Okay. That's it.
I stood up and turned to everyone in the room, voice sharp and commanding. "I want the exact location of that facility. Pinpoint it—precise and detailed. I don't want a single flaw."
The room burst into quiet chaos—fingers typing, programs scanning, AI decryption models running at full speed. I turned to the others: recon experts, assassins, infiltration units, multi-role agents—every single one of them trained under LUMEN.
"You," I pointed. "Suit up. We're moving out. I want everyone on standby in fifteen minutes."
I checked the time. 2:49 a.m. Good. It's almost the weekend. No classes tomorrow. One full day off. Just enough to save a life—or a few.
I pulled out my phone and dialed him.
"Aurelius Valemont," I said as soon as he answered, my tone serious and unflinching, "we found your sister."
I didn't even let him breathe before dropping the bomb.
"And we found out who her mother really was."
There was a pause on his end—but I continued, not sparing him time for shock.
"My team discovered something else too—you and the twins? You have different mothers. Your sister's mom? She was royalty."
He went completely silent.
"Tell Lucien his sister will be rescued tonight by my team. And you, Aurelius—bring your men. Because the people holding her?" I leaned against the edge of the console, fire in my voice. "They're part of an organization tied directly to your father."
A cold silence. A breath.
"Use. Your. Own. Men."
Then I hung up.
The room was moving fast now—gear bags zipped, cats in protective crates (yes, even our elite felines were part of this), comms checked, and floor maps pulled up.
Tonight… we fly.
And I don't care what bloodline we're fighting.
No one lays a finger on Aurora Valemont—not while I'm still breathing.
Just as I pocketed my phone, Felix—our top hacker aside from me—slammed his hands dramatically on the table.
"Got it!" he shouted, a little too loud.
Everyone turned toward him, tension crackling in the air.
He spun his laptop around so the big screen on the wall displayed the map. A giant red X blinked over an isolated point just outside the city. An abandoned industrial complex.
"They're here," Felix announced, tapping the screen. "An old textile factory in the West District, ten miles out. Top-level security, motion sensors, armed guards patrolling every two minutes...and underground holding cells. That's where Aurora and the other kids are."
Another hacker, Mia, added, "Satellite feed shows vans coming and going in the past two days. Could be moving the kids if we don't act fast."
Simon leaned forward, frowning. "We'll need to hit them hard and fast before they scatter."
I nodded, heart pounding. "We have no choice. We move now."
Phelia, Xavier, and Simon exchanged a serious look—and like that, all hesitation disappeared. They were ready. We were ready.
I grabbed my comms, strapped my gear on, and stared at the blinking red X on the map.
Hold on, Aurora.
We're coming for you.
The atmosphere was electric with urgency as the plan came together. My team, a mix of hackers, recon specialists, and operatives, gathered their gear. Everyone knew their roles.
Felix, Mia, and the others worked in synchronized chaos, pulling up blueprints and digital schematics. They were assembling a live map, detailing everything from guard patrols to entry points. The intensity in the room was palpable as we prepared to infiltrate the compound.
"Callista," Aurelius's voice came over the comms, interrupting my train of thought. It was his usual deep, serious tone, but there was something raw about it tonight.
I turned to look at the screen. Aurelius appeared in full tactical gear, flanked by a squad of his own men. The Valemont men. As imposing as ever, their expressions grim and focused. His eyes, however, were locked onto me, a mix of determination and something else I couldn't quite place.
"I know what you're going to say," I said, knowing the tension had already been building between us.
He gave a short nod. "I know you found out. About the mothers. About everything." His voice was heavy but calm.
I froze. "You know?"
He met my eyes. "Luciana... she wasn't just a mother to Lucien and Aurora." His voice softened for a moment, but only just. "She was a sister. She was a friend. She was... my family."
I felt my chest tighten as I processed his words.
"Callista, Lucien, and Aurora... They're not the only ones with secrets in this family. I am, too."
I crossed my arms, waiting for him to continue.
"My father," Aurelius said, voice laced with bitter truth, "married fifteen women. Not for love, not for family, but for influence. He used his wives to gain power, connections, and alliances. The last was Luciana. She wasn't just any woman. She was the link to the Royal Family. The Kingdom. That's why my father married her."
"Wait," I interrupted. "But your father... did he ever... love her?"
Aurelius hesitated for a long beat, as if the question had cut deeper than he expected. "He may have... at some point. But my father? He only loves what serves him. He never cared about Luciana. She was a pawn to him. A means to an end."
The weight of his words hung in the air. The truth was too much. Luciana—her life, her marriage, her children—all of it was part of his father's cold, calculating plan to take control of the Kingdom.
"And now?" I asked, my voice steady despite the flood of emotions coursing through me. "What's your plan? How do we stop him?"
Aurelius's face hardened, his jaw set. "We'll take him down. Together."
His men, who had been quietly waiting in the background, stepped forward now. Their loyalty was unwavering, and their readiness was clear. They would follow him anywhere. He turned to them with a sharp command.
"Prepare for extraction. We're moving out in five minutes."
I watched as his men filed out, each carrying advanced gear. They moved with the precision and efficiency of soldiers. But as they left, Aurelius didn't move with them. His eyes never left me.
"What do you mean, 'together'?" I asked, slightly confused by his intensity.
Aurelius stepped closer, his voice low. "You're in this, Callista. You and me. We're both tied to this mess. To the Valemonts, to the Royal bloodline... to everything. So, I'll need you. And I know you'll need me. Because this doesn't end with rescuing Aurora. This is about taking down my father's empire... and the truth of what's really going on in the shadows."
