Mag-log in"You humiliated her?"Leo's voice was sharp, slicing through the air the moment he stepped into the room and learned what had happened.
"She started it,"I shot back, refusing to shrink under his glare. "if she had not provoked me, I would not have reacted."
Leo's eyes were flat and unreadable. He had always been impossible to decipher, like a slab of marble that refused to crack. I prided myself on being able to read people, but never him.
His gaze shifted to the bedside table where the divorce papers lay untouched.
"I will sign them,"I said quietly. "But I need you to hear me out first. Just once. After I tell you what I need to say, if you still want me gone, I will leave and never show my face to you again."
"So what is it?"His voice carried a flicker of impatience that made my stomach twist. My courage begay to fray.
I knew his greatest vulnerability was the thought of having a child of his own. It was pathetic to rely on it, but I had no choice. If there was any hope of saving our marriage, it would be because of the life growing inside me.
"I..."My voice faltered, small and fragile. He noticed. His jaw tightened, his eye narrowing, his lips curling in quiet irritation. My hands clenched into fists, nails bitting into my palms as I forced myself to speak. "I went to see my doctor today..."
Before I could continue, his phone rang. The shrill sound shattered the moment. He turned away and answered without a second thought, shutting me out completely.
I followed him down the hallway, desperate to at least hear who was on the other end.
,"I just got home,,"Leo said softly, his voice low and gentle, so unlike the tone he ever used with me. "You are what...? What happened? Are you alright? Can you stand? Alright, I am on my way. Do not move. Just wait for me."
I barely had time to step back and pretend I had not been listening before he ended the call and turned around.
"Where are you going?"I asked, planting myself in his path. "Leo, we are in the middle of a conversation. Please, we need to talk."
"Clara is sick, Rose. She needs me."He brushed past me as if I did not exist, striding straight to the garage. "We will talk when I return."
I needed him too. Why could he not see that?
"It is her again!"My voice broke as I followed him.
"She is going to ruin you all over again. She is selfish, Leo. She cannot stand seeing you happy without her, that is why she-"
"Sign the divorce papers,"He snapped l, spinning around to glare at me. "By tomorrow morning, I do not want you here anymore."
And just like that, he was gone. The sound of his car tearing out of the driveway was the only thing left in the silence. My knees buckled, and I collapsed onto the cold floor, staring blankly as tears streamed down my face
I had always believed I was strong. But when it came to Leo, I crumbled every single time.
****
"Leo.."I grasped as his mouth trailed down my chest, his rhythm inside me relentless. I could barely catch my breath. My body trembled with every thrust.
"Ah... Leo..."My back arched when his lips closed around me, his tongue teasing until I could no longer contain my cries.
His face was flushed, sweat dripping down his temple as he devoured every inch of me with kisses. He did not stop. He did not give me a chance to think. Every thrust came with a groan, every touch a low whisper of my name.
"You are beautiful, Rose..."His voice was rough, filled with desire as his hands cupped my breasts and his pace quickened.
I shut my eyes tight, biting my lip to stifle a scream. There was no one to hear, yet the shame burned through me.
He hooked my legs over his shoulders, forcing me open as his gaze locked on mine.
"You like this?"His lips parted, his voice hoarse and unsteady. "You are so tight... I should have done this to you on our wedding night."
I barely processed his words. The only thing I could focus on was the overwhelming sensation pulling me apart. My fingers twisted into the sheets, my moans louder than ever as the pleasure built higher and higher.
"Ahhh!"He spread my legs wide and pressed his body down against mine.
"Leo!"I cried, gasping for air.
He crushed his lips to mine, his tongue sliding past my parted mouth. I kissed him back feverishly, clinging to him as if he were the only thing keeping me alive. He was my husband. It was natural, expected even, yet I still could not believe it was happening.
"Say my name,"He whispered against my lips
"Leo... I want more. Please..."
His eyes darkened, his thrust deeper, rougher.
"I want more too,"He growled before kissing me hard. "Oh, God;"
"Mrs Robinson! Mrs Robinson!"
