"Behind you, Mate?!" Everything started when Darelia got transferred to a catholic school with supernatural creatures. Being known to be dumb from birth, no one knew her source, except that she grew up with her stepmother and stepsister. Bullied and tortured without any supernatural power, she became a tool in the hands of her sisters. Things took an eerie turn when she started hearing voices in her head, silent feathery footsteps behind her, seeing wet sloshy marks in her room, and shadowy figures in her dream. Her blind search for help threw her into the claws of a teacher, a supposed helper who'd transform into Darelia's exact replica at night. Darelia started seeing reflections of a particular man in the mirror, a reflection that vanishes before she looks back - her vampire mate. The mirror man, "Behind you, Mate!!" That voice, that same voice.
Earphones were plugged into her ears, that was the only valuable thing she has. "You are going to another school doesn't mean I can't monitor you!" Ali yelled front the seat beside the driver's, obviously referring to Darelia who was listening to music with her eyes closed.
"Don't worry, mother. We will monitor her for you." Indie, Ali's eldest daughter replied with a smirk while glancing at Darelia who didn't even open her eyes to glance at them. "I wonder when she will stop being weird." Lisa, the youngest daughter rolled her eyes.
Their driver rode into the new school gate - CATHOLIC ACADEMIA. "Is this our new school?" Lisa asked with a disgusted face, she obviously hated the dark color used to paint the school gate. "It looks creepy - which will be fun." Indie giggled, looking outside the window.
Darelia opened her eyes for the first time and her eyes caught the statue erected at the gate entrance as they rode in - a woman with a very long black hair, dressed in a uniform and holding something she couldn't pinpoint, something that looked like a dagger.
"Alright girls! Take care of yourselves and see you at the end of the semester." Ali hugged her daughters as the driver helped them offload their luggages. Darelia took her small bag and briefcase, walking away - she didn't need their hug even if they would volunteer to give her one.
Darelia had always had a rigid yet innocent face but her cat-like eyes looked scary to everyone around her, especially at night. "The air seem soothing? Right, Dare?" She thought, throwing her head backwards to see her small cat raise its head from inside her back pack that was hanged on her back.
The cat gave a shrilly moan and Darelia smiled, entering the Principal's office without knocking. "Dare?" The principal called and her cat raised its head out again. "Not you!" Darelia hardened her eyes towards the cat who immediately jumped back in.
Darelia placed her form on the table without talking and the principal threw her a quick glance, "Darelia --- what? Dumb?" Principal Mana asked unbelievably when she looked at her file, she didn't think dumb were still in their world and who the hell admitted her?
After getting the uniform, her room number, Darelia proceeded to go get a rest. "What do you think about the school?" Darelia thought and her cat stuck her head outside, taking a view of the school like it was seeing it for the first time - It was strange that only the cat could actually hear her thoughts since she is dumb.
While Darelia was walking, there was a sudden step behind her and she turned backwards swiftly but found nothing. "It's getting dark!" Darelia increased her walking steps and finally found her room number which was somewhere in the midst of no other school rooms.
The door opened and Darelia came face to face three other girls that stared at her like she just came down from heaven. "Her eyes --" Athena who has a black straight and long hair muttered. "Don't tell me they are afraid of my eyes too." Darelia rolled her eyes towards her cat who just meowed in response.
"-- is beautiful!" Fair, a blonde, completed. "Sorry for not welcoming you. This is Fair, Haven and I am Athena." Athena quickly apologized, pulling Darelia to sit with them. "Not on my bed please!" Haven rolled her eyes and Darelia's cat meowed while Darelia looked at Haven, taking in her dark features.
She had mascara on her eyes, brows and lips which was giving the dark witch vibe. "We are witches, Haven is a black cat." Darelia's cat went back inside her bag immediately she heard that. Athena and Fair wondered why Darelia wasn't saying anything.
Darelia stood up and bowed then left for her bed which was alone, set beside the wall. After a few minutes, her bunk was set and arranged with her things. She turned back when she heard the sound of a step again but didn't see anyone, no one was standing.
Darelia stood up to go outside, "One of the rules, don't go out of the hostel once it's six in the evening." Athena warned while Darelia opened the lock of the window before jumping down. "Isn't she weird?" Fair whispered and Athena nodded, closing her opened mouth.
Outside, there was smoke everywhere. Darelia just kept walking without having an idea of what she was looking for, she yelped when she suddenly stepped on something. "A bone -- a skeleton bone." She thought and looked back, she was far way from her hostel.
Her cat meowed, shaking in the bag pack while Darelia walked further and ended up in the woods - how come there is a forest in the school? Some other footsteps, Darelia didn't bother to look back, she just kept walking further and further until the fog started blocking her eye sight.
"Dare -- Lia!" Whispers? Darelia tried not to shake when she stepped on something else and when she touched it, it was a necklace. She grasped onto it tightly and continued walking, she didn't know where she was going but strangely, she wanted to find out where the path led to.
Her eyes widened when she looked back and saw footsteps, opposite the way she came from. Someone was following her or leading her somewhere! Her cat gave a low meow when Darelia started following the footsteps in darkness until she began to run.
