Chapter 1

The grand ballroom of the Velez Estate was a sea of shimmering silk, expensive champagne, and secrets hidden behind ornate masks. Sa ilalim ng naglalakihang chandelier, bawat kilos ay tila kalkulado, nagsasabing walang puwang ni isang dungis sa eleganteng lugar na ito. But for Sophie, it is different, it felt more like a cage.

“Remember, Sophie,” her brother, Zion, whispered as he adjusted his own dark velvet mask. “Just stay by my side. Maraming business partners dito, and I need to make a good impression. Huwag kang gagawa ng kahit anong eksena.”

Sophie adjusted the itchy lace of her silver gown. She was only twenty-one, a fresh graduate with dreams that didn't involve corporate mergers or stiff gala nights.

“I know, Kuya. I’m just here as your 'plus one' because you didn't want to bring one of your flings.”

Zion chuckled, but his eyes remained sharp, scanning the room. “Maniwala ka sa akin, this is the most important night of my career. The Velez Group is announcing their new CEO tonight. If I get on his good side, our family’s logistics business will be saved.”

She sighed, her gaze wandering toward the balcony where the cool night air promised an escape from the suffocating scent of expensive perfume and pretension. “Sino ba talaga ang lalaking ‘yan? Is he really that powerful?”

“Jace Velez?” Zion’s voice dropped an octave, filled with a mix of respect and fear. “He’s a shark, Sophie. They call him the Ice King. He doesn't have a heart; he only has a balance sheet. Kaya please, stay on your best behavior.” He even gave her a meaningful gaze before roaming his sight around the grand ballroom.

But as the night wore on, the "Ice King" was nowhere to be found. Bored and feeling the sting of her high heels, Elara slipped away from her brother while he was deep in conversation with a group of investors. Tinungo nito ang malawak na hardin, na kung saan matatanaw ang liwanag ng buwan na animo’y isang mamahaling kolorete na nagbibigay-buhay sa mga bulaklak na naroroon.

“Finally, I can breathe,” she whispered to herself.

She leaned against a stone pillar, closing her eyes. The distant music from the ballroom sounded like a heartbeat. Ang pakiramdam niya ay para siyang si Cinderella, na walang prinsipe. Napabuntong-hininga siya sa sitwasyong kinalalagyan niya. She just wanted a simple life—na kung saan maaari siyang magdesisyon at pumili ng kanyang gusto.

“Running away from the party, or just hiding from someone?”

The voice was deep, like the low hum of a cello, vibrating through the air and settling deep in her chest. Sophie’s eyes snapped open.

Standing just a few feet away, leaning against a dark oak tree, was a man. He wore a simple black tuxedo that fit his broad shoulders perfectly, but it was his mask that caught her attention. It was obsidian black, covering the upper half of his face, leaving only a sharp, stubbly jawline and a pair of lips that looked like they were carved from granite. Isang estranghero ang lalaki para sa kanya.

“I… I’m just getting some air,” Sophie managed to say, her pulse suddenly racing. “And you? Why are you out here? Hindi ba dapat nandoon ka sa loob, nakikipag-plastikan sa mga board members?”

The man stepped out of the shadows. Even in the dim light, he was imposing. He moved with the grace of a predator—slow, deliberate, and dangerous.

“Masyadong maingay sa loob. Plus, people are fake. I prefer the quiet... and the honesty of the dark.”

Tumigil ang lalaki sa tapat niya. Matangkad ito, na kailangan pang tumingala ng dalaga upang mapantayan ang titig nito sa ilalim ng maskara. The scent of sandalwood, expensive tobacco, and something uniquely wrapped around her senses. Kakaiba ang amoy nito ngunit parang nais ng dalaga na mas lalong idikit ang sarili nito sa kausap.

“Honesty?Sophie let out a nervous laugh. “How can you talk about honesty when you’re wearing a mask?”

The stranger leaned in, his face inches from hers. She could see his eyes through the slits of the mask—dark, piercing, and filled with a sudden, raw intensity.

“A mask doesn't hide who you are, little bird. It gives you the freedom to be who you truly want to be. Tonight, we aren't names or titles. We are just two strangers in the dark.”

“Hindi mo man lang ba itatanong ang pangalan ko?” she whispered, her voice trembling. Pilit na ikinukubli ang pagkabalisa sa isinagot ng binata.

“No,” he murmured, his thumb grazing the line of her jaw. His touch was electric, sending shivers down her spine that she couldn't control. “Names are for the morning. Tonight, you are just mine.”

It should have been a red flag. It should have made her run back to the safety of her brother. Pero ang paraan ng pagtitig nito sa kanya: na parang siya ang pinakamagandang nilalang sa mga oras na iyon, ay parang isang droga na hindi niya alam kung paano iiwasan.

Without a word, he took her hand and led her further into the gardens, toward a secluded gazebo draped in jasmine. The air was thick with the scent of flowers and the unspoken tension between them.

