“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
THE NEXT DAY, Claire arrived early at her former workplace, expecting a joyful return to work. However, her happiness vanished when she received devastating news. “Ms. Claire! You’re back! How have you been?!” the guard greeted her cheerfully. “I’m fine, Kuya. How about you? I was gone for a while, but I’m back now,” she replied with a smile, only to notice the sudden shift in his expression. “You came back? Didn’t you know, Ms. Claire? There’s a new manager now—Ms. Kathy replaced you two days ago.” Claire’s smile faded as if she had been punched in the gut. The realization that someone else had taken her job hit her hard. She closed her eyes, remembering how she had left without proper notice. “Ms. Kathy even mentioned—well, I overheard—that she was disappointed in you because of your sudden disappearance. They couldn’t find you for so long.” Claire felt even weaker hearing those words. She knew Ms. Kathy was close to her mother, and now she had let her down too. Tear
CLAIRE “Ma’am, here are the clothes you can change into. Please get dressed so you don’t get sick,” I looked at the paper bag she handed me. Just by its appearance, I could tell whatever was inside was expensive. My gaze shifted to the woman, who was smiling at me curiously. Slowly, I nodded and took the bag before stepping into the bathroom. Everything I needed was inside—even undergarments—so I changed out of my wet clothes completely. It was a floral dress that reached my knees, long-sleeved, making me look formal. A pair of black flat shoes was also included. When I stepped out of the bathroom, I caught my reflection in the mirror. For a moment, I saw Claire again—the Claire who had a stable life when Mom was still alive. Back when everything was still okay. “You look beautiful, ma’am,” I turned toward the voice and saw the woman who had given me the paper bag. I forced a smile. “Thank you for your help, but I need to go now.” Without waiting for a response, I wa
THE next day, I left the house early to look for a new place to stay, and by God’s mercy, I found one quickly, so we moved in right away. The landlord was surprised by our sudden move, especially since they adored the twins. They even offered to let us pay the rent anytime, but I refused. We couldn’t afford the five thousand rent anymore, so we settled for a place that cost only one thousand, excluding water and electricity. It was much smaller than our previous home—the kitchen was visible right away, resembling the living room of our old place. There wasn’t even a proper bedroom, so Nanay and I made one ourselves using wooden dividers, placing it right in front of our sleeping area. There was no extra space—just enough to separate the beds. Nanay said she would just sleep in the living room. I apologized to her for our situation, but she said as long as we were together, she didn’t mind. We spent the whole day fixing up the house. By afternoon, we finally finished, and Nanay
TWO MONTHS HAVE PASSED—the first month of my strong earnings at work was gone when my hours were reduced to just five. I really thought my ten-hour shifts would continue, but they didn’t. The more employees they hire, the more my hours shrink. Now, I’m only working five hours. The restaurant still gets a lot of customers, so they need more staff, and we take turns on shifts. I never expected to reach this point again—where we’d struggle financially. Nanay noticed how often I was at home instead of work, and I explained that my hours had been cut. She was saddened by it, but I was even more devastated. A few more weeks passed, and my earnings were no longer enough to support the twins. They’re now three months old, with big appetites for milk and other needs. Sometimes, I even have to skimp on their milk because I can’t afford it. I didn’t know where else to get money, so I decided to look for another job. I walked around searching, but without realizing it, I stopped. I saw
I was still crying when I reached the front of Quinn’s house. I couldn’t hold back my tears, but I couldn’t let Quinn see me like this. She would wonder why and might figure out that I was the one who left the baby at Zekiel’s doorstep. That only made me cry harder. Zayne is my son—I can’t bear to be separated from him, but if it’s for his own good, I’ll do it. I sat down by the gate, hugging my knees. The bag I had used to carry Zayne was still with me, but I had replaced its contents so that if anyone questioned me, they wouldn’t find any evidence. Zayne is my firstborn. The thought made me cry even more. Did I do the right thing? Was giving him up the right choice? "Claire, is that you?" I looked up in surprise and saw Quinn staring at me in confusion, but her expression quickly turned to concern when she saw me crying. "Claire, it’s you! Why are you crying?!" Her question made me sob even harder, my body trembling. She immediately rushed to me and held my shoulders.
