CHAPTER 2

“What did you say?” She raised her voice when she couldn’t believe what the solicitor had read from her father’s last will and testament. There’s no way, it was legal what her father asked of her, to claim her rightful inheritance. She was the only daughter for god sake!

    “You heard me, hija. It was written on the last will, here, take a look.” 

    “But that was ridiculous! How could I find a man at this rate?” She yelled, while completely losing her calm even if Paloma was there when the solicitor informed her that she could only touch her inheritance once she has a child before her age exceeded the dates in a calendar. Two months ago, she just turned thirty, which means that she only has ten months left to comply with her father’s wishes! But no matter how she thinks about it, it was totally absurd and crazy!

    Last week, they laid her father’s body into his final resting place. Gregory Reyes was still young at sixty-five but there was a complication in his heart that caused his death.

    Her father doted on her so she found it impossible that the old man would force her to do something not to her liking – unless someone bullied him! In fact, he allowed her to do everything she wishes, and not even once that he questioned her choice of avoiding men or falling in love. Her eyes were shooting daggers at her stepmother who was sitting across.

     Daniella visually remembered how her Aunt Erlinda has lost her mind when the man she loved betrayed her and she committed suicide because of that. Besides, she couldn’t forget how her mother became wild and violent towards her when Gregory couldn’t reciprocate her love.

    Since high school, Daniella promised herself that she would never fall in love, or let any man become too close to her. Daniella believed that men were capable of tricking any woman and she refused to become a victim of love.

    To hell with her father’s money! She could be fine without her inheritance, but there was something, or rather someone, whom she wouldn’t want to have it all. Her stepmother, Paloma, was coyly sitting in a chair opposite to hers, listening to her outburst. The bitch must be happy that in ten months, she would have everything that belonged to her family. Over her dead body! She couldn’t allow Paloma to win… never!

     Paloma smirked when Daniella couldn’t remain seated because of her temper. She had lived with the girl for twenty years and yet, she still couldn’t consider her a mother. When Daniella glared at her, Paloma glared back, and their seething eyes went to an all-out of war. She tried her best to win Daniella’s heart, but Gregory’s daughter was too stubborn to accept her, so, Paloma had no choice but to fight. In Gregory’s eyes, they were just equal, but Daniella believed differently.

     “So, how many months do you have left?” Paloma teased Daniella as soon as the solicitor was gone.

     “Why do you care? Ah, you must be excited to get everything! But…I won’t let you.” She said and exited gracefully from her father’s library where the will was read.

    Paloma followed her and tried to catch up with the little monster. “Common Ella, when you look like that, who would be interested in you?” She eyed the woman from head to toe, insulted her appearance, and she witnessed how Daniella gritted her teeth and clenched her fist.

    How dare she look down on her! Yes, she favored men’s clothing over women’s but inside, she was still a hundred percent woman, and she would know how to seduce a man…definitely. “Want to bet?”

    “Sure. Winner takes all,” Paloma answered confidently.

    Daniella agreed to Paloma’s terms, but when she was inside the safety of her room, she started to worry. What if she would fail? She paced back and forth to look for answers on how she could win this war against her evil stepmother and every second counted!

    But she was hot-blooded and determined to win…by any means possible! Her father had trained her not to back down from any challenges in life and he was wise to instill that into her brain.

     The will stated that she must present an heir before she turned thirty-one years old and the solicitor didn’t mention her getting married. Surely, she could think of a way how to get herself with a child, right?

     Daniella retrieved her notepad and pen and started to write on qualities that she wanted in a man. First of all, he must be educated and extremely attractive as she wouldn’t want her child to look ugly.

     After an hour, her list was complete. But she noticed that the list contained more physical attributes rather than qualities or attitudes. Overall, she wanted someone who’s a knockout and someone who’s good in bed as she was willing to do it just once. The man need not be rich. He only has to look good with a body to die for. She laughed as she imagined facing her ideal man and shivered at the thought that she would be lost by staring into his eyes.

    She could try searching online, but there were a lot of scammers in online dating and she could just be wasting her time. Her last option was to venture into the wide world in order to find him. But where would she go?

    She listed down all the places in Cebu that were packed with tourists, and the first on her list was Bantayan Island. She has read a lot of good reviews about the island and she wanted to see it for herself.

    She lived in the town of Oslob, and lately, their town has become famous because of the whale sharks or butanding and she estimated that her distance to the famous island was at least a 10-hour drive on a private car. Then another island made it on her list – Malapascua Island. Well, Daniella preferred the islands as they have a romantic setting most of the time. Actually, there’s still another island and it’s just nearby. Sumilon Island could be accessed by boat from Oslob but she could put it on the last of her list.

    She was not fond of going out, and she seldom went on vacation as she was too focused on her work. Being the one who managed her father’s estate, it was also tiring and time-consuming.

    Daniella wanted to revisit a childhood memory when her parents took her to Disneyland and Universal Studios. She included the overseas tourist destination on her list. Or maybe she would enjoy it first before she’s going to ruin herself. At that moment, she decided to book her flight bound for Hong Kong. She had to do it without the help of her secretary as she didn’t want anyone, especially her wicked stepmother to find out where she was going.