5.AN ENCOUNTER∞≠∞
Tiffany was assisted by her father's bodyguards as they walked her towards the private chopper that her father sent for her. She was informed earlier that day about the special meeting with the Alphas in Ormon City.
“Did my father give you any specific instruction about this trip?” she asked the goon that her father sent for her.
“No, señorita. He just said you have to be there.”
Tiffany immediately climbed onto the chopper and settled on her seat. From Libangon, the group will travel to a private place in Ormon City whereas her father will also be meeting with the city mayor. Ormon was located miles away from Libangon, but with Tiffany riding on her father's private chopper, it will just be a three-hour ride. She heard that her father and the city mayor will have a partnership in a certain business venture. But she's pretty sure such business will never come clean.
It's already past six in the evening and the wind felt icy on her skin. Despite her thick coat, the cold still seeped through her inside, stirring the void that she had been feeling since she was a kid. Biting her lip, she decided to focus on the task at hand. She tucked her right hand inside her front pocket as a bodyguard put a headset on her. Several announcements were heard on the radio before they slowly took off through the night.
Three hours later, Tiffany was again escorted as she set foot on a wide lawn. According to the men with her in the chopper, the place was owned by the city mayor himself. Just several steps away stood a grand building that looked even more glamorous because of the yellow lights that were seen in the building's façade. And as soon as the wheezing noise from the chopper stopped, faint classical music was heard from the inside.
Two women wearing black and white corporate attire approached them. "Señorita, please follow us,” they said.
She silently followed the ladies and walked with steady steps as the two guards trailed behind them. They led them towards an elevator located at the building's parking lot. Then they entered a fancy hallway where portraits of naked women hung on the walls. Finally, they approached a private room afterward. The two guards were left standing outside the door and another girl assisted her inside. The two girls who escorted her earlier bowed their heads and casually took their exits.
"Good evening, señorita," the lady smilingly greeted her. “I am Mylene, your hair and make-up stylist for tonight. The Don sent me to assist you.”
Her lips curled into a smile as she looked at her. "Am I going to wear that?" she bluntly asked the lady as she pointed a finger to a dress that was displayed behind them.
"Yes, señorita."
Tiffany took a heavy breath and ran her fingers through the soft linen. "Lovely."
In front of her was a black evening gown which she presumed costs a fortune. "I didn't know this is a party."
"It's a masquerade ball, señorita. Your father is already waiting for you. You'll be his muse tonight.”
'Fine.'
Without a word, she stripped off her clothes and put on the black gown. Her father was always like that. Since he didn’t have a trophy wife, he often used his beautiful daughter as his muse in his social gatherings. It used to be so tiring for her, especially when she had to pretend that she liked being with those shallow rich people. And yet, tonight was different. This was going to be her first Alpha meeting, hence, no matter how shot the notice was, she decided not to complain. And she needed to be more beautiful now. She did not want the Alphas to be too disappointed.
'I'm sure the party is some sort of a cover-up so that nobody will know about the meeting,’ she also convinced herself. The real agendum was the Alpha meeting.
Just then, her phone rang. The assisting girl immediately gave her phone to her. "Hola?" she asked without minding who the caller was.
"Has visto el vestido, Tiffany?" (Have you seen the dress?)
Her tired spirit was immediately replaced with excitement when she heard her caller's voice. It was her most favorite person in the world.
"Mamita Dionee," she squealed excitedly. "Absolutely! I am wearing it now."
"Oh, I hope you like it, dear. Your impulsive father once again demanded it to be finished immediately on such very short notice. Tenía muchas ganas de que fuera perfecto."
Standing in front of the whole-body mirror, she noticed the intricate designs that her favorite fashion designer made for her black gown. The gown had exquisitely arranged paillettes that defined her figure perfectly, showing a grown-up side of her. It made her realize that she was no longer a child, but a lady with big responsibilities on her shoulder.
