It was another quiet morning in Lorraine's small, minimalist apartment. The sunlight filtered softly through the sheer curtains, casting warm golden rays on the walls. The apartment was a stark contrast to the grandeur of the mansion Lorraine had once called home. Despite the simplicity, she found a certain peace here—a peace she had fought to maintain in the face of her mother's constant disapproval.
Lorraine moved through her morning routine methodically. Her hands trembled slightly as she brewed her coffee, her mind replaying the heated encounter with her mother days earlier. The slap still stung—not physically, but emotionally. Krystal had pushed her further than ever before. It wasn't just the slap. It was the suffocating control, the way her mother tried to mold her life to fit her own narrative.
She hadn't spoken to Gabriel yet about the latest development. She wasn't even sure if she wanted to. After all, how could she explain what had happened? How could she put into words the turmoil of being caught between the life her mother demanded she live and the life she wanted to create for herself?
Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. Her heart sank. The last time someone had knocked unexpectedly, it had been her mother, and Lorraine feared she knew who it was now.
With a sigh, she moved toward the door. She hesitated for a moment, her hand hovering over the knob, before she finally opened it.
There stood Krystal Martino, stunning as always, with her impeccable designer outfit and flawless appearance. Krystal's face bore that familiar expression—cool, unreadable, but with a hint of something darker lurking beneath the surface. Her beauty was almost intimidating, a perfect mask that hid the domineering personality underneath.
"Lorraine," Krystal said in a tone that was deceptively gentle, yet laden with authority, "we need to talk."
Lorraine clenched her jaw, already feeling the tension rising in her chest. She stepped aside, allowing her mother to enter. "Mom, I don't know how many times we can have this conversation."
Krystal walked in, glancing around the small space. She didn't hide her distaste this time. The way her eyes skimmed over the apartment with disapproval was obvious, and it made Lorraine's stomach tighten.
"We've had this conversation too many times, Lorraine," Krystal replied, her voice sharper now. "That's exactly the problem."
They sat down, but the tension between them was thick, as if the very air in the room were stifling.
Krystal leaned forward slightly, her eyes narrowing as she spoke. "You're my daughter. You belong at the mansion, not... here. Whatever this is." She waved her hand dismissively, gesturing to the small apartment as if it were beneath her.
Lorraine felt the familiar surge of anger building. "Mom, this is my life. My decision. I don't want to be at the mansion."
Her mother's perfectly shaped brows furrowed slightly, her lips pursing. "And why not? What is it you think you're escaping from? Responsibility? Legacy?"
Lorraine's voice rose, frustration seeping into every word. "No, I'm escaping from you. From your need to control everything I do. I don't want the life you've planned for me."
Krystal's eyes flared with anger, her calm demeanor slipping for a brief moment. "You think I'm controlling? Lorraine, you're throwing away everything for a man who doesn't deserve you. Gabriel is nothing compared to the people you could be with. He'll never understand the world you're from."
Lorraine stood up, unable to sit still any longer. "I'm not throwing my life away for anyone. Gabriel supports me, Mom. He doesn't judge me or try to change me, unlike you."
Krystal rose to her feet as well, her heels clicking sharply against the floor as she took a step forward. "Gabriel is beneath you, Lorraine. I've looked into him. He's ordinary. He can't give you what you deserve."
"I don't need what you think I deserve! I don't need your approval or your standards. Why can't you just accept that?"
Krystal's eyes turned cold. "You're making a mistake. Just like your father."
The mention of her father stopped Lorraine in her tracks. Her fists unclenched, and she looked at her mother with sudden confusion. "What do you mean?"
Krystal's voice dropped, her tone cutting like a blade. "You've always idealized your father, haven't you? You think he left because of me? You think I was the one who drove him away?" She laughed bitterly, shaking her head. "David left because he was weak. He couldn't handle the responsibilities of being with me, and he certainly couldn't handle the truth about his own son."
Lorraine's eyes widened, her heart beginning to race. "What truth?"
