EPILOGUE

RAFAEL ZEVALLOS

I pushed my glasses up, which had started to slide down as I busied myself writing notes for the upcoming exams and jotting down details for our thesis project at my study table. When a knock came at my bedroom door.

"Rafael? Are you still awake?"

My ears perked up at the sound of my mother's voice outside the door. I furrowed my brows and slowly stood up from my chair to open the door for her.

"I'm still awake," I replied.

Standing before me was my mother, wearing a robe and smiling softly as I fully opened the door to my room.

"Perses is calling for you in his office. I thought you were already asleep, but it's good you're still awake because he wants to tell you something," she said.

"Can't it wait until tomorrow?" I asked her.

She simply smiled at me and shook her head. "It can't, Raf. He probably knows you're still awake by now. Remember to call him Perses, not Grandpa, alright? You know he doesn't like being called that."

"Okay..."

"I'll go ahead and rest in my room," she said as she came closer and hugged me.

I immediately hugged her back, and we stayed in each other's arms for a few seconds. I was holding my mother, but there was something about her that felt incomplete—something I couldn't quite figure out. Maybe it was just because I had too much on my mind. I shook my head at my thoughts and was the first to let go of our embrace.

I nodded. "Okay. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Raf."

I watched her until she entered the room she shared with my father. A strange feeling tugged at my chest, as if warning me not to go to Perses' office because I already knew what he wanted to do.

I exhaled deeply and headed to his office. I knocked twice before turning the doorknob and stepping inside.

"Rafael, have a seat," he said, pointing to an empty chair near the front of his desk.

I followed his instruction. He adjusted something on his desk, then cleared his throat and began to speak.

"Tomorrow, we'll make it official that you're dead," he said bluntly.

I couldn't hide the shock on my face at his words. I stood up abruptly, staring at him.

"Just give me one week. My friend—"

"No buts. I already gave you a year, didn't I? Isn't that enough? If only you knew, Rafael, the enemies are targeting you now. I'm tired of constantly covering for you! Once we succeed in making it look like you're dead to our enemies in the real estate business, then I'll initiate you into El Orden Del Abismo. Do you understand?"

I blinked a few times, and Sarah... The one and only female friend who was special to me—entered my thoughts. I knew she'd be devastated when she learned I was gone... that I was dead.

Just imagining her crying was enough to make my heart ache. But there was nothing I could do if this was how things had to be. This had been planned for a long time. I was just the one who kept asking for extensions because I wanted more time with Sarah.

Because once that happens... Once the news breaks that the sole heir of Zevallos is dead, those chasing after us will finally leave us in peace. And most of all, I'll never be able to see, be with, or hold Sarah again.

"Rafael... This plan has already been delayed multiple times. I've only been indulging you, even though I don't understand your reasons. This is a family tradition—to join El Orden Del Abismo—and you cannot avoid it. You need to help me with what I'm doing. Once your papers are finalized with the higher-ups in our organization, you'll become my right hand. Do you understand?"

I swallowed hard and could do nothing but nod at what he said. I wanted to protest, but I knew it was pointless—he wouldn't let me change his mind again. I had thought he'd wait until after my birthday before carrying out this plan, but it was happening sooner than I'd expected.

If I had known this was coming, I would have savored the kiss Sarah and I shared in the yard of her home. I should have spent more time with her, made the most of that moment I knew would never happen again. It's ridiculous to think about—friends don't act like this—but I can't explain it. I'm too much of a coward to admit to her that I love her—not as a friend, but as the person she is.

I'm such an idiot for never telling her how I truly feel.

"Do you understand? I'm not going to explain this to you again," Perses's voice broke through my deep thoughts, snapping me back to reality.

"Yes."

I turned away from him and walked towards the closed door, but just before I could open it and leave, he spoke once more.

"Alright. You can go now. I'll talk to you about our other plans tomorrow."

"Okay, Perses."

