Misha’s POV
I came home to find my dad slumped and dejected, sitting in the living room. I was in such a good mood because I had just finished bonding with my friends.
I glanced at my mom to ask what had happened to him. She told me that dad had been scammed by the suppliers at our farms. We lost millions, and just today, five of our major farms had been mortgaged. My dad didn’t know what to do to recover everything we lost. It felt worse than losing in a gamble. He had trusted those people too much, not realizing they were scammers.
I approached him. I had never seen my dad like this before. He’s usually cheerful, always smiling and loud when he’s happy. Now, he looked dazed, as if the whole world had collapsed on him.
“Dad, don’t be sad. We’ll figure out a way to get back what we lost,” I said as I sat beside him on the sofa.
He looked at me and smiled. “I already have an idea, dear,” he replied. I knew my dad would quickly find a way out because he’s smart and resourceful.
“You’re really clever, Dad. But what solution did you think of?” I asked, intrigued.
“The owner of the largest luxury car company in the Philippines has passed away. He was a friend of mine. It was sad news when I found out yesterday. And did you know that his only son, Everett Tani, will be taking over? He’s the godfather I’ve mentioned to you. I want you two to get closer. You two should end up together.”
I stood up abruptly when he said that. “Dad, are you serious?” I asked, raising my voice. I couldn’t believe that was the solution he came up with.
He stood up and held my shoulders. “Dear, that’s the only way I can think of. I’m serious. You’ll be set for life if you marry Everett Tani. The Tani family is extremely wealthy. Don’t you love fancy cars? If you marry him, all kinds of luxury cars could be yours.”
“But he’s my godfather! Is that even possible? The godchild and godfather ending up together? Yuck! I can’t do that, Dad. If that’s your only idea to recover the mortgaged farms, then just stop, because I won’t agree!”
He was about to speak again, but I stormed away from him. I went up to my room to grab my bag, cards, jewelry, and whatever money I had saved. I knew my dad wouldn’t stop pushing his plan, so I decided to leave them for now.
“Where are you going?” he asked when he saw me heading out of the house.
“To Jake, my boyfriend. We’re eloping,” I answered bluntly. That was my plan anyway. It’s better if they know so he can stop his nonsense.
“Dear, please, listen to your father. Don’t leave,” my mom pleaded, but I didn’t listen to either of them. I still left our house.
I immediately called Jake to tell him we’re eloping. He agreed but on one condition. He wanted to sleep with me first, and then he would provide for me. Whatever. I’m done with my good-girl and prim behavior. Maybe it’s time for me to be a bit wild. I also want to experience being with a man. I want to know what it’s like to moan in bed. I’ve restrained myself for so long from these kinds of experiences that I’ve craved since before. I’ve always followed what my parents said, that I should give my virginity to the right man.
Jake and I have been together for over a year, and he often asks me to sleep with him, but I always refuse. I kept telling him to wait for the right time. I couldn’t say for sure if Jake was the right man for me. He’s a drunkard, doesn’t have a stable job, and tends to get into fights. But I love him. I want him. And the only way to stop my dad from setting me up with my godfather is to be with Jake. We’ll live together; I’m determined in my decision. Whatever happens to us, I’m ready. I also want some thrill in my life. I’m old enough. I should be making decisions for myself.
Can you believe it, I’m already thirty years old, and I’m still a virgin? That’s how long I’ve preserved my womanhood due to my parents’ insistence that I should give my purity to the right man.
Tonight, the long-thirsty flower will finally be watered. I’ll experience what it’s like to moan in bed. I can’t wait anymore.
