Chapter 3

Dominic's POV

Today marks my contract signing with Romano University, a place that holds a special meaning for me. I was once a scholar here, studying Political Science, and it’s hard to believe that it’s been five years since I left Manila. A lot has changed since then.

After discovering my real father, he took me from the orphanage where I had been living, and from there, my life took a new direction. I moved to Bataan to continue my Law School journey, and last year, I was fortunate enough to be ranked 8th in the bar exam. Though I’ve only been practicing law for less than a year, I’ve already had the privilege of winning multiple cases, including corporate, land, and annulment cases.

Romano University has offered me a role in their legal department, as well as a position as faculty in the Law School. The offer is competitive, but truthfully, the reason I accepted isn’t just for the opportunity it presents—it’s also a chance to return to Manila. I’ve been practicing law privately, and my half-brother, Jairus, has been persistent in trying to involve me in his business. I’ve never wanted to be part of it, so I decided to accept this job at Romano University as a way to distance myself and create space for my own path.

I entered the legal department office, ready to sign my contract. As I stepped inside, an office clerk greeted me and gestured for me to sit. She quickly began looking for my prepared contract. Within moments, she handed it to me, and I took a deep breath before carefully reading through every word, weighing the significance of this next step.

But as I immersed myself in the details of the contract, the door to the office creaked open again. My gaze instinctively shifted, and then, there she was — the first time I had seen her in five long years.

"Hi, I’m here to sign my contract," she said, her voice calm and familiar. She flashed a smile, one I hadn’t seen in years. A smile that once brought warmth to my heart, now carrying a sense of longing.

She sat beside me, her presence so close, yet it felt like a world apart. When she noticed me looking at her, she offered a soft, polite smile. But there was no recognition in her eyes. No flicker of familiarity. A quiet pang of sadness gripped me. Had she truly forgotten me? After everything we once shared, had I faded from her memory? And yet, who was I to her, really? Just another face from her past, someone she had left behind.

A few moments passed, and the clerk approached her, handing her a folder identical to mine. She was joining the university too? Was she going to be here every day, part of this new chapter in my life?

I shifted my focus back to the document in front of me, doing my best to push her presence from my mind. But the quiet hum of the office, the ticking of the clock, and the weight of her proximity made it impossible to fully concentrate.

"Are you really going to read all those pages before signing it?" Her voice broke the silence, and I looked up. She had just finished signing her own contract, and I couldn’t help but notice that she didn’t even seem to glance at it. There was a curious innocence in her gaze, as if she genuinely wondered why I was taking my time.

"I’m a lawyer. It’s my duty to read contracts," I replied politely, trying to maintain a professional tone, even though a flood of emotions was threatening to break through. I glanced at her again, but her eyes were unfamiliar. She didn’t recognize me. A pang of disappointment struck me.

She blinked, surprised. "Oh, I’m so sorry. So, you’re part of the Legal Department?" she asked, her tone light, almost apologetic.

"Yes, and I’ll also be a faculty member of the Law School," I answered simply, keeping my voice steady, though inside I was grappling with everything I was feeling.

"Congratulations," she said, her smile warm and sincere. "By the way, I’m Sofia Romano. I guess I’ll be seeing you around the office a lot. I’m the Vice President for Administration." She extended her hand to me, her greeting casual, but there was an edge of formality to it.

The name hit me like a wave. Sofia Romano? Did she marry into the Romano family? She's married now. The realization was almost too much for my brain to process. My thoughts swirled in a blur of confusion and disbelief.

But despite everything, I managed to keep my composure, accepting her hand firmly.

"I’m Attorney Dominic Montague. Nice to meet you, Ms. Sofia," I said, offering a smile that didn’t quite reach my eyes.

After signing the contract, the clerk escorted me to my new office. It wasn’t large, but it was adequate—enough for a lawyer who valued personal space and a quiet place to think. I looked around briefly, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. This was going to be my space now, a new chapter in my life.

I opened my suitcase, feeling the weight of everything I had brought with me, both physically and emotionally. One by one, I pulled out the items I had carefully packed—papers, a few personal mementos, and some books—and began to organize them on the desk.

After about an hour of organizing my things, I decided it was time to head to my first class. I was scheduled to teach Persons and Family Relations to the first-year law students today. I picked up the book I’d be using and stepped out of my office, mentally preparing for the lecture ahead.

As I walked down the hallway, my gaze unintentionally fell through the glass partition of the office directly across from mine. There, I saw Sofia. She was with someone I never thought I’d lay eyes on again—the very person I had despised the most during my college days, the one who had tormented me without mercy. He handed her a bouquet of flowers, an act so out of place considering the memories I had of him.

Seeing them together, so effortlessly at ease, stirred something in me—an unexpected, quiet ache. So, he was the one she married. The realization settled in my chest like a weight I hadn’t been prepared for. The thought lingered, leaving behind a hollow sensation I hadn’t anticipated.