Se connecterFiona raised an eyebrow at the mention of durian. She had always been cautious around the fruit due to its strong aroma, but she couldn’t deny the gesture. Valeria had always known how to bring joy, even in the simplest ways.“You didn’t have to do that,” Fiona replied, her tone playful but genuinely appreciative. “But I’m sure Liza and Candy will love it.”The scent of durian began to fill the air, and Fiona’s nose scrunched up in reflex. She’d never been a fan of the fruit, but she couldn’t deny its significance to Valeria durian was a Davao specialty, a treat that carried memories of her childhood. And knowing Valeria’s thoughtful nature, it was clear this was more than just a gift. It was a piece of her world she was sharing with them.Valeria chuckled as she watched Fiona’s nose wrinkle. “You never could handle durian,” she teased. “But don’t worry, I also brough
The sun dipped lower in the sky, casting a golden hue over the sprawling gardens of the Billion Estate. The delicate fragrance of jasmine and roses lingered in the air, mingling with the scent of freshly cut grass. It was a scene of tranquility, a stark contrast to the chaos that had defined the past months of their lives. For once, there were no shadows, no looming threats just warmth, peace, and the sound of laughter echoing from the distance.Inside the estate, life had found a new rhythm. The hustle and bustle of their daily lives, which had once been filled with tension and worry, now felt like distant memories. The chaos had been replaced by a softness, an ease that hadn't been there before. Fiona stood in the kitchen, the soft hum of the blender the only noise in the otherwise quiet room. She moved with grace, effortlessly slicing vegetables for the salad, her movements steady and calm.Liza was at the table, her small hands clutching a crayon as she carefully filled in the lin
The news program sprang to life on the huge smart flat-screen TV in the living room of the Billion family home, illuminating the room with a blue light. The normal hum of the news anchor’s voice filled the room, but there was a strange quality to the program,an undertone of urgency, of something ominous.“Breaking news tonight,” the voice of the anchor resonated, smooth yet tinged with an element of incredulity. “Helen Drams, the known criminal mastermind, has been declared dead in her prison cell at the Makati District Jail. Police reports have yet to determine the official reason behind the demise of the woman, known to have been charged with multiple counts of murder, along with other serious offenses, and was alone at the time of the incident. Initial reports suggest no traces of forced entry or struggle, yet a red alert has been sounded to alert anyone involved in this sudden twist of events.”The television switched to images from the prison. The lens focused on the barred windo
Helen's breathing momentarily ceased as she processed those words in her head. She could swear that she had heard those words somewhere before, in some long-forgotten memory, one that she had suppressed so thoroughly that she had managed to convince herself that she no longer cared about it at all. However, as the woman towered over her, those words came flooding back, tearing destructively at the fragile control that Helen had fought so hard to retain.The woman drew nearer, her blazing eyes full of rage, her words dripping with scorn.“The daughter of a driver you killed,” the woman said, her voice ringing through the silence like a knife.“Nicky,” she whispered, unable to get his name past the lump in her throat. Her eyes widened in shock, her body locking in place as the memory washed over her with a sense of sickening familiarity. “The name, the face, everything she’d tried to forget—that all floodedNo. it can't be. I. I didn't mean to. It was an accident. He didn't deserve that
The minutes ticked by, long and suffocating, like shadows of endless darkness. Helen sat huddled at the back corner of the cell against cold concrete. Her breathing was the only gauge of time, the only thing anchoring her to sanity. No visitors to feel guilt, sorrow, or anger toward anymore; no more confrontations, no more promises of deliverance. Nothing but silence. And in that utter silence, the echo of Jamaica's words."It's never too late to change, Helen. But you have to want to." But what if she didn’t want to? What if, deep down, she knew the life she had fought for, clawed her way toward, was a lie? That everything she had built up in her name, everything she had destroyed for control and power, was an illusion? She shut her eyes, trying to push the thoughts away, but they lanced her brain like thorns, digging deeper with each passing second. The faces swam before her mind's eye-Charles, Fiona, Jamaica, Candy. Memories of their pain, their betrayal, their hate. But most damag
Helen sat in the dark cell, her body propped up against the cold concrete wall. Tension filled the air, and Helen’s mind hummed with the buzz of frustration. The sharp clang of steel echoed down the silent hallway as the guard approached, opening the door to the cell without a sound. Helen’s eyes flickered up to the door, and her face remained impassive.Jamaica stood in the doorway, her immense presence filling the frame, her keen eyes locking with those of Helen. The woman exuded an aura of command, almost of oppression. Her entrance into the cell wasFluid, the entrance of a woman who had nothing left to fear in life, not even the law. Her eyes swept over Helen, slaking in the view of her erstwhile mighty foe, reduced to nothing more than a prisoner.A faint, mock smile curled Helen's lips, though there was no amusement in it. "Jamaica," she said, her voice chill, "I didn’t think you’d come yourself. I thought you’d send someone else to gloat."Jamaica drew closer to her, her action







