VALERIASo, that’s it?She’s just going to walk away?She’s going to leave everything behind? The empire, the legacy, the chaos she created and handed it over to us?My grip on the fork tightened as I glared at her, but Victoria remained infuriatingly calm, as if she had already accepted this fate long before she even spoke the words.Her mask, her composed demeanor, her gentle facade it was all too much for me to bear. “You already know, don’t you?” she said suddenly, her voice breaking through my spiraling thoughts.My breath hitched.Cold dread curled in my stomach, seeping into my veins.Did she already know?Did she know that I had been keeping this secret all along? That I knew she was our biological mother?She tilted her head, her lips curving into a smirk, eyes gleaming with something unreadable.“Do you think I wouldn’t?” she mused, her tone light, almost amused.My entire body tensed.Beside me, Celestina frowned, and confused.“What are you talking about?” she asked.Pan
CELESTINA Everything was too much to take in.Victoria’s sudden shift, the way she acted, the fragments of her past she was revealing, the way she seemed to know the exact taste of the lasagna I used to love none of it made sense.Lasagna had been my comfort, a reminder of warmth and safety. But when our mother, Clara, died, I stopped eating it. The mere thought of it left an ache in my chest. Yet, here it was again, tasting just the way I remembered.How?How did Victoria know?The familiarity in her touch unsettled me even more. The way her fingers combed gently through my hair, it felt like a distant memory I couldn’t place, a ghost of something I had lost long ago.And now, she was talking about leaving?It was absurd.“That…” Valeria’s voice broke through the thick silence, raw with emotion. “The one you’re protecting… is your child?”Victoria turned away from us, her arms crossing over her chest as she stared out at the endless waves of the ocean. “Yes,” she said at last, her
VALERIAI kept my fist clenched so tightly my nails dug into my palm. The sting was nothing compared to the weight pressing against my chest.I hadn’t lied.But I hadn’t told the whole truth, either.I had known for a long time why the elders sold our information. I had overheard it in whispers behind closed doors, in meetings I was never meant to witness. It wasn’t just because we were dangerous, not just because Celestina could break into any system and I could take out a target without leaving a trace.No, it was because one of them—one of those power-hungry bastards—wanted control of Valeztina. And to do that, they had to remove us first.So they sold us.To him.To the man Victoria despised more than anyone.I knew who it was, knew the name that would send a chill down Celestina’s spine if I ever uttered it. But I didn’t. Because if I did, everything would change.And right now, my biggest concern wasn’t Victoria’s past.It was Celestina.She didn’t know the full extent of what w
CELESTINAA heavy silence filled the room as I stared at Victoria.I had made a promise—one that I wasn’t sure I wanted to keep. But there was something clawing at my mind, something I needed to confirm.Victoria had always been a mystery, a woman wrapped in shadows and deception. But the way she hesitated, the way her body tensed at my question—there was something more she was hiding.And I intended to find out.I took a deep breath, locking my gaze onto hers."But on one condition," I said firmly. "I will promise to take care of Valeztina if you take off your mask right now."A sharp intake of breath came from beside me."No!" Valeria’s voice cracked with something close to panic. She took a step forward, her grip tightening on her gun. "She shouldn't there must be a reason why she""Aren’t you curious what she looks like?" I interrupted, cutting her off with a quiet, piercing question.She froze.I knew Valeria. Knew how her mind worked. Knew that despite everything, she was curiou
VALERIA‘I already knew that you already know that I was your biological mother. Please don’t tell Celestina about it—not until I finally leave.’Her words kept replaying in my mind, digging into my skull like an old, rusted knife. So she knew. She knew I had figured it out long ago, yet she still played along with her lies, pretending as if she was nothing more than our ruthless mentor, our manipulative leader.And now, she was leaving us?“Valeria! Don’t space out—keep moving! We have no time!” Victoria’s sharp voice cut through my haze as she yanked me forward, dragging me out of the house and into the night.Gunfire erupted behind us, bullets ripping through the air like vengeful spirits. The enemy was closing in, their relentless footsteps echoing against the rocky terrain.We ran.Through the dense trees, down the slope, and into the hidden cave.Inside, a speedboat sat waiting at the water’s edge, its sleek frame rocking gently against the tide. Celestina jumped in first, immed
CELESTINAThe wheel twisted beneath my grip as I swerved the boat around, the engine roaring in protest. The waves crashed against the hull, spraying saltwater across my face, but I barely registered it.We were going back.We were going to save her.But before I could focus on the plan forming in my mind, Valeria’s voice cut through the wind.“Before I leave to save Victoria, there’s something you need to know.”Something in her tone made my stomach drop.I glanced at her from the corner of my eye. “What?”She exhaled sharply, as if bracing herself. “Victoria… she’s our biological mother.”My hands tightened around the wheel so suddenly that my knuckles ached.No.That wasn’t possible.It couldn’t be possible.The coldness spread through me, seeping into my bones. I thought—no, I assumed—that when Valeria called her “Mom,” it was just desperation, a slip of the tongue in the heat of the moment. But now…I felt my chest constrict.“Liar,” I whispered, my voice barely audible over the
