"One and a half million in just one month???"Izzy seemed to be losing her mind, talking to herself while slowly walking through the narrow alley where their small hut stood.A moment later, she pouted when she remembered the last conversation she had with Seth Santiago earlier."Where in God's name will I get that kind of money? Oh Isabel Vergara, you were so full of yourself while talking to that traitor, and now look what you’ve got."She continued talking to herself, then stomped her foot out of frustration.Why, of all the people in the world, did she have to ask someone like Seth Santiago for help? Now, she knew she was going to be humiliated when a month passed and she still hadn’t paid."What am I going to do now? Even if that damn man gives me five more years, I’m sure I still won’t be able to complete one and a half million, how much more with just one month? And why do I feel like I should be thankful to him for not leaving me yet?"She said, almost in tears, and quickened
"Isabel Vergara, what’s going on with you? You’ve been playing with your food for a while now, and lunch break is almost over but you still haven’t eaten."Carl scolded her, and Izzy let out a deep sigh, setting down her utensils."I just don’t feel like eating…"She replied weakly and looked down."I know you don’t feel like eating, but you need to eat. You need food to have some energy, at least.""I’m sorry... Th-thank you for the delicious food, but I really don’t have an appetite. No matter how much I try, it feels like my stomach doesn’t want to accept it."She replied, lazily grabbing the glass of cold water beside her."Izzy, it’s been two weeks since we buried Mom Hilda. I’m not going to nag you anymore about how you’re forcing yourself to work and attend classes at the same time because I know you won’t listen. And I understand why you’re pushing yourself so hard, I also know that you’re still grieving, but you need to move on… And starving yourself isn’t helping."Carl cont
On a Saturday, Izzy had no classes, but even so, she still woke up early. It was only around 4 AM, and she had already showered and was ready to leave for the coffee shop where she worked. However, just as she was about to leave the house, she immediately received a text from her friend and coworker, Gina."Good morning, I'm on duty today and I know you're already awake. Boss asked me to tell you that you don’t need to go to work for the next few days, and don’t worry, your leave is paid."Izzy immediately frowned when she read that text. For other people, they might have been jumping for joy at the thought of a few paid days off, but not Izzy. She would rather work herself to exhaustion than stay idle at home all day."I'll just remember you, Mom, I'll just get hurt again..."She said this quietly to herself, then sighed loudly before going back inside the house.She threw her sling bag carelessly somewhere, then slumped down onto the small cot made from old plywood.It was Saturday,
Izzy had already disembarked from the plane she and Carl boarded on their way to Cagayan, but the nervousness still wouldn't leave her. She couldn't help but think—What if the Seth Santiago, Carl's uncle, and the Seth Santiago she knew were the same person?How would that be, Izzy?She asked herself, letting out a heavy sigh, which immediately caught her best friend's attention.“Are you okay?”Carl asked, furrowing his brow, but Izzy quickly nodded and forced a smile.“I’m fine… Why?”“You sighed so deeply, like something was bothering you. We’re here in Cagayan now, Izzy… We’ll be here for at least four days, and I don’t want you to worry about anything. This is a vacation, so I just want you to enjoy and relax here.”“That’s a long speech…”She pouted jokingly, not content and even gave him a playful glare before speaking again.“And yes, I know… I know that you brought me here so that I can forget about Mom, but don’t worry, I’ll try to enjoy our trip here in Cagayan. And I’m fin
Welcome to my hotel, baby girl…Izzy couldn’t respond after hearing the deep, baritone voice of the man. Instead of answering, she remained silent, trying to avoid his lingering gaze.“Cat got your tongue?”He asked with a grin while slowly walking closer. Izzy unconsciously stepped back, feeling as though she were facing a long-time, dangerous adversary.“Don’t make it obvious that you don’t want to see me…”He said, almost pouting, accompanied by a slight frown, which made it impossible for Izzy not to smile faintly.“I-I don’t mean it like that... I-I just didn’t expect to see you here…”She lied.Who exactly was she fooling? After all, from her house to the ride to the hotel, the thought of Seth Santiago—the man in front of her and her best friend’s uncle—was one and the same.And now, she didn’t need to think anymore, the answer was right in front of her.Izzy bit her lower lip, realizing she couldn’t retreat any longer, especially when she nearly sat on the bed to avoid him.“I-
Izzy felt like her lips were about to bleed from how hard she was biting them, struggling to breathe as she met Seth Santiago’s intense gaze.She had no idea how many minutes had passed since she said those words to him, yet he remained silent, just staring at her.I’m ready to pay you back, Seth Santiago...Who was she kidding? She knew deep down, even if days, weeks, or months passed, she would never truly be ready. And Seth knew it too.Otherwise, he wouldn’t be looking at her like that.Flustered and humiliated, Izzy finally broke eye contact."Hey..."Seth’s voice was low and tender. Before she could turn away completely, he gently caught her chin, forcing her to face him again.Izzy tried to muster a smile."I-I know what you’re thinking... That maybe I'm just saying this because I'm overwhelmed by everything I’m feeling right now..."She whispered, barely able to hold his gaze."And... aren't you?""I... I don't know..."She muttered, eyes darting away again, focusing instead o
