LOGIN"Miss Seren." Kim's voice halted Seren just as she reached the bottom of the stairs.
For the past few days, he had barely seen her. In fact, it felt as though she had been deliberately avoiding everyone.
She never asked about Rafael's condition. She never visited him at the hospital.
Not even once. Seren glanced at Kim. He looked as though he had just returned from work.
Truthfully, she hadn't seen him in days either.
She had been avoiding everyone connected
"You seem surprisingly obedient this time." Seren looked up when the cabin door opened. Eric entered.She was already wearing the wedding dress. Not because she had surrendered. Because she was waiting. Thinking. Looking for an opportunity."You may be braver than I expected," Eric admitted."But your weakness remains the same." A smug smile crossed his face."Your family." He studied her carefully."No matter what they do to you, you can never abandon them, can you?"Seren remained silent. Eric escorted her back to the deck. Dane was already waiting. He wore a formal black suit.Around them stood armed men loyal to both Eric and Dane. Apparently, they would be serving as witnesses.Seren searched the crowd. Anna was nowhere in sight."No need to look for your sister." Eric seemed to read her mind."She's safe." He smiled."We'll return her to your family after the wedding."Then his expression harde
"For you." Leon placed a small box on Rafael's desk.Rafael looked up from the documents he had been reviewing."What is it?""No idea."Leon shrugged. "It was delivered a few minutes ago."Rafael frowned. "Delivered? By who?"He picked up the box and opened it. The moment he saw what was inside, his blood ran cold. It was Seren's engagement ring.The very ring he had given her. Leon immediately noticed the change in his expression.At that exact moment, the office telephone rang. Rafael and Leon exchanged a glance. Then, Rafael slowly picked up the receiver."Rafael."The familiar voice on the other end made his grip tighten instantly."Eric." The name left his mouth through clenched teeth.His eyes never left the engagement ring."You don't sound very happy, nephew."Eric laughed. "I assume you've received my gift.""Where is Seren?"Rafael's voice was dangerously
"So, he finally decided to make a move."Leon broke the silence as the three of them gathered in Kim's office.They had just returned from Seren's university. Earlier, Rafael had told Seren that he needed to discuss something with Leon and Trisha, so he had sent her ahead to their room.The person Leon was referring to was Dane.Ever since Rafael had spotted Dane's father at Melfina's father's wake, he had quietly ordered an investigation into both father and son. What he had uncovered about them was enough to keep Leon and Trisha occupied with the confidential inquiries he had assigned."I think you should warn Seren about him," Leon said.Rafael leaned back in his chair."She doesn't need to know. As much as possible, I don't want her getting involved in any of this.""The thing is," Leon countered, "she's already involved."He fixed Rafael with a pointed look."You saw what happened today. Who knows who'll come
"Dane?"Seren's eyes widened in surprise when she spotted him standing outside the university.He was leaning against a sleek black car, hands tucked into his pockets as though he had been waiting for someone. The moment he saw her, a smile spread across his face and he raised a hand in greeting.Seren forced a smile in return before glancing around uneasily. Only then did she approach him."What brings you here?" she asked. "Don't you have a case to work on?"Dane had always been an exceptional law student. He had passed the Bar Exam earlier than most and had already begun practicing law alongside his adoptive father at their firm. These days, he rarely spent time at the university. In fact, it had been quite a while since they had last seen each other."Is it because I no longer have a chance with you?"His gaze dropped to her left hand.More specifically, to the engagement ring resting on her finger."I see. You're en
“What are we doing here?” Seren asked as she looked around the dock, confusion written all over her face.Before they even arrived, Rafael had already taken her to a boutique and made her change into an elegant dress. She thought it was another business event—something she was slowly getting used to attending.It had become normal for her to accompany him to gatherings of sector leaders and De Luna executives. And as always, they would ask the same question.When are you getting married?Rafael would simply smile and say they weren’t rushing anything. That Seren was still studying. That there was no need to hurry.But sometimes, the pressure from those people was relentless. So tonight, she assumed it was just another formal gathering. Instead, they were here. At the pier.Rafael didn’t answer her immediately. Instead, he looked at her with that familiar calm expression before finally saying----
“Let’s talk, Rafael.”Cleo stepped into the De Luna Building just as Rafael arrived at his office. He had come straight from Seren’s parents’ house, still unsettled, still trying to process why Seren refused to see him. At the sound of her voice, he stopped and looked up.It had been months since they last met. The last time was that night he brought her to the hotel. After that, Cleo left for Japan, and he had not even known she had already returned.“What is it?” Rafael asked calmly.Cleo met his gaze without hesitation. “Did Seren tell you anything?”Rafael frowned slightly. “What exactly would she tell me?”Cleo’s expression tightened. “She knows I’m pregnant.”The words hit him like a sudden shock. For a brief moment, Rafael went still, his mind immediately replaying Seren’s tears, her questions, her avoidance. Everything started to co
“It’s a surprise to see you here.”The voice cut cleanly through the quiet field.The man stepped onto the soccer pitch, brows knitting slightly as he took in the bright floodlights. At this hour, the place should’ve been empty. Silent. But instead. A ball slammed into the net.Then another. And ano
“You’re finally awake.”Rafael’s voice drifted from across the room.Seren stirred, her body heavy as she pushed herself upright. The world came back to her in fragments: dim lighting, the low hum of air conditioning, the faint glow of a laptop screen. Her gaze landed on him.He sat on the sofa, pos
“I warned you never to betray me,” Rafael said coldly. “But you didn’t listen. You even allied yourself with my enemy, selling them information.” His gaze darkened. “What? You thought you could defeat me?”A humorless smile tugged at his lips.“You can use every dirty, underhanded trick you can thin
Rafael didn’t answer. He didn’t have to. She already knew. He would not be her choice.“I was dragged into your world,” she said, voice firmer now, “into your rules, your enemies, your decisions.”“You don’t get to stand here and ask me what I want after deciding everything for me.”







