1 Prologue

Soft and warm ambiance envelops the space. Fevered by the smell of wines and liquors as I enter the cellar. The flickering glow of muted and shadow yellow pendant lights sets a serene pace, bathing every corner in gentle radiance. I brought my Merlot glass from the kitchen, eyeing one of my favorites, Chambertin.

It feels like heaven. A familiar scent of lavender scent sniffled on my nose as I slowly poured it on my glass. This is the only ultimate secret ingredient of Noble Cortijo producing high quality wine and liquors around the country. I had gone mad the first time it tasted down my throat, the same feeling every time I sneaked around the cellar and had a drink.

"Good morning, Ma'am Felicity."

He said then looked at the small glass bottle in my hand and smiled at him. Then I thought, only the stupid one won't notice what is inside. I noticed how his eyes dropped on my right hand.

"Good morning."

Yeah, baby. I came here for the wine.

Then at exactly 4 pm, walking through the parking lot is my ATV, the one I used to ride every time I visit here. It's been two years since my last visit in brewery because of some unintended circumstances. Napansin ko agad ang mga mapanuri nilang mga mata. Hindi pa man ako nakakaalis ay mukhang ayaw na nga nila akong magtagal pa. Being the black sheep of the huge clan of Cuevas, this is a normal spirit by people given to me. Just a normal sort of feeling. And, I have already outgrew those things. Laging may nakabantay na mga mata, mga tainga, at mga bibig kahit saan ako mapunta. I wonder if someone could give me a wholesome respect.

Napailing na lamang ako. Sa katunayan, hindi naman ako madalas dito sa brewery. Kaya hindi ko alam kung bakit ako dinala rito ng mga paa. In fact, I hate it here. Everything. Why? Because I want to take over the whole Noble Cortijo, the brewery chain of Cortijo Corporation.

I do not want to study business administration, pero ang ending graduated pa rin naman akong may latin honor, at double degree pa. I want my grandfather to fully trust me, gave me his business, and in return, I will never gonna break his heart. Never gonna disappoint. But then, malalaman ko na lang na I just studied hard for nothing else. At wala naman akong karapatan na magreklamo sa kanya. At sa kahit na sino.

As a stepdaughter of Adriano and Evita, one of the most powerful couple socialite in the old town of Quezon, I have to lived the lavish life that every child's dream to experience. I had to come across with the powerful people in the country and live to be like them because of my family, the Cuevas. They had given me the opportunity to live without thinking any problem... but yourself.

They treated me so well. They give me so much love and care. Without any unfair treatment, I have seen it to me and my two older sisters. I can really say that we are the good example of a perfect family.

I just had my brunch a while ago when I called him for delayed paper works. Dahil nagbilin ako ng mga gagawin before leaving the province, I thought of no mistakes and all done.

"How about the delivery of last harvesting season?" Nakataas ang mga kilay sa kanya. "Tell the financial department to follow me a financial statement as soon as. Bakit kasi hindi kumpleto ang naka-input dito?"

He seems intimidated. With his huge eyeglasses, my secretary looks so awful and tense. I chuckled a bit in a slight manner. My relation to my secretary does does not looks good. Eh, ngayon pa nga lang kami nagkita after two weeks dahil hindi ko naman siya dinala sa conference ko sa Manila. Well, it is not my attitude rin naman na magdala ng secretary tuwing may meeting ako na lalabas ng probinsya.

While hugging those envelopes and looking me in anxiety, I smiled heartily.

"Pakisabi sa financial head na pakitawagan ako tomorrow morning. Or just set me appointment sa executive office. Alright?" said in an intern face while facing the MacBook screen, checking the reports last season. Hence, it was not good or bad. Regarding the sales and cost of production, wala namang bumaba. But this is not the output na gusto kong makuha. Not a bare minimum, of course. Cuz if I wanna get a lie low job, I should have not handle the ranch at all.

Then, I pursed my lips. I looked at him. Medyo kalmado pa 'tong nararamdaman ko sa ngayon. I rolled my eyes on my random thoughts.

"B-But Ma'am, the financial head is currently in a vacation leave. Actually, pang-dalawang araw niya pa lang po today. So, the day after tomorrow pa po ang dating niya."

A fucking leave? Who the hell told my employees to agreed take them a leave this month?

Mariin kong hinawakan ang mouse habang nakatingin sa screen. For a moment now, sasabog na talaga ako. Please lang. Sagad na sagad na ako sa walang-hiyang kapalastikan ngayong araw. For them to be incovenent in trouble times, my employees are none. On fucking leave pa.

I smiled at him without any decent of a humor in my face. Napayuko siya na parang alam na niya ang susunod na mangyayari. Clenching my jaw, I push myself a bit then stand infront of him. Napaatras din siya ng kaunti at kita sa mukha ang takot.

"Sino ang pumayag na mag-vacation leave?"

"Ang manager po," he said without breaking his eye contact on me.

Tumango ako sa naiisip. Then I guess my manager can do it anyway. Pa-easy-easy job ka lang ngayon ah. Now, ikaw ang walang karapatan na magbakasyon dahil sa ginawa mo. He might hear me whispering something to myself.

I heavily sighed. "Yes, Ma'am?"

"Right." Tumango ako. "Then, tell the manager to do the reports immediately. If he cannot do it within this week, tanggal na siya! Understood?"

Bigla siyang natigilan. A shocked face. I sighed and sit down on my chair.

"You may now leave."

My eyes fixed on the screen. The needed financial reports are not yet approved and still on process to revised. Dahil may mga mistakes sa numbers, marami pa rin ang blangko. And only the financial head could do this. I may be familiar with financial statements. Pero hindi ako sigurado at kampante sa financial skills ko. Pinalandas ko ang daliri sa noo. I definitely look like problematic and stress now. I thought of the moment of me having a good time earlier drinking my sweet lavender drink.

