Lahat ng Kabanata ng Strangers After Midnight : Kabanata 61 - Kabanata 70

Chapter 61: The Gathering ShadowsThe heavy oak doors of the Villanueva ancestral home shut with a deafening click, echoing the finality of a trap snapping shut. Outside, the rain continued to slash against the tall glass windows, pero sa loob ng malawak na kwarto, ang buong paligid ay nakakabinging tahimik. Zane stood in the center of his father’s study, his long coat damp from the storm, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. He didn't look at the expensive paintings or the polished antique desk. His eyes were fixed solely on the tablet lying face-up between them.On the screen, the stark, high-definition surveillance images of his car parked outside Mich’s penthouse left no room for deniability."Is this how you intend to honor the family name, Zane?" Malamig ang boses ni Mr. Villanueva habang nakatingin sa anak. Hindi ito sumisigaw, pero mararamdaman ang matinding galit sa bawat salita niya. "Investing your time, your nights, and your attention on a simple event sty

The quiet hum of the night inside Serafina Studios was suddenly broken by the sound of the main glass doors clicking shut downstairs. In her office, Mich finally closed her laptop, a deep sigh escaping her lips. Adrian had left twenty minutes ago after she flatly refused his desperate pleas, leaving behind a heavy, suffocating silence. She rubbed her temples, trying to shake off the exhausting mix of Adrian’s sudden reappearance and the lingering stress from her technical assessment.As she grabbed her coat to leave, her phone buzzed on the desk. It wasn’t a call from Zane. It was an email notification from the executive committee of the high-society gala she had been styling for months.Mich opened it, and her heart dropped. “Notice of Contract Termination.” The email was brief, cold, and entirely professional, citing a sudden restructuring of their event partners. No warnings, no discussions. Just like that, her biggest project of the quarter was gone. Before she could eve

The rain outside felt like a cruel reflection of the chaos tearing through Mich’s chest. Inside the quiet office, after Veronica had marched out, Mich’s gaze fell sharply on the brown envelope. Her hands trembled as she picked up the documents inside, but it wasn't just the surveillance photos that caught her eye. Slid underneath them was a glossy, sophisticated invitation card—an engagement gala announcement bearing the names of Zane Villanueva and Veronica Delos Reyes.The date on the card blurred before her eyes, sending a cold shockwave through her entire body. Ito ang gabing nagkita silang muli. It was the exact same night they had crossed paths again after a long time. All this time, while she thought their reunion was a twist of fate, Zane was already bound to another woman. The late-night conversations, the possessive touches, and the intense promises that followed were all shared with a man who was already officially celebrating his commitment to an heiress.It felt

The thunderstorm outside continued to shake the glass windows, but the atmosphere inside the bedroom remained thick with a heavy, suffocating warmth. Zane’s lips never left her skin, tracing a slow, burning path down her jaw and pressing against the hollow of her throat. His hands, still possessive and tight, anchored her body down against the mattress. He refused to stop, his touches turning more intense as if trying to erase every doubt running through her mind."Zane... sandali..." Mich gasped out, her fingers tightening in his damp hair, her breath hitching as his lips pressed firmly against her collarbone. The haze of the alcohol was fading, replaced by a sharp, aching clarity. "Mag-usap tayo... Hindi pwedeng ganito lang."Zane didn't pull away. His forehead rested against her neck, his chest heaving heavily against hers as his hands slowly slid down her waist, mapping the curves of her body with a fierce, unyielding hunger."I'm not marrying her, Mich," Zane whispe

The storm that had ravaged the city all night finally subsided into a bleak, gray dawn. Faint, cold morning light filtered through the sheer curtains of the bedroom, cutting through the shadows and exposing the aftermath of their frantic, desperate night. Mich stirred, a dull ache throbbing in her temples from the alcohol, but the heaviness in her chest had nothing to do with a hangover.She opened her eyes and felt the solid, crushing weight of Zane’s arm wrapped securely around her waist. He was still sound asleep, his face buried in her neck, breathing softly. In the quiet morning light, he didn't look like the ruthless, territorial heir of the Villanueva Group; he just looked like a man holding onto the only thing that kept him grounded.Gently, carefully, Mich lifted his arm and slipped out of bed, wrapping a silk robe tightly around herself. She stepped into the living room, where the reality of the previous day immediately slammed back into her. Her discarded purse sat on the c