Chapter 1

"Jane, how are you feeling right now?"

That's the first thing my grandmother Flores asked me as we started eating in front of our table. I smiled at her and swallowed first the bread that I'm eating.

"I'm perfectly fone grandma, just busy with the school work though," I answered.

" Are you sure you don't want to go back to your real family, Jane? It's been two years."

" I don't want to, grandma," I said, sighing. Bitterness can be felt as I said that.

"I wish, you can decide now Jane. You know that I can't take care of you anymore before I'm aging,"she laughed as she told me that, but I can feel the sadness evident on her eyes.

"Grandma, don't say that." I went to her side and hug her. This is my only way to thank her endlessly for being with me for the past few years.

"You knew that they can easily find you, Jane," she warned, seriousness can be heard as she spoke.

" Yes, grandma. Eventhough my parents are rich as hell, they will never find me. I'm careful on hiding from them," I said as I finished my food. I heard grandma sigh on my remark but I shoved it away. I just hug her and bid my goodbye for I'll go to school now. 

I've been living with my grandmother since I was 14. She's not my real grandma. She's my nanny since I was a baby. She's been with me and give time to me that my family never gave. I don't want to be with my family anymore. I feel like I was just a slave to them, following their orders. In a young self of mine, I've been thinking this way. Following them means no freedom to me. And I dont want that. They don't even care if I'm away to them. What's important to them is their business. Only business.

Yaya o Lola Flores is like a mother to me. She served to our family back then but unfortunately, she's not capable of doing the choirs anymore as she is 64 old now and only Tita Gisselle is with us.

And I'm grateful that she treated me as her real daughter. Being with her feels like a family that I didn't feel to my real ones.

I arrived just in time at our school. Our university, Clifford University, is one of the prestigious school in the Philippines. They have complete courses and a scholars like me can't afford that. 

I didn't know if my parents knew that I am studying here. They don't need me though. They will just waste their time to find nor seach for me. 

It's been 2 years since I am away to them. I just sighed with that thought.

"Jane." Someone called that I instantly looked behind. I saw Fiella De Guzman, our class president with Ms. Santos.

"Good morning, Ms. Santos, Fiella." I greeted while smiling as Fiella and Ms. Santos approached me. Ms. Santos is our 4th year teacher. Strict but nice.

"Go to my office before your class ends, okay?"anito. 

"For what, Miss?" i asked.

"The reviewers for the MTAP are printed. And also, you will meet your partners." I just nodded as she explained it. 

" Yes miss." 

"Okay, I'll go ahead." Fiella just smiled at me before she follow our instructor.

I don't want to be friends with anyone. I find them uncomfortable. I'm so used to my old friends who happened to betrayed and backstabbed me.

I would rather be a beggar and single than a queen and married.

I went to my designated room. As usual, some of the chairs are not arranged and it's always noisy in here. Some of my classmates were chatting and some are finishing their assignments.

I just went to my chair besude the windows and put on my earpod.

I'm a loner person who wants to be independent and help my lola. I just want to finish my studies and graduate with a degree that I want to have. That's my goal in life. I don't want to be pressured by my own parents who want me to take business ads so that I can help with their company. I don't need that. I can live on my own.

Time passed by, and our class started. Few discussions and a lot of reporting. It's on our last year as a junior high school students. Some tell us that this us the hardest year of a junior high school student. As for me, it's not. Last year is way more harder than this year though.

Maybe, college life is more stressful though. I can see college students that are very serious, when in fact in their high school life, their mindset is just to pass those subjects and to graduate. 

I want to take Nursing course. Something tells me that I want that profession. I want to help people who are sick. When I am a kid, I usually admire nurses checking up and reading vital signs of their patients. 

I also watch videos about medicine and in operating room where nurses are assisting doctors. They're very calm and that's when I start to dream of being a nurse. I want to pursue that dream.

I went to Ms. Santos' office to get rhe reviewers for the MTAP competition. I really don't want to participate to this kind of event or competition, but it's the teachers who make me agreed to this. I just can't reject them.

I knocked three times on the door before opening it. I saw two other students, a girl with her glasses and a varsity player, I guess, 'cause he's wearing a jersey shirt of of the basketball team of Clifford University. They were sitting on the sofa right beside the teacher's desk. I think, we're in same batch.

"Ms. Valdez, you're here."

"Good afternoon, ma'am," I greeted.

" You're just in time," our instructor said. " Meet your partner, Ms. Perez and Mr. Rodriguez."

"Hi!" The girl greeted and even waved her right to me. The guy beside her just smiled at me.

I just smiled back at them. Eventhough they seem nice and sincere, I can't easily trust people nowadays. I don't even know how to approach them. 

"These are your reviewers. Maybe, after this week, we'll start reviewing. Don't worry though, I will excuse the three of you to your classes."Ms. Santos said as she assured us with a smile. 

The printed copies are thick. I think I will start this night. 

"Okay, that's all. You may go."

"Thank you, ma'am." We said in unison. I went outside first, carrying my reviewers. I arranged my things first inside my bag and will go home when I saw Ms. Perez, one of my partners in MTAP, in front of me, smiling. 

"Chelsea Rea Perez, by the way." She extended her hand while still plastered a smile.

"Jane Samantha Valdez." I accepted her with a shake hands and immediately tqke away my hand to her.

"I wish, we can get along," she muttered. " By the way, that guy earlier is my best friend, Clifford Duke Rodriguez." I simply nodded to her.

