The conference room was silent. But it wasn’t the usual silence of an ordinary meeting—it was the kind of silence filled with simmering rage, with eyes burning in anticipation, and with tension that felt like a restrained explosion. The only sounds were the tick-tock of the clock on the wall and the hum of the air conditioning, which did little to cool the heated discussion. A few shareholders discreetly wiped their foreheads—not from the temperature, but from sheer frustration. Suddenly, Mr. Briones stood up, unable to contain himself any longer. He was a well-known shareholder, recognized for his aggressive investments. He had long harbored grievances against the company’s leadership ever since it fell into different hands. His fist clenched tightly on the table, and when he spoke, his voice thundered through the room. “You made a huge mistake, Mathilda!” With those words from the elderly man, the thick and searing tension in the boardroom finally erupted. The air was now filled
In the building’s main lobby, three employees huddled near the front desk, whispering as they occasionally glanced at the meeting room upstairs. One of them, a woman dressed in corporate attire, was biting her nails—a clear sign of anxiety. “Have you heard? Accounting says our salaries might be delayed again,” one of them whispered urgently. “If this keeps up, we might not have jobs by the next quarter,” a male employee responded, gripping the handle of his bag tightly. “We should start looking for other jobs now,” another woman said sadly. She had been with the company since Leonard was CEO. “What do you think happened to Miss Lilliane?” The three exchanged glances at the mention of the company heiress. They hadn’t heard any news about her for a long time—the last being rumors of her upcoming marriage to the elderly media magnate. Meanwhile, on a quiet corner of the executive floor, a senior manager sat with a furrowed brow, scrolling through the financial report on his tablet. H
“Are you sure about this decision?” Consuelo asked, her voice filled with concern. Lilliane nodded slowly. “Yes, ‘Nay. I’ll come back to you. I won’t be staying long in Manila. I just need to do this for myself and my baby,” she explained. Consuelo took a deep breath before reaching for Lilliane’s hands. She accompanied her to the bus terminal in Tuguegarao, with her nephew driving them there. It was just past four in the morning, the time Lilliane had chosen to travel back to Manila. The journey to Tuguegarao took three hours, and from there, the bus ride to Cubao would take between ten to twelve hours—since it was the earliest schedule available. If she were to take a bus to Pasay or Sampaloc, the earliest trips from Tuguegarao wouldn’t be until six or eight in the morning. She didn’t want to arrive in Manila after dark, nor did she want to stay there any longer than necessary. She planned to return immediately, even though she knew it would be exhausting. She needed to mislead
On the other line, a sharp voice greeted the informant. “Where?” “Mall of Asia. About 23 minutes ago.” The informant's fingers trembled slightly as he typed a quick command to confirm the ATM details. Mall of Asia, Pasay City Terminal. The timestamp read 4:17 PM. “She just withdrew ten thousand at Mall of Asia. Want me to dig deeper, boss?” the man added. A brief static noise filled the line before a low voice responded. “Send me everything. Location, timestamps. I’ll handle the rest.” The informant nodded, his pulse quickening. “Consider it done.” With a few swift keystrokes, he sent the data packet and leaned back with a sly smile. The day he had been waiting for had finally arrived—the promise of additional payment once he delivered the information that would lead them to capture Ms. Olivares. Meanwhile, Ruel quickly gathered their men in preparation for capturing Lilliane. Some of them—including him—immediately headed to Mall of Asia to check the CCTV footage. Once the
“But Uncle!” Lilliane protested. “Mr. Fuentes is fifty years old, isn’t he?” Her eyes began to show anxiety. “Why—”“Mr. Fuentes is sixty years old, Lilliane!” Richard said impatiently and irritably. It seemed the niece was still opposing their wishes.Lilliane looked up and met her uncle’s angry gaze.“Mr. Fuentes is very rich. You won’t go hungry or suffer with him! He might even save our family and business! That consideration is so important that you should just engrave it into your mind right now!”Lilliane stood up violently, unable to hold back, drawing the full attention of the two. She was sure that the two could also see how red her face was from a mix of anger and frustration.She admitted that even though she was hesitant about marrying someone she didn’t know, she was ready to accept it—for the sake of her late parents’ company. But the thought of marrying an old man—almost like her grandfather—was unbearable!Disgusting!Just thinking about spending the wedding day with
As soon as they got inside the stranger’s car, their kissing became unstoppable, as did his constant caressing of her exposed thigh. He licked the skin around her neck, and she moaned continuously, almost guiding one of his hands to grasp her breasts, which were craving attention. When he stopped, she almost protested.She couldn’t deny to herself how intoxicating the man’s scent was, like she had inhaled a love potion. And she also admitted that this was her first time making out, so deep inside, she knew how eager she was. Perhaps it was also because of the alcohol she had earlier that she almost didn’t want to refuse what they were doing.He drove off from the club’s parking space. She noticed the veins on his arm and hand as he gripped the steering wheel tightly, his jaw clenched.Lilliane felt heat surge through her body, craving his touch and kisses. She must have been very drunk because she had lost all sense of reason.Through half-closed eyes, she glanced at him. The lights f
