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-
"Isabel Vergara, are you sure you're okay?"Carl, her best friend, asked with furrowed brows while staring at her intently.Izzy forced a smile and quickly nodded."Of course! Why wouldn't I be okay?""Izzy, do you even look in the mirror? Can you still see yourself? You look like a corpse with how pale you are."Carl said with a pout, making Izzy laugh."Wow, a corpse? That's a bit much! I'm really fine, promise! By the way, thanks for the free coffee. That's why you're my favorite best friend!"She joked with a teasing grin, making Carl roll his eyes before pushing a plate of muffins toward her."You're such a freeloader. As if you have another best friend besides me—I'm the only one who puts up with your stubbornness."Izzy pouted at his grumpy tone but still accepted the snack he offered.It was just past 3 PM, and they were at the coffee shop where Izzy worked as a waitress. Fortunately, Carl arrived just as she was on her break."Why are you so grumpy today? Are you on your peri
“Tiyong, how is Nanay doing? Have you spoken to a doctor? Is someone looking after her?”Izzy fired off one question after another to her uncle, Oscar, her mother's younger brother, as she found him standing in front of the hospital ward where her mother was.“The doctors haven’t said anything yet, Izzy. They’re still inside treating your mom—”Izzy didn’t let her uncle finish speaking. Instead, she hurriedly tried to enter the room, but before she could, her Uncle Oscar quickly stopped her.“You know we’re not allowed inside, Izzy. It’s the usual protocol, right? We have to wait out here.”His voice was gentle as he reminded her. Feeling defeated, Izzy just sat down on the hospital's marble floor.“M-my mom is going to be okay… right, Uncle?”Izzy asked, her eyes brimming with tears. Her uncle forced a reassuring smile before replying.“Of course, Izzy... I’m sure Ate Hilda will be fine. Didn’t your mother promise you that she would be there for your college graduation?She may be we
Izzy was almost about to pee from nervousness as she sat waiting inside the taxi she had taken. She had been staring at the message from Seth Santiago for so long that she might have memorized every letter after reading it multiple times.“K-kuya, are we still far?”Izzy asked the taxi driver. She winced slightly when she heard him sigh. She couldn't blame him, though—she had asked the same question barely two minutes ago.“Just five more minutes, ma’am. The traffic is heavy, so the trip is taking longer. It looks like you're visiting someone very important.”Izzy winced again at the driver’s nosiness. Because of her extreme nervousness, she couldn't help but be irritable. She shot him a sharp glare, making him immediately look away.“You’re not a gossip, are you, sir?”“Sorry, ma’am. I just couldn't help but ask. You look like you're about to meet someone very important. Just a reminder to be careful—things aren't as safe as they used to be.”The driver said seriously, and Izzy gave
Izzy felt as if the heavens and earth had collapsed upon her as she walked out of Seth Santiago’s condo building in defeat.Lost in thought, with red eyes and a heavy heart, she desperately searched for another way."Just remember, Izzy—if you ever need financial help, whatever it is, as long as I can, don’t hesitate to ask me."Izzy let out a bitter smile as Carl’s worried voice echoed in her mind—her best friend.As much as she wanted to ask for his help, Izzy felt she no longer had the right. With everything he had already done for her and her mother, she was drowning in so much shame that she could barely face him.She took a deep breath as she finally reached the street. Despite the smog, the pollution, and the chaos of Manila, she couldn’t help but feel as if she could breathe more freely here than in the cold, fragrant air of Seth Santiago’s luxurious condo."I still can’t believe you did that, Isabel Vergara…"She whispered sadly to herself.Deep in thought, instead of hailing
Izzy felt as if the heavens and earth had collapsed upon her as she walked out of Seth Santiago’s condo building in defeat.Lost in thought, her eyes red and swollen, she walked aimlessly, searching for another way."Izzy, okay? If you ever need financial help, no matter what it is, as long as I can, don’t hesitate to come to me."A bitter smile formed on Izzy’s lips as Carl’s worried voice echoed in her mind—her best friend.She wanted to ask for his help, but she felt she had no right to. Carl had already done so much for her and her mother, to the point that she felt nothing but overwhelming shame.Izzy let out a deep sigh as she finally reached the road. Despite the thick smoke from the vehicles and the pollution in Metro Manila, she still couldn’t breathe easily. The air filled with pollution seemed more bearable than the fragrant and cold atmosphere of Seth Santiago’s living room."I still can’t believe you did that, Isabel Vergara…"She murmured sadly to herself.Deep in though
Izzy felt like her own lips were about to bleed from how hard she was biting them.The reason?She didn’t know how to answer her best friend’s question.Did you do something illegal?Could what she did really be considered illegal? With the large amount of money she got from Seth Santiago—money he willingly gave her before throwing her out of his grand mansion—she wasn’t sure.She didn’t even know if it should be considered a debt, knowing full well what he might ask for in return if given the chance.Izzy let out a deep sigh, and as she lifted her gaze, she was immediately met with Carl’s scrutinizing eyes."Don't try to look away again. It will only convince me that you did something bad—so bad that it’s making me worry, Isabel."His voice was serious, and he didn’t break eye contact with her.Without realizing it, Izzy bit her lower lip again before forcing herself to meet his gaze.She chose to ignore how her lips parted slightly—only for her to press them shut again when she real
