One

Sandra Parker was born a winner. She is a strong force of beauty and wit; she barsked in fortune and and power. She is a true picture of perfection. That, Julian Fernandez fully knows.

“I like the flowers... my favorite.”

“I know.” He smiled at her. “I'm glad you finally thought I'm worth your time.”

She smiled back. “Today was such a boring day and I thought, breakfast with you won't be that revolting.”

Julian chuckled. “It's my pleasure.”

“Of course.” She looked up from her plate and meets his eyes. “How ironic. Today is supposed to be our wedding anniversary.”

He widen his eyes to infuriate her. “Wow. What a timing, huh?‘

Sandra laughed. “Yes, asshole.” She leveled her gaze at him. “You were such an immature prick that time, Fernandez.”

Flashback: A few years ago...

“I do.” Sandra slipped the ring on his finger.

The priest smiled and turned to Julian. “Julian, do you take Sandra whom you hold by the hand to be your lawfully wedded wife, and do you covenant to be true to her, to love, cherish, and protect her, in sickness and in health, in poverty or in wealth, until death do you part?”

Julian smiled as he stared at Sandra, he took a step back and slowly shook his head. “No, thanks.”

Then he let the ring fell from his fingers, the soft sound of the ring echoed as it landed on the marbled floor. Sandra's lips parted as round of gasps and scandalized and panic murmurs resonated all throughout the huge church. She stared down at the ring before dragging her gaze up towards Julian, he winked. Julian Fernandez turned on his back and walked away.

Ruckus surfaced, the security tightened as the eager paparazzi did their best to go near the bride; her and the groom's families, and some of them even run after the groom. The rich and famous guests baffled and shocked by the sudden turn of events.

“Sandra...” Her father murmured.

Sandra on her most beautiful stood in the middle of the altar, in front of the shocked priest and intrigued and scandalized 500 guests. On her supposed wedding day, Sandra was humiliated beyond belief. She shook her head, stared at the exit of the huge church and watched as a black Lamborghini passed by like a blur.

She whispered. “Bastard.”

End of the Flashback

He chuckled in amusement when Sandra's gaze darkened. “How did you feel standing there alone, left behind the altar on your own precious wedding day?” He teased.

In reply she fluttered her lashes and smiled serenely. Sitting across her was the man she loathes, oh no, no... not really. Julian Fernandez dressed in an expensive tailored suit, his raven hair shows his silent dominance, his jaw was as just as alluring for it was set and strong, his biceps traced perfectly even hiding in that suit; he was lean and perfect. Damn him. Five years didn't do much to him physically if more he only looked matured and manlier. He still wore that damn proud smirk.

The father of her daughter; Julian Fernandez, the man was still gorgeous, determined and as he matured he became driven and more powerful and serious. What a child can do to a man, what past can change someone's view in life.

Julian Fernandez is a man, powerful, determined and dangerous that Sandra is fully aware of. The bastard demanded attention. Sandara tilted her head. “God saved me. So, what do you want?”

For 5 years they only talked and agreed about their daughters' welfare and it was sometimes through their lawyers and if time let them cross each other's paths, which are during functions and parties, they'd insulted each other and there's no end to it, words were exchange with the sweetest and friendliest word yet they were coated with venom. Everything else is just a pretense, a show for the media and the meddling no-life people. It was fun, annoying and frustrating all the same time.

“You father had been more direct and honest for his distaste having me around and being Faye's father... These past few months though he was being difficult...” He smirked. “You know, I hate difficult... I could work with him just fine but I don't like when some rascal would cockblock my company operations, then come to tell me I'm going down and life a restraining order against me so I can't see my own daughter. That was pretty low Sandra... even for you.”

Sandra crossed her legs demurely. “You're wasting my time. Your rift with my father is your problem.” Sandra sits on her throne on top of the world but so as Julian Fernandez.

“Don't pushed me to it Sandra, your family's company is not that strong anymore, your dad is getting old. I can bring Parker Industries down in just a snap.”

She met his gazed. “You can try.”

He smirked. “For five years I didn't because I was thinking of Faye's condition but now it came to this...” He shrugged and took out his phone, he dialed a number. “Oh well, I'm tired of being a good boy...” He chuckled. “Director Hans?”

