Valentina's POV
The sound of the ticking clock seemed to echo faintly, yet it was all I could hear as I drifted into an agonizing daze.
What did he say? He must be mistaken. It couldn’t be true.
“Mrs. Laurent.” The monotone voice snapped me back to reality, and I blinked, staring at the man in the white coat.
“Mrs. Laurent, are you listening to me?” I blinked again, trying to focus on his words, but they seemed to slip through my mind like water through my fingers. The room felt smaller, the air thicker, as if everything was closing in around me.
Breathe, Valentina. Breathe.
“Repeat what you just said,” I finally found my voice and demanded, but it was quieter than I intended—just barely above a whisper, yet sharp with a desperate edge I didn’t recognize.
The doctor’s eyes softened, but he didn’t hesitate. “Mrs. Laurent, I’m afraid you have brain cancer. The prognosis is… very serious. You have only about a year to live.”
A chill ran through me, the world shifting in a way I couldn’t comprehend. His words echoed louder in my mind than the ticking of the clock.
“You’re telling me… I’m dying?” I whispered, barely able to keep my voice steady.
He nodded solemnly. “Yes. The cancer has spread too far. Surgery isn’t advisable in your case—it could do more harm than good. The best we can offer now is palliative care to make you as comfortable as possible.”
The room spun as the weight of his words settled on my chest, suffocating me. Only a year. How could this be happening?
The signs—the signs I thought were pregnancy—were actually those of cancer?
"Is there really nothing that can be done? With all the advancements in medicine and technology, there has to be a cure—there should be!" I pleaded, my voice trembling as tears threatened to spill. Desperately, I searched the doctor’s face for a glimmer of hope, but his silence was all the answer I needed.
“Mrs. Laurent, I advise you to come with your husband and get started—” I didn’t wait for the rest of his words. I bolted for the door, my legs unsteady beneath me. The world spun, and for a moment, I almost collapsed, but I steadied myself, pushing through the dizziness. I managed to walk out of the consultation room, each step feeling heavier than the last.
I didn’t know how I did it, but somehow, I made it into the backseat of the car. My heart hammered against my chest, and I could feel the driver’s gaze on me, but I couldn’t bring myself to look up. I didn’t want to—not with the tears that kept falling despite my best efforts to keep them hidden.
“Are you okay, ma’am?” the driver asked, his voice soft with concern, but I was only able to shake my head, unable to form the words.
"Take me home, please," I whispered, my voice breaking as more tears spilled down my cheeks.
I could hear the car engine start, and as it began to move, I closed my eyes, trying to process the doctor’s words. The throbbing pain in my head made it hard to focus. This morning, on my way to the hospital, I had been excited. I thought, after a year of grief from my miscarriage, I was finally pregnant. I had hoped for good news—something that might heal my relationship with Damien. But instead, I was told I had only a year to live, and I was slowly dying.
“Mrs. Laurent, we’re here,” the driver’s voice broke through the silence, and I slowly opened my eyes, staring at the grand villa. Though lavish and filled with wealth, it felt cold—just like it had the day she returned.
I got out of the car and leaned against it, trying to steady myself. When I felt strong enough to walk, I made my way into the mansion. Mrs. Agatha, the housekeeper who had always been like a mother to me, bowed and gently took my coat from my shoulders.
“Is Damien around?” I asked weakly, and Mrs. Agatha nodded in response. She was about to say something else, but the loud sound of laughter from the sitting room caught my attention.
“Who else is here?” I turned back to her, but she looked down, unable to meet my gaze.
“The Laurent family, Madam, and—”
“Oh, isn’t it the madam of this house?” a high-pitched voice interrupted, and I immediately recognized it.
“Tessa, you’re here?” I asked, a hint of surprise in my voice. She scoffed, placing her hands on her hips, her gaze filled with disdain.
“What? Can’t I visit my brother? Mom is here too, and you’re just showing up now? You can’t even respect your in-laws anymore. But I suppose I shouldn’t expect anything from someone who can’t even give birth to a child.”
Her words hit me like a slap, and I frowned, swallowing the bitter sting. It was a surprise to see them here, especially since I hadn’t been told they would be, but I said nothing. I simply offered an apology.
“I’m sorry, I wasn’t aware. Damien didn’t mention anything.”
"Keep your useless apology to yourself," another voice cut in, sharp and condescending. I looked up to see my mother-in-law standing there, drink in hand, her eyes blazing with pure hatred as she spoke.
Not long ago, she had been laughing, but the moment she saw me, her expression soured. She looked at me like I was nothing more than dirt beneath her feet. I knew the reason. An illegitimate woman like me was beneath her son, unworthy to even share the same air.