JACK I sat in the backseat of my car, fingers tapping against the armrest, my patience thinning with every second that passed. The air inside was thick with the scent of tobacco and leather, the slow-burning cigarette in my hand smoldering between my fingers.The night was calm, deceptively so, but my instincts had been sharpened by years of this game. I knew better than to trust stillness.Then the call came.I answered without a word."Boss! Two women came and rescued Victoria! They're heading toward the shore!"I inhaled deeply, the cherry of my cigarette glowing red-hot in the dim light.Two women.I already knew who they were.A slow smirk curled on my lips."Then let them run," I said smoothly, flicking the ash off my cigarette out the window. "There are plenty of ways to get my muse."Victoria…My muse.My obsession.My fucking addiction.I could still hear her moans, the way they used to tremble between gasps, half pleasure, half defiance. She was the only woman who had ever
CELESTINAThe cold edge of my knife rested against Sevastian Ortega’s throat, hanging like a sharp edge enough to draw blood. His dark, soulless eyes stared down at me with the kind of contempt that made my skin crawl. But I didn’t flinch, I couldn’t, not in front of a man like him. He’s a tyrant wrapped in charm, a devil in diguised. If I showed even the slightest hint of weakness, I knew he would shatter me into pieces. “What the hell are you plotting?” I demanded, my voice sharp and steady despite the knot tightening in my gut. Sevastian didn’t answer right away. He just stood in front of me calmly, as if the knife at his neck was nothing more than a toy that cannot threaten his life. I hate it. I hate how composed he is while I am infuriating with rage. His dark brown eyes bore through me, making a hole in the depths of my soul.I saw his tongue poke his cheek before he spoke. “Marriage.” His deep baritone voice suddenly echoed to my ears. I blinked. For a second, I t
JACK I sat in the backseat of my car, fingers tapping against the armrest, my patience thinning with every second that passed. The air inside was thick with the scent of tobacco and leather, the slow-burning cigarette in my hand smoldering between my fingers.The night was calm, deceptively so, but my instincts had been sharpened by years of this game. I knew better than to trust stillness.Then the call came.I answered without a word."Boss! Two women came and rescued Victoria! They're heading toward the shore!"I inhaled deeply, the cherry of my cigarette glowing red-hot in the dim light.Two women.I already knew who they were.A slow smirk curled on my lips."Then let them run," I said smoothly, flicking the ash off my cigarette out the window. "There are plenty of ways to get my muse."Victoria…My muse.My obsession.My fucking addiction.I could still hear her moans, the way they used to tremble between gasps, half pleasure, half defiance. She was the only woman who had ever
CELESTINAThe wheel twisted beneath my grip as I swerved the boat around, the engine roaring in protest. The waves crashed against the hull, spraying saltwater across my face, but I barely registered it.We were going back.We were going to save her.But before I could focus on the plan forming in my mind, Valeria’s voice cut through the wind.“Before I leave to save Victoria, there’s something you need to know.”Something in her tone made my stomach drop.I glanced at her from the corner of my eye. “What?”She exhaled sharply, as if bracing herself. “Victoria… she’s our biological mother.”My hands tightened around the wheel so suddenly that my knuckles ached.No.That wasn’t possible.It couldn’t be possible.The coldness spread through me, seeping into my bones. I thought—no, I assumed—that when Valeria called her “Mom,” it was just desperation, a slip of the tongue in the heat of the moment. But now…I felt my chest constrict.“Liar,” I whispered, my voice barely audible over the
VALERIA‘I already knew that you already know that I was your biological mother. Please don’t tell Celestina about it—not until I finally leave.’Her words kept replaying in my mind, digging into my skull like an old, rusted knife. So she knew. She knew I had figured it out long ago, yet she still played along with her lies, pretending as if she was nothing more than our ruthless mentor, our manipulative leader.And now, she was leaving us?“Valeria! Don’t space out—keep moving! We have no time!” Victoria’s sharp voice cut through my haze as she yanked me forward, dragging me out of the house and into the night.Gunfire erupted behind us, bullets ripping through the air like vengeful spirits. The enemy was closing in, their relentless footsteps echoing against the rocky terrain.We ran.Through the dense trees, down the slope, and into the hidden cave.Inside, a speedboat sat waiting at the water’s edge, its sleek frame rocking gently against the tide. Celestina jumped in first, immed
