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Chapter 3: Marriage was out of the picture
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2025-02-03 22:25:58Rios Estrada-Alacaraz was a patient man. Years of experience had taught him such virtue.
Running an empire that straddled both the legal and illegal required precision, accountability, and a solid ability to play the game—and win. Failure was not an option. If he faltered, the legacy his grandfather had built over generations, solidifying their family as one of the toughest mafia clans in the Philippines, would collapse.
He had to be sharp. Focused. In control.
Yet ever since that little incident at the restaurant, he found himself unexpectedly distracted.
“Sofia Cruz Morales.” His cousin, Sasha Alcaraz, said the name with thinly veiled disdain.
She sat across from him in the upscale restaurant where they had met for lunch, legs crossed, a pristine white blazer draped over her shoulders. The sunlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows cast a glow on her sharp features. The European genes they both inherited from their grandparents blended seamlessly with their Filipino roots, giving them an aristocratic edge—something their family had long used to their advantage.
Rios swirled the whiskey in his glass, amused by the distaste radiating from Sasha as she flicked through the file in front of her.
“Are you sure about this girl, Ri?” she asked, arching a sculpted brow.
Sofia Morales. The fiery waitress who had dared to look him dead in the eye and accuse him of kidnapping his own niece. The woman who, despite his intimidating presence, hadn’t cowered. Hadn’t backed down. She had no idea who he was—what he was capable of—and still, she had challenged him.
That intrigued him; enough for him to hire a private investigator to dig deeper about her life.
“Well,” Rios said, setting his glass down. “She’s different. She stood her ground, even when she shouldn’t have. That kind of boldness… it’s rare. She actually reminds me of you.”
Sasha scoffed. “And that amused the hell out of you?”
A smirk tugged at his lips. “Yeah.”
He leaned back in his chair, resting an elbow on the armrest. “Besides, you have to admit… she’s interesting. Aspiring actress. Rising content creator. Waitress by necessity, not by choice—”
“You forgot to mention she also works as an escort,” Sasha cut in, flipping a page in the file. “And look—she’s a regular of Mr. Xi Lee. Wasn’t he the business tycoon who invested in your casino two years ago?”
Rios didn’t flinch. “Which makes her even more ideal. She’s used to wealthy men and knows how to play the part. If your kid wasn’t really my niece, I would have believed she wasn't acting at all. She’s got potential, hence, I won’t have to waste time training her.” He tapped a finger against the mahogany table, his gaze flicking to the Manila skyline behind him. “More importantly, she’s ambitious and persistent. That kind of drive is valuable.”
‘And she was gorgeous.’
He didn’t say that aloud, but he indeed found her beauty… mesmerizing. No wonder a man like Xi Lee would pay for her time.
That wasn’t a problem, though. If anything, her position in life made her even more useful to him. He owned one of the largest media networks in the country, and an aspiring actress like Sofia might find his offer difficult to refuse.
Sasha sighed, shaking her head. “She clearly needs the money. I doubt she’ll turn this offer down.”
Silence settled between them, thick with unspoken thoughts about Rios’s plan. Just then, Sasha set the file on the table, folding her arms.
“You know, Beatrice Sandoval would be a perfect match for you. Why not just give her and her family another chance? You wouldn’t have to make a poor girl like Sofia Morales do something she shouldn’t be doing in the first place. If she ever found out you are the Mafia boss of the Alcaraz clan, it wouldn’t end well with her.”
The air shifted. Somehow, Sasha’s got a point. Nevertheless, Rios’s expression darkened. His jaw tensed. “I told you, cousin,” he said, his voice turning cold. “I don’t want to hear another damn thing about that arranged marriage.”
“I know, but—”
“Just shut up and help me set up a meeting with that woman,” he cut in, tone final.
Sasha exhaled sharply but didn’t argue. With a flick of her wrist, she grabbed her phone. “Fine. I’ll make the appointment now.”
Rios gave a curt nod, rising to his feet. He gestured for Sasha to leave, already shifting to the next step in his plan.
Marriage was out of the picture. His family could scheme all they wanted, but he wouldn’t let them force him into tying himself to Beatrice Sandoval—not now, not ever again.
If they wanted him to settle down, fine. But, he’d do it on his own terms. Even if that meant hiring someone to play the part.
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