I just ignored the police because Quinn still hadn’t stopped crying. I let her be and stayed quiet. I thought of my child again, and tears fell from my eyes, but I quickly wiped them away. I told Nanay I was leaving for Quinn’s birthday surprise, but she didn’t know I had taken Zayne with me. I glanced at the clock and saw it was almost midnight. “Quinn, stop crying. It’s not your fault, okay? Don’t blame yourself. It’s my fault for carelessly peeing in a place like that.” I also needed to go home quickly because Nanay might freak out if she didn’t see Zayne there. She didn’t know I had taken him—or worse, that I had given him to his father. Quinn pulled away from my hug and shook her head at me. “T-this wouldn’t have happened if—“ “Shhh, it’s over, Quinn. What matters is I’m okay now, right? So why should you feel guilty?” She fell silent at my words, so I forced a smile at her. I couldn’t genuinely smile because of everything that had happened. “It’s your birthday!
Bianca immediately stood up when she saw me and hid her phone. I narrowed my eyes at her because of what she did. “Oh yeah, why didn’t we think of it sooner? Those three must be friends!” Hero said, as if suddenly realizing. I sighed, let go of Zekiel’s hand, and approached Bianca. I sat in front of her and looked straight into her eyes. “Bianca, do you know where the twins went? Based on how you hid your phone, you know something, right? So don’t hide it anymore, okay?” I asked with a smile, making her shoulders slump before she nodded at me. “Ninang, I’m worried about them too! I can’t contact them anymore! They told me they’d call as soon as they arrived in Spain!” “Spain?!” We all asked in unison after hearing Bianca’s words. She nodded and handed me her phone. “That’s my last conversation with Zayne, Ninang.” The others immediately gathered around me to look at the phone. There were only a few texts, but it was clear—Zayne said they were going to Spain to look for
CLAIRE “PLEASE, Papa, just agree! I don’t know what I’ll do if something bad happens to my children. Papa, I’m begging you!” I was almost on my knees in front of Papa, just so he would allow me to return to the Philippines. When I found out the twins were missing, I immediately disturbed Papa so I could go home as soon as possible. I wouldn’t be at peace until I knew where they were. First, Kuya Clark goes missing, and now them too? “Claire, my child, stand up. I’ll agree, but—” “Thank you, Papa!” I couldn’t help myself and hugged him tightly, but he quickly pulled away. “That is, if your Kuya Timothy agrees. He’s the one covering for us. Don’t you remember you’re the Queen now? If they find out you’re not in the palace, there’ll be chaos again.” “Don’t worry, I’m willing to cover for Her Highness.” I was about to speak when that person cut me off. When we turned, we saw Kuya Timothy bowing respectfully to us. He lifted his gaze and gave me a sad smile. “I know how h
BREAKING NEWS: King Clark is missing! According to sources, he was last seen after the council meeting. Our King has yet to be found. Princess Claire and her family are now at the Palace to address the current crisis! This news has spread worldwide. After five years of King Clark Fuentes’ reign, Spain has enjoyed peace and prosperity. With the help of the new council appointed by the Princess, the country has flourished and gained even greater recognition. Who wouldn’t know the Fuentes and Gray families? Five years have passed since the Princess returned and started her own family. Today, their businesses continue to thrive, as does their growing number of supporters. The news spread quickly, and according to their rules, Claire had no choice but to temporarily take her brother’s position and become the acting ruler. “But Papa, I need to find my brother! How can I search for him if I’m buried under all this work?!” Claire said in frustration to her father, Stefan. “My chil
“We can finally get married now, right? And you can finally say yes to me, right?” Claire nodded while Zekiel smiled through his tears. The crowd erupted in cheers at the sight of them, especially since they immediately recognized Zekiel—one of the most renowned businessmen in the world. “Will you marry me, Princess Claire Fuentes?” “Say yes! Say yes! Say yes!” The people around them chanted loudly, making Claire’s family smile and even the twins join in. “Say yes! Say yes!” Claire slowly nodded, still crying. “Y-yes! Yes, absolutely, Zekiel!” Zekiel quickly slipped the ring onto her finger and stood to meet her gaze. He studied Claire’s face, wiping away her tears. “You don’t know how happy I am right now,” Zekiel said with a smile. “M-me too, Zekiel! I’m so happy! So, so happy!” Zekiel kissed Claire, making the crowd cheer even louder, some even screaming in excitement. They accepted whatever made their princess happy, and they accepted whoever she chose to m