I swallowed hard. "This isn't what I signed up for, Aurelius."
He gave a small, almost imperceptible smirk. "None of us did, Callista. But you're already in it, whether you like it or not. I can't do this without you."
Before I could respond, Felix's voice broke in, cutting through the tension. "Callista, we've got the coordinates locked. We're ready."
I glanced at Aurelius one last time. His men were getting ready. And now, so was I. But the weight of his words still hung heavy. We were in this together now.
I turned to the team. "Alright, let's go. Aurora's waiting. We'll hit them fast, hit them hard, and we'll get her out."
Aurelius's voice came over the comms again, this time laced with a fierceness I hadn't heard before. "We move in two minutes."
As we prepared to leave, one last moment of tension lingered between me and Aurelius. Neither of us said a word, but the air crackled with unspoken truths.
With the mission ahead, there was no time for second thoughts.
But I couldn't help but wonder—what would happen after this was all over? After we rescued Aurora? What would our future look like when everything, including the Valemonts' dark history, came to light?
I didn't know. But I was about to find out.
As the convoy of black SUVs rolled through the dense forest, I couldn't shake the buzzing in the air—an electrifying tension that crackled through my veins. We were close. So close to the Valemont's hidden base. My mind, however, couldn't stop racing with questions. About the mission. About my father. And about the engagement that I still couldn't wrap my mind around.
The SUV jolted over the uneven ground as we neared the base. I glanced around, observing the vast expanse of land that was soon to be flooded with chaos. We were here.
The Valemont men were scattered around, securing the perimeter, just like we'd anticipated. But it wasn't just a few. There were thousands, just in case. A small army at their disposal. This wasn't just about Aurora anymore. It was about power, control, and the shadowy network that connected families like ours to theirs.
And then there was Aurelius.
As I stepped out of the SUV, my boots hitting the cold ground, I felt him right behind me. The way he moved, the sharpness of his presence—it was as if he was everywhere at once. I tried to focus, but when his voice came from behind me, low and impossibly close, I could feel the heat of his breath on my ear.
"You know," he said, his words smooth, "You're just as fierce as I remember. But I think you can be even fiercer."
I stiffened, my hand instinctively gripping my weapon, though I wasn't sure whether it was to fight or to hold myself steady. He leaned in again, almost too close, and his warm fingers brushed against my arm.
"Stop it," I said, but my voice was less commanding than I'd intended. His presence was too much, and that undeniable pull was growing stronger. "We're engaged, not in some rom-com. Don't flirt with me, Aurelius."
He smirked, his face just inches from mine. "You think I'm flirting? I'm just being... charming. I would've thought your father raised you to appreciate charm."
I glared at him, trying to hold onto my resolve, but the warmth of his body so close to mine made it harder to focus. This was ridiculous. He was making me lose my edge. But... if we were going to be married—arranged or not—I had to get used to this, right?
But that wasn't the only thing on my mind.
As I looked away from his teasing smile, my thoughts turned to my father. Why had he insisted on this engagement? Why the Valemonts? Why now? The deeper I thought about it, the clearer it became: my father's actions weren't just about money or power. There had to be something bigger behind it. Something that connected him to Victor Valemont in a way I couldn't yet understand.
If my father had forced me into this marriage, did that mean Victor Valemont had a specific agenda, too? Something to do with the connection between our families? My family might be powerful, but the Valemonts? They're on a different level.
I turned to Aurelius, my curiosity outweighing my frustration. "Aurelius," I started, my voice a little more playful than usual, "I have to ask. Why do you think your father wants this marriage? Why does he need a connection to us?"
Aurelius paused for a second, his eyes narrowing as he took in my question. The smirk faded from his lips, replaced by a more thoughtful expression.
"You've been wondering that, huh?" he said, taking a slow step toward me. The light from the base cast shadows across his face, and there was a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. "I don't know everything, Callista. But I know one thing for sure—my father does nothing without an ulterior motive. Maybe he sees your family as a way to expand his empire. Maybe he's angling for control over your father's network. But what I do know is this—he'll do anything to win. And with the Valemonts, it's not just business. It's personal."
I looked at him, digesting his words. It made sense. I wasn't just a pawn in a business deal—I was a player in something much larger, something political. And if Aurelius was right, my father's ties to Victor Valemont were more dangerous than I had initially realized.
Before I could say anything more, my team's voices crackled through the earpiece. They were entering the base, cautiously, like predators stalking their prey.
"Callista, we've reached the perimeter," Felix said, his voice sharp. "We're going in now."
I nodded, taking one last look at Aurelius. He was studying me, as though trying to read me, trying to figure out just how much I knew about everything.
"Stay sharp," I said, as I motioned to my team. "We're about to make our move. And Aurelius?"
He raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"
I leaned closer, just enough to give him a playful smile. "Let's just hope your charm doesn't get us killed."
His smirk returned, but there was a glint in his eyes that told me this wasn't just a game for him anymore.
"We're in this together now, Callista," he said, his voice low and serious. "Whether you like it or not."
As we entered the base, every sense in my body was on high alert. Something wasn't right. The atmosphere was tense, too quiet for my liking. I couldn't help but feel like we were being watched.
And then, I heard the voice over the comms again.
"Callista," Felix's voice cracked through the silence. "You need to see this."
I motioned for my team to stay back, and I rushed toward the entrance, heart pounding in my chest. But what I was about to see would make me question everything I thought I knew about the Valemonts—and my father's involvement.
End of Chapter 13.