All Chapters of More Than Just A Marriage Deal: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

That night after the wedding, I found myself sitting quietly at the edge of the large bed inside Hunter’s room….our room now. My fingers kept playing with the hem of my silk nightgown, twisting and untwisting the fabric as if it could ease the nervous pounding of my heart.For twenty-five years, I’ve reserved myself. Not because I believed that a woman should stay pure until marriage, but because love was never part of my priorities. I didn’t have time for it. My life had always been about responsibilities, about carrying the weight of my father’s company and family’s expectations.Hindi ko nga maalala kung kailan yung huli kong nagustuhan ang isang tao. And yet here I am now, married to Hunter Monteverde…not because I love him, but because I had no choice. Because saying yes was the only way to save my father’s crumbling company.Still, my chest felt heavy. My hands were trembling slightly, and my heart was racing fast at the thought of sharing this room, this bed, with a man I barel

The second night in Maldives felt different. Tahimik lang kaming dalawa habang nakaupo sa deck, the moon casting silver light sa ibabaw ng dagat. May hawak akong baso ng wine, at si Hunter naman ay nakahilig sa upuan, relaxed pero ramdam kong aware pa rin siya sa bawat galaw ko. Hindi ko alam kung dahil sa hangin, sa tunog ng alon, o sa simpleng presensya niya—but I felt my chest loosen in a way na hindi ko inaasahan. “Cold?” tanong niya bigla, noticing the way I rubbed my arms. Bago pa ako makasagot, kinuha niya ang light cardigan na nasa tabi at marahang isinuot sa balikat ko. His fingers brushed against my skin—isang simpleng gesture, pero para bang dumaloy ang kuryente sa katawan ko. “Thanks,” mahina kong sabi, halos bulong. “Don’t mention it,” sagot niya, eyes lingering on me for a second longer than usual bago siya tumingin ulit sa dagat. Tahimik ulit. Pero ibang klase ang silence na ‘to. Hindi nakakailang, pero hindi rin komportable. It was charged, heavy with somet

The villa faded into the distance as the car pulled away from the airport. Manila welcomed us with its usual chaos, honking cars, flashing billboards, the restless pulse of the city. For a fleeting moment, I longed for the quiet rhythm of the Maldives waves. Pero wala nang space for daydreams. We were back. And reality was waiting. Hunter sat beside me, his hand loosely clasping mine. He looked composed, calm…parang walang bigat sa dibdib. Meanwhile, every kilometer closer to the Rosales building tightened the knot in my stomach. “Stop overthinking,” he murmured, giving my hand a firm squeeze. Napalingon ako sa kanya. “How can I not? Everyone’s waiting, the board, the employees, my father. They’ll all look at me and expect answers I might not have.” “You’ll have them,” sagot niya agad, steady and sure. “We’ll face them together. Do you understand?” I bit my lip, nodding silently. By the time we arrived at Rosales Group headquarters, the glass building that once gleamed w

I had just let my body sink into the leather chair when my phone buzzed on the table. Martina. Hunter glanced at the screen, then at me. “Answer it,” he said softly. I swiped to accept. “Martina?” “Ma’am,” her voice carried that mix of hesitation and urgency I knew too well. “I thought you should know right away… Cassandra Villareal is flying back to Manila tomorrow. She’s booked for a few campaigns here, and I heard she’ll also be attending the gala for Rosales’ upcoming charity event.” My grip on the phone tightened. Cassandra. Cassy. Once, she had been my closest friend in Madrid, more like a sister than anything. We started together, built dreams together, walked the same runways. But things changed. Fame changed her. Or maybe it was jealousy. Somewhere along the way, our friendship cracked, then shattered. Hunter noticed the way my expression shifted. “Who’s Cassandra?” I forced a smile, though bitterness burned in my chest. “An old friend. A supermodel. We… don’t really

The gala lights still burned behind my eyes as we drove back to the Monteverde mansion. Kahit nakaupo ako sa tabi ni Hunter, tahimik lang akong nakatingin sa bintana, watching the city lights blur past. Kanina, I stood tall. Kanina, I didn’t let Cassandra or Benjamin see me bend. Pero ngayon, every word, every smirk, every subtle dagger replayed in my head. “Stop biting your lip,” Hunter’s voice broke through the silence, low and steady. Napalingon ako sa kanya. He was watching me, one hand on the wheel, the other reaching over to brush his thumb against my lip. My breath caught. “I wasn’t,” I whispered, though alam kong nahuli niya ako. “Thaliya.” His tone softened, but his eyes were firm. “You were perfect tonight.” A shaky laugh escaped me, bitter. “Perfect? Cassy practically ripped me open in front of everyone. Benjamin made the Rosales Group sound like it was already dead. How is that perfect?” Hunter’s hand tightened around mine, grounding me. “Because you didn’t run. You