THREE MONTHS LATER “Keep pushing, hija! Don’t stop now!” I didn’t think I could take the pain any longer—my body felt like it was breaking apart. I didn’t have the strength to push anymore. “Ahhh!!!” I forced myself anyway until, finally, my first child was born. The cries of my newborn filled the room as I collapsed onto the bed, gasping for air. “It’s a boy! Your firstborn is a boy, Claire!” Dr. Anderson—Dylan’s mother—announced excitedly. On the day the twins were in danger, I learned that Dylan had taken me to his mother—my own doctor. We were shocked at the coincidence. I’d never even met his mother before. “Claire! Claire, wake up! There’s still another baby inside you!” Her voice echoed in my ears, but my eyelids were too heavy to lift. “Claire, you have to wake up! If you don’t, your baby will d!e!” I tried. I needed to save my child—but the pain was unbearable. I felt like I was dying. “I… I can’t, Auntie ,” I choked out, sending the room into chaos.
CLAIRE couldn’t stop her tears when the baby boy was placed in her arms first, followed by the baby girl. She cradled one in each arm, and the moment she held them close, they suddenly quieted down. “T-twins… I’m your mommy,” Claire whispered. As soon as she spoke, both babies opened their eyes—revealing two pairs of striking gray eyes that made her cry even harder. “You got my eyes!” she said joyfully as they instinctively nuzzled closer. “Our grandchildren are so beautiful! Though it seems they only got your eyes, Claire. They must take after their father,” Lucing remarked. “Well, he must be handsome too—look how gorgeous they are!” Erin chimed in happily, making Claire glance at her through her tears. “Mom… I’m so happy,” Claire murmured as Erin gently wiped her tears away. Meanwhile, Dylan, who had been helping Bea walk toward the twins, froze the moment he saw them from a distance. Bea tensed up, her eyes darting to her husband—especially since the twins looked
CLAIRE A few days later, our lives returned to normal, but now it’s even happier because we have Zayne and Zoey. When I gave birth, Mom and Nanay were overjoyed, and even now, they’re still so happy taking care of the twins. Sometimes, they even fall asleep on my bed, so I just let them stay there while I sleep on the couch. I can’t contain the overwhelming happiness I’ve felt since the moment I saw the twins. I remember how Zoey’s and my life were almost in danger—I didn’t even know I had a heart condition. From what I know, that kind of illness is hereditary, but how? Has it ever been in our family? Maybe from Papa, since I’ve never met him. Thankfully, it was caught early, because otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to bear losing one of the twins. There are two of them, and as much as possible, I want them to always stay together. As for Bea, from what I know, she’ll be giving birth any day now, but the thing is, they’re all in another country. They chose to have
“TELL me, nurse, my mom is okay, right?! She’s okay, isn’t she?!” I frantically asked, my voice trembling, making the nurse sigh heavily. “I’m sorry, miss. Your mother is gone. She was dead on arrival earlier and is now in the morgue.” I staggered back at her words, tears streaming uncontrollably down my face. Clutching my mouth, I immediately ran toward the morgue. “Miss! Miss, wait!” I kept running, my vision blurred by tears. I couldn’t accept the truth—I just couldn’t! When I reached the morgue, I peeked through the door and saw a lone figure lying inside, covered entirely by a white sheet. Hands shaking, I turned the doorknob and stepped in, gently closing the door behind me. I faced the body, praying it wasn’t her. Slowly, I lifted the sheet—and my knees buckled the moment I saw my mother’s lifeless face. I sobbed into my hands, collapsing to the floor. I couldn’t take it. I couldn’t bear losing her. What will happen to me now? What will happen to us? She w
“CHILD, are you sure this is where we’re going to live?” I looked at Nanay after she said that. She was holding Zoey while I held Zayne. I glanced around our new place. It was small compared to our old house, but it had a kitchen and a bedroom. The bedroom was tiny—just enough for a bed and a little space. The kitchen was also very small. “Don’t take this the wrong way, okay? I just want to make sure you’re fine with this. You didn’t grow up in a place like this,” Nanay said. After her words, I looked outside the house. A squatter area. No, I didn’t grow up like this, and I wasn’t used to it—but what else could I do? We had just been forcibly kicked out of our house earlier. There was nothing I could do—we were drowning in debt, and I never expected this to happen. I let out a deep sigh and looked at the baby in my arms and the one Nanay was holding. “I’m sure, Nanay. I can handle this. We’ll get through this,” I said, though I wasn’t entirely confident in my last words.
