Chapter 18: Blood and Betrayal
870 Words
Isang linggo matapos ang matinding hearing, nagmistulang kampo militar ang Villarreal Mansion. Everywhere Gwen looked, may bodyguards, CCTV upgrades, armored cars sa garahe. JV wasn’t taking chances.
Gwen tried to act normal, but her heart was heavy. She knew her father. Hindi siya titigil hanggang hindi niya nababawi ang lahat—kayamanan, kapangyarihan, at siya mismo.
The Warning
One night, habang nasa study si JV reviewing contracts with his lawyers, Gwen received a message on her private phone. Isang number na hindi naka-save.
“Anak, bumalik ka na. Habang kaya mo pa. You don’t know what this man will cost you.”
Her chest tightened. Si Papa.
Agad niya itong itinago, pero mabilis siyang napansin ni JV.
“Sweetheart,” he said, standing, his sharp eyes narrowing. “Sino ’yon?”
She shook her head. “It’s nothing, JV. Just… spam.”
Pero mabilis niyang kinuha ang phone sa kamay niya, reading the message in seconds. His jaw clenched, veins standing out on his neck.
“Don Emilio.” His voice was low, dangerous. “He’s still trying to get inside your head.”
“JV—” Gwen started, pero natigil siya nang biglang basagin ni JV ang phone sa sahig. His possessive fury filled the room.
“You will never answer him again. Hindi ka na niya anak. Hindi ka na niya pag-aari. You’re mine, Gwen. Only mine.”
Her throat tightened. “But JV… he’s still my father.”
JV cupped her face, his eyes burning into hers. “No. He lost the right to call himself your father the moment he put you on that witness stand. From now on, you carry my name, my protection, my empire. And anyone who threatens you—kahit siya pa—will face me.”
The Retaliation
The next morning, chaos erupted.
Reports flashed on TV:
“Villarreal Shipping sabotaged! Cargo worth millions lost at sea.”
“JV Villarreal accused of laundering money through shell companies.”
JV’s empire was under siege. Gwen’s heart pounded as she saw the headlines. Alam niyang kamay ito ni Don Emilio.
Pero hindi doon nagtapos. That afternoon, habang pauwi sila galing korte, a black SUV suddenly swerved, blocking their convoy. Armed men jumped out, opening fire.
“Ambush!” shouted the bodyguards.
JV immediately pulled Gwen down into the car, covering her body with his. Bullets shattered glass, chaos everywhere. But JV’s voice was steady, commanding.
“Stay down, sweetheart. Don’t move. I’ll kill them before they touch you.”
Her tears flowed, but her trust never wavered. JV wasn’t just a businessman now. He was a beast unleashed, protecting what was his.
After minutes of gunfire, JV’s men fought back, forcing the attackers to retreat. Silence fell, broken glass everywhere. Gwen trembled, but JV’s arms never loosened.
He lifted her chin, checking her body. “Did they hurt you? Tell me, Gwen. Are you hurt?”
“I-I’m fine… thanks to you.”
JV’s jaw tightened, his fury barely contained. “This is war. And if Emilio thinks he can scare me by targeting you—he has no idea what monster he just unleashed.”
The Breakdown and the Fire
That night, sa kanilang silid, Gwen finally broke.
“JV, hanggang kailan? Hanggang saan pa? He won’t stop. What if… what if one day he succeeds? What if I lose you?”
JV grabbed her wrists, pinning them against the headboard, his body hovering over hers, eyes blazing.
“No. You won’t lose me. Ever. Gwen, listen to me—kahit buong mundo pa ang kalabanin ko, kahit dugo pa ang kapalit, I’ll never let anyone take me from you. At hindi kita bibitawan. Kahit kailan.”
Her tears fell, but they turned into gasps when JV’s lips crashed onto hers. It wasn’t gentle. It was desperate, wild, full of raw need.
He undressed her with shaking hands, not from lust but from fear—fear of almost losing her. Every kiss was a claim, every touch a vow.
“You’re mine,” he whispered against her skin, over and over. “My queen. My fire. My forever.”
And when he finally made love to her, it wasn’t just passion. It was survival, it was defiance, it was possession. Gwen wrapped herself around him, clinging as if they were both drowning and saving each other at the same time.
Their cries filled the room like a battlefield anthem—two hearts refusing to surrender.
The Vow
Later, as Gwen lay against his chest, catching her breath, JV stroked her hair, his voice low but unshakable.
“This ends now. Emilio thinks he can destroy me by using you. But he forgot—when it comes to you, I’m not a businessman. I’m a warrior. And I’ll burn down his entire empire to keep you safe.”
Gwen closed her eyes, listening to the thunder of his heartbeat. For the first time, she wasn’t just scared. She was ready.
“Then let’s finish this, JV. Together.”
And with that, the queen had chosen her side—no longer torn between blood and love, but fully bound to the man who claimed her soul.
The war had only just begun.
- Writer
