Twisted Ties のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 61 - チャプター 70

Far from the chaos of Manila, Pia lived a quiet life in the province of Bicol. Their small house stood humbly along a narrow street, two blocks away from the school where children’s laughter filled the air. She had recently opened a small canteen near the school — a modest business, but one that kept her family afloat. Every morning, she cooked rice, fried fish, and prepared simple meals for students and teachers. Her parents helped when they could, and her younger sibling ran errands, carrying trays of food with youthful energy.Life was simple. Life was steady. But beneath Pia’s calm exterior was a memory she couldn’t erase — the night she had seen shadows near Andres' vehicle, hands working quickly, deliberately, tampering with the brakes. The man was even talking on the phone and mentioned someone’s name, saying the order had been carried out.She had stayed silent, afraid of the consequences, afraid of the powerful names involved.That afternoon, Pia wiped her hands on her apron

The weekend sun was high, scattering golden light across the Batangas estate. The garden smelled faintly of bougainvillea and sampaguita, the air heavy with the quiet dignity of old wealth. Mateo stood at the gates, clutching a bouquet of fresh flowers in one hand and a basket of fruits in the other. He had heard from Marge that Celia was sick. He had been texting Ainara for days, but she hadn’t replied. Silence was all he got. So he decided to take a chance — to visit, unannounced, hoping his gesture would be welcome.The guard recognized him, hesitated, then let him in. Mateo’s heart pounded as he walked up the stone path. What am I doing here? Will she even want to see me?Celia was in the garden, pale but serene and doing better compared to the last few days, sipping tea beneath the bougainvillea. When Mateo approached, bowing slightly, she looked up with a faint smile.“Mateo,” she said softly. “Flowers and fruits. How thoughtful.”He placed the basket on the table, his voice res

The estate was quiet that evening. Ainara sat in her room, staring blankly at the ceiling, her mind heavy with the events of the past days. She had denied everything to Mateo, fired the maids, silenced the whispers — but the truth still burned inside her.Her phone buzzed suddenly, the screen lighting up with a name that made her chest tighten.Andres.“Why didn’t you tell me?” Andres’ voice came sharp, tense, almost trembling with suppressed fury. No greeting. Straight to the point.Ainara’s breath caught. “Tell you what?”“That you went out with Mateo. Lunch. Luigi’s. Do you think I wouldn’t find out?” His tone was clipped, his words heavy.Ainara closed her eyes, her chest aching. “It was just lunch, Andres. There’s nothing wrong with eating out. What did you think we would do in the restaurant? You think we’d flirt there?”“Is that what you want?” Andres’ voice rose, his anger spilling through the line. “You know how he feels about you. You know what he wants. And you still went.”

Ainara sat in her study, papers scattered across the desk, her laptop glowing with half-finished searches. Every lead she chased on the mysterious buyer ended in silence. Anonymous shell companies, untraceable transfers, names that dissolved into nothing. The private investigator had failed her, and now she was left alone, staring at a puzzle with missing pieces. Her chest tightened. Whoever had bought those shares was hiding deliberately, and the secrecy was suffocating.Meanwhile, across the city, Andres stepped into Dylan’s office. The air smelled faintly of coffee and old paper, the blinds half-drawn against the afternoon sun. Dylan looked up from his desk, surprised but not displeased.“You called me about the townhouse,” Dylan said, leaning back in his chair. "Are you ending the lease?"Andres heaved a sigh, his jaw tight. “I still need it for the next few months. I need the space. But if my guess is right, are you willing to sell it to me?”Dylan frowned. "Andres, you have a pl

The silence between them stretched, heavy, suffocating. Ainara’s tears blurred her vision as she forced the words out, her voice breaking. “Do you understand now why I keep rejecting you? Why I keep saying we can’t?” She swallowed hard, her chest aching. “It’s already wrong in everyone’s eyes that we like each other because our parents are married. That makes you my stepbrother. Imagine how I felt when I heard their conversation? That I’m not the daughter of the man I thought was my father... and that Uncle Jaime is my real dad. That makes us half-siblings! Oh God!” She sobbed. And through her tears, she said, “This is wrong. So, so wrong, Andres. I should feel disgusted that we shared a kiss... what we did in bed.” Ainara shut her eyes tightly. “But I don’t understand, a part of me says it’s okay. Maybe I’m losing my mind.”Andres didn’t flinch. His eyes stayed locked on hers, steady, unyielding. “It’s not possible,” he said, his tone calm, almost too calm.“What?” Ainara was even mo