“I thought what you were watching was sad, so why are you blushing?” Claire froze at Zekiel’s words and quickly took another spoonful of ice cream, but she was startled when Zekiel suddenly grabbed her hand and ate the spoonful meant for her. “Hmm… It is delicious,” Zekiel said with a grin, expecting her to get annoyed, but instead, she burst into tears. “M-My ice cream!” Zekiel panicked at her reaction. “I-It was just one spoon, why are you acting like it’s your whole life?!” he tried to calm her down, but Claire only cried harder. “You stole my ice cream! That was mine!” Zekiel immediately hugged Claire, making her stop because she could smell his cologne—and she loved it. “Stop it! I’ll buy you tons of ice cream, just don’t cry,” Zekiel coaxed, making Claire look up at him. “Really?” “Really, really! So stop crying, okay?” “Okay! I’m easy to talk to!” Claire said, wrapping her arms around Zekiel’s waist and sniffing him. “Ah, Venice, I haven’t even changed yet
CLAIRE “HEY Venice, wake up,” I was startled when someone called my name. I had fallen asleep early last night because I was so exhausted. I opened my eyes and saw Zekiel, but it was still dark around us—did that mean it was still night? “S-Sir, did you just get back?” I asked, yawning right after. “No, I got back last night. It’s almost dawn now. We have somewhere to go, so I’m waking you up early.” Hearing that, I just rolled over—I didn’t want to go. “You guys go ahead, I’ll just sleep here.” “What? No way. Zayne’s coming with us.” That made me pause. If my son was going, that meant I wouldn’t enjoy it anyway. “No, it’s fine. I’ll stay here. There are plenty of guards anyway. Go ahead, be careful.” I waved at him while facing away, hugging my pillow again. “Kyah!” But I yelped when I was suddenly lifted from the bed—Zekiel was carrying me. “Zekiel, what the—?! I was still sleeping!” I snapped at him, gripping his neck tightly because I suddenly felt nervous. “So
“Why are we really here?” I said, crossing my arms as I sat on a single sofa while the father and son were on the longer couch. “For vacation,” Zekiel replied simply, making me raise an eyebrow. “Vacation? What about your work?” “Hero can handle it for now.” My eyebrow rose even higher at that. “Poor guy, you just dumped all your work on him.” “Tita-Mommy, don’t you want to spend time with us?” I blinked at what my son said. It was unusual—lately, he’d been noticing me more and actually talking to me, unlike in the past few days. “Of course I do, but—“ “No more ‘buts.’ We’re already here, so let’s just enjoy ourselves,” Zekiel said with a smile, making me frown. “I’m always sleepy. How am I supposed to enjoy anything?” His smile faded at my words. “This is your fault! You got me pregnant, and now I can’t even move properly!” My voice cracked, on the verge of tears. He immediately stood up, took my hand, and pulled me toward the couch, making me sit between them. “D
Claire stood frozen in place, unable to move, speak, or even breathe properly after what she had just discovered. It felt like a nightmare—one she never wanted to happen in real life. “Hey! Say something, Venice—or should I say, Claire Sanchez?” Camille smirked, making Claire instinctively step back. “H-How did you know?” Claire stammered, her voice shaky as if she couldn’t catch her breath. Her hands trembled, and cold sweat trickled down her skin. “How? You think I’m stupid enough to tell you? I know you, Venice, so stop pretending!” Camille snapped, making Claire flinch. A flood of questions raced through her mind, but fear overpowered them all. What if Zekiel found out? What if Zayne knew? What would they say? Worse—what if they got angry and left her? Over the past few days, Claire had grown closer to Zekiel, especially since they often sat together at night, talking before sleep. He was the one who comforted her during her pregnancy mood swings and even went out of his
(FLASHBACK) The father and son woke up to find Claire missing from the bed. Zekiel was about to rush out to look for her when Zayne spoke up, stopping him in his tracks. “Daddy, Tita-Mommy went for a walk!” They saw the sticky note she had left on the table, and Zekiel nodded in understanding. “Oh, I see. Let’s just leave her be for now. This is the first time she’s gone out alone, and I know she’s safe here in the resort.” Zayne nodded at his father’s words, and they began fixing the bed—until Zayne suddenly thought of Zoey. “Daddy… is there any chance that—I mean, if another child were to become part of our family, would that be okay with you? Especially if it’s a girl?” Zekiel paused in arranging the sheets and looked at his son. Zayne’s heart pounded at his father’s reaction, especially since he was just staring silently. “What do you mean?—Oh! You’re talking about Venice’s daughter. Of course, I’d be more than okay with that. Remember, Zayne, family isn’t just abo