Sandra stared at him as she listens to Julian give orders on whoever it was on the other line. “Yes, about the Parker Industries? I think it's time they go down today...” He turned to Sandra and grinned. “I'm losing billions every time I let your father have his way and God knows I'm too giving already I could be a saint. When you're down on your knees I can finally take Faye away.”

“What did you say?”

He smiled when her eyes narrowed. “We both know you are not a good mother as what the media pictures you to be. You need to get out of her life.”

Sandra leaned. “Put down your phone.”

He smirked and obliged. “Director Hans, I'll call you back later.”

He leaned back on his seat, leg crossed, a smirk dancing on his lips; Sandra and him had been playing this game for five years. A battle none of them wanted to give up. A push and pull. But maybe being Sandra Parker whose greed and selfishness serves as her own pillar to success is contagious. The woman was so full for tricks under her sleeves, may it be clean of dirty she was sure to use them anyway.

“What do you want?” She asked again.

“I want to have my daughter's full custody...” When her eyes narrowed, he added calmly. “Faye is a Fernandez and she will remain as one. It's time she started living as one, too.”

“My, my...“ She smiled tauntingly. “Aren't you full of jokes today, Fernandez?”

He never imagined the mother of his child would be someone like her. He stared at her and his proud smirk worsened, like he thought she was being funny. Bastard. She narrowed her eyes. “Sweetheart, you know it won't be easy... It's going to be a long tough fight.” She said; her soft voice laced with pride and certainty. “Something you can never win against me.”

Her long brown wavy hair splayed beautifully around her back and shoulders, oh if she wasn't only a picture of perfection in a pretty feminine white business suit and a black blouse and a pair of fuck-me heels. The glow of the lights from the ceiling accentuated her soft features, making her the damsel-in-distress of every man's fantasy. Through perfection comes a costly price to pay. She wore everything she's not.

A pretense of the devil that she really is, but regardless of the facts she was still the mother of his daughter, Faye. The little piece of heaven, the bundle of joy he loves so much. For five years he settled for something less, visitation rights twice a week, Julian fumed and decided he had enough. He and Sandra may be tangled in somewhat an extraordinary and twisted situation from the past but for their daughter they were able to somewhat stand each other being inside one room.

Julian smiled, now there was only amusement dancing on his eyes. She hated it. He knew that too. “You can't win everything, Sandra. I can say that your games are getting a little bit older by the minute. I let you do everything you wanted for 5 years... it's my turn to take something now.”

Given by their status in life with big names on their heads that serves as their crowns; their lives had always been on the tabloids. People took joy reading about their daily activities, people never seem to stop being interested that every move they make comes a headline in the newspapers and magazines first thing in the morning, may it be about their individual business and shenanigans or just as ordinary as him bringing his daughter to the park for a play date. Like some fucking reality TV show.

“Julian, you know me and you know what I can do. I just don't sit pretty while you're out there plotting against me.” She said, soft voice coated with pure venom. “You know better. You should know better. I'll fuck you up bad you'll crawl if you ever cross me again, especially when my only daughter is concern. I will be merciless.”

Sandra is vicious and vindictive. Bent on winning, it wasn't a secret that she did not take kindly to losing; even in something that she knew could not be possibly fatal. In fact, Julian knows she hates even the mere idea of losing. He finds it amusing, she was infuriating and difficult, he hated her too.

“Watch you pretty mouth, baby...” He tilted his head. “Someone might hear you and be scandalized that Miss Perfect can say such a dirty word.”

“You're ruining my day.” She flipped her hair. “Isn't today is our supposed anniversary? Isn't that why you asked me for breakfast? How about let's enjoy this little reunion... it's been 2 months since the last time we saw each other.”

He leaned back on his seat, watching her intently; he let out a sigh, thinking someone got to let the guard down once in a while. “You and I are both stubborn, in a way we are kind of the same, we prided ourselves too much... but one of us needs to grow up and I'm manning up. I'm sorry about five years ago... it was immature and stupid. I hated you and I wanted to get even.”

She smiled at that. “Don't you still?”

He shook his head. “No... I don't, I moved on to the point that I don't care about whatever you do in your fancy little life anymore.” Sandra shook her head smiling amusedly and took the glass of her fruit juice, Julian watched her as she took a sip, dropping all pretenses; he breathed. “I just hated it that you even sorted into using our own child for your selfishness.” His face darkened. “It has to stop. That's why I want to have Faye's full custody. She doesn't need you in her life Sandra, you're too... selfish for love."

