CHAPTER 15Yza was extremely surprised when suddenly their defense group entered the canteen, shouting excitedly. Tiffany led them in a group hug, and they were all so joyful. However, when she saw Adam’s serious expression, focusing his eyes on them. She felt a bit agitated, fearing he might get angry because of their noise.“This calls for a celebration! We’re ready for the training! We have the highest grade, and you’re the ‘A’ in the group,” Jane said to her.She pointed at herself, puzzled, and asked, “Me?”Unnoticed by her companions, she glanced at Adam, who was now intently examining the Kikiam on his plate, as if it were not food but trash. He had a furrowed brow and prodded it with his stick, looking at it as if it were some strange object from another planet, not a meal.“Do you want some, s-sir?” she asked finally, making her friends stop their nudging and stare at Adamson.He looked at her. “Revise the question. You’re making me old,” he said with a grin.She quickly unde
Chapter 16Yza continued into the mansion upon getting out of the car, leaving Adam chatting with Shelton near the car’s door. Despite not wanting to leave him, she hesitated to eavesdrop on their conversation. She wasn't the one to gossip. Later, she might even get scolded or worse, cry about it. Best to avoid it."Take away his license to practice law, or I'll shoot that jerk," Adam's stern words reached her, causing her to freeze by the sofa, hand over her chest. Adam, with furrowed brows, looked undeniably irritable, yet oddly handsome.Lawyer? Whose lawyer could be his enemy? she wondered. Only one lawyer had drawn Adam's sharp gaze earlier, the one relentlessly interviewing her. They had just come from the judge who signed their marriage contract, then Adam took her to the De Lorenzo law firm. Who among those lawyers irked him? They all seemed respectful, almost unable to function properly in his imposing presence.Shelton paused, noticing her gaze. Adam stared at her with inten
CHAPTER 17 Yza looked at the door of the walk in closet when Adam entered there carrying the folder with the marriage contract. The two of them looked at each other before he glanced at the night dresses he was looking at. He has that mysterious and obscure smirk again. His eyes returned to her so she looked away. It’s as if the contents of his brain are the way she looks wearing those sexy clothes every night. She shook his head violently. “Is there a problem, Yza?” Adam suddenly asked. “Huh? W-Nothing. I’m going to grandma. Is that okay? You understand, don’t you—” she couldn’t continue. “What?” he asked behind her so she turned around. She saw that he was taking off the t-shirt he was wearing so she swallowed when she caught a glimpse of his body. Damn his muscles. Even his back is perfectly defined. Yza immediately turned around when she felt that he was about to face her. “I can’t sleep here tonight. Will you be angry? I know that you b-bought me but because…
Chapter 18Yza glanced at the walk-in closet’s door as Adam entered, holding a folder with the marriage certificate. They exchanged looks before his gaze shifted to the night dresses she was inspecting. His mysterious smirk returned, and she averted her eyes, feeling as though he was fixated on her wearing those sexy outfits every night.She shook her head abruptly. "Is there a problem, Yza?" he suddenly asked."N-No? I was just going to see grandma. Is it okay? You understand that—""That what?" he interrupted from behind, causing her to turn. He was taking off his T-shirt, and she involuntarily swallowed at the sight of his well-defined muscles, even from behind."Um, that I won't be sleeping here, right? Will you be upset? I know you bought me, but..."She entered into marriage for financial reasons, devoid of love. It seems Adam's proposal was merely to avoid offending her, yet she is aware of his potential to easily seek annulment when he's done with the arrangement."That I need
CHAPTER 19"MA'AM," Shelton said to Yza, arms crossed and lost in thought.She leaned lazily against the back seat of the car, seemingly indifferent. Her gaze, initially fixed outside the window, shifted to the man seated in the passenger's seat.Her eyebrows arched slightly, prompting him to hand her a paper bag bearing the Samsung S8 logo.Her brows arched higher. "What's that?" she asked softly.He smiled before replying. "Boss asked me to give it to you," he said.Samsung? A cellphone? S8? Oh my goodness! That's expensive!She felt as if the air left her lungs, recalling the ridiculous price of the device Shelton held in his hand—forty thousand pesos. Good grief!"No, return it to him," she said, turning her gaze back out the window. "Even my outdated Nokia got stolen at that high-class hospital. What more with this forty-thousand-peso gadget? The thief might chop off my hand if I don't give it to them.""I can't, Ma'am. He’ll shoot me," Shelton responded immediately.Her brows fu
CHAPTER 20Yza’s grandmother remained silent as she entered the hospital room. The old woman gazed at her with a look suggesting she had much to say or inquire, but it seemed difficult for her to express. Does her grandmother know something? Yza thought so, given the peculiar way she was being observed by the old lady.Yza smiled, sensing her grandmother’s emotions. When the two helpers finally bid farewell to return to the mansion, the old woman spoke, “Yza, my grandchild,” calling her to sit beside the bed.Eli seemed on the verge of tears immediately, prompting Yza’s own tears to flow. They were quite shallow emotions, but she was extremely sentimental.“I have something to tell you, ‘La,” she said, leaning slightly.Her grandmother held her hand, and she looked into the old woman’s eyes. “I know. Adamson told me this afternoon before picking you up from school. I’m sorry you got caught up in my situation. I wish you hadn’t agreed to buy a donor because I don’t know if you and he w
