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Lahat ng Kabanata ng Empire of Desire: Kabanata 21 - Kabanata 30

60 Kabanata

Rise or Fall

Amelia's POV Mas mabilis dumating ang fallout kaysa sa inaasahan ko.Pagpasok ko pa lang sa Monday morning, parang buong firm na ang may alam.Tahimik ‘yung elevator ride, pero paglabas ko, ramdam ko na ‘yung mga bulungan — hindi na curious, kundi judgmental.Iba ‘yung tingin nila ngayon. May awa. May takot. May mga nakangiti pa — ‘yung tipong “buti nga.”> “She turned him down.” bulong ng isa sa coffee station.“Sino bang nagtu-turn down sa kanya?” sagot ng isa.“Girl’s career suicide. Walang lumalaban kay Blackwood at nabubuhay.”Parang usok na kumapit sa akin ‘yung mga salita.Bawat hallway, parang masikip. Bawat bukas na pinto, parang may nakikinig.Pero tinaas ko ulo ko — pretending na okay lang. Pretending na hindi ko ramdam ‘yung lupa na unti-unting humihigpit sa ilalim ko.Pagdating ko sa desk ko, halos walang email.Usually puno ‘yung inbox ko — client memos, drafts, revisions — pero ngayon?
last updateHuling Na-update : 2025-10-28
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Torn Between Two Worlds

Amelia's POV Hindi ako makatulog.Yung orasan sa tabi ng kama ko kumikislap ng 2:37 a.m., parang nang-aasar. Kanina pa ako paikot-ikot, iniisip bawat salitang sinabi ni Adrian Blackwood.> “With me, you rise. Without me, you’re crushed.”Dapat insulto ‘yon — isang banta mula sa lalaking sanay makuha lahat gamit ang kapangyarihan. Pero ngayong mag-isa ako sa maliit kong apartment, parang hindi na siya yabang. Parang totoo na siya.Nasa tabi ko pa rin yung phone ko, nakatalikod, parang masyadong mabigat para hawakan. Hindi ko man aminin, andun pa rin yung number niya. Hindi ko talaga dinelete.At sa tuwing sinusubukan kong huwag isipin, lalo kong gustong i-type yung pangalan niya.Tawagan. Marinig lang boses niya.Bwisit.Ayoko sa part ng sarili kong gusto pa rin siyang marinig.Mas ayoko na naiintindihan ko siya.Malapit na due yung renta.Yung bill ng gamot ni Mama nakapatong pa r
last updateHuling Na-update : 2025-10-28
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The Dinner Invitation

Amelia's POV By Wednesday, halos nakumbinsi ko na ‘yung sarili kong tapos na ako kay Adrian.Halos.Binuhos ko lahat sa work — nagre-review ng case summaries, nag-aayos ng compliance documents para sa mga clients na hindi pa totally sumusuko sa firm namin. Nakakatulong ‘yung routine para manahimik kahit sandali ‘yung isip ko. Walang calls, walang messages, walang bagong gulo.Hanggang sa nag-vibrate ‘yung phone ko.Unknown number.Pero alam ko na.> Miss Cruz,7:30 PM. The Glass Room, Grand Marlowe Hotel.Formal attire. You’re attending as my legal advisor.— A. BlackwoodFor like thirty seconds, nakatitig lang ako sa screen. Ang bilis ng tibok ng puso ko, parang gusto nang tumalon palabas.Hindi man lang nagtanong. Typical Adrian Blackwood.Gusto kong i-delete ‘yung message. Magpanggap na hindi ko nakita. Pero ayun na naman ‘yung curiosity — that stupid, stubborn part of
last updateHuling Na-update : 2025-10-29
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The Price of Refusal

Amelia's POV Dapat alam ko na. Hindi siya ‘yung tipo ng taong madaling tinatanggihan.Maaga pa lang, may message na agad. Maikli. Diretso. Walang pasakalye.> Same venue. 8:00 PM. Bring the revised draft of the legal proposal.— A. BlackwoodWalang “hi,” walang “please.” Just another command na parang utos ng hari.Matagal kong tinitigan ‘yung screen, ‘yung dibdib ko kumikirot sa tahimik na inis.‘Yung dinner last week pa lang, parang test na — at hindi ko alam kung pumasa ba ako o hindi. Pero ngayon? Another round? No.Tinype ko agad:> I’ll send it instead.Send.Before I could change my mind.Five minutes later, nag-reply.> Noted.Yun lang. Walang drama, walang follow-up.Akala ko tapos na.Pero by lunch, nagsimula na ‘yung shift. Hindi halata sa una — pero ramdam.Una, biglang nireassign ‘yung client meetin
last updateHuling Na-update : 2025-10-29
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The Line Between Power and Obedience

Amelia's POV He waited until everyone had left for the day.Tahimik na sa buong office — ‘yung tipong maririnig mo na lang ‘yung hum ng city lights sa labas. I was packing up when the intercom buzzed, sharp and cold.> “Miss Cruz. My office. Now.”Walang title. Walang “please.” Just pure command.For a second, gusto kong magpanggap na di ko narinig. Pero hindi puwedeng ganun — not with him.So I went.‘Yung walk papunta sa office niya parang mas mahaba kaysa dati. Each step echoed sa marble floor. Pagdating ko, bukas na ‘yung pinto.Adrian was by the window again — jacket off, sleeves rolled up, parang poster boy ng power at control. The skyline behind him glowed in gold — fitting for a man who liked to play god.“You wanted to see me?” I asked, trying to sound calm.“Sit.”I didn’t move. “If this is about the dinner—”“It’s not.” His voice cut clean through mine. “It’s
last updateHuling Na-update : 2025-10-30
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The Line She Won’t Cross