My eyes flew open at the sound of a voice calling me. One of the housemaids stood in front of me, concern written on her face
"Mrs Robinson, why are you sleeping on the floor?"
I blinked, finally realizing where I was. The floor was damp with the tears I had she'd earlier. I had cried myself to sleep and dreamt about that night Leo, the one that had happened a month ago.
"W-what... Time is it!"I asked, running a hand through my tangled hair.
"Almost two in the morning."
"Has Leo come back home yet?"I already knew the answer, but I still asked, hoping against hope that he would return, ask what I had wanted to tell him earlier, and finally listen.
The maid shook her head. I forced a small, empty smile and pushed myself up.
"Go rest. I will head upstairs,"I said softly.
She nodded and returned to her room. I went straight to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of Vodka, twisting the cap off with trembling hands. I had never imagined my life would turn out like this.
As I drank, memories of my time with Leo resurfaced, each one piercing vi I'd. There were so feet of them, yet each was etched deeply into me.
When he once told me he wanted children, a family of his own, I had imagined I would be the woman by his side. I had poured everything into being a good wife, supporting his choice, loving him with all I had.
I had dreamed too big. I never knew the fall would hurt this much.
I picked up my phone and typed the words I had been holding in all day.
"I am pregnant,"I sent.
Moments later, his reply came
"Abort it."
That was it. That was the final blow.
I staggered up the stairs to our bedroom. The divorce papers were waiting on the bedside table.
My chest tightened as I picked them up and read the words once more.
I wanted so desperately to save our marriage, to protect him from further heartbreak. But there was nothing left to fight for.
I took a long, shaking breath, grabbed a pen, and signed my name. That was it. I was no longer his wife. No longer Mrs. Robinson.
I reached for my suitcase and began to pack my things. All I could hope for was that one day Leo would not regret this decision.
The new Progenitor was faster than the old one.Its wings cut through the air like blades. Each beat pushed it forward—closer, closer. The water beneath us churned. The boat rocked."Faster!" I shouted.Kai pushed the engine. The motor screamed. Black smoke poured from the back. But we weren't fast enough.Corvin took to the sky. "I'll distract it!""No! Corvin, get back—"He was already gone. Flying straight at the creature's face. His feathers gleamed in the grey light. His hands were claws.The Progenitor snapped at him. Corvin dodged. Spun. Dived. The creature followed."Now!" Leo shouted. "Go now!"Kai turned the boat hard. We shot east, away from the creature, toward the open sea.Behind us, Corvin kept fighting. Kept dodging. Kept buying us time.Then I heard a scream.Not the Progenitor. Corvin.I looked back. The creature had him. In its claws. Corvin's wings were broken. His body was limp."NO!"I shifted. The key burned. The Master Key flared.I jumped.---The water was co
The mountain facility was called Helios.Leo told us that on the boat ride north. He had found the name in Marcus's documents—a single mention buried in a report about energy consumption. Helios used as much power as a small city. All of it underground."What's down there?" Kai asked."Records. Servers. Holding cells. Maybe worse." Leo looked at the map. "The facility is built into the mountain itself. Three levels above ground, ten below.""Ten below?" Wren's voice was small."The Council likes to dig."We sailed through the night. The sea was dark and quiet. Miro swam ahead, his scales providing a faint glow. Corvin flew above, watching for patrols. The rest of us sat in silence, each lost in our own thoughts.Astra was the first to speak."Rose," she said. "What happens if we fail?"I looked at her. Her scarred hands were folded in her lap. Her blue eyes were steady."Then we try again," I said."What if we die?""Then we die trying."She nodded. She didn't look satisfied. But she
Three weeks passed.The island healed slowly. New grass grew over the glass beach. Young trees pushed through the ash. The volcano stopped smoking. The water turned from black to blue.The children healed too. Burns faded. Cuts closed. Nightmares stayed, but they came less often. Astra's hands were still scarred, but she could freeze a cup of water again. Corvin's wings grew new feathers, brighter than before.I sat on the cliff every morning, watching the horizon. The key hung around my neck now, small and warm against my chest. Eli's stone was in my pocket. The Master Key was dark—not dead, but quiet. Resting.Leo found me there on the twenty-first morning."The scouts are back," he said.I stood up. "What did they find?""Council ships. Three of them. Patrolling the outer edges of our territory. They haven't come close yet, but they're looking.""For us?""For something."I looked at the horizon. Nothing but water and sky."How long until they find us?""A week. Maybe less."I nodd