"It's already as perfect as you wanted it to be. No te preocupes, Mamita Dionee. I love it. No doubt, eres el mejor estilista de moda de España.”
"Te quiero, cariño (I love you). Enjoy the party. And gracias for saying that I am the best fashion designer in the whole of Spain. That's quite true," he replied with a haughty tone followed by his very annoying laugh.
Tiffany smiled over the phone. "Indeed, Mamita, and I love you, too. I hope you can visit me in the Philippines soon."
"Positivamente, definitivamente sí, sí, sí. You will never know."
∞≠∞
As expected, everyone's eyes were on her when she entered the hall. The mask only revealed her chin and her delicate red lips but there was no doubt that she stood as the most breath-taking creature this evening.
She casually took her steps towards her father and the evidence of pride was displayed on his face. The Don showed her around and several illustrious men started throwing interests in her.
"I didn't know there is a party, Papa," she whispered to her father when they both finally seated.
"You already know why, hija. I don't need to explain that."
Tiffany shrugged her shoulders and took a sip of her sparkling champagne. "You always do that to me," she grumbled.
"You ought to be prepared, my love. Always."
She could only roll her eyes. She knew her father will never apologize to her and arguing will just be a waste of time. So, she chose to be silent as she sat there, pretending to be interested in those who were with them at the table. Just then, the presence of the city mayor was announced and Tiffany found herself standing face to face with a fat man wearing an exquisite violet tuxedo.
"Compadre!" her father greeted the mayor. The two men exchanged excited comments about their physical appearances and it was followed by some friendly banters.
“Anyway, this is my beautiful daughter—Tiffany.”
“It’s a pleasure to finally meet the heiress,” said the mayor as he kissed her hand gently.
“She still has to prove that she is worthy of the position, compadre. But I believe in the potential of my child. She is one of the best Alpha students in the Academy, and even my goons were not able to defeat her during her training.”
The compliments were so good to the ears. She cannot stop smiling as she listened to the two men talking about her.
“Ah, compadre, señorita," the mayor said later on. "This is also my son—Yuan Lloyd Marquez."
This is when she noticed a dashing young man in his grand white suit standing behind the mayor. He was wearing a white mask that was minimally designed with diamonds and a red rose was pinned on his left chest.
"I've also heard so much about you, young man," commented her father as he approached them with a big smile on his face. Yuan took a step towards her father and they shook hands. But when Tiffany’s gaze met with his, her eyes popped in surprise.
∞≠∞
"So, we meet again, Miss Blonde."
They were now standing on the dance floor as requested by their fathers. Her left hand dangled to her side while her right hand was placed on Yuan's shoulder.
"I can't believe you are a politician's son, Yolo," she said, emphasizing the last word. The statement was only returned with a smirk.
"I knew by then that I have already seen you somewhere and I get it now. You were in the Academy I attended. Perhaps a batchmate or schoolmate of some sort."
Yuan let out a chuckle. "Yes, I told you I knew you."
She rolled her eyes. "Tell me about your mission at LNH.”
“That’s quite confidential, señorita.”
Tiffany glared at him and buried her nails on his shoulder.
“If you want to succeed in your mission, I suggest that you change the color of your hair,” Yuan said as he lightly touched her blond pixie hair.
Tiffany became angrier even more. "You lied to me! All this time you knew who I am."
"Come on, Miss Tiffany," he whined. "Can we just put aside our tiring personal lives first and just enjoy the night? Later on, we'll be called inside the chamber and we'll be hearing all kinds of criminal discussions. So please, let's just dance."
Almost instantly, lively music for one of the famous Spanish dances, the Paso Doble, filled the air. It was a fast-paced dance based on the rhythm and movement of a bullfight. As a ballroom dance, it was usually performed in pairs, one man and one woman, with the former said to represent the matador – or bullfighter.