Izzy's eyes snapped open at the sound of a rapid knocking on the door. She was about to get up to answer it when she stopped short, noticing the heavy arm draped across her waist.Nervous, she cautiously glanced at the man beside her, momentarily forgetting how they had fallen asleep. Despite her worry about whoever was outside, she couldn’t help but smile as she briefly admired his handsome face. He was sound asleep, his features peaceful and serene, a stark contrast to his usual stoic expression.She spent a few moments gazing at Seth Santiago, only moving when she heard the insistent knocking again. Izzy’s eyes quickly shifted to his strong arm around her waist, her mind racing. Should she wake him up? Or should she try to slip out, knowing that whoever was outside wouldn’t be able to see Seth Santiago in her bed?Izzy let out a frustrated sigh and looked at the door.“It’s too early for the party, Isabel. You still have time to rest… Let him think that you’re still sleeping.”Seth
"Are you okay? You look weird..."Carl asked Izzy with a furrowed brow as they ate. She pretended to roll her eyes."Weird? What are you talking about? I'm fine. Just thinking."She said, grabbing her glass of orange juice from the table."Are you still thinking about your mom, Hilda?"Carl asked, concerned. Izzy forced a smile and nodded slowly."S-she's never left my mind, Carl."She replied.How could she tell her friend that besides her mother, she couldn’t stop thinking about the man who was hiding in the bathroom earlier.Seth Santiago was probably furious with her, especially since she promised she would talk to Carl quickly."Izzy, stop wasting your energy thinking about that man. He's old enough to take care of himself. He’s probably already gone by now, right?"She mentally berated herself, wincing at the thought.But what if he was still there, waiting?Izzy let out a frustrated sigh, unconsciously shifting her gaze to the road leading to the hotel room they were staying in
Izzy could only stare at herself in the large mirror in front of her. She couldn't help but marvel at her own appearance.“See? You’ll be the star of the party later… Whoever gave you these things knew exactly what he was doing… That gown looks amazing on you, Izzy…”Andrea said to her with a big smile. She was the one who styled Izzy, while Margaux did her hair.“I still think straight hair would have been better, we should’ve kept it all natural.”Margaux said with a pout.“Come on, your curls look fantastic, it’s still straight, just curly… ”Andrea laughed.“I don’t know, I still think straight looks better... Ohh, and I kept thinking, I’m sure that the person who gave you the gown and everything else will also be there.”“The party?”Andrea asked, raising an eyebrow. Margaux smirked.“I mean yeah, no sh*t the guy knew about the party, I bet he’d be there later… Do you think he would go through the trouble of giving you such a beautiful gown and jewelry if he wasn’t? The guy will
Izzy didn't know how many minutes she had been staring at the gifts she received from Seth. She didn’t know what else to think, because no matter how hard she tried, there was only one option she knew.To refuse them.But how?She asked herself, unconsciously sighing as she shifted her gaze to the card she was still holding. She wasn’t sure what to do, so she just stuffed it in her pocket along with the phone.Before she could figure out what to do with them, a rapid knocking on her door caught her attention. It opened before she even had the chance to hide the gown and jewelry.“Holy mother of cheese! Where the hell did you get all this stuff, Izzy?”Andrea exclaimed, her eyes wide. She was one of Carl’s sisters. She was a few years older than Izzy, but she was more bubbly and had a bit of a flair.“No sh*t, you got all this… I’ve been looking for this gown forever!”She said, amazed. Izzy didn’t realize that Andrea had already approached the bed where the box was.“Oh God, and the b
"Are you okay? You look weird..."Carl asked Izzy with a furrowed brow as they ate. She pretended to roll her eyes."Weird? What are you talking about? I'm fine. Just thinking."She said, grabbing her glass of orange juice from the table."Are you still thinking about your mom, Hilda?"Carl asked, concerned. Izzy forced a smile and nodded slowly."S-she's never left my mind, Carl."She replied.How could she tell her friend that besides her mother, she couldn’t stop thinking about the man who was hiding in the bathroom earlier.Seth Santiago was probably furious with her, especially since she promised she would talk to Carl quickly."Izzy, stop wasting your energy thinking about that man. He's old enough to take care of himself. He’s probably already gone by now, right?"She mentally berated herself, wincing at the thought.But what if he was still there, waiting?Izzy let out a frustrated sigh, unconsciously shifting her gaze to the road leading to the hotel room they were staying in
