LOGIN“Seren!”
Dean caught up to her just outside the university.
She stopped and turned to face him.
“Dean…”
“What happened to you?” he asked, concern evident in his voice. “Eric told me Rafael took you from the hospital. I didn’t know where to find you. Did he hurt you?”
“No,” Seren replied simply.
“Then did he threaten you? Is that why you went back with him?”
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“Seren!”Dean caught up to her just outside the university.She stopped and turned to face him.“Dean…”“What happened to you?” he asked, concern evident in his voice. “Eric told me Rafael took you from the hospital. I didn’t know where to find you. Did he hurt you?”“No,” Seren replied simply.“Then did he threaten you? Is that why you went back with him?”“No. I chose to go with him.”Dean frowned.“Why? I thought we agreed you’d come with me. We were going to get married.”“About that---” Seren cut him off, meeting his gaze. “I don’t think it’s right for us to continue with the marriage.”Dean stared at her.“What did you just say? You don’t want to marry me anymore? Did Rafael force you?”“No. It’s not like that
Seren was packing her things when her gaze landed on the brooch resting on the side table beside her bed.Today was her discharge. Dean had already said he would pick her up and take her to his place.The thought made her uneasy. For reasons she didn’t want to admit, she kept looking for Rafael.But ever since Dean arrived, Rafael hadn’t come back. And the truth was. She had been waiting for him.Her fingers paused as she picked up the brooch. She stared at it for a long moment.She was sure she had given this to Eric. So why was it here?Slowly, she sat down on the bed, turning it over in her hand. Memories surfaced.Bernard. He hadn’t given it to her with any ill intention. If anything, it had been the opposite. He gave it to protect her.To welcome her. To make her part of his family. And yet. She hadn’t seen that.Not then. Not when it mattered.“Are you feeling better?”
“Are you sure about this?”Leon watched as Rafael carefully placed the brooch on the side table inside Seren’s hospital room.It was the same brooch Bernard had given her.Eric had returned it to Rafael, claiming it no longer held any value now that Rafael was no longer the leader of De Luna. And Seren had already refused to become his wife.“You know,” Leon continued, folding his arms, “you’d be better off without her in the picture. Just look at what happened.”From the very beginning, Leon had been against Seren staying in the mansion. Even rescuing her from the underground fighting ring had been something he disagreed with.Leon wasn’t just Rafael’s right-hand man.He had been with him long before Rafael was appointed as the leader of De Luna.They were more than allies. They were brothers.Leon followed Rafael not just because he was his superior, but becau
“What do you think you’re doing?” Rafael stood in front of her, blocking her path.He couldn’t just stand there and watch her fall apart anymore.He already knew Eric had told her she was free from him.But he couldn’t let her stay like this, so weak, so broken, in the middle of the rain.Even though Seren was already dizzy, her vision blurring, she still heard his voice clearly.“Feeling miserable after everything you’ve done?” Rafael said coldly. “Honestly, you deserve it.”“Come on. Stand up.” A hand was extended toward her.Through her blurred vision, she saw it, familiar, steady, reaching for her.Slowly, she lifted her gaze. Even with her weakened state, she recognized him immediately.Rafael. And somehow, that realization made her chest tighten even more.Of all people. It was still him.The one standing in front of her. The one
“That stupid girl… what does she think she’s doing in that condition?”Rafael’s voice was low and tense as he watched Seren from inside the car. She stood in front of Bernard’s grave, trembling, her shoulders shaking as she cried.He knew about her operation.He knew everything.Eric had used her family to force her into helping him seize control. He had also learned about Anna’s condition and how Seren had agreed to donate her bone marrow.“Are you not going to go to her?” Kim asked quietly from the driver’s seat. “She must be feeling lost right now. And she’s blaming herself for everything that happened.”Rafael’s jaw tightened.“Her own family used her for her sister.”Kim glanced at him. “You should just leave her like that? In this state?”Rafael leaned back, his gaze still fixed on Seren.“Let h
Lena was stunned when the doctor informed her that they had finally found a compatible bone marrow donor for Anna.But what shocked her even more was learning that the donor was Seren.Before she could even process it, the doctor told her that both Seren and Anna had already been scheduled for the transplant surgery.“She’s currently in an isolation room while we prepare for the procedure,” the doctor explained.Lena wanted to see her daughter, to speak to her, but the doctor firmly told her that visitors were not allowed yet.On the day of the operation, Lena saw Seren being wheeled down the hallway, surrounded by doctors and nurses on their way to the operating room.Her eyes immediately found her daughter. But Seren deliberately looked away. It had been a huge decision for her.No matter how deeply she resented her parents for everything they had done, she could never bring herself to abandon Anna.Her sist







