"Good evening, Master, Madame," greeted Horace, the Monteverde family's butler, as Romos and Cielo entered the estate.
"Good evening, Horace," Romos replied, handing over his coat. "Is Vee in her room already?"
"No, sir. They're in the entertainment room," Horace answered politely.
"They?" Romos echoed with a raised brow, glancing first at his wife, then at the clock, 9:30 p.m., and finally back at Horace.
"Yes, sir. Young Master Hades is with her."
Romos and Cielo exchanged a silent look.
Though Hades had been consistently sweet, attentive, and present around Evadne, picking her up, acting like the perfect fiance, both Romos and Cielo knew better. It was all a performance. Hades was putting on a show. And Evadne? She was just tolerating it. They could see it in her detached smiles and mechanical responses. The closeness was always surface-deep.
They had always hoped for the betrothal to work. But as time passed and their daughter's cool distance persisted, they slowly began to accept what they didn't want to admit, maybe Hades and Evadne simply weren't meant for each other. And they had no intention of forcing their daughter into a life of unhappiness. Still, they were young, perhaps time would change things.
"How did Vee react when she found out Hades was here?" Cielo asked.
"I believe the young miss was expecting him, Madame," Horace replied, his tone steady but carrying a subtle note of surprise that caught the couple off guard.
"Thank you, Horace," Cielo said with a small nod.
"Darling?" Romos said hesitantly, noticing the look of curiosity flashing in his wife's eyes.
"I'll just take a peek," Cielo whispered. "I won't interrupt."
Without waiting for more, she turned toward the entertainment room. Romos followed, both of them walking softly. As they neared the door, they expected to find the two teens sitting stiffly on opposite ends of the couch, perhaps locked in one of their usual wordless staring contests, guarded and tense.
But what they saw through the slight opening in the door was far from what they expected.
Evadne was straddling Hades on a single-seater sofa, as if the rest of the room didn't exist. Her arms were lazily draped over his shoulders, while his hands were wrapped possessively around her waist, fingers splayed along her curves. They were mid-kiss, intimate, slow, unhurried.
"Baby," Hades murmured, clearly breathless, chasing after her lips when she playfully pulled away, a teasing smile on her mouth.
Evadne giggled, leaning just enough for his lips to brush her jaw instead. "Baby, my kiss," he whined, tightening his grip as if to lock her in place.
"You're so demanding," she said with an amused shake of her head, then gave him exactly what he wanted, kissing him again, deeply this time.
Outside, Romos and Cielo locked eyes, stunned.
There was no awkward distance between them. No forced affection. This wasn't performance, it was real.
And with silent agreement, they slowly and quietly closed the door.
Inside, Evadne suddenly paused. She had heard the soft click of the door.
Her eyes widened in horror as realization hit. "They peeked," she said in a mortified whisper.
Hades tilted his head. "What's wrong, baby?"
"Mommy and Daddy," she said, heat rising to her cheeks. "They saw us. Just now."
Hades grinned, eyes glinting in smug delight. "Good."
Evadne scowled, glaring at him when she caught that proud smirk blooming on his face. "Wipe that smirk off," she scolded, pressing both palms against his cheeks until his lips puckered like a fish. "It's not funny."
He looked entirely unbothered, resting his head against her shoulder as if he hadn't just been caught making out with the Monteverdes' daughter under their roof.
Rolling her eyes, Evadne shifted her position, no longer straddling him, but now simply sitting on his lap, trying to appear more composed. But the blush on her face betrayed her effort.
Hades tucked his arm tighter around her waist, pulling her close.
"Ugh. Tomorrow's going to be so awkward," Evadne muttered, already cringing at the thought of Cielo's teasing smile. She glared at Hades and bumped his nose with hers. "And you, don't you dare act over the top tomorrow. Or I swear, I'll ignore you the whole day."
"What? Why not?" Hades whined, burying his face in her neck. "Casadin's always over the top and you allow him. Why not me? Why can't I be over the top?" His voice was petulant, pouty.
"Because being over the top makes him Casadin. Being cold makes you you," Evadne replied with a half-smile. "He's fire. You're ice. Don't compare yourselves, and don't try to be someone you're not."
Hades was about to throw back a sarcastic remark when suddenly, Evadne's eyes rolled back, showing only whites, and her body began to convulse violently in his lap.
"Baby?!" he called out in panic.
At first, the shaking was subtle, almost like a shiver, then it escalated, fast. Her body jerked uncontrollably, and Hades wrapped his arms around her to keep her steady, to keep her safe.
"Baby!!" His voice cracked. He turned toward the door, shouting with everything in him. "HELP! SOMEBODY HELP!"
"Young Master, what's happening?!" Horace, the butler, arrived first, alarm etched across his face.
"I… I don't know! She just started… Baby!!" Hades tightened his grip, one hand cradling her head protectively, the other anchoring her spasming body.
"Hades, what's going on?!" Cielo's voice rang from the stairs. She rushed into the room, heart racing.
