Chapter Forty-five - Vengeance Part 3Juliett Quinn POVHindi mapakali ako mapakali. Habang nakaupo sa gilid ng kama, paulit-ulit na bumabalik sa isip ko ang nangyari kanina. Naalala ko ang titig ni Luciana, malamig at walang emosyon, habang nahuhuli ako nito sa banyo. Alam ni niya na hindi siya basta-basta makakalusot. Alam niyang hindi siya maaaring magtiwala sa sinumang nasa bahay na iyon. Pero ngayon, andito si Luciana, nakatayo sa harap niya, nag-aalok ng tulong."Bakit mo ako tinutulungan?" tanong ni ko, ang aking tinig ay puno ng alinlangan. Hindi ko maiwasang magduda. Halata naman sa simula pa lang na ayaw ni Luciana sa kanya. Ilang beses na ba siyang sinubukan nitong ilagay sa alanganin? Luciana crossed her arms, her eyes flicking towards the window as if considering her answer. "You think I want to help you?" she asked in a low voice, almost mocking. "You think this is about you?"I frowned. "Eh bakit nga? Kung hindi ito tungkol sa akin, then bakit ka nag-aabala?"For a mo
Chapter Forty-Six - Vengeance Part 4Juliette Quinn POVAng madilim na tunnel ay tila nagmumula sa pinakamalalim na bahagi ng aking takot. Sa bawat takbo namin, ang bawat hakbang namin ay tila naririnig sa bawat sulok ng madilim na daanan. Napaka-tindi ng takot ko, pero hindi ko nagawang magtanong sa sarili ko kung paano ko pinipilit ang sarili kong hindi magpakatakot.Sa gitnang bahagi ng tunnel, ang liwanag mula sa itaas ay biglang pumutok. "Sa tingin mo ba makakatakas kayo?" boses na kilalang-kilala namin, puno ng galit ang mata nito. Mahigpit ako napahawak sa dulo ng aking damit.Nakita ko ang mukha ni Augustus, kasama si Papa— Idris sa likuran niya, ang kanilang mga mata ay naglalagablab ng galit. Ang puso ko ay parang nawasak sa isang segundo dahil sa lakas ng pagtibok nito. Ang bawat plano at pangarap ay tila naglaho sa dahil sa kaharap namin. Napalunok ako at kusang tumulo ang aking luha na pinipigilan.“You didn’t really think you could get away, did you?” Augustus sneered, h
Chapter Forty-seven - Vengeance Part 5Flashback:Sa ilalim ng malamig na liwanag ng buwan, ang Ledesma mansion ay tila napapaligiran ng dilim at lihim. Sa loob, si Luciana ay nakaupo sa isang magara ngunit malungkot na sala, ang kanyang mga mata ay walang saysay na nakatingin sa malalayong pader. Ang kanyang mga anak—sina Augustus, Lucifer, at Luciano—ay abala sa kanilang kwarto, wala ni isa sa kanila ang alam sa malupit na katotohanan na magbabago sa kanilang buhay magpakailanman.Pumasok si Idris sa kwarto, ang bawat hakbang niya ay tila nagdadala ng bigat ng kanyang mga desisyon. Ang kanyang anyo ay matigas, ngunit may lihim na pighati na nagtago sa kanyang mga mata. Tumayo siya sa harap ni Luciana, na tila nag-aantay sa kanyang mga sasabihin."Luciana," sabi ni Idris, ang kanyang boses ay mabigat at puno ng bigat, "kailangan mong malaman ang totoo."Nagising si Luciana mula sa kanyang pag-iisip. “Ano'ng ibig mong sabihin, Idris? Ang mga bata—”“Huwag mong isipin na sila ay tunay
Chapter Forty- eight - Vengeance Part 6Note: This chapter is in the English language.The Ledesma mansion was shrouded in darkness, its silence broken only by the whispers of impending conflict. Luciana, locked in her room, had waited for Idris to leave. She had been plotting her escape, every second crucial as she fought to free herself from her bonds. The sight of Idris leaving was her moment of liberation. With trembling hands, she retrieved the hidden gun she had kept for emergencies. She would no longer be deceived or helpless. Her resolve was clear: she would save her daughter, no matter the cost.---In the basement, the scene was dire. Juliette was chained to the wall, her body bruised and trembling. Augustus stood over her, his face twisted with cruelty. His grip on Juliette was merciless, and the air was thick with the tension of impending violence.Luciana approached quietly, her heart pounding. She spotted a piece of wood on the ground—a makeshift weapon. With a surge of
