Prologue

Hi, lovely readers!

Welcome to a world where power is precision, control is a weapon,

And one unexpected woman dares to challenge it.

This isn’t a story about a prince saving a damsel.

It’s about a man who built his empire with ruthless logic

until a woman walked in, unapologetically real, and proved that control is nothing but an illusion.

Meet Alexander Thompson cold, untouchable, a man who bows to no one.

Jasmine Ramirez is strong-willed, intelligent, fearless, and not here to follow anyone’s rules.

Their worlds were never meant to collide.

But fate has always loved chaos.

Prepare for power plays, razor-sharp banter, and a slow-burning tension that will test pride, passion, and every wall they’ve both built.

Thank you for reading!

And remember: in this story, the one who loses control…

might be the only one who finally learns what it means to live.

With love,

Anne Author

PROLOGUE

Control is everything… until someone shatters it.

Alexander Thompson lived by rhythm.

Order.

Discipline.

Like the clock on his wrist, every decision was precise, calculated, and unquestioned.

6:00 AM

Private estate in Silang, Cavite wide, quiet, high-fenced.

He was already in the gym.

Classical music humming.

Breathing steady.

Mind sharp.

Control. Mind. Body. All aligned.

7:00 AM

On the veranda of his minimalist glass mansion, his butler handed him coffee.

He scanned three reports: real estate performance summary, financial growth report, and a feasibility update for their Palawan hotel group.

No small talk.

No unnecessary noise.

9:00 AM

Boardroom of Alzaro Tower, Makati.

His kingdom.

Skyscrapers paint the skyline, subordinates arranged in perfect order, silence feeding his power.

Then something cracked.

“Sir,” his executive assistant Arra said softly,

“may walk-in applicant po. Ayaw pong umalis. Nakikipagbangayan raw sa guard. Ayaw ding mag-fill out ng form. Gusto raw po kayong makausap mismo.”

He didn’t blink.

He’d seen this pattern too many times

suppliers looking for shortcuts, socialites looking for rich husbands, influencers wanting “collabs.”

“Palayasin,” he commanded coldly.

But before Arra could react, a voice sliced through the silence.

“Palayasin? I’m not causing trouble. And I’m not begging. I’m applying properly.”

Alexander slowly lifted his gaze.

A woman.

White blouse. Jeans. Rumpled clothes. A folder her résumé.

No makeup. No luxury bag.

But her stance?

Firm.

Her eyes?

Unflinching.

Most importantly

She wasn’t afraid of him.

“Miss?” he said.

“Jasmine Ramirez,” she replied, meeting his gaze straight on, as if he were just an HR officer

not the CEO of the entire empire.

The HR staff near the door froze, watching like it was a movie scene.

Alexander simply stared at her, studying the anomaly.

“Ms. Ramirez,” he said coolly, “this is not a place for disruption. If you cannot follow the procedure, you may leave.”

“I’m not here to disrupt anything, Mr. Thompson,” Jasmine said.

“But your security shouldn’t treat me like dirt just because I’m not wearing branded clothes.”

His jaw tightened. The audacity.

“The recruitment process is clear. Forms. Schedule. Rules. If you cannot comply—”

“Then maybe put a sign outside: ‘For corporate aesthetics only.’ Para hindi na ako nag-aksaya ng oras.”

There it was.

That attitude.

He leaned back, assessing her like a glitch in his flawless system.

Everyone who entered his boardroom bent.

Everyone obeyed.

Except her.

“Do you always talk to people this way?” he asked cold, but undeniably curious.

“Depends. If I’m respected, I return the same.”

He stood.

He wasn’t sure why

But he felt pushed to confront her, to look her eye to eye.

Silence stretched.

Then he spoke.

“Return to the beginning. Fill out the form. Follow the rules. And we’ll see if your résumé is worth reading.”

Jasmine nodded.

But before leaving, she said:

“You know, Mr. Thompson… there are things more important than money and power.

Like respect.”

And she walked out.

No fear.

No apology.

Not like anyone else.

The next day.

The HR floor was unusually quiet everyone was secretly watching.

She returned.

Neater. Hair tied. Form completed.

She sat politely.

No arguments. No confrontations.

But when her folder landed on Alexander’s desk, something shifted inside him.

Not annoyance.

Not fear.

Disruption.

He opened the résumé.

BA in Development Studies

Magna Cum Laude University of the Philippines Manila

Five years of NGO experience

Specialization: grassroots education, poverty alleviation, social innovation

Position applied for:

Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, Thompson Global

He let out a short, ironic laugh.

A woman who seemed indifferent to power…

wanted to lead a department built on conscience.

“She doesn’t belong here,” he thought.

But another whisper followed

Exactly why she’s dangerous.

That night, in his Makati penthouse

wine untouched, city lights glowing

Her voice replayed in his mind.

Her eyes.

Her defiance.

Her refusal to bend.

And the truth he couldn’t escape:

She cracked his routine.

She disrupted the pattern.

She disrespected the system

And he could not stop thinking about her.

Before sleep claimed him, one promise formed.

If she returns… I’ll make sure she regrets challenging me.

Or worse

I’ll regret letting her in.