"You did well with your act. You can pass as an actor," she whispered. Thunderous claps were heard as the pair moved their bodies to the beat. Tiffany was suddenly lost in the music, and so was Yuan.
As a student at the Academy, Tiffany was an amazing dancer. She could jive with whatever genre of music was chosen and could even make it livelier and fun to watch. Her slender body and her beautiful face complimented her every move. She was just like her mother; her father always said every time she performed on stage.
"That's what we always do, señorita. We act. We deceive. We don't let other people read our every move."
"So, you are not a janitor, huh?"
"I am disguised as the principal's scholar boy. I have to work with him in his office."
"I see. Are you still on probation?”
“Again, everything that involves my mission is confidential, Miss Tiffany,” Yuan replies mischievously.
Another round of applause filled the air as Yuan flipped her back and let her head briefly dangled to the floor. His hands expertly supported her waist and her body from falling.
"You dance very well, caballero," she whispered as Yuan twirled her around him.
"Because I've got such a beautiful dance partner," he replied and sent her a wink.
The rhythmic music continued to rise and every execution of the pair was cheered and applauded by the audience.
∞≠∞
"Bravo! I'm proud of you,” Tiffany.
"Thanks, Papa. Do you think I did great in there?"
"Hey, we did great," Yuan interjected. Tiffany chuckled as a response.
"Compadre, I think it's time," the mayor said.
Her father grumbled and got up from his seat. Several men who were also members of the Alpha followed. They moved carefully to avoid suspicion from the crowd.
“The two of you should follow us inside,” the Don reminded her and Yuan.
“Yes, Papa. See you there.”
But just as the men leave the room, an explosion was heard outside the building.
"Papa!" Tiffany screamed as panic started to rise inside her.
Gunshots immediately rose in the air and the screaming of the guests drowned her father's voice. Bodyguards surrounded old Don Arnulfo while Tiffany ducked to get a hidden revolver tied around her thigh. With a swift move, she shot two men who were approaching to kill them.
"Get my father to safety," she ordered two of her men.
"Señorita, let's get out of here!" Yuan said as he grabbed Tiffany to duck under the table. More and more gunshots and screams were heard as they ran towards the exit. They met several men along the way but tackled them down as they fought side by side. The gown made it hard for Tiffany to run so she ripped the sides of it, exposing both of her thighs.
"Oh Yuan, stop ogling at my thighs. Now is not the right time for your sexual fantasies."
The young man chuckled and led her to the garden. Then they saw her chopper roaring with all its might. Her father was waving at her, shouting her name. "Go. Now!" Yuan commanded her. Tiffany was shocked. "What about you?" she asked him in a loud and worried voice.
"I have my ways. Go! Go! I still have to look for my father.”
Two men gently dragged Tiffany towards the chopper so she was forced to leave her new friend behind.