Chapter Forty-nine - Vengeance Part 7Note: This chapter is in the English language.The mansion was a battlefield of shadows and echoes. The once-grand halls of the Ledesma estate now bore witness to chaos, their opulence tainted by violence. Juliette, her face pale with fear, was in Augustus’s ruthless grip. The cold metal of a gun pressed against her temple, and her body trembled, every instinct screaming for escape.“I told you, you’re not getting away!” Augustus hissed, his eyes cold with fury. His hand was steady as he held the gun, but his voice betrayed his frustration. “This ends now. You and your little rebellion.”Juliette struggled against him, her heart pounding. “You won’t win, Augustus! This isn’t how it ends!”“Do you think you can defy me?” Augustus’s sneer was a knife’s edge. “You’re in no position to make demands.”The mansion’s corridors were alive with the sounds of battle—shouting, gunfire, and the clash of metal. The Ledesma guards and Rajama bodyguards were loc
EpilogueAfter five months…In the grande church wherein all the richest families and tycoons gathered to witness the wedding of the decade.And with that, their vows…Maximillian’s hand trembled slightly as he held Juliette’s. His gaze, unwavering, locked onto hers, the weight of a thousand unsaid words filling the silence between them. The audience around them faded, leaving only the two of them standing at the edge of forever.“Juliette,” he began, his voice low, “my warrior and my peace. From the moment you entered my life, everything changed. You challenged me, pushed me, and loved me in ways I never knew possible.”A small smile touched her lips, the kind that could stop his heart and set it aflame all at once.“Today,” he continued, voice steady now, “I vow to stand by your side, not just as your husband, but as your equal. I will fight for you, protect you, and cherish you through every storm.”His thumb brushed gently against her hand, grounding them both. “No matter what cha
Prologue Nakatingin ako sa labas ng bintana ng kotse, tila ba lumulutang ang isipan kung saan. As a first daughter of Ledesma, I am not required to say no to their command. I’m just a mere puppet and a pawn of their chess na kung saan ay gagamitin nila ako sa kung anong gusto nila. This is my life, hindi pa ako pinapanganak ay alam ko ng wala akong laya sa kanilang mga kamay. “You will be the wife of The Great and Billionaire of the oldest son of Rajamas. Remember, don’t disgrace our family name, Juliette Quinn Ledesma. Don’t make him mad. This arranged marriage is very important to us, kung anong gusto niya ay dapat sundin mo. Do you understand ija?” “Yes, Papa," sagot ko ng walang emosyon. Alam ko na. Ilang beses niya ng pinaalala sa'kin, hindi ko na mabilang kung ilang beses niyang sinasabi sa’kin na para bang makakalimutan ko. Tumingin ako sa labas ng kotse, tila ba nakikisabay ang panahon sa aking damdamin— na kahit hindi ako ay lumuha ay siya namang ulan na sobrang lakas na
Chapter One – His Predator Mula sa apat na sulok ng kwarto ng dining room ay para bang nasa preso kami. The Rajamas and Ledemas Clan sitting with each other are such a powerful sight if the other families see this. Katabi ko si Maximillian na nasa kanang bahagi ng mahabang lamesa, nasa unahan siya katabi lamang ang Punong Rajama na nasa gitna na si Raghnall Valens Rajama— ang kasalukuyang namumuno sa pamilyang Rajama. Kahit na may edad ay kitang-kita sa kaniyang mukhang ang pagiging magandang mukha noong siya ay binata. Magkamukhang-makagmukha sila at hindi magkakailang mag-ama silang dalawa. Katabi ko naman ang ina ni Maximillian na si Madame Selene Catiana Rajama na siyang nakangiti sa akin kanina pa habang hawak ang aking kamay. Sobrang ganda ng ina ng Rajama Siblings, she looks like a goddess from above, you can describe her as looking like the goddess of beauty, Aphrodite. Kuhang-kuha nang magkakapatid na Rajama ang ganda nila mukha sa kanilang magulang. Kasama ko sa hilira ay a