Semua Bab A Forbidden Night with a Stranger (English) : Bab 71 - Bab 80

WHEN she arrived, she rang the bell, and a moment later one of the long-time housekeepers opened the door with a warm but concerned smile. “Miss Yna! We wondered if you’d come for Sir Alas.” “Is he here? Please, I need to see him.” “He is, ma’am. In the living room. Come in.” She led Yna down the marble hallway toward the main hall, then stepped quietly away once they reached the bar area. Yna’s heart shattered at the sight before her. Alas leaned against the counter, his usually neat dark hair wild and unkempt, his shirt rumpled and unbuttoned at the collar. Empty glasses littered the surface, and the whiskey bottle was already half-gone. His eyes were bloodshot, his face pale and drawn—looking as though he had aged ten years overnight. She remembered her own dark days, when she had tried to wash away pain with drink, and tears pricked her eyes seeing the man she loved falling into the same trap. She walked slowly toward him and stood before him. “Alas… what happened? Why are yo

BRENDA headed straight for Melchior’s restaurant, desperate to speak to someone she could trust. Every step felt heavy with fear and uncertainty—but Melchior was her cousin, her oldest friend, the one person who would never judge her or turn her away.The staff recognized her at once and led her to her usual table in the corner. Before she could even speak, Melchior appeared with two drinks, setting them down gently across from her.“Brenda… you look like you’ve seen a ghost,” he said, his voice soft with concern. “What happened? You know you can tell me anything.”Brenda looked up at him, tears finally spilling over. “Melchior… I need your help. It’s about Alas.”“Alas? Is he alright? I heard what happened to the company—I’ve been meaning to call, but I didn’t want to add to his burdens right now.”“He’s trying to hold on,” she said, her voice cracking. “But Melchior… I know who did this. It was Janus. He planned every last bit—pulling investors, spreading lies, sabotaging projects f

MEANWHILE, high above the bustling streets of Makati, inside Theodore Domingo sprawling penthouse in Rockwell Center, the air felt still and heavy—a stark contrast to the storm of rage he had unleashed only hours earlier. He walked slowly into his dimly lit study, his shoulders hunched as if carrying the crushing weight of forty years of his own choices. On the mahogany sideboard sat an unopened bottle of aged scotch—one he had hoarded for decades, certain he would one day drink it to celebrate his total triumph over Eduardo. Now he could not even recall what that victory was ever supposed to taste like. With trembling fingers he twisted off the cap, poured a full glass, hesitated, then filled it again and again until the amber liquid nearly spilled over the rim. His hands shook violently as he lifted the glass to his lips, the cool glass pressing against skin flushed with anger and exhaustion. Every swallow burned going down, yet it did nothing to silence the voice in his head—Clara

“DON’T you dare cry, Yna! It won’t do you any good at all!” Brenda shouted. She had decided to kidnap Yna—all to force Janus to return the company to Alas.Brenda snapped at her, then dragged her roughly inside the warehouse. Yna’s feet splashed through puddles on the concrete floor, and she nearly slipped and fell. Her hands were bound tightly behind her back with thick rope that cut into her wrists, and a damp cloth stuffed in her mouth made every breath a struggle.Everything had gone wrong the moment she met Brenda outside the coffee shop on United Nations Avenue. She’d thought Brenda wanted to help her win back Alas’s company. But before she could even speak, Brenda had pulled her into a waiting black van. It was then Yna realized this was never going to be a peaceful conversation.“Look at you… born with everything handed to you, and now you’re completely at my mercy?” Brenda sneered, shoving Yna down onto an old, rusted steel chair. “Did you honestly think life would always be

“YNA! YNA, WHERE ARE YOU?!” Alas shouted, throwing his shoulder against the thick warehouse doors to force them open. His boots sank into puddles of oil and rainwater pooling on the concrete floor, while Janus followed close behind, gripping a heavy crowbar. Hidden nearby, Jonathan watched over the area alongside plainclothes police officers who had positioned themselves out of sight. “Keep your voice down, Alas!” Janus whispered, helping him pry the doors further apart. “If she hears us coming, she’ll turn it against Yna.” “I can’t wait any longer, Janus!” Alas shot back, sweeping his flashlight over every shadowed corner of the warehouse. “Every second we waste is another second too long.” At last, the doors gave way. The vast, cavernous space stretched out before them—cluttered with rusted shipping containers, broken furniture, and stacks of unmarked cardboard boxes. In the center, they saw her: Yna, tied tight to an old steel chair, a gag stuffed in her mouth, her eyes swimmin