“Now, I know what you’ve done for my sibling, and I accept you into our family,” Zekiel smiled at Clark’s words, and Clark hugged him briefly, patting his back. “I thought something had happened to you, my child! I was so scared that we rushed here without a proper plan,” Claire said tearfully. “That was the plan, Mommy—to completely defeat the enemy,” Zayne explained, furrowing his brows. “I let myself get captured on purpose, while I sent Zoey here to rescue you. There are no more enemies, Mommy. They’re all gone because Daddy made it up here, which means they’ve been defeated.” Claire couldn’t believe what Zayne was saying, her mind struggling to process it. “Your child is right, my love,” Claire turned to Zekiel at his words. “Zayne planned everything, which is why we were able to save you successfully.” Claire teared up and looked at her son. “Z-Zayne, thank you so much! You’re such a smart child!” She hugged Zayne, and the child hugged her back. “Daddy trusted me
“ON my cue,” Clark said seriously to their companions, as they were now scattered in the same place where he had been kidnapped before. They had discovered the enemy’s hideout thanks to Zoey. The child had mentioned that Zekiel found out its location, which was why he took her sibling. Zayne was right—they didn’t hesitate to storm the place, but the King and Zoey were left behind in the palace. “Go!” Clark shouted, and the sound of gunfire soon dominated the forest. Claire was fiercely exchanging fire with a group of enemies she encountered. The place had changed, and she was disoriented, but as soon as they entered, she and her brother were shocked when a net suddenly fell over them. “I’ve seen this before with Camille!” Claire yelled at her brother, recognizing it from the CCTV footage when Zekiel had captured them. “Louise and the rival Mafia are working together, so this must be their doing!” Clark replied, trying to break free, but the net was too strong. Moments la
“Oh my God, Zoey, it’s really you! I miss you, my daughter. Mommy misses you so much!” Claire showered her daughter’s cheeks with kisses, overwhelmed with longing. It had been almost two months since she had last held her child under Zekiel’s care. “I miss you too, Mommy!” “Zoey? Is this my grandchild?” The mother and daughter turned at the voice, and Zoey saw an elderly man wearing a crown—someone she recognized from TV, where she had seen him with her mother. “Grandpa!” Zoey immediately ran toward the King, who smiled warmly and scooped her up into his arms. In return, Zoey covered her grandfather’s face with kisses. “Wow, Grandpa, I can’t believe it’s really you! You’re the King? That’s so amazing!” Claire laughed, wiping tears from her cheeks as she watched them. “Haha, my dear, Grandpa’s getting tickled. That’s enough,” the King chuckled as the child finally stopped covering him in kisses and beamed up at him. “You’re so beautiful, my grandchild. You look just
“She’s terrifying!” Hero said. “That doesn’t seem like Zayne! He’s possessed by his father’s spirit!” Dylan exclaimed, earning a smack from Hero. “Damn! Bloodline really makes a difference! Look at him—Gray lineage, the sharpest in business, while Claire’s lineage carries noble blood and excels in combat!” The two fell silent when Zekiel shot them a glare, so they quietly followed him to the hideout. When they arrived, the child reached up to his father. “Daddy, can you trust me?” “Of course I trust you, son,” Zekiel said with a smile, pinching his nose. “Thank you, Dad. Now, here’s the plan...” “WE NEED to act now,” Clark said seriously. “Why does Claire have to come? Just your brother and I should go. Claire, you’re pregnant—you can’t,” the King insisted. They were in the main room, a day after the chaos had unfolded. They had released a statement claiming that a Mafia group had attempted to assassinate the princess and that they would fight back, urging the publ
“Are you okay, Claire?” Clark asked his sister worriedly as she drank something to calm herself. “I-I’m fine now, Kuya. I was just shocked by the sudden gunshot—I didn’t expect that,” Claire said, making Clark nod in response. “Me neither. It’s your day, Claire. But they did this on purpose to kill you. Thankfully, the shooter had bad aim and missed,” Clark replied. If this were any other situation and not so serious, Claire might have laughed at the thought of the shooter missing. But right now, her life was on the line. “What are you two talking about? What’s really going on?! I thought the Mafia was gone, Clark?!” They both turned to their father, having forgotten he was there—and that he had heard everything. “I-I’m sorry, Papa. I lied. I needed to keep your mind at ease after what happened to Mama, but the truth is… the Mafia isn’t gone. They’ve been lying low for a month, waiting for today—this is when they’re starting their war.” The King still couldn’t process wh