I. FIRST MEET : Delilah's POV

I met Raphael at our village's festival, where everyone was preparing to celebrate one of the most special occasions. I was working as a maid for the Montenegro family, who rarely stayed at their mansion because they were busy running their businesses in different places.

Don Markus and Madam Gloria, the heads of the Montenegro family, were kind and generous. However, in my over ten years of serving them, I had never met their two male heirs. I had heard that they were living abroad, where they had completed their studies.

According to the older servants, Sir Raphael, the eldest son of Don Markus and Madam Gloria, was around my age. However, none of them had seen him, except for his parents' personal assistant and the strict head maid, Ms. Karen.

I first saw Raphael in the yard, where I was planting vegetable seeds. He was a handsome young man with a perfect physique, blonde hair, and piercing eyes. I was stunned, especially when he took off his black polo shirt in front of me. I dropped the seeds and screamed, still innocent and conservative from growing up in the province.

"A thief! Help me!" I shouted, eyes closed. But no one came to my aid, too distracted by the festival. Raphael approached me, covering my mouth with his hand. My heart beat faster, and I felt a rush of emotions.

"Ssh, shut up. Someone might hear us," he whispered, his breath cold against my skin. "I'm not a thief. Look at my face. Do I look like a thief to you?" His eyes sparkled with amusement, and I felt drawn to him.

I pushed his hand away, trying to compose myself. "What are you doing here? You shouldn't be here." But he just laughed, his smile captivating me.

He sat next to me, closing his hands around my cheeks. I stared into his eyes, feeling an inexplicable connection. "Your lips are beautiful," he whispered, his gaze locked on mine.

I felt a flutter in my chest. "Can I kiss you?" he asked, his voice low and husky. Before I could respond, he stole a kiss from my lips. I was taken aback, but I didn't push him away immediately.

He smiled, laughing as if he had discovered a secret. "Don't say it's your first time kissing on the lips?" he teased. I felt embarrassed, but I tried to maintain my composure.

"I already have a boyfriend," I lied, trying to save face. "What you did to me is nothing. I have to go back inside." I turned to leave, but he called out to me.

"What if he's your boyfriend? You two aren't married yet, right?" His words lingered in my mind.

I didn't look back at him and didn't respond because I didn't want him to think I'm the type of girl who easily falls in love with someone like him.

Moreover, I didn't want him to think that I'm only after his wealth or looks because I'm not that kind of girl.

I may be a provincial girl from a poor family, I didn't finish my studies, and I don't have anything to boast about, but my self-worth isn't that low. I'm not easily swayed by wealth, money, or material possessions. I just want a simple life, a happy family, and to love each other. It doesn't matter if we're not rich or if our home isn't big, as long as we're content with our simple life together.

That's why someone like him is unlikely to win my heart, unlikely to enter my life, because I never aspired to have a luxurious life or become rich. Since I was a child until I grew up, my mindset has always been to marry someone who shares the same social status as me, someone who can take me away from the chaos, and all we'll think about is being together forever.

But since I met that guy, my world turned upside down. I thought I could easily forget him and avoid him, but it's not that easy, especially since my heart has already fallen for him.

I couldn't stop thinking about what happened earlier, especially the way he looked at me. His eyes seemed to pierce through my soul, and his smile was etched in my mind. I kept wondering why I let him get so close to me, why I allowed him to kiss me.

His words kept echoing in my mind, especially his last question: "What if he's your boyfriend? You two aren't married yet, are you?" There was something about the way he said it, something that made me feel like he was trying to tell me something more.

I couldn't shake off the feeling that there was something about him that I couldn't quite explain. His confidence, his charm, his mischievous grin... it all seemed so captivating, so alluring.

As I sat there, lost in thought, I couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to be with someone like him. Someone who was so carefree, so spontaneous, so full of life. But at the same time, I was scared. Scared of getting hurt, scared of losing myself in him.

I didn't know what to make of my feelings, or what to do about them. All I knew was that I couldn't stop thinking about him, and that was all that mattered.

I decided to sneak back to the backyard, hoping to catch another glimpse of the mysterious man. I crept through the garden, my eyes scanning the area, but he was nowhere to be found.

Disappointed, I let out a sigh and began to walk back to the house. But, in my distraction, I failed to notice a large puddle of mud on the ground. My feet flew out from under me, and I landed with a splat in the middle of the puddle.

