Venecia
Running away from home was never my intention, and now I'm terrified of what will happen when our parents find out. This whole mess wouldn't have happened if they had just overlooked their enmity and allowed us to be together. But what I regret the most is dragging Liana and Damien into this. I sighed, staring at the ceiling, unable to shake the unease crawling under my skin. "Can't sleep, my love?" Romeo's voice broke through my thoughts.
I turned to face him, my heart heavy. "Mm... I'm scared, Meo. I don't want us to fall into an even bigger mess, and I hate that Liana and Damien are caught up in all this... this... whatever this is," I confessed, my voice barely above a whisper.
"Come here." He pulled me onto his lap, wrapping his arms around me. His warmth was comforting, but it didn't take away the knot of worry in my stomach. "We'll figure something out, darling. I still need to confront my dad about the journal I found in his study." I looked up at him, doubtful. "Do you think he'll actually give you answers? Because my dad didn't." "That's why I'm not asking him in person. I'll use a burner phone.
We need to get to the root of this rivalry if we want to be together." I nodded, biting my lip. "I know... but all of this feels so heavy." My stomach suddenly growled, breaking the moment. "Ugh, is there any food? Because I'm starving. "Romeo chuckled. "Yeah, there's some tea and store-bought cookies. Once we settle in completely, I'll go shopping for real food." He pressed a kiss to my forehead. "Go take a shower. By the time you're done, the tea will be ready."
"M'kay," I murmured. "I love you, Meo."
"I love you more, my queen."
Romeo
Running away with Venecia was reckless, but I couldn't leave her to handle her parents' wrath alone. She's always been soft-hearted, and this kind of pressure could crush her. I needed to be here for her. As I made my way downstairs to prepare tea, I stopped in my tracks at the sight before me—Damien and Liana locked in a deep kiss. Damn, took him long enough.
I smirked, leaning against the wall and watching as Damien kissed Liana like he was afraid to lose her. When they finally pulled away, she was blushing furiously, her hands gripping his shirt like she didn't want to let go. The second she spotted me, her eyes widened in horror.
"Oh my God," she mumbled before dashing upstairs.
Damien just stood there, grinning like an idiot. "Damn, bro, what's got you smiling like that?" I teased, grabbing a tea bag. "Fuck off, man," he muttered, shaking his head. "What matters is that I'm not single anymore." I chuckled. "Took you long enough to bag her heart, but I'm happy for you." Damien slid onto the counter, watching me prepare the tea. "What are you doing?" "Making tea. It's all we have right now. Tomorrow, we should go shopping so we don't have to keep buying food outside." "Yeah, sounds like a plan." I hesitated before speaking again. "Damien."
He turned his head. "What?" "I'm sorry for dragging you into this mess." My voice was low but sincere. "And I appreciate you sticking by me." Damien exhaled and smirked. "Didn't I tell you? No matter what, I'll always have your back. Besides, I just got a girlfriend out of this whole mess, so I'd say it worked out."
I scoffed and threw a tea bag at him. "Lucky bastard." He dodged it easily, laughing.
I stirred the tea, my thoughts growing heavy again. "I plan on asking my dad about the journal and the picture I found in his study. I'll use a burner phone to call him." My voice turned serious. "This feud has gone on long enough, Damien. I need answers." He nodded. "You think it'll change anything?" I clenched my jaw. "I don't know. But I also plan on digging more into this damn curse." Damien sighed. "You really believe in it, huh?" I glanced at him, my expression unreadable. "I don't know what to believe anymore. But if there's even the slightest chance it's real... I need to find a way to break it."
Silence stretched between us, heavy with unspoken thoughts. Then Damien smirked. "Well, at least if the curse is real, Liana and I don't have to worry. We're not from your bloodline." I rolled my eyes and shoved his shoulder. "Yeah, yeah, keep rubbing it in." He chuckled, shaking his head. "Let's get some sleep, man. Tomorrow, we start digging for real."I nodded. Tomorrow, everything would change.
Liana
Venecia had just finished showering and was curled up on the couch, scrolling mindlessly through her phone when Liana came bouncing into the room, a bright smile lighting up her face. Venecia raised a brow at her friend's unusually giddy mood. "What's got you looking like a kid who just got unlimited candy?" Venecia teased, setting her phone aside.
Liana plopped down beside her, grabbing a pillow and hugging it tightly. "Vee, you won't believe it!" she squealed. Venecia smirked, already guessing. "Let me take a wild guess... Damien finally grew a pair and confessed?"
Liana gasped, nudging her playfully. "Hey! Give the guy some credit. But yes! He did! And guess what? I said yes!" Venecia laughed, feeling genuinely happy for her friend despite the chaos surrounding them. "Took you two long enough! I mean, I was starting to wonder if you both planned on tiptoeing around each other forever." Liana pouted.
"I was waiting for him to make the first move! And girl, when he did, it was so... so..." she trailed off dreamily. Venecia chuckled. "Romantic?" Liana nodded eagerly. "Exactly! He didn't just blurt it out either. We were talking about everything going on, and he just looked at me all serious and said, 'Liana, I don't want to pretend anymore. I like you—a lot.' And then..." she covered her face, giggling.
