What is happening?

In the Rivera mansion, Vincent Rivera looked as stunned as his daughter Cindy and the rest of the extended members of the Rivera family.

"Brother? What do you mean by we are hosting an engagement? Who's engagement are we hosting?" Vincent inquired quietly.

Now Alexander is no longer the boss of the outfit, but he is still imposing as the head of the Rivera family. So no one dares to speak out loudly with him even though its Dante they are all scared of.

Alexander looked at his younger brother like he is a fool for even asking that question.

"What do you mean by who? Ofcourse for Serene and Dante. It was fixed two years ago. Now we are going forward with that arrangement" he replied sharply.

Vincent is stunned to say the least. They all thought that Serene might be dead when she suddenly dissappeared 2 years ago. Neither Dante nor Alexander tried to search for her. So Vincent assumed that she is dead. So he thought that his daughter is the sole heiress of the Rivera fortune. So to hear that Serene is alive and is going to get engaged to the formidable boss of the outfit was literally a shock.

Cindy clenched her fists under the table, but didn't dare to speak anything. Just like Serene, she knows not to speak when not spoken to. But she glanced at her father, who shook his head.

After dinner, Cindy stormed into her father's room. Unlike Alexander who controlled his daughter under his thumb, Vincent pampered his. So Cindy has the privilege to vent infront of her father.

"Dad, what the hell? Serene is alive? Then where was she all these years? Uncle Alexander never allowed her to even mingle with friends. Then why did he keep her outside for 2 years?" Cindy shared her confusion.

Vincent shook his head.

"I don't know either. May be it was Dante's demand. But its quite suspicious that Serene was sent away right when the threat of the Scions was delivered. Maybe Dante was trying to keep her out of this. But it doesn't add up. Neither Dante nor my brother are sentimental types. They don't mind ditching Serene if it meant to save themselves" Vincent looked confused too.

But most of all, they are not happy that the Rivera fortune slipped out of their hands.

"Now what?" Cindy demanded.

Vincent rubbed his hand over his face.

"Just wait for our chance. Until then, try to play nice with Serene. Don't mess with her" Vincent advised his daughter.

........

In Dante's villa, the boss looked like he is lost in deep thoughts when someone disturbed him.

"Dante? I heard you are marrying Alexander's daughter. Is that true?" a woman in her mid twenties demanded. She looked tall and beautiful in her body con dress.

Dante didn't turn to face the woman.

"Vivian, I suggest you to mind your own business. I let this one slide for the sake of your father. If you ever meddle in my business again, you out of all people know what I can do" Dante threatened her. He didn't raise his voice, but the implication is clear.

Vivian Scion, the daughter of Nathaniel Scion, sworn enemies of Alexander Rivera, stood there, stunned.

"Dante, we were lovers once. Why? Why are you doing this to me?" she whispered sadly.

Vivian is not a bad person. But she had a past with Dante, and he has a purpose that doesn't include her in his plan. So he let her go.

"I don't think we were lovers. We had fun. It was mutual. I didn't promise you anything, you were ok with it. So what you are implying now doesn't make any sense. I suggest you put away your frail thoughts" he murmured evenly.

Her eyes welled up with tears.

"Mark my words Dante, no one can satisfy you than I can. Serene is just a puppet in her father's plans. I will not be surprised if one day she doesn't attempt to kill you before you could...." her words were abruptly cut short when he whirled around and grabbed her around her neck in a choke hold.

"I warned you, didn't I Vivian? Don't meddle in my business if you don't want me to kill you" he murmured camly, as if he is not chocking a woman under his palm. Just when Vivian thought she is going to die, he pushed her away in anger.

"Now get the hell out of here" he snapped.

Vivian scurried away with fear.

After she left, Dante's mind played the images of the night from 2 years ago. The night when Serene dared to run away. His body weak from the bullet wounds while she stood there over him with her hands filled with his blood and trembling.

He closed his eyes tightly as his fists tightened.

"Serene Rivera, the perfect daughter Alexander raised. He was so proud that his daughter would become a perfect wife. A wife who wouldn't question her husband if he keeps other woman around. A daughter so pretty and obedient. But Alexander, your daughter is not your kind of perfect. She is something different. If you find out what she did, you might be shocked into speechlessness" he thought with mixed feelings.

........

The next morning, In Dr. Raymond's cabin, Serene was seen holding her resignation letter. She is hesitant, She doesn't want to resign from her job. In these two years, this is the only thing that she poured her heart into. Only this part of her life never felt like an adjustment. The smiling faces of the people who she could save used to make her days feel better.

"Serene? What happened? You look lost" Ray inquired with a frown.

She slid her resignation across his desk, closer to him. When he read the content, he was stunned.

"You are resigning?" he asked with shock.