Joaquin didn’t know how long he had been lying in bed, staring at the ceiling of the room where he was resting.His match had ended a while ago, but he still hadn’t stepped out.His body was still in pain. His wounds stung.But he simply endured it all.What occupied his mind more was Lina.The way she took his ring—and the way her appearance changed.That’s when he remembered the files Rick once showed him. And only now did it truly hit him: Lina was one of the Black Viper Society’s experiments.That explained her sudden transformation, how she became… almost feline.Last Updated : 2025-04-23

The next morning came faster than expected.Joaquin was up before the sun, already dressed in his formal clothes for the inauguration. His body still ached, but the pain had dulled, manageable now.Miguel greeted him in the foyer, dressed in a tailored black suit.“You look like hell,” Miguel said with a grin.Joaquin chuckled. “Thanks.”“But don’t worry. That’s what makes you intimidating.” Miguel tossed him a sleek silver pin shaped like a tiger. “Wear that. It marks you as a finalist.”Joaquin clipped it onto his lapel. “So, where’s this person I’m supposed to meet?”Last Updated : 2025-04-23

Joaquin didn’t know how to feel after everything he’d just learned.Javier Villareal.He was his father.No wonder he felt something strange the moment he saw the man.Was it some kind of blood instinct?Did the old man feel it too?Did he know all along that Joaquin was his son?Was that the reason he approached him and invited him to dinner?“Now that you know the truth, Joaquin,” Jasmine said after a long silence. “I can’t stop you from doing whatever you’re planning.But please, I want you to remember that everything we did—keeping this from you—was to protect you. I hope you can still see it that way, even now. That family is dangerous.”Joaquin exhaled heavily.“Then why does he want me to be his heir? Why is he still chasing after me? With all his wealth, can’t he protect us?”Jasmine let out a sigh, deep worry etched across her face.“He just loved our mother so much, Joaquin. That, I can give him. He loved us. But even if he wanted to keep us safe... like I said, our father’s

Joaquin stood frozen outside the door, Serena’s voice still ringing in his ears.Marry him?His mind refused to process what he just heard.At first, he thought maybe he misheard it.But no. Her voice was clear, and so was the defiance in it.He slowly stepped back, trying to steady the whirlwind that was now building inside him.The food he held felt heavier in his hands.He didn’t even realize his fingers were curling tighter around the paper bag until he heard it crinkle.She didn’t tell me anything about this.He trusted Serena.He loved her—there was no doubt about that.But right now, he couldn't shake the feeling of betrayal clawing at his chest.Who was her father talking about?Why was she being forced to marry someone?Was she hiding something from me this whole time?Joaquin turned away from the door, his chest tightening with each step he took.He needed air.He needed space before he did or said anything irrational.He walked past the busy corridors of the hospital, not r

Serena’s grip tightened on the steering wheel.She had been parked near their house for a while now, but she still couldn’t bring herself to go inside.Her father had called her home. She didn’t want to go, but he threatened to send his bodyguards to fetch her if she refused.And she didn’t want to cause a scene at the hospital.Her father was still a governor, after all.Eventually, she had no choice. With a heavy sigh, she started the car again and pulled up in front of the gate. It opened automatically to let her in.She drove through the long driveway, her chest tightening the closer she got to the mansion.