Joaquin grunted as he grabbed the wrist of the man clutching his throat. He tried to pull it off, but the grip was impossibly strong. The man’s eyes blazed with an unearthly red light, as if he were staring straight into a living inferno.“You think you can just walk away from me, huh?” the man snarled with a manic laugh. “Flamebearer? You expect me to believe that someone like you could wield such a title?!”His grip tightened. Joaquin gasped, his airway collapsing under the man’s hand. His lungs burned; his vision blurred. Veins pulsed in his temples, threatening to burst.“You’re weak,” the man spat.Then, with one violent motion, he hurled Joaquin backward. There was no ground to stop him—just an endless void—so he kept tumbling through the dark. Joaquin forced himself to stay conscious, took a deep breath, and braced for impact. But before he could regain his footing, his back slammed into something solid.“See? You’re weak, Flamebearer!” the man roared. He kicked Joaquin in the

Joaquin swallowed hard, his breath tight in his chest as he stared at the man before him. The stranger stood tall and sure, shoulders squared, his mouth curled into a mocking smirk—as if he already knew how this would end. Joaquin forced himself to steady his breathing, trying to calm the surge of heat that wanted to erupt from within him.His eyes darted to James, who was already walking away, carrying the unconscious Serena in his arms. Joaquin’s jaw tightened. His hands balled into fists.“Why, brother?” the man taunted, his tone dripping with cruel amusement. “Afraid your beloved will disappear from your grasp?”The man’s laugh echoed in the empty space—low, sharp, and derisive.Joaquin’s glare hardened. “Who the hell are you? And what do you want from me?”The stranger arched a brow, feigning offense. “Don’t recognize me anymore? It’s me—your brother.”Joaquin froze. He blinked rapidly, trying to make sense of what he’d just heard.“What… what do you mean?”The man sighed dramati

The car rolled to a stop before a large house. Like the abandoned building earlier, guards stood posted outside. Inside, Joaquin felt the familiar presences he’d tracked the whole night.James, and Gracia Villareal.His fists tightened. Their cruelty had not stopped with him; they’d dragged Serena into it too.He looked up at the attic where Serena’s presence had trembled in his senses.“Just wait for me, Serena. I’ll come for you,” he whispered.Joaquin stepped from the car and walked toward the gate. Two guards intercepted him immediately.“Who are you? Where did you come from?” one barked. “This is private property. You should—”He didn’t finish. Joaquin moved like lightning: one hand to the guard’s neck, a silent strike, and both men dropped to the ground, unconscious.As he slipped through the gate, more guards crumpled—taken down one by one, silent and precise. He was a ghost in motion; by the time the front door yawned open, he was in the living room where James and Gracia were

Joaquin watched Serena quietly from across the table as she devoured her dinner with childlike hunger, her eyes bright and alive again.“Do you like it?” he asked, his voice calm but softened with relief.Serena nodded while chewing eagerly. “Yeah! It’s so good! I feel like I haven’t eaten in a year — I was starving!” she said between bites, half-laughing.Joaquin smiled faintly. “That’s because of the poison that got into your system. Once it’s expelled, it leaves your body craving energy. You’re regaining your strength now.”Serena sighed, setting down her spoon for a moment. “I just can’t believe he did that to me,” she said, shaking her head in disbelief. “He lied to me… and we almost got married!” Her tone hardened as her brows drew together. “He’s going to pay for this when I see him again.”Joaquin’s smile faded. He averted his gaze, his expression tightening. He hadn’t even called the police yet — his priority was getting her to safety. James and Gracia were still out there,

“What happened? I never taught you that,” Miguel said with a cold smirk as he slowly stepped out from behind Rick.He flexed his hand, opening and closing his fist as if savoring the raw force that had just thrown Joaquin across the floor.“You’ve grown weak, Joaquin.”Joaquin spat blood onto the marble floor, his breath ragged as he forced himself upright. “Why?” he muttered, his voice trembling between pain and disbelief.Miguel’s smirk deepened, his eyes flashing with restrained fury. “Why? Because you made fools out of us!”In a blur of motion, Miguel leapt high and landed right in front of Joaquin. Before the younger man could react, Miguel’s fist slammed into his stomach, sending him crashing back once more. Joaquin doubled over, coughing blood, his body screaming in agony.“You know what?” Miguel’s tone was mocking now, sharp as a blade. “The moment I saw you, I knew you had potential. I thought you could be one of us. But I didn’t realize you were just playing us all along!”M