6.PUNISHED∞≠∞ She had been mentally counting each passing second, hoping that time would run faster. Ever since the shooting incident happened in Ormon City, she had been constantly feeling agitated. 'It's been two days and there's still no sign of Yuan. What if he died and the Alpha's were not able to protect him? Maybe I'll ring Papa. Perhaps he knows something.' "Miss Steffy Rivera!" Steffy snapped back to reality when she heard the sharp voice of her teacher. "What is it, Ma'am?" "I—I've been calling your name but you seemed lost in your thoughts." 'Right. I am. I have to get out of here and find him.' "My apologies, Ma'am Amparo, but I have to go now.” Her teacher's eyes popped in surprise. Even her classmates were equally shocked by her actions. Ignoring them, Steffy gathered her things and stood up from her chair. "Where are you going? You cannot just leave the class like t
7. TEACHER GREG ∞≠∞ Several stacks of photos and newspapers were scattered on Yuan’s bed, and he was staring at them intently. The newspapers contained pieces of information about a man named Lucio Hernandez. LUCIO HERNANDEZ, AGED 36 DESIGNATION: ASSASSIN, DRAGON COMPANY STATUS: NOTORIOUS Along with it were black and white photographs of the people in the Dragon Brotherhood. There was also a folder that contained the brotherhood’s whereabouts. Heaving a sigh, he laid on his bed and thought about the shooting incident in Ormon City. Unmindfully, his right hand found its way towards his wounded arm. His left arm was bandaged and a basin of warm water sat on his study table. He got it from his encounter with Lucio Hernandez in Ormon City. The man had a
8 SCARRED ∞≠∞ "Do not make any noise." He could hear strange footsteps inside their house. His mother's hands were trembling as she held him and his little brother tightly. The three of them were hiding inside their small bathroom. "Who are they, mother?" eight-year-old Lucio Hernandez asked in a hushed tone. "Sssh! Keep quiet. They must not find us here. They will kill us," her mother replied in a trembling voice. "But, what about father? We should tell him to hide in here as well!" "Be quiet, Lucio!" Just then, loud knocks on the door and muffled voices were heard outside, followed by violent shouts. They could hear glass shattering and pieces of furniture falling. "Please do not hurt my family," he heard his father's voice. Lucio could tell how scared his father was. It seemed like he was about to cry any time soon. "Give us bac
9 TRICKS ∞≠∞ Teacher Greg smiled widely when he saw Steffy walking inside the room. Several students immediately gathered around her and started to ask why her blonde hair had turned into a dark shade of black. Steffy acknowledged them nicely and briefly explained that she had a sudden change of heart. He wanted so much to send her his compliments but decided to hold back his tongue, not wanting to create misconceptions in his students' minds. As a teacher, he did not want to be accused of favoritism; although he favored this gal a lot. In his eyes, Steffy looked stunning in her new look. With her small face, red lips, and fair complexion, black hair indeed suited her perfectly. Teacher Greg had been so enthusiastic with his discussions in his advisory class ever since Steffy was added to the group. Maybe because the new student's intelligence brought his interest to a different l
10 CONVICTION ∞≠∞ The familiar sound inside the casino made Tiffany’s head throb some more. Her father once again made a phone call, telling her she was summoned. So she immediately arranged her travel and as she just got out of the airport, she felt an extreme migraine. Bodyguards immediately gathered around her as she stepped out of the car her father sent for her. Her baggage was handled and she was immediately led inside the casino. It was a Tuesday evening, which meant the casino was full of badass businessmen and slutty mistresses. Such people were more than willing to gamble their fortunes for the sake of their egos and stupid entertainments. And since Tuesday nights were reserved for the VIPs, she saw a lot of faces who were prominent in the business sector. Tiffany also encountered celebrities. No wonder paparazzi were scattered just outside the building. The building itself wa
