VALERIA I watched Xhafer hand Giselle over to Emilia. I felt my heart rip into a thousand pieces, unable to understand why Miss Sophie made that choice.She shouldn't have handed my daughter to Emilia... Emilia would hurt her. Tears uncontrollably streamed down my face.I shuddered when a hand tapped my shoulders."Val? Why are you crying?" Eleanor asked.I whirled around and wiped off the tears on my face as I shook my head."It's nothing,"I could feel the eyes of people around me bore into me. Raising my face, I scanned around the room.I clutched my gown so hard that my nails pierced into my palm as I stormed out of the kitchen.I heard the sound of footsteps running behind me, but I didn't stop. My head was flooded, and I wanted to be all alone by myself."Val!" "Val... Valeria!"Eve's voice stuttered behind me... I had nothing to say to her. I've made a lot of bad choices in the past, and all of those choices are affecting my daughter.I tried to save myself and my
NICKOLASI strolled through the corridor, inhaling and exhaling the fresh air in my castle. It's been a long and stressful journey for me, and most times I feel like I'm not the Alpha of my pack because of how busy I am.I love to handle some minor issues myself, so they don't have to grow into something bigger that I can't control.I curled my fingers firmly around the door knob and the door to my office. It creaked open. When the door closed behind me, I rubbed my hand on my forehead and exhaled. I hoped to have a little rest before going to meet Emilia, else she'd go on and on about having another baby.I slumped into the chair. My eyelids drooped, and my chin sank on my chest. I slid to the edge of my seat and shuffled my feet beneath the table, staring out at the heavy downpour that drummed on the roof and windows.I laid my phone on the table, and it vibrated. Reluctantly, I picked it up and stared at the screen.I sighed deeply as I placed the phone beside my ear.I leaned back
VALERIA Giselle held onto the doorknob, slowly turning it so it didn't make a sound. She had begged Xhafer to take her out... at least she was suffocating. It's been weeks since she stepped out of her room. Xhafer had promised her that he would sneak her out at twilight. She was uncomfortable and needed to leave, not giving herself a chance to wait till twilight for Xhafer. Tears stung her eyes as her face turned crimson, and the sunset rays bathed her skin as she ran out of the corridors, hiding away from the eyes of the guards and maid because Emilia had given them a strict warning not to ever let me out. Giselle ran down the stairs, heading to the garden, where she had made her secret place. The dried tears on her face glittered as she bent and hid beneath a bunch of flowers. She held her legs up to her chest, crossed her arms around her legs, and gripped them tightly. "Is it wrong that I want my parents to love me?" Giselle rubbed the back of her palm on her eyes, wiping off th
VALERIA "What would you do now?" Nickolas strode through the hallway. He pushed the door open and stormed into his office. He threw the paper on the table and smacked his head with his palm as he groaned. "We have no choice right now... otherwise, we would lose other clans. Sam said as he shut the door behind him. "There are just a few clans left, probably 16 left." Nickolas whirled around. "16 clans left out of 39?" What had he been doing all the while that gave Brutus the audacity to set twenty-three clans on fire? After all his hard work to uphold everything his father had left to him, Sam nodded his head as Magnus stormed into his office. His nose flared up. Nickolas whirled around and placed his palms on the table. He clenched his fists tightly around the edge of the table. "I have no idea what's flying around in your head, but I have to tell you that you must return that boy." Magnus declared his stance firm. "I can't believe the reason for all of this is because o
VALERIA A ripple of shock surged throughout the hall... my eyes were pinned on him as I waited for a response. The hall was drop-dead... they remained still, trying to process what I had just said. Emilia's nose flared up as she smacked her hands on the table and stood up. "What do you mean by that?" Nickolas bellowed, his voice echoing throughout the hall. The room was tense, and Emilia's face rippled with disaster. There was no fear in me. I’m ready to take what's mine. Emilia placed her hands on Nickolas and asked, "What's she talking about?" "This is blasphemy!" "What do you mean by that? Do you know the consequences of your allegations?" Nickolas growled, his face twisted into a sneer. My heart sank to my stomach as I lowered my head. I couldn't believe that Nickolas could say that, but what was I expecting? "What's the meaning of this, Valeria?" Sam's voice echoed throughout the hall as I swallowed
VALERIA "Mama... Can I sing for you?" Giselle stutters as she clutches her doll tightly to her ribs. She's scared and, at the same time, anxious to know what Emilia's reaction will be. She thought that if Emilia didn't want her to be seen outside, then maybe she could spend time with her... after all, Emilia's her mother. Emilia's expression darkened as she glared at Giselle over her shoulders, sitting the powder platelet on the vanity table. "What does that mean? Or would I say, What do you mean Giselle?" Emilia asked with scorn on her face. Giselle's voice was barely above a whisper. "I heard some kids singing in the field... I learned the song and was hoping that you'd love to hear me sing." "Why would I?" "Because you are my mother." Giselle stuttered, unsure of herself. Emilia gave a mirthless laugh, clutching her dress firmly as she glared at Giselle from her head to her toes. "What?" Emilia tugged h
