"You need to go to my office at 3 p.m. later," Calyx's voice is clear, but something about the way he says it makes my heart race.
Wait—what? His office? Why would he want me there? His company? My brow creases in confusion, trying to process what he's saying.
"Just be there before 3, and call me when you arrive," he adds, with no room for argument. He turns his back, ending the conversation.
I swallow hard, unsure of how to respond. Why does he want me at Lockhorst Corporation? The idea seems almost ridiculous to me. This is the most successful company in the country, and I'm married to the youngest chairman, the business mogul everyone's after. Everyone, except me, it seems.
I've never been inside the company—hell, no one knows about our marriage yet. Calyx's world is a mystery to me, and I'm more than just a little out of my depth here.
Calyx isn't just any chairman. He's the youngest to ever hold the position, appointed right after he got married—to me, though no one knows that yet. He's the most successful young businessman around, and everyone envies him.
And most women want him. But they all know he's married. What they don't know is that I'm the one he's married to.
Suddenly, a rush of thoughts swarms my brain. What should I wear? Something formal, but not too much. Elegant but sexy, maybe. After all, I'm Mrs. Lockhorst. I need to look like I belong in this world.
I slap my face lightly, trying to shake myself from the spiral of insecurities that are slowly creeping back into my mind. That's not me anymore. I'm trying to be a good wife—fair to Calyx, but also true to myself. I can't let the old Severa take over again. I need to be more than that.
With a deep breath, I try to focus on finishing my breakfast. I can't let myself get too caught up in the excitement. After all, nothing is really different. I'm still the same girl I was before. I'll just go to school like usual, pretending nothing is different.
But everything is different. I'm married now, and this life feels so... foreign.
The days since our wedding have felt like a routine. Calyx treats me fairly, but he's still distant. It's as if he's not sure how to act around me anymore. He's not cold like before—he doesn't curse me or throw insults—but there's still that chill, that distance between us. I've changed, yes, but I wonder if he has.
We don't share a bed or a room anymore. I started it, and Calyx hasn't questioned it, which feels like a relief. I can't bear the idea of confronting him about what's going on between us. It's not a big deal... at least, not for him.
"Sev!"
I stop in my tracks when I hear Lucien's familiar voice. I turn to see him jogging toward me, that huge grin on his face, and I can't help but smile back. He's always been a bit dramatic, but I love him for it.
"Hey!" I wave at him. He runs up to me and, without hesitation, pulls me into a tight hug. I can't help but laugh. I can feel the affection radiating from him.
"How was the Philippines?" I ask, almost laughing against his chest.
He releases me but keeps that pout on his face. "Don't you miss me?"
I roll my eyes, trying to pull away from his grip. "Nope. Unless you have something for me."
I start to walk away, but I hear him curse in a language I understand all too well. I ignore him, but he's persistent, grabbing my arm and stopping me.
"Not so fast, Trexler," he says, his tone suddenly serious. It's unusual—almost foreign for him.
I raise an eyebrow, confused. Lucien's playful aura is gone, replaced with something much heavier. "What's going on, Lucien?"
He stares at me, his face tight with concern, and I feel a chill. Something's off. "What's going on?" I repeat, this time softer. My voice wavers just a bit.
Lucien and I are from the Philippines, and I haven't been home since I got married. He went there for vacation. But now... something feels wrong.
"Is there a problem?" I ask, the words barely leaving my mouth before I realize I may be in over my head.
Lucien's face remains unreadable. Without another word, he looks past me, and that's when I feel it. I can feel them—they are here.
I slowly turn around, my stomach sinking as my eyes land on the familiar faces I left behind. My heart begins to hammer against my chest.
"Severa Gabrielle Brinth Trexler."
Fuck. The voice hits me like a punch to the gut. I know that voice all too well. It's the voice of someone who used to know me—someone I left behind.
Tears start to well up in my eyes, and I blink rapidly to try to stop them from falling. I can feel the old panic rising in my chest, that fear of facing what I've tried so hard to escape.
There they are—my family, the people I thought I'd escaped from. The ones I chose to leave behind when I got married. But they're here now, and they know everything. They must.
"Nine."
Zero's voice hits me like a shockwave. My migraine flares, and everything starts to spin.
Without thinking, I turn and run. I can't face them. Not now, not like this. I don't know how to deal with the truth they're trying to bring into my life. But running has always been my answer, hasn't it?
Just like I did three years ago, when I ran away from everything I knew.
Later, outside Lockhorst Corporation
I sit in my car, parked just outside the imposing glass structure of Lockhorst Corporation, my hands gripping the steering wheel tighter than I realize. The late afternoon sun casts long shadows across the pavement, but the warmth outside doesn't reach me.