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

It's over... What Perses wanted has happened. The news that his only grandchild died in an accident has spread and is being talked about all over our village. Days have passed, but the incident is still fresh in everyone's mind, even though it's not true. Now, I'm locked in my room, packing my school things into a storage box, hiding them away because I know I won't be using them anymore.

"Raf?"

I quickly turned when the door to my room suddenly opened. My second cousin entered, offering me a small smile as she approached.

"Sorry if I just came in without asking," she said as she got closer.

I closed the lid of the storage box and tucked it under my study table before looking at her. She was carrying a bag, likely just returning from school.

"It's fine, Iylla. How's Sarah? Is she okay?"

She sighed and sat on the empty chair beside my bedside table to rest.

"She's still sad, Raf. Don't worry, I'm always with her. Oh, by the way, just call me Ei. You always mention my complicated name," she replied.

As she said this, Sarah's sad face immediately flashed in my mind. Her eyes were red, swollen, and puffy from crying. As I thought of her, I felt a sharp pain in my chest.

"Please, Ei, always be there for her when she goes to school. Even though she acts strong, I know inside, she's completely broken. I'm her only friend at school, so I'm sure it's hurting her so much to suddenly find out I'm dead," I said as I sat on the soft bed, looking at her from the edge.

Ei nodded slowly before answering. "Yeah. Don't worry, and you've reminded me of that so many times already. You're getting too obvious that you have feelings for Sarah."

I shook my head and stood up to head toward the glass sliding door to the balcony. I pulled the black curtain to cover it. It was late at night, and only a few lights from the mansion's exterior were visible. Occasionally, I could see Perses's men patrolling outside, keeping watch. I walked back to the bed and sat down again.

"I won't deny that. Just make sure to stay with her at school until she graduates. I know she was really hurt when she found out I'm dead."

"I'll be the one to replace you as her friend, Raf. Don't worry, she's in good hands with me."

I sighed deeply. "Okay. I trust you. Thanks, Ei. Sorry for the trouble, but you're the only one who can do this since we go to the same school. It'd be too weird if I sent one of Perses' men to watch over Sarah."

Ei chuckled quietly and stood up from her seat, walking toward me. She lifted her hand to pat my shoulder and smiled at me.

"Sarah will be safe with me. I promise," she whispered. Her expression softened, and she gave me a sad smile. "Once you're in El Orden Del Abismo, I'll be next. We'll both be working for them."

"So there's really no way to back out, huh?" I asked.

I really didn't want to join, but I knew I had no choice. Our family is too high-profile, and no one would ever suspect we're involved in anything illegal, especially since we cover it up with our real estate business.

She shook her head. "No, there's no way out. I don't have a choice but to stay with my husband while we work for the organization. They've given me a few years, so I'll probably join Caddel. We still need to talk about it. Anyway, go rest, Raf. I'm heading home now. Bye, goodnight."

"Bye, take care."

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

My eyes widened as I stared at the large flat-screen TV in the living room, shocked by the news this morning. My heart was pounding so fast, I thought it might burst out of my chest. It felt like it was about to break free from my ribcage because of how hard it was beating.

I dropped the mug holding my coffee as I remained frozen, staring at the woman on the screen. The mug hitting the floor made a loud noise, but I didn't even notice it. My focus was completely on the report. Our real estate company had suddenly exploded for an unknown reason this morning.

Many civilians were caught in the blast, and Sarah was one of them.

"Oh my god, Sarah!" Ei cried out, tears streaming down her face. "The last time we spoke, it felt like she was saying goodbye, Raf. Was she acting that way because this is what was going to happen to her?"

"That's not true," I whispered to myself softly.

I clenched my fist, my heart was in chaos, and I stormed into my room. It felt like hot tears suddenly formed out of nowhere and began to fall down my cheeks as soon as I entered.

"R-Raf..." I heard Ei call out to me, not realizing she had followed me.

"She's gone..." I said through my tears. "Sarah is gone... she's dead." I could hardly recognize myself as I sobbed.

I know it's unusual to see a man sobbing, but the person I'm grieving for now was incredibly close to me. It felt like a million needles were piercing my heart because of the news I just received.

