother in cold blood... I killed someone---"Rafael panicked, running his hands through his hair, pulling at it. He was losing his mind over Leonard's death-because of him. The scene of pulling the trigger, Leonard falling with blood spilling from his chest, Leonard whispering that he didn't want to die, and taking his last breath-played on repeat in his head."I killed him... I'm a fucking murderer," he whispered again, fidgeting in his seat and pulling his hair harder. "I fucking killed him! I killed him!" he yelled, standing up and punching the wall."I killed him!" he screamed again, punching the wall over and over until his fists started to bleed, staining the floor.The door opened, and he abruptly stopped."What the heck are you doing