TODAY is my first day at work, and I’m excited to start. I left home early to avoid being late—the twins were still asleep when I left. I made sure to leave money for Nanay to cover their expenses for the day since I won’t be off until seven in the evening. Getting to work wasn’t hard—just one jeepney ride and a short walk, and I was already at the restaurant. I wore a fitted skirt and a fitted blouse, layered with a black blazer to look formal since I’m a manager. When I arrived, the restaurant was still empty because I came an hour before opening—better early than late. As I stepped inside, I was amazed by what I saw. The place was huge and beautifully designed, with many tables adorned with flower centerpieces. The tablecloths were white, and menus were placed on top, probably so customers could easily see the offerings. There weren’t many staff members around yet. I hadn’t seen the inside of the restaurant before because my interview with the former manager was held in the
“Y-YES, you were little when we last met,” but that made me smile because at least Mom had some friends. It made me happy—I thought all she knew was work. “I’m glad to meet you, Ms., but Mom’s gone. She just passed away one month ago.” Both Talia and Ms. Kaithy gasped at what I said. But what surprised me more was Ms. Kaithy breaking down in tears. “Miss! Talia, Miss is crying!” We helped Ms. Kaithy sit on a nearby chair and got her water because she couldn’t stop sobbing. She must have been really close to my mom. She cried for several minutes before finally calming down. I was impressed her makeup stayed intact—it must’ve been waterproof. “Are you okay now?” I asked worriedly, making her look at me. “T-take me to Erin Claire, please. I want to see her,” she said tearfully, making me avert my gaze. I was done with that—done with crying. “Don’t worry, I’ll come with you.” After that, we immediately went to my mother’s grave. I guided her while we sat in silence in the
CLAIRE quickly left her job after saying goodbye. Carrying her bag, she headed straight to the hospital her mother, Lucing, had told her about. Her heart pounded with fear during those moments because her child was in danger. She would never forgive herself if anything bad happened to Zayne. Upon arriving at the hospital, she immediately asked the front desk for her child’s room number. Once she got it, she rushed there and saw her mother, Lucing, sitting on a chair across the room’s door, crying. “Nay, what happened?” Lucing immediately looked up at her and stood. “C-Claire, it’s Zayne…” Claire quickly took Zoey from her mother’s arms and held her close. “Nay, calm down. Nothing bad will happen to Zayne, okay? What exactly happened?” Claire spoke with forced bravery. Even though she was also terrified and worried for her child, she had to stay strong—she was her mother’s only source of strength, and she couldn’t let Zoey down. “Zayne had a fever earlier, child. I tr
”We can go back to the palace after we rescue the twins,” Timothy said to Claire, who was fixing herself up after changing clothes. She couldn’t wear that dress anymore because it would hinder their plan to infiltrate Louise’s hideout. At first, she couldn’t believe that Louise was the one who kidnapped her children—especially since she had trusted her—but she was wrong. “I won’t leave until the twins are safe, Kuya,” After saying that, Claire walked out to head to the hideout, where they would plan their assault on Louise’s lair. Timothy could only sigh at his friend’s words—he knew her well. When someone she loved was in danger, she would do everything to save them. “Wait, why did you disappear earlier, Kuya Timothy? And Aunt Kaithy was gone too,” The man looked at her and smiled. “I still have a duty to fulfill, Princess.” “And what is that?” Claire asked curiously. “To report on your brother. As for Mom, she went back home. She said she’d only return to the Philipp
After Claire ordered the twins to be taken to their room, the bodyguards immediately covered their mouths with handkerchiefs laced with sedatives, causing Zayne’s eyes to widen in shock as the twins desperately tried to call for their parents. But it was too late—they had already inhaled the sedative. The bodyguards acted swiftly, slipping out through the back of the kitchen and into a waiting car outside. Since they were recognized as the Gray family’s guards, they were let through without issue. Their journey was smooth, and soon they were greeted by their employer. “Very good, boys,” the woman said with a smile. “Thank you, ma’am. Where should we take the twins?” they asked, addressing none other than Camille. “Take them to my beloved’s room. He’ll reward you for this,” she replied, grinning. The men smiled widely and immediately carried the twins upstairs. Camille watched them go, her gaze lingering as they carried the unconscious children. “Now I’ll finally get my rev
“I-I just wanted to know something before you leave.” They froze at Zekiel’s words and turned to look at him. “W-When will you come back for me and the kids?” Claire felt as if she’d been struck by an arrow at the man’s question, biting her tongue as she struggled to answer. “I-I don’t know… The moment I wore the crown, I could no longer turn away from my duty.” The women cried even harder at Claire’s words, and even Zekiel’s mother began to sob. In the short time they had spent with the young woman, they had seen how kind-hearted she was and how deeply she loved their son. So when she needed help, they didn’t hesitate to support her. “R-Right… Okay, thank you for answering.” Zekiel could no longer hold back his tears and nearly collapsed where he stood—luckily, his father acted quickly and steadied him. “I-I’m okay, Dad… I’m fine,” he told his father, though it was obvious he wasn’t, as he still clung tightly to his arm. Claire didn’t miss his tears and quickly wiped her
Note: -Kuya (Tagalog for “older brother ”) ____ “WHAT? W-What else are you hiding from me in my life that I don’t know about?” Claire let out a sigh at the man’s words. “Guards!” Everyone was startled when Claire shouted loudly—loud enough for the twins’ bodyguards to hear. Moments later, the bodyguards rushed in from outside and bowed before her. “Yes, Your Highness,” the leader of the guards said respectfully. “Take my children and bring them to their room.” “W-What? Mommy, no! Please, no!” Zayne screamed as one of the bodyguards approached and immediately carried him away, while Zoey only snapped out of her daze when another guard lifted her. “M-Mommy!” Claire forced herself to ignore her children’s pleas because she also didn’t want them to hear the truth. “B-Bad guys...” Zoey whispered weakly, but no one heard her as the door was already closing. “Why did you have to send the twins away?” Quinn asked, making Claire glare at her. The young woman swallowed
REMINDER!I didn’t add the monarchy to the plot to make it unique or to play around with the royal family of Spain. THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION, guys! Whatever I wrote about Claire being a princess is purely my own creation, especially the way they rule in Spain! DON’T CANCEL ME, PLEASE! THIS IS NOT BASED ON A TRUE STORY!
