CHAPTER 2: THE BEAST

AMARA’S POV

A gentle nudge on my arm pulled me back from the void. I rubbed my eyes, trying to shake off the heavy blanket of sleep that still clung to me.

“Miss, wake up. We’re in Manila,” the conductor said.

I looked around and realized I was the last passenger left. I scrambled to my feet, offering a quick apology. Luckily, the man was patient; otherwise, he probably would’ve tossed me and my bags out onto the pavement.

As I stepped off the bus, the city hit me like a physical wave. Towering billboards, an endless sea of cars—from luxury sedans to battered jeepneys—and a thick layer of smog that felt like it was trying to colonize my lungs.

It was a total sensory overload. Back in Antique, life was quiet. Even the busiest parts of the province still had the scent of fresh air and the sight of green mountains on the horizon.

Here, there was only concrete and steel.

“Thank you, Manong,” I said as the conductor helped me unload my luggage at the terminal.

The heat greeted me instantly, even though it was only six in the morning.

“Taxi, Miss? Where to?” a driver asked as I approached a line of white cars. I checked my wallet. I had five hundred pesos left. I figured that would be enough. I’d just have to survive on sardines and rice later; I didn't want to rely entirely on my friend for food.

“BGC, please,” I replied, my voice wavering slightly. My friend Hershey told me that BGC was the heart of the country’s tech revolution—the place where the giants lived.

As the taxi moved, a knot of anxiety tightened in my chest. What if this was a mistake? But then I looked at the folder in my bag—the one containing my credentials, my hard-earned degree, and my entire future.

You can do this, Amara. Just keep fighting.

I

caught my reflection in the side mirror and winced. I looked absolutely haggard from the long trip. I tried to make myself look presentable, but seeing the chic, polished women walking along the sidewalks of the city made me feel painfully plain. I looked like exactly what I was: a girl from the province who didn't belong.

I smoothed out my t-shirt and pants, dabbed on some powder and a bit of lip tint, and brushed my hair until it looked somewhat formal.

Good enough.

As we entered BGC, the chaotic, noisy traffic was replaced by clean, wide streets and manicured greenery.

“We’re almost at BGC, Miss,” the driver announced.

When I finally stepped out and paid the fare, I was floored. The skyscrapers were massive, reaching for the clouds, and the streets were filled with people who looked like they were walking straight out of a corporate magazine.

BGC was stunning.

I gripped my suitcase and my phone tightly, checking the address Hershey had sent me. She was my childhood best friend—our families were so close we grew up like sisters. She was a year ahead of me; I would have graduated with her if it hadn't been for the trauma that set my education back in kindergarten.

She said her apartment was close, but among these giant buildings, I felt like I was walking through a labyrinth.

“Where on earth is 24th Street?” I hissed to myself, dragging my bags along the sidewalk.

I felt even smaller as people in sharp business suits glanced my way. They could probably smell the province on me, but I ignored them. All I wanted was to find Hershey’s place, take a shower, and wash off the grime of the journey.

Exhaustion finally caught up to me, and I stopped to wipe the sweat from my forehead. As I looked up, my eyes landed on a massive digital billboard mounted on a sleek, gray building.

I froze.

My brain struggled to process the words scrolling across the screen.

URGENT HIRING: JUNIOR SOFTWARE DEVELOPER

NEXUS MORGAN INTEL INC.

My heart skipped a beat. Oh my god. A software developer opening! This was it. This was my chance. I scanned the details, but it was the name at the bottom that stopped my breath.

Under the leadership of Laxus Morgan.

I didn't know why, but the name sent a sudden shiver down my spine. Laxus Morgan. Even the name sounded dangerous—powerful and sharp.

This was my dream role. Without thinking, I pulled out my phone and saved the address. I told myself that as soon as I dropped my bags at Hershey’s and changed into something professional, this would be my first stop.

This was the move that would change my life.

I was still staring at the billboard when my phone vibrated in my pocket, making me jump.

Hershey calling...

“Hello, Bes?”

“Hey, girl! Where are you? I’ve been waiting forever! Don’t tell me you’re planning on living on the street?”

I snapped out of my daze, looking around. “Uh, Bes... I think I’m lost.”

“What?!” I had to pull the phone away from my ear at her scream. Hershey was always so dramatic. “Describe where you are. I’ll come get you.”

I looked at the building in front of me one more time, reading the logo embossed in steel.

“Bes, I’m right in front of... Nexus Morgan Intel Inc.”

Silence. Absolute silence on the other end of the line.

“Bes? Are you still there?” I asked, getting worried.

“I... yeah, I’m here. Okay, stay there, I’m coming. But Amara? Don't hang around that building. If you can, move away from there right now,” her voice was laced with a strange, heavy concern.

I frowned. “Why? What’s wrong with this company?”

“It’s hard to explain. Just get away from there!” she snapped before the line went dead.