LOGIN"We need to talk." Rafael found Cleo in the kitchen early the next morning.He had spent the entire night thinking. Thinking about Seren. Thinking about Cleo.Thinking about the arrangement that had suddenly resurfaced after years of being forgotten. And after considering everything, he had finally made a decision.He needed to tell Cleo the truth. The last thing he wanted was to give her false hope. There would be no wedding.At least not between the two of them. If there was anyone Rafael wanted to marry, it was Seren. He had known that for a long time.And before Cleo became even more attached to a future that would never happen, she deserved to know."Good morning." Cleo looked up from the breakfast she was preparing.The cheerful greeting faded when she noticed the seriousness in Rafael's expression.Something was wrong. She immediately sensed it."Sure." She set down what she was doing and turned to face him.
"Can't sleep?" Seren's voice broke the silence of the night.Rafael glanced over his shoulder and found her standing nearby. He was sitting beside the pool, lost in thought."Sleep hasn't found me yet," Rafael replied. "What about you? Why are you still awake?""The same reason." Seren walked toward the pool and sat on the edge, dipping her feet into the cool water. A soft smile appeared on her lips."Meanwhile, my newly acquired big sister is already deep in dreamland.""Big sister?" Rafael stood and walked over to her. "You don't sound very happy about having one."Seren looked up at him. "It might have been nice if this big sister wasn't claiming to be your fiancée." Her voice was calm, but Rafael immediately recognized the hint of annoyance beneath it."You seem to have quite a few fiancées." She tilted her head slightly."Where does that leave me?"Rafael's lips curved upward. "Are you jealous?"Seren met his gaze. "
"Well?" Cleo leaned forward expectantly as Seren sampled the dish she had prepared. Her eyes never left Seren's face.She watched every reaction carefully, waiting for the verdict.After taking another bite, Seren finally looked up. She had no intention of lying.The food was genuinely delicious. Seren knew how to cook, but even she had to admit that she couldn't make something this good."It's amazing." The compliment came naturally. A bright smile immediately spread across Cleo's face."Really?" She looked delighted."Do you know how many years it took me to perfect that dish?" She rested her chin on her palm. "And here's a secret."Her smile widened. "I became a chef just so I could learn how to cook all of Rafael's favorite meals."Seren couldn't help feeling impressed. That level of dedication was extraordinary. Unfortunately, someone else clearly disagreed."For the record," Rafael said from the doorway, "you becam
"I honestly thought you'd be an actual little girl." Cleo tilted her head as she looked Seren up and down. "You know... a little, little sister."She laughed. "I didn't expect you to be a grown woman."Seren stared at her. For a moment, she was completely speechless. The longer Cleo spoke, the more irritated she became.She still didn't know why the woman had suddenly appeared in their house. And she was already beginning to dislike her.Whether Cleo was Rafael's friend or not, Seren couldn't stand the way she spoke.It wasn't exactly rude. But there was something about her tone that rubbed Seren the wrong way.Rafael immediately noticed. "You're overthinking things."His voice was calm. "It's been years since Dad talked to you about her."He glanced at Seren. "She couldn't stay a child forever." The emphasis on the last sentence wasn't lost on Seren. She narrowed her eyes at him.Rafael suddenly felt a chill run down hi
"Rafael!"A cheerful female voice suddenly rang through the office the moment Rafael stepped inside De Luna Corporation.Everyone froze. Before anyone could react, a young woman rushed toward him and threw her arms around him.Leo, Trisha, Kim, and Daniel, who were already inside Rafael's office, exchanged stunned glances.Even Rafael himself was caught completely off guard."Cleo?" His eyes widened as he gently pulled her back to get a better look at her face. The surprise on his expression was impossible to hide."Cleo, what are you doing here?"The young woman pouted playfully. "Well, at least you still remember me."She crossed her arms. "You haven't contacted me in ages. I was beginning to think you'd forgotten all about me."Before Rafael could respond, she slipped her arm around his and rested her head on his shoulder as though it were the most natural thing in the world.Several pairs of eyes immediately t
"Seren, can't you just stay here?"Anna's voice was filled with hope as she walked beside Seren toward the front gate.Breakfast had just ended. Just as Rafael had promised, he was coming to pick her up. Earlier, Seren had even received a message from Kim informing her that he and Rafael were already on their way."Anna," Lena said gently, "your sister has things she needs to do. Besides, she can always come back and visit whenever she wants."Seren glanced at her mother.After everything that had happened the previous night, she still didn't know how she was supposed to act around her.Perhaps one day they could become a proper family. Perhaps things could eventually become natural between them. But she knew it would take time."Aren't you staying?" Anna asked again."Anna," Lena warned softly."I'll visit whenever I have time," Seren said with a smile before turning to her mother. "I'm leaving now.""Oh..." Lena
As a token of gratitude, Rafael sent the surviving terrorist back to the Bianchi headquarters. Alive. But barely. They hadn't killed him.They had simply made sure he suffered enough to understand what happened to those who crossed Rafael De Luna.When the package arrived, several B
As agreed upon by Rafael and the National Security Secretary, two elite soldiers were dispatched to Rafael's estate to assist in planning the rescue operation and clear the De Luna name from the allegations surrounding the Prime Minister's kidnapping.After an hour of preparation and strategic plan
The room fell into a tense silence after Rafael’s question.“So you’re saying,” Rafael continued coldly, “that my organization won’t be cleared unless I cooperate with you, and that you’ll use your authority to press us further if I refuse?”
“Looks like they really believe it was us,” Leon muttered while staring toward the entrance.“Kim,” Rafael said calmly, “let them in.”His assistant immediately looked at him.“You know they’re here to arrest you,” Trisha







