"By Wednesday next week, your divorce with Cielo will be finalized, Narciso," Romos informed him as they sat down for dinner at the Monteverde mansion.
"I'm glad everything was settled so quickly," Narciso replied.
"And we thank you for that," Romos added sincerely.
"There's no need to thank me, Romos. If anything, you should be thanking Ceres," Narciso said with a humble smile. "Honestly, I don't know the first thing about the law. I only have basic education. If Ceres hadn't pointed it out, I wouldn't have even known that my marriage with Cielo was still legally binding. And besides, you were the ones who handled everything. All I did was answer a few questions from the lawyer and sign some papers. That's hardly anything worth praising."
"That's not a small thing, Uncle," Ceres interjected. "Because if it were someone else in your position, they could have made things difficult for Mommy and Daddy. They could have demanded all sorts of things."
"Ceres is right," Cielo chimed in, her voice gentle. "And whatever happened in the past... let's just leave it there. We all deserve to move forward." She smiled warmly at Narciso before turning to her daughter. "But still, sweetheart... thank you. Even with everything that happened, you were the only one thinking clearly during that time. If it weren't for you, we all would have still been in the dark."
Romos reached for Ceres's hand, squeezing it gently. "Your mother is right, sweetheart. And for that, you deserve a reward from us."
Ceres raised an eyebrow, a mischievous smirk playing on her lips. "Honestly, I don't think I deserve a reward, but since you're offering… I'll gladly take it. And you're not allowed to take it back."
Romos chuckled. "Of course not. Just tell me what you want, anything."
"Hmmm…" Ceres tapped a manicured finger against her chin, pretending to think. "I can't think of anything right now, Daddy. But don't worry, I'll make sure to collect my reward in the future." She scrunched her nose playfully, making her parents laugh.
Then she turned her gaze toward Nissan, her smirk turning softer. "Speaking of rewards… I have something for you, cousin."
Nissan blinked in surprise as Ceres handed her a brown envelope.
"What is this?" Nissan asked hesitantly, looking between Ceres and the envelope.
"Well," Ceres began, "if I had given this to Uncle and Auntie, they would have definitely turned it down. So I figured I'd just give it straight to you."
Nissan hesitated for a moment before carefully opening the envelope. The second she saw what was inside, her eyes widened in shock.
She pulled out a property title.
Even Ciera, who had been quietly listening, gasped when she saw what Nissan was holding.
"Cuz…" Nissan whispered, her voice trembling.
"You can't say no," Ceres warned playfully. "And you definitely can't return it, I made sure it's already in your name."
Nissan looked overwhelmed, speechless.
"And don't worry," Ceres continued, flashing her a reassuring smile. "I already talked to Mommy and Daddy about this before doing anything. We all knew that staying at the mansion was probably overwhelming for you guys, so… this was the best solution. That particular house is near NYU, so if you decide to continue your studies, it'll be close to your university."
Nissan blinked, stunned into silence.
"And…" Ceres added, her smirk turning proud, "Zeus also pulled a few strings. So if you do want to go to NYU, while you still need to go through the formal enrollment procedures, everything is pretty much set for you. And don't worry about tuition, Mommy and I will handle it."
She winked. "But, so you don't feel like you're getting a free pass, you can work part-time at one of Mommy's foundations."
Nissan's lips trembled as her vision blurred with tears.
"Thank you," she whispered, her voice breaking.
Narciso and Ciera also expressed their gratitude, clearly moved by Ceres's generosity.
The conversation continued, laughter and warmth filling the room. But amidst the joy and appreciation, there was one person sitting in silence.
Ciena.
Ever since her lies had been exposed, neither Cielo nor Romos had directly confronted her about it.
But the change in their behavior toward her was unmistakable.
Especially with Cielo.
Whenever Ciena tried to initiate a conversation, Cielo would simply look at her, calm, waiting, as if expecting her to say something. But she never asked why, never pushed for an explanation.
And because Ciena didn't even know where to start, nothing ever came of it.
Even her younger sister, Nissan, who used to follow her everywhere when they were kids, had grown distant. Her father, who had always defended her whenever she got into trouble back in their old neighborhood, barely spoke to her anymore.
She could feel it.
The shift. The distance.
And she realized, this silence was worse than being yelled at.
No one seemed to notice how out of place she felt in the mansion. No one, except Ceres.
And Ceres made sure Ciena knew that she knew.
She made sure Ciena felt just how much she no longer belonged in this house. That whatever small allies she had left, she had completely lost them.
Whenever their eyes met, Ceres would flash her a sweet smile, one that never reached her eyes, before raising a perfectly arched eyebrow. It was a silent taunt, a reminder.
And when Ciena tried to speak to their mother again one day, only for nothing to come out of her mouth before Cielo simply turned and walked away, Ceres had been there.
The moment their mother was out of sight, Ceres had leaned in and whispered right into Ciena's ear.
"This is just the beginning."
She had smiled.
