Lahat ng Kabanata ng Twisted Ties: Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 7

She couldn’t understand what kind of curse she was under, with misfortune piling up one after another. It wasn’t enough that she had a terrible boss, and that he was attending the same engagement party which would later make him her stepbrother—now she was stuck sitting beside him on a long flight back to Manila.As they settled into their seats, Ainara tried to ignore the way his cologne smelled like cedar and regret. He pulled out a tablet. She pulled out a book. Their elbows touched. Neither moved.Thirty minutes into the flight, he glanced at her page.“You’re still reading that?” he asked, pointing at the romance novel in her hands.“It’s called savoring.” “It’s called procrastinating.”She turned to him. “Why are you like this?”Andres only laughed. She closed the book, suddenly losing the mood to read.“What would you like me to do?”Andres shut off his tablet and faced her. “Talk to me.”Ainara frowned. “And what exactly are we supposed to talk about?”“Anything. Except work.

The sun was just about to set, its soft glow highlighting the whitewashed walls with terracotta roofs. Ainara loved their home—it was one of the reasons she chose Architecture instead of a business degree. From her private balcony, she could see everything.The lush gardens and centuries‑old acacia trees were still there, and she remembered her old tire swing. The bougainvillea still bloomed endlessly, and because of it, her favorite color had become fuchsia.She noticed the cobblestone path that led guests through a candlelit courtyard. String lights crisscrossed above like fireflies. Romance was in the air, but knowing her mother was remarrying did not make her happy. She wanted her mother to be happy, of course. It was just that Jaime—she had no words. He had always been kind to her, even before, so she couldn’t understand why she resisted him for her mother.A soft love song floated through the air. The quartet her mother had chosen was rehearsing for tonight’s entertainment.It l

They met at Spencer’s, and she arrived just a few minutes before Marge. Ainara was sipping iced tea while waiting. When Marge arrived, she immediately kissed her on the cheek and gave her a hug.“Sorry, traffic was terrible. I tried to get here as fast as I could.” Marge sat down and ordered iced tea as well.Ainara didn’t feel like eating anything yet, but she planned to order a salad later. She was more interested in catching up with her friend whom she hadn’t seen in a long time. They did call each other at least once a month, but it was different when they were together in person.“It’s okay. I didn’t wait long.”Marge took a sip of her drink. “So, how was last night?”“Did you know they were dating?” Instead of answering her friend’s question, she responded with one of her own.Marge looked like she was in pain. “To be honest, I saw them together once, but I didn’t think anything of it. I mean, your families have known each other forever.”“And you didn’t tell me?”“What was I su