All Chapters of More Than Just A Marriage Deal: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Kabanata 1It’s been five years since I left home to pursue my dreams here in a foreign country, and so far, it was the best decision I’ve ever made for myself.As an only child, the weight of expectations was always heavy on my shoulders. My parents wanted me to be the successor of our family business. My father, CEO of Rosales Group of Company, a well-known construction empire in the Philippines, had always envisioned me sitting in his chair someday, holding blueprints and leading projects that would bear our family name.Pero hindi iyon ang gusto ko.When I was still a student, Papa insisted I should take up Civil Engineering. “Dapat practical, anak. Dapat may future. Wag mong sayangin ang pagkakataon,” he used to say. But I couldn’t imagine spending the rest of my life building bridges and towers when what I wanted was to build something else which is my own name. My own path.Kaya kahit mabigat sa loob niya, I chose a different road. I took up Fashion Entrepreneurship. I still re

Kabanata 3 The cab smelled faintly of air freshener and sweat, the kind of scent I didn’t realize I had missed until now. I sat by the window, hugging my handbag tightly on my lap as the driver navigated through Manila traffic. Outside, the city blurred past me, billboards stacked high above the streets, jeepneys painted in vibrant colors, vendors pushing carts along the sidewalks. Everything looked the same, yet different. After five years in Spain, Manila felt overwhelming, too alive, too raw. “Galing po kayo abroad, Ma’am?” tanong ng driver, glancing at me through the rearview mirror. I managed a small smile. “Oo. Spain.” He nodded knowingly. “Kaya pala. Halatang matagal na kayong wala dito.” I chuckled softly, but it quickly faded as my gaze returned to the streets. My chest grew heavy. I wasn’t coming back as a tourist or a balikbayan excited to see relatives. I was coming back to a hospital bed… to a father I hadn’t spoken to in years. I pressed my palm against the

Kabanata 5 The next morning, I found myself standing in front of the towering glass building of Rosales Group of Companies. My heart pounded as I looked up at the familiar name engraved at the top of the structure. This was supposed to be Papa’s kingdom. Not mine. And yet, here I was, about to walk into a world I had long rejected. Mama stood beside me, composed despite the exhaustion on her face. “Handa ka na ba, anak?” I forced a small nod, kahit na nanginginig ang loob ko. “I don’t think anyone’s ever ready for this… pero kailangan.” Pagpasok namin sa loob, halos lahat ng empleyado ay napatingin sa akin. I could hear the whispers. “Siya ba ‘yung anak ni Sir Ramon?” “Akala ko nasa abroad siya?” “Bakit siya nandito?” I straightened my posture, masking the unease bubbling inside me. If I show weakness now, they’ll eat me alive. When we reached the executive boardroom, the atmosphere was already thick with tension. The directors, mostly older men in suits, were seat

Kabanata 7 It had been a week since I carried the weight my father left behind. Isang linggo na rin akong halos hindi na natutulog, pilit na lumalaban kahit ramdam ko na sa katawan ko na gusto nang bumigay. But every time I see Papa lying in the hospital, every time I look at Mama who’s silently breaking, I know I can’t stop. Hindi ako puwedeng sumuko. Not now. Not ever. Meetings. Back-to-back. Investors walking out, one after another. Ang mga pangako nila noon, parang bula na lang ngayon. I wanted to beg, to plead pero paano, kung wala naman akong maipapangakong kapalit? Parang domino effect, one investor left, then another. Kasama na rin doon ang ilang department heads. Some handed their resignations. Some just… disappeared. And honestly, I couldn’t even stop them. Maybe it’s also my fault. Maybe it’s because I wasn’t strong enough. “Miss Thaliya,” Denise’s soft voice pulled me back to the present. She carefully placed folders on my desk. “Ito na po ‘yong mga financial stateme

Alam kong mayaman ang mga Monteverde, pero hindi ko inakala na ganoon sila kayaman na kaya nilang paingayin ang buong bansa sa pamamagitan lang ng isang headline: Hunter Monteverde is finally getting married. After being a bachelor for so long, Hunter Monteverde is now tying the knot with the heiress of RGC. My stomach twisted as the words replayed in my head. I closed my eyes tightly, my fingers gripping the edge of my desk as if that would somehow anchor me. How am I supposed to keep myself lowkey when everything about me is being thrown under a spotlight? I wasn’t ready. I wasn’t ready to tell the world that I am marrying a business tycoon. For what reason? Not because of love. Not because of a fairytale. But because this was the only way to save the company my father worked so hard for our family’s name, our legacy, our last hope. Huminga ako nang malalim, pilit pinapakalma ang kaba at bigat sa dibdib. My heart pounded against my ribs, restless, angry. I wanted to confront