Chapter 6

ELIRA’S POV

Pagkatapos ng nangyari kagabi sa ulan, I couldn’t sleep.

Hindi dahil sa lamig. Hindi dahil sa basa pa ang buhok ko.

Pero dahil sa sinabi ni Kael:

"Falling in love with you… that’s what scares me."

Hanggang ngayon, parang echo sa isip ko.

Sinabi niya ba talaga 'yon?

Or was I just too desperate to believe that the man who married me out of debt might actually love me back?

Maaga akong bumaba. Suot ko pa rin ang oversized hoodie ko at ang basang damdamin ko.

Kael wasn’t in the dining area. As usual.

Pero may natanggap akong text from an unknown number:

"Meet me at Grayleaf Tower. 11 A.M. Don't bring him. This is about your life."

Hindi ko na tinanong kung sino. I knew in my gut.

Solene.

The wind was sharp, parang tinutusok ang balat ko.

Solene was already there, nakaupo sa corner table, red lipstick again, and that same confident, deadly smile.

"Hindi kita inimbita para mag-away," she started, sipping her coffee. "I came to give you a chance."

"Chance sa ano? Sa fantasy mong si Kael babalik sa 'yo?" I snapped.

She laughed. Not annoyed. Not offended. Just amused.

"Cute. But no. I came to give you the truth."

She placed a folder on the table.

"Open it."

I did.

And my world cracked.

Inside the folder:

A birth certificate.

Medical reports.

A document showing power of attorney.

And a DNA match result between Kael Thorne and... a child. A daughter.

"This is Azaira. Kael's child."

My lips trembled. "You're lying."

"No. I'm warning you," she said, suddenly serious. "You think Kael is cold because he has walls? No, Elira. He’s cold because he’s hiding more than his past. He’s hiding people. Lives. Mistakes."

"Why are you showing me this? What do you want from me?"

"I want you to be smart," she said. "Leave before you become another secret he buries."

Pagbalik ko, tahimik ang buong bahay. Kael wasn’t around, but I knew where he would be.

I entered the library. And there he was.

Reading. As if the world didn’t just shift.

"Who is Azaira?"

His hand froze. Hindi niya ako tiningnan agad. Pero tumayo siya.

"Where did you hear that name?"

"From the woman you should’ve warned me about."

Kael sighed, slowly removing his glasses.

"Elira, this is not what you think."

"Then make me understand. Kasi ang nakikita ko lang ngayon ay isang lalaking may anak na hindi man lang ako kayang sabihan."

"She’s not my daughter."

Tahimik.

"She’s my half-sister."

What?

He walked toward me, placing the documents gently on the table.

"My father had another family. He hid them. Azaira is his child. After he died, I found out. I gave her my name. I took legal responsibility."

"Why?"

"Because no one else would. And because she reminded me what innocence looks like."

I stared at him, searching for lies.

Wala akong nakita kundi pagod. Truth. And something I hadn’t seen before...

Fear.

"Solene thought she could use that against me. But I’m not hiding Azaira. I’m protecting her."

I looked away. My chest was heavy.

"You keep saying you're protecting people. But who protects me, Kael?"

He stepped closer. Slowly. Carefully.

"I will. If you let me."

I held the documents again, rereading every name, every date, every stamp.

And this time, I didn’t feel broken. I felt awake.

Because now I realized...

Kael Thorne is not the villain of this story.

But he might be the only man dangerous enough to love me the way I deserve.