Clash Of Crowns I: Shadows Of Love And Sacrifices.

IV || HQ

Please note: This story may contain errors and grammatical mistakes. Your understanding and patience are appreciated as this is a work in progress.

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(Inside the grand study of Alvarez Manor.)

AIESHA'S POV

I could feel The tension in Daddy's eyes and it was suffocating. He's pacing back and forth, his jaw clenched, his eyes dark with barely contained fury.

I know he's mad at the fact that I had been saved by the one person he considered their enemy.

"Aiesha," he finally snapped, his voice sharp as a whip.

"You’re staying away from Maxine Lazzaro. I don’t care what happened tonight. She’s dangerous. Her family is dangerous." ang lakas ng tibok ng puso ko, huminga muna ko ng malalim bago ko sinalubong ang tingin niya at sinagot ko siya.

"Dad, you don’t understand. She helped me. If it weren’t for her, I could’ve-" I stopped myself, still shaken by the memory of Luciano’s murder and the chaos that followed. "She saved me."

He slammed his hand down on the desk, the sound echoing through the room.

"I don’t care what she did!" His voice was thunderous now, filled with rage.

"She's a Lazzaro. They'll betray you the first chance they get. Do you have any idea what's at stake here? This isn’t some petty rivalry, Aiesha. This is war."

"I know that, Dad. But that’s exactly why I need to understand what’s going on. I’m caught in the middle of something I don’t even fully know about. You’ve kept me in the dark my whole life, and now you expect me to just stay away from someone who saves me without an explanation? I want to know the truth before I make any decisions."

"You think knowing the truth will change anything? It won’t. The Lazzaros are not our allies. They never will be."

I met his gaze, my voice steady but filled with conviction. "I’m not saying I trust her completely. But she’s the only one who’s shown me what’s happening. I deserve to know what this is all about. If you want me to stay away from her, fine-but not until you tell me everything. I’m done being kept in the dark."

Dad's expression hardened, his hand curling into a fist as he struggled to maintain control

Alam ko na nagiging matigas na ang ulo ko, pero ano ba ung mahirap sa gusto kong mangyari? I just want to know what's happening to our family and that's it!

"You don’t know what you’re asking for, Aiesha. The things I’ve kept from you—everything I’ve done --- was to protect you."

"Maybe I don’t know, Dad. But I’m not a child anymore. If you want me to trust you, you need to trust me enough to tell me the truth." Malumanay na saad ko sa kanya, ayokong makipag tigasan kay dad, ngayon ko lang to ginawa.

Ang kaninang matatalim na tingin niya ay nawala na and he finally spoke after a minute of silent. "Fine. But once you know, there’s no going back. And I won’t let you throw yourself into our world without understanding the danger you’re in."

I nodded, I could still feel the loud heartbeat coming from my chest, and I still answered my dad. "I’m ready."

Alam ko na mag babago na ang lahat pag katapos ng araw na to.

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MAXINE'POV

We're heading to Lazzaro's HQ, dapat sa HQ ng king kami didiretso, kaso naka tanggap ng tawag si skye at pinapapunta kami sa Lazzaro's.

As we arrived at Lazzaro headquarters, the tension in the air thickened as we entered the room of my father.

Agad akong kumatok at pumasok sa loob habang naka sunod sakin sila cole.

My dad, stood in the centre of the room, nanlilisik ang mga mata niya, at alam ko na kung bakit...

Without a word, He crossed the distance between us and in a flash, his fist collided with my side lips the force of the punch sent me back, but I didn’t flinch. I stood tall, my hands by my sides, and just accepted the blow in silence.

Napatingin ako sa mga kaibigan ko, they froze, anger flashing in their eyes as they moved instinctively to step in.

Cole was the first to lunge forward, fists clenched, but Gian stopped her, and caught her by the arm, stopping him in his tracks.

"No, Cole," ring ko pang sabi ni gian, saming apat si cole ang ayaw na nasasaktan kami kahit sino ka pa kakalabanin ka niya, at isa lang din samin tatlo ang makaka pag pahinto sa kanya. "This isn’t your fight." bulong din ni skye dito.

Skye and Gian exchanged a tense glance, their instincts screaming to intervene too like Cole but I know that they knew they couldn't do anything to Mikhael Lazzaro.

I remained silent, malamig na tinignan ko lang din si dad, as I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth.

"You think you can protect the Alvarez heir and walk away without consequences? Our men saw you, Maxine. You crossed the line." halos mabingi nako sa lakas ng boses niya, ganun siya kagalit sakin.

I met his glare head-on, "I didn’t protect Aiesha for them. I did it because she had no idea what she was getting into. She’s not a threat."

Alam kong nag pipigil na si dad, pero I stand my ground I can't back down.

"You’re playing a dangerous game, Maxine. You can’t trust anyone outside this family, especially not an Alvarez!"

I didn’t argue. I knew this was about more than just Aiesha—it was about the tangled web of alliances and betrayals that had defined their world for generations.

Alam ko namang may pinag mulan ang galit niya sa mga Alvarez, at yon ang aalamin ko.

"Leave!" ng marinig ko yon ay agad akong lumabas kasunod yung tatlo.

"F*ck cole sa susunod naman habaan mo pa ung pasensya mo, magiging kwento tayo ng dahil sayo." inis na saad ni gian habang nag lalakad kami sa hallway.

"Ramdam ko ung kaba ni gian kanina,  HAHAHAHAHAHAHA" tawang tawa na sabi ni skye.

"Psh pasalamat siya pinigilan niyo ko eh" naka kunot na noo na sagot ni cole at binalingan ako ng tingin.

"Masakit ba?" tanong niya.

"Medyo, ngayon lang ako nasapak ng tatay ko eh" birong saad ko pa, umirap naman siya hahahahaha.

"Gamutin natin sa HQ yan, ayoko muna umuwi sa bahay for sure galit din ang daddy ko sakin, van pa naman niya gamit sa pag salba sa alvarez nayun" tumango naman ako dito.

At umalis na kami sa Lazzaro's HQ.

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