"Look at you," she sneered, her gaze dripping with disdain. "Why would you be aware of anything? You can’t do anything but eat and drink all day. You’re just useless. I regret the day I allowed my son to marry someone like you.”
“Even with all the food she’s eating, she looks skinny—ill, even.” Tessa snickered at her mother’s words, and I could only close my eyes, trying not to let their words affect me.
Normally, I would apologize, even when they degraded me, but today, I had neither the strength nor the patience to endure it.
“Where is Damien?” I ignored them and turned to Agatha, who looked visibly shocked but quickly responded.
“In the bedroom, Madam.”
I nodded and started to leave, but Tessa grabbed my hand, her nails digging into my flesh, making me flinch.
“Are you ignoring us?! How dare you—” Tessa began, but her mother cut her off.
“Let her go. Don’t waste your breath on useless people,” she sneered, pausing to eye me with a smirk. “There’s a pleasant surprise waiting for you in that bedroom.”
I raised an eyebrow, tempted to ask what she meant, but Tessa finally let go of my hand. I didn’t want them to change their minds, so I walked toward the bedroom, but with each step, a dread settled in my chest, a gnawing feeling that something was terribly wrong.
As I approached the door, faint moans reached my ears. My stomach turned. I opened the door slowly and froze in place.
There, sitting on Damien’s lap, was Caelina—his first love, the woman who had caused my miscarriage a year ago. My eyes drifted to her protruding belly, and I felt my world crumble around me.
Valentina pov “Take this, it’ll help with the pain,” Daniel said, and Martha, who stood by my side, handed me the pill along with a glass of water resting on a tray. I swallowed the pill, and she gently brought the glass to my lips. “Slowly, madam. Drink slowly,” she said, her voice soft and laced with care. When I was done, she set the glass back on the tray. I gave her a stiff smile, despite the throbbing ache in my shoulder. “Thank you, Martha.” She nodded with a small smile of her own. “I made some porridge. I’ll go get it now, madam.” Martha had always been kind, even if she nagged me whenever she could. Sometimes she’d hide the noodles just so I’d eat more vegetables, insisting I was still recovering from my accident that happened months ago. But despite all that, she truly was a good person. I watched as Martha quietly exited the room. As the door swung open, I caught sight of the two guards stationed outside and just beyond them, Felix, Julian, and Sebastian
Valentina pov A tear slipped down my cheek just as Alexander's hand cradled the back of my head and he kissed me. His lips were rough and intense against mine, stealing a whimper from me and granting him access to my mouth. I closed my eyes and kissed him back, my body responding on its own, as though it didn’t belong to me. But why was I crying? Why did this ache in my chest feel so suffocating? It left me breathless. And the nightmare— why was it blurry and most of all, why did it feel more like a distant memory than a dream? A gasp escaped me as Alexander’s other hand slid to my waist, gently pushing me down onto the bed. His lips moved in perfect sync with mine, a low groan rumbling from his throat as he climbed over me, one hand cupping my chin to tilt my head up as we kissed. It hurt. A shiver coursed through my spine when Alaric leaned away from my lips, his mouth trailing down to my neck, pressing hot kisses along my skin until he reached my collarbone. He placed a k
Alexander pov She hadn’t woken up since yesterday, and it had affected me more than I cared to admit. I wasn’t even sure what emotion was clawing at me, was it the frustration over what she had done, throwing herself in front of my mother just as I pulled the trigger? Or was it the worry that came from watching her lie there, pale and still, showing no sign of waking up? “The bullet went through her shoulder. She lost quite a bit of blood, but she should be able to wake up soon,” Daniel said, his expression tired as he removed his glasses, his eyes meeting mine. “So don’t worry and get some rest, Alexander. You haven’t slept since yesterday.” I didn’t say anything for a brief moment, my gaze fixed on Valentina as I leaned back against the wall, hands tucked into my pockets, my expression unreadable. “Where is the kid?” I asked eventually. Daniel sighed for the second time before answering. “He wouldn’t stop crying and kept asking to be with Valentina, so I gave him something m
Valentina pov Two years ago. “Madam, madam,” My eyes slowly fluttered open and I groaned, lifting my head to find Agatha standing in front of me with a sad look and a slight frown etched into her expression. “Agatha…” I murmured, reaching up to rub my tired eyes before glancing around. I was in the dining area, and in front of me sat the food I had cooked with Agatha’s help. Today was Damien’s and my anniversary. It was supposed to be a special day. I had made all of his favorite dishes, hoping to make him happy and maybe spend a little time with him, especially since he’d been so busy these past few months with work that I barely have the time to spend time with him. “Has he arrived?” I asked, a hopeful smile tugging at my lips. When Agatha shook her head, the smile slowly faded from my face. My gaze shifted to the clock, it was already 10 p.m. Two whole hours had passed since we finished cooking, and Damien still hadn’t shown up. My eyes drifted to the food on the table, an