"Mom! I don't know, she just…" Hades stammered, panic rising as Evadne's convulsions worsened, her body practically thrashing now.
"Romos! Hurry!!" Cielo screamed, crouching beside Hades, tears falling as she tried to help him keep Evadne's head from hitting anything.
"CALL AN AMBULANCE!" Hades barked at Horace.
"We've already called, Young Master. They're on their way," Horace answered urgently.
"Hades, hold her still, just a little longer," Romos ordered as he arrived, syringe and vial in hand.
Hades tightened his embrace again, holding Evadne's trembling form while Romos carefully administered the injection into her shoulder. The effect was almost immediate, the violent tremors began to slow… then faded.
"Baby?" Hades whispered again, desperate, but Evadne didn't respond. She'd gone limp, unconscious.
Moments later, the sound of the ambulance pierced the silence.
Hades refused to let go until Romos gently touched his shoulder.
"Dad, I'll ride with her," Hades said, his voice low but resolute.
Romos nodded. He understood. Hades wouldn't be able to think straight unless he was at Evadne's side, and he certainly couldn't be trusted to drive in that state.
Inside the ambulance, Hades held Evadne's hand tightly as the paramedics checked her vitals. He never looked away from her face, his grip never loosening.
He pulled out his phone and dialed.
"What?" Casadin's voice came through, sharp and irritated.
"We're on our way to MFI Hospital," Hades said, his voice trembling. "We're taking Vee…"
"What happened?!" Casadin's tone changed instantly, laced with panic. He began throwing questions, what happened, how, when, but Hades had no answers. He could only repeat what he knew, which was nothing.
"I'm on my way," Casadin said at once, and hung up.
The moment they arrived, Evadne was rushed into the emergency room.
Casadin arrived not long after, along with Jupiter and Angelina, Hades's parents. All of them pale, tense, and visibly shaken.
"Romos, Cielo, " Angelina rushed to embrace Cielo, holding her tightly as she trembled.
"I've already called the top specialists," Jupiter said, resting a reassuring hand on Romos's shoulder. "Only the best will handle her case."
Casadin slid down into the seat beside Hades, his presence quiet but steady. Hades's hands were still trembling.
"She's going to be fine," Casadin said softly, more like a promise to both of them than a certainty.
The emergency wing of the hospital had been in chaos for hours.
It was already past midnight when Evadne was finally wheeled into a VIP suite on the top floor.
The best five doctors in the hospital had examined her, CT scan, MRI, full panel diagnostics. Every test possible had been done. Still, no clear answers.
"You boys stay here and keep an eye on Vee," Angelina instructed. Her voice was calm but tight with worry. "We'll talk to the doctors. Okay?"
Both Hades and Casadin nodded silently, the weight of the night still heavy in their chests.
The door closed behind the adults, and the room fell into a tense, sterile quiet.
Then a soft voice broke it.
"Water…" Evadne's voice was raspy, her eyes fluttering open like fragile wings.
"Baby!"
"Princess!"
Both boys rushed to her side, voices overlapping with panic and relief.
"Water," she repeated, weakly.
Casadin immediately turned to get a glass from the bedside pitcher while Hades gently helped her sit up, cradling her back with one arm.
"Here, Princess," Casadin murmured, handing her the glass and brushing a soft kiss to her temple as Hades steadied her hand so she could drink.
"Baby, how do you feel?" Hades asked quietly, holding onto her like she might disappear.
"I'm fine," Evadne said, her voice steadier now. Her eyes flicked between the two of them. "There's nothing wrong with me."
She glanced toward the door, as if sensing the others beyond it.
"Listen to me. They won't find anything wrong. Because there isn't anything wrong. But that's exactly why they'll worry more. What happened earlier… I'll explain to the two of you soon. But for now, you need to convince them to stop testing me. They won't find anything."
"But, baby… earlier, you didn't look okay," Hades whispered. He brought her left hand to his lips, pressing a trembling kiss to her skin.
"I promised I'd tell you everything," she said firmly, eyes serious. "But you have to make sure they stop. No more tests. Just tell them I need rest."
She looked at them, both still holding her hands tightly on either side of the bed.
"Cas. Hades. Please. You know they won't find anything physically wrong with me."
Casadin was the first to nod. "Okay, Princess. Leave it to us."
"But…" Hades began, brows furrowed.
"Shut up, moron," Casadin snapped, without looking at him. He gently helped Evadne lie back down and pulled the blanket up to her chest. "Sleep, Princess. Trust us."
Then he stood and gave Hades a silent signal to follow him outside.
As soon as the door closed behind them, Casadin turned and leaned in, his voice low and sharp.
"Can you get your shit together?" he hissed. "Princess said she's fine. I know it freaked you out seeing her like that, convulsing in your damn arms, but do you really want to subject her to endless tests when you know they won't find anything?"
Hades inhaled deeply, chest rising with the effort to calm himself.
