Chapter 1 – The New Rule

Rhea’s POV

It’s weird how fast life can change.

One week ago, I was the girl who thought she had everything figured out.

Ngayon, I’m just the girl trying to survive another workday without breaking down.

“Good morning, Ms. Santos!” bati ng guard pagpasok ko sa lobby. Ngumiti lang ako, kahit medyo pilit. Naka-heels ako ngayon, red lipstick, white blouse—like nothing happened. Para akong nakamaskara na gawa sa confidence na borrowed lang.

Pagdating ko sa marketing floor, busy na lahat. Presentations, calls, and endless coffee cups. Typical Monday.

Except for one thing—our new CEO is arriving today.

“Girl, ready ka na ba?” tanong ni Mae, lumapit habang may hawak na kape. “I heard he’s super strict. Like, yung tipong ‘don’t waste my time’ kind of guy.”

“Then I’ll make sure not to,” sagot ko, sabay tingin sa laptop. “Wala naman akong balak maging problema.”

Pero to be honest, my heart was beating faster than usual. Hindi ko pa alam noon, pero that day would change everything.

Eleven o’clock. The elevator doors opened. Everyone suddenly stopped talking.

He walked in—tall, confident, and way too composed for a Monday morning.

Lucas Monteverde. The new CEO.

He wasn’t like the usual executives we had—he had this calm, commanding presence. Parang every step niya may sariling music. The kind of man who didn’t need to raise his voice to be heard.

He started greeting department heads, nodding politely. Hanggang sa dumating siya sa harap ko.

“Ms. Santos?”

I froze. How does he even know me?

“Yes, sir,” sagot ko, trying to sound professional. “Rhea Santos, head of marketing strategy.”

He looked at me for a second too long. His eyes—cold, sharp, like he was trying to read every part of me without a word.

Then he said, “Good. I’ve reviewed your department’s numbers. Impressive work.”

“Thank you, sir,” I replied, though my voice came out softer than I planned.

He nodded, then moved on. Pero kahit umalis na siya, parang naiwan pa rin ‘yung presensya niya sa paligid. My pulse didn’t calm down right away.

After the orientation, bumalik kami sa kani-kaniyang stations.

Pero hindi ako mapakali.

Something about the way he looked at me… it wasn’t just a CEO assessing an employee.

It felt personal. Familiar, somehow.

Nagsimula na akong mag-review ng reports for our quarterly presentation, pero bago pa ako matapos, tumunog ang phone ko. Internal call.

Reception.

“Ms. Santos, the CEO is asking for you in his office,” sabi ng receptionist.

Napalunok ako. “Right now?”

“Yes, ma’am. He said it’s urgent.”

Great. Day one, and the CEO already wants to talk to me. Sana hindi masama.

Pagpasok ko sa opisina niya, agad kong napansin ang minimalist interior—black, white, and glass everywhere. Parang reflection niya: sleek, controlled, unreadable.

“Sir, you called for me?” tanong ko, mahina pa boses ko kasi kabado.

He didn’t answer right away. Nakatingin lang siya sa city view through the window, hands in his pockets.

Then slowly, he turned to me.

“Ms. Santos,” he started. “I want you to handle the upcoming client pitch next week. Personally.”

“Me, sir?” nagulat ako. “But that’s usually handled by the whole team.”

“I’m aware. But I prefer seeing individual capability.”

Lumapit siya sa desk, huminto sa tapat ko. “Can you handle that?”

“I can,” sagot ko agad, kahit may kaba. “I’ll do my best.”

“Good.” He smirked slightly. “That’s all I need to hear.”

I was about to leave when he added, “By the way, Ms. Santos… are you okay?”

My body froze. “Sir?”

“Your eyes,” he said. “They look tired. And sad.”

My lips parted, but no words came out. Bakit parang kilala niya ako?

Bakit parang alam niya kung ano ‘yung pinagdadaanan ko?

“Just make sure you take care of yourself,” he continued. “I don’t like seeing my employees break under pressure.”

Napatango lang ako, then quietly left. Pero sa loob ko, ang dami kong tanong.

How did he know?

Was it just observation—or something more?

That night, habang naglalakad ako palabas ng building, nag-vibrate ang phone ko.

Isang text. Same number as before.

“He saw your strength today. Don’t lose it.”

– L.M.

Kinilabutan ako.

The CEO. Lucas Monteverde.

Was it really him sending those messages?

Hindi ako sigurado. Pero ang timing, perfect.

And a small part of me—one I didn’t want to admit—felt… seen.

