Chapter 1

Nelson

I let out a deep, shaky breath the moment I stepped out of the airport.

The air felt heavier than I remembered. Or maybe it was just me, carrying years’ worth of bitterness I never really dealt with. I glanced around, forcing a tight smile as if that could soften the weight in my chest.

I thought this day would never come. I thought I’d never set foot in this country again. I convinced myself that life abroad was enough. That distance was the best cure for a bruised ego and a broken heart.

Yet here I am, back in the place I swore I’d never return to.

All because of one thing.

My grandfather’s last wish.

“Sir Nelson!” Jac’s voice cut through my thoughts before I could sink too deep into them.

I turned toward him, and a familiar steadiness settled over me. He hadn’t changed much—same easy grin, same bright eyes that had seen the worst and the best of me.

Jac was one of the few people who stayed. The only bridge I kept with this place.

While I was away, he acted as my eyes and ears. He updated me about the lives of the people who had long erased me from theirs.

I’d come home only for Grandpa’s funeral. But even in grief, they didn’t miss a chance to remind me where I stood.

An outcast.

Unwanted.

Unwelcome.

Now, three years later, they suddenly had something to ask of me or force on me.

Jac was the one who told me. Dropped the news like it was just another update.

Even now, I still wonder why. Why wait this long? What changed?

“Welcome back, Sir!” Jac said again, pulling me out of my daze.

I shook my head lightly. “Thanks, Jac.”

His grin widened as he grabbed my luggage. “You’ve leveled up, Sir Nelson! That glow! Mature but hot! I bet you’ve been breaking hearts abroad.”

I let out a small laugh. “Stop it.”

But Jac, being Jac, kept going. “I’m serious! New haircut, better skin, upgraded aura… but still the same grumpy face.”

I tried not to laugh but failed. “Your mouth hasn’t changed.”

“Just like yours, Sir! Quick-witted as ever.”

I smiled, but inside, my stomach churned.

I could joke with Jac all day, but it wouldn’t erase the truth. I was anxious. Restless. On edge.

No matter how much I changed or how far I’d gone, stepping back into this life shook something I thought I’d buried.

“The question is…” Jac said, looking at me, “Are you ready? Are you sure about this?”

I bit my lip, offering him a small, sheepish smile. He didn’t need my answer. He already knew. Jac could always read me like an open book.

“We’re doomed, sir,” he sighed dramatically. “You’re not prepared at all, and yet here you are, agreeing to fulfill your grandfather’s last wish.”

I let out a humorless laugh as I climbed into the car. The moment I sat down, another sigh escaped me. It felt like I’d been holding my breath since the plane landed.

Jac wasn’t wrong. I wasn’t ready.

I didn’t even have a plan.

No strategy. No backup.

I just said yes. Packed my bags. Booked the earliest flight, trusted that stubborn, reckless part of me that couldn’t ignore Grandpa’s last request.

If I’d survived life abroad with no family, no safety nets, and nothing but grit, then maybe I could survive this too.

I wasn’t the naive, desperate guy they tossed aside.

They couldn’t break me now.

And if they tried, I’d remind them of the monster they created.

Jac slid into the driver’s seat and glanced at me before starting the engine. “You know, you can still back out. Catch the next flight. Go back to your peaceful life. Nobody’s forcing you to do this, Sir Nelson.”

I stared out the window for a moment before shaking my head. “You know I won’t. I already gave my word. Besides, this isn’t for them. This is for Grandpa. He’s the only one who ever treated me like family.”

Jac nodded, gripping the wheel tighter. “Fair enough. Your grandfather loved you, that’s for sure. Even if you were… well, a bit of a rebel.”

I chuckled. “A bit?”

Jac laughed, though the worry behind his jokes stayed.

The drive stretched on, each mile tightening the knot in my stomach.

“Brace yourself, sir,” Jac said at last. “I’m taking you to the place that’s about to change your life.”

“Let’s go,” I replied, straightening my necktie. “You talk too much.”

An hour later, we pulled up in front of an old municipal hall just outside Manila.

I stared at the building through the windshield, swallowing hard.

Jac parked and shot me a wide, mischievous grin. “Good luck, Sir Nelson!”

I didn’t respond.

My attention stayed glued to the front doors like they were gates to something I wasn’t prepared for.

I adjusted my purple tie even though it was already straight. For some reason, it felt like it was choking me.

I hadn’t even stepped inside, but I already felt trapped.

Could I really go through with this?

Could I really sacrifice my freedom?

I stepped out of the car, legs heavier than they should’ve been. My throat felt dry, like I hadn’t drunk water in days.

But backing out wasn’t an option.

Not anymore.

I walked inside. The air was thick and stuffy. Each step made my heartbeat louder in my ears.

In just a few minutes, I’d be married.

To a woman with pink hair.

Yes… pink.

We hadn’t met. We hadn’t talked. We hadn’t even exchanged names.

Everything was prearranged. Rushed. Messy. Just like everything my family touched.

I sat in the waiting area but couldn’t stay still. My leg bounced. My fingers tapped against my knees. I kept forcing myself to breathe, but it barely helped.

My palms were damp. My forehead was cold. The walls seemed to inch closer.

I closed my eyes, trying to steady myself. “I can’t do this. I can’t. I’m sorry, Grandpa—”

But I froze.

Because when I opened my eyes, she was already there.

A woman with wild pink hair, standing just a few feet away.

Her eyes found mine.

And for a moment, both of us went still.

Like we’d seen a ghost.

As if fate had decided to mess with us.

At the same time, we pointed at each other and shouted the same word—

“You?!”