"W-why..." My voice, deep and choked with sobs, filled the corners of my room. "Why did this happen to her? It hurts... it hurts so much to know she's gone."

"I'm so sorry for your loss, Raf. C-condolences," Ei said through her own tears as she hugged me.

With every sob that escaped my lips, my chest tightened. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself.

"It's okay, Raf. Just let it all out... no one will judge you here. Don't worry, no one will see your tears except for the two of us. So whatever pain you're feeling in your heart, just cry it out," Ei whispered to me through her own tears.

The thing I had been holding back from myself broke now. Both of us were crying in the room for my friend who had died. The one I loved was gone.

Why does my heart hurt so much, as if it's being torn apart over and over again? Is this how you felt when you found out I was dead, Sarah?

Days, weeks, and months passed. Slowly, Perses began introducing me to the organization called El Orden Del Abismo. An organization where everything they do is illegal. I've learned a little about it, as Perses has mentioned some things to me, but not the full details since I'm not officially a member yet.

Despite the passing of time, the pain in my heart and chest from losing Sarah remains. It's still here, and it won't go away. It's so hard, and sometimes, I'd suddenly remember her on random days and feel a wave of sadness.

"Amadeus Alejandro Zevallos?"

"Yes. That will be your new name once we've had your face retouched. Your data is still being processed in the El Orden Del Abismo system, so it's better if we focus on improving your body first," Perses said seriously.

I'm sitting in his office now as he explains the organization I'm about to join and the new identity I'll take on. We've already planned and discussed when the retouching of my face will happen. While I'm waiting to officially join and have my data integrated into the system, the training for my new life began. There isn't a single day I don't work out.

No rest, and I won't stop until I'm exhausted. Perses also taught me how to use a gun because he said I'd need it if something went wrong with us. Most importantly, it's also for self-defense because the organization I'm joining isn't something to take lightly, and in just a few months, I'll be working for them.

In the middle of my training, my face was finally retouched.

The procedure was done, and I had to pause my training for a few months to recover. It was a quick process, but it felt strange. It was like I had changed bodies. I couldn't even look at myself in the mirror for too long because I wasn't used to the new face I saw.

The changes were significant, especially in my body. My body was growing due to the workouts and training. My muscles were more defined than before, and it was obvious how much I had changed physically. I had muscle and was lean before the training, but now, it felt like my body had gotten bigger. I stared blankly in front of the mirror in my bathroom, holding a small towel over my shoulder.

I was completely different from the old Rafael.

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

"Congratulations," Perses said with a smile.

I furrowed my brow at what he said. He had just come out of his office, and he caught me as I was heading down to work out again.

"Congratulations?" I asked, confused. "For what?"

He walked toward me, and I saw a grin spread across his face. I felt him give me a soft tap on the shoulder before he spoke. But with no emotion, I shrugged it off and stared at him, slightly bored.

"You're officially a member of El Orden Del Abismo, Amadeus. I just received the email from our higher-ups last night. You'll be my right hand in handling the weapons and illegal explosives we'll be sending," he explained.

"And of course, it's not just the organization you'll be focusing on. When the time comes, you'll also take over what I do in the black market, Amadeus. The Zevallos, or La Familia Zevallos. When you have a family of your own, you'll pass it on to them so all our hard work doesn't go to waste. I'm not just focused on the organization, I also have dealings in the black market, and that's where we make a lot of money because of the people I know. Don't worry, I'll tell you everything once I'm not too busy."

I was getting tired of all the things he was saying, so I just let him talk. He was still smiling at me, even though I couldn't really understand most of what he was saying because my mind was elsewhere. Ever since I found out Sarah was dead, I lost my motivation for what I was doing. I know it might sound silly, but she was important to me.

For a brief moment, I managed to push the thoughts of her out of my mind because of the tasks Perses was assigning me. The constant cycle of work was exhausting, even though I was trying to move on. But it was still hard. So, I preferred being busy rather than doing nothing.

