Chapter 20

The hosts introduced the judges one by one. I felt my stomach lurch as they flashed my scores. They gave me a six-point decrease because of what happened yesterday. I wasn't surprised at all to see Travis's name at the top of the list. My rank plummeted to seven, just enough to prevent me from claiming the title I had worked for over the past two months.As the host spoke with Travis, he was busy charming the judges, working to get every single vote. We were backstage, listening to the conversation about the possible changes to the criteria and the flow of the show. I had become accustomed to these sudden changes in the game. It was as if they couldn't decide what they were doing."Chant, please listen to me." Gabriel's voice was a low plea.I just stood up, ignoring him completely to join the others in applause."

Last Updated : 2025-09-22

Chapter 21

"Sa tingin mo ba kaya mong ipanalo ang laban na ito, Chant?" His voice was a low, dangerous rumble right next to my ear. It held no fear, only the raw, hungry eagerness of a predator cornering its prey. "I can practically taste the desperation from here.""Hintayin na lang natin ang resulta," I replied, my own voice a cool, steady counterpoint to his heat. "The proof, as they say, is in the pudding." I closed the distance between us, silencing his provocative smirk with a kiss. It was not a kiss of surrender, but a bold declaration—a response to his challenging gaze.His return was immediate, a hot surge of passion. He slid his tongue into my mouth, completely forgetting to breathe, as if the air itself was less important than this moment. He flung his jacket aside. He is taller than me so he made it easy for me to intertwine my legs around his waist, my hands desperately brushing throug

Last Updated : 2025-09-23

Chapter 22

Everyone seemed to be in disbelief at how I'd regained my position and stood on equal footing with Travis. Even I couldn't believe I'd taken the lead again, because, honestly, I had very little confidence in myself. It’s hard to please my mom, especially when it comes to food. No matter how many dishes you lay out in front of her or how tempting they look and smell, you can’t get her to eat something that doesn’t appeal to her palate. I'm surprised by my own skills, because everything I've cooked feels like pure coincidence—just whatever I could throw together to serve. I never expected them to love it all, or that I’d get invitations from all the judges. But the only invitation I was waiting for was from the Mayor. I heard his birthday was coming up soon, and that would be the perfect time to make my move. I’m finally home. My sister is with me, now seven months pregnant. Her belly is huge, and it’s surprising because on her second ultrasound, they fou

Last Updated : 2025-09-24

Chapter 23

Heads snapped in my direction. Even Mommy couldn't escape the collective stare, her eyes boring into me with a silent question: Anong kalokohan 'yan? Gabriel and Travis were just as stunned, clearly not expecting to see me standing there, igniting the flambé at their table for the main course.I felt the weight of the Mayor's gaze on me, heavy and unwavering. His board members, those gluttonous pigs, were just as stunned.A slow, predatory smirk curved my lips. "Mister Mayor," I greeted him, my voice a silken hum. My eyes met his, a silent challenge in my confident gaze."Ah, sorry. we didn't order—" Travis started, his voice a bewildered stumble."Oh, of course. This is part of the special preparation from our restaurant, Mr. Mayor. In fact, I personally prepared it."With a nod, I signaled to Jellay, who was all grins at the edge of the room. She in turn gave the waiting waiters a discreet thumbs up."And what is this all about?" The voice belonged to the pig who was secretly preyin

Last Updated : 2025-09-25

Chapter 24

“What a fuck.” If I had one thought about my life right now, that was it. Literally. The stress was a vise around my skull, threatening to burst my brains just from trying to polish this plan. I’d learned the mayor had over five libraries in his mansion, yet I hadn’t spotted a single thing out of the ordinary, even when I sneaked in under the pretense of personally asking about his allergies. It was utterly frustrating that none of my contacts who’d been inside could give me a single lead. And my mom? She was playing harder to find than a fugitive.Now, I was on the dance floor, swaying with a cluster of faceless men who pressed in on me. The alcohol was a warm, hazy blanket over my senses. My tolerance was low, and I felt more drugged than drunk, a giddy, spinning tipsiness. The music was a relentless, physical thump in my chest. I figured I might as well dance the sweat out.Then I saw him.A muscular shadow, fueled by pure, hot fury, was pushing through the crowd toward me. His eye

Last Updated : 2025-10-07

Chapter 25

The tires shrieked as he slammed the car to a stop near the curb of his familiar building. The ride had been a blur of motion, Travis driving with a reckless, frantic speed that felt like a desperate chase against time itself—or perhaps, against reality. No moment was wasted. The moment the car was dead, the kiss, rough and demanding, never broke as we stumbled from the seat. His shirt was already half-off in the cramped elevator, discarded before the doors could even slide open onto his floor. We were a tangle of urgency, stumbling over the threshold, the friction of our bodies the only focus. The heavy, rich scent of his cologne enveloped me as he lowered me, gently, onto the yielding mattress. The room was cast in shadow, the moonlight filtering through the window the only witness. He didn’t speak as he carefully removed my clothes. His movements were almost reverent, each touch measured, as if terrified of bruising my skin. He pressed a trail of kisses down my abdomen before his