Semua Bab Veil of Vows: Play The Billionaire's Game: Bab 51 - Bab 60

=Sera’s POV=“Ma’am, the engagement on the documentary has surpassed projections. Global viewership. Even some senators are reacting.”Alvarez's voice was calm but charged with urgency. Nakatayo siya sa harap ng malaking monitor sa conference room ng ValeCorp, flashing data across the screen. Headlines. Tweets. News clips.Whistleblower CEO shocks corporate Philippines.Navarro heiress exposes billion-peso scam.Hindi ako makapaniwala. Para bang biglang bumaliktad ang mundo at kami na ngayon ang may hawak ng megaphone.[Your message cut through, Sera,] sabi ni Atty. Lim mula sa kabilang linya. [And it’s not just here. International media’s picking it up. Investors are demanding audits.] Damien entered the room just as I ended the call. He looked exhausted—pero may liwanag sa mga mata niya.“The Swiss regulators just froze one of Carlos’s offshore accounts.”Napatingin ako sa kaniya. “You’re serious?”He nodded, handing me his phone. “Interpol flagged it using the audit trail we submi

=Sera’s POV=Tatlong araw matapos ang press conference, muling nagbukas ang pinto ng Navarro HQ.Pero iba na ang pakiramdam ngayon.Wala na ang tensyon. Wala na ang nagtatagong lihim. Ang mga mata ng mga tao, hindi na puno ng alinlangan kundi ng pag-asa.Pag-asa na pwede pala ulit maniwala.“Welcome back, Ma’am Sera,” bati ng receptionist habang iniabot sa akin ang ID badge ko.Ngumiti ako. “Salamat. Ang tagal ko ring hindi gumamit niyan.”Sa elevator paakyat, daming pumasok sa isip ko.Paano ko sisimulan?Paano ko muling buuin ang kumpanyang iniwan ng ama ko—at sinira ng mga taong dapat ay tagapangalaga nito?Sa loob ng opisina, sinalubong ako ni Atty. Lim at Alvarez—may bitbit silang draft reports para sa restructuring. They were recruited by me because of the disability of the company because of what Julian and Carlos did. And somehow, it made my everyday lighter. “First board meeting post-resolution is scheduled next week,” sabi ni Atty. Lim. “Most of the members are cooperative.

=Sera's POV=The rooftop bar in Makati wasn’t my idea.It was his.Renzo Montalban.“You’ll appreciate the view,” he wrote in his email.Damien wasn’t thrilled. “Do not meet him alone,” he said that morning, stern but composed. “He doesn’t ask for meetings—he orchestrates them.”So now I sit across from him—Renzo. Clean-cut. Understated power in a slate suit. Eyes too sharp to be casual. Smile too polite to be sincere.“Ms. Navarro,” he greeted me, standing up as I arrived. “No Damien Vale tonight?”I met his gaze evenly. “This meeting’s about Navarro.”“And ValeCorp isn’t part of that equation?” he asked, chuckling as he gestured to the seat across from him. “Interesting.”I sat down, carefully placing my clutch on my lap. “Let’s get to the point, Mr. Montalban. What do you want from me?”“I like directness,” he said. “I want an alliance.”Napakunot ang noo ko. “Alliance?”“Navarro’s wounded. The public loves your story now, but sentiment fades. Memories fade. Especially when another

=Sera’s POV=Tahimik ang silid, pero ang tibok ng puso ko parang ang lakas-lakas.Damien was in front of me, standing so still, his forehead against mine but his eyes—God, his eyes—were full of something I couldn’t name. Pain? Desire? Love? Maybe all of it. And somehow, I forgot about the clause. “Say something,” he murmured. “Or tell me to stop.”Hindi ko alam kung alin ang mas nangingibabaw—ang takot na baka mawala siya, o ang init na nararamdaman ko sa bawat tingin niya. My chest rose and fell, fast and uncertain.“I don’t want you to stop,” bulong ko. “Not tonight.”His lips parted just a little, eyes searching mine. “Are you sure?”“Yes.”That was all it took.He crossed the room in two strides, then cupped my face with both hands. His lips were on mine—firm, warm, claiming—but not rough. There was hunger, yes, but there was reverence too, as if he was holding something fragile.I melted into him, my hands clutching the front of his shirt as he pulled me closer. His kiss deepene

=Sera’s POV=Akala ko pagkatapos ng video statement, babalik na ang lahat sa normal.But normal didn’t really exist anymore.Hindi na ako ’yung Seraphina na pilit lang sumusunod sa legacy ng Navarro. I wasn’t just the girl in a contract marriage, or the woman Julian Reyes once believed he owned. And I certainly wasn’t just a pawn in someone else’s game.I was still standing.Still fighting.Still choosing this.“Alam mo ba, konti lang ang nag-backlash,” sabi ni Camille habang nagkakape kami sa pantry ng ValeCorp the next morning. “Ang dami ngang natuwa sa ginawa niyo ni Damien. Ang mga netizen kasi ngayon, mas gusto nila ng totoong tao, hindi drama.”Napangiti ako, pero ’di ko maitago ang pagod ko. “Still feels like I’m waiting for the next bomb to drop.”“Hindi na si Renzo ’yon,” sabi niya. “He lo