PROLOGUE and Chapter 1At ten o'clock in the evening, Yza stepped out onto the balcony of the boarding house she was renting. She rested her arms on the wooden railings, feeling the wind play with her damp and very dark hair. She gazed at her surroundings because sleep eluded her, so she chose to stay outside and let the breeze calm her.She glanced at her friend Tiffany, who was sound asleep, and envied her contentment. Yza, with only a year left in her studies, struggled through life. There were times when she thought that if she were just wealthy, her life wouldn't be this challenging.She accepted all sorts of jobs just to support her education and help her grandmother, who was her only family in the world and getting older. Yza aspired to become an accountant, but she felt that her dream was slipping further away with just one year left, due to the hardships.Her gaze wandered to a large apartment building across from where they lived. It was the opposite of their place, built fr
Yza hugged the bed sheets, curtains, pillowcases, and comforters while standing at the door of Adam’s room, but she couldn’t bring herself to knock.Good grief. Her hands were trembling even though she wasn’t cold.She was nervous, and she didn’t even know why. Why did her employer have such unusual eye color, and why was he so mysterious? Now, her heart was racing. She hadn’t even entered yet, and she was already struggling to breathe, gasping when the door suddenly opened.She tightly gripped the extension rod of the hoover as she made eye contact with her employer, her chest tightening once again when she saw that he was only wrapped in a towel at the waist.She quickly lowered her head. How shameless of him.At first, she wanted to turn around and run away, but she felt like she was frozen to the spot.“Get in,” Adam said formally, easing the door open.Even though she was scared, Yza still followed. He probably wouldn’t do anything bad to her.As soon as she entered, she immediat
CHAPTER 20Yza’s grandmother remained silent as she entered the hospital room. The old woman gazed at her with a look suggesting she had much to say or inquire, but it seemed difficult for her to express. Does her grandmother know something? Yza thought so, given the peculiar way she was being observed by the old lady.Yza smiled, sensing her grandmother’s emotions. When the two helpers finally bid farewell to return to the mansion, the old woman spoke, “Yza, my grandchild,” calling her to sit beside the bed.Eli seemed on the verge of tears immediately, prompting Yza’s own tears to flow. They were quite shallow emotions, but she was extremely sentimental.“I have something to tell you, ‘La,” she said, leaning slightly.Her grandmother held her hand, and she looked into the old woman’s eyes. “I know. Adamson told me this afternoon before picking you up from school. I’m sorry you got caught up in my situation. I wish you hadn’t agreed to buy a donor because I don’t know if you and he w
CHAPTER 19"MA'AM," Shelton said to Yza, arms crossed and lost in thought.She leaned lazily against the back seat of the car, seemingly indifferent. Her gaze, initially fixed outside the window, shifted to the man seated in the passenger's seat.Her eyebrows arched slightly, prompting him to hand her a paper bag bearing the Samsung S8 logo.Her brows arched higher. "What's that?" she asked softly.He smiled before replying. "Boss asked me to give it to you," he said.Samsung? A cellphone? S8? Oh my goodness! That's expensive!She felt as if the air left her lungs, recalling the ridiculous price of the device Shelton held in his hand—forty thousand pesos. Good grief!"No, return it to him," she said, turning her gaze back out the window. "Even my outdated Nokia got stolen at that high-class hospital. What more with this forty-thousand-peso gadget? The thief might chop off my hand if I don't give it to them.""I can't, Ma'am. He’ll shoot me," Shelton responded immediately.Her brows fu
Chapter 18Yza glanced at the walk-in closet’s door as Adam entered, holding a folder with the marriage certificate. They exchanged looks before his gaze shifted to the night dresses she was inspecting. His mysterious smirk returned, and she averted her eyes, feeling as though he was fixated on her wearing those sexy outfits every night.She shook her head abruptly. "Is there a problem, Yza?" he suddenly asked."N-No? I was just going to see grandma. Is it okay? You understand that—""That what?" he interrupted from behind, causing her to turn. He was taking off his T-shirt, and she involuntarily swallowed at the sight of his well-defined muscles, even from behind."Um, that I won't be sleeping here, right? Will you be upset? I know you bought me, but..."She entered into marriage for financial reasons, devoid of love. It seems Adam's proposal was merely to avoid offending her, yet she is aware of his potential to easily seek annulment when he's done with the arrangement."That I need
