Chapter 1

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 unresolved bitterness.

I glanced around, forcing a tight smile as if that could ease the weight in my chest.

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

But 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 rang out before I could drown in my own thoughts.

I turned toward him, and just like that, a piece of familiarity grounded me. He hadn’t changed much. Same easy grin. Same bright eyes that had witnessed the worst and best versions of me.

Jac—one of the few people who stood by me. The only bridge I kept with this place.

He’d been my eyes and ears while I was away. The one who kept me updated about the lives of people who had long erased me from their story.

Before I left, I attended Grandpa’s funeral. But even in grief, they didn’t miss the chance to remind me where I stood.

An outcast.

Unwanted. Unwelcome. 

And now? Three years later? Suddenly, they had something to ask of me. Or maybe… something to force on me.

Jac was the one who brought the news. Dropped the bomb like it was just another update.

I still wondered… why now? Why wait this long? What changed?

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

I shook my head slightly, trying to center myself. “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 left and right abroad.”

I let out a small laugh. “Stop it.”

But Jac, being Jac, didn’t stop. “I’m serious! You’re glowing, sir! I almost didn’t recognize you. New haircut, better skin, new aura... but still the same grumpy face deep inside.”

I shook my head again, trying not to laugh, but failing anyway. “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’d changed, no matter how far I’d come, stepping back into this life… it rattled something deep in me.

A part I thought I’d buried.

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

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

“We’re doomed, sir,” he said with a dramatic sigh. “You’re not even prepared, and yet here you are... agreeing to fulfill your grandfather’s last wish.”

I let out a low, humorless laugh as I climbed into the car. The second 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 clear plan.

No strategy. No backup.

I just said yes.

Just packed my bags and booked the first flight.

Just trusted this stubborn, reckless part of me that couldn’t ignore Grandpa’s last request.

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

I was no longer the naïve, desperate guy they tossed aside years ago.

They couldn’t break me now.

And if they tried… I’d remind them of the monster they helped create.

Jac slid into the driver’s seat, stealing a glance at me before starting the engine.

“You know…” he began, his voice dropping lower, “you can still back out. Catch the next flight. Go back to your happy, peaceful life. Nobody’s forcing you to do this, Sir Nelson.”

I stared out the window for a beat, then shook 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, his grip tightening on the wheel. “Fair enough. Your grandfather loved you, no doubt about that. Even if you were… well… a bit of a rebel.”

I chuckled under my breath. “A bit?”

Jac laughed too, but I could feel the worry still lingering behind his jokes.

The drive stretched on, each mile making my stomach twist tighter.

“Brace yourself, sir,” Jac finally said, breaking the silence. “I’m taking you to a place that’s gonna change your life.”

“Let’s go,” I said, 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 the car and turned to me with a wide, mischievous grin. “Good luck, Sir Nelson!”

I didn’t answer.

My attention was locked on the front doors of that building like they were the gates of hell.

I reached for my purple necktie again, adjusting it even though it was already straight.

Why did it feel like it was choking me?

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

I kept asking myself, could I really go through with this?

Could I really sacrifice my freedom… for this?

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

But there was no turning back.

Not now.

I walked inside. The air felt thick. Stuffy. Every step I took made my heart pound louder against my ribs.

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.

This was all pre-arranged. Rushed. Messy. Like everything else my family touched.

I sat in the waiting area, but I couldn’t stay still. My legs bounced. My fingers tapped against my knees.

I kept breathing in and out, but it wasn’t helping.

My palms were slick with sweat. My forehead is cold. The walls felt like they were closing in.

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

I froze.

Because when I opened my eyes… she was there.

A woman with untamed pink hair… standing just a few feet away.

Her eyes locked onto mine.

And in that split second… both of us froze.

Like we’d seen a ghost.

Like fate decided to play a cruel joke.

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

“You?!”