CELESTINAI stood frozen, watching the scene unfold before me.Leo, small and fragile, clung to Sevastian like he had found the missing piece of himself. His tiny hands fisted in Sevastian’s shirt, his face buried against his chest, like he never wanted to let go.And Sevastian… he held him back. Not out of obligation, not out of duty, but with something deeper and raw that almost like he’s the father of him. I could see it in the way his hands cradled the back of Leo’s head, in the way his body seemed to shield him instinctively.And it made something inside me ache. Warmth swelled in my chest, thick and consuming, but beneath that warmth, guilt clawed at the edges.Because I know, it's all a lie. Leo wasn’t ours, he never had been.But here we were, pretending and building a carefully constructed world of deception just to protect him from the truth.And he believed it.I clenched my hands at my sides, nails digging into my palms. My heart pounded, my throat tightening with some
VALERIAThe moment she stepped into the room, my breath hitched, lodging itself in my throat like a jagged shard of glass.Victoria, the woman who lived like a ghost and infamous Phantom of Valeztina.My fingers twitched, instinct urging me to reach for something or anything to ground myself, but I resisted. I couldn’t afford to show weakness, not in front of her where she uses every weakness as an opportunity to control every person around her. I forced myself to exhale slowly, silently thanking my quick reflexes. Just in time, I had managed to erase the remaining traces of Ortega’s Reaper from the surveillance feeds. A reckless move on my part, if Victoria would know what I had done. She will probably torture me like she always do. And for that woman… Revealing even a glimpse of her face had been a dangerous mistake, especially that she has many enemies. But watching her comfort Leo had caught me off guard.It was a moment of vulnerability I hadn’t expected. And for reasons I
CELESTINAThree weeks had passed…Neo had started playing with Leo more, and Natasha, though still distant and cold, had become more attentive towards me. Perhaps we grew closer to each other after what had happened last time. Sevastian had settled into his role as Leo’s father as though he had been born for it. He was patient, guiding, and when he looked at the boy, there was something in his eyes that made my chest ache, a raw emotion that wanted to have his own little man.But I couldn’t give him that, a child between me and him. Because I know no matter how I hide and run, Valeztina has the power to control me. If a child was born between me and Sevastian, that poor child would suffer in the hands of Valeztina, just like what happened to Leo. Suddenly, I embrace myself when a wind suddenly blows that sends chills through my body. Suddenly, I recalled those cryptic messages that were sent to me, and I know where it comes from. I wasn’t sure when the messages started. Maybe a
SEVASTIANLeo’s laughter rang through the garden, light and carefree. I watched him for a moment, his small fists raised, ready for another playful attack.Then my phone vibrated in my pocket.I exhaled sharply, already knowing this wasn’t a call I could ignore."Leo," I called out, ruffling his hair before stepping back. "Stay here and play. I have to take this."Leo pouted, but he nodded, kicking at the dirt beneath his feet.I turned away, pulling out my phone and answering the call."What is it?" My voice was clipped, cold. I didn’t have time for small talk.Hank’s voice came through, laced with tension. "The family is calling an assembly. The elders are coming."I scoffed, already shaking my head. "Not my problem. I’m not going."There was a pause on the other end, followed by an exasperated sigh. "Sevastian, you can’t keep ignoring—"Before he could finish, there was a scuffle, a sharp rustling of movement, and then a new voice took over the line."You’re going,” She suddenly s
NATASHAThis was bad… No, this was a fucking disaster. The Valeztinas had always played dirty, but this? They had crossed a line that could never be undone. Touching a child, rape her and kills her. It was a declaration of war. A war that is exactly what they would get.The weight of it all sat heavy in my chest as I clenched my fists at my sides, nails digging into my palms. Amara Ortega-Aragon… That sweet girl was hidden away, protected in the quiet folds of some forgotten province in Asia. She was never meant to be part of this world, and we made sure of it. And yet, despite our precautions, despite the lengths we went to, they still found her.They didn’t just take her.They didn’t just kill her.They put her on a display, parading their brutality like a fucking badge of honor.The video had arrived hours ago. Sent anonymously, but we all knew exactly who was behind it. It had played across a dozen screens, in a dozen different rooms, forcing us to witness the unspeakable g
SEVASTIANIt’s 7:30 in the evening when I arrived at the ancestral house. As I stepped out of the car, the white mansion greeted me along with the cold wind that touched my skin. I momentarily look at the house. It’s been many years since I stepped foot in here and it’s still the same. The presence was daunting as the legacy it carried. The Ortega bloodline ran through these walls, stained with power, tradition, and enough bloodshed to drown a nation.I adjusted my coat, the fabric smoothing over my shoulders as I stepped through the towering entrance. The scent of aged wood and faint traces of cigar smoke clung to the air, mixing with the quiet murmurs of men stationed along the halls.Guards flanked every corner, their expressions unreadable, but their presence today wasn’t for show. It is a reminder that the Ortega family don’t have any peace even inside of the family. For once, we all gathered as one if it’s about Grandpa’s birthday or a matter of high concern like, Amara’s de