CELESTINAA heavy silence filled the room as I stared at Victoria.I had made a promise—one that I wasn’t sure I wanted to keep. But there was something clawing at my mind, something I needed to confirm.Victoria had always been a mystery, a woman wrapped in shadows and deception. But the way she hesitated, the way her body tensed at my question—there was something more she was hiding.And I intended to find out.I took a deep breath, locking my gaze onto hers."But on one condition," I said firmly. "I will promise to take care of Valeztina if you take off your mask right now."A sharp intake of breath came from beside me."No!" Valeria’s voice cracked with something close to panic. She took a step forward, her grip tightening on her gun. "She shouldn't there must be a reason why she""Aren’t you curious what she looks like?" I interrupted, cutting her off with a quiet, piercing question.She froze.I knew Valeria. Knew how her mind worked. Knew that despite everything, she was curiou
VALERIAI kept my fist clenched so tightly my nails dug into my palm. The sting was nothing compared to the weight pressing against my chest.I hadn’t lied.But I hadn’t told the whole truth, either.I had known for a long time why the elders sold our information. I had overheard it in whispers behind closed doors, in meetings I was never meant to witness. It wasn’t just because we were dangerous, not just because Celestina could break into any system and I could take out a target without leaving a trace.No, it was because one of them—one of those power-hungry bastards—wanted control of Valeztina. And to do that, they had to remove us first.So they sold us.To him.To the man Victoria despised more than anyone.I knew who it was, knew the name that would send a chill down Celestina’s spine if I ever uttered it. But I didn’t. Because if I did, everything would change.And right now, my biggest concern wasn’t Victoria’s past.It was Celestina.She didn’t know the full extent of what w
CELESTINA Everything was too much to take in.Victoria’s sudden shift, the way she acted, the fragments of her past she was revealing, the way she seemed to know the exact taste of the lasagna I used to love none of it made sense.Lasagna had been my comfort, a reminder of warmth and safety. But when our mother, Clara, died, I stopped eating it. The mere thought of it left an ache in my chest. Yet, here it was again, tasting just the way I remembered.How?How did Victoria know?The familiarity in her touch unsettled me even more. The way her fingers combed gently through my hair, it felt like a distant memory I couldn’t place, a ghost of something I had lost long ago.And now, she was talking about leaving?It was absurd.“That…” Valeria’s voice broke through the thick silence, raw with emotion. “The one you’re protecting… is your child?”Victoria turned away from us, her arms crossing over her chest as she stared out at the endless waves of the ocean. “Yes,” she said at last, her
VALERIASo, that’s it?She’s just going to walk away?She’s going to leave everything behind? The empire, the legacy, the chaos she created and handed it over to us?My grip on the fork tightened as I glared at her, but Victoria remained infuriatingly calm, as if she had already accepted this fate long before she even spoke the words.Her mask, her composed demeanor, her gentle facade it was all too much for me to bear. “You already know, don’t you?” she said suddenly, her voice breaking through my spiraling thoughts.My breath hitched.Cold dread curled in my stomach, seeping into my veins.Did she already know?Did she know that I had been keeping this secret all along? That I knew she was our biological mother?She tilted her head, her lips curving into a smirk, eyes gleaming with something unreadable.“Do you think I wouldn’t?” she mused, her tone light, almost amused.My entire body tensed.Beside me, Celestina frowned, and confused.“What are you talking about?” she asked.Pan
CELESTINAMy teeth clenched as I forced down the surge of frustration rising inside me.Valeria was coming here.The moment Victoria had said it, a deep, unsettling feeling settled in my gut.Something was off.From the second she arrived, there was something different about her — a shift in her usual demeanor. She had never been the type to open up so easily, never one to share her past, let alone speak of death as if it were already decided.My fists curled at my sides as I glared at her back, my pulse thrumming with barely contained suspicion.Was that what she wanted? To drag us into her madness? To entangle us so deeply in her vendetta that we could never crawl our way out?The ocean breeze rustled through my hair, cool against my heated skin, but it did nothing to soothe the upsetting feeling that I felt inside me.We continued walking in silence until we reached a small, modern house nestled between the trees. It stood in contrast to the vast, untamed beauty of the coastline
VALERIA I covered my mouth with trembling fingers as tears spilled down my cheeks, my breath hitching in my throat.I didn’t know what to say and I didn’t know how I should react. Hearing those words from the very woman I had spent my entire life trying to understand why she so hated us, but suddenly telling us now that she want us to kill her? Is she fucking insane?Celestina probably still didn’t know the truth. That woman she’s talking with is our real mother.But I do, I do fucking know the truth. Before mom’s Clara's tragic death, she told me that she isn’t our biological mother but it was the woman who’s living like a ghost in Valeztina. And I certainly know who she’s talking to, because there is one woman who’s living that kind of life and earning the title of the Phantom Heiress. At first I found it absurd and I refuse to believe it. Until the day I almost thought I would die and that’s the first time the Phantom came to save me from the brink of death. She usually hides