All Chapters of Entangled: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

The suitcase lay open on her bed, half-packed, half-forgotten, a hollow rectangle of fabric staring back at her like it was judging her life choices. Sofia sat beside it, elbows on her knees, eyes unfocused as she stared at the neatly folded blouses and the pile of shoes she still had not decided on. Everything looked too plain, too safe, too… Sofia. She had been to Hong Kong once before, years ago, but only for work. A whirlwind trip with her Echelon colleagues, a blur of hotel lobbies, rooftop bars, and restaurant write-ups where she’d spent most of her time pretending she belonged. Even then, she felt like an impostor in a city that pulsed with speed and precision, where everyone looked like they were late for something important.Now she was going back. But this time, it was because of Tristan Jacinto.“You need at least one power outfit,” Lani declared from the doorway, arms crossed like a fashion general surveying her troops. “Preferably red. It says confidence, it says danger,

The ballroom at the Conrad Hong Kong buzzed with energy that pulsed through the air like static before a storm. Rows of journalists from Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo, and Manila filled the seats, their badges swinging as they shuffled, adjusted camera lenses, tested recorders, and exchanged rapid-fire comments in half a dozen languages. The large LED screens at the front glowed with the Nova Technologies logo, crisp and futuristic against the backdrop of Victoria Harbour shining through towering glass windows. The entire room was a spectacle, curated and polished in that effortless corporate way that cost millions to look simple.Sofia sat near the center, her press badge heavy on her chest like it had gained weight overnight. Her notebook lay open on her lap, but her pen hovered uselessly above the page. Her fingers trembled with an energy she tried to disguise as excitement, though it felt dangerously close to panic. Around her, cameras clicked like mechanical insects, and conversati

By the time the press event ended, Sofia’s nerves were shredded. Cameras, applause, and the echo of Tristan Jacinto’s gaze all clung to her like static. She practically fled the ballroom the moment it wrapped.Ginny trotted beside her, camera bag slung over one shoulder. “You did amazing,” she said cheerfully. “Professional, sharp, and just a little bit flirty without meaning to. Honestly, Sofie, if you don’t bag a cover story and a man, I will be disappointed.”Sofia groaned. “It was not flirty. It was terrifying.”“Same difference,” Ginny shot back.They decided to spend the rest of the afternoon away from the glossy world of press conferences. Central was alive with Sunday energy, the sidewalks crowded with Filipinas sitting on flattened cardboard boxes, unpacking rice cookers and picnic baskets like a pop-up barrio fiesta. Laughter spilled down the streets, Tagalog rising above the hum of Cantonese and English.“Wow,” Ginny whispered, lifting her camera. “This feels like home.”So

Sofia smoothed the edge of her notebook again, the familiar motion grounding her. She reminded herself that this was what she had trained for. Not the stares from other journalists who kept glancing her way. Not the memory of headlines that had once dragged her name across the internet. Not the unsettling weight of Tristan Jacinto’s gaze, which she could feel even when she was not looking at him. She repeated the same mantra she had whispered to herself while brushing her hair in the hotel mirror: focus on the work, focus on the story.She placed her recorder on the table between them and clicked it on. The soft beep felt too loud in the quiet corner room Nova had set aside for interviews. She lifted her pen, steadying her voice. “Mr. Jacinto, Nova’s debut in Hong Kong has been described as ambitious, audacious, even. Why choose this city for your first international expansion?”Tristan leaned back in his chair, the motion smooth and practiced. His cufflinks caught the light, small fl

Ginny was relentless.“You cannot come to Hong Kong, nail an interview with Tristan Jacinto, and then just go back to your hotel like a nun,” she declared, already zipping up her sequined clutch. “We are going to Lan Kwai Fong tonight. No arguments.”Sofia groaned. “I have deadlines. I should be typing up notes.”“You can type tomorrow. Tonight, you will drink, dance, and maybe even smile like a human being.” Ginny winked. “Consider it cultural immersion. Lan Kwai Fong is practically a Hong Kong landmark.”Which was how Sofia, two hours later, found herself in the middle of neon chaos, wearing a yellow summer dress that brushed just above her knees. It was not daring, not nightclub-glamorous, but sunny and simple, the kind of dress she had bought for brunches and beach trips. Her hair, no longer tightly curled, fell in soft waves over her shoulders. On her feet were her favorite Timberland boots, scuffed but comfortable, a stark contrast to the stilettos clicking all around her.Ginny