Chapter 2

Reina slightly parted her legs as Gabriel touched her intimately. She gripped the balcony railings of her room while their private moment continued. Gabriel was standing behind her, and she could feel his warm breath brushing against her nape.

He gently caressed her from the neck down to her soft shoulders.

“I just came home to touch you, my queen. I’ll be leaving again soon…” Gabriel’s deep voice murmured as he placed a light kiss on her neck.

He turned her around to face him and cupped her face tenderly with both hands.

“I’ll be far away this time. I need you to stay away from everyone. I’ll be watching over you. I don’t want anything bad to happen to my queen,” he added before softly kissing her lips.

“Where are you going?” she asked.

“To Warsaw. I just need to do something.”

“Our wedding is getting close,” Reina reminded him.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be there once I’ve fixed a few things. I’ll call every hour,” he assured her with a gentle pinch on her nose. Gabriel was very sweet at that moment—so gentle that his voice sounded like it could never cause harm.

“I love you, Gabriel,” she said sincerely.

“I know,” he whispered, slowly leaning toward her earlobe and kissing it.

“But there’s something I want to hear from you, my queen.”

“What is it?”

“I want to hear you beg me to come home.” He touched the back of her neck, his intense eyes searching hers. Reina gave him a soft kiss, drawn to his commanding yet loving gaze.

“Come back soon… Gabriel,” she whispered seductively.

Gabriel smiled.

“Alright,” he said, fixing himself and stopping what he was doing.

“Just be safe while I’m away. I’ll call you. But please… don’t call me.”

“Okay,” Reina replied, also fixing her appearance.

He kissed her once more before leaving. After he was gone, Reina noticed the flowers he brought placed nearby. Beside them was a thick envelope, probably containing money. She carefully picked it up, and just as she expected, it was full of dollar bills.

There was also a small note attached.

“Buy anything you want, my queen. Enjoy. I love you.”

After reading the note, she sighed. That was Gabriel’s normal way of treating her. But deep inside her heart, she knew what she really wanted. And this time, she wanted to figure it out.

Being alone made time stretch longer. Her mind wandered, her hands looked for things to do, and she craved connection. After her afternoon rest, she had some tea at the veranda and called Sister Cecilia—her friend who had now become a nun.

“Hello?” she heard from the other end. She knew that voice.

“Sister…”

“Reina, is that you?”

“Sister, I missed you.”

“Oh, how are you now, Reina? How’s life there?”

She didn’t answer immediately. A soft smile crossed her lips. She missed the children at the Basilica so much. They had become dear to her. She remembered how her mother Natasha and father Hiron used to drop her off. They were the people who raised her when she got separated from her family on Cebu Island. But here she was now—Reina Vee Collins—reconnecting with her true identity.

She leaned back, composed herself, and headed to the kitchen—suddenly hungry from her earlier encounter.

As she stepped out, she saw the line of housemaids quietly standing like they had been waiting for her.

“Señorita, what would you like?” one of them asked.

She didn’t answer right away. Instead, she looked at them—all bowing slightly, with hands neatly placed on their sides, avoiding direct eye contact. It was clear they were trained to serve her with the utmost respect. Honestly, she wasn’t used to it, but she knew they were just following Gabriel’s orders.

She smiled and stretched her shoulders.

“I want all of you to relax. It’s just me here with you, so please be calm. I won’t bite,” she said jokingly.

One of the younger maids pouted.

“But Señorita, Guardian is watching us…”

“Don’t worry. I’m ordering you to relax.”

“Thank you, ma’am…”

“Gracias, Señorita…”

The eight maids replied almost in unison.

“Come on now. Let’s go to the kitchen—you can join me while I eat,” she said.

The staff froze.

“Oh no, Señorita, we’re not allowed to eat with you. It’s against Guardian’s protocol,” said Nanay Emelda, the older housekeeper.

“Really? Okay then, just help me cook. I want to cook something myself.”

“Oh no, Señorita, that’s against—”

“Please, Manang?” Reina gently insisted.

“Oh fine! If you insist.”

“Thank you, Manang.”

“I’m dead meat when Guardian finds out,” the older woman mumbled.

“I’ll handle it,” Reina promised.

They went to the kitchen and began preparing a meal. Reina used familiar Filipino ingredients—she wasn’t fond of the foreign food in the mansion. Most were just salad, bread, and tea. What she missed was the classic adobo with lots of pineapple.

Reina laughed and chatted with the staff, finally learning their names and personalities. It helped her pass the time, even though half of her heart and mind remained with Gabriel.

Where could he be now?

Who was he with?

When would he return?

Would he still call?

Those were the thoughts swimming in Reina’s head as she quietly stirred the pot and helped set the table. Before she even realized it, they had finished, and she was already seated at the dining table, looking at the hearty food they had prepared together.

“Thank you all so much,” Reina told the maids and offered them each a plate. Hesitant at first, they eventually joined her. They were surprised—Reina turned out to be a great cook. The sauce had a unique taste, and the sweet pineapple added an unforgettable flavor.

“No wonder Guardian is so in love with you, Señorita,” one of them teased.

Reina’s smile widened even more.

She thought of Gabriel once again—the man to whom her heart, her food, and her future still belonged.