Bathed in the golden hue of the afternoon sun streaming through the oval window of her private jet, Hiraya sat in still reflection.
Her vibrant ginger red locks glowed like liquid fire, framing her porcelain face in soft waves, cascading over her shoulders with effortless grace.
Her emerald green eyes, distant and unblinking, gazed out at the clouds below, lost in the silence of memory.
She absentmindedly stroked the soft curls of her sleeping son, nestled peacefully in her lap, his tiny hand clutching a fold of her dress.
Each tender movement of her fingers carried a mother's fierce and unwavering love. But behind her gentle touch lay a storm of emotions—long-buried pain, strength reclaimed, and the quiet ache of nostalgia.
Her thoughts drifted back to that faithful day she woke up in that hospital as Carmelita–confused and disoriented. It had taken her a while to accept that she had been reborn, not as her former self, but a kind-hearted pregnant goddess who had taken her own life out of hopelessness and rejection.
On that fateful night when she left everything behind to become a mother, she had vowed to return and unleash her own brand of revenge on all the people who caused her host grief. She already had them where she wanted them to be. And now, it was time to show them why they shouldn't have toyed with an angel.
Hiraya had intentionally kept Carmelita's original appearance. She wanted those traitors to recognise her and she couldn't wait to see the look of terror in their eyes when they finally saw her.
However, something, or should I say someone else, troubled Hiraya.
This person was the kind-hearted man who had taken care of her while she was in a coma. The man who had repeatedly professed love to her...no, to her host while she was unconscious. The man who had not stopped searching for her even after years of leaving him and asking him to forget about her. The man who happened to be the biological father of her son.
That man was Kendrick Silva and Hiraya knew she owed him a debt for his sacrifice. But aside from that, she owed him nothing, and she had no plans of sharing her precious gem with anyone.
In her heart, there was only room for one person and that place has been occupied by her precious son.
Griffin was the only man in her life, and this was how it was going to be until death, or so she thought.
The measured rhythm of an approaching footsteps snapped Hiraya's attention away from the window.
"Boss..." Nathaniel called softly with a respectful nod, "...the pilot just confirmed that we've entered LampStone city airspace. We'll begin our descent shortly."
"Thank you, Nath," Hiraya replied warmly, while double-checking on her sleeping son.
"What about our transport?"
"I've already made all the arrangements. Our transport and security guards are all waiting on the tarmac by the private hangar."
"Good." Hiraya nodded in satisfaction. "And remember, once we step out of this jet, I remain Ivy, your personal assistant. No one outside our new home must know my real identity until I'm ready to reveal myself."
"Yes, boss." Nathaniel gave a curt nod.
"You can return to your seat." Hiraya waved her hand dismissively.
"Thanks, you boss."
As Nathaniel left for his seat, nanny Diwa quietly approached her employer.
"Ma'am, do you want me to take the young master?" She asked politely.
"Don't trouble yourself, Diwa. I've got my baby covered. Return to your seat. The plane will be starting its descent any minute from now."
"Okay, ma'am." Nanny Diwa quickly left for her seat.
"Mummy..." Griffin stirred a little, opening his magical hazel eyes and yawning while stretching out his little arm. "...have we arrived?"
"Not yet baby," Hiraya said in her softest angelic voice. "...but we are almost there." She lowered her head and planted an affectionate kiss on Griffin's forehead evoking a captivating smile on the little boy's face.
Griffin pushed himself up into a sitting position, signalling his mother to put him back in his seat.
"Okay." Hiraya gently placed him back on his seat and helped him fasten his seat belt while he stared at her with so much affection in his eyes.
"Thank you, mommy."
"Anything for my little ancestor," Hiraya said plucking his nose playfully. She never knew her heart was capable of love until Griffin came into her life, his very first piercing cry shattering the brick wall guarding her heart.
"I can't wait to see our new home." Griffin's eyes lit up like a million dazzling stars as he craned his neck to look out the window.
"Me too... sweetie," Hiraya said, ruffling his hair. "But I bet you're going to love it. It has everything just like our home and we will be here for just a year before we return home."
"I don't care how long we stay, mommy, as long as I'm with you." Griffin looked away from the window, holding his mother's affectionate gaze and stroking her chin with his small chubby hands.
"I just want to make sure you are happy every day, and I won't let anyone make you sad." He declared in a resolute voice that left Hiraya speechless, moving her to tears.
"Thank you, baby." Hiraya blinked back her threatening tears knowing how much it would affect her caring son. "You are my hero."
"And you are my queen." Griffin leaned closer, his tiny brows furrowed in concentration as he puckered his lips into a dramatic pout.
Hiraya let out a soft giggle, as she covered the remaining distance and welcomed a tender peck on the cheek from her adorable son.
"Aww..." master Griffin loves his mom so much," Isa commented spying on the mother and son.
"Sit down before you get yourself in trouble." Nanny Diwa rebuked her with a stern look, pulling her back into her seat.
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Tucked within the heart of the city's most prestigious enclave—where wealth whispers rather than shouts—stood a breathtaking estate, a masterpiece of opulence and architectural grandeur.
This magnificent property, which was surrounded by towering wrought-iron gates and manicured hedges sculpted with artistic precision, was believed to be owned by one of the richest families in LampStone city until its owner's wife's tragic death, which forced him to sell his ancestral home to the highest bidder and return to the countryside.
With the property acquired under the name of the elusive Ray Bardin and remodelled to fit its new owner's expensive taste, Hiraya and her adorable son immediately felt at home the moment they stepped into the premises.
Over the next couple of hours, Hiraya dedicated three hours of her time to her precious son, playing PS games, listening to him serenade her with his talented violin skills and cooking up a storm with him.
When evening finally came, she got dressed in her show-stopping attire and waved her son goodnight as she left the mansion with her supposed boss for the RAD Awards and Gala night.