Hindi nag-aksaya ng oras ang lalaki. Sila lamang ang nasa hardin, tahimik at nakabibighani ang gabi. Naramdaman ni Sophie ang pagyakap sa kanya ng lalaki at ang pagdampi ng labi nito sa kanya. The kiss was not gentle. It was a collision—a desperate, hungry claim that left Sophie breathless. It was as if he had been waiting his whole life to find her, and now that he had, he was never going to let go.

“Stay with me,” he growled against her lips. “Just for tonight. No questions. No regrets.”

“Yes,” she breathed out, her common sense drowning in the heat of his touch. “Kahit ngayong gabi lang.”

Ipinagkaloob niya ang sarili sa isang estranghero ng buong-buo. When he entered her, it was a sharp shock to her system, the sting of surrendering her innocence—but Jace slowed, his forehead resting against hers as he waited for her to adjust.

Then he began to move, each stroke a deliberate, rhythmic friction that set her soul on fire. Napalitan ng sarap ang bawat sakit na hindi pa niya nararanasan sa buong buhay niya. Bawat haplos, halik, at pisil nito sa kanyang katawan ay may kung anong binubuhay sa loob niya. The world outside the gazebo ceased to exist; there were only his low groans, the scent of sandalwood, and the friction of skin against skin. He claimed her over and over, his pace quickening until they both shattered together in the darkness, clutching each other as if they were drowning.

In the quiet moments afterward, as she lay wrapped in his arms under the velvet sky, the man whispered something against her hair that made her blood run cold for a different reason.

“You’re different, Sophie. I won't forget this.”

Her heart stopped. Huh? He knew her name? How? Before she could ask, the heavy sound of footsteps approached the garden.

“Sophie! Sophie, nasaan ka?”

It was Zion. He sounded panicked.

Panic seized her. If Zion caught her like this, with a stranger, in this state—he would lose his mind. And worse, it could ruin his business deal.

Hindi ito pwede, mahinang usal ng dalaga sa kanyang sarili.

“Kailangan ko ng umalis,” she whispered, scrambling to find her clothes in the dark.

“Wait,” the stranger reached out, grabbing her wrist. His grip was firm, possessive. “Don't just run away. Stay.”

“Hindi pwede. My brother… he’s looking for me.” She pulled her arm back, her heart hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird.

She fumbled with her dress, her fingers shaking. Hindi siya lumingon pa. She couldn't. Tumakbo siya sa gitna ng hardin, ang suot niyang gown ay mayroon ng tinik na ng mga rosas, hanggang makarating ito sa bukana ng ballroom

She slipped inside just as Zion turned the corner.

“There you are! Saan ka ba galing?” Zion demanded, his face red with frustration. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere. The announcement is about to start.”

“I… I just got lost in the garden, Kuya. Ang laki kasi,” she lied, trying to smooth her hair and hide the flushed look of her skin.

“Ayusin mo ang sarili mo. The new CEO is coming out.”

Zion pulled her toward the main stage. The lights dimmed, and a single spotlight hit the grand staircase. The murmurs of the crowd died down as an older man in a tuxedo stepped forward.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” the old man announced. “It is my honor to introduce the new Chairman and CEO of the Velez Group… my grandson, Jace Velez.”

The crowd erupted in applause. Sophie’s breath hitched as a man stepped onto the staircase.

He wasn't wearing a mask anymore.

He was the man from the garden. The same sharp jawline. The same broad shoulders. The same lips that had just been pressed against hers. But now, his eyes were no longer filled with heat—they were as cold as the ice her brother had described.

He looked out over the crowd with a bored, arrogant expression.

“Thank you,” Jace said into the microphone. His voice was the same cello-deep hum that had whispered "You're mine" just minutes ago. “But let’s get one thing straight. I’m here to make money, not friends. This party is over. Get back to work.”

The room went silent. The arrogance was staggering.

Zion leaned in, whispering excitedly. “See? Sabi ko sa’yo, he’s ruthless. But man, look at that power. If we can just get a meeting with him, Sophie, we’re set for life.”

Sophie couldn't hear him. The world was spinning. She looked at Jace, and for a split second, his gaze swept over the area where she was standing. His eyes paused on her for a heartbeat.

There was no recognition. No warmth. Just a cold, blank stare as if she were just another face in the crowd.

It was just a mistake, she thought, her stomach twisting. To him, it was just a game. Isang gabing katuwaan lang.

Tears pricked her eyes. She felt used. She felt stupid. Without a word to her brother, she turned and pushed through the crowd, heading for the exit. She didn't stop until she was in a taxi, sobbing into her hands.

She promised herself that night that she would never see him again. She would bury the memory of the silver mask and the scent of sandalwood.

But three weeks later, sitting in the small bathroom of her apartment, Elara stared at the plastic stick in her hand.

Pigil ang kanyang hininga habang hinihintay ang resulta.

5 seconds, 15 seconds, 30 seconds..

Two pink lines.

“Fuck.”

She wasn't just left with a memory. She was left with his child.

And as she looked at the news on her phone—a picture of Jace Velez with a beautiful socialite—she realized she could never tell him. She could never let the "Ice King" know that his heir was growing inside the girl he had already forgotten.

“Mag-isa tayong lalaban, baby,” she whispered, clutching her stomach. “I will protect you from him. I promise.”