11THE MOLE∞≠∞Don Arnulfo was startled when he heard a knock on his office door. He was so absorbed in reading the latest news that it took him a minute to respond to whoever was at the door.“Come in,” he grimly said.The wooden door made a creaky sound as a man wearing a black tuxedo entered his office. Everybody in the brotherhood called this man Sebastian, although his real name was Carlos Cadavos. He was the Don’s right hand and his most trusted goon. Sebastian took confident steps towards the Don then placed a sealed envelope on his table. Don Arnulfo ripped the top-most part of the envelope and examined the contents. Immediately, his face turned sour. What he was holding right now was bad news. Very bad.“The Dragons have interfered—”The Don raised his finger to silence the man in front of him. “What exactly happened?&rdq
12 THE ALPHA BROTHERHOOD ∞≠∞ “Won’t you tell me more of the Alpha brotherhood, dad?” Mr. Hernandez looked at his eight-year-old son as the child stared at him with such inquisitive eyes. He wanted to dismiss the topic but seeing his son looking so eager and curious stopped him from doing so. “You are still too young to understand, my son.” “Dad, I know I’m just eight but since you have given me this golden key for safekeeping, isn’t it just fair that you’ll tell me all about it? I promise you I’ll be quick to understand.” The father let out an amused laugh. “You are indeed a clever boy, my son. Alright, let me tell you a story about a man named Don Victorino Viaje del Cargador. But you should promise me that you won’t tell anyone about it and that you will hide that golden key no matter what happens, alright?” “Not even mom or Little Ronan will know about it. I p
13 IN THE LIBRARY ∞≠∞ Seffy struggled to break free from her teacher’s harsh kisses by sending a blow on his stomach. Teacher Greg moaned when he felt a sharp pain caused by her assault. It amazed him that despite Steffy’s slender figure, she had such a surprising strength. “What the fuck are you doing!” she roared in his ear. “Let me go you rapist!” Teacher Greg
27A GAME OF CHESS∞≠∞ Tiffany heaved a deep breath as she dialed Mamita Dionee’s call number. The latter picked up on the third ring. “Mamita Dionee, I’m in trouble. I need you.” “How may I help you, my dear?” Mamita Dionee replied. “I’m going to burn down a brotherhood.” Silence flooded the line for a moment, then Mamita Dionee asked again. “Are you sure this is what you want, child?” “Yes, Mamita. I need to do this.” The help came in less than an hour and Tiffany has the resources to burn a whole city. Wearing a tight-fitted black overall suit, she expertly moved without being seen around the mansion that had been a witness of the life she had as a billionaire's daughter. The thought of burning it down gave a pang inside her chest for the memories of her beautiful mother still lingered around it. “I know you’re scared and sad, little Heiress. But there
27 MISS T. ∞≠∞ The rain poured all afternoon. It had been a week since Lucio freed her from the shackles. Lucio and the rest of the Dragon Brotherhood members had become very nice to her. Except for Charlotte whom she still had a vendetta. Today was just an ordinary day for Tiffany. But it had also been an awakening to her. The video footage that the Alphas sent to the Dragons was given to her and she had been rewinding it over and over again. Clutching the hem of the cardigan she was wearing, she intently stared at the man who was talking at the podium. Behind him was a full graffiti of the Alpha symbol. She cannot believe her eyes when Yuan Lloyd Marquez was announced as the new Alpha Don. Just a few days ago, she sneaked through their mansion and tried to contact Elizabeth, but she failed. Instead, she overheard the guards talking about her. “The Don killed he
26 RELIVING THE PAST ∞≠∞ Tiffany could clearly see them now. She was nervously standing across the Dragons who were now firmly holding Marie Joyce as a captive. George was standing in front of her, giving the protection she needed in case one of them shoots her unexpectedly. But then she snickered when she saw Charlotte with the Dragons. She was wearing a cropped top and a mini skirt plus heavy make-up that almost made her look like a stressed copycat of Harley Quin. “Steffy! Just run away, please!” said Marie Joyce pleadingly. “Stop being hysterical Marie Joyce, I will not leave you alone,” Steffy replied. Lucio stepped forward with his hands clapping slowly in the air. “So touching.” “Hello, Lucio.” “I believe you have stolen something from me. So, I got something from you as well, Tiffa
25 THE TRUTH ABOUT THE HEIRESS ∞≠∞ “You cannot hide the truth from everyone, Arnulfo.” Drawing a heavy chuckle, the Don faced Elizabeth then replied, “Elizabeth, dear. You shouldn’t be spilling such poison inside my office. You barged in just to tell me some stupid musing?” He then walked towards her and rubbed a finger on her bare arms. “Tiffany will eventually find out, and when that happens, you’re a dead man! Haven’t you heard of what he did to your favorite? She fucking cut his balls and now he’s lying in the hospital bed, throwing a fit because he had just lost his only ticket for the position!" The Don laughed loudly as he patted his big stomach with his hands. “What a waste of time, Elizabeth! Get out, slut! I don’t want to hear anything from you!” Clenching her fist, Elizabeth slammed his hands on the table then looked him in the eye. “Our daughter is yo
