Chapter 5

“What were you doing in the garden with your boss?” Santino asked his sister.

Ainara left Andres and went with her brother. She couldn’t escape his probing eyes and questions. Maybe it was guilt clawing at the surface that made her look down and keep walking.

“There were too many people, and the noise was giving me a headache, so I went for a walk. The flight was long and I’m tired. I haven’t adjusted to the time here yet. Why is Mama rushing this engagement party?” She looked at Santino.

“You could’ve gone home early. Why are you questioning the date of the party?” he shot back.

He had a point. But didn’t Santino remember the promise their mother once made?

“Why are you okay with Mama remarrying?” Ainara stopped walking.

Santino stopped too, and they faced each other.

“I want Mama to be happy. Papa’s been gone a long time, and she deserves someone to take care of her. Don’t you like Tito Jaime? He’s really nice.”

Ainara rolled her eyes. “Mama promised not to get married again. I should’ve known she wouldn’t keep it.”

“Ate, you’re not answering my question. Don’t you like Tito Jaime? He’s been good to us. And he even vouched for you at their company in New York after graduation. He was your reference, wasn’t he?”

Ainara took a deep breath. “He helped me—yes. But that doesn’t mean I’m okay with Mama marrying him. I mean, I didn’t even know they were dating?!”

Santino’s eyes flickered.

“You knew about it?”

“Mama asked me not to tell you.”

“WHAT?!”

“Probably because she knew you’d react this way. Besides, their relationship is still new. If I counted right, they started dating six months ago—”

“Six mo—You hid it from me for six months?”

Santino rubbed his temples. “As much as I wanted to tell you—it wasn’t my secret. Mama asked, and I respected that. Besides, it’s her life. Tito Jaime isn’t a bad man. They’re both widowed. He has a son—your boss. Don’t you want an older brother—”

“NO!”

She felt horrified just thinking of Andres that way. She didn’t want the man who filled her heated dreams to become her stepbrother.

Santino was stunned by her reaction.

“Everyone would be happy to have an older brother, so why don’t you? I think it’s cool. I’d learn a lot about business. He’s got a double degree, right? Business and Architecture. He’s so smart.”

Santino’s admiration for Andres was obvious. Well, Andres was brilliant—but also arrogant. Even if he flirted with her earlier, Ainara couldn’t forget how he rejected her project proposal.

“I don’t care if he’s smart. He’s my boss, and that’s all.”

“He’s going to be our stepbrother whether you like it or not. And I think you should start calling him ‘Kuya’, because that’s what I’m going to do.”

Kuya meant older brother.

“Never,” she muttered under her breath, wrinkling her nose before walking back to the party ahead of him.

The next day…

Ainara couldn’t even remember how the party ended because she slipped away. She told her mother she needed to rest. To help herself sleep, she stopped at the mini‑bar, grabbed a bottle of red wine and a glass, carried them to her room, locked the door, and started drinking.

She wasn’t an alcoholic and only drank occasionally, but tonight she wanted to quiet her mind and wake up the next day as if all of this had been a dream.

Instead, she woke with the worst headache—and her brother came to gloat. Behind him was their maid, cleaning up.

“Go away,” she snapped. When she tried to get up, pain shot through her head. Hangovers are brutal.

“I thought you said you don’t get hangovers?” Santino teased with a grin.

She used to tell him she never got hangovers because she always drank in moderation—two glasses of wine, or two tequila shots with friends in New York. But last night she finished the whole bottle, and this was the price.

“Shut up and leave.”

Santino laughed.

“So the princess isn’t invincible after all—ouch!”

Ainara threw a pillow at his face, but he kept laughing.

“Get out of my sight! You’re annoying.” She scowled, wobbling to her feet and heading to the bathroom. She felt like puking.

She decided to shower, hoping to ease the headache. Afterwards, she dressed in a green sleeveless tank top and distressed jeans that hung low on her hips. Her hair was still wet, left loose. She went downstairs barefoot.

She missed the marble floors of their house. Her father had imported them from Spain to make the home authentic. Papa always wanted the best for his family.

“Manang, can I get some orange juice? Thank you.”

Manang Sita had been with their family since Ainara was a baby. She never married, dedicating her life to caring for them. In return, they treated her like family.

“Here’s your orange juice.” She set down the drink along with a small plastic cup holding two red tablets. “I toasted some bread too, so you can take this medicine for your headache. You really are something, child.”

Ainara pouted. “My head doesn’t hurt, Manang.”

“Oh, really? That’s why you and your brother were bickering so early. And Delia told me you drank last night. She’s the one who went up and took the wine bottle and glass from your room.”

Ainara drank the juice and took a bite of toast. “Where’s Mama?”

“She and Jaime left earlier for an appointment. The father and son spent the night here.”

“Wait—Andres slept here?” she asked, shocked.

Manang looked at her. “Yes. In the guest room in the west wing. He gave me that medicine, said you’d wake up with a headache after drinking too much at the party.”

Ainara swallowed hard. What was Andres doing? Was he actually worried about her?

“Where is he now?” she asked without thinking.

“He already left. Didn’t even have coffee. He left before your Mama did. I asked what he wanted for breakfast, but he said nothing.”

That was typical Andres. Even in New York, his assistant said he never ate breakfast. But back when he was on the swim team, she remembered seeing him eat fruit in the mornings.

“Do you have plans today? Are you going out? Your brother already left to pick up Julie.”

“I don’t know yet, Manang. I’m about to call Marge and see if she’s free.”

“Ah, Margaret. I remember her. Isn’t she married with a child? I think I saw her at the daycare last week.”

“Yes, Manang. Katie’s four now, so she’s in daycare.”

Ainara had been friends with Marge since high school. Marge married five years ago, already pregnant at the time. Luckily, Brad took responsibility even though they hadn’t been together long. Who gets married after only three months of dating?

After finishing her toast and juice, Ainara took the medicine Andres had left. She called Marge, and after three rings, her friend answered.

Marge squealed so loudly Ainara almost went deaf.

“Oh my goodness! I thought you’d forgotten me,” she said, pretending to sulk.

“I was waiting for you last night, but you didn’t show.”

“Katie wasn’t feeling well, so I couldn’t leave. Brad offered to stay, but I couldn’t bear it. She’s better now, though—I just dropped her off at daycare. Are we going out?”

“Yes. Meet me at Spencer’s.” “Okay. Is your hot stepbrother joining us?” Marge chuckled, still teasing.

“Shut up. I’ll see you there.”