Casadin was right. Whatever had happened to Evadne earlier, it wasn't something science could explain.
They walked down the corridor and found their parents gathered around the doctors in hushed discussion.
"You're sure you read the results correctly?" Cielo asked, her voice clipped with disbelief. "She collapsed. She was seizing. And now you're telling me nothing's wrong?"
"All her scans are clear. No signs of neurological issues, cardiac anomalies, or trauma. Physically, she's perfectly healthy," one of the doctors responded.
"Is it possible that it was caused by a psychological factor?" Hades asked suddenly, voice careful.
Romos turned to him, brow furrowed. "What do you mean by that, Hades?"
"Grands, maybe it's just… Vee's been under a lot of stress lately," Casadin offered quickly, jumping in. "SBO projects, school immersion… maybe she's over-fatigued."
But Jupiter wasn't buying it. He was already watching Hades intently, reading the way his jaw tightened and eyes averted.
"You're hiding something," Jupiter said, his voice low. "Aren't you, Hades?"
Casadin and Hades exchanged a quick glance, too quick. Jupiter's gaze sharpened immediately. He wasn't just a powerful man, he was a father who'd built his empire on reading lies from polished smiles.
Hades swallowed hard.
"I'm not sure if I should tell you…" he began cautiously.
Casadin's eyes widened. "Hades," he warned, voice low and clenched.
Jupiter's expression didn't waver.
"Speak, boy," Jupiter said coldly, his sharp gaze locked on his son.
Hades straightened his spine.
"Casadin doesn't know the full story… because he wasn't there when it happened," he began, his voice low and tight. He exhaled slowly, then turned to look at Cielo. "Cieryl tried to corner Evadne earlier today… in the SBO office. She brought a few of our 'friends' and made a scene. They tried to accuse her of abusing her authority as president."
"What?" Cielo's voice cracked, already distressed.
"When I got there," Hades continued, jaw tightening, "Cieryl was already on the floor, crying, and claiming Evadne pushed her. She framed the whole thing as a violent outburst from Vee because of a misunderstanding."
"And you believed that girl?" Jupiter's voice dropped, but his eyes were blazing.
"Of course not, sir," Hades answered quickly. "Evadne would never lay a hand on anyone. She's not that kind of person. She fights with her mind, not her fists. That's why I immediately called Tyla and ordered a total blackout, cut all ties with the families involved. I took full responsibility for everything that happened under my watch."
"That still doesn't explain why she had a seizure," Romos said, voice dark with suspicion. "My daughter is stronger than that. A few shallow accusations wouldn't break her."
Hades and Casadin exchanged another glance.
It wasn't enough. What happened in that office wouldn't account for Evadne convulsing in his arms like her body was rejecting the world.
Angelina saw it too, the flicker in their expressions.
"Son," she said softly, but firmly. "Are you hiding something else from us? You promised your Dad and me that no matter how painful or ugly, you wouldn't keep secrets anymore."
Hades looked away for a moment, teeth clenched.
"There was… a video," he said finally.
"Hades!" Casadin barked, voice low and warning, panic flickering in his eyes.
"Let him continue, Casadin Sinclair," Jupiter interrupted sternly, calling the boy by his full name, the final sign that he would tolerate no more evasion.
Casadin's jaw clenched shut. He said nothing.
"The same group posted a video online last week. It was… a doctored sex tape. Someone edited Vee's face onto a pornographic clip and spread it around the school," Hades confessed, the words heavy like lead.
"What?!" gasped both Angelina and Cielo in unison, horror flashing across their faces.
Romos's fists curled so tight his knuckles cracked. His rage was silent, but it bled into the room like venom. Someone had tried to destroy his daughter's dignity. That alone was enough to warrant blood.
"And?" Jupiter's voice had gone dangerously quiet.
"It was Selena Punzalan who paid for the video to be made. I traced it back to her immediately," Hades continued. "I confronted her, made her take it down, and threatened to blacklist her from every project we'd ever supported. She complied instantly. But before I walked away, she told me the truth, Cieryl was the one who ordered it."
"Oh my god…" Cielo whispered, her knees weakening. "How could she do that to Vee?" Her voice trembled. She had clung to the hope that Cieryl, despite the distance and history, might find harmony with Evadne. That they could grow close like sisters. But now…
"And these are the people you associate with?" Jupiter's voice sliced through the silence like a blade.
"I've already severed ties with all of them, sir," Hades replied with conviction. "I told them, if they want to stay affiliated with the Falcon Empire, they'll have to prove their worth. I won't tolerate treachery… not after this."
Casadin lowered his head, momentarily stunned. For once, Hades hadn't protected his circle. He didn't excuse their actions. He didn't cover for them. He burned the whole bridge down, knowing damn well he might get scorched with it.
The most selfish, prideful bastard he knew… just threw himself into the line of fire.
All for her.
To protect Evadne.
To protect her dignity, her secret, her name.