"One more thing, all members in El Orden Del Abismo need a code name because you can't use your real name. Have you thought of one?"

"No," I quickly replied. "Is it really necessary?"

He nodded. "Of course. If you haven't thought of one, I'll assign a code name for you, Amadeus."

"Up to you. I'm fine with you coming up with my code name."

"Alright then. Your code name is Helios. Don't forget it. Bye," he said, not waiting for my response as he turned and headed back to his office.

So now, I was left alone in the hallway, frowning at what he had said.

"Helios..." I muttered to myself.

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

AMADEUS ALEJANDRO ZEVALLOS

2 years later...

"I know it's my fault that I left you here, Raf."

I stayed silent, listening to Atlas as he spoke. I didn't know why, but it felt like something warm touched my heart when he called me by my real name.

We were now in the newly renovated mansion. The once lifeless, huge house now looked lively. I was changing the color of the entire house as well. It was white with black accents in some areas to balance the color and make it easier on the eyes.

"I had to do it because I haven't proven anything to Perses yet. I'm really sorry," Atlas said. "I did it for you. It was for the good of everyone."

I reached for the whiskey glass on the center table in the living room and took a sip. When I looked at him, his eyes were slightly bloodshot. I shook my head and gently tapped his shoulder.

"You've said that to me so many times, Dad. I know everything, don't worry. What matters is that I understand now, and you've told me everything. How about you tell me again about Mom?" I said.

He sighed and leaned back in his seat. We were both sitting on the soft white sofa.

"Sienna... your mother is so beautiful, Raf. The memories of her that I can't forget is that, we bumped into each other while entering this mansion. She was the one who was angry, even though I was the one who bumped into her. Sienna was taken by Perses from an orphanage when she was of legal age to work for El Orden Del Abismo. That's where I met your mother, and as time went on... I don't know... with her stubbornness, I think that's when I fell in love with her," he told me.

I was happy to hear about my mother directly from him because I could tell he really loved her. Atlas stared blankly at the whiskey glass in his hand, playing with the ice.

"And this weapon," he took the two golden stiletto-type weapons from the table and showed them to me. "This came from her... she got it from the black market we visited. She's fond of weapons like this, Raf. To this day, I still don't know if she got it herself or if she stole it," he said, laughing a little at his own words. "And eventually... I gave it to Hexia."

I swallowed hard and turned my gaze away. I absentmindedly looked at the backyard. The triple-glazed French doors were ajar, and the strong wind flowed into the living room. My gaze wandered off as I stared at that place... the spot where I was shot and where Hexia was stabbed multiple times.

"I know," I whispered softly. "She's already told me about that."

"Your mother is very beautiful, Raf. She has long, black, wavy hair and a fierce face. If you look closely, you both have some similarities. It's like a mix of me and your mother," my father said emotionally.

"Have you thought about falling in love again?" I asked him.

He became silent for a moment. "I don't know. I'm fine with this... I don't think I need a partner anymore. I'm too busy with what I'm doing in our organization, and I can't fit that in anymore," he answered.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course..." he said. "I'm sure."

There was a hint of doubt in his voice when he said that. It felt like there was something more he wanted to say, but he chose not to.

We both looked at his cellphone on the table when it suddenly rang. The name of his right-hand man, Oceanus, appeared on the screen.

"I'll answer this first," he said quickly and stood up.

I nodded and stood up as well since I had somewhere to go. "I'll go ahead. I just need to visit someone."

"You're going to visit her?" he asked.

"Yes. I'll spend some time there," I replied.

"Okay. I'll step out for a bit," he said before pressing the phone to his ear to answer the call. "Hello? Oceanus?"

"The fuck is wrong with you, Atlas!? Why did you make me a bodyguard for Ismael's niece!? As far as I know, I'm your right-hand man, not a bodyguard! I wasn't informed that I had a side job in our organization! Right-hand man and bodyguard!? Are you serious!?"

I could clearly hear Oceanus' voice from the other side of the line. My father, however, acted like it didn't bother him, slowly walking out of the mansion.