Darelia stopped when the footsteps stopped and she was shocked to be see herself few meters from the school gate, staring at the statue in front of her. "What the heck!" She cursed in her mind, her face holding a frown. Darelia turned to start going back to her hostel when an arrow came from nowhere and before she could dodge it, it ran through her hand.
Her heart trembled in fear when she looked at her hand, it had a hole in it which the arrow that ran through it had caused. While folding an handkerchief over it, her head suddenly started hurting her. "Dare - Lia?!" A voice, another voice, several voices in her head. She tried to yell but she couldn't, tried to call for help but she couldn't.
Blood trickled down her nose, that exact hand was running blood as it made marks on the ground and then, the statue behind her slowly started becoming human. The statue is a rock, it was moulded bit It was taking a form of human, Darelia dropped unconscious immediately.
It took only a second for a person's world to come crashing down. This was what happened in Hannah's case. For four years, she gave her husband her all, but one day, he said emotionlessly, "Let's get divorced." Hannah's heart broke into a million pieces as she signed the divorce papers, marking the end of her role as a devoted wife. Within Hannah, a strong woman awakened, vowing never to be beholden to any man again. Embracing her new life, she embarked on a journey to find herself and command her own destiny. By the time she returned, she had experienced so much growth and was now completely different from the docile wife everyone once knew. "Is this your latest trick to get my attention?" Hannah's ever-so-arrogant husband asked. Before she could retort, a handsome and domineering CEO pulled her into his embrace. He smiled down at her and said boldly to her ex, "Just a little heads-up, mister. This is my beloved wife. Keep off!"
Sandra Hill, the long-lost real heiress of the Hill family, was shunned by her own kin. Instead of embracing her, they bestowed their affection upon an impostor. They even arranged her to marry a vegetative man in place of her so-called “sister”. Sandra sneered, refusing to put up with this humiliation, cut off ties with the Hill family immediately and ran into the flash marriage with Wesley Cooper, her unconscious billionaire husband. With her incredible medical skills, she defied the odds and revived him. Little did she expect that her husband spoiled her with all his love... A medical genius, a computer prodigy, a national treasure in painting, and a racing legend... Her husband revealed her various identities, leaving the Hill family regretful. Her father came pleading, "It's Dad's fault. Please come back." Her mother wept, "Mom will protect you from now on. Please come back." Even her five brothers knelt before he, begging for forgiveness. Yet, Sandra's smile held a hint of mockery as she vowed, “Never!”
After hiding her true identity throughout her three-year marriage to Colton, Allison had committed wholeheartedly, only to find herself neglected and pushed toward divorce. Disheartened, she set out to rediscover her true self-a talented perfumer, the mastermind of a famous intelligence agency, and the heir to a secret hacker network. Realizing his mistakes, Colton expressed his regret. "I know I messed up. Please, give me another chance." Yet, Kellan, a once-disabled tycoon, stood up from his wheelchair, took Allison's hand, and scoffed dismissively, "You think she'll take you back? Dream on."
6 years ago, Lydia suffered a brutal betrayal orchestrated by her own husband and step-sister, who drugged her and framed her. In a twist of fate, she ended up having a one-night stand with a stranger. Don't even remember what he looked like. Later, in the throes of death, she discovered the truth about her mother's death all those years ago. In the blink of an eye, she lost everything. 6 years later, Lydia returned with her genius son, vowing to exact revenge on all her enemies! Little did she know, she encountered an incredibly familiar man at the airport! *** The man was briskly pushing open the door to the restroom, heading to the urinal. Even with such a mundane action, he did it with unparalleled elegance and grace. Lydia, following him in a daze, saw his fierce lower body and suddenly snapped back to reality. She let out a high-pitched scream, instinctively covering her eyes with her hands, her cheeks flushed, and stood there stiffly, unsure of what to do. Lambert furrowed his brows slightly but remained calm as he continued to relieve himself. The sound of water hitting the urinal made Lydia's face even redder. She angrily shouted, "You pervert!" Little did Lydia know that Lambert, seeing her in this state, had a flicker of recognition in his eyes. Memories from many years ago flashed through his mind, and his heart couldn't help but stir. It was her!
Rumors claimed that Fernanda, newly back with her family, was nothing more than a violent country bumpkin. Fernanda just flashed a casual, dismissive grin in response. Another rumor suggested that the usually rational Cristian had lost all sense, madly in love with Fernanda. This frustrated her. She could tolerate gossip about herself, but slander against her beloved crossed the line! Gradually, as Fernanda's multiple identities as a celebrated designer, a savvy gamer, an acclaimed painter, and a successful business magnate came to light, everyone realized they were the ones who had been fooled.
Janice, the long-forgotten legitimate heiress, made her way back to her family, pouring her heart into winning their hearts. Yet, she had to relinquish her very identity, her academic credentials, and her creative works to her foster sister. In return for her sacrifices, she found no warmth, only deeper neglect. Resolute, Janice vowed to cut off all emotional bonds. Transformed, she now stood as a master of martial arts, adept in eight languages, an esteemed medical expert, and a celebrated designer. With newfound resolve, she declared, "From this day forward, no one in this family shall cross me."