Chapter 1

I let the beam of the sun go through my huge window, touching my skin.

It was a perfect sunny day. It would have been great to do outdoor activities, if only I was allowed to actually go out and live like a normal person. 

I sighed as I let my body collapse on the huge white bed inside this unit I’m in. I hated that I was born into this kind of life.

Children should have choices. They should be allowed to see all different options of families. They should decide for themselves what kind of family they would like to be born into. After all, it is the children that will either prosper or suffer. 

Because I had the choice, I know I wouldn’t choose this luxury, this fame, or this privilege. I wouldn’t want to be born as the only child of a famous politician, and now the daughter of the newly elected Philippine president. 

“Keep your shit together, Lianna…” I whispered to myself. 

Thinking about how my father is now finally having the most powerful and hectic position in the government gave me so much unwanted emotions. 

I didn’t want it. Any of it. 

Spending my younger years with him as the Mayor of our small city was already hell for me. He never came home! He was always in his stupid office, fulfilling the duties he oath to. How dare him neglect his duties and responsibilities as a father to me, though? 

They shouldn’t just have wanted children if they were not going to take care of them. 

I gasped as a tear escaped my right eye. Quickly, I wiped it away. 

It was stupid that I still cry about a dilemma I’ve been suffering from for the past two decades. It’s like I never get use to it. 

But I guess that happens. 

We really are prisoners of our past. We never escape from it, we just happen to finally realize how to live inside the cells. But in times where loneliness creeps in, we are hurt by remembering how bad we wanted to get out of it. 

If only someone was with me inside this hellish cell… someone I can turn to, someone I can rely on. 

Mother’s dead. The only hope of a friend and a family died when I was five years old. And the reason was beyond acceptable to me. 

Father told me that Mother died due to a shooting incident. That she was shot by someone probably hired by his enemies in the political field.

My dad told me about my mother’s death so casually that it killed me, too. And it killed me more when he told me that it was normal… that it was expected within his field of work. 

Was I supposed to accept that fact? That growing up, I will continue losing people just because he works in a field where deception, fraud, and greed are truly necessary? 

I hated my father more and more. I hated his line of work. I hated power. I hate anything that has control of everything. I hate risks, I hate it so much. 

I slid my left palm beneath my pillow and placed it above my face. I let out a muffled scream. 

None of the pretty porcelains, huge hotel rooms, shiny jewelries, fancy cars, or even the comfortable living could ever make up for the losses I felt and had as a kid. I will never have space for forgiveness or contentment. I will always loathe my father and his work. I will loathe people with power. All they do is make things complicated! 

My thoughts stopped when my phone rang. 

Akihiro calling… 

“Hiro…” I greeted when I answered. 

“Are you ready?” he asked. 

I sighed. 

Akihiro is my boyfriend. But that term was just something I labelled him as. We didn’t have any fair sense of agreement on what we are nor did we confess our feelings to each other. However, Akihiro was all I ever had in this life. 

I was homeschooled ever since I was Elementary, for the reason of my safety. As again, I am the only daughter of a famous politician. 

It was only Akihiro who saw me all these years, visiting me in my room and talking to me in our huge lonely house. He is the son of our family driver. 

“I haven’t moved an inch…” I answered honestly.

“Lia, please get ready…” he pleaded but his tone sounded more like a warning to me. 

“I don’t have the energy.” 

“Or the will,” he said as a matter of factly. 

I chuckled. He was right, I just didn’t have the will to do all these. Fuck energy! I could get up and get ready if I wanted to, I just didn’t have the want or need to. 

This was one thing I liked about Akihiro. There might be things we never talked about, or stuff I couldn’t tell him but I was certain for one thing. No one in this world knows me better than he does. Perhaps it was the amount of time we spent with each other, and not the quantity of the words we have exchanged. 

“You know I don’t want to do this!” I exclaimed. 

“Hmm. There’s nothing you can do, Lia. It’s the day of your father’s inauguration.” 

I almost cried as Akihiro reminded me of it. I just turned 21 years old last January and a few months after, the Philippine elections were held. And to my hell, my father that ran for the Presidential position actually fucking won. That's pushing my luck. 

“Can I not not attend?” 

“You can’t. You’re going to stand beside him later…” he said. 

I rested my palm on my face, covering my left eye. 

“Fine. What time is it again? Are you going to fetch me?” 

“6 PM… and no, I think you’re going with your Father.” 

I quickly sat, surprised. 

“Liar!” I spat at him. 

I heard him chuckle on the other line. 

“I’m not lying. If only you were interested on talking to Tito, you would have known…” he even said. 

I frowned. 

Akihiro respects my father and is close to him. He calls him Tito, or Uncle. Akihiro might know where I’m coming from with all these hate I have for Dad, but he will never disobey my father. I guess it’s also brought by the “unpayable debt” his family has for mine. 

