The University of San Lorenzo was no ordinary school. It's like heaven a paradise for students at least from the poor people's perspective. Every classroom was fully ventilated and equipped with high technologies facilities. It has a botanical garden that can be used in laboratory experiments. A library that contains all of the books from ancient to modern and even the rarest kind is there. The clinic is as huge as a private hospital and has its pharmacy. The size of the gym is as huge as the one being used in the Olympics. They have complete courts for different ball games and sports and even a swimming pool for athletes. There is also a recreational room for aspiring artists.
Each department was designed for the convenience of the students. The University is so big that students use transport vehicles to get from one building to another. The best part of the university aside from the canteen was the locker rooms.
The girl's locker room is like a sanctuary for women. It is where they can be pampered and dolled up as it is complete with a spa, sauna, steam, and saloon. It has a massage room where they can relax and a huge dressing room where they can feel good about themselves.
Behind the school building...
"You know I did not agree on doing this," Edward nervously said while looking around the area checking if the coast is clear.
The university is filled with security cams, but everything has a blind spot even the most secured places on the earth. Joaquin is smart enough to know the blind spots of the school. He has a good relationship with the nerdy students who happen to know how to play around with the security cameras of the school.
"And yet here you are! Tell you what, the girl's locker room is just behind this thick wall and our only way to see the girls is through that!" Joaquin pointed his index finger at the small glass window just above them.
"How can we climb over there? That's too high for our reach." Edward lifted his chin and looked at the small glass window.
Joaquin pulls out the ladder that he hid in the bushes and placed it perpendicular to the wall.
"Never fear my friend. I come prepared," Joaquin proudly said. He gave his friend a mischievous look and grinned.
"Why am I not surprised?" Edward shook his head and force himself to a fake smile.
Both of them climb up, trying to balance themselves and as they reach the top of the ladder Edward is positioned in front of Joaquin. Finally, they were able to peek through the glass window.
"Holy shit! We just reached the Garden of Eden. This must be the promised land, the paradise. I think I'm in heaven!" Joaquin's eyes crinkles and his jaw almost drops.
"Dude, focus! We're here to find the girl. We need to do it ASAP before we get caught," Edward reminded Joaquin. He sounded tense while rubbing his fingers over his pendant.
"Okay, sorry. We start from there and try to remember her physical feature." Joaquin pointed at the left corner of the locker rooms where the girls are currently changing their clothes. Some of them were wearing nothing but their undergarments. "Did anyone catch your eye? " Joaquin started to sound serious, but his reaction is quite the opposite. He is drooling over the sight of the half-naked woman.
Edward began scanning every girl in the locker room trying to measure their vital statistics through his mind and comparing their physical feature to what he recalls from the mysterious girl.
"Dude, I think that girl's ass, and thighs look similar to the girl I met. I'm just not quite sure, she's too far. I need to get a closer look, though." Edward points out one particular girl who is wearing only her undergarment.
"That one wearing black satin undies?" Joaquin asked his friend and awaits his confirmation.
"Yes. You got it right," Edward confirms.
"She is Martina Villarreal. Her family owns the San Lorenzo Hospital plus their family is a well-known doctor. Let me put her on record, so we can review later," Joaquin clearly explained to him. He grabs his phone and points it at the girl.
CLICK!
CLICK!
Edward's eyes widened and were startled by the action of his friend. He immediately covers the lens of Joaquin's cell phone and pushes it in the opposite direction away from the girls.
"What the hell?" Edward exclaimed. "Why are you taking her picture? You pervert!" Edward starts to panic.
"What? This is how I take notes and record my subject. Put your eyes on the prize and don't mind me. Go ahead look for more girls, you may find more and we will review them all later," Joaquin being defensive.
"You better not spread those pictures on in internet or you are so dead!" Edward warns his friend.
"Dude, relax. I am not that kind of person. You know me," he reassures him. "Can we go back to business? I don't have all day. Hurry up, so we can get out of here."
Little did Edward knows that Joaquin already made a deal with the nerdy students. The sexy pictures of the women in exchange for the security cam videos of them sneaking in on the girl's locker room.
"That one with the red lace bra her bosoms are amazing like the girl I met!" Edward points to another girl.
"You had good taste. My friend, that is Regina Montemayor, and her family owns the Province's largest Mall. They have their clothing line," Joaquin said.