Misha’s POV“Come on over to the dining area, I’m done cooking,” he called out to me, so I stood up and placed the Tupperware filled with chicken afritada on the table in the living room.Even before I reached the dining area, I could already smell the food he had prepared. The aroma was different, unusual, even…based on what I was picking up.I raised an eyebrow when I saw a variety of dishes spread out on the table. He looked at me with a proud smile, as if he was admiring his own work. “Look, just from the way I plated everything, it already looks delicious, right? But once you taste it, you’ll forget all about that chicken afritada you had earlier.”He was already praising himself, so I just smiled. “Wait, what exactly are these dishes?” I asked, because to be honest, they looked new to me, both in appearance and, most likely, in taste.“I never told you this, Misha, but I actually studied culinary arts abroad. But only for three months, since I never really dreamed of becoming a
Misha’s POVYummy Godfather doesn’t know that I can see his movements on my phone. I’m watching him on CCTV right now. I’m amazed at how he slices the meat—he moves like a pro in the kitchen. He’s even marinating the meat. While letting it soak, he chops onions, garlic, and vegetables. I still have no idea what he’s cooking.I thought, if I ended up marrying him, this would be a regular scene in our kitchen. I’d have a husband who’s not only rich but also a great cook.While I was busy watching him, I received a message from Conrad."The chicken afritada I cooked is on its way to your house. I hope you like it."Right after reading his message, a delivery rider honked outside our house. I quickly stood up and went out."For Miss Misha Merdz," the rider said."Is this from Conrad?" I asked.He nodded and handed me a large, bagged-up Tupperware. There was nothing left to pay since Conrad had already covered it."Thank you, kuya."As I was heading back inside, I saw Everett standing at t
Misha’s POVI won’t get to taste Conrad’s cooking after all. My dad suddenly arrived at the farm and told me to go home because Everett was coming over to our house. I didn’t even get to say goodbye to Conrad. Dad hurried me home, saying he would be the one to explain my sudden departure to Conrad.What I don’t understand is—why didn’t Everett just tell me himself? Why did he have to talk to my dad instead?When I got home, I saw his fancy car already parked outside, which meant he was already inside. I quickly parked my car and rushed in.I found him sitting on the sofa, his forehead creased, clearly not in a good mood.“Everett?” I called out, my face showing a hint of nervousness.He looked at me, his eyes burning with intensity. Then, he stood up and walked toward me.“From now on, you’re not allowed to post photos of any other guy on your social media. My relatives, especially my aunts and uncles—are monitoring you. If they see you with another man, everything we’ve worked for wi
Misha's POVConrad and I talked here in front of my parents office cottage. I stared at his face intently as we conversed. He looks so handsome now, a far cry from the playful Conrad I used to know. His posture is commanding, with broad chest and shoulders.He couldn't believe that I, the mischievous and emotional Misha from our childhood, was now standing before him. I even smiled when he said I looked beautiful now. It made me feel silly. Men, always skilled in flattery. But I couldn't blame him; I knew he was being sincere. I kept absentmindedly tucking my hair behind my ear.“What kind of work did you do abroad, Conrad?” I asked, eager to hear updates about his life.“I worked as a chef at a restaurant in Paris. I took a year off here in the Philippines, and they couldn't let me go because I was one of their top chefs there. It’s been a long time since I've been home, so I deserved a year-long vacation,” he said with a grin. “Hey, but I'm not bragging. I'm just stating the facts.”
Everett’s POVWhile I was quietly sipping my coffee in the living room of my mansion, Uncle Gerald suddenly arrived with his wife, Aunt Maloi. The moment I saw their faces, I knew trouble was coming.“Why didn’t you even tell me that you were preparing for your birthday party?” he asked in an angry voice, as if he were my real father. It seems he forgot that he’s just my uncle.I placed my cup on the table and calmly stood up to face him.“Am I still a child that I need to ask for your permission? I’m old enough! I don’t need to inform you. Besides, do you really need to know about my birthday party preparations? Why? Is the money I’m spending coming from you? It’s not, is it? And what exactly is your role that you think you need to know about it?”Aunt Maloi laughed. I was caught off guard when she suddenly came up to me and slapped me.“How rude! Your uncle was just asking, and yet you responded like that!” she shouted at me. I smirked. “You’re always like this. It’s obvious that yo
Misha’s POVPapa went to Manila, and Mama suddenly fell ill. She asked me to go to the farm today to oversee the harvesting of dragon fruits by our workers. There were a lot of pending orders, and they needed to be delivered tomorrow. Mama insisted that I go to the farm to supervise our staff’s work. Apparently, whenever she and Papa weren’t around during harvest time, profits would often be split unfairly. Some of the workers would take home a portion of the harvest to sell on their own, causing losses for Mama and Papa. Nowadays, even a single centavo matters to them, so they emphasized the importance of being vigilant at all times.When I arrived at the farm, I saw that the male staff assigned to pick dragon fruits were just about to start their work.“Good morning, Miss Misha!” they greeted me in unison. I smiled in response.Honestly, I never used to do that before. But now that this farm is all we have left, I figured it wouldn’t be right to keep acting cold. It’s not that I was