MasukIvonne's pov "Wait Miss Ivonne--" Sevrin calledBut I didn’t wait. My heels clacked against the polished floor as I stormed inside, my anger fueling every step. I could hear Sevrin turning back toward the car, his voice rising sharply as he started to argue with Hector.Hector snapped back at him and they began to go back and forth. Good. Let them. But before I could make it to the stairs, two figures suddenly stepped into my path—Solenne and Viera. "Oh for fuck sake!" I groaned but the girls didn't move. They were standing side by side, both looking like they’d been waiting all day for me. Solenne crossed her arms, her perfectly done hair shimmering under the chandelier. Viera had that smug little half-smile that always made me want to throw something at her. “Well, well,” Solenne said sweetly. “Look who’s back.” Viera tilted her head, eyes narrowing. “We did recently warn you to stay away from om our man Ivonne. Didn’t we?” I sighed, already too tired for this. “Wha
Ivonne’s POV The silence in the car now was unbearable. It wasn’t just quiet, it was heavy, like the air itself was holding its breath. The only sound was the faint hum of the engine and the sharp rhythm of my heartbeat thudding in my ears. Hector hadn’t said a word since he slammed the brakes, and I didn’t dare look at him. His aura was cold and suffocating, that kind of dangerous calm that made every nerve in my body tense. My hands twisted together in my lap, clammy with sweat, and for a terrifying second I wondered if I might actually have to open the door and jump out just to breathe again. Then his voice came, low and sharp, slicing through the silence like a knife. “Who told you about my fated mate?” My stomach dropped. I froze, my fingers tightening around each other. “What?” He turned his head slightly, his eyes burning even though his expression stayed eerily blank. “Don’t fucking play dumb with me, Ivonne. Who told you?” I could feel the pressure of his anger press
Ivonne's pov Hector immediately tensed up beside me and growled dangerously. "Don't fucking test me Justin." He snarled but Justin only grinned. I ignored him and focused on Justin. “It’s not going to be a date. And I’ll only watch because I’m curious.” Justin chuckled, then said, “Sevrin told me you used to act in plays. Southern pack days, right?” I blushed a little at that. “He told you about that?” “Mm-hm. You were apparently the star.” I snorted. “Now that's an exaggeration.” “You should perform in one of mine, it would be nice to work together,” Justin said. Hector growled again, louder this time, his possessiveness practically radiating off him. I gave Hector a glare, then turned back to Justin. “Thanks, but no. I’m out of practice.” Justin sighed dramatically. “Shame. You’d have been perfect with me." Something told me he wasn't talking about the play now. Justin smiled at me one last time, his eyes glinting with something unreadable, then said, “I’ll
Ivonne’s POV “Ivonne?” My name left Justin’s lips in disbelief before I could finish processing the fact that he was truly here. I froze, blinking a few times, still wondering if my eyes were not playing tricks on me. But Nope. It was really him... standing across the festival ground, surrounded by colorful stalls, children running around, and the faint music in the air. My stomach dropped. No. No, no, no. He couldn’t be here — especially not now. If Hector saw him, it would be utter chaos as usual. And that could potentially ruin this entire peaceful, warm-hearted festival. I could already picture Hector’s clenched jaw and that dark look in his eyes that usually came seconds before he started snapping at someone. Justin started walking toward me, his grin widening. Oh, goddess. I muttered a quick “excuse me” to the women beside me, then practically bolted toward him, grabbing his arm before anyone could notice. “Come here,” I hissed, dragging him behind one of th
Ivonne’s POV I blinked up at Hector, my heart pounding so loud I could practically hear it in my ears. His face was right there, so close I could see the faint shadow of stubble along his jaw and the hint of amusement softening his usual stern expression. His hand was still on my waist from where we’d fallen, his thumb brushing against the fabric of my dress. For a heartbeat, everything stilled, the laughter, the breeze, even my breath.If I moved just a little more, we'd be kissing..... And then my brain finally snapped back to reality and I froze.What the hell am I doing?I jerked back like I’d been burned, scrambling off him so fast that I nearly tripped again. “S-sorry!” I blurted, brushing nonexistent dust off my shirt.Hector propped himself up on his elbows, still on the grass, looking slightly dazed and definitely disappointed. He gave me a crooked grin, the kind that made my stomach flip. “You don’t have to apologize, Ivonne. It’s not like I complained.”I gawked at him,
Ivonne’s POVI had a hundred guesses about where Hector was taking me, and every single one of them involved something… expensive.A rooftop restaurant, maybe. Or a vineyard with private tastings. Something classy and quiet — the kind of place where a man could “accidentally” impress you without admitting he was trying to.He was the calm, controlled type, but I’d seen that subtle gleam of mischief in his eyes this morning. And after Lora’s little fashion ambush, I was sure this was all part of some carefully planned surprise.So when the car began slowing down… and I looked out the window…My jaw dropped.This wasn’t fancy. Not even close.The smooth, glossy streets of the upper city were long gone. Instead, we were surrounded by narrow, uneven roads and rows of old brick buildings that had seen better decades. Laundry lines stretched between cracked balconies, and children ran barefoot in the dusty street, chasing a deflated ball.The car stopped beside a faded bakery with half its