Lilliane reached for the doorknob of her unit, her hands trembling as she fumbled with the key, trying to regain her composure.It felt as if she had been struck by a fierce tornado since waking up and finding someone beside her in bed, with the last thing she expected being to see the two people she least wanted to face in that state.Finally, she managed to insert the key and turned the knob, pushing the door open. She sighed heavily in exhaustion.But as soon as the door fully opened, her breath caught in her throat.Standing in the middle of her living room was her uncle Richard, with his arms crossed. His brows rose upon seeing her, and Mathilda, seated in the single sofa, glanced at her with a mix of anger and irritation evident on their faces.Lilliane could feel the intense and oppressive tension in the unit, making her feel suffocated and further intensifying her nervousness. The way they looked at her only heightened her anxiety.“Lilliane!” Mathilda’s sharp voice sliced thr
Lilliane could feel the rapid pounding of her heart as she stepped out of the elevator and into the marble-floored lobby of her condo building. The echo of her high heels seemed to intensify her anxiety, in sync with every beat of her chest. Even at that moment, Lilliane still felt the sting and pain from the slaps and hair-pulling she had received from Mathilda. She forced herself to dress up, despite not wanting to attend. She even wore the dress her aunt had left on the coffee table. Her eyes were swollen as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. She wanted to cry again, but she felt like she had no more tears left. She couldn’t feel anything else but deep pity for herself. Lilliane took a deep breath, exhaustion evident in her eyes. “Miss Lilliane Olivares?” Lilliane gave a small nod to the elderly man who stood up upon seeing her. “That’s me.” “I’m Pedring, and I’m here to drive you to Mr. Fuentes’ mansion. Mr. and Mrs. Amante are also waiting for you at the m
On the other line, a sharp voice greeted the informant. “Where?” “Mall of Asia. About 23 minutes ago.” The informant's fingers trembled slightly as he typed a quick command to confirm the ATM details. Mall of Asia, Pasay City Terminal. The timestamp read 4:17 PM. “She just withdrew ten thousand at Mall of Asia. Want me to dig deeper, boss?” the man added. A brief static noise filled the line before a low voice responded. “Send me everything. Location, timestamps. I’ll handle the rest.” The informant nodded, his pulse quickening. “Consider it done.” With a few swift keystrokes, he sent the data packet and leaned back with a sly smile. The day he had been waiting for had finally arrived—the promise of additional payment once he delivered the information that would lead them to capture Ms. Olivares. Meanwhile, Ruel quickly gathered their men in preparation for capturing Lilliane. Some of them—including him—immediately headed to Mall of Asia to check the CCTV footage. Once the
“Are you sure about this decision?” Consuelo asked, her voice filled with concern. Lilliane nodded slowly. “Yes, ‘Nay. I’ll come back to you. I won’t be staying long in Manila. I just need to do this for myself and my baby,” she explained. Consuelo took a deep breath before reaching for Lilliane’s hands. She accompanied her to the bus terminal in Tuguegarao, with her nephew driving them there. It was just past four in the morning, the time Lilliane had chosen to travel back to Manila. The journey to Tuguegarao took three hours, and from there, the bus ride to Cubao would take between ten to twelve hours—since it was the earliest schedule available. If she were to take a bus to Pasay or Sampaloc, the earliest trips from Tuguegarao wouldn’t be until six or eight in the morning. She didn’t want to arrive in Manila after dark, nor did she want to stay there any longer than necessary. She planned to return immediately, even though she knew it would be exhausting. She needed to mislead
In the building’s main lobby, three employees huddled near the front desk, whispering as they occasionally glanced at the meeting room upstairs. One of them, a woman dressed in corporate attire, was biting her nails—a clear sign of anxiety. “Have you heard? Accounting says our salaries might be delayed again,” one of them whispered urgently. “If this keeps up, we might not have jobs by the next quarter,” a male employee responded, gripping the handle of his bag tightly. “We should start looking for other jobs now,” another woman said sadly. She had been with the company since Leonard was CEO. “What do you think happened to Miss Lilliane?” The three exchanged glances at the mention of the company heiress. They hadn’t heard any news about her for a long time—the last being rumors of her upcoming marriage to the elderly media magnate. Meanwhile, on a quiet corner of the executive floor, a senior manager sat with a furrowed brow, scrolling through the financial report on his tablet. H