24 SAVING MARIE ∞≠∞ “Tell me, Yuan. How does an Alpha assassin kill an important target?" Yuan smiled at her mischievously. "Why do you want to know?" he asked as he moved towards her and wrapped her in his arms. Tiffany lightly pushed him away. "I just want to know how would the Don wants her daughter dead." "Are you sure you want to know that?" "Of course. Otherwise, I won't be asking you in the first place." Heaving a sigh, Yuan settled in the bed before them, looking at her as she slowly stripped her clothes. “Well, I'm going to kill you or Lucio Hernandez the same way I did to that fat principal." "Really?" she said as she straddled him on the bed. Her breasts were dancing before his very eyes. "Yes," he moaned as he sucked her left nipple. "Ah, except that I won't be castrated, right? But Lucio will." Yuan nod
23 MARIE WAS KIDNAPPED ∞≠∞ The fact that Tiffany was out there, completely naked and defenseless almost made Yuan’s head go insane. He had been wanting to see her looking like that and now, things had quite made everything easy for him. Without any second thoughts, he stripped his suit and left not a piece of clothing on. He plunged to the water; his muscles glittered with every stroke. Tiffany was standing before him, with the sea just a little bit above her waist. He swam near her and upon reaching her, hungrily consumed her mouth. It took a couple of seconds before he felt her pushing him away. A hard slap came flying to his face as Tiffany heaved long deep breaths. “What the fuck is wrong with you?” she angrily shouted at him. Yuan let out a snicker. “I should be asking you the same thing, señorita. Tell me, are you flirting with me?”
22 PATRIARCHAL SHITS ∞≠∞ Neon lights and naked ladies welcomed them as Tiffany and the Don walked together inside ‘Gracias bar’, a bar that they both own. Yuan and several of their bodyguards were following them, looking from side to side and eyeing the multitude of people inside. The del Viajes owned a couple of bars around Manila and this bar was the most expensive. Rich people and business tycoons often come to meet here to discuss business-related matters. And tonight was not different from such situations. "We are here to meet with the Murillo Clan," her father whispered to her. "Just try to behave and let me and Yuan, do the talking." "Why can't I talk?" she argued, eyeing Yuan disgustingly. “I might contribute better plans.” "You did not even succeed in your mission. What makes you think that you can contribute something? It just doesn't suit you, hija," calmly re
21 THE BREAK-UP ∞≠∞ “What are you planning to do now, señorita?" Elizabeth's echoing voice startled her as she laid on her bed, facing the wall. The woman's shoes created a clicking sound against the tiled floor, reminding her of the cemented hallways of LNH. She felt Elizabeth's weight at the foot of her bed but she did not move from her position. She remained to lie to her side. "I'm planning to take a break from all these shitty things and just sleep here all day." "W—Well, that's not a good plan. Your father called. He told me that he's been preparing for your wedding. The Alphas have voted for a decision." Closing her eyes, she cursed under her breath and moved her head a little. "That's bullshit. They did not even ask for me!” “They said the task is taking too long. That's why you have to go now and finish your business. Otherwise—" "I know
21 CONFESSIONS ∞≠∞ Hesitation. Steffy sensed Marie’s discomfort as they approached the only bar that stood in that small town. She knew Marie Joyce only agreed to this because she was so persistent and would not stop begging her to come. Well, Steffy did not take ‘no’ as an answer either, and Marie Joyce completely understood that side of her. She will just punish her if she did not concede. “Come on!” Steffy said as she lightly pushed her little friend inside. The party had already started and many people were already huddled inside. Most of them were already dancing and sweating as their bodies collided together underneath the glimmer of green and blue disco lights. “...too crowded,” mumbled Marie which Steffy did not able to comprehend. Marie leaned closer to her as they continued to move forward. “What did you say?" Upbeat music was already reverbera