Shit…Izzy cursed under her breath after reading the short text message sent by the man who, despite helping her mother, she knew had a bad attitude.Seth Santiago…Of all the days, why did he have to invite her for lunch at his house today? And at a time when she had no excuse to refuse.Izzy let out a deep sigh and shifted her gaze to her smiling mother.She returned the smile before slowly approaching her while discreetly slipping her phone into her pocket."Is there a problem, dear?"Her mother’s voice still sounded weak."N-no, Mom… Are you feeling better now?""A little better. My wound still hurts a bit, but I can breathe much easier now…""T-that’s good to hear. Don’t worry, when you get out of here, I’m sure you won’t feel any more pain. I know you’re going to make a full recovery, Mom…"She forced a smile, but for some reason, guilt immediately consumed her as she saw the happiness in her mother’s eyes.It was guilt that she tried to hide behind her smile, which only intensi
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
"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
"S-sorry, I didn't mean to... I was just startled by how suddenly you entered and started speaking..."Izzy quickly explained, flustered, as she hurriedly tried to pick up the frame from the floor. In her panic, she recklessly picked up the broken glass scattered on the floor, and as a result, she dropped the frame again when her hand got cut.This only seemed to anger Seth even more. Panicked, he looked at the man as he quickly approached her and harshly snatched the picture frame before she could pick it up again."Leave it!"His voice was firm, and his eyes showed intense anger as he stared at her.Izzy quickly averted her gaze and, instead of following his order, she chose to keep picking up the shards."I said leave it, Isabel. You've done enough already!"He shouted at her, his voice louder than before, making Izzy more frantic."What part of what I said don't you understand? I said leave it, f*ck Isabel, how stupid are you?"He said again, and Izzy stifled a scream of pain as h
“Is this where I’ll sleep?”Izzy asked in disbelief as Seth led her into a large room.She was so awestruck by the size of the room that she couldn’t hide her amazement. She couldn’t help but wonder if she needed to ask Seth whether she was the only one who would be sleeping there.“This is my room, Isabel…”Seth said nonchalantly, not taking his sharp gaze off her.“S-so why did you bring me here?”“Psh… Isn’t it obvious? I want you to stay here with me. You’ll be sleeping in my bed, Isabel.”He shrugged, causing Izzy to freeze in surprise.She didn’t know how to respond, so she just nodded, forcing herself not to ask why.She thought she already knew the answer to that question, whether she asked him or not.How did you end up in this situation, Izzy? What kind of person is this guy you’re with?She whispered to herself, biting her lip tightly when her gaze accidentally landed on the large, seemingly expensive bed in the room.She quickly scanned the room, hoping to find a sofa or s
In response to Izzy’s refusal to go back to Seth Santiago’s house, she couldn’t do anything but agree after he said the words: "If you think that I am asking you, you are mistaken. I want you to stay with me tonight and I won’t take no for an answer…" Izzy unconsciously frowned when she seemed to hear that gruff voice of the man again. Aside from feeling irritated with him, it seemed her frustration was even stronger with herself. For some unknown reason, she felt that she had no right to refuse him. "Isabel, I am glad you decided to stay with me here tonight," Seth immediately said as soon as they entered his expensive condo. He even gave her a mischievous grin as if he intended to annoy her more. Izzy forced a smile at the man while trying hard not to glare at him. "You won’t take no for an answer, right?" she responded philosophically, choosing to look around the elegant condo unit instead. It’s so clean here, and it even smells good, like an angel lives here… She mu
Izzy squeezed her eyes shut in embarrassment when she saw Seth laughing at her.Who was she fooling, really? Even though she had some money on her now, it was probably only enough for five hundred pesos at most.And she was sure Seth knew that, which was probably why he was laughing at her now—thinking that she was just some woman who always borrowed money.Izzy couldn’t really blame him. Just recently, she had asked him for money, and now she was borrowing from him to pay for this meal, even though he was the one who had placed the order.She pouted at the thought and then scowled at the man.“Please stop laughing at me, okay? I really don’t have money to pay here. I’m not the type to borrow money, but maybe that’s what you’re thinking. Maybe that’s why you’re laughing at me now, thinking that I’m just some woman who loves to ask for money...”Izzy said seriously, trying to make eye contact with Seth. She tried to lower her voice, afraid that she’d embarrass herself even more in fron