NICKOLAS I stood with my arms crossed around my chest, watching the sunset. My expression hardened and my eyes gleamed as I staggered back a step, leaning on the pillar. My shoulders hunched as I shuffled my feet and my hands into my pockets. My head lowered, my gaze on the ground. Taking a deep breath, my hands slipped out of my pocket to my hair as I rubbed the back of my head. I couldn't believe Giselle shuddered whenever I touched her, but that was different for Xhafer. There were so many reasons why Xhafer needed to leave... he had become so close to Giselle that she listened to him more than me. I took a handful of my hair in my hands as I writhed in pain. "Ahhhh!" I was ashamed of myself that I couldn't relate to Giselle. This pain has been consuming me for days, making me wonder if I made a mistake that night. Everything I worked for all these years was crashing right in front of my eyes, under my rule, and I couldn't do a
"Mum, I told you already that Dad warned me not to treat Giselle badly!" Emilia rolled her eyes as she slumped on the sofa, gulping wine from the glass in her hands. She had always told Camilla, but Camilla never believed her. Emilia had no idea but felt like Camilla might have thought that she was lying to her when that wasn't the case. "Do you think he loves Giselle more than he loves you? Is that why you are scared?" Camilla flipped through the pages of a magazine on her hands as she adjusted her glasses. That was her fear. She only wanted Sam for herself. She wanted everyone around her only for herself. Camilla took a deep breath. "We shouldn't be talking about this, Emilia," she paused. "Valeria is still out there, and I'm sure she'll be out soon... you have no idea what she's plotting next." Camilla rolled her eyes. She had never liked Valeria from the start, and now she's instilling pure hate into Emilia. Emilia's shoulders s
Camilla pushed some chairs out of her way as she rushed to Sam. Her eyes fell on Sam, sipping wine as he scrolled through his phone. Her ears flared up. "Sam, what's going on? Why aren't you saying anything? Why are you quiet, like we are not part of the family?" Camilla rested one hand on her waist and the other on her forehead. Sam didn't say a word; he didn't even look up at her. He remained engrossed in his phone with no atom of emotion written on his face. "You sat there while that stupid girl humiliated me and our daughter. You watched her slap me, and you did nothing about it." Camilla kept on ranting. That was all she could do. She couldn't fathom the fact that Sam remained quiet and wasn't saying anything. Or was he part of everything that had been going on? She had doubts about it but hoped it wouldn't be true. Sam adjusted his glass, turned off his phone, and placed it beside him on the couch. He looked up at Camilla and crossed his legs. "Camilla, y
Camilla pushed some chairs out of her way as she rushed to Sam. Her eyes fell on Sam, sipping wine as he scrolled through his phone. Her ears flared up. "Sam, what's going on? Why aren't you saying anything? Why are you quiet, like we are not part of the family?" Camilla rested one hand on her waist and the other on her forehead. Sam didn't say a word; he didn't even look up at her. He remained engrossed in his phone with no atom of emotion written on his face. "You sat there while that stupid girl humiliated me and our daughter. You watched her slap me, and you did nothing about it." Camilla kept on ranting. That was all she could do. She couldn't fathom the fact that Sam remained quiet and wasn't saying anything. Or was he part of everything that had been going on? She had doubts about it but hoped it wouldn't be true. Sam adjusted his glass, turned off his phone, and placed it beside him on the couch. He looked up at Camilla and crossed his legs. "Camilla, y
Camilla pushed some chairs out of her way as she rushed to Sam. Her eyes fell on Sam, sipping wine as he scrolled through his phone. Her ears flared up. "Sam, what's going on? Why aren't you saying anything? Why are you quiet, like we are not part of the family?" Camilla rested one hand on her waist and the other on her forehead. Sam didn't say a word; he didn't even look up at her. He remained engrossed in his phone with no atom of emotion written on his face. "You sat there while that stupid girl humiliated me and our daughter. You watched her slap me, and you did nothing about it." Camilla kept on ranting. That was all she could do. She couldn't fathom the fact that Sam remained quiet and wasn't saying anything. Or was he part of everything that had been going on? She had doubts about it but hoped it wouldn't be true. Sam adjusted his glass, turned off his phone, and placed it beside him on the couch. He looked up at Camilla and crossed his legs. "Camilla, y
