Lahat ng Kabanata ng Secret Vow of the Ruthless Billionaire: Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 10

Three days later…"Ma'am China, may dumating pong legal envelope mula sa Buenavista Group." Bungad ng guard nila pagpasok niya ng lobby.Her breath caught as the guard handed her a sleek black envelope with a gold-pressed V logo.She already knew what it was.The marriage certificate.Notarized. Registered. Legal.China Asuncion was, by all rights, the wife of Gabriel Buenavista.But no one could know."You’re insane," bulong niya sa sarili habang pinagmamasdan ang document na parang susi ng isang selda.Hindi pa rin siya makapaniwala sa pinasok niya.One moment, they were two broken people in a stolen night. The next, he was offering her a secret life—hidden behind boardrooms, glass walls, and power plays.A wife without a ring.A queen without a crown.A heart that didn’t know if it was owned or simply… claimed.Flashback: The Night of the WeddingThe ocean breeze was cold, but his hand was warm as he laced his fingers through hers on the deck of the yacht.“No cameras. No media. No

2:28 a.m.The silence of the night was shattered by the shrill sound of a phone ringing.Gabriel bolted upright, instantly alert.He never got calls at this hour—unless someone was dying or a secret was exploding."Hello?"“Sir, we have a situation,” the voice on the other end said. It was Jared, his most trusted bodyguard.Gabriel s body tensed. “China?”“She’s safe... but someone tried to break into her apartment.”Nakuyom niya ang kanyam kamao. Halos mamuti ito at mawalan ng dugo.His blood ran cold. Tila sasabog siya sa galit.Earlier that night…China was half-asleep, curled under a light blanket on the couch of her temporary unit. She had chosen this small, quiet building far from the business district to avoid attention. The curtains were drawn. The lights dim.She was trying to go unnoticed.But someone noticed anyway.A click.A small creak.The knob of her front door turned—once, twice—slow, deliberate, testing.She held her breath. Heart racing. Dumagundong ang kaba sa kanya

Kinakabahan man si China ay nilakasan niya ang kanyang loob.Buo ang kanyang loob na ito na ang panahon upang harapin niya ang masamang pangyayari na tila bangungot sa kanyang nakaraan.Hawak niya sa kanyang puso ang mataimtim na panalangin sa Diyos na sana magwagi ang katotohanan at pagbauaran ni Brice Dela Vega ang kawalang hiyaan niya. "All rise." Tumayo ang lahat habang pumasok ang huwes sa maliit ngunit mahigpit na siniguradong courtroom sa loob ng Makati Hall of Justice. Nakatutok ang mga mata ng media, legal teams, at private security sa gitna ng mga bangko kung saan nakaupo sina Gabriel at China. Mahigpit ang pagkakahawak ni Gabriel sa kamay ni China. Ang higpit nito ay sapat upang iparamdam niya at ipaalala kay China na sa labang ito ay magkasama sila. Ramdam niya ang panginginig nito, ang lamig ng kanyang palad, at ang kalmadong pinilit niyang panatilihin sa harap ng publiko. “Walang kahit anong mangyayari ngayon ang makakasira sa’yo,” bulong ni Gabriel. “Hindi mo ‘ko

“Don’t move. Don’t speak. Just breathe.” Tumigil ang oras para kay Gabriel habang nakatayo siya sa harap ng malaking glass wall ng kanilang penthouse. Nakadampi ang mga mata niya kay China, na nakaupo sa isang chaise lounge sa balcony—payapa, walang kamalay-malay, hawak ang isang tasa ng tsaa. But he saw it. Sa kabilang gusali, may liwanag ng scope. May movement sa itaas. Sniper. “Hindi ito warning shot.” Mabilis siyang gumalaw, sinira ang katahimikan. “China” sigaw niya, habang hinatak siya papasok. BOOM! Pumutok ang salamin. Tumilapon ang tasa. Napahawak si China sa dibdib niya habang bumagsak silang dalawa sa sahig. Humahangos. Nangangatog. “W-What was that?” “I saw it. May baril. Someone tried to kill you.” Niyakap niya ito ng mahigpit. Ang mga mata ni Gabriel, puno ng takot—isang emosyon na bihira niyang ipakita. “You could’ve died. God, China… I could’ve lost you tonight.” Yakap siya nito ng mahigpit,sobrang higpit na parang gustong maging isa sila... Ilang minuto

“Every empire has ghosts. Hers just came back with blood on her heels.”---MANILA. GABRIEL’S PRIVATE ESTATE.Ang pagbabalik nina Gabriel at China ay hindi tahimik. Within hours of landing, isang drone video ang kumalat sa social media: Gabriel Buenavista kissing a woman sa rooftop ng Prague.Netizens went wild.> #BuenavistaWifeConfirmed #SecretQueen #WhoIsChinaNews outlets picked up the leak. Board members began calling. PR executives scrambled. And by sundown, China’s face was on every screen in the country.Pero sa kabila ng lahat ng iyon, tahimik lang si Gabriel. Tahimik pero alerto. Hindi lang ang media ang kailangan niyang asikasuhin.“Someone followed us to Prague,” ani Gabriel kay Zyrus. “The attack wasn’t random. Someone knows about China. And they want her out of the picture.”“Inside job?” tanong ni Zyrus.Gabriel nodded. “Damien, Check everyone. Even people closest to me.”Meanwhile, China was watching the world burn.Sa loob ng kanyang bagong silid, nakatayo siya sa