SEVASTIANThe room was thick with tension. None of us dared to speak as if, we all have different thoughts of what Amara suffered at the hands of Valeztina’s. The room was consumed with silence and I was already at break of losing my rage. I’m mad but I couldn’t let that emotion be shown, not in front of these crocodiles who're waiting for me to snap and find my faults. Suddenly, Brian breaks the deafening silence by speaking first. "Did you see now what happened to Amara?" His voice steady but edged with accusation. "Your mistake is thinking that your marriage to a Valeztina could stop the war between our families." He added while his gaze locked onto mine, unflinching. I met his stare, and both of us gave a sharp glare. Eros, the eager lapdog of my Uncle son, smirked and leaned forward. "They are our enemy," he declared, his words drenched in contempt. "Now, I can’t help but question your judgment, Sevastian. Marrying an enemy’s daughter only weakens the Ortegas. Or maybe…" Hi
SEVASTIANSuddenly, a chair scraped against the floor, creating a sound that caught our attention. My grandfather, Magnus Ortega, stood from his chair. Every head in the room turned toward him, the weight of his authority pressing down on us like a kind of wolf oppressing its prey.His face was unreadable, the kind of calm that came when a man had already made a decision.And then, he turned his head to his beloved daughter. "Priscilla." He called her name, his voice was steady. It is not a request but a command to get her attention — not only her attention but all of us when he gestures to her to come next to him. Aunt Priscilla turned to him, meeting his gaze without hesitation, and then she moved towards his spot.Every step she took was measured, and calculated like a lioness who knows that she has nothing to fear. And when she finally reached his side, he did something none of us saw coming.He offered her his seat.A sharp intake of breath echoed through the room.Everyon
NATASHAAfter Sevastian and Leah left, my attention was directly focused on the woman in front me. She’s happily having a chat with the man beside her. A smirk painted on my lips. The world had a cruel way of playing tricks on us, making the dead walk among the living as if they had never vanished in the first place.She vanished in thin air and afterwards, we didn't hear anything from her. As if she was utterly gone. Celestina...I couldn’t tear my eyes away from her.She was standing there, effortlessly gaining everyone’s attention in the room, with her crimson dress that clung to her making her curves more transparent. She looks like a woman who came to dominate this room, no. I would rather say that she came today to devour everyone and to show the power she holds. By watching her from afar, I could tell that she’s untouchable. Huh! So this is what grand entrance she made? What a clever thing. It had been a year since we all thought she was dead, a year since she disappeare
CELESTINAA smirk tugged at my lips as I scanned the room, my gaze drifting over familiar faces frozen in shock. It had been a year since I meticulously planned this moment. After a year of suffering, bleeding, and fighting myself to survive from that wrath, I was able to reclaim my freedom. Now, standing in front of them, feeling the weight of all their stunned gazes on me, it was all worth it.I could see the how and why in their faces. In my peripheral vision, I caught sight of Valeria, my twin sister.Her wide eyes, the slight parting of her lips, the way her fingers tightened around the delicate stem of her glass. Shock, disbelief, questions that she dared not voice aloud. She wasn’t the only one. The Ortega’s, too, sat in varying degrees of surprise, their expressions wavering between confusion and wariness.Good. It’s working under my plan. But then, just as I basked in the silent triumph of my return, my gaze shifted and I felt the floor tilt beneath me.Sevastian, my e
VALERIAOne year and twelve months of silence. Three hundred and sixty-five days of not knowing whether my twin sister was alive or buried in some unmarked grave.A full year since Celestina disappeared.The last memory I had of her was burned into my mind like a scar that refused to fade — her voice, calm, and firm as she proved that Valeztina wasn’t responsible for Amara’s murder. It should have been a moment of clarity, a revelation that set everything right.Instead, it was the spark that ignited chaos.Priscilla Ortega had spiraled into madness, dragging the rest of the Ortega’s into her personal warpath. Alliances shifted. Blood was spilled. Loyalties fractured. And through it all, we searched, we waited and we hope that one day she would return. But Celestina never came back.And now, a year later, I stood at an event that felt meaningless, my fingers wrapped around the stem of a champagne flute I had no intention of drinking. The air buzzed with the low hum of conversa