CHAPTER 17 Yza looked at the door of the walk in closet when Adam entered there carrying the folder with the marriage contract. The two of them looked at each other before he glanced at the night dresses he was looking at. He has that mysterious and obscure smirk again. His eyes returned to her so she looked away. It’s as if the contents of his brain are the way she looks wearing those sexy clothes every night. She shook his head violently. “Is there a problem, Yza?” Adam suddenly asked. “Huh? W-Nothing. I’m going to grandma. Is that okay? You understand, don’t you—” she couldn’t continue. “What?” he asked behind her so she turned around. She saw that he was taking off the t-shirt he was wearing so she swallowed when she caught a glimpse of his body. Damn his muscles. Even his back is perfectly defined. Yza immediately turned around when she felt that he was about to face her. “I can’t sleep here tonight. Will you be angry? I know that you b-bought me but because…
Chapter 16Yza continued into the mansion upon getting out of the car, leaving Adam chatting with Shelton near the car’s door. Despite not wanting to leave him, she hesitated to eavesdrop on their conversation. She wasn't the one to gossip. Later, she might even get scolded or worse, cry about it. Best to avoid it."Take away his license to practice law, or I'll shoot that jerk," Adam's stern words reached her, causing her to freeze by the sofa, hand over her chest. Adam, with furrowed brows, looked undeniably irritable, yet oddly handsome.Lawyer? Whose lawyer could be his enemy? she wondered. Only one lawyer had drawn Adam's sharp gaze earlier, the one relentlessly interviewing her. They had just come from the judge who signed their marriage contract, then Adam took her to the De Lorenzo law firm. Who among those lawyers irked him? They all seemed respectful, almost unable to function properly in his imposing presence.Shelton paused, noticing her gaze. Adam stared at her with inten
CHAPTER 15Yza was extremely surprised when suddenly their defense group entered the canteen, shouting excitedly. Tiffany led them in a group hug, and they were all so joyful. However, when she saw Adam’s serious expression, focusing his eyes on them. She felt a bit agitated, fearing he might get angry because of their noise.“This calls for a celebration! We’re ready for the training! We have the highest grade, and you’re the ‘A’ in the group,” Jane said to her.She pointed at herself, puzzled, and asked, “Me?”Unnoticed by her companions, she glanced at Adam, who was now intently examining the Kikiam on his plate, as if it were not food but trash. He had a furrowed brow and prodded it with his stick, looking at it as if it were some strange object from another planet, not a meal.“Do you want some, s-sir?” she asked finally, making her friends stop their nudging and stare at Adamson.He looked at her. “Revise the question. You’re making me old,” he said with a grin.She quickly unde
CHAPTER 14"UY, what's that?" Tiffany nudged Yza while she was sitting in the canteen after their defense. Her friend was carrying a soft drink and four sandwiches, while Yza had only one. She had lost her appetite, especially now that she saw the marriage contract between her and Adam. Her boss moved so quickly. How did he manage to obtain a CENOMAR without her knowledge? What kind of magic did he perform? Money could indeed make people do or acquire anything they wanted.What she didn't know was whether their marriage was genuine or just for show. Maybe the document in front of her was not even registered at the municipal office. She looked at her friend and said, "Marriage contract," with no emotion.Tiffany sat down beside her and began to eat while glancing at the open folder. "For whom—yours and DJ's?" she asked, causing Yza's face to contort in frustration. "Don't mention him to me, Tiff. He's despicable. I caught him with not just one but two other women," she recounted in dis
CHAPTER 13 ADAM couldn’t believe what he just got in mind when he heard about Yza’s problem. The woman he had been watching for a long time since he saw her come to his mansion about a month ago. Yza has that pretty face he wasn’t able to brush off his mind who were talking to his trusted Grandma Eli… Adam was going down the stairs while buttoning when he heard the unfamiliar voice of a woman in the kitchen of the mansion. It was giggling and he felt like it was still young. “Boss, ten minutes before the flight leaves.” Shelton said to him while standing at the main door but he just raised his hand as a sign that he should not remind her anymore. He looked again at the opening of the kitchen but because his kitchen was so big, he couldn’t easily see the helpers there because the kitchen and working table were at the other end. “Who’s here?” He asked the staff with raised eyebrows. “Ah, Grandma Eli’s grandchild, boss.” He was still smiling so his eyes suddenly became sharp
CHAPTER 12Yza was fast asleep on the single bed, which was positioned against the wall. She held onto a pillow tightly, her body curled up to fend off the cold from the air conditioning earlier. However, she now felt warm and something was draped over her trembling body. She had been too lazy to get up, so she just clung to the pillow. But why did she suddenly have a blanket now? Who had covered her?She had to wake up early because it was her defense today. As she remembered that, she jolted awake. She closed her eyes again due to the harsh light coming from the ceiling, but she opened them once more when she thought she saw the silhouette of a man sitting alone on the sofa, facing her.Rapist! Her mind screamed, and her eyes widened in fear. She even pinched herself. However, it wasn’t a rapist sitting in her grandmother’s hospital room, but her boss.Had she made it home? She glanced at him; he was pretending to sit on the sofa, staring at her. She immediately felt self-conscious