" Okay, see you tomorrow."I waved a goodbye to her as she went outside the school campus.

She's nice though. Maybe, she's an exemption. I wish I can get along with her too. 

***

It's already 5 in the afternoon and I stopped when I saw Aling Dahlia's halo-halo stand. She's nice yet a widow. I don't know where her children could be 'cause I didn't saw them.

"Hija, what do you want?" She asked as she saw me take a sit. 

"Just like the old one," I asked, smiling. "Add more milk, please." She went back to her stall, laughing as she heard my request. I am a regular customer here and she's always entertaining me.

 I chose to check my bag to look for my things while waiting for the order to come. I just stopped when someone bumped me that causes my things to fall.

"What th—"

"Sorry, miss." I immediately look to the person who did it. I was stunned by the looks of this guy infront of me.

He is white with pointed nose, thick brow, chiseled jaw and a red small lips just like a woman. By the looks of him, I think we're the same age. I notice the blue eyes that stared back at me. He looks like an American.

"Miss?"

"Jane. Here's your order."That's when I came back to my reverie. I looked to Aling Dahlia who's looking to the both of us.

" T-thank you." I didn't mind the stares of this stranger guy. It's so uncomfortable. I just paid my order with a twenty peso bill.

I just ate the halo-halo I bought. I still feel the presence of the guy earlier but I didn't mind about him. What's important to me is to finish my food and go home.

"Miss, sorry for earlier. I hope you don't mind." I looked at mi side to see the stranger guy looking at me while holding a phone.  

"It's fine," I mumbled. I finished my food and get up when he suddenly grabbed my arm. I almost lost my balance but he immediately hold my waist. I stood up and removed his hand.

"What do you need?" I asked, slightly annoyed.

"Can I get your number?" He handed me hos phone. " Jane?"

My lips slightly parted at what he just said. He's... he's... I can't identify. Shocked will be evident on my face as I looked at him. "What?" 

"I wan—"he stopped midway to what he's saying when a car pulled over a meter away from us.

"James! Come here." It was a man with a tux, coming his way towards our direction. He looks like a bodyguard to me. 

"Romulo, what are you doing here?"

So James is his name.

"Sir Waltridge wants you to come with me," he calmly said. He didn't even think about what he will say. He just casually told that to this stranger guy. 

"I want to eat here. Can you wait?"

"No, James. He's furious right now." I didn't mind what the guy saud and just went my way ro our home. I even heard him called my name but I didn't even turn around to face him. I don't want to trust anyone. He's completely a stranger. 

He has the guts to ask my number yet he still have a bodyguard? 

What a jerk!

***

I saw Aunt Gisselle in the living room when I got home. She was talking to a man whose face I did not recognize. It is darker and a bit older, maybe mid-40s, but it can be noticed that he is handsome in his youth. He's familiar to me and it was as if I had seen his face but I couldn't remember. I just realized that he was looking at my direction.

"Who's that girl?"I heard the man asked my Aunt.

My nephew, Sir," she said, smiling. I know she has to hide my true identity because I don't want my real parents to find me.

"Oh, what a beautiful lady."I just smiled to the both of them then I went upstairs. I didn't saw yet grandma.

I cleaned my body first before going to grandma's room. When I got there, I noticed she was deeply asleep. I just kissed her forehead and went out. I just heard the moving car go and didn't saw the man earlier.

"Who's that, Aunt Gisselle?" I asked as I went downstairs.

"He's my boss," she casually answered

"Why did he came here?"

"I'm being asked to do something because his family is going to America. He just instructed me what I needed to do." I nodded at what she said.

"Ah, why did he come to you voluntarily if he could just order it to someone else?"

"Because Sir Wal was living here when he's still poor. And one more thing, he went for something personal and it was not just that," she answered again and then stood up. " Eat up, Jane. I'll just go out."

"Sure, Aunt Gisselle. Thank you for the food."

Aunt Gisselle works as a secretary in a liquor company. The things we needed and buy came from her because her salary is good. She never had a boyfriend even though she has the looks. I don't know why. She's very nice and treated me like a real nephew and a sister.

When I finished eating, I immediately went up to my room to do my assignments.

I am currently studying when I was distracted by a pop-up message. I forgot to turn off the data. I first looked at who it is and it was not my friend. I still opened it.

James Von Waltridge

:Hi! Is this Jane from the halo-halo stand earlier?

I frowned. James? Wait... Couldn't he the stranger guy earlier? I just thought of replying.

Jane Valdez

:Why?

James Von Waltridge

:Can you add me? 

What the?

Jane Valdez

:Are you serious? Earlier, you want to ask for my number, and now, I will add you?

He took a long time to reply. I turned off my phone and finished my assignments. I also arranged my belongings for tomorrow before going to bed.

It's already 9:40 pm. For me it's still too early at this time. Sometimes, I just read and mostly on facebook and watch EXO and NCT videos because I don't easily fall asleep and my insomnia always attacks. I always drink milk but it still doesn't work.

I justudt scrolled on my messenger when I noticed the man I had chatted with earlier.

James Von Waltridge

:Sorry, but I can't understand what you're saying.

Seen 

Jane Valdez

:Okay, sml.

I just watched videos for drowsiness. What I just did some streaming in YouTube when someone popped up on chat head again and I accidentally clicked it. 

James Von Waltridge

: Goodnight, Miss. See you when I see you.

I don't want to see you, Mr. Jerk!