Mud splattered everywhere, covering my clothes and face. I sat up, dazed and embarrassed, and that's when I saw my friend, Betty, standing over me, trying to stifle a giggle.

"What...what happened?" I asked, trying to play it cool despite my muddy appearance.

Betty burst out laughing. "I think you found the mud pit!" she exclaimed, holding her sides.

I glared at her, trying to maintain my dignity. "It's not funny, Betty. I was just...uh...looking for something."

Betty raised an eyebrow. "Looking for something? Or someone?" she teased, a sly grin spreading across her face.

I felt my face heat up, and I quickly looked away, trying to hide my blush. "No one," I muttered, trying to sound convincing.

But Betty just laughed again. "Save it, girl. I know you too well. You're definitely looking for someone. And I think I know who it might be."

I looked up at her, my heart racing. How did she know?

Betty's grin faltered, and she burst out laughing again. "I'm just kidding, girl! I have no idea what you're talking about."

I breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a bit silly for overreacting. "Oh, thank goodness. I thought you knew something I didn't."

Betty chuckled and helped me up from the mud. "Nah, I was just teasing. So, what's new with you?"

I shrugged, brushing off the mud from my clothes. "It's the same old routine. But hey, speaking of which, have you seen Juanito lately?"

Betty's eyes lit up. "Oh, you mean the new farmhand? Yeah, I've seen him around. He's so cute!"

I laughed. "You're still crushing on him, aren't you?"

Betty grinned. "Maybe a little. But seriously, he's my ideal type. Tall, dark, and handsome... and those muscles! Oh my gosh."

I teased her playfully. "You're such a hopeless romantic, Betty. But I have to admit, Juanito is pretty nice. Maybe I can put in a good word for you?"

Betty's eyes sparkled. "Really? You'd do that for me?"

I nodded. "Of course, friend. That's what friends are for."

We chatted some more, gossiping about the latest goings-on in the hacienda and sharing stories about our lives. It was nice to have some girl time with Betty, and I was grateful for our friendship. Little did she know, though, that my mind kept wandering back to a certain mysterious man.

I excused myself to take a shower and change into some clean clothes. Betty followed me to the room, chatting away about Juanito's charms.

"Oh, and have you seen the way he smiles?" Betty asked, swooning. "It's like the whole room lights up!"

I laughed, stripping off my muddy clothes. "You're really smitten, aren't you?"

Betty nodded enthusiastically. "Totally! I mean, who wouldn't be? He's perfect."

I turned on the shower, letting the warm water wash away the mud and dirt. "Well, maybe I can put in a good word for you," I teased, sticking my head out of the shower curtain.

Betty's eyes lit up. "Really? You'd do that for me?"

I nodded, rinsing off the soap. "Of course, friend. But you have to promise me one thing."

"What's that?" Betty asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

"You have to promise me you'll talk to him yourself," I said, wrapping myself in a towel. "No relying on me to do the dirty work for you."

Betty grinned mischievously. "Deal! But only if you promise to give me all the juicy details about his love life."

I rolled my eyes, laughing. "You're impossible, Betty."

We chatted some more as I got dressed.

I teased Betty some more about Juanito, playfully pushing her towards the door. "Go on, go talk to him! I'm sure he's just waiting for you to make the first move."

Betty blushed, laughing. "You're a terrible friend, you know that?"

Just as we were having fun, I suddenly heard the sound of music coming from the other room. It was a soft, melancholic tune that seemed to match the rhythm of my heart.

As I listened to the music, my mind began to wander back to the mysterious man I had met earlier. I couldn't help but think about his piercing eyes, his charming smile, and the way he made me feel like I was the only person in the world.

I felt a sudden urge to confide in Betty, to tell her all about the man I had met and the way he made me feel. But something held me back. Maybe it was the fear of being ridiculed, or maybe it was the fear of revealing my true feelings.

Whatever the reason, I kept my secret locked away, hidden behind a mask of indifference. I turned back to Betty, forcing a smile onto my face.

"Hey, let's go get some snacks," I said, trying to change the subject.

Betty nodded, oblivious to the turmoil brewing inside me. "Sounds good to me. I'm starving!"

As we walked out of the room, I couldn't shake off the feeling that my life was about to change in ways I couldn't even imagine.