"That is very impressive," Edward astonishingly said to him.
Edward is impressed not with Regina's family status, but with Joaquin's wide knowledge of the girl's information.
"Her rack is so big she can make a sandwich out of my sausage anytime!" Joaquin holds his bundle of joy and starts caressing it.
"Joaquin, you pervert are you masturbating right now?" Edward said in disgust.
"No, I'm not. Can you blame me for having a boner? I'm just adjusting it before it suffocates in my pants!" He smirked before he continues to take pictures of the girls.
Suddenly, things got more intense as Edward felt something hard from his behind.
"What the fuck! I can feel your dick! get that away from my ass!" Edward furiously said and starts to push Joaquin away from him.
Edward and Joaquin were busy wrestling and balancing each other on the ladder when suddenly they heard someone coming. They immediately climb down and hide the ladder back in the bushes and act as if nothing happens.
"What are you guys doing here?" a girl with thick specs and baggy clothes asks them looking suspicious of their actions.
"We are having private time, we are discussing something confidential and it's none of your business," Joaquin quickly replied in a shaky voice looking nervous.
The girl was not convinced by his answer and tries to peek from behind looking for the thing that they hide in the bush. Edward was too quick to cover the ladder with his body and his face plastered with a smile.
"Hmmm... OK," she casually replied and when she notices Joaquin's fully erected shaft hiding in his pants she immediately walked away.
Edward takes a second look at the girl and when he recognizes her, he called out to her.
"Hey, Ella, can you tell your brother thanks? He did an awesome job on my Shelly," Edward said to Ella.
"Sure thing, Edward," Ella said and continues to walk away.
"You know Ella? And who is Shelly?" Joaquin asks curiously.
"Shelly is my 1967 Chevy Impala, Ella's brother owns a repair shop and he is the one fixing my baby!" he clarifies to him before Joaquin put malice on the situation.
"Careful with that family, did you know she's a Cristobal? Her older brother is a bounty hunter, and he will kill anyone who messes up with his sister," Joaquin warns him and seriously looks into his eyes.
Edward simply laughs at him while looking at Ella from afar.
"Why would I be interested in her? She's not my type look at her she's wearing clothes three times larger than her!" Edward said to his defense.
"Uh. That's a boy's clothes she is wearing," Joaquin explains.
"She also wears very thick specs like she has a cataract," Edward added.
"Well, she's smart. She's the only one who has a scholarship in this school," Joaquin said defensively.
Edward raised a brow and the corner of his mouth quirked up.
"Why are you defending her, do you like her?" Edward started to tease Joaquin.
"Nah, she's not my type either. Although if she undergoes a makeover I think she's cute, I would probably ask her out on a date and sleep with her. But for now, I rather used my smooth hand to pleasure myself!" Joaquin started to laugh.
They both had a good laugh and teases each other while leaving the schoolyard. Before they parted ways Edward asked Joaquin something that's bugging him all day. He wants to ask his friend out of curiosity.
"You know so much about these girls. Tell me honestly, are you stalking them?"
"Well, yeah. I mean let's be honest we belong to wealthy and famous families. Sooner or later when we graduate from college and reached the right age, we will be forced to marry someone of the same caliber as our family status. I don't want to get married without knowing about her background," he carefully explained to me.
"You want to get married based on their status? Have you ever thought about love?"
"Love doesn't exist in my vocabulary. For me, marriage is like business and I am just being practical," Joaquin firmly said. You can see the sincerity in his voice and the way he looks at his friend.
"I had the same mindset before," he said with a gloomy look in his eyes.
"Before? How about now?" he curiously asked him.
Joaquin notices something different from his friend. He sounded more serious, and he can tell that Edward is not the same person he was before and it worries him.
"Everything has changed since I met her."
San Lorenzo University is one of the most prestigious universities in the country. Most of the students who went there belonged to rich and famous families. There are only a few students whose families belonged to the middle class because the school fees are way too expensive compared to other universities. Getting a scholarship is not easy and there is only one student who is intelligent enough to get that privilege. The University is famous for its business management courses. Students are expected to take over their family business after they graduated. The university serves as their training ground and it is the best way to get connections at an early stage. Next day on Campus... "Edward, mah man, you're just in time!" Joaquin is standing in the corridor waiting for Edward. "Hey, man, what's up?" he casually replied and raises his hand for a high five. They both have this habit of weird nerdy hand gestures every time they meet. It is a sign of their close bond and friendship.