Venecia gasped, leaning closer. "Don't tell me he kissed you right after?" Liana peeked at her through her fingers and nodded. "And oh my God, Vee, it was perfect! Like, the kind of kiss you read about in books." Venecia clapped her hands together. "Aww, my girl finally got her love story! So... how was it?" Liana sighed dramatically. "Let's just say... if I wasn't sure about my feelings before, I am now." Venecia gave her a knowing look.
"Well, welcome to the 'hopelessly in love' club. Drinks are on Romeo and me." Liana laughed, throwing a pillow at her. "Oh, shut up! But seriously, Vee... I think I really like him. Venecia smiled softly, seeing the sincerity in her friend's eyes. "I know you do. And honestly? You both deserve this." Liana beamed. "Thanks, Vee. And don't worry, Damien and I are here for you and Romeo. We'll figure all this out together." Venecia's heart swelled with gratitude. "I don't deserve you guys." Liana nudged her. "Nope, but you're stuck with us anyway."
Both girls giggled, momentarily forgetting the storm waiting for them outside.
Later that night....
Romeo leaned against the balcony railing, staring into the night, thinking about how to start the conversation with his father. After a few minutes, he sucked up his nerves and dialed the number ingrained in his memory. The call was picked up on the fourth ring.
"Hello," a gruff voice answered.
"Hello, Dad. It's me, Romeo."
"Romeo? Where are you? Come home now before I lose my temper completely!" he bellowed.
"Dad... let's not talk about that. I'll come home when you're ready to accept Venecia."
"That girl is, and will never be, allowed anywhere near our family. Their family is not worth associating with, Romeo."
"Then explain the photos of you and Lord Ardan and the letters you wrote to each other in your study."
"W-What are you talking about?" he stammered. "What were you doing in my study, Romeo?"
"So, it's true. From what I saw, you two were inseparable. So, tell me, why and how did all of this come about? Because I damn well know this isn't just a business feud."
"There's nothing to know about. Just come home and be the good son you've always been."
"Why, Dad? Why are you doing this to me? Have you ever considered how I've felt all these years? Has anyone in this family ever thought about the burden we've carried—all because of your damn personal issues?" he exclaimed. "Please, Dad, let's end this rivalry."
A bitter chuckle escaped his father's lips. "Personal issues? Is that what you think? Do you think I enjoy all this negativity?" He let out a shaky breath. "He left me, Romeo. He didn't even give me a chance to explain—just believed everyone else and turned against me."
Romeo's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about? What do you mean?"
His father sighed. "It's true—we were best friends. We met in high school, and he was the best thing that happened to me. But everything changed when we got to college. Ardan worked on a project, and I helped him with it. He was so passionate about it, and I was proud of him. But on the day of submission, the work was gone. And because I was the last one to leave the lab the night before, I was branded a thief.
"And the worst part? My best friend didn't believe me. He didn't even question it. Imagine how much that hurt.
"Years later, I realized he was after my business. He manipulated contracts, stole investors—he took everything I built and claimed it as his own. And when I tried to fight back, he made sure I was blacklisted from the industry. But I still fought hard to stand my ground."
Romeo's breath caught. He had always known there was bad blood between their families, but this—this was personal.
"He left me heartbroken," his father continued, his voice cold as ice. "And now, he parades around as a respected businessman while I had to rebuild from the ground up. Tell me, son—do you still think there's any good left in the Eryndors?"
Romeo clenched his fists. He had spent years being told that the Eryndors were their enemies, but to hear his father speak with such raw hatred made it all feel... real.
And yet—
Venecia was nothing like that.
Her sharp wit, her fire, the way she held her own in a world of power-hungry men. Was she really the daughter of a traitor?
Or was there more to the story?
Romeo exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair as he tried to process everything. His father's pain was undeniable, but something about the story didn't sit right with him.
"Dad," he said carefully, "have you ever thought that maybe there was more to what happened? That maybe... someone else was behind it?"
His father scoffed. "You think I haven't asked myself that for years? I begged Ardan to believe me, but he had already made up his mind. He didn't need proof, just an accusation. And when he turned on me, the whole world followed. That's the kind of man he is—ruthless."
Romeo gritted his teeth. "And because of that, you made sure I grew up hating them too? That I carried the same bitterness? Venecia had nothing to do with this, Dad. She wasn't even born then."
"She carries his blood," his father snapped. "She's an Eryndor. That's enough."
"That's not enough for me!" Romeo shot back. "I love her, Dad. I won't throw that away because of a feud that should have ended years ago."
Silence hung between them, thick with tension.
His father sighed heavily. "You think love can fix everything? That girl will be your downfall, Romeo. Just like Ardan was mine."
Romeo's jaw tightened. "No. The past repeating itself would be me choosing hatred over truth. And I won't do that."
He could almost hear his father shaking his head on the other end. "You're making a mistake."
"Maybe," Romeo admitted, his voice firm. "But it's my mistake to make."
And with that, he ended the call, his heart pounding in his chest.
The night breeze felt colder now, but Romeo felt strangely lighter—like he had just taken a step toward something that had been waiting for him all along.
************
My boy, Romeo has made his mind.