The night felt endless.It was nearing midnight, and Trinity was still nowhere to be found. The worry in Tita Rosset’s eyes mirrored the fear clawing at my chest. Tito Harold tried to appear composed, but the way his fingers tapped anxiously on the wooden armrest gave him away. There was no word from her. No calls, no texts. It was like she had vanished into thin air.“Tita, Tito…” I swallowed the lump in my throat, trying to keep my voice steady. “I’ve asked around the whole town, but no one saw her. I called everyone she might’ve been with, but nothing. Even her phone—it’s off. I… I’ve already deployed my men. Every town, every barangay in Pangasinan. We won’t stop until we find her.”Tita Rosset clutched her rosary tighter, whispering frantic prayers under her breath. “Dear God, please… don’t let anything bad happen to my daughter…”Minutes dragged like hours.And then—The dogs started barking.I turned toward the door, heart racing. Footsteps. And then—there she was.“Trinity!” T
The scent of garlic rice and dried fish hit me the moment I stepped out of the car. It wasn’t the smell of five-star breakfasts or imported blends—it was better. It was hers. It was home.Waking up before sunrise wasn’t part of my routine, but this morning wasn’t like any other. I never had to prove myself. Not to my Dad. Not to investors, not even to people—but today I had to, to the man whose daughter had become my entire world.I stepped into their yard and caught sight of him—Trinity’s father. “Good morning, Sir,” I greeted, keeping my voice composed even as my heart thundered in my chest.He raised an eyebrow. “Too formal. Just call me Tito,” he said, his gaze heavy, calculated—like he was dissecting every inch of me.I was used to power. To be feared. But here, I was just a man in love with a woman who didn’t know how dangerous I could become when she was threatened.Before I could crumble under the weight of his stare, Trinity pulled me inside. “Let’s eat, I cooked.” Her smile
Leo never gave up easily—and by now, I should’ve known that. “Trinity, I don’t like him for you,” my dad said firmly, his gaze fixed on Leo, who stood tall and composed in front of him. There was no fear in his posture—only quiet determination. “I know I can’t control how you feel,” Dad continued, “but if he really wants to be with you, he has to prove himself first.” I squeezed Leo’s hand tightly, silently telling him he wasn’t going through this alone. I saw him take a deep breath before facing my dad with steady eyes, filled with resolve. “Sir, I understand your concerns. I have no intention of breaking your trust. I just want to prove that I’m worthy of your daughter.” Dad raised a brow, then glanced at Mom, who was clearly amused by the exchange. “If your boss really wants you, he needs to prove it.” Leo’s grip tightened around mine. I saw a flicker of hope in his expression. “Tomorrow morning, I want to see you here—early, neat, and ready to do whatever I ask of you.” My
I leaned back in the driver’s seat, the chill of the leather sinking into my back as I brought the phone to my ear. Outside, the slow rhythm of the province moved on quietly—but I wasn’t listening to that. I was locked in on the voices waiting for me on the other end.“Took you long enough to check in,” Sky’s voice came through, half amused, half irritated. “We’ve been holding it down just fine. Or are you calling because you think otherwise?”I smirked, swirling the whiskey in my free hand. “Not exactly. Just wanted to hear it straight from you. The streets have gone quiet—and that’s either a blessing or a setup.”Khiro’s voice cut in, rough and sharp. “You don’t trust us to keep shit running?”“This isn’t about trust,” I said flatly. “It’s about control. Empires don’t build themselves—and they don’t run themselves either.”Sky let out a breath. “Alright. Listen close. The new shipment landed last week—clean. We rerouted it through the southern ports to keep heat off our backs. Profi
We finally left his penthouse at 7:00 AM. We spent way too long in the shower. Before he even started the engine, Leo made sure both our seatbelts were buckled securely.“Are you sure you’re okay to drive? You must be tired. I can take over—”He cut me off without missing a beat.“As your boyfriend, I should be the one driving. Just relax. I’ll wake you up when we get to Pangasinan. If you get hungry, tell me. We’ll stop for a drive-thru. I love you, My Tesorina.”Leo loved spoiling me. He treated me like I was fragile—something he needed to shield and care for. Back at the penthouse, he wouldn’t even let me carry a plate. And while I appreciated it, that wasn’t really my thing. I believed in splitting responsibilities. I didn’t want him doing everything by himself.I slipped on my headphones and played *Forever Right Now* by Conor Matthews. I took the left earbud, gave him the right. Rested my head on his shoulder while he drove, one hand on the wheel, the other resting on my thigh l
We finally left his penthouse at 7:00 AM. We spent way too long in the shower. Before he even started the engine, Leo made sure both our seatbelts were buckled securely.“Are you sure you’re okay to drive? You must be tired. I can take over—”He cut me off without missing a beat.“As your boyfriend, I should be the one driving. Just relax. I’ll wake you up when we get to Pangasinan. If you get hungry, tell me. We’ll stop for a drive-thru. I love you, My Tesorina.”Leo loved spoiling me. He treated me like I was fragile—something he needed to shield and care for. Back at the penthouse, he wouldn’t even let me carry a plate. And while I appreciated it, that wasn’t really my thing. I believed in splitting responsibilities. I didn’t want him doing everything by himself.I slipped on my headphones and played Forever Right Now by Conor Matthews. I took the left earbud, gave him the right. Rested my head on his shoulder while he drove, one hand on the wheel, the other resting on my thigh lik