Edward Madrigal resides on the Hillside of San Lorenzo Province. It is known to be residents of the elites because they are the only ones who can afford to live in that exclusive area. It has a first-rate country club with complete sports facilities including a golf area.It has a huge theme park, different fine-dining restaurants, a bank where all the businessmen entrust their wealth, a massive mall that sells only branded and high-end products, and a grocery market with organic fruits and vegetables and high-class meats, fish, and seafood. San Lorenzo Hillside was famous for its gold souk. There you can find the most expensive jewelry and gems from all over the world. The accessories and jewelry were created by renowned designers. Edward passes by the gold souk to buy a gift for Regina. He wanted to give her something special hoping that she is the one he's been searching for."Good afternoon Mr. Madrigal. It's been a while since you last visited here," The store manager politely g
The following day back on Campus...Edward arrives at the university with a heavy heart and a disoriented mind. He is lack energy and walks like he is dragging his feet from the floor just to make it through the school. The disappointment is shown on his face when he saw Joaquin waiting for him at the school building entrance."The man of the hour, mah friend Edward! How are you?"Joaquin asks excitedly. "You're late and missed the first half of the class. Someone got all the action last night." He winked at him.Joaquin has no clue about what happens on Edward's date with Regina. He is eager and anxious to get the details out of him. Joaquin drags his friend away from the crowd, and they walk toward the back of the school to have some privacy."She's not the one," Edward bluntly said with a sad voice looking disappointed."Huh? What happen?" Joaquin worriedly asked and started to look concerned.Edward took a deep breath and releases an audible sigh before he narrates what happened la
Money can buy you everything and so they say, but sometimes it doesn't require money to make someone happy. A simple gesture can make the heart flutter. It's the thought that usually counts and not the amount.Edward was staring at the crystal figurine that Ella has given to him. He places it alongside the 1923 Cartier Sapphire and Diamond Bracelet that he bought from the gold souk. Even though he knew that the crystal figurine doesn't have any value, not even a dime compared to the bracelet, he couldn't throw it away.Edward has grown deeply fond of Ella not because she reminded her of his childhood friend, and of all the students in the university, she is the only one to whom he can truly be himself. He doesn't have to be prim and proper or be a perfect gentleman. He doesn't have to pretend to be nice to be liked by everyone. Being friends with Ella is his escape from reality, but finding the mysterious woman is his top priority.Edward made a dinner reservation at a French restaura
The following day back on Campus... It was a normal lazy afternoon. A peaceful and quiet day to relax and rest after the tiring first half of morning class. The serenity of the campus was interrupted when Edward rushes to the school building and furiously looks for Joaquin. Everyone who crosses paths with him moves away or heads in the other direction and gives way as he walks through the hallway. They can feel his anger with every footstep that echoed sharply around the place like the booming heartbeat of a condemned prisoner. His piercing eyes were scanning every corner of the hallway until he finally sees his target. "I am so going to kill you!" Edward rushes towards Joaquin. He grabs Joaquin's collar and pulls him closer to him. Edward clenched his fist on Joaquin's shirt and glared at him with gritted teeth. "Hey, hey, calm down. What's going on?" Joaquin is looking at him with a feeling of confusion. He has no clue about Edward's rage. "First of all, It's not her!" Edwar
