The moon cast a silver glow over the city skyline as Sera stood before the wrought-iron gates of Alexander Lorenzo’s private estate. Perched atop the hills overlooking Manila, the mansion was a fortress of modern sophistication—tall glass windows reflecting the stars, a sleek black-and-white façade, and a vast courtyard lined with towering palm trees. The crisp night air carried the scent of freshly cut grass and the distant aroma of night-blooming jasmine.
She hesitated, clutching the envelope tightly in her hand. The letter had arrived anonymously, tucked inside an old book her mother had kept in a dusty storage box. It was aged, yellowed at the edges, and carried her father’s unmistakable handwriting. The contents had left her shaken—he had been involved in something called Project Aegis. But more than that, the last line had struck a deep chord within her:

"If anything happens to me, find Dr. Emilio Reyes."
Sera’s hands trembled as she pressed the doorbell. Moments later, a voice crackled through the intercom.
"Come in."
The gate unlocked with a quiet hum, and she stepped forward, her heartbeat echoing in her ears.
 
 
Inside, the mansion was just as imposing as its exterior. High ceilings, marble floors, and walls lined with exquisite paintings. But unlike the cold, lifeless halls of other aristocratic homes, there was something different here—subtle warmth in the muted golden lighting, the scent of old books from a distant study, and a faint melody playing in the background, something classical yet unfamiliar.
Alexander sat in the dimly lit lounge, a book in one hand, a crystal glass of whiskey in the other. He was still dressed in his usual sharp, tailored suit, though he had loosened his tie—a rare sign of relaxation. When he saw her, he set the book aside, his silver-gray eyes scanning her face.
"Sera?"
She swallowed hard, struggling to steady her voice. "I need your help."
He gestured for her to sit, his expression unreadable. "You wouldn’t come here this late if it wasn’t important. What’s wrong?"
She lowered herself onto the leather couch across from him, fingers gripping the envelope as if it might disappear. "I found something. A letter from my father." Her voice wavered, but she forced herself to continue. "He mentioned a scientist, Dr. Emilio Reyes. He was part of something called Project Aegis. I don’t
know what it means, but…" She exhaled shakily. "I have to find him."
Alexander studied her for a long moment before reaching for the envelope. She hesitated before handing it over, watching as he carefully unfolded the letter and scanned the words. His sharp gaze darkened slightly, his fingers tightening around the paper.
"Project Aegis…" he murmured. "I’ve heard of it. It was rumored to be a classified research initiative years ago, but it vanished without a trace. Your father was involved?"
"I never knew. Until now." She clenched her fists. "I always thought I lost him to a simple accident. But what if there was more? What if someone wanted him gone?"
Alexander leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "You want to track this scientist down?"
"Yes." Her voice was firm now. "I need to know the truth."
For a while, he said nothing, only watching her with that unreadable intensity. Then, finally, he sighed. "This isn’t something you should pursue alone. If Project Aegis was buried, there was a reason. And if your father was silenced, there’s a risk that digging into it could put you in danger."
Sera’s chest tightened. She knew the risks. But after everything—the stolen years, the betrayal of her past life, the second chance she had been given—she couldn’t ignore this.
"I don’t care about the danger," she said, her voice unwavering. "I have to do this."
Alexander leaned back, tapping his fingers against his armrest, considering her words. Then, with a resigned sigh, he reached for his phone. "I’ll have my people look into Reyes. If he’s still alive, we’ll find him."
Relief flooded through her, but it was quickly overshadowed by the weight of emotions pressing against her chest. She hadn’t realized how much she needed someone to listen, to understand. And here he was—cold, calculating Alexander Lorenzo—offering his help without hesitation.
She met his gaze, something unspoken passing between them. "Thank you."
His lips quirked slightly, almost imperceptibly. "Don’t thank me yet. If we do this, we do it carefully. No reckless moves, Sera."
A faint smile ghosted across her lips. "Since when am I reckless?"
His brow arched. "Do you really want me to list the instances?"
Despite the heaviness of the moment, she let out a quiet laugh. "Fair enough."
For now, she had a lead. And for the first time in years, she wasn’t alone in uncovering the truth.
Silence settled between them, stretching longer than expected. Sera glanced down at her hands, twisting them together, before finally speaking, her voice hesitant.
"Alexander..." She bit her lip, hesitating, then sighed. "Can I... stay here tonight?"
He stilled, his silver-gray eyes narrowing slightly as he studied her. "You don’t want to be alone." It wasn’t a question.
She exhaled slowly, feeling exposed under his gaze. "I just... I don’t think I can sleep if I go home."
For a moment, he didn’t respond, then he stood, adjusting his tie back into place with a quiet sigh. "I’ll have a room prepared for you."
Sera nodded, relief washing over her, though a part of her wondered if she was making a mistake. But as she followed him down the quiet halls of his mansion, she realized—just for tonight—she didn’t want to be anywhere else.
 
The next afternoon, Alexander accompanied Sera to a discreet research facility on the outskirts of Manila. The building was unremarkable—gray concrete, tinted windows, and a single metal door. It looked abandoned, but the moment they approached, a security scanner activated, and the door slid open with a mechanical hiss.
Inside, the atmosphere was clinical, the air thick with the sterile scent of antiseptic. A man in his sixties stood in the center of the room, his salt-and-pepper hair neatly combed, glasses resting low on his nose as he studied a holographic screen filled with complex equations.
Dr. Emilio Reyes.
At the sound of their footsteps, the scientist turned, eyes sharp with recognition. "You’re Camilla’s daughter," he murmured, his gaze locking onto Sera’s. "I was wondering when you would come looking for me."
Sera’s breath hitched. "You knew my mother?"
Reyes nodded. "And your father. Your father has brilliant minds, deeply involved in Project Aegis." His expression darkened. "And he paid the price for it."
Alexander stepped forward, his presence commanding. "We need to know everything, Doctor. The truth."
Reyes exhaled heavily, then spoke, his voice laced with regret. "Project Aegis wasn’t just a research initiative. It was a foundation created under the League of Academic Pioneers—a secretive organization that sought to push human evolution beyond its limits. Your father, Sera, was one of their brightest minds. But when he uncovered something he shouldn’t have… they silenced him."
Sera’s heart pounded. "The League…? You mean the group that funds academic prodigies and breakthrough research?"
"That’s only the surface," Reyes said grimly. "Beneath that, they control knowledge that could reshape the world. Your father tried to stop them. And they made sure he wouldn’t succeed."
Sera’s hands curled into fists. She had already made her choice. There was no turning back now.
For the first time, she was about to uncover the secrets of her past.