Krystal met her daughter's gaze, unflinching, her eyes filled with a mix of disdain and satisfaction. "Francis isn't your real brother. He's the result of David's adultery."
The words hit Lorraine like a physical blow. She felt her knees weaken, and she sank back onto the couch, staring at her mother in shock. "What are you talking about?" she whispered, barely able to get the words out.
Krystal took a step closer, her voice steady and emotionless. "David had an affair years before we separated. Francis is the product of that. Your father was too weak to admit it, but I've always known. I kept quiet for your sake, but now it's time you understood the truth."
Lorraine shook her head, tears brimming in her eyes. "That can't be true. Francis is my brother. Dad wouldn't... he wouldn't do that."
Krystal's lips curled into a cruel smile. "Your father was never the man you thought he was. He made mistakes, and one of the biggest was getting involved with the Marino clan."
Lorraine's tear-filled eyes snapped to her mother's, her breath catching. "What does that have to do with anything?"
Krystal sighed, her expression softening, though there was still an edge to her voice. "Joining the Marinos was the worst decision your father ever made. He thought he could handle it, but he was out of his depth from the start. Being under the tutelage of Karl Marino and Takako Fujimiya ruined him. They shaped him into something he wasn't."
Lorraine was speechless, her mind reeling. She had always admired her father's connection to the Marino family, seeing it as a part of his strength, his legacy. But now, her mother was painting a very different picture.
Krystal's voice turned icy. "Karl Marino was a manipulative man, and Takako—she's no better. They used your father, twisted him into their world of power and control. He was never strong enough to resist them. And that's why he failed. Why he fell apart."
Lorraine felt her chest tighten. The world she had known, the image of her father, was crumbling before her eyes. She didn't know what to believe anymore. "Dad wasn't weak," she said, her voice trembling. "He loved us. He loved me."
Krystal's expression softened for a moment, but there was still no warmth in her gaze. "I'm not saying he didn't love you, Lorraine. But he wasn't the man you thought he was. He couldn't stand up to the forces around him, and that's why I had to take control."
Lorraine stood up, anger surging through her. "You're twisting everything. Dad left because you couldn't let him breathe. And now you're trying to control me the same way."
Krystal's calm facade shattered for a brief moment as her eyes flashed with fury. "I'm trying to protect you!" she shouted, her voice echoing in the small apartment. "I'm trying to stop you from making the same mistakes he did."
Lorraine shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "You're not protecting me. You're controlling me. And I won't let you."
Krystal stepped forward, her hand raised as if to slap Lorraine again, but this time Lorraine didn't flinch. She stood her ground, glaring at her mother with a mixture of anger and pain.
For a moment, the room was silent, the air thick with tension. Krystal lowered her hand slowly, her expression hardening once more. "You're making a mistake, Lorraine," she said quietly. "You'll regret this."
Lorraine wiped her tears, her voice steady despite the hurt. "I'd rather make my own mistakes than live under your shadow."
Without another word, Lorraine grabbed her coat and stormed out of the apartment, slamming the door behind her.
Outside, the cold air hit her like a slap to the face, but she didn't stop. She needed to get away—away from the suffocating presence of her mother, away from the lies and manipulation. Her mind raced as she walked aimlessly through the streets, her emotions swirling in a chaotic storm.
The revelation about her father and Francis had shattered the foundation of everything she thought she knew. She didn't know what to believe anymore. Her mother's words echoed in her mind, twisting her thoughts, making her question everything.
But one thing was clear: she couldn't go back to that world. Not to the mansion, not to her mother's control. She needed to find her own way, even if that meant leaving behind the life she had once known.
As Lorraine continued walking, she pulled out her phone, her hands shaking. She needed to talk to someone. She needed Gabriel. His name flashed on her screen, and without hesitation, she sent a message: "I need to see you."
Within minutes, her phone buzzed with a reply: "I'll be there. Where are you?"
Lorraine typed a quick response, giving him the name of a nearby café. She needed to talk to him, to sort through the mess of emotions she was feeling. And more than anything, she needed to be with someone who wouldn't judge her, who wouldn't try to control her.