Izzy's eyes snapped open at the sound of a rapid knocking on the door. She was about to get up to answer it when she stopped short, noticing the heavy arm draped across her waist.Nervous, she cautiously glanced at the man beside her, momentarily forgetting how they had fallen asleep. Despite her worry about whoever was outside, she couldn’t help but smile as she briefly admired his handsome face. He was sound asleep, his features peaceful and serene, a stark contrast to his usual stoic expression.She spent a few moments gazing at Seth Santiago, only moving when she heard the insistent knocking again. Izzy’s eyes quickly shifted to his strong arm around her waist, her mind racing. Should she wake him up? Or should she try to slip out, knowing that whoever was outside wouldn’t be able to see Seth Santiago in her bed?Izzy let out a frustrated sigh and looked at the door.“It’s too early for the party, Isabel. You still have time to rest… Let him think that you’re still sleeping.”Seth
Izzy felt like her lips were about to bleed from how hard she was biting them, struggling to breathe as she met Seth Santiago’s intense gaze.She had no idea how many minutes had passed since she said those words to him, yet he remained silent, just staring at her.I’m ready to pay you back, Seth Santiago...Who was she kidding? She knew deep down, even if days, weeks, or months passed, she would never truly be ready. And Seth knew it too.Otherwise, he wouldn’t be looking at her like that.Flustered and humiliated, Izzy finally broke eye contact."Hey..."Seth’s voice was low and tender. Before she could turn away completely, he gently caught her chin, forcing her to face him again.Izzy tried to muster a smile."I-I know what you’re thinking... That maybe I'm just saying this because I'm overwhelmed by everything I’m feeling right now..."She whispered, barely able to hold his gaze."And... aren't you?""I... I don't know..."She muttered, eyes darting away again, focusing instead o
Welcome to my hotel, baby girl…Izzy couldn’t respond after hearing the deep, baritone voice of the man. Instead of answering, she remained silent, trying to avoid his lingering gaze.“Cat got your tongue?”He asked with a grin while slowly walking closer. Izzy unconsciously stepped back, feeling as though she were facing a long-time, dangerous adversary.“Don’t make it obvious that you don’t want to see me…”He said, almost pouting, accompanied by a slight frown, which made it impossible for Izzy not to smile faintly.“I-I don’t mean it like that... I-I just didn’t expect to see you here…”She lied.Who exactly was she fooling? After all, from her house to the ride to the hotel, the thought of Seth Santiago—the man in front of her and her best friend’s uncle—was one and the same.And now, she didn’t need to think anymore, the answer was right in front of her.Izzy bit her lower lip, realizing she couldn’t retreat any longer, especially when she nearly sat on the bed to avoid him.“I-
Izzy had already disembarked from the plane she and Carl boarded on their way to Cagayan, but the nervousness still wouldn't leave her. She couldn't help but think—What if the Seth Santiago, Carl's uncle, and the Seth Santiago she knew were the same person?How would that be, Izzy?She asked herself, letting out a heavy sigh, which immediately caught her best friend's attention.“Are you okay?”Carl asked, furrowing his brow, but Izzy quickly nodded and forced a smile.“I’m fine… Why?”“You sighed so deeply, like something was bothering you. We’re here in Cagayan now, Izzy… We’ll be here for at least four days, and I don’t want you to worry about anything. This is a vacation, so I just want you to enjoy and relax here.”“That’s a long speech…”She pouted jokingly, not content and even gave him a playful glare before speaking again.“And yes, I know… I know that you brought me here so that I can forget about Mom, but don’t worry, I’ll try to enjoy our trip here in Cagayan. And I’m fin
On a Saturday, Izzy had no classes, but even so, she still woke up early. It was only around 4 AM, and she had already showered and was ready to leave for the coffee shop where she worked. However, just as she was about to leave the house, she immediately received a text from her friend and coworker, Gina."Good morning, I'm on duty today and I know you're already awake. Boss asked me to tell you that you don’t need to go to work for the next few days, and don’t worry, your leave is paid."Izzy immediately frowned when she read that text. For other people, they might have been jumping for joy at the thought of a few paid days off, but not Izzy. She would rather work herself to exhaustion than stay idle at home all day."I'll just remember you, Mom, I'll just get hurt again..."She said this quietly to herself, then sighed loudly before going back inside the house.She threw her sling bag carelessly somewhere, then slumped down onto the small cot made from old plywood.It was Saturday,
"Isabel Vergara, what’s going on with you? You’ve been playing with your food for a while now, and lunch break is almost over but you still haven’t eaten."Carl scolded her, and Izzy let out a deep sigh, setting down her utensils."I just don’t feel like eating…"She replied weakly and looked down."I know you don’t feel like eating, but you need to eat. You need food to have some energy, at least.""I’m sorry... Th-thank you for the delicious food, but I really don’t have an appetite. No matter how much I try, it feels like my stomach doesn’t want to accept it."She replied, lazily grabbing the glass of cold water beside her."Izzy, it’s been two weeks since we buried Mom Hilda. I’m not going to nag you anymore about how you’re forcing yourself to work and attend classes at the same time because I know you won’t listen. And I understand why you’re pushing yourself so hard, I also know that you’re still grieving, but you need to move on… And starving yourself isn’t helping."Carl cont