Amelia's POV Hindi ako nakatulog nung gabing ‘yon.Every word he said kept replaying in my head — paulit-ulit, parang sirang plaka.> “You don’t have to like me. You just have to obey me.”By morning, ‘yung galit ko naging iba na. Hindi na puro init — mas malinaw na, mas malamig. Parang armor. Ilang linggo na akong kinukulong, sinusubukan, hinihiya. Pero hindi ngayon.Kaya nung nakita ko ‘yung bagong email sa inbox ko — Meeting: 9 A.M., Blackwood Tower — Contract Review (mandatory) — hindi na ako nagdalawang-isip. I printed the notice, grabbed my coat, and left.The elevator ride felt endless. I told myself I wasn’t nervous. This was it — the last time I’d let Adrian Blackwood decide how my life would go.Pagbukas ng pinto ng office niya, nandoon na siya. Calm. Collected. Parang walang nangyari kagabi.“Miss Cruz,” he said smoothly. “Right on time.”Hindi ako umupo. “Let’s skip the pretense.
last updateHuling Na-update : 2025-10-30
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The Weight of Blood

Amelia's POV Freedom may be priceless — pero may bayad pala.At ‘yung bayad ko? Hospital bill.Nakatulala ako sa sobre sa kitchen counter, kamay ko nanginginig habang binubuksan ko ‘to. Pagkabasa ko, parang lumabo lahat bago tuluyang tumama sa akin ‘yung numero.₱186,000. Due in ten days.Tangina.Umupo ako, parang may batong bumagsak sa dibdib ko.Si Mama, stable naman na these past months — dialysis twice a week, gamot para hindi na siya masyadong nanghihina. Pero stability isn’t cheap.At simula nung na-demote ako, kalahati na lang sweldo ko. Sakto lang sa renta at pagkain.I pressed my hand sa noo ko. Huminga. Isa-isa lang.“Amelia?”Mahina pero pamilyar na boses mula sa kwarto.Mabilis kong tinakpan ‘yung bill sa ilalim ng mga papel. “Yes, Ma?”Lumabas siya, maputla pero naka-ngiti pa rin — gaya ng dati.“Ang aga mo ngayon ah.”“Slow day.” sabi ko agad.“Hmm.” Kumunot ‘yung noo niya. “Magsisinungaling ka pa talaga? You always talk fast when you lie.”I forced a small laugh. “Cau
last updateHuling Na-update : 2025-11-01
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Invisible Strings

Adrian's POV May libo-libong paraan para protektahan ang isang tao — kahit hindi mo sabihin ang pangalan niya.Power was its own language. At ako, fluent doon.Habang tinitingnan ko ‘yung quarterly audit ng mga external legal consultants, nakita ko ‘yung hinahanap ko: Caldwell & Reese, Partner Division.Firm ni Amelia.May naka-attach na report — projected layoffs daw, “budget optimization” kuno.Sa ilalim ng corporate jargon, nakita ko ‘yung listahan ng mga pangalan for evaluation.Kasama siya.Predictable. Simula nung tinanggihan niya ‘yung offer ko, unti-unti na siyang pinush out.She was brilliant — pero sa mundong ‘to, brilliance means nothing kung wala kang proteksyon.At ako mismo ‘yung nag-alis ng proteksyon na ‘yon.I closed the report. Leaned back.There are many ways to destroy someone.And just as many to save them.Isang tawag lang ang kailangan.“Daniel,” sabi ko nang sumagot siya sa linya. “The Caldwell project — expand it. Give them first bid sa Westbridge arbitration
last updateHuling Na-update : 2025-11-01
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The Game Behind the Smile

Amelia's POV Blackwood Tower looked exactly how I remembered it — puro glass, steel, at amoy ng pera.Every click ng heels ko sa marble floor parang sinasabi, “hindi mo ako matatakot.”I promised myself I wouldn’t feel small here. Not this time.Paglapit ko sa reception, ngumiti yung receptionist.“Meeting Room Twelve, Ms. Cruz. They’re expecting you.”They.Not him.Pero alam kong andoon siya. Adrian Blackwood never missed a chance to remind people who’s in control.Pagpasok ko sa conference room, parang ang tahimik masyado. Too perfect.Si Adrian nakaupo sa head ng table — charcoal suit, sleeves slightly rolled, watch na mukhang mas mahal pa sa kotse.The moment our eyes met, he said, “Ms. Cruz.”Neutral. Controlled. Pero ramdam ko yung undercurrent.“Mr. Blackwood.” I answered, matching his tone.The board members pretended not to notice the tension.The meeting started — arbitration schedules, projections, restructuring. Corporate jargon na parang chess game.I spoke clearly, con
last updateHuling Na-update : 2025-11-02
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Lines of Power

Amelia's POV Akala ko routine project review lang ‘to.Cross-department meeting daw — legal and acquisitions ng Blackwood Corp.The room was full of people in tailored suits, yung tipong kahit ‘yung tawa nila may presyo. Power practically radiated off the table.Wala pa si Adrian.Dapat nakahinga ako ng maluwag, pero ewan — parang mas mabigat pa ‘yung hangin dahil wala siya.The agenda was simple: i-review ang liability clauses for a merger proposal.Prepared ako — nag-research, nag-revise, ready for every possible question.Ang hindi ko lang napaghandaan… si Marcus Vale.Senior exec. Matagal nang kakampi ni Adrian, ayon sa chismis.He smiled like a predator. “Miss Cruz,” he said, too polite to be genuine. “You’re new to this level of negotiation, aren’t you?”I looked him dead in the eye. “New to the team, yes. Not to the law.”May mga mahihinang tawa sa table. Lalo siyang ngumisi.“I see. Then maybe you can explain why your revision contradicts Section Twelve of the client’s compli
last updateHuling Na-update : 2025-11-02
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