Finding the dark forces after so many years, only to discover that his own brother was behind it, had shattered Will Smith's world.
The revelation had sent him spiraling into a darkness he never thought possible. For the first time in his life, he had not gone to work for two weeks.
He sat in his study, staring blankly at the ceiling, his mind replaying every moment of his life with Jolie.
Why? Why had Jolie secretly hated him so much? To the point of almost wiping out his entire family if not for the intervention of the Jones family? Will had built the Smith Group with diligence, ensuring no one could ever trace its leadership back to him. He had given all his brothers an equal share—exactly the same percentage he received.
He had never acted superior, never placed himself above them. And yet, this was the betrayal he faced.
A sharp knock interrupted his thoughts. Joyce stood at the doorway again. This time, her face was set in grim determination.
"I am not taking no for an answer anymore," she declared. "You have not eaten anything since yesterday. If you go on like this, you will die."
Tears clouded Will's vision as he looked at her. "Jolie wasn't just a friend. He was my blood. My family. I gave him everything, Joyce. Almost everything I had." His voice broke with emotion. "I don't think I can ever trust my brothers again."
Joyce stepped closer, her eyes filled with sorrow. "There is always a Judas, Will. Even Jesus had a Judas."
Will shook his head violently. "But Judas Iscariot wasn't related to him! Mine is! My blood! And I never treated him badly! I loved them all!" His voice cracked as grief consumed him.
Joyce couldn't bear it any longer. She rushed forward and pulled him into an embrace. "I know how you feel, my dear husband," she whispered. Tears slid down her cheeks as she held him tightly.
***
Five months had passed.
Sophia had not returned.
It felt like time had stopped—no, maybe it had only paused. Raymond forced himself to be strong. He had a company to head, employees to lead, and a family to return home to. But deep inside, the realization of Sophia's absence was a weight that crushed him.
Tonight, he allowed himself to feel it.
For the first time in months, he sobbed like a child.
Her presence would have meant everything to him. Her vibrant energy, the way she chattered endlessly when she drove him, how she fought for him as though she owned him—how she looked at him like he truly mattered to her.
His heart clenched painfully as he remembered the last time he had seen her.
When her mother, Jessica, had helped them uncover the dark forces threatening their lives, he had thought they would have time together after that. But five months had gone by, and Sophia was nowhere to be found.
A sudden noise startled him. The door burst open, and Ryan stormed in, his eyes alight with excitement.
Ryan. The same Ryan who had not spoken to anyone since Catarina left seven months ago.
One look at him, and Raymond knew—Catarina was back.
Without a word, Ryan grabbed the remote and turned on the television. He flipped to a fashion channel. And then—
Catarina appeared on Fox Entertainment.
Raymond shot up from his seat. "Is that—Catarina?"
Ryan beamed with pride. "My lover is making waves on national television! She's now a fashion icon! I just researched her brand—she's in America! I'm boarding the first flight there tomorrow morning!" He practically sprinted out of the room, his excitement palpable.
Raymond stood there, watching the screen, emotions warring within him. He was genuinely happy for his brother, but something gnawed at him. If Catarina was in America… could Sophia be there too?
***
Mark stood quietly in the shadows, watching his father. The man he had always admired, now broken beyond recognition. The betrayal had changed him. He hadn't gone to work. He hadn't attended meetings. He barely even left his study.
And then there were Sophia's last words to him. Words that haunted him every single day.
"Shut up, Mark. Take a good look at your life. Your worth is defined by what you have. When will you stop chasing power and see life for what it truly is? You're so consumed with ambition, you're blind to everything else. You think using your brother's feelings will get you to be Prime Minister?"
The words rang in his ears.
What if Jolie had succeeded in killing his father? Would the first thing he thought about have been Smith Group? No.
It would have been the life he had denied himself because of his ambition.
It would have been the bond he should have built with his brothers, so they would never turn against each other the way Jolie had.
It would have been loving Guinevere when she needed him the most.
It would have been choosing contentment instead of constantly reaching for something beyond his grasp.
His heart clenched as the realization settled in.
Guinevere had lost her last family, and he had walked away from her when she had needed him the most.
A sharp pain shot through his chest as he drove to the pub where she worked. He watched from the car window as she moved around, serving customers with that familiar smile. And at that moment, it hit him.
He had never truly seen life beyond money. He had never seen people for who they were—only for what they were worth.
He waited until closing time. When she finally stepped out, he got out of his car and walked toward her. Without hesitation, he dropped to his knees.
"Guinevere," he said, his voice shaking. "I know kneeling won't fix everything, but I don't know how else to beg you. Please, I need you back in my life. I will do anything—anything you want me to do. My whole life only feels meaningful when you're in it. Please don't leave me."
Her expression was cold, her gaze unreadable. But her voice was firm. "Leave while I'm still being nice, Mark. And never come back. If you do, I will resign from here just so I never have to see you again."
She clutched her worn-out bag and disappeared into the night.
Mark stood frozen.
He quickly got back into his car and followed her, but—
She was gone.
She had hidden somewhere, and he had lost sight of her.
But he wasn't going to give up.