San Lorenzo province is one of the richest places not only in the country but in the world. Agriculture, mining, real estate, fashion, and energy dominate the provincial economy. The abundant province may look clean and green on the outside but in reality, the businessmen were being run by the dirty politicians who's been handled by the powerful syndicates.Fernando Cristobal owns the biggest law firm and a private and corporate investigation agency in the province. His family is one of the wealthiest families in the country. Fernando is not just an advocate for justice, but also a philanthropist. He gives his service pro bono to those poor people who can't afford to have an attorney. Little did he know that his good deeds will only lead to his downfall.He took a case of the poor farmers who are complaining about their land being taken away from them by a wealthy real-estate owner. The owner of the estate is Enrique Santibanez. He is also the
It was a bright and sunny Friday. The sun shone brilliantly with white and fluffy cotton candy clouds drifting across the clear blue sky. It was the perfect time to appreciate the wonderful weather, but everybody was busy shopping at the mall.Yes, they are all busy doing last-minute shopping and preparing for the upcoming Masquerade party that will be held on Saturday in the residence of Guadalupe Purification Banal. Some skip work and classes just to prepare for the said event.The masquerade ball is the most prestigious event in San Lorenzo and it was only held in October by the wealthiest families. There is no need for an invitation to attend. Everyone is invited regardless of their social status, and it is the best opportunity to meet people in the higher class. It's not common that everyday people in the lower class get to talk or even get close to people from the higher class.Business tycoons came to the pa
They say that beauty should not be based only on physical appearance but that what's important is the person's heart. In reality, inner beauty cannot captivate the heart not unless outer beauty attracts. That is why everybody tries their best to look at their finest at the masquerade ball. For one night everybody will transform from an ugly duckling into an elegant and sophisticated swan.Ella and her friends decided to meet at the Happily Ever After shop on Friday afternoon to prepare for the upcoming masquerade ball. The shop was owned by Salome's grandmother Dionisia. They got everything they needed in the shop. Dionisia closed the shop earlier than usual to focus on their preparation for the said event."Bitches, behold my special edition makeup palette!" Bruce proudly said and spread out his makeup set on the counter table.Bruce work as a make-up artist in the Forever Living funeral home. He is the best make-up art
Edward was frozen and stuck in place. His breathing is shallow and heavy. He had the feeling that his heart was stopping or skipping a beat. As he stared at nothingness, his eye went round with a blank expression. He couldn't believe what Salome had just told him, and he was keen to know whether she was telling the truth or joking. "Gone where?" he asked Salome, looking at her in disbelief. "Where is Ella?" he asked her once more. His eyes welled with tears. "What happened to her?" Edward has placed his trembling hands over Salome's shoulder and is shaking her back and forth while trying to get answers out of her. "She was happy and excited to go to this party when she came into the shop earlier. Then your brother visited her and spoke to her. The next thing we knew, she was preparing to travel abroad," Salome quickly replied. Edward was taken aback by what Salome just told him. He had no idea his brother would be involved in this. "My brother?" His voice was breaking. "Yes, he s
Days passed since the day Edward asked Ella to be his date at the masquerade ball; Ella couldn't get proper sleep, and she couldn't eat normally. She's been stressing so much about the invitation and is still deciding whether to accept it or not. Lucas became worried because he always sees his sister disoriented and spacing out. Ella was sometimes seen pacing back and forth, thinking to herself. But, unlike in the past, Lucas noticed that she was happier than she had ever been. Ella has a more radiant complexion and smiles more frequently. Her mood is upbeat and creative. She is more productive, and he would suspect she is in love if he didn't know her sister.Lucas had just finished making breakfast when he noticed Ella was still in her room. Ella usually wakes up early and waits at the kitchen counter before he finishes making breakfast, so her absence worried him. He went into her room, but when he tried to open the door, it was locked, which Ella never does.
