Years before Raven Hale became a name whispered with fear, before the masks, the empire, and the war that would eventually consume Blackwood Heights, there was Ellen.
And there was Vanessa.
Ellen stood barefoot on the balcony of the Richard's estate, watching the city lights shimmer beneath the night sky.
A gentle breeze moved through her hair.
Behind her, the balcony doors opened.
Vanessa stepped outside.
"You're awake."
Ellen smiled without turning around.
"You noticed."
"I always notice."
Vanessa walked toward her.
She was dressed simply that night, without the intimidating presence she carried in public.
No mask.
No guards.
No secrets.
At least, that was what Ellen believed.
Vanessa wrapped her arms around Ellen from behind.
Ellen leaned against her.
"This is nice."
"What is?"
"This."
Ellen smiled.
"Just us."
Vanessa kissed the side of her head.
"You know I'll always choose this."
Ellen turned around.
"Promise?"
Vanessa looked into her eyes.
"I promise."
For a moment, everything was perfect.
Then Vanessa's phone vibrated.
Her expression changed.
Ellen noticed immediately.
"Who is it?"
"No one."
Vanessa silenced the phone.
Ellen frowned.
"You're lying."
"I'm handling something."
"What kind of something?"
"Nothing you need to worry about."
Ellen stepped away.
"That is what you always say."
Vanessa sighed.
"Ellen…"
"No."
Ellen shook her head.
"You disappear for hours. Sometimes days.
You have people following you everywhere, and half the time I don't even know where you are."
"I'm protecting you."
"From what?"
Vanessa didn't answer.
Ellen stared at her.
"Exactly."
That night was the beginning of the distance between them.
Vanessa became more secretive.
Ellen became more suspicious.
What Ellen didn't know was that Vanessa's secrets had nothing to do with betraying her.
They had everything to do with protecting her.
And protecting the child Vanessa didn't yet know existed.
A few weeks later, Ellen discovered she was pregnant.
She sat alone in her bedroom, staring at the test in her hand.
Her heart raced.
She placed a hand over her stomach.
A tiny smile appeared.
"Vanessa is going to be a mother."
She imagined telling her.
Imagined Vanessa's reaction.
Imagined the three of them together.
For the first time, Ellen believed they could have a family.
But before she could tell Vanessa, she discovered something that shattered everything.
Ellen entered Vanessa's private office unexpectedly.
She had never been inside before.
The room was filled with documents.
Photographs.
Maps.
Files.
And photographs of people Ellen had never seen.
At the center of the room was a black table.
Several people stood around it.
All of them wore masks.
Ellen froze.
Vanessa stood at the head of the table.
A silver mask covered half of her face.
"Vanessa?"
Everyone turned.
Vanessa immediately removed the mask.
"Ellen."
"What is this?"
"Leave."
"No."
Ellen's eyes filled with hurt.
"You lied to me."
Vanessa stepped toward her.
"Listen to me."
"I trusted you."
"You still can."
"Then tell me what this is."
Vanessa hesitated.
That hesitation destroyed the last piece of Ellen's certainty.
Ellen backed away.
"You're working with them."
"No."
"You expect me to believe that?"
Vanessa reached for her.
Ellen stepped back.
"Don't touch me."
Vanessa froze.
"I love you."
Ellen's eyes filled with tears.
"Then why didn't you trust me enough to tell me the truth?"
"Because telling you would put you in danger."
"You're already putting me in danger!"
"I am protecting you."
"From who?"
Vanessa couldn't answer.
Ellen shook her head.
"I can't do this anymore."
She turned and walked away.
"Ellen!"
Vanessa followed her.
But Ellen didn't stop.
She didn't know that Vanessa had been protecting her from an organization that wanted to use her as leverage.
She didn't know the masked people were Vanessa's soldiers.
She didn't know Vanessa had built the organization because she feared what would happen if the people hunting her discovered the woman she loved.
And she certainly didn't know she was carrying Vanessa's child.
Ellen left that night.
She returned to the Hale estate.
William Hale immediately noticed something was wrong.
"You're leaving?"
"Yes."
"Where will you go?"
"I don't know."
William studied his daughter.
Then he noticed the tears in her eyes.
"What happened?"
Ellen hesitated.
"I made a mistake."
"What kind?"
"I trusted the wrong person."
William's expression hardened.
"Vanessa?"
Ellen nodded.
William had never trusted Vanessa.
Not completely.
He had always believed she was too powerful, too secretive, too dangerous.