It's already past 2 p.m. now, and I've been here for what feels like hours, waiting for a message from Calyx. I told him I'd be coming in early today because I needed to talk to him, but he hasn't replied to any of my texts, and certainly not the call I made to him earlier. I glance down at my phone again, watching the screen, willing it to buzz, to show me something, anything. A message. A sign.
The air feels thick in the car, suffocating in a way I can't explain. I tap my fingers impatiently on the dashboard, the silence around me deafening. The anxiety building in my chest tightens with each passing second. It's like something is about to happen. But what? My mind races with a million possibilities, none of which seem good.
Just as I think I can't take it anymore, my phone buzzes in my hand, making my heart race even faster. The familiar ping breaks the silence like a thunderclap, and I'm suddenly both relieved and more anxious than before. My pulse quickens as I grab the phone, hoping it's Calyx, but at the same time fearing what his message might say.
I swipe the screen quickly, reading his message:
Calyx: Meet me at Renaissance Hotel.
Wait. What? I stare at the message, my mind whirring. I was expecting him to say something about meeting at the office. That was the plan, wasn't it? We were supposed to talk, clear things up, but now… he's changed the location. Why? What's going on?
Confusion floods my brain, and I feel like my heart might stop beating entirely. Why the sudden change of venue? Why the secrecy? I know something's off, and it makes my skin crawl.
I don't reply. Instead, I stare at the phone, waiting for the words to make sense, but they don't. They're just a cryptic request, nothing more. But I can't sit here waiting anymore. I start the car, the engine purring to life beneath me, and I let out a shaky breath. It's the only thing I can control in this moment.
The drive to the Renaissance Hotel is only about 20 minutes, but it feels longer. My thoughts keep spiraling, each question I can't answer making my stomach churn more. I try to calm myself, taking deep breaths, letting the air fill my lungs and then release slowly. But it doesn't help. The sense of dread, of unease, is growing inside me, gnawing at my chest. What if this is some kind of test? What if he's testing me, or worse, setting me up for something I'm not ready for?
I shake my head, trying to clear the cloud of thoughts, but it's no use. There's no denying it now: something is changing, something big, and I'm not sure I can handle it. I'm not ready for whatever Calyx has in store for me. The Renaissance Hotel looms in the distance as I drive toward it, a towering figure that seems to mirror the sense of impending change I can't shake.
I don't know what I'm walking into, but I know it's going to be something I'll never forget.
At Renaissance Hotel
The drive to the Renaissance Hotel feels long enough to tighten every nerve in my body, and by the time I reach the valet, I'm already mentally exhausted. I hand over my car keys, trying not to think too much about how out of place I feel. The valet nods with practiced politeness and takes the car away, while I make my way toward the entrance. The weight of the moment feels heavy, pressing down on me with each step.
The moment I step into the lobby, I'm struck by how cold it feels. It's not just the temperature, but the atmosphere—everything is polished, pristine, and intimidatingly elegant. The high ceilings stretch upward, and the marble floors shine under soft lighting. Everything looks so immaculate, so perfect. I stop for a moment, standing still and taking it all in. It's hard to believe I belong here, standing in this world of luxury.
I glance down at my simple cotton dress—soft, comfortable, but far from the sleek designer outfits that everyone else around me is wearing. I can't help but tug nervously at the hem, trying to smooth it out, but the discomfort doesn't go away. It's like there's an invisible spotlight on me, highlighting just how out of place I feel.
I remind myself that I don't need to care about how I look or how others might perceive me. I'm here to do my job. I'm here to be a good wife. That's what matters, right? I take a deep breath, steadying myself, and square my shoulders. This is about him, not me. About showing up. About playing my part.
The hostess at the front desk eyes me for a moment, a subtle shift in her expression, before asking, "Do you have a reservation?"
Without missing a beat, I answer, "Under Calyx Lockhorst."
The brief flicker of recognition in her eyes doesn't go unnoticed. A slight, almost imperceptible shift, followed by a small nod. She leads me past the restaurant, and as we walk, I can't help but glance around. The atmosphere here is more than just luxury; it's a level of opulence that feels out of reach for someone like me. The space seems designed for people who expect to be treated like royalty.
My stomach tightens again as we pass the floor-to-ceiling windows, revealing a breathtaking view of the city sprawled below. The lights below glitter, but the beauty of the scene does nothing to calm the knots in my stomach. If anything, it deepens the unease. It's like I'm standing at the edge of something I'm not prepared for, something far bigger than I ever anticipated.