For the first time since Jake, someone noticed me again.

Lucas’s POV

Lucas leaned back in his chair, watching the lights of the city fade into dusk.

His phone buzzed. One unread message. He didn’t open it—he already knew what it said.

He was the one who sent it.

Rhea Santos. The woman who once smiled in every marketing event, who spoke with conviction in meetings, now carried pain behind her eyes.

He saw it the moment she entered the room. The same pain he knew all too well.

“She’s tougher than she thinks,” he murmured to himself.

A soft knock interrupted his thoughts.

It was his assistant, Eric. “Sir, all the reports are on your desk. Do you need anything else?”

“No, that’s all. You can leave early,” Lucas replied.

When the door closed, silence filled the room again. He loosened his tie, walked toward the window, and thought of her.

He didn’t plan on meeting her this way. But fate—if he still believed in that word—had a strange sense of humor.

Two months ago, he’d come across her name while reviewing the company roster. Santos, Rhea.

At first, it was just another name.

Until he saw the photo attached to the employee profile—her smile, bright and warm.

The same smile that used to belong to the woman who broke his brother’s heart.

Yes. Jake.

The man who’d ruined not only Rhea, but also Lucas’s own family name.

Jake Valera—once his best friend, now his greatest mistake.

When Lucas found out how Jake had cheated on Rhea and used company money to impress another woman, he knew he couldn’t stay silent.

But revenge wasn’t about shouting. It was about timing.

And now, timing was finally on his side.

He picked up his phone again, scrolling through the photos his private investigator had sent. Jake in a new bar, laughing, careless as ever.

And Rhea, walking to work, eyes downcast but still graceful.

“She deserves better,” Lucas whispered. “She deserves to see what kind of man he really was.”

He closed the file and poured himself a drink.

The amber liquid caught the city lights as he thought of his next move.

Tomorrow, he would give Rhea her first major project under his supervision.

A campaign that would bring her face-to-face with the company Jake had ties with.

A campaign that would test her strength—and loyalty.

He wasn’t sure if he was doing this to protect her… or to use her pain as fuel for his own vengeance.

Maybe both.

The next morning, Rhea walked into his office carrying a stack of proposals. Lucas watched her silently, taking in her steady posture.

She didn’t look broken now—she looked determined.

“Here’s the outline for the pitch, sir,” she said, handing him the folder. “I’ll finalize the presentation by tomorrow.”

He nodded. “Good. Sit down for a minute.”

She hesitated before taking the seat opposite him.

“I want transparency between us,” Lucas said. “If there’s something that affects your work, I need to know.”

She frowned slightly. “Sir, I assure you I can handle my responsibilities—”

“This isn’t about your competence,” he interrupted softly. “It’s about trust.”

Their eyes met again. For a long second, neither of them looked away.

Then he said quietly, “You’ve been hurt recently. Don’t deny it.”

Her lips parted, but she didn’t speak.

Lucas leaned forward. “I know who did it.”

Rhea froze. “What… what do you mean?”

“I know what Jake Valera did to you.”

His tone was calm, almost gentle, but the words hit her like thunder.

“How—how did you—”

“I have my ways,” he said simply. “And I know he doesn’t deserve the peace he’s enjoying right now.”

She stood up abruptly. “Sir, with all due respect, that’s my personal life—”

“Not anymore,” he said. “Because it affects your confidence, your focus, your fire. And I need that fire back, Ms. Santos.”

She stared at him, half-angry, half-confused. “Why do you even care?”

Lucas gave a faint smile. “Let’s just say… I don’t like seeing good people destroyed by liars.”

Silence.

Then he slid a small envelope across the desk.

“Open it when you’re ready,” he said. “It’s an offer.”

“What kind of offer?” she asked cautiously.

“An opportunity,” he replied. “To get what you truly deserve.”

Rhea didn’t touch the envelope. She just stared at it, feeling a mix of fear and curiosity.

Lucas leaned back, his eyes never leaving hers.

“Revenge,” he said quietly. “If you want it.”

When she left the office, Rhea’s hands were trembling.

She didn’t open the envelope right away, but the weight of it felt heavy—like it carried a choice she wasn’t ready to make.

Outside, the city buzzed with its usual chaos, but for her, everything slowed down.

She looked up at the towering building that now held two men connected by the same past—one who broke her, and one who wanted to rebuild her… in his own way.

And somewhere on the 25th floor, Lucas watched from his window, a glass in hand, eyes following her silhouette.

“She’ll either hate me,” he murmured to himself, “or she’ll finally understand why promises… are meant to be broken.”