Elaine and Zedrix’s wedding was held at a five-star hotel in Tagaytay, with many guests in attendance.Even though Mrs. Montes was harsh toward Zedrix in private, she was excellent at pretending in front of others. Everyone thought she was a kind and caring mother.The wedding was grand. According to Mrs. Montes, even if Zedrix wasn’t her biological son, she still considered him her own. Because of that, she said she couldn't afford to let the Lopez family lose face.However, the dowry the Montes family gave Elaine included only three houses, four stores, and a few pieces of jewelry that were traditionally expected in weddings. All in all, it was nothing compared to the 200 million peso dowry the Dominguez family gave to Eloise.Mrs. Montes wore a pastel-colored dress, looking gentle and dignified, busy welcoming guests. Mr. Montes, who was already in his fifties, wore formal attire and still carried the poise of his younger years.When Eloise arrived, she politely greeted and shook h
Cosmo’s handsome face was so close, and the intensity in his deep, sharp eyes felt like it was wrapping around Eloise, making it impossible for her to escape.If someone was weak-willed or easily distracted, they probably wouldn’t have had the courage to look Cosmo in the eye out of fear or anxiety. But not Eloise, she wasn’t afraid of him. She stared straight at him without hesitation. “He’s a seasoned lawyer. There’s nothing wrong if I get to know him. It’s for benefits!”“Stay away from him next time,” Cosmo replied coldly. “He’s not the only lawyer in Tagaytay. If you need someone to check a contract, find someone else.”Eloise wasn’t sure if Cosmo was worried that she might be using Atty. Andrade to dig up personal information about him, or if he thought that getting close to the lawyer was no different from getting close to another man, which might be seen as betrayal.She was still trying to figure out how to explain herself when Cosmo suddenly called Paolo and told him to esc
Atty. Andrade didn’t immediately say whether he agreed or not, but Cosmo was quick to refuse, and he wasn’t even trying to be polite about it.Eloise laughed in disbelief, clearly annoyed. “We’re married. And knowing that Atty. Andrade works for you only makes me trust him more.” She turned to Faro. “I’m willing to pay.”“He doesn’t need your petty money,” Cosmo replied coldly.Eloise could tell Cosmo was deliberately going against her. “I’m talking to Atty. Andrade. You can’t answer for him. Are you his lawyer now, too?”They began throwing sharp remarks at each other, neither one backing down. Faro, who rarely saw Cosmo act this way, found it amusing and quietly watched the two argue.In the end, Atty. Andrade purposely took Eloise’s side. “Alright, Eloise. Since you’re Cosmo’s wife, I’ll help you out.”Eloise smiled and handed him the document. Faro read through it seriously while she waited quietly, not interrupting him.Cosmo’s expression darkened slightly. When Faro finished rea
Eloise wanted to give Arellano a clear answer, so she decided to meet and talk to him in person. She scheduled an appointment at the company.Even before finding out that she wasn’t a real daughter of the Lopez family, Arellano had already planned to leave the company to Eloise. Since she was the only daughter, it was natural for her to inherit all the Lopez properties one day. But after the truth came out, that she wasn't related by blood, she didn’t just lose her right to the inheritance. She also lost her chance to join the company and hold any position.When Eloise arrived, Arellano’s secretary greeted her and escorted her to his office. She was even served coffee while waiting. A few minutes later, Arellano came in right after his meeting.Eloise got straight to the point. “I talked to Cosmo last night, but he said no.”Arellano didn’t take it well. “If he was just going to say no, why bother coming here at all? You shouldn’t have shown up.”Eloise answered calmly, “Dad, with the
In the days that followed, Eloise continued to leave early and return home late. With the cold relationship between her and Cosmo, he had no reason to ask what she was busy with.Still, Eloise had already mentioned that her father, Arellano, might try to reach out to Cosmo through Jiro. Because of Arellano’s influence, Jiro couldn’t refuse and ended up informing Cosmo about it.Cosmo was the one who eventually called Arellano. At the beginning of the conversation, Arellano pretended to show concern for Cosmo’s health before slowly shifting the topic to the Bay Resort project.“Who’s in charge of the project? We have the capacity to take part in it,” Arellano said carefully.Cosmo knew the real situation behind the Lopez family. If their business was truly stable, Arellano wouldn’t have rushed to marry off both his children just to rescue their company from crisis.Cosmo replied calmly, “If that’s the case, why didn’t Eloise just come to me directly? Why go through Jiro?”Arellano reme
Eloise was the kind of person who acted fast. The moment she said she would start a studio and help Sasha debut, she immediately began working on a detailed plan.Sasha had never liked reading lengthy documents filled with words, not even back in school. So when she saw Eloise’s plan, she felt an instant headache coming on.Because of that, Eloise patiently explained the important parts, simplifying the more complicated details. In the end, she emphasized just one thing, “What matters most is that you cooperate with me.”Slowly, Sasha began to absorb everything Eloise was saying. All she really understood was that Eloise genuinely wanted to help her become an actress.The truth was, Sasha’s mother had once been a rising actress before marrying her father. From stage plays to small TV series, her mom had slowly been gaining recognition. But when she found out she was pregnant, she had no choice but to leave her film crew.After giving birth, she focused entirely on raising Sasha, and