Chapter 2: The Billionaire’s Claim

Chloe’s POV

Sabado na. I stood in front of the full-length mirror, breathing heavily as I stared at the stranger looking back at me.  The white gown fit me perfectly, clinging to my curves. Naka-low bun ang buhok ko gaya ng bilin ni Alexa, and for the first time in years…I actually felt beautiful. 

Pero kasabay ng paghanga ko sa sarili ay ang matinding kaba na parang gustong kumawala sa dibdib ko.

Pagdating namin sa Villafuerte Hotel, lalong lumala ang pakiramdam ko. The grandeur of the place was suffocating. High ceilings, gold accents, and people who looked like they breathed money. Ang excitement na nararamdaman ko kanina ay agad napalitan ng kaba.

"Alexa," bulong ko habang nakakapit sa braso niya, "parang mali yata na nandito ako. I don’t belong here."

"You look rich enough to own the hotel, Chlo! Stop overthinking," she hissed back, checking her phone. Pero biglang nagbago ang mukha niya nang mabasa ang isang text. She looked at me with a mix of panic and desperation. The woman assigned to accompany Leo was stuck in traffic, and the event was starting in minutes.

Bago pa ako makatanggi, Alexa was already pleading, her hands clasped together. "Please! Sir Leonard needs someone for the entrance. The media is already downstairs! Isang lakad lang, Chloe. Save me please!"

"Wait, what? No! Alexa—"

Huli na ang lahat. My protests were drowned out by the frantic pace of the event coordinators. Hinila na ako ng mga staff papunta sa private elevator. My heart was thumping so loud I could hear it in my ears. I didn't even know who this 'Leonard' was, other than he was a Villafuerte.

When the door opened to the VIP lounge, natigilan ako. The air inside felt different—cooler, more expensive. And there he was, standing by the window, looking dangerously sharp in a black suit. When he turned around, my breath hitched.

"Bookstore girl?" gulat niyang sabi.

"History guy?!" I gasped, my hand flying to my mouth.

Hindi ko akalaing siya ang lalaking nakilala ko lang sa cafe bookstore—ay ang tanyag na si Leo Villafuerte. My mind went blank. This was the billionaire heir? I wanted to bolt, to run back into the elevator and disappear, but he stepped into my personal space before I could move.

His scent—a mix of expensive scotch and wood—wrapped around me, making my head spin. He looked at me, really looked at me, and I saw a flash of something in his eyes. Relief? 

"Just trust me for now," he whispered, his voice low and commanding. When I placed my hand on his arm, something shifted. It wasn't just the fabric of his suit; it was the atmosphere.

Pagbaba namin sa lobby, literal na sumabog ang flashes ng camera. 

FLASH. FLASH. FLASH. 

It was blinding. I felt dizzy, my senses overwhelmed by the noise and the light. "Oh my gosh," I whispered, gripping his arm tighter, my nails probably digging into the expensive wool.

"Relax," he murmured, leaning closer. His body heat was radiating through his suit, providing a strange sense of groundedness amidst the chaos. "Smile, Chloe."

 Biglang lumapit ang isang reporter, halos isubsob ang microphone sa mukha namin. "Sir Leo! Is this your fiancée? Is she the reason for the sudden announcement?"

My eyes widened. "NO—" I started to say, ready to clarify that I was just a last-minute substitute. Pero bago pa ako makatapos, Leo pulled me against his hard chest.

Everything happened in slow motion. His hand moved to the nape of my neck, his thumb grazing my jawline with a possessiveness that made my toes curl. "She’s shy around cameras," he smoothly answered the press, his voice steady and cool.

"Play along," he whispered against my ear, his breath hot against my skin.

And then, he leaned down. It wasn't a polite peck on the cheek or a staged touch. It wasn’t just a kiss for show—it was hungry, deep, and possessive. My mind short-circuited. I should have pushed him away, but my body had other ideas. My fingers curled into his lapels as the world blurred into a mess of lights and whispers. At that moment, it was just us.

When he finally pulled away, we were both breathless, our faces inches apart. He looked at the cameras with a defiant glint in his eyes, then back at me, before declaring to the world:

"She’s my fiancée."

My heart stopped. I looked at the crowd, then at him, realization sinking in. This wasn't just a favor for Alexa anymore. I had just been claimed by a lion in front of the entire country. The lie felt so heavy, yet when he squeezed my hand, a part of me—the part that still remembered our conversation in that dusty bookstore—didn't want him to let go.

 I was no longer just Chloe. In the eyes of the world, I was the future Mrs. Villafuerte. And looking at Leo’s determined face, I realized he had no intention of letting the world know otherwise.