CHAPTER 2

Please note: Lucy is Lucas's feminine name.

"Ouch! Mang Tomas, you almost ruined my beautiful face!" Lucas complained, gently touching his nose, which was still throbbing from the sudden jolt. Just moments before, the car had jerked to a violent stop as the driver slammed on the brakes without warning. Lucas's body lurched forward, crashing into the back of the front seat. Pain shot through him, especially in his nose, which bore the brunt of the impact. If Mang Tomas had given him even a second’s notice, he might have been able to brace himself.

"I’m so sorry, Ma’am Lucy!" the driver apologized, scratching his head in embarrassment.

Lucas M. Villareal is a twenty-seven-year-old gay man and is also the heir to the Villarreal Group of Companies. Smart, tall, rich, with excellent genes, undeniably attractive, and yes, absolutely beautiful. He was proud to be beautiful twice over. Since fourth grade, Lucas had known in his heart that he was attracted to men. He wasn’t sure how it happened, but he remembered being drawn to his handsome classmates. He used to sneak his sisters' Barbie dolls, too, since they wouldn’t let him borrow them.

By the time he was in ninth grade, Lucas finally gathered the courage to tell his parents about his sexuality. As expected, they were angry at first. After all, their only son, the sole heir, turned out to be a daughter in spirit. Yet, eventually, his parents came to understand, simply because they had no other choice. After all, they already had three daughters. His father even accepted it more quickly than his mother did.

The only one who never came around was his grandfather. The old man disliked people like Lucas and constantly tried to set him up with women, knowing fully well that he had no interest in them. Recently, his grandfather went a step further and blackmailed him: Lucas would only inherit the company if he presented a wife, a woman. If he failed, the inheritance would go to a distant relative.

Of course, Lucas couldn’t let that happen. He and his father had worked too hard for the company, and there was no way he’d let it all fall into someone else’s hands. So, his only option was to find someone who would agree to be his wife temporarily, a contractual arrangement, no strings attached.

Lucas was the eldest of four siblings. His sisters are Luciana, Lucia, and Luca, were all beautiful in their own unique way, but Lucas remained firmly convinced that he was the most gorgeous among them. Their parents had an obvious fondness for names that started with the letter L, a pattern that carried through the entire family. Luciana, at twenty-four, was already running her own business. Lucia, twenty-two, was nearing graduation with a degree in Journalism. And Luca, the youngest at eighteen, was still navigating her senior high school era, full of energy, curiosity, and the occasional teenage drama.

Back to the present, Lucas was still fuming. His precious face had almost met a terrible fate because of their skinny driver.

"What happened? Did the car break down?" Lucas asked, watching Mang Tomas shake his head.

"No, Ma'am. A woman suddenly crossed the road... I think she was trying to kill herself," the driver explained, sending a chill down Lucas’ spine. He turned to look out the car window. The night was pitch dark, and the rain was relentless. It was hard to imagine anyone walking around in that weather.

"Don’t scare me like that, Mang Tomas! It’s dark outside. Are you sure this isn’t some ghost story? I swear, if we’re getting haunted, I’m not ready for that!" Lucas exclaimed, stomping his foot nervously.

Lucas had always been terrified of ghosts unless, of course, the ghost was handsome, in which case he might reconsider.

"I swear, Ma'am, there was really a woman. I’ll go check if we hit her," Mang Tomas insisted, unfastening his seatbelt.

Lucas swallowed hard, his heart racing with nerves, imagining something straight out of a horror movie. He watched anxiously as the driver stepped out and peered ahead. When Mang Tomas squatted down, blocking his view, Lucas grew impatient and rolled down the window.

"What’s happening out there? Is she still alive?" he called out, drumming his hand on the car door. The rain was pouring harder, and he was getting wet.

"Ma’am, there’s a woman here, unconscious!" the driver shouted, clearly flustered.

"What?!" Lucas gasped dramatically. What a crazy woman, trying to play Sleeping Beauty on a highway?

Without wasting time, Lucas stepped out of the car and approached Mang Tomas. He squinted at the woman sprawled on the ground. In fairness, she was quite pretty. She had a small, delicate face, fair and smooth skin like a Korean actress, long lashes, and big, round eyes that suited her features, though Lucas still declared himself prettier.

"She’s still alive, Ma’am. What should we do with her?" Mang Tomas asked, standing up and looking expectantly at Lucas.

Lucas glanced around the area, ensuring no one was watching, then said with a serious face, "Kill her."

"P-PO?!" Mang Tomas shrieked, his eyes wide in shock.

Lucas burst out laughing at the driver’s horrified reaction. "Relax! I’m joking. With a face like mine, who would believe I’d actually kill someone?" he said smugly, pointing at himself. "People might die... but from my beauty!"

His joke fell flat. The driver remained stiff, obviously not amused.

"Fine, fine, I’m kidding. Let’s get serious," Lucas said, surrendering the act. The rain was getting heavier. He spotted some luggage nearby and quickly checked its contents, women’s clothes. He figured it must belong to the woman.

"Mang Tomas, do you see those bags? Bring them to the trunk. I’ll handle the woman," Lucas instructed.

Without question, the driver complied while Lucas carefully lifted the woman. She looked small, but she was surprisingly heavy. He was relieved he hadn’t asked the frail driver to carry her, lest the man dislocate a bone.

Lucas gently placed her in the backseat and sat beside her, but the space was tight. So, he lay her down, resting her head on his lap. "Lucky girl," he muttered. "So many men dream of lying here."

Of course, there was no malice in his actions. He simply wanted to help. Seeing how soaked they both were, he sighed and pulled out a handkerchief to dry himself, then dabbed the woman’s face too. A little compassion went a long way, after all.

Moments later, Mang Tomas climbed back into the driver’s seat. He glanced at Lucas, then at the woman, and back at Lucas again, having thoughts he didn’t dare voice.

"What is it, Mang Tomas? Spit it out," Lucas said, raising an eyebrow.

"Ah, Ma’am... should we head to the hospital... or maybe... a hotel?" the driver asked hesitantly.

Lucas shot him a sharp glare. "What did you just say? Hotel? Are you kidding me? What would I even do at a hotel? Have a spa night?"

The driver chuckled nervously. "Just a joke, Ma'am! I was just teasing."

"Drive to Villareal Mansion," Lucas ordered with a dismissive wave.

The driver nodded and started the car. The Villareal Mansion was their family’s main residence, though Lucas now lived independently in his condo. They only returned to the mansion on weekends as part of a family rule. Since it was nearer than his condo, Lucas figured it was better to go straight there, especially with the woman drenched from head to toe. He didn’t want her catching a fever and adding to his already chaotic night.

Besides, his parents were abroad. The house would be quiet and perfect for the unexpected guest who had just crashed her way into Lucas Villareal’s night.