“K-Kuya, I can’t accept this because we’re leaving soon, right? You’re here now because you’ve come to take me back, aren’t you?” I pulled away from his embrace and looked into his sorrowful eyes. “I-I’m sorry, Claire,” I shook my head at him. “You don’t have to apologize, Kuya Timothy. I know my duty. I know what I must do.” After saying that, I went to my room, walking lifelessly from the pain I felt. As much as I wanted to say yes to Zekiel earlier, there were still things I needed to finish. When I entered the room, I saw a box inside, so I approached it and opened it. “That’s what you’ll wear, Claire. When you return to the palace, you must be ready and show them all that you are their princess.” I heard Kuya Timothy’s words and saw a princess dress and a royal princess cloak—something I had only ever seen in shows before, but now, I was the one who would wear it. Both were pink—a soft baby pink—while the main dress was long-sleeved with beads on the front and a r
We also walked for several minutes until we reached the circle at the very center of the mall, where you could see all four floors rising to the top of the circular space. “Where’s your dad? Isn’t this the circle?” I asked the twins, who just shrugged and let go of my hand. “He’s probably here somewhere, Mommy. We’ll find him soon,” Zoey said, glancing around. I did the same, but even after scanning the area, I still couldn’t spot him. “He’s not—Zoey? Zayne?!” I shouted when I realized the twins were no longer behind me. Strangely, even our bodyguards were gone. What was even weirder was that the crowd around us had disappeared. “Ah!” I shrieked when something suddenly burst above me. I looked up and was stunned to see rose petals raining down, filling the air with their sweet scent. What was happening? Another burst followed, startling me again. I instinctively closed my eyes, but when I opened them, I gasped at the sight of a small, flying object emitting blue and pink smo
She bowed her head to me and hugged me tightly. “I know this is hard for you, but you have to face it. You can’t stay and fight here. You’re the Princess of Spain, Claire. Your brother’s future—our country’s future—depends on you.” My arms tightened around her, and I couldn’t hold back my tears. I really need to do this. Days passed, and Zekiel finally returned home. Several days had also gone by since I last spoke to my brother Timothy and since I last saw him. After our conversation that night, he suddenly vanished without a trace. Even Quinn was worried about him, so I just told her that he texted me, saying he had something important to do and went back home—especially since Aunt Kaithy had also disappeared. As more days went by, I started to worry too. Zekiel had recovered, and Timothy had promised he’d be with me when we returned to Spain. But until now, he still hadn’t shown up. Am I going back alone? “You’re spacing out again.” I flinched when someone hugged me from behi
CLAIRE We’re here at the hospital where I brought the three of them, and their families are also here. I’ve already met Hero’s wife and their one-year-old child. Bea is furious about what happened, especially since she had no idea her husband was in danger. Meanwhile, Zekiel’s parents are relieved because we’ve finally dealt with the person responsible for nearly killing our son. If it were up to me, I would have killed Camille myself—she showed no mercy toward my child, even though he was just a kid. As for Kuya Timothy and Nanay Lucing, they stayed at home because I didn’t bring the twins. Even though Camille is gone, there’s still a threat against our lives—or mine. The Spanish Mafia… I really want to tell Zekiel about them, but I know he’ll just worry, especially since he’s covered in wounds. “Bea, Quinn, I’ll leave you for a bit. I just need to buy something outside.” Zekiel was asleep, and only Dylan and Hero were awake, so I left them in their care. The two nodded, an