The conference room was silent. But it wasn’t the usual silence of an ordinary meeting—it was the kind of silence filled with simmering rage, with eyes burning in anticipation, and with tension that felt like a restrained explosion. The only sounds were the tick-tock of the clock on the wall and the hum of the air conditioning, which did little to cool the heated discussion. A few shareholders discreetly wiped their foreheads—not from the temperature, but from sheer frustration. Suddenly, Mr. Briones stood up, unable to contain himself any longer. He was a well-known shareholder, recognized for his aggressive investments. He had long harbored grievances against the company’s leadership ever since it fell into different hands. His fist clenched tightly on the table, and when he spoke, his voice thundered through the room. “You made a huge mistake, Mathilda!” With those words from the elderly man, the thick and searing tension in the boardroom finally erupted. The air was now filled
Lilliane let out a deep sigh. She had no other choice but to face the truth and the situation, no matter how difficult it was.She decided to get out of bed and placed the shirt on it. She walked toward an antique vanity mirror and sat on the chair in front of it.She couldn’t help but admire the elegant design of the vanity dresser, made of narra wood, and the mirror itself.Since the day she saw it, she’d been in awe of its intricately carved designs. Her vanity table in her room at the mansion and even in her condo unit didn’t compare to this one.According to Consuelo, it had been there since the house was built. When Consuelo saw her gazing at the vanity mirror, she explained that it was made in Ilocos Norte by one of the best craftsmen in the province, and that the design reflected the art and tradition of the region.The designs she saw around the mirror and on the dresser table were traditional Ilocano motifs.Despite its decades of age, it still looked brand new.After taking
Lilliane cupped the man’s jaw as they both felt the gentle caress of their lips against each other, eyes closed, savoring the softness and sweetness of each kiss.She felt his hand lovingly trail from her smooth shoulder, across her left chest, down to the curve of her waist, stopping at her thigh. His touch sent delightful shivers through her, while his lips left a trail from her cheek to her jawline.Unable to hold back, Lilliane moaned softly with every brush of his mouth and hands against her smooth skin. His hand, which had been exploring her body, now gripped her rounded thigh tightly, almost possessively.Her body arched, eyes shut, her lips letting out soft, blissful moans and whimpers. Her center and chest yearned for deeper attention. She felt like she was running out of breath with each press of his lips and tongue on her soft, smooth skin.Unable to control herself, her hips began to move and sway in the air from the intense, ticklish sensation building within her.She fel
A gentle knock interrupted Lilliane as she combed her short hair. She set the comb down and walked over to her bedroom door.Consuelo stood there, smiling, when she opened it.“Are you ready?”She gave a faint smile and nodded softly.Consuelo was going to accompany her to the clinic before heading to school.Their journey to the doctor was silent, and they hardly spoke while in the tricycle.Lilliane didn’t know what to feel. She was nervous, mixed with a bit of excitement she couldn’t quite understand.Her mind wandered to various thoughts—things that could potentially change her life if Consuelo’s suspicions proved true.She suddenly thought of her situation.She couldn’t hide and run forever. She didn’t want her child to live in a chaotic situation. Nor could they hide forever together.Thinking about Mathilda made her anxious and uneasy. What would happen if they found out she was pregnant—if she already had a child?She closed her eyes.She was starting to feel stressed from her
Could you be pregnant?Consuelo’s words echoed like a siren’s call.Lilliane was stunned, staring at her after hearing those words. Her heart pounded, and she felt her entire system quake in response.She shook her head slightly, still gazing at her, refusing to believe it. Maybe it was just a mistaken assumption, and it seemed impossible to happen.But when she recalled that one night with a stranger—whose face she couldn’t even remember—and the heated moments they had shared multiple times, it only strengthened Consuelo’s suspicion.But it was just one night! A part of her mind insisted.One night, but he claimed you multiple times! countered another voice.Lilliane’s eyes dropped to the sink.She had just finished vomiting. And like before, nothing came out but thick saliva.She began trembling.What if she really was pregnant? What would she do? How could she explain it to Consuelo when she had told her she was hiding from her family and the man they wanted her to marry, and now s
“Arnulfo,” she said in a flirtatious tone as she leaned on him, her fingers playing with the fine hairs on his chest.“Hmm,”“Why are you wasting your time on her?” she referred to Lilliane.When the news reached her that he was going to marry the daughter of the then-renowned tech mogul, her whole being was shaken. She was immediately filled with intense anger and jealousy.If he were to marry another woman, he might not have time for her anymore. She didn’t want to share Arnulfo with anyone, even though she secretly had affairs with older fellow celebrities. Most them were already well-known in showbiz.Arnulfo was different for her when it came to intimacy. Only with this older man did she feel and taste the true pleasure that the others couldn’t give her.No matter how handsome and dashing those actors were, whether she worked with them or not, none of them could compare to Arnulfo in bed. She could only flirt with the young actors of her generation, but she had no intention of pu