Prologue

The Contract

"You have two choices, Cael."

Tahimik ang buong study habang nakaupo si Davon Valcieri sa likod ng malaking mahogany desk. Sa labas ng floor-to-ceiling windows, makikita ang city lights na parang libo-libong bituin na nakakalat sa madilim na kalangitan.

But there was no trace of admiration on the face of the man standing in front of him.

Caelvaris Ethaniel Valcieri.

Twenty-nine years old.

Youngest CEO of Valcieri Holdings.

A billionaire.

Powerful.

Untouchable.

Sa business world, kilala siya bilang isang lalaking hindi marunong umatras sa kahit anong laban.

Pero ngayong gabi, for the first time, parang may taong nakahanap ng paraan para siya ang ma-corner.

Cael crossed his arms.

"What are my choices?"

Dahan-dahang sumandal si Davon sa kanyang upuan.

"Marry the woman I've chosen for you..."

Huminto siya sandali.

"...or lose Valcieri Holdings."

Napatawa nang mahina si Cael.

Not because it was funny.

But because he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"You're serious?"

"Completely."

"You want me to get married because of a company?"

"Not just because of the company."

Kumunot ang noo ni Cael.

"Then what?"

Kinuha ni Davon ang isang black folder na nakapatong sa kanyang desk at itinulak iyon patungo sa kanya.

"Because of a promise."

Napatingin si Caelvaris sa folder.

"A promise?"

"Twenty-two years ago, I made an agreement with the Ashworth family."

Biglang nawala ang amusement sa mukha ni Caelvaris.

"The Ashworth family?"

"Yes."

"What do they have to do with me?"

Hindi agad sumagot si Davon.

Instead, binuksan niya ang folder.

Isang lumang photograph ang kinuha niya.

The moment Cael saw it, nanigas ang katawan niya.

He knew the woman in the picture.

Long dark hair.

Elegant smile.

Bright eyes.

His aunt.

Astaroth Valcieri.

His father's younger sister.

The woman who disappeared twenty-two years ago.

Biglang tumigas ang expression ni Cael.

"What does she have to do with this?"

Davon placed another photograph beside the first one.

This time, isang young woman ang nasa picture.

Long black hair.

Simple clothes.

Soft features.

She wasn't wearing expensive jewelry or designer clothes.

She looked ordinary.

But there was something about her eyes that caught Cael's attention.

"Her name is Xyenarius Ashworth."

Cael looked at the photograph.

"So?"

"She's the granddaughter of the Ashworth family."

"And?"

Nanatiling kalmado ang boses ni Davon.

"She's the woman you're going to marry."

For several seconds, walang nagsalita.

Then Cael slowly raised his eyes.

"No."

Hindi man lang natinag si Davon.

"You haven't met her."

"And I don't need to."

"Cael—"

"No."

Tumayo nang tuwid si Cael.

"I don't marry strangers."

"You will if you want to keep the company."

His jaw tightened.

"This is blackmail."

"This is business."

"You call forcing someone into marriage business?"

Napabuntong-hininga si Davon.

"You think I don't know what I'm asking you to do?"

"Then don't ask."

Silence filled the room.

Sa labas, isang malakas na kidlat ang biglang nagliwanag sa madilim na kalangitan.

Tumingin si Davon sa kanyang apo.

"My health isn't what it used to be."

Bahagyang nagbago ang expression ni Cael.

He knew.

Alam ng buong pamilya na lumalala na ang kondisyon ng kanyang grandfather.

Despite their arguments and Davon's strict personality, Cael loved him.

He just hated being manipulated.

"There's a clause in the succession agreement," patuloy ni Davon. "If you remain unmarried until your thirtieth birthday, the board can transfer the controlling shares to Callix."

Biglang dumilim ang mga mata ni Cael.

"Callix?"

"Yes."

"Absolutely not."

For years, Callix Valcieri had been waiting for an opportunity like this.

He wanted Cael's position.

His company.

His power.

Everything.

Itinulak ni Davon ang isa pang document patungo sa kanya.

"One year."

Tumingin si Cael sa papers.

"One year?"

"Marry Xyena. Stay married for twelve months. After that, if you both agree, you can divorce."

Cael stared at the contract.

It was insane.

Completely insane.

Hindi niya kilala si Xyena.

Hindi niya alam ang personality nito.

Hindi niya alam ang mga pangarap nito.

And he certainly didn't know if she even wanted this.

But he knew what would happen if he refused.

Everything his family had built could fall into the wrong hands.

"Fine."

Bahagyang tumaas ang kilay ni Davon.

Kinuha ni Cael ang pen.

"One year."