Alexander pov "And it looks like I didn’t finish the job, Mother,” I said coldly, cocking the gun against her forehead. Her body went rigid, eyes wide with fear as she stared at me. “A-Alexander,” she stammered, stumbling back as if distance could save her. But it was futile. There’s something both of us had forgotten to mention about our twisted relationship. I was never afraid of my mother. She was afraid of me. Despite all her efforts, every calculated move, every twisted game meant to make me cower, I never did. She tried to make me believe my life was in her hands. But the truth? I was far too broken to fear a woman who was all bark and no bite. How should I put it? She was a prey pretending to be a predator. A mouse wearing the mask of a cat. A weak woman hiding behind an illusion she had created. People like that always acted unshakable, like the world couldn’t touch them. But deep down, they were the most fragile. The most helpless. “You said I shot you twice,” I
Valentina pov When did I react? When did I start yanking my mother in law's hair? Well maybe it was the part when she had called Alexander a monster. When she had told me everything she had done to him to ensure his obedience or according to her: To make sure he was the perfect tool to use for her plan. She had said that Alexander was incapable of love and that was why I had hated him so much I couldn’t even bear the sight of him. That Alexander wasn’t meant to be loved, only feared. That he would eventually end up alone, never knowing what it meant to be loved. Maybe that was why I was currently yanking her hair back and forth, clearly catching her off guard. “Let go of my hair! How dare you?! Do you know who I am?!” she screamed, trying to pry my hands away. But I only gripped tighter, pulling harder as she grabbed a fistful of my own hair in retaliation. Pain shot through my scalp, but I wouldn’t let go. “Who gives a damn who you are?!” I snapped. “Take back what you said a
Alexander pov Bang! Bang! Bang! Gunshots. Screams. And then... the soft thud of bodies hitting the ground. Those were the three things I grew up with. The three things I was used to and, oddly enough, the three things that made adrenaline course through my veins. Blood. The sickening sound of knives slicing into flesh. The tears, the terror of someone standing at death's door. These were the things that made me feel alive. It was what shaped me. There's a popular saying: "Monsters aren't born, they're made." But me? I was born and made this way. I still remembered when my therapist first diagnosed me with psychopathic tendencies. He had said, "I'm sorry, Mrs. Knight, but your son shows signs of early stage psychopathy. While it's still developing, he doesn't process emotions the way most people do. I understand that people in your line of work don't flinch at killing, but this is a seven-year-old child. You said he cried when you told him to shoot his dog but didn't hes
Warning: Mention of abuse. Valentina pov “So, you’re telling me you don’t remember anything at all?” Sera asked as we sat in her study. After she had questioned who I was and insisted I wasn’t her daughter-in-law, we had moved to her office. Despite my reluctance to leave Felix alone outside, I knew I had to explain everything. Now, sitting across from her, I told her how I had been in a coma for about a month and had lost all my memories. That, at least, might explain why I didn’t recognize her. I nodded my head, a smile tugging at my lips. "I don't remember anything from my past. All I know is that I'm Alexander's wife and Felix's mother." I said, giggling softly as the thought crossed my mind. To be honest, by now, I'd already accepted my role as a wife and mother, and it no longer felt awkward, though it never really had. At first, I had been a little scared because it felt like I was thrust into a life that was unfamiliar. But now… My grin widened as I remembere
Third pov Flashback. "Kill it," the woman dressed in pink ordered, her voice so cold that it instinctively made the boy, Alexander, flinch. Alexander shook his head, tears streaming down his face as he cried harder, begging his mother not to make him do it. He couldn’t understand why she would ask him to kill his dog, his only friend, the only one who had always been there for him. You see, Alexander Knight had always been seen as a cold-hearted, evil child, even when he was young. He had inherited the cold demeanor of his father, Ezra Knight, and was feared by many for the same reasons. Both father and son were calm, collected, and rarely showed any emotion. That was the reason everyone avoided him. Even his twin, Daniel Knight, had always been scared of him. Maybe that was why Alexander had always bullied his much more outgoing twin, the one everyone loved. Perhaps it was his twisted way of seeking attention. But his brother, Daniel, was so terrified of him, he never played w