In the technologically advanced city of Alvaynia, Herculeana's life was once idyllic-until the weight of her past caught up with her. Forced to move to Egypt to conceal her pregnancy, Herculeana and her powerful family face a world of intrigue and c...
The air in Egypt felt different that morning. The blazing heat was unforgiving, yet it had become Herculeana's companion over the last few months. She stood on the balcony of their temporary penthouse overlooking Cairo. From here, the chaotic dance of traffic and pedestrians looked almost serene—tiny specks of life moving under the oppressive sun. In the distance, she could see the silhouette of the pyramids, their ancient presence casting long shadows over the modern city.
Herculeana turned away, staring at her reflection in the glass door. Her dark hair, curled from the humidity, framed her oval face. Her skin, an intriguing mix of Middle Eastern, Black, and White heritage, held a soft bronze glow after months in the Egyptian sun. Her amber eyes, intense and thoughtful, were filled with secrets. She was no longer the girl who had left Alvaynia.
At 5'6, she appeared statuesque in her own way, her frame slim thick. Herculeana was not just beautiful, she was formidable, a force waiting to be unleashed. But inside, she carried a burden—an unspoken truth she had to hide. She ran a hand over her abdomen where life had once grown. She could still feel the phantom flutter of her child even though the baby was gone, swept away into the shadows along with her hope.
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Her mother's voice pulled her back to the present.
"Herculeana, it's time to go ," her mother Lamia called from the hallway. Her voice was as sharp and steady as always, fitting for a woman who built empires with her mind. Standing at the door, her mother, a tall woman with silver strands laced through her dark hair, carried an air of dignity even in this foreign land. Her angular face was unreadable, much like the future technology she designed. Her green eyes—brilliant and calculating—locked onto Herculeana's. At 39, she carried herself with the poise of a woman half her age, a fact that the conspiracy theorists in Alvaynia never let go. Some said her advancements in technology were otherworldly, others whispered she had reptilian blood running through her veins. Herculeana knew it was the former.
Her mother saw her distress and went in to have a convo with her.
"Is everything ok Selena?"
"Nothing's wrong mom," she said while throwing her stuff in her suitcase "I'm just worried that... yk, what if people find out why I left."
Lamia sighed "do you think your father would let any of this slip out? And if it did, He'd crucify anyone who tried to slander his family name"
Herculeana wondered, they weren't exactly slandering the family name. It was the truth, she was pregnant and they ran away with her because they feared judgment. She thought little of herself, she never felt this insecure. How could she let this happen? How could she let a boy who barely even loved her get her pregnant.
Her mom kept telling her it wasn't her fault, people make mistakes and she was young. She was surprised her mother was being lenient since she hated James from the beginning considering he was older than her, she always thought he was just using Herculeana, but her father supported the relationship, so she didn't have much say. She hated both him and his retched family who her father Sebastian worked so close with. She thought her mother would crucify James. Even if she couldn't physically she felt maybe verbally she would be tearing him to shreds, but she didn't.