It's been a long, excruciating week for Ella and Edward's family. As the sole heir to Margaux's fortune, Edward became preoccupied with his new duties and responsibilities. He had to go through numerous briefings and corporate meetings before meeting with the board members of the corporations and businesses that his grandmother used to own.On the other hand, Ella was busy with the cases filed against Luis for kidnapping, violence against women and children, physical injury, and attempted murder. Ella's family filed a forgery claim against Enrique Santibanez.When Enrique falsely accused Fernando Cristobal of corruption, he was investigated and his assets were frozen by the government. Enrique filed numerous cases against Fernando, but they were ineffective due to a lack of evidence against him. Enrique was able to tarnish Fernando's reputation due to his strong connections to corrupt officials at the time, which led to his depression. Ferna
Ella's vision was still fuzzy, and she still feels light-headed. She was not able to move on her own, and all she could hear was the sound of the siren coming from the ambulance and police cars. She heard people walking around in a hurry, and some were screaming as they were dragging the suspects to the police vehicles. She could feel the paramedics putting an oxygen mask on her face, carrying her to the stretcher, and placing her inside the ambulance.She was about to get up on the stretcher to see where Edward and Joaquin had gone when she felt a warm hand over her shoulder, gently pushing her back to the stretcher."Don't worry, Ella. You're in good hands." Edward spoke to her in hushed tones."Edward, I thought you'd leave me," Ella said worriedly, her eyes welling up with tears."I'm right here, but there's something I need to do, so I have to go for now," he explained calmly. "Your family is wa
After walking out of the family dinner, Edward locked himself in one of the rooms to prevent a family member from barging in. He knew that some of his family members would try to persuade him to return to the family meeting or persuade him to consider marrying Lydia. Even though he wanted to leave the mansion and go home, his grandmother Margaux wouldn't let him and instead requested a private audience with him after dinner.Edward lay on the bed and rested. He was about to fall asleep when he received a call from an unexpected person."Edward, Ella has been kidnapped!" Lucas said, crying. His voice had a fearful tone to it.Edward felt a twinge of melancholy and perplexity. He tried to process and assess what he had just heard from Lucas, hoping it was a joke."What happened? Who took her?" Edward inquired worriedly."A group of men took her to the hospital, and they are all arm
Ella's eyes widened, and she stared at Joaquin in disbelief. As Ella's anger overpowered her, rage pulsed through her veins and quickened her blood. Ella gave Joaquin a knuckle punch as if her hand had a mind of its own."Ouch! Ella, that hurts." Joaquin cried out."I'm not gay, douchebag!" She said it with gritted teeth and a clenched jaw. "Edward mistook me for a boy!""Thank Goodness!" Joaquin breathed a sigh of relief. "For a brief moment, I thought you were gay. I can't imagine how Edward would react if he found out." Joaquin burst out laughing."I'm not kidding, dumbass! We were young back then, and I was wearing my brother's clothes, plus my hair was too short; that's why I can't blame him for mistaking me for a boy," Ella explained to Joaquin."You were still wearing baggy man's clothes," Joaquin said while looking at her. "But, at the very least, your hair is long, you h
Ella felt confused and disoriented when she woke up. She slowly opened her eyes, squinting to sharpen the blurry images in front of her. She scanned her surroundings and noticed dull gray walls with a pungent smell of disinfectant. Her heart races and her breathing becomes shallow when he learns where she is.Ella attempted to stand, but she immediately felt dizzy, and her head feels heavy. She was suffering from a severe headache and had no choice but to go back to bed. Before she even had a panic attack, her mother entered the room."Ella, baby, I'm here." Lucita rushed over to Ella and embraced her. Lucita helped Ella back to bed and wrapped a blanket around her. "Hush now, my baby; mommy's here, and I'm not going anywhere," she softly speaks.After a few moments, Lucas entered the room with a bag containing Ella's clothes and other necessities. He set the bag on the couch, walked over to Ella, and sat beside her bed.
Daniel's men immediately placed Edward, Joaquin, and Luis in custody. They were taken to one of the headquarters near the plaza. Edward and Joaquin were placed in the same room, and Luis was in a separate room. Joaquin was sitting on one of the couches, while Edward was agitatedly walking around the room and pacing back and forth. They are waiting for Daniel to punish them.Edward wasn't afraid of Daniel's wrath; he was anxious to get out of the isolation room because he was worried about Ella. He knew that Lydia was still out there, and he is afraid that something bad will happen to Ella if Lydia and her run into each other."Dude, please relax. Have a seat and calm down." Joaquin tries to comfort Edward."How do you stay calm in this situation?" Edward exclaimed, looking at him in disbelief. "Ella was still out there by herself. Who knew what Lydia would do to her if they crossed paths?" He said it hysterically.
Ella had a bad mood on Tuesday morning. She is tired from not getting enough sleep the night before. Her eyelids were drooping. Her limbs were cumbersome. Her head is heavy, as is her spirit. She couldn't stop thinking about the possibility of having normal eyesight and a normal life ever since she learned that there is a cure for her eyes.Her mind is filled with what-if scenarios. Like the idea of being with Edward when he realized she was the woman he'd been looking for and the thought of not being bullied because of her thick glasses. She hadn't decided whether to accept Joaquin's offer to help her with the cost of her surgery until today. Her desire to be beautiful has been at odds with her ego and pride.Ella was busy handing out goody bags to people passing through the plaza's entrance gate when she was tapped on the shoulder. She was startled and screamed at the top of her lungs, nearly dropping the sack of goody bags she was holding