As she waited for Gabriel, her heart pounded in her chest. She didn't know how to explain everything that had happened, but she knew she couldn't face it alone.
And for the first time in a long time, she didn't feel completely alone.
----
he café's warmth wrapped around Lorraine, but it did little to comfort her. She sat hunched over the small table, her hands gripping the coffee mug so tightly that her knuckles turned white. The world outside moved on as usual, unaware of the storm that had torn through her life just hours before.
Krystal's voice echoed relentlessly in her mind: "Francis isn't your real brother... Your father's affair... Joining the Marino clan was his greatest mistake..."
Each word had landed like a punch to the gut, but what haunted Lorraine the most was the look of disdain in her mother's eyes. The slap still stung, not only on her cheek but deep within her heart. The overwhelming mixture of betrayal, hurt, and guilt lingered.
Gabriel sat across from her, quiet but attentive. He had rushed over the moment she'd called, and though she hadn't said much, he knew. He could see it all written in her eyes, in the tremble of her hand as she tried to hold herself together.
"Lorraine," he finally spoke, his voice soft, almost hesitant, "I'm here. You don't have to say anything if you're not ready."
She nodded, still staring at her cup. The comfort of Gabriel's presence was undeniable, yet her thoughts were too chaotic to voice clearly.
After a few more moments of silence, she finally broke. "I… I don't even know where to start," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's all such a mess."
Gabriel leaned forward, his hand inching across the table, waiting to see if she would accept it. Lorraine looked at him, her vision blurred slightly with unshed tears, and let out a shaky breath. She placed her hand over his, feeling a slight warmth seep into her cold skin.
"You don't have to explain everything," Gabriel reassured her. "But if you want to talk, I'm here. I'll listen."
Lorraine let the weight of the day roll over her as she took in a deep breath. "My mother showed up at my apartment again. She—she wants me to go back to the mansion. She's always been this way. Controlling. Domineering."
Gabriel listened carefully, his thumb brushing lightly over the back of her hand as a small gesture of comfort. He had suspected there was tension between Lorraine and her mother, but he hadn't realized how deep it ran.
"And I resisted again," Lorraine continued, her voice a little stronger but still laden with hurt. "I told her I wouldn't. That I didn't want to live under her roof and deal with all of her expectations, her—her need for everything to be perfect. She didn't like that. It reminded her of my father."
Gabriel's brow furrowed slightly. "Your father?"
Lorraine's gaze darkened. "My parents… they separated when I was young. My mother always blamed him for it, said he was the one who walked out on us. But the truth is… she drove him away." Her voice broke for a moment, her grip on Gabriel's hand tightening. "Her control, her need to be in charge of every single thing… It suffocated him. And today, she said something I never expected."
Gabriel remained silent, his heart aching as he watched her struggle. "She told me that Francis isn't even my real brother. That he's the result of one of my father's affairs." Lorraine's voice cracked, her emotions spilling out despite her best efforts to stay composed. "I didn't even know… How could she just—how could she keep that from me all these years?"
Gabriel's eyes softened with empathy, and his hand squeezed hers gently, offering his silent support. "I'm so sorry, Lorraine," he murmured, leaning in slightly. "You didn't deserve to hear it like that. None of this is your fault."
Lorraine shook her head, tears beginning to brim at the edges of her eyes. "And then… she went on about how joining the Marino clan was my father's biggest mistake. That aligning with them… with people like Karl Marino and Takako Fujimiya was just another way for him to destroy our family." She swallowed hard, her voice tight with emotion. "She blames them for everything that went wrong."
Gabriel frowned. He had heard about the reputation of the Marino family, particularly Karl and Takako's formidable legacies, but he knew Lorraine's connection to them was deeper. "I've heard things about the Marinos," he admitted softly, "but I also know that families are complicated. And your mother… she's not looking at this clearly."