“So we thought you’d be happy once you see your child, so we’re leaving right now!” Claire’s eyes widened at what Zekiel said. “Right now?!” “Uh, yeah? I only have five days of vacation, my life—I’m sorry, but we’re running out of time,” Zekiel said, scratching the back of his neck while Claire fell into thought. If they went to Paris, they could avoid Camille, and she could find a way to delay the meeting between father and son. The thought lifted her spirits. “Okay! Let’s go!” she said cheerfully, making the father and son cheer in agreement as they packed their things. Once they were done, they immediately left, with Zekiel driving them to the airport. Claire felt nervous as they exited the hotel room—there was a chance Camille and Zekiel might cross paths—but she was immensely relieved when it didn’t happen. When they arrived at the airport, she was surprised to learn they’d be using Zekiel’s private plane. She had forgotten that the man was wealthy enough to own one
They quickly left the mall, which made Claire and Zayne breathe a sigh of relief. “What’s going on between you two?” Zekiel suddenly asked while driving, making them both glance at him. “Nothing,” Claire replied, trying not to draw his attention. “Daddy, I’m just worried about Auntie-Mommy,” Zayne shrugged, making sure Zekiel wouldn’t suspect anything. Zekiel could only shake his head, unable to understand the two of them. They switched malls that day and later returned to their hotel room. Zayne had already called his twin while they were still at the mall, saying their plans were canceled because something unexpected happened. Zoey had even gotten worried, thinking something had happened to her dad, but nothing did. They were exhausted from their outing, so they fell asleep almost immediately. THE NEXT MORNING, Zekiel woke up to Claire’s loud voice. “What?! But I didn’t know that!” When he looked toward her, she was by the window, talking to someone on the phone. “
Notes: - “Kuya” – Retained as is since it’s a Filipino term for an older brother, but the context makes it clear. - “Tita-Mommy” – A mix of “Tita” (auntie) and “Mommy,” showing Zayne’s affectionate yet uncertain way of addressing Claire. “Zoey, let’s meet at the mall. I’m on my way now,” Zayne said seriously before leaving the hotel room. He had slipped away from Zekiel and Claire, who were still asleep in their room since it was only noon. The boy knew how to get around, especially since he had money. When he arrived at the mall—the one he had told the twins about—he spotted them right away near the entrance. “Kuya!” People turned to look at them because of Zoey’s loud squeal, but Zayne ignored them and smiled at the twins before opening his arms to hug her. “I miss you, Kuya! I missed you so much!” Zoey said, making Zayne tighten his embrace. He had so many regrets when it came to her—too many. “I miss you too, Zoey. Kuya missed you.” After their hug, they went i
“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
“No, YOU are being rude.” The man suddenly sat back down at her words, and the room fell silent. “May I remind all of you? We hired you to be the BALANCERS of this country, not the RULERS. WE are the rulers, and YOU are the balancers. So you have NO right to decide whether to accept me or my late mother as Princess and Queen of this country!” Claire held her head high as she spoke, leaving them speechless. Timothy grinned widely, almost clapping at his friend’s words. “I, the Princess of Spain, declare that the current council will be REPLACED with a new one!” Everyone stood up in protest, but Timothy acted swiftly, slamming his long gun on the table, silencing them. “The princess has given an order, so you MUST obey. Royal blood can make decisions without consulting the king.” Claire smiled as she saw the defeated looks on the men’s faces, then glanced at Timothy, who nodded back. Finally, she had avenged her mother. ’Mama, I know this is what you wanted. We miss you so