Camilla pushed some chairs out of her way as she rushed to Sam. Her eyes fell on Sam, sipping wine as he scrolled through his phone. Her ears flared up. "Sam, what's going on? Why aren't you saying anything? Why are you quiet, like we are not part of the family?" Camilla rested one hand on her waist and the other on her forehead. Sam didn't say a word; he didn't even look up at her. He remained engrossed in his phone with no atom of emotion written on his face. "You sat there while that stupid girl humiliated me and our daughter. You watched her slap me, and you did nothing about it." Camilla kept on ranting. That was all she could do. She couldn't fathom the fact that Sam remained quiet and wasn't saying anything. Or was he part of everything that had been going on? She had doubts about it but hoped it wouldn't be true. Sam adjusted his glass, turned off his phone, and placed it beside him on the couch. He looked up at Camilla and crossed his legs. "Camilla, y
Camilla pushed some chairs out of her way as she rushed to Sam. Her eyes fell on Sam, sipping wine as he scrolled through his phone. Her ears flared up. "Sam, what's going on? Why aren't you saying anything? Why are you quiet, like we are not part of the family?" Camilla rested one hand on her waist and the other on her forehead. Sam didn't say a word; he didn't even look up at her. He remained engrossed in his phone with no atom of emotion written on his face. "You sat there while that stupid girl humiliated me and our daughter. You watched her slap me, and you did nothing about it." Camilla kept on ranting. That was all she could do. She couldn't fathom the fact that Sam remained quiet and wasn't saying anything. Or was he part of everything that had been going on? She had doubts about it but hoped it wouldn't be true. Sam adjusted his glass, turned off his phone, and placed it beside him on the couch. He looked up at Camilla and crossed his legs. "Camilla, y
Camilla pushed some chairs out of her way as she rushed to Sam. Her eyes fell on Sam, sipping wine as he scrolled through his phone. Her ears flared up. "Sam, what's going on? Why aren't you saying anything? Why are you quiet, like we are not part of the family?" Camilla rested one hand on her waist and the other on her forehead. Sam didn't say a word; he didn't even look up at her. He remained engrossed in his phone with no atom of emotion written on his face. "You sat there while that stupid girl humiliated me and our daughter. You watched her slap me, and you did nothing about it." Camilla kept on ranting. That was all she could do. She couldn't fathom the fact that Sam remained quiet and wasn't saying anything. Or was he part of everything that had been going on? She had doubts about it but hoped it wouldn't be true. Sam adjusted his glass, turned off his phone, and placed it beside him on the couch. He looked up at Camilla and crossed his legs. "Camilla, y
Camilla pushed some chairs out of her way as she rushed to Sam. Her eyes fell on Sam, sipping wine as he scrolled through his phone. Her ears flared up. "Sam, what's going on? Why aren't you saying anything? Why are you quiet, like we are not part of the family?" Camilla rested one hand on her waist and the other on her forehead. Sam didn't say a word; he didn't even look up at her. He remained engrossed in his phone with no atom of emotion written on his face. "You sat there while that stupid girl humiliated me and our daughter. You watched her slap me, and you did nothing about it." Camilla kept on ranting. That was all she could do. She couldn't fathom the fact that Sam remained quiet and wasn't saying anything. Or was he part of everything that had been going on? She had doubts about it but hoped it wouldn't be true. Sam adjusted his glass, turned off his phone, and placed it beside him on the couch. He looked up at Camilla and crossed his legs. "Camilla, y
Camilla pushed some chairs out of her way as she rushed to Sam. Her eyes fell on Sam, sipping wine as he scrolled through his phone. Her ears flared up. "Sam, what's going on? Why aren't you saying anything? Why are you quiet, like we are not part of the family?" Camilla rested one hand on her waist and the other on her forehead. Sam didn't say a word; he didn't even look up at her. He remained engrossed in his phone with no atom of emotion written on his face. "You sat there while that stupid girl humiliated me and our daughter. You watched her slap me, and you did nothing about it." Camilla kept on ranting. That was all she could do. She couldn't fathom the fact that Sam remained quiet and wasn't saying anything. Or was he part of everything that had been going on? She had doubts about it but hoped it wouldn't be true. Sam adjusted his glass, turned off his phone, and placed it beside him on the couch. He looked up at Camilla and crossed his legs. "Camilla, y
Camilla pushed some chairs out of her way as she rushed to Sam. Her eyes fell on Sam, sipping wine as he scrolled through his phone. Her ears flared up. "Sam, what's going on? Why aren't you saying anything? Why are you quiet, like we are not part of the family?" Camilla rested one hand on her waist and the other on her forehead. Sam didn't say a word; he didn't even look up at her. He remained engrossed in his phone with no atom of emotion written on his face. "You sat there while that stupid girl humiliated me and our daughter. You watched her slap me, and you did nothing about it." Camilla kept on ranting. That was all she could do. She couldn't fathom the fact that Sam remained quiet and wasn't saying anything. Or was he part of everything that had been going on? She had doubts about it but hoped it wouldn't be true. Sam adjusted his glass, turned off his phone, and placed it beside him on the couch. He looked up at Camilla and crossed his legs. "Camilla, y