Lorraine finally lifted her gaze to meet his. Her eyes were glassy, her expression a mixture of confusion, anger, and sadness. "I just… I don't understand why she's like this, Gabriel. I thought she'd be happy if I found my own path, but every time I try, it's never enough. And today… I don't even know how to process everything she said. About my dad, about Francis… About everything."
Without hesitation, Gabriel stood up and moved around the table, sitting beside her. He gently pulled her into a hug, his arms wrapping around her trembling frame. Lorraine, caught off guard by the sudden warmth, hesitated for a moment before burying her face in his chest. Tears began to slip down her cheeks, soaking into the fabric of his shirt, but she didn't care anymore.
Gabriel held her close, resting his chin lightly atop her head. "You're enough, Lorraine," he whispered. "You don't have to prove anything to her or to anyone else. Your life is yours to live."
His words were like a balm to her aching heart, and for the first time that day, Lorraine allowed herself to truly cry. All the fear, the frustration, and the hurt she had been bottling up came spilling out. Gabriel didn't let go. He held her firmly, steady, as if to say he wasn't going anywhere.
After what felt like hours, Lorraine's sobs subsided. She pulled away slightly, wiping her tear-streaked face with the sleeve of her sweater. "I'm sorry," she muttered, embarrassed by her emotional outburst.
Gabriel smiled softly, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. "Don't be sorry. You've been carrying too much on your shoulders for far too long."
She gave him a small, grateful smile, though it was still tinged with sadness. "Thank you, Gabriel. For being here. I don't know how I would've made it through today without you."
"You don't have to thank me," he replied, his voice gentle but firm. "I'm here because I care about you. And if you need someone to lean on, I'll always be here."
Lorraine looked at him, truly seeing the sincerity in his eyes, and for the first time in a long while, she felt something she hadn't thought possible: safe. "It's just… so much," she whispered. "I've never felt this lost before."
Gabriel's hand reached out again, resting on top of hers. "It's okay to feel lost sometimes," he said softly. "You don't always have to have everything figured out."
Lorraine let out a shaky breath and nodded. "I don't even know where I'm going from here," she admitted. "I can't go back to my mother's house… not after everything she said."
"You don't have to go back," Gabriel assured her. "You can stay away from that toxicity, Lorraine. It doesn't matter if she's your mother. You deserve to live your life without her constant criticism."
Lorraine's eyes shimmered as she took in his words. "I know you're right. It's just… hard to break away from it. She's been controlling so much of my life for so long."
"I'll be here to help you through it," Gabriel promised. "And if you ever need a place to stay or just someone to talk to, I'm just a call away."
The sincerity in his voice melted the final remnants of the emotional wall Lorraine had built. She bit her lip, her eyes fluttering closed for a moment, feeling the warmth of his hand in hers, the sound of his calm breath. It was a reminder that, despite the chaos swirling around her, there were still things—still people—she could rely on.
"I don't know what I did to deserve someone like you in my life," she said quietly, looking down at their intertwined hands. "But I'm grateful."
Gabriel smiled, a small, comforting grin. "You don't have to do anything to deserve it, Lorraine. You're worth it. You're worth so much more than you realize."
For a moment, Lorraine didn't know how to respond. The weight of everything she had been through that day threatened to overwhelm her once more, but Gabriel's words, his steady presence, anchored her.
She nodded, finally feeling some of the tension in her chest ease. "I think I just need some time… away from everything. To think, to process."
Gabriel gave her hand one last squeeze before pulling away slightly. "Take all the time you need. I'll be here whenever you're ready."
Lorraine smiled, a real one this time, though it was small and tentative. "Thank you, Gabriel. For everything."
"You don't have to thank me," he said again, his voice light but filled with affection. "Just… take care of yourself, okay?"
Lorraine nodded, her heart lighter than it had been in hours. For the first time, she allowed herself to believe that maybe, just maybe, she didn't have to carry all her burdens alone.
As they sat together in the quiet of the café, the world outside continued its relentless march forward. But for Lorraine, for just that moment, the storm inside had finally begun to subside.