He signed the first page.

"But I have conditions."

"Go on."

"No expectations."

Tahimik lang si Davon.

"No unnecessary involvement in my personal affairs."

Patuloy sa pagsusulat si Cael.

"Separate rooms."

"Agreed."

"No pretending when we're alone."

"Of course."

"And after one year..."

Huminto siya.

Diretsong tumingin si Cael sa kanyang grandfather.

"...we walk away."

Davon nodded.

"Agreed."

Ibinaba ni Cael ang pen.

Then he added,

"One more thing."

"What?"

"I will never fall in love with her."

For the first time that night, nagbago ang expression ni Davon.

Matagal niyang tinitigan ang apo bago siya tuluyang nagsalita.

"Never make promises about something you haven't met yet."

Kumunot ang noo ni Cael.

But he didn't answer.

Kinuha lamang niya ulit ang photograph.

Xyenarius Ashworth.

The woman who was about to become his wife.

A complete stranger.

Someone he had no intention of loving.

At least...

that's what he believed.

Xyena's POV

Across the city, inside a small apartment, another person was staring at the same contract.

Xyenarius Ashworth.

Nanginginig ang mga kamay niya habang binabasa ang bawat linya.

Twelve months.

Marriage.

Valcieri Holdings.

Divorce.

She couldn't believe that her entire future had been reduced to a few pages of legal documents.

"Anak..."

Mahina ang boses ng kanyang ina.

Hindi tumingala si Xyena.

"How much do we owe them?"

Napabuntong-hininga ang kanyang ina.

"Enough."

"That's not an answer, Mom."

"Xyena..."

"Mom."

Finally, umupo ang kanyang ina sa tabi niya.

"The company is drowning."

Napayuko si Xyena.

"How bad?"

"The bank is threatening to take the house. Your father's debts are getting worse. We don't have enough to pay our employees."

Pumikit si Xyena.

She knew things were bad.

Nakikita niya ang mga bills.

Naririnig niya ang mga pagtatalo ng kanyang mga magulang tuwing gabi.

At nakita rin niya kung paano unti-unting nawawalan ng pag-asa ang kanyang ama.

But she never expected that saving her family would come down to one thing.

Marriage.

"Why me?"

Tumingin sa kanya ang kanyang ina nang may lungkot sa mga mata.

"Because you're the only one they asked for."

Napatawa nang mapait si Xyena.

"How convenient."

"Anak, you don't have to do this."

Tumingin siya sa kanyang ina.

"If I don't?"

Hindi sumagot ang kanyang ina.

That silence was enough.

Muling tumingin si Xyena sa contract.

Naisip niya ang kanilang bahay.

Ang kumpanya ng kanyang ama.

Ang lahat ng sakripisyong ginawa ng kanyang ina.

Everything her family had worked for.

Dahan-dahan niyang kinuha ang pen.

Nanginginig ang kanyang kamay.

"This is only one year."

Tumango ang kanyang ina.

"Yes."

"After that, tapos na."

"Yes."

"No feelings."

Sandaling nag-alinlangan ang kanyang ina.

"Yes."

Huminga nang malalim si Xyena.

Then she signed.

Xyenarius Ashworth.

Her name now appeared beside the name of the most powerful man in the country.

Caelvaris Ethaniel Valcieri.

Her future husband.

A stranger.

A billionaire.

A CEO.

And a man she had never even spoken to.

Ibinaba ni Xyena ang pen.

"This is only a contract."

Tumingin sa kanya ang kanyang ina.

"Yes."

"One year."

"Yes."

"No love."

Binigyan siya ng kanyang ina ng isang malungkot na ngiti.

"That's the plan."

Tumango si Xyena.

"Then I'll survive."

Hindi niya alam na those words would soon become much harder to keep.

Because neither Cael nor Xyenaknew the truth.

Their families had been connected long before they were born.

Twenty-two years ago, something happened between the Valcieri and Ashworth families.

Something terrible.

Something that caused Astaroth Valcieri to disappear.

And someone had spent more than two decades making sure that secret stayed buried.

Until now.

The contract was supposed to be simple.

One year.

Two strangers.

No love.

No attachment.

Then divorce.

But fate doesn't always follow contracts.

Because sometimes, the person you're forbidden to love...

is the very person your heart chooses anyway.

At minsan, ang pinakamalaking sikreto ay hindi kung bakit ka pinilit magpakasal.

It's why your families were so desperate to keep you apart.

And Caelvaris Valcieri was about to discover that his beautiful new wife was connected to the darkest secret of his family's past.

A secret that could destroy them both.

And this time, there would be no contract strong enough to protect them.