Chapter 1 - The stranger in crimson

Megan Damian was a breathtaking beauty with a strong-willed personality. Intelligent and quick-thinking, she had the potential to excel in business, but she had never bothered to use her talents. Instead, she put her sharp mind to work bargaining for the best deals whenever she went shopping—a skill she proudly considered one of her greatest strengths.

The sharp clicks of her designer stilettos echoed across the polished glass floor as she strode into Damian Tech, the billion-dollar company owned by her parents. Despite her confident entrance, her expression remained unusually blank. Just minutes ago, she had discovered that every one of her credit cards had been blocked, leaving her confused, frustrated, and wondering what had suddenly gone wrong.

Before Megan could reach the conference room, her father's assistant, Henry, stepped in front of her, blocking her path.

"I'm sorry, Miss Megan," he said politely. "Mr. Damian is currently in a meeting. He gave strict instructions not to let anyone enter the conference room."

Megan frowned, her brows knitting together in frustration. "I'm his daughter," she protested. "Why am I not allowed in?"

Henry offered an apologetic smile. "I'm afraid I can't answer that right now. Perhaps you could wait for him in the lounge." He gestured toward the waiting area, but Megan didn't budge.

"No, thanks," she replied firmly. "I'll wait here."

Without another word, she crossed her arms and stood outside the conference room, determined to confront her father the moment the meeting ended. She needed answers—especially about why every one of her credit cards had suddenly been blocked.

As always, Megan ended up waiting far longer than she expected. At last, the conference room doors swung open. Her father stepped out with the board members, discussing business as they walked down the hallway.

The moment she spotted him, Megan hurried over. "Dad!" she called, grabbing his attention. "Why did you block my cards?"

She stomped her foot like a child throwing a tantrum, drawing amused chuckles from the board members. A few exchanged awkward glances, while others struggled to hide their laughter.

Mr. Damian's expression darkened. Instead of answering her, he shot her a disappointed look. "We'll talk at home," he said curtly before continuing down the hallway, leaving Megan standing there in stunned silence.

Megan stood frozen for a moment, unable to believe her father had simply walked away. "Dad!" she called after him, but he didn't even look back.

Her lips parted in disbelief before she let out an irritated groan. "What is going on with him today?"

The board members followed Mr. Damian to the elevator, their quiet conversations resuming as if nothing had happened. Megan caught a few curious glances, making her cheeks burn with embarrassment.

Henry approached her cautiously. "Miss Megan..."

She turned to him. "You knew, didn't you?"

The assistant hesitated before lowering his gaze. "I'm sorry, Miss. Mr. Damian instructed everyone not to tell you anything."

Megan sighed in frustration and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"First, my cards are blocked. Now no one will tell me why." She let out a humorless laugh. "Did I wake up in the wrong universe?" Henry remained silent.

After a few seconds, Megan grabbed her designer handbag and headed for the exit. "Fine," she muttered. "I'll wait until we get home." Little did she know, the conversation waiting for her would change her life forever.

"Starting today, you're on your own."

Her father's words echoed repeatedly in Megan's ears.

She stood frozen, her designer handbag slipping from her fingers and landing on the marble floor with a dull thud. Her mind went blank as disbelief washed over her.

"D-Dad..." she whispered, shaking her head. "You're joking... right?"

There was no answer.

Desperate, she turned to her mother, silently pleading for her to say something—for her to tell Mr. Damian he had gone too far.

Instead, Mrs. Damian let out a quiet sigh.

"Your father and I made this decision together, Megan."

Her heart sank.

"No..." Megan took a step back, her eyes glistening. "Mom, you agreed to this?"

Mrs. Damian nodded sadly.

"We love you, sweetheart. That's exactly why we're doing this."

Megan couldn't believe what she was hearing. For the first time in her life, her parents weren't giving in to her demands. They weren't spoiling her. They were taking away the only life she had ever known.

"Oh my Goodness! This is ridiculous, you're unbelievable," Megan desperately exclaimed.

For the first time in her life, Megan Damian realized that no amount of pleading, arguing, or throwing a tantrum would change her parents' minds.

The next morning, she woke up without unlimited credit cards, without a chauffeur waiting outside, and without servants ready to fulfill her every whim. Still convinced her parents were only trying to scare her, Megan tossed the thought aside and left the mansion.

"They'll come to their senses soon enough," she muttered confidently.

She headed straight to one of the city's upscale shopping malls, determined to continue living as though nothing had changed.

As she walked through the crowded hallway, she accidentally bumped into a woman carrying a cup of coffee.

Splash!

The coffee spilled all over the woman's white collared blouse.

"My God!" the woman cried in panic, staring at the large stain. "Look what you've done! You ruined my clothes!"

Megan glanced at the plain, unbranded shirt before curling her lips into a smug smile.

"Is it really my fault that you spilled your own coffee?" she replied sarcastically. "No, I don't think it is."

"What?!" the woman shouted.

Before Megan could react, the furious woman grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked it hard.

"Ouch!" Megan winced. "Let go!"

"You bumped into me, and now you're refusing to take responsibility?" the woman snapped. "Are you going to pay for my clothes or not?"

"Fine!" Megan replied through clenched teeth. "I'll pay. Just let me go."

As soon as the woman released her hair, she firmly grabbed Megan's wrist instead, making sure she couldn't run away.

Megan led her toward a nearby department store. Along the way, she casually opened her banking app, intending to transfer money.

The moment the screen loaded, her smile vanished.

'Your card is blocked to prevent further unauthorized use.' Her heart skipped a beat.

"No..." She refreshed the page.

Still the same.

She refreshed it again.

Nothing had changed.

Her father's words echoed in her mind.

"Starting today, you're on your own."

A wave of panic washed over her as they entered the clothing section.

The woman didn't stop at choosing a replacement blouse. Instead, she began piling expensive clothes into her shopping basket.

Megan frowned. "Hey! Are you trying to empty my wallet?" she protested. "As far as I remember, I only owe you one shirt."

The woman shrugged without looking at her. "This collection is vintage. Since you ruined my outfit, you should compensate me properly."

A few minutes later, the cashier scanned the last item. "Your total comes to two hundred fifty thousand pesos," the cashier announced politely.

Megan's jaw dropped. "Two hundred fifty thousand?"

Her pulse quickened as she desperately searched for a way out of the situation.

Then, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a man walking into the department store.

He was impossibly handsome. His sharp facial features seemed almost sculpted to perfection. His neatly groomed eyebrows framed a pair of piercing eyes, while his straight nose and well-defined lips completed his striking appearance. Dressed in a perfectly tailored crimson suit that complemented his warm moreno complexion, he carried himself with quiet confidence and authority. Every step he took drew curious glances from the people around him.

An impulsive idea flashed through Megan's mind!

Without hesitation, she slipped her wrist free from the woman's grip. "Wait here!" she said quickly. "My fiancé just arrived."

Before the woman could respond, Megan dashed toward the handsome stranger. "Honey!" she called out brightly.

The man didn't even spare her a glance. Ignoring his indifference, Megan hurried over and wrapped both arms around his, smiling as though they were a loving couple.

"There you are!" she said sweetly. "I've been looking everywhere for you."