I watched him until he disappeared from my sight, then I headed toward the backyard.

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

I walked quietly towards the grave I planned to visit. With each step I took, the pressure on my chest grew tighter. Two years had passed, and much had happened during that time. The positions within our organization had shifted again.

Since Perses was gone, I had taken his place. I was now the underboss to Theus, and I still didn't have a right-hand man, as Cronus was said to be the one to handle that.

A lot had changed in the mansion, especially the torture chamber. It had been renovated and cleaned up. The entire mansion, in fact, had been remodeled. I had decided to install a mini-laboratory in the torture chamber for my father, given his obsession with creating drugs. Sometimes, he would look for space for his illegal activities, so I thought it would be a good idea to give him a designated area in the chamber.

I continued walking through the dense forest until I reached a secluded area. It was surrounded by towering trees, but I could still clearly see the mansion in the distance. I walked deeper into the area until I stopped at a grave.

I stared at it emotionlessly, but deep inside, the pain in my chest still lingered. Two years... It felt long, but it still hurt. I bent down and brushed the sand off the grave.

"Hi, it's me again—"

"Helios?"

I quickly looked up and instinctively reached for the Glock 45 tucked in the back of my black pants, aiming it at the person who spoke in front of me.

My expression softened immediately when I saw who it was. I dropped the gun and walked toward her.

"Shit, baby. Why do you keep popping up like that?" I said, concerned. I took her hand gently and pulled her towards me, carefully kissing her and planting a kiss on the top of her head.

"What if I shot you? Then both of you would be hurt."

"I'm sorry, I was just getting flowers for your mom," she said, looking up at me. "The ones we put here died. I replaced them with new ones while waiting for the flowers to replace the ones that died."

The sun was high today, and the light revealed her face clearly. She hadn't changed. She was still as beautiful in my eyes, whether she was Sarah or Valentina.

"Please don't do that again, baby. I won't forgive myself if I hurt both of you," I said, lowering my head to kiss her. She reciprocated until she was the one to pull away.

"Sorry..." she whispered softly.

I sighed deeply and kissed her forehead before interlacing her hand with mine.

"And why were you there? The last I knew, you were resting in the master bedroom, right?" I asked, furrowing my brows.

"You and Atlas didn't notice that I snuck away from you. I was getting bored in our room, Helios. I can't stand doing nothing. I agreed to stop training, but being locked in our room is hard. My body is used to being active, so just let me do what I want," she complained.

She slowly bent down to place the flowers on my mother's grave, and I supported her, making sure she wouldn't trip.

"Careful, baby," I said gently. When she stood up again, she softly tapped my shoulder and stood on her toes to kiss my lips. I bent down so she could reach me.

"I am always careful, Helios."

"I'll let you roam around outside the mansion, but please tell me where you're going, okay? I need to know. What if something bad happens to you, and I'm not there? I won't let you slip away from me again, baby. I can't handle that," I said seriously, looking into her eyes.

Hexia's condition had been much more critical than mine because of the countless stab wounds to her stomach. I was the first to wake up after the operation, while she remained in a coma for a month. There wasn't a day that went by without me worrying about her, watching over her in her bed.

Before that, she needed a blood transfusion because she had lost so much blood. We searched for her blood type, but my father stopped us, saying that her rare blood type couldn't be found in any hospital.

Hexia had A-negative blood, and it was very hard to find. My father suggested that he would take care of the blood she needed. He left for a short while, returning quickly with a cooler. Inside were the blood bags that would be transferred to Hexia.

There was quite a lot, but it all fit when transferred to Hexia. And on that very day, I found out that Hexia was actually the biological daughter of the man she recognized as her father. The story that Hexia was the child of the man who had raped her mother was not true. His name was still on the blood bag that was transfused into her.

Miguel Pajarilla.

When I was finally discharged from the hospital, that's when my greatest fear happened. Suddenly, something went wrong with her, and I didn't know why, but the machine beside her flatlined. Everyone panicked, and I did too. For a few seconds, her heart stopped before she was revived.