Cruel. Julian Fernandez could be brutal with his honest words, through the years after his grandfather passed away and the Company was left to his care and Faye was born, Julian learn the hard way. Huge responsibilities required hard work and a lot of mind games. He learned from his mistake and owned up to them. His past experiences, mistakes and Faye are his foundation to success.

Sandra turned serious but he's not finished yet. If there was one thing that could drive Sandra up the wall then that is attacking her emotionally; she could be a rock but Julian Fernandez perfected the ways of how to wound the cunning woman, after all, he had 5 years to study her actions and know how her evil mind works and which buttons to press.

It was unfair but it is what it is. Life is unfair, there were rules but nobody said one must follow it. People like him, like her, are the ones who make life colorful. Sinners. “You're becoming... just, like your mother.”

As he knew Sarah who had been the root of all this, the woman he used to love. That bitch. What a twisted fate for all of them.

It has been five damn years and the said woman is now completely out of the picture, after she had found out her daughter was pregnant by the man she supposed to love, everything went downhill, for him, for her but definitely not for Sandra. Sandra used it to her advantage.

Sarah decided it's time for her to go through, given by the rampage of the media and people who was more intwrested in other people's lives than their own. Sarah who had thought of her reputation first before anything else decided it's time to go with half of the Parker's fortune. Of course, that was the only time Julian realized the older woman was as just cunning as her own daughter though Julian didn't dwell on his feelings towards her much, he was pissed but he didn't have time, he was going to be a father but damn if he was going to be Sandra Parker's husband too and so he didn't.

Sandra breathed and decided it's time to change the topic. The bastard knows her weakness and she wouldn't let him win this time. “I heard you were trying to engage the Liam group of companies into a talk.” She smirked. “Liam had been under the Parkers power for more than a decade.”

He smiled. “Since when did you become concerned in your family business? Aren't you a designer of some sort?” Her eyes narrowed and he knew he got her.

“Now, don't change the subject. I'm just giving you the heads up that I will be going to talk to one of my lawyers about our situation; we need to settle our indifferences. You're not a good mother, Sandra. We are not married and fighting over our daughter's rights. The way I see where my daughter is currently standing in your life... clearly, you don't want to do anything with her.” He can't help but smile in triumph seeing her fume silently. “She exists every time the camera is rolling and taking pictures of you. You only see her when you needed to show a perfect image of the public...” Julian shook his head and drawled. “Now... that I thought of it, you are not like your mother... not really... it's just... you're worst than her.”

Sandra narrowed her eyes at him that made him smirk wider; attacking her emotionally with her own demons was definitely a sure win for him. She glared at him and abruptly stood up.

“I may not be a perfect mother and I am damn sure I am better than Sarah. Contray as to what you believe in, knowing you only based your judgments as to what you wanted to see and hear... I love my daughter and she's everything to me!” She sneered. “There's a huge difference between Sarah and I... and that is I love my daughter!”

She was fuming, he knew it but she handles it with class and poise, something flickered on the corner of his eyes, ah, paparazzi, she needed to stay calm and play poised. She hissed lowly. “You don't know anything, Julian Fernandez. So if I were you, I would retract my plans and forget them because whatever you do, you can't take my daughter away from me!”

“She's my daughter too Sandra, I love her more than anything in this world and she's half of me.” He quirked an eyebrow. “So tell me when did you last see Faye? How often do you talk to her despite the fact that she lives with you?”

Her eyes narrowed. “Fuck you.”

He watched her walked out on him and so he followed suit, he walked after her, even pulling the glass door open for her, he received nothing in reply but her hatred for him was there, he can feel it. They both need to show a perfect picture for the people, after all, they all think Sandra Parker and Julian Fernandez are civil to each other for their daughter.

Once both was outside two black cars came, with one last menacing glare Sandra strut towards the car, and before the driver could open the door for her Julian walked past her, smirking as he opened the car door for her. She scoffed and he only smiled. “My lawyer is about to contact yours.” Once her car drove off Julian cannot help but smile wider; feisty as ever, he knew she's not going to give up, nope.

Now all he has to do is watch his back, the woman will go down dirty if she has to.