Chapter 1

Jace Dela Vega courted me for two years, and in all that time, he never once disappeared or changed. I was only eighteen when we met. He had been a guest at my debut. I still remember his gift—cash. I laughed so hard back then, and he simply said, “I didn’t know what you’d like, so I’ll let you buy what you want.”

But behind my smiles was a darkness I tried so hard to hide.

I lived alone, separated from my parents. Instead of living like a normal teenager—going out, making friends, having fun—my life revolved around training. Every day. Every night. Ever since I was seven.

My father trained me—basic self-defense, various martial arts, tactical disciplines. It wasn’t a hobby; it was my life. I was like a soldier trapped within the walls of my own home.

I was homeschooled. No playmates. No friends. No world outside the four corners of our house.

And when I entered college, I took Business Management—not because I chose it, but because my father did. I didn’t want to disappoint him. In a life full of chaos, he was the only one who ever stood by my side.

Whenever my mother scolded or mistreated me, my father was there—silent, sometimes cold, but always there. He was the reason I kept going. The reason I kept trying to be perfect.

But even then… there were still nights when I cried myself to sleep.

So when I met Jace, things began to change.

He became the light I didn’t know I was waiting for. In a world full of control, anger, and fear, Jace became my rest. With Laica Pajate, my best friend who had always been by my side, I slowly rebuilt a part of myself I had long forgotten—my happiness.

For the first time, I felt seen. Heard. Loved.

Kaya gusto ko siyang sorpresahin. It was our third anniversary.

Usually, he was the one who planned everything—always full of surprises. But this time, I wanted to be the one who did something special. I had been busy with a mission these past few weeks. Wala akong masyadong oras. But today, I made time.

I prepared the gifts, bought a small cake, and even ordered take-out food so we could celebrate together. I didn’t text him. He told me he’d visit me tonight for our date, so I planned to beat him to it.

I went to his office first, but one of his coworkers said he had gone on half-day leave.

“Siguro naghahanda siya ng surpresa para sa akin,” I thought with a smile as I stood in front of his house.

Being who I was, picking a lock wasn’t exactly difficult.

I entered quietly, heart light and full of anticipation. I placed everything I brought on the table, arranging them carefully…

Then I froze.

A sound cut through the air.

Laughter.

Moaning.

The unmistakable sounds of pleasure.

My chest tightened painfully.

Dahan-dahan akong umakyat ng hagdan. My heart pounded as I noticed clothes scattered on the steps, leading to the bedroom.

My knees felt weak.

Is this even real?

I reached the half-open door.

And there they were.

My boyfriend.

And my sister—Allessandra.

Together.

Doing something I never imagined I would ever have to witness.

The first thing that crossed my mind: kill them both.

I could. I was trained. It would’ve been easy.

But I wouldn’t lower myself to their level.

Jace saw me first. His eyes widened in horror as he scrambled to cover himself with a blanket. Allessandra didn’t even flinch. She just smiled—proud, shameless, unforgivable.

“Kaz, this is a mistake,” Jace stammered, hiding behind the blanket as if it could save him.

“I didn’t know you were enjoying yourselves like this,” I said, my voice trembling despite how cold I tried to sound. “With my sister? Really, Jace? On our anniversary? Bakit? Dahil ba hindi ko pa binibigay ’yon sa’yo? Di ka makapaghintay? Sa kapatid ko pa talaga?! Nakakadiri ka.”

I turned to my sister. “At ikaw? Wala ka man lang hiya? Boyfriend ng kapatid mo pinatulan mo? Nakakasuka ka.”

Tears blurred my vision, but my voice stayed sharp.

Jace tried to step closer. “I’m sorry… I-I got tempted. You couldn’t give me what I needed. But your sister—she could. I love you. You know that, right?”

I laughed—bitter, broken. “No, Jace. You don’t love me. Stop lying to me.”

My sister cut in, venom dripping from her voice. “Bakit ka ba nagagalit? Di mo nga maibigay yung pangangailangan niya. At least ako, kaya ko. You’re so hard, Kaz. You really expected him to stay loyal? Dream on.”

Pak!

My hand connected with her cheek. Hard.

She didn’t even bother to cover herself—just stared at me with that disgusting, smug smile.

“Masakit ba?” she taunted. “Masakit ba malaman na habang anniversary niyo, ako ang kinakama niya? Di ka ba na-inform? For three years, I was with him all along. Satisfying his needs.”

“You can have him,” I said, voice low and deadly calm. “I don’t care anymore. Pero kahit anong gawin mo, ’di naging kayo. Pang-kama ka lang. Ako, kahit hindi niya ako makama, legal pa rin akong girlfriend niya. Ngayon? Hindi na. Sa’yo na siya. Enjoy.”

I turned away and walked out.

My hands were trembling.

My heart… shattered.

How long has this been going on?

Was I that blind?

Was I not worth waiting for?

I got into my car and sped off, heading straight to the bar owned by my best friend. It only opened at night, but I knew she was already in her office upstairs.

And at that moment, I didn’t care about anything anymore—except the crushing weight in my chest.