“Alright. I think I have to meet with my stylist today for the latter's after-party.” 

“Do you want me to come with you?” 

“I’m good, Hiro.”

“When are you going to meet?” 

I glanced at the clock. It was already nine in the morning and I agreed to meet the stylist at lunch. I have to be quick as after, I still have to dress and prepare myself for the evening event. 

“I’ll go now. We’ll be meeting lunch…” 

“Go now? To the meeting place?” 

“I’m gonna go get out of bed, dummy…” I said, laughing. 

Hiro laughed and bid me goodbye so I ended the call. 

I stood up and went to my bathroom and faced my biggest enemy – the lazy me. 

But then again, I needed to do something today and like what Hiro said, it doesn’t matter if I want it or not, I’m an important figure to my father and his inauguration event. I must be there… for the sake of what gives. 

It was 11 AM when I arrived at the restaurant that my stylist and I agreed on. I thought I was too early but surprisingly, she was already there. 

“Mrs. Velasco, you’re so early!” I exclaimed. 

“Miss Salvatera! Oh, please, no. I didn’t want to make the daughter of the Philippine president wait,” she said with a bright smile. 

I almost rolled my eyes. 

“Silly you, he’s not the President until later!” I laughed as I responded, though I badly wanted to make a face. 

She chuckled. She then took the chair in front of me and assisted me into sitting down. I smiled as thanks. 

“So, shall we order?” she led on with the conversation. 

I nodded. It only took a few seconds for the waiter to hand us the menu. 

“Do you prefer a full course?” Mrs. Velasco asked me. 

I nodded, surprised by her kind gesture of actually taking my course choice into consideration upon ordering. 

“I’ll take double with this one,” she told the waiter. 

My eyes widened at that. She noticed and assured me that I don’t have to worry as she’ll pay the bill. 

My heart warmed at that. She was very welcoming. 

“So…” she trailed off as soon as the waiter got off his way. 

“Yes?” I followed to show her how attentive I was. 

“Shall we talk about our main agenda or would you like to save that for the main course?” she sweetly probed. 

I smiled and assured her, “We can go on.” 

She nodded at my response and took her bag beside her. She slid two pink envelopes and placed it on the table just right in front of me. She looked at me and gave me a look of permission to see what’s inside the envelopes. I couldn’t hold my smile when I saw two different designs of after-party dresses. 

I dislike dress arrangements as I would rather pick one myself– perhaps in a mall, or a boutique. But then again, part of living a luxury life are high-end fashion clothes and accessories. Besides, I liked the VLSC designs so I feel comfortable and happy. 

“I love this!” I exclaimed as I held the first design in mid-air. 

The dress was tight and had a belt in the waist. This would really compliment my body curves, I thought. It had crystal red stones along the black leather, perfect for my red shiny hair. 

“I’ll go with this,” I said quickly.

“Are you sure?” she asked, amusement etched in the tone of her voice. 

“You have the other choice…” 

I glanced at the other design drawn on the other paper. It was truly impressive, too. The perfect combination of silver and gold altogether with the sophisticated slit of the dress. But it held the body up to the knee, and I have a dislike for dresses that are not short and sexy. 

“I’ll choose this,” I said with finality, raising the first paper with the initial design that I wanted. 

She nodded and took the paper from my hands. 

“Alright. I’ll send them in a few hours.” 

With that, the waiter came in with our orders. It was a fun lunch with her, we talked and laughed about matters that were out of my father’s field and line. She even asked me about homeschooling, about friends, about me. She took interest in who I am without the background of politics. 

Or so I thought. 

She drank her wine before wiping her mouth gently. She then breathed, waiting for the perfect time to ask me something. 

“Is there anything wrong?” I initiated the conversation. 

She shook her head and said no. But then she bit her lip after. I took my table napkin and wiped my mouth before drinking my wine. 

“Are you sure?” I said as I held the glass down. 

“Lianna,” she called my name. 

“Yes, Alliyah?” I asked. 

“Uh, my father wanted to give you a few words…” she said. 

A sudden change of mood crept in. I know where this is going, and I’m starting to not like it at all. 

“He’s…. uh, running for Senator, and he thought you could give a word to your father…” she paused. 

She looked dismayed that I looked disheartened at her words. I couldn’t tell if she meant everything she told me earlier or was it another play to lure me into the politician's life?

This is one more reason why I hate this life. You just don’t know when people are genuine. Everything is about power, about greed, about every fucking evil! 

“I’m sorry, Lianna. I shouldn’t—“

“It’s fine,” I cut her off. 

I got my wallet out of the bag and pulled a bill. I placed it in front of the table before standing up. 

“I shouldn’t have expected anything from you. And I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I do not talk to my father irregardless of what matters…” 

I walked out of the restaurant and silently hoped. I don’t want to go to my father’s inauguration speech. I don’t want to face anyone in his life. 

Please… somebody take me away from here.