Now he saw his daughter's heartbreak as proof.
"You need to think about your future."
Ellen looked at him.
"I am."
"Then let me help you."
"How?"
William paused.
"There is someone I can introduce you to."
Several weeks later, Ellen met Andrew.
Andrew Saint's name carried weight in their social circle.
He was wealthy.
Respected.
Well-connected.
And unlike Vanessa, he was predictable.
At least, that was what Ellen needed at the time.
William arranged the marriage.
Ellen didn't love Andrew.
But she convinced herself that love wasn't necessary.
She needed stability.
She needed protection.
And most importantly, she needed to protect her unborn child.
She never told Andrew that Vanessa was the child's other parent.
She never told him the truth.
Raven was born months later.
And Ellen looked down at her daughter for the first time.
Her heart broke.
"She looks like her."
Vanessa.
Even though she had no idea.
Andrew was not the faithful husband Ellen had hoped he would become.
The marriage slowly deteriorated.
He had affairs.
Secrets.
And eventually, Ellen discovered that Andrew had another child.
A son named Jeff.
Jeff had been born outside the marriage.
Yet Ellen couldn't bring herself to hate the child.
Jeff was innocent.
So she allowed him into Raven's life.
Raven and Jeff grew up together.
They fought.
They laughed.
They protected each other.
They became family.
Neither of them knew they weren't related by blood.
Neither knew the truth Ellen had buried.
Years passed.
Vanessa never truly disappeared.
She simply became Aunt V.
That was what Ellen called her whenever she allowed Vanessa near Raven.
"Your Aunt V is here."
Raven would run toward her.
Vanessa would kneel and open her arms.
And every time Raven hugged her,
Vanessa's expression softened.
Ellen noticed.
Sometimes it frightened her.
Sometimes it made her feel guilty.
Because despite everything, she knew Vanessa loved their daughter.
But Ellen still didn't understand the organization.
She didn't understand the masks.
She didn't understand why Vanessa was always watching from a distance.
She only knew that whenever danger came near Raven, Vanessa somehow appeared.
A threat disappeared.
A suspicious person left town.
A business deal that could have destroyed the Hales suddenly collapsed.
Ellen never realized Vanessa was behind it.
Protecting Raven.
Protecting her.
Then came the night everything changed.
Ellen received a message.
We know about the child.
Her heart stopped.
Another message followed.
We know who her mother is.
Ellen immediately understood.
Vanessa hadn't been protecting them enough.
Someone had discovered Raven.
Ellen rushed to Vanessa.
For the first time in years, she didn't care about the past.
She only cared about her daughter.
When Vanessa saw her, she immediately knew something was wrong.
"What happened?"
Ellen handed her the phone.
Vanessa's face changed.
"Who sent this?"
"I don't know."
Vanessa looked toward the door.
"Where is Raven?"
"With Andrew."
"Get her out of there."
"Vanessa…"
"I said get her out."
Ellen stared at her.
And for the first time, she understood.
Vanessa hadn't betrayed her.
She had been protecting them.
Ellen's voice trembled.
"I was wrong."
Vanessa looked at her.
"About what?"
"About you."
Silence.
Ellen stepped closer.
"I should have trusted you."
Vanessa's eyes softened.
"You were trying to protect her."
"So were you."
"Yes."
Ellen reached for her hand.
"I never stopped loving you."
Vanessa's eyes filled with tears.
"I never stopped loving you either."
For one brief moment, they were together again.
But neither of them knew that someone was watching.
Someone who had been waiting years for Ellen to finally understand the truth.
Someone who knew about Raven.
Someone who knew about Vanessa.
And someone who wanted Ellen dead.
Later that night, Ellen returned home.
She walked into Raven's bedroom.
Her daughter was sleeping peacefully.
Ellen sat beside her.
She gently brushed Raven's hair away from her face.
"I'll protect you."
Raven stirred slightly.
Ellen smiled through her tears.
"No matter what happens."
She kissed her daughter's forehead.
Then she heard footsteps outside the room.
Ellen froze.
She slowly turned toward the doorway.
A shadow stood there.
A familiar voice whispered:
"Ellen."
Her blood ran cold.
She recognized the voice.
And in that moment, she understood exactly who had betrayed her.
Her hand moved toward Raven protectively.
The figure stepped into the room.
Ellen whispered one word.
"No…"
The door closed behind them.
And somewhere outside the Hale estate, Vanessa's masked organization received an emergency alert.
Ellen Hale was in danger.
To be continued…