And then, I see him.
Calyx stands at the far side of the room, talking to some people I don't recognize at first. But when his gaze lands on me, everything else fades away. Time seems to slow down, and for a split second, I almost wonder if he's glad to see me. There's a shift in the air—something different in the way he holds himself. But then, something changes in his eyes, something I can't quite place. It's not the usual disinterest or annoyance I'm used to seeing. No, this is different.
And then, before I can fully process what's happening, he's moving toward me, walking across the room with purposeful strides. My heart pounds, each beat faster than the last as I try to make sense of this. He's not looking at me like he usually does—cold, distant, maybe even frustrated. This time, there's a warmth, a something in his gaze that I can't put my finger on.
And then, as if the room itself can't move fast enough, he's in front of me, leaning down. In one fluid motion, he presses his lips to mine.
I freeze.
The world around us stops. The noise dies away, the murmur of conversation falling into an almost deafening silence. His kiss isn't light or brief—it's firm, deliberate, as if he's marking something, reminding everyone of something I don't fully understand yet. My heart skips a beat, and I forget to breathe. I stand there, rigid, stunned by the unexpectedness of it all.
The silence stretches on, the room around us frozen in this one moment. But slowly, the noise trickles back, a hum of whispers and murmurs, but I can't focus on anything except the way my pulse races in my ears, the way his lips linger on mine for just a moment too long before he pulls away.
I blink, trying to gather my bearings, but the room is full of eyes, all watching, their gazes locked on us. Lucien, Zero, Uno, Dos, Fifth, Pryce, Ben, Kaiser… they're all there, their stares wide with surprise, their faces a mixture of shock and confusion.
My eyes land on Kaiser. He's watching, his expression unreadable, but it's not just curiosity that makes my stomach churn. It's something else. He's waiting for something. His gaze flickers between Calyx and me, and I can't shake the feeling that he's dissecting this moment, trying to make sense of it all. I feel like I'm on display, exposed in a way I never agreed to.
The tension in the room is palpable, and then, breaking the silence, Kaiser speaks.
"Who is she, cousin?" Kaiser asks, his voice casual, but with an edge of sharpness I can't ignore. It's clear that his question isn't just for Calyx, but for all of us. He's searching for answers, for understanding. His eyes flicker between Calyx and me, his expression unreadable, but the weight of his gaze is almost suffocating.
I freeze again, my mind racing. Kaiser already knows me—he knows exactly who I am—but the way he's asking the question makes it feel like he doesn't. His tone is unsettling, and I can't tell if it's out of curiosity or suspicion. "Cousin" is a word he's only ever used in private, never in front of others. And now, it sounds like a question in itself.
The room holds its breath, everyone waiting, watching. And I—well, I don't know how to react. The familiarity of Kaiser's tone cuts through me like a knife, but there's something else underneath it. Something off. I want to respond, to say something, but the words catch in my throat. The blood rushes to my face, burning with embarrassment. I'm not sure if I should be insulted or terrified. I feel like I'm being dissected, exposed in front of everyone.
Before I can find my voice, Calyx speaks. His smile is calm, steady, almost like he's been waiting for this moment, like he's already prepared for it.
"Meet my wife," Calyx says, his voice smooth, confident, and unbothered. The words hang in the air like a bombshell, a declaration that reverberates through the room. "My Mrs. Lockhorst."
The weight of his words hits me like a punch to the gut, and for a moment, everything falls away. The world feels distant, like I'm floating outside my body. His voice is calm, but the shock of his words reverberates through me, through the whole room. Everyone is silent, waiting, processing.
I don't know what's happening. I don't know why I'm here, why he kissed me like that, or what this means for us. It feels like the beginning of something huge, something I can't understand yet, and I'm not sure I ever will.
I glance around at the others. They're all watching, but no one speaks. Kaiser's gaze remains locked on us, his body tense as if he's holding something back. But I can't tell what. The silence around us is deafening, thick with unasked questions and unspoken judgments.
"I'm sure you all have questions," Calyx says, his voice cool and dismissive as he turns back to face the group. "But we're family now. And you'll get used to it."
The casualness in his tone rubs me the wrong way. Family? We're still strangers in so many ways. But I'm not about to argue, not in front of everyone. Instead, I stay quiet, nodding slightly as I try to keep my composure. The air feels thick, like it's about to burst with all the things that no one is saying.
I stay close to Calyx, though my mind is reeling. His arm around me feels warm, but it doesn't do much to quell the unease in my chest. The world might be silent around me, but inside, everything is far too loud.