Humilig ako sa backrest ng upuan matapos ang ilang minuto. Taking a rest of my neck a bit. It's few minutes going to 5:30 in the afternoon. For the last straw of the day, sky unfurls its canvas like a master of hues dancing upon the horizon. As the sun's golden tendrils begin its descent embracing the yellow and orange like a molten gold with a sense of serenity and wonder. Like the how the perfect setting of the sun, a feeling of me being in my ordinary life will be always temporary.

My heart will always be with nature. I can breathe freely whenever I want. Without pressure, without judgment, and without people. If I have known that living lavishly, keeping me blind of my own, and letting myself falling in the unknown world. I will never ever step in to enter and be curious. I have already wasting my 26 years of hiding and keeping myself from others. And I am still unknown. Without my name, without my job and title, and without Cuevas.

How can I be so unknown... blank and misplaced? I closed my eyes and took a deep breathe. Should I just let the world around falling apart? As it is what it is?

A loud burst of thunder, sharp, and urgent bang of noise weaves in the middle of the traffic behind wake me up from my sense. What the f----

With my raging Jeep Wrangler under the traffic lights, in the swift motion I opened the door. I do not care anymore of the car passing by, car honing everywhere like I care of them. I urged to went out in the middle of the road agressively. Ramdam iyon sa lakad at tunog ng heels ko na dumagdag pa sa ingay ng utak ko.

"What is fucking wrong is your problem, huh?" sipat ko sa kanya.

A man standing firmly leaning beside my Jeep Wrangler, with his hands on his pockets and his eyes in front looking his car, probably. It was too late when I noticed it was a man. The intense breathing stuck as I grasp a sudden heavily mirrored in my chest stormed out strange emotions. He looked at me without any hint of emotion. Like he is just there, existing.

He looked away and said, "You are in middle of the road, Miss," using his deep voice.

Like I care. Agaran naman s'yang umayos sa pagtayo matapos n'yang sabihin iyon. I scoffed while looking at his car. And that was I realized that he is tall, with his broad shoulders defined on the white longsleeve rolled through his elbows, and his face in a darker shade from shadow. I may have friends who entered modelling, acting, and stuff. Yet I guess this man right in front of me is perfect and fit for the role.

If staring at someone could be illegal, I am willing right away being in the prison.

"Actually, you are too. In the middle of the road..." so I pointed him out and his car. After then he walked through his car, and I panicked.

"Hey! You freaking--- Don't you ever run or else---"

Bastos!

He just smirked at me before he entered and closed the door. At agad na pinaharurot ang kotse, nilagpasan akong nakatayo at sumisigaw sa gitna ng daan. Looking idiot and stupid in heels and corporate dress, who will think of me being crazy woman? Damn it!

"Arghh!' I groaned. Bastos na nga, antipatiko pa!

Pinaharurot ko na rin ang sasakyan ko, at may balak na susundan siya. I am not yet taking up revenge! My breathing hitched in wild manner while gripping tightly in maneuvering the steering wheel. Not letting him get away of my sight. His car!

"'Di ka makakalayo..."

Not this time, young man.

"'Di ka talaga makakalayo, sa akin..." not breaking my eye contact to the road, I turned left then pushed the accelerator at greater speed.

Ha! Gotcha, baby! I am now behind him. Muntik na ako roon ah. Malakas na pinatunog ko agad ang busina ng sasakyan ko. Sinasadya na marinig ng lahat at mapansin na n'yang nasa likod ako. Agad ko naman na pinaharurot para maglebel kami, nakangiti ako sa kanya na parang ako na ang panalo. He just looked at me annoyed and his eyes glaring intensely.

Then a few minutes later, I am thinking of him so attractive when he suddenly pull his car out the road. And so do I.

I didn't know why he do that. I rolled my eyes while parking out my car beside his pick up. He has his good choice in cars. Could that be in girls, too? Oh, hell! Crap!

Thought we just want to settle the argument beside, when he suddenly walk through the small dining outside. The he pulled out a chair for him to relax and sit down while waiting on me bidding to the king. Aba't naka de kwatro pa s'ya ng upo. Kita ko dahil nasa labas 'yon at mukhang mahirap na ipasok sa loob ng mesa dahil sa maliit ang space. Nakataas bigla ang mga kilay habang tinititigan siya.

He tapped the table small wooden three times noticing my nowhere attention. I looked at him, still annoyed and raising my eyebrow. It took him few seconds, maintaining the calm and quiet but with his authority and command. And I just grab the chance to finally sit when he suddenly speak right after.

Then I suddenly noticed how quiet I was too. Agad na pinanlakihan ko s'ya ng mga mata at galit na mukha tumamabad sa kanya.

"HOY---

"Coffee..."

"What the fuck?"

"I do not want a dirty mouth, young Miss," he said using his cold tone.

"Oh, fuck you. Do not fucking call me young Miss, stranger."

He nodded like he did not hear anything I said. I rolled my eyes, then he pursed his lips into thin line.

"Want coffee? If you want one, I'll order," he said while right in front beside his chair. Then I saw he got something out on his pocket, a small piece of card I am familiar with. He is seriously buying me one? Who the hell is this man?

"Wait..." I said and gestured my right hand to stop him to while the other hand searching something. And to realized that I left my coat inside my car. Suddenly I feel embarrassed as he chuckled.

Then he's walking away going to the counter inside to order, while me sitting on this cute dining, I forgot something to say for my coffee preferences. And so, I do not have a choice but to run through with him beside.

"I won't run away. We still need the talk, young Miss. I hope you know that better," he nodded and said breathily. I do not know but I found him chuckled in sexy... and most sensual way in my ears.