Chapter One - The Sparks

“Ma’am, you need to leave, hindi ho kayo dapat narito.”

The voice was sharp, professional, and accompanied by the firm grip of security. Elara felt the strong hand on her arm, pulling her back from the chaos of flashing cameras and the tall shadow of Adrian Veylen.

“Bitawan niyo ako!” she snapped, her voice trembling but fierce. “He stole everything from me!”

Gasps echoed in the hall. Reporters spun around, cameras suddenly zooming in on her.

“She’s—”

“Who is she?”

“Do we have a scandal here?”

The noise grew like a rising storm.

Her heels skidded against the marble floor as the guard shoved harder. She lost her balance, her arms flailing. For a terrifying second, she thought she would fall face-first into the polished floor—at doon na siya mapapahiya sa harap ng buong mundo—when a strong hand caught hers.

Time froze.

The hand was warm, firm, steady. At nang tumingin siya pataas, her gaze slammed into a pair of storm-gray eyes that seemed to pierce right through her soul.

Adrian Veylen. His gray eyes. Broad shoulders. And his Aura. But then Her enemy. Her father’s destroyer. The world’s first trillionaire. The ruthless one.

And yet, in that stolen heartbeat, all she could see was the strange softness in his stare. Like he wasn’t just catching a stranger. Like he recognized her fire, her defiance, her pain.

Elara’s breath hitched.

Adrian didn’t let go. Instead, he pulled her closer, breaking the barrier between stage and floor, between power and powerless. Cameras flashed wildly, immortalizing the moment.

“Careful,” his low voice brushed against her ear, smooth and steady despite the chaos. “You’ll fall.”

Elara yanked her hand back as if burned. “Mas gugustuhin ko pang madapa kaysa may utang na loob sa’yo.” he smirked. Na para bang mas nagiging interesado siya.

Gasps again. Reporters leaned in. Pens scribbled furiously.

”Sino ba 'yan walang utang na loob, siya na nga tinulungan”

”Grabe ang lakas naman ng loob niya.”

Somewhere in the corner of the room, Cassandra Vail’s eyes narrowed. Her red lips curved into a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. Watching from the sidelines, she looked like a predator who had just smelled blood.

---

“Elara Cruz,” Adrian said, loud enough for the nearest reporters to hear, his tone almost teasing. “Are you always this dramatic?”

“You ruined my life, Mr. Veylen,” she spat back. Her cheeks burned red, but she didn’t care. “This is not drama. This is war. You made it to yourself.”

The security guard tried again to pull her away, pero isang simpleng galaw ng kamay mula kay Adrian ang pumigil sa lahat. Parang may sariling gravity ang presensya niya. The entire hall seemed to obey him. Isang wasiwas lang ng kamay, sumusunod ang lahat. No wonder how he take all those projects na pinaghirapan ng ama ko, at pinaghirapan kong buohin after he died.

“Don't touch her. She will stay,” he commanded. His gray eyes returned to her, glinting like silver under the lights. “After all, she seems to have something important to say.”

”What do you want then, Ms. Cruz?”

”Ibalik mo lahat ng projects na ninakaw mo. It's even yours in the first place. It's my father's legacy. His dream.” his eye's locked unto mine.

The hall buzzed louder. Who is she? Why does he know her name?

Elara’s heart thundered in her chest. Hindi ito kasama sa plano niya. She had planned to scream, to demand justice, to make the world know what he had stolen. Pero ngayon—nasa harapan na niya si Adrian Veylen. His presence was suffocating, overwhelming, intoxicating. Her words faltered.

She swallowed hard. “You… you bought out every project my father built. You erased his dream. Give them back and we're done.”

Adrian tilted his head, studying her like a puzzle. “I didn’t erase it. I preserved it.”

Her jaw dropped. “Preserved? Iyon ba ang tawag mo sa pagtapak sa pangalan ng tatay ko? Sa pag-angkin ng lahat ng pinaghirapan niya?Sa pagsira ng pangarap ng bawat taong naginvest sa projects na 'yon?”

”Are you not ashamed on what you're doing—”

”We're in a business Ms. Cruz everyone have eyes on that project, but it happened that they gave it to me.” Inuunat niya ang kamay na sa ere.

”You!—hindi nila ibibigay sayo lahat ng projects na 'yon kung walang suhol! You moron!”

Murmurs rippled across the reporters. The cameras clicked faster. The drama was gold for them.

”Sir, let us take her. She's making a scene.” My assistant, Jordan.

Adrian didn’t flinch. Instead, he stepped closer, lowering his voice so only she could hear. “If you want to protect your father’s dream, then come work for me. Build it with me.” He slightly touch the hairs strand that covering my face and put them stock a my ears.

Elara’s chest tightened. For a split second, she almost heard her father’s voice telling her ’wag kang bibitaw, anak. But then reality struck her again. This man wasn’t her father. This man was the thief.

I laughed. Loud. Out of my lungs. I push his shoulder. “I’ll never work for you,” she hissed.

”Interesting.” He whisper but enough for me to hear it. ”What?”

The security guards stiffened, expecting Adrian to react with his usual cold fury. Pero imbes na magalit, Adrian smirked.

Reporters pounced.

“Who is she, Mr. Veylen?”

”Ang kapal ng mukha..”

“Is she your new partner?”

“Are the rumors true—that you’re finally interested in someone?”

Elara’s face flushed crimson. “What?!” she blurted, spinning toward the cameras. “No! I would never—Ano ba?! ilayo niyo nga 'yang mga camera niyo!”

Pero nalunod ang protesta niya sa kaguluhan.

Beside her, Adrian stood like a calm storm, his presence swallowing the chaos whole. His lips curved again, faintly, like a secret he wasn’t ready to share.

At habang nagkakagulo pasimple siyang umalis, habang naglalakad, her heels clicking furiously against the marble, Adrian’s gaze followed her every step.

In his mind, only one thought burned.

Not yet… but you will be.