The fear I felt was overwhelming, and I vowed I would never let my worst fear come true—losing her. I couldn't bear it because she was my strength. She was my rest. We both found peace in each other when we were tired.

"Okay, I'll say goodbye to you when I go out. Your conversation with Atlas was so interesting that I didn't want to disturb you," she replied.

I sighed. "Baby, that's still not a good reason. You know I can stop everything I'm doing for the two of you because you both are important to me," I whispered softly, bringing her hand to my lips and gently kissing the back of her palm. "You're my priority, aside from our organization, okay?"

"Okay... I'm sorry," she apologized.

"Apologies accepted," I replied.

We stood for a few seconds, watching my mother's grave. It had become a place we often visited to rest and, of course, to be with my mother.

By the afternoon, I was the one who suggested we go inside because it was getting foggy, and she couldn't be exposed to it.

"It's okay if I gain weight, right?"

I lowered my gaze to my wife because of what she said. We were already lying in the large, soft bed, about to sleep.

"Of course, you're literally growing a baby inside of you," I responded. I kissed her forehead and stroked her arm.

I couldn't hide the happiness in my chest because, finally... She's mine. I know she's mine because we're married. I lowered my head and kissed her hair again, then embraced her sideways. I gently stroked her six-month belly and couldn't help but smile.

This baby growing inside her is the product of our love for each other.

"Are you sure? I'm just scared that I might get ugly. I know I've gained some weight, but it's okay because it's for our baby, but I'm already feeling insecure," she said softly, and I could hear the sadness in her voice.

"Baby, I know you've been overlooking this for some time, but from the start, I've always seen you as beautiful. Even before you became Valentina," I said, softly caressing her round belly.

I felt her shift to face me sideways so she could look at me.

"No. I was ugly back then, Helios."

I shook my head and lifted my hand to caress her face.

"If you could only see with my eyes, you'd truly understand how beautiful you are to me, Hexia. You know what? The reason you thought of yourself like that before is because of the way you were raised. But the truth is, you're not ugly. You got used to the things other people said, so you started seeing yourself that way, but you're wrong. They're wrong because you're not ugly. You're beautiful," I reassured her. "You're the most beautiful woman I've ever met. You're my most beautiful wife."

"You're making me cry," she said.

I just hugged her because I knew she was going to cry once she heard that. And I wasn't wrong; I could already hear her soft sobs.

"I'm scared... What if our child looks like me? She'll get bullied just like I experienced before. Your family is so beautiful, Helios. I hope our child inherits that and not anything from me because I don't want them to experience what I went through before," she said, sobbing.

"Don't be too hard on yourself," I said gently, stroking her long hair.

My hand moved down to caress her belly. I smiled when I felt our baby kick.

"Our baby agrees with me too," I said, glancing down at her belly. "Right, baby? Mommy shouldn't talk like that about herself. She's beautiful, isn't she?" I said, talking to our baby in her tummy.

We both laughed when we felt the baby kick again. My wife was still sniffing from crying. I wiped her tears and quickly kissed her lips.

"Stop crying now. Our baby is giving us a sign," I comforted her. "She feels what you feel. If you're sad, she's sad too."

She nodded and continued to look at me.

"I've thought of a name for her," she said.

She was looking up at me, resting on my broad and muscular chest. She always used it as a pillow whenever we slept together.

I didn't know why, but I found her even more beautiful now that she was carrying our firstborn. She had a different glow while pregnant. She looked even more beautiful in my eyes. My wife... It sounds like music to my ears every time I hear myself say it.

"What name did you think of?" I asked her.

She smiled at me, caressing my jaw. I could see the excitement and happiness in her eyes.

"Demetria Safi Zevallos," she said with a smile. "It's beautiful, right? It suits her perfectly."

I held her close and nodded repeatedly. "It's beautiful. The name itself sounds powerful. You really have a knack for choosing the perfect name for our daughter."

"Thank you, Helios... I thought you wouldn't like it," she replied, still held tightly in my arms.

"No. I like it very much, baby," I said lovingly.