The Progenitor moved.Its body uncurled from the sky, black scales scraping against the clouds. The ground shook. The volcano groaned. Waves crashed against the beach, higher than houses, higher than trees.But the pack did not run.Astra stepped forward, her hands raised. Ice shot from her palms, forming a wall between the beach and the volcano. The Progenitor's tail slammed against it. The ice cracked but held."Corvin!" I shouted.Corvin took to the sky, his wings spread wide. Behind him, a dozen other flyers followed—children with feathers, with leathery wings, with skin that caught the wind. They swarmed the Progenitor's head, diving at its eyes, its mouth, its gills.The beast roared. The sound shattered windows on the island. Children on the ground covered their ears."Miro!" I called.Miro surged from the water, his scales blazing. Behind him, every Variant who could swim—dozens of them—launched into the sea. They attacked the Progenitor's underside, where the scales were thin
The pack gathered at the volcano's base as the sun set.Hundreds of children. Hundreds of Variants. They sat in rows on the black sand, holding hands, whispering prayers. Some cried. Some laughed. Some stared at the horizon where the Progenitor's shadow had begun to darken the sky.I stood at the front, the lock in my hand. It pulsed gently, blue light spilling between my fingers.Leo stood beside me. "How does this work?""I don't know.""You met the King. He didn't tell you?""He told me to let go." I looked at the lock. "That's all.""Let go of what?""Everything."Leo was quiet. Then he put his hand on my shoulder. "Then I'll start."He closed his eyes.The lock pulsed brighter.Leo's body began to glow. Soft gold light, like mine but softer. Kinder. He opened his eyes and smiled."I see it," he said. "The Fold. It's beautiful."Then he was gone.Not dead. Not disappeared. Just... elsewhere. I could still feel him. His resonance. His heartbeat. He was in the Fold.The pack gasped.
The journey back to the island took three days.The sea was rough. The sky was grey. The fragment burned hotter with every passing hour. I kept it in a metal box Leo had given me, but the box glowed red. The wood around it smoked.Miro swam alongside the boat, his black eyes fixed on the horizon. He spoke less now. He was listening. We all were.The Progenitor was coming."He's faster than we thought," Miro said on the second night. We had stopped at a small island to rest. The boat needed repairs. Kai worked on the engine while Wren gathered firewood."How far?" I asked."Three days. Maybe two." Miro's scales flickered. "He's not swimming. He's gliding. Above the water.""Above?""He's grown since you saw him last. The fire from the Nursery. The prisoners. He's been feeding."I thought about the facility we had freed. The cells. The prisoners. The ones we hadn't reached in time."He ate them," I said.Miro nodded. "He ate everything."---We reached the island at dawn on the third da
Walking into the office at 8:30 AM felt like stepping onto a stage. My heart was thudding against my ribs, but I kept my expression neutral, my laptop bag gripped tightly in my hand."Rose! There she is!" Karl’s voice boomed across the bull pen. He looked exactly the same—cheerful, slightly rumpl
The next morning, the Robinson estate felt like a different world. Jaden was delighted by the "giant breakfast" served by a nervous-looking Sarah, while Leo sat at the head of the table, dressed in a bespoke charcoal suit that screamed power."I’ve arranged for a private tutor to come here for Jade
The iron gates of the Robinson estate groaned as they swung open. To anyone else, this was a palace of marble and gold. To me, it was a graveyard of my youngest, most naive hopes.Jaden sat in the back of the sleek black car, his nose pressed against the window. "Is this a hotel, Mommy? Are we stay
The morning sun at the high-end hotel was different from the sun at the Robinson estate. At the estate, the light always felt cold, filtering through heavy velvet curtains like a spotlight in a prison. Here, in the penthouse of the Azure Sands, the light was warm and smelled of salt air and expensi