"Brace yourself, dear sister. Because no matter how much you cry, no matter how much you beg, I will make you pay for every single one of your lies."
Even the household staff, those who once pitied Ciena, now looked at her with open disdain.
Ceres's phone vibrated. A message flashed on her screen.
"We're here."
It was from Rafael.
A slow smirk curled on her lips.
Perfect.
She turned to Ciena, who had been eating in silence.
"So, sissy," Ceres said sweetly, tilting her head.
Ciena glanced up at her, instantly on guard.
"How's your bachelorette party planning going?" Ceres asked, feigning curiosity. "I haven't received an invitation yet… Or am I not included in your bachelorette party?" She smiled innocently. "Three more weeks, and it's your big day."
Cielo, raised an eyebrow. "You didn't invite your sister to your bachelorette party?" she asked, her tone laced with disappointment.
Ciena immediately tensed. "We haven't discussed the bachelorette party yet, Mommy," she answered carefully.
Ceres gasped dramatically. "Really? That's odd. Ryza loves throwing parties. I figured she would've already organized one for you by now." She leaned back, tapping her fingers against the table. "As your maid of honor, I was planning to throw you one myself… but I didn't want to overstep in case you and Ryza already had something planned."
She tilted her head, pretending to think. "Or… maybe she was planning to surprise you with one along with the other bridesmaids?"
Ciena clenched her jaw. "I… don't know," she muttered.
The truth was, ever since that disastrous breakfast at the Monteverde mansion, when Ceres and Ryzel's confrontation exposed everything, Ryza had completely cut her off.
She hadn't spoken to her since.
And it wasn't just Ryza.
Even Mr. and Mrs. Clark had grown increasingly cold towards her. Their interactions, which were already distant to begin with, had turned downright strained.
Because now, they knew.
They knew that Ciena had been sleeping with Ryzel while he was still with Ceres.
And worst of all?
They knew that Ryzel had known she was lying.
So no, Ciena didn't know if Ryza had planned anything.
Maybe she never intended to.
Ceres hummed. "Maybe they're just busy," she mused. "But since today is Friday… as your maid of honor, why don't I throw you a bachelorette party instead?"
Ciena immediately stiffened. "That's not necessary, sis," she said quickly.
Ceres's smile faltered, and for a split second, her golden eyes flashed dangerously.
Cielo's fork clinked softly against her plate as she placed it down. "Your sister is trying to do her part as your maid of honor," she said, her tone calm but laced with irritation. "Do you really not want her involved in your wedding? Or are you assuming she's planning something malicious?"
Ciena bit her lip.
Cielo turned to Ceres. "Sweetheart?" she asked, her voice softer. "Are you planning something evil?"
"Yes, Mommy," Ceres answered without hesitation, flashing an impish grin.
"And what exactly is your evil plan?"
Ceres' lips curl into a smirk. "I was planning to get very drunk... and I was going to drag Nissan with me."
"I'M COMING?!" Nissan exclaimed, looking utterly baffled.
Ceres smirked wider. "Obviously."
Nissan blinked in disbelief. This was the first time Ceres had ever invited her out since she and her parents arrived in the city. Given how busy Ceres had been, she had assumed her cousin simply didn't have time for her.
"Is that okay with you, Uncle, Auntie?" Ceres turned to Nissan's parents, flashing them an innocent smile. "I'll personally take care of her. Nope, wait, scratch that. Zeus will take care of us. So really, we'll be in very good hands." She tilted her head playfully. "And besides… Ciena will be with us too. It's going to be a girls' night out."
Her smile was sweet, but her eyes were daring Ciena to refuse.
Ciera hesitated for only a moment before nodding. "If it's okay with you," she said. A part of her wanted her daughter to experience social life, to be able to do things that girls her age usually did, things Nissan never got the chance to experience back in Escobares.
"Just don't embarrass your cousin in front of her friends," Narciso reminded Nissan.
Nissan beamed. "I won't, Papa. Promise!"
Ceres's smirk deepened before she turned her attention back to Ciena.
"So? Sissy?" she said smoothly. "You know what? Let's not make this your official bachelorette party, who knows, maybe Ryza is planning something for you already. Let's just call it a regular night out. You should go all out while you're still single. Who knows? Once you're married, Ryzel might not let you out anymore."
Ceres laughed lightly, but the implication was clear.
And to really tighten the trap, she added, "And to make it more fun, I'm inviting your entire bridal entourage."
Before Ciena could even react, Ceres had already pulled out her phone, her fingers typing swiftly.
A moment later, Ciena's phone buzzed.
A message from Ceres.
E-Invite.
📍 What: Ciena's Bridal Entourage Party
🎀 Who: Every member of Ciena's Bridal Entourage plus two.
🏙️ Where: Club Olympus.
⏰ When: Tonight at 10 PM.
🔥 What to expect: Everyone going wild.
Ciena's fingers tightened around her phone as she read the message. She knew there was no way out.