Mikaela awoke early in her room, her thoughts already heavy. She stared at her reflection in the mirror—not as Mikaela Shaina Fuego, but as Fredelyn Chase Roman. The name may have changed, but the blood coursing through her veins was still that of the Fuego family.
She examined herself closely in the large mirror, trying to reconcile her past and present identities. Just then, she heard her twin's voice calling her again. A woman in uniform appeared in her vision.
"Ellese," she whispered.
"Prepare yourself. Justice is within reach," Ellese responded.
"When will justice come, Ellese?" Mikaela asked softly, sadness lacing her words. Months had passed since the nightmare began, and still, she longed to see her sister Chesca again.
"Be patient, Mikaela, and help them. You and Sister Chesca are the hope Felisa and I clung to."
Mikaela nodded. Before she left, her twin embraced her, a familiar coldness brushing her skin—a spiritual presence.
"Be careful... be careful, Giovane," her twin warned.
Then, they vanished.
Since childhood, Mikaela had been able to see souls. She sat on her bed, weighed down by memory and guilt. One day, she and Chesca would reunite—and when that day came, her sister's true memories would need to be restored. Chesca, the youngest child of their father with another woman, had been erased from public records. No one knew the truth.
After the deaths of their siblings, Mikaela had hidden in the Roman mansion, and it was made to seem that she, too, had died or gone missing while escaping their father's men. She had once been given the freedom to decide her path. Unlike Chesca, whose memories were intentionally erased, Mikaela had kept hers intact. It pained her to do that to her sister, but it had been the only way to protect her.
Only Giovane and their father knew the full truth.
Now, Mikaela was taking action. No matter what happened, she and Chesca would uncover the evidence their mother had hidden. She had allies in the organization who served as her eyes and ears. Still, she grieved for one of them, who was no longer alive.
She had made a vow: to bring justice for their fallen siblings and the innocents caught in the web of their father's greed. She had only begun to understand the full truth when they were abducted from school and taken to a remote location—a place where fear ruled.
One of her trusted sources had warned her that silence—and death—awaited them if they pursued the truth. They especially had to protect Chesca, even more so now that a crime involving her twin was coming to light.
They discovered that their father had murdered their mother. They were just children, but they knew then that their home had become a prison.
"Mikaela?" a voice interrupted her thoughts.
Jake stood at the door.
"You're awake," he said simply.
She nodded.
"What do you want to do now?" he asked unexpectedly.
"Chesca's memory is starting to return," he added. "She's showing symptoms. As her sister, what do you want to do?"
Her heart froze. Chesca's memories were returning?
"I won't stop you," Jake said. "You are her sister."
Mikaela remained silent, torn between relief and dread. She had wanted to shield her sister from the pain, but perhaps it was time to face it.
"Felix," Jake called out.
Felix didn't respond, only stared at Mikaela.
"Do you see Ellese too?" she asked him quietly.
Felix didn't answer.
"What's your decision, Mikaela?" Jake interjected again.
She exhaled deeply.
"Let her remember. Restore her past."
Her fists clenched, bracing herself for the consequences. She knew this choice was selfish. But hiding from the past had only delayed the inevitable. She had to face it now—not just for herself, but for Chesca, Ellese, and Felisa.
"If that's what you want, we'll stop her medication," Jake warned. "But be prepared—there are side effects."
"I know," she replied.
"Felix, inform the doctor treating Ruth."
Felix silently turned and walked away.
"I can't forget Fernan," she whispered.
Felix paused and glanced back. "Stay safe. If anything happens to you, Fernan and your sisters will haunt me."
Then he was gone.
Jake looked at her once more. "Chesca's life will never be the same once her memories return," he said. "I hope you made the right choice."
He walked away without waiting for her reply.
Even now, Jake remained emotionally distant. His grudge against the Fuego family still lingered. He only helped because Chesca, his real cousin, was involved. Still, Mikaela was grateful. Back then, they gave her shelter when she had nowhere else to go.
Ellese, please guide me. She silently prayed. I'm not as brave as you were.
She gazed at a photograph—one that captured happier times, when Ellese was still alive.
She needed to prepare. Word had reached her that their older brother Giovane was returning to the black market. A storm was coming—and this time, she had no intention of running.