Demetria Safi Zevallos... A name so powerful and beautiful for our baby girl. Now, it's not just my wife I need to protect, but our firstborn as well, and in just a few months, we'll finally meet her.

There are two women who mean the world to me, and I will protect them with all my heart and love them above all else.

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

VALENTINA IMARA MEADOWS

My lips trembled as I looked at my family that I left, who were now sitting in front of my grave. I felt Helios's grip on my hand tighten because I knew he could sense that I was about to cry.

Hot tears were about to fall down my cheeks from what I had witnessed.

My mother was touching my gravestone so lightly. This was the first time I had visited my own grave since I became Valentina Imara Meadows.

We were far away while watching my mother. She was with my three siblings, who, I think, are doing well in life. My siblings have grown, especially Hitsy, who is now a young lady.

"You're already crying, baby," I heard Helios say.

I placed my hand on my round belly when I felt Demetria kick. I wiped away my tears and took a deep breath to calm myself.

"I-I'm curious..." I whispered through my sobs while still looking at them. I felt my husband glance at me. "I found out that I'm really her d-daughter, right? I used to think that my father wasn't my biological father because of what she says about me, but then I found out that I and her husband share the same blood type. That's when it became clear that he was truly my real father. Why did she tell me I was the daughter of the man who assaulted her?" I asked my husband, my voice filled with pain.

"I'm so h-happy for them now... the dream I had for them has come true," I said, my voice trembling with tears. "Their house looks so beautiful, doesn't it? And Hillary has gone back to school, so I k-know she'll be so happy," I sobbed as I spoke to my husband.

When I turned to look at my husband, still crying, I found that he was already gazing at me. My vision was blurred from the constant tears flowing down my cheeks, and I couldn't control them, couldn't stop them.

I closed my eyes as he gently wiped my tears away and bent down to kiss both of my eyes, which were surely swollen by now. Now that I'm pregnant with our first child, I've become even more emotional, and I can't control it.

"All the sacrifices you made for them have brought good things," he said softly.

I nodded, holding his hand.

"I know. And I'm happy to see that they're no longer suffering like before," I said, tears flowing again.

With every tear that fell, he wiped them away and calmed me down. He cupped my face in both of his hands so he could look at me properly.

"Do you want to go to them?" he asked.

I smiled. "No. What's the point if they don't recognize me anymore? I'm no longer Sarah, Helios. And I don't want them to get caught up in what's happening with us. I'm content just seeing them like this... happy and no longer suffering."

"Are you sure, baby?" he asked, making sure.

I nodded. "I'm okay just watching from afar. I'm happy knowing they're doing well, even though I wish I could tell them Sarah is still alive, but it's just not possible anymore."

"You're right. Now, how about we go to the ice cream house and cheer you and our baby girl up?" he suggested to lift my spirits.

"Okay... and let's take out some too, please."

He leaned down and kissed my lips quickly.

"Sure, if that's what you want, I'll give you everything you want. I love you so much, always remember that," his voice was serious yet tender.

I could clearly see the happiness in his ash-grey eyes. There was a special sparkle in them whenever we were together.

"I love you so much too, Helios. I love you more than anything," I hugged him, feeling his arms wrap around me in return.

"Let's go?" he asked, holding my hand and looking at me.

I nodded and smiled at him. "Let's go."

We walked back to his black Jaguar, parked at the side of the gutter. He opened the door for me, and before I got in, I glanced back one last time at my family, now happily chatting by my grave.

I had no intention of involving them in what was happening with our organization right now. I was content with this because their lives could be in danger if I went back to them.

Things were chaotic in the organization, and I wasn't going to let them get caught up in it.

And even though the situation was crazy, I had gotten used to what had happened. And it seems like I've grown to love this organization, even though it completely changed my life. Despite the work we do being a headache, I don't know why, but I find comfort and peace in it, even amidst the chaos.

And because of all this chaos, I was once again reunited with Rafael, now Amadeus Alejandro Zevallos.

My husband.

THE END