PRISCILLAThe moment Mateo and Kai escorted Valeria to the guest room, I turned to Natasha, my expression unreadable."It seems those three know more than they’re letting on." My voice was low, but there was no mistaking the edge in my tone.Natasha exhaled sharply, crossing her arms. "They’ve seen what’s happening inside Valeztina. That much is clear."I narrowed my eyes. Valeria’s reaction earlier—it wasn’t just grief. It was knowledge. She had felt something, and now I was sure. The BlackEagle protégé—Celestina’s own people—were hiding something."Let’s start with that woman. Lilia." I made my decision quickly. If there was anyone who would crack first, it would be her.Natasha gave me a curt nod before we both turned and left the drawing room, our steps swift and deliberate as we headed toward the secluded chamber where I had given them sanctuary.The door creaked slightly as Natasha pushed it open with more force than necessary.Lilia jumped.The second she saw us, she panicked,
VALERIAThe moment I saw her, my heart nearly stopped.Celestina.She wasn’t supposed to be here.Panic clawed up my throat as I stormed down the stairs, my pulse a relentless drum against my ribs. I barely registered the sharp sting of cold air when I shoved open the heavy doors and grabbed her arm, yanking her away from the mansion.“What the hell are you doing here?” My voice was a low, harsh whisper, but the fear bleeding into my words made it shake.She didn’t flinch. Didn’t hesitate. Her gaze met mine—empty, detached. A stark contrast to the sister I used to know.“Why?” she asked flatly, her tone devoid of warmth. “Am I not welcome in my own home?”Home.That word felt wrong. Home hadn’t existed for a long time, not for either of us.I tightened my grip on her biceps, fingers digging in. “You—you didn’t see my email?” My voice rose, but I forced it back down, wary of prying ears. “I told you, Celestina. I fucking warned you. No matter what happens, you cannot come back here!”S
SEVASTIANIt was 5:30 in the evening when I returned to Natasha’s mansion, my pulse a steady roar in my ears. The moment I received the call from Aunt Priscilla—that Celestina had left, leaving Leo and her friends under Ortega’s care—I felt something inside me snap.I barely remembered the drive. I only remembered pressing my foot down on the gas, gripping the wheel so hard my knuckles turned white, and replaying every single thing she had said, every moment leading up to this.But none of it prepared me for the sight of her empty room.I stood there, breathing heavily, my eyes sweeping over the vacant space that once carried her presence. The scent of her perfume still lingered in the air—a soft, delicate trace of jasmine and something uniquely hers. The bed was made, the closet doors slightly ajar, but stripped bare of her clothes.Gone.The realization settled like a blade to my gut, twisting cruelly.I stormed out, my strides heavy with barely restrained fury as I made my way to N
CELESTINAThree days.It’s been three days since Sevastian left without looking back.Three days since I stood in that room, contemplating my choice with regret. I’d spent my entire hours crying and blaming myself for my reckless decision. Now, as I sat here inside of the drawing room, staring at the documents spread before me, I could feel the weight of my decision pressing against my chest like a slowly tightening noose.“Sis, are you okay?”Lilia’s voice snapped me from my daze, her soft eyes searching mine with concern.I forced a small, reassuring smile. “Yes.” My voice was steady, even if my heart wasn’t. “Have you prepared everything?”“Yes. All that’s left is your signature,” she confirmed, neatly stacking the papers in front of me.The pen felt heavy in my grip.I started signing our divorce paper, it was my last chance to hold the Ortega name. His name, the only way to confirm that I was his. Mateo, who had been sitting quietly, suddenly broke the silence. “Do you reall
CELESTINAClick!The sharp snap of the lock sent a thrill down my spine.Sevastian’s arms were still around me, his presence firm and tough, instead of pulling away, I held him tighter.Maybe it was because of the alcohol clouding my thoughts. The heat is still lingering in my veins from my recent conversation with Natasha. Or maybe it was simply because it was him.The moment my body touched his, heat coiled inside me, it was thick and unquenchable. The sensation grew worse, it became stronger when my fingers brushed over the coolness of his skin in his neck. A dangerous contrast between fire and ice. Or maybe, Natasha was right. I was a bitch in heat, that once I felt his touch I couldn’t help but to feel a tingle sensation between my thighs. And I was starting to lose my head, his strong perfume is like a temptress to my lustful desire towards him. Before I could even process what was happening, Sevastian moved.In one swift motion, he threw us onto the bed. His body above mi
SEVASTIANThe whole room was dimly lit, with the only glow coming from the path lights outside the window.Smoke curled from my cigarette, twisting in the air like a small cloud before dissolving into nothing. The night was too damn quiet. The kind of silence that didn’t soothe me but rather, it was suffocating. Every breath I took felt heavier, pressing against my ribs like a fucking weight I couldn’t shake off. I tilted my head and saw my own face reflected in the glass window.Tired eyes, clenched jaw, muscles too stiff from holding in everything I can’t let go of.‘Let’s get divorce,’ her words etched inside my head and made my blood boil. I grind my teeth, feeling the anger crawl up my throat. Every time she said those words, it felt like she was digging a hole inside me. I can't stop thinking about it and I can’t stop feeling that pit in my stomach.Why the hell does she have to do this to me? After everything I’ve done? I’ve sacrificed myself to keep her fucking safe, an