Breaking News: After a decade and a half of searching for the Queen and Princess of Spain, they have finally been found. Unfortunately, the Queen has passed away, and only the Princess, Princess Claire, has survived. Reports have also spread that the two royals had been staying in the Philippines, where they lived as ordinary citizens. --- Zekiel turned off the TV after seeing the news. A few days had passed since Timothy went with him to retrieve the body of the late Queen. He desperately wanted to see Claire, but he couldn’t—he had no right to ask about her. Especially now that she was known worldwide, with the strange circumstances surrounding her and her mother spreading everywhere. “Daddy!” He turned to the door and saw the twins running toward him. “Is there any news about Mommy yet?” Zoey asked with a hopeful smile. “Not yet, sweetheart,” Zekiel replied sadly. “Don’t worry, Daddy! Mommy will come back! Uncle Clark promised us!” Zoey said cheerfully. “Zoey’s ri
He was Timothy’s father and Kaithy’s husband. The right hand of the King, his own father. He was the one who taught them how to fight back then, so he could never forget the man—he had played such a huge part in his life. “I miss you so much, Tito!” She pulled away from the hug, and the man held her cheeks. “I couldn’t believe you’d grow up into such a beautiful lady.” Claire smiled even wider at his words. “Mama took good care of me, Tito.” The man’s smile faded at what she said. “I’m sorry about your mother.” “It’s okay, Tito. I’ve accepted it. It’s Papa I’m worried about.” Timothy’s father understood Tagalog but couldn’t speak it fluently since he didn’t grow up in the Philippines, unlike his wife and son, who had spent many years there. “I’ll go ahead now, Tito. I’ll see you later.” She smiled at him, and the man nodded. The news of the princess’s arrival spread quickly throughout the palace, and many wanted to catch a glimpse of her. Some even secretly positioned
Clark bowed his head at her question. “The doctor said your body is completely exhausted, especially after you were hit by a bullet in the shoulder,” Claire touched her shoulder but felt no pain there. No wonder it didn’t hurt—she had been asleep for a week. “The twins, Kuya?! What happened to my children?!” she exclaimed in shock as she remembered her kids. “Calm down, Claire. They’re fine. I had our people watch over them, so everything’s alright.” Claire stopped her hysterics upon hearing this and let out a sigh of relief. “I’m sorry, Kuya Clark. I’m just scared something bad might happen to my family.” Clark nodded in understanding at his sister’s words. Even though he didn’t have his own family yet, he felt the same way about theirs. “Oh, by the way, Kuya, does Papa know I’m here?” Clark shook his head at her question. “Papa doesn’t know. I hid you, Claire, because I want you to be the one to talk to him about what happened to Mama.” Claire couldn’t help but feel
After Zekiel said that, he immediately shot the enemies, causing the other two to join in, each firing at the opponents trying to advance. Since there were three of them, they quickly defeated them, much to the delight of the other two. “Finally!” Hero exclaimed. “We can go home now! Kiel, come on, hurry!” Dylan was the first to run, making the other two shake their heads before following. Dylan stopped at a door where they knew Louise was. “You go first, Kiel, hehe,” Dylan said, scratching his head sheepishly. “See? Acting all tough but actually a coward,” Hero teased, earning him a glare from Dylan. Meanwhile, Zekiel didn’t hesitate—he kicked the door open. But he froze when he saw Louise and Camille lifeless, drenched in their own blood on the floor. “D-Daddy!” He turned toward the voice and immediately ran to the twins. “Zoey! Zayne!” He hugged them tightly as the twins cried into his chest. When an explosion echoed in the distance, Zoey started crying again, b
“IN the count of three,” Zekiel said seriously as they stood at the edge of the garden of the building where Timothy was hiding, holding his family hostage. “One... Two... Three... NOW!” Zekiel’s men quickly scrambled into action at his signal. When they reached the underground passage, two people opened it, and as soon as it was unlocked, they rushed inside one after another. “Go! Go! Go!” Dylan whispered urgently to their teammates leading the way inside. “Make sure to keep it quiet,” Hero muttered to one of the men, who nodded in response. Once everyone else was in, the three of them followed. They had only brought a few men underground since the others were on lookout and would join them once the trap was set. When they entered, they found themselves in an open space that was clearly abandoned. “Start setting things up as planned.” The men nodded and began working on their assigned tasks. They had agreed to place long, sharp metal rods so that when their enemies