Prologue

ACERES GROUP INC. ELDEST GRANDSON COMEBACKS HOME TO HANDLE THE COMPANY.

TANNER ACERES, NAGBALIK NA NG BANSA PAGKATAPOS NG SAMPUNG TAONG PAG-AARAL SA IBANG BANSA PARA PAMAHALAAN ANG KANILANG KOMAPNYA.

"Wow! Iba talaga kayong mga mayayaman 'no Prince? Ilang araw nang headline ng mga balita ang cousin mo ha!" sabi ko kay Prince na naglalaro ng beer pong. I just saw the headlines every now and then and I don't bother reading them because I just don't care.

"Small thing, Hyacinth. Alam ko na alam mo ang feeling ne'to. Stop acting like you don't belong to this world." Sagot niya habang pinagpapatuloy ang ginagawa without glancing on my side.

I sighed, "Si dad ang mayaman, not me nor my brothers. Stop it."

We are at the Ace celebrating my success for getting the internship I have been dreaming at Aceres Group without pulling some help from my friends and my dad. I grew up with Prince because my dad and her mom are best friends but I never had the chance to meet his older cousin Tanner who is now the headline of almost all the news I am seeing for the past three days.

Prince sat beside me. "Alam mo Maria! When will you ever forgive your dad? It's been ten years. Your kuya Maru started working on your company and I think he is learning to forgive your dad. Please, do not stay too much on the past na."

I glared at him not minding his litany, "Maria, your face! Eww."

He was right; it's been ten years since my mom died due to car accident because he caught my dad having an affair with his secretary. What an asshole, right?

"Can we just enjoy? Stop being a daddy." I laughed and drank my Martini shot.

He just laughed at me and went back to the beer pong table. I felt a little pang in my chess remembering my mom's death. I decided to go to the comfort room to retouch my make-up. Palabas na ako ng comfort room nang biglang may pumasok na lalake sa loob to my shock I scream. He immediately went to me and covers my mouth.

"Will you shut up? You are so loud." He said in a strong American accent.

"E, tangina mo pala e 'no! Papasok ka sa girls' rest room and you will say I'll shut up. Oh gods! Unbelievable." I shouted to him very frustrated.

"I am sorry miss. There are a lot of paparazzi outside e. I just want to enjoy my free days and here they are bothering me." He replied.

"Artist ka koya? You're not even familiar. Feeler! Tabi nga." I walked out.

To be honest, he looks like a hot model with his think eyelashes, pointed nose and a chinky eyes and a very well-done hair. Hindi naman siya nagba-bluff sa part na may paparazzi sa labas. I must say he is really handsome naman.

As I walked back to our table, a guy went to me and touches my butt. What the actual fuck! I faced him held his hand and kick his balls. Didn't know that I can use my taekwondo lessons with assholes. Thanks to my dad, I will give him the credit for that. Ang malas ko naman ngayong gabi, I'll just go home. I'll just text my friends that I got bored and went home. I was about to take my step away from the crowd because people saw what I did nang may umakbay sa akin.

"People stop meddling with my girl!" Prince shouted.

"Hey, I am not your girl!" I shot back.

"I will drive you home." He whispered.

"I have my car with me. I can manage. Stop treating me like a kid, I am nineteen already." I replied glaring at him.

"Okay, okay, chill. Take care, okay? You aren't that drunk naman so I know you can manage. Ciao!" He replied defeated.

Pagkalabas na pagkalabas ko nang bar may umakbay na naman sa akin. What's with the akbay ba, tonight? Nakakainis! I was about to do the same thing I did to that perverted guy inside the bar when the guys talked.

"You're really amazing huh! I will not do anything. I am just amazed for what you did." He seemed very amused.

"Okay, thanks! I'll take that as a compliment. Can I go now?" I said sarcastically.

He just nodded and wave goodbye. What is wrong with that guy? We went inside the girls' comfort room to hide and suddenly appear in front of me like that. Oh hell. This guy is giving me headache.

Nagising ako sa lakas ng katok sa pintuan ng kwarto. Did the house help forget that it's Saturday today?

"Hyacinth hija, pinapatawag ka ng mga kuya mo sa living room." Shouted nana Bebeng. She is our house help since my kuyas are still kids. When we moved to my mom's house, she also move with us. I love how she cared for us like we are her own grandchildren. I owe her big time.

"Opo, nana." I answered.

Nakakagulat na alas otso na nang umaga pero nasa bahay pa rin ang mga kuya ko. Every Saturday lumalabas sila ng maaga to unwind or to they will spend their Friday nights outside.

"Good morning kuyas! What's up?" I kissed them both when kuya Marvin looking at me intently which make me nervous.

"Ikaw ha! Hindi ka na talaga baby girl. Marunong ka na ring lumandi-landi ng slight but please be careful naman." Si kuya Maru na nilalagyan ng pagkain ang aking pinggan.

"Wow, you woke me up for this? Anong landi na pinagsasabi mo kuya?"

Kuya Marvin chuckled and gave me his phone showing a news with the headline, "VELASCO'S PRINCESS SEEN WITH PRINCE ACERES IN PUBLIC PLACES IS NOT NEW ANYMORE BUT SEEN WITH TANNER ACERES IS A BOMB!"

I can't remember knowing Tanner Aceres, why would I be seen with him? Fake news naman 'tong mga 'to. I read the article and at the end of it was a picture of me and Prince when he fetches me from my school and the other one is a picture of me and a guy na naka-akbay sa akin sa labas ng Ace.

"Ah! Siya pala si Tanner Aceres, 'yung guy na hinahabol nang papparazzi kagabi. I didn't know that. Just tell them that it is nothing kuya. Hindi ko alam na siya 'yun." I told them unbothered.

"Just don't mind them na lang. Just do whatever your heart desires. We are here to support you okay." Kuya Marvin giving me his warmest smile.

"Just be careful, okay?" Kuya Maru seconded.

I am very grateful to have them, when mom died, they became the mother and father figure to me because I don't want to see my dad since then. They always see to it that they attend all the important events in school and in my life. Because of them I was never bothered with fake news spreading about me. I am used to it when girls at school spread rumors about me flirting with guys and all.

To: Prince

Let's go grab Jollibee peach mango pie, fries and spaghetti, please.

From Prince:

Is that all? I'll be there in 20. I'll just drive-thru. I saw the news and I know that you don't have pake so I won't dig na. HAHAHA

To Prince:

Okay. Ingat, mwa!

Prince made it to our place inexactly twenty minutes. We watched and ate all the food he brought to our place. We stayed in the house and endlessly stuff our hearts with foods. It was already 6:00 pm when his phone starts ringing.

[Hello pare Ben! Anong kailangan mo?" He answered his phone enthusiastically. It was his Lolo. He was very playful talking to his lolo all the time.]

[Dinner? Hyacinth? Hala, Lo! Di pa ako ready sa arrange marriage. Ayaw din ni Hyacinth 'yun. Ayoko namang maging kawawa, lo! Ayoko ko mag-asawa ng pangit. Lo, maawa ka!]

[Arte mo, Lo! Okay, pupunta kami. Bye na! Bebe time ngayon e, sagabal naman.]

I glared at him. Typical Prince, the playboy. He told me that his lolo wants to see me and they are inviting me to have dinner with them at the Magnate Mansion. I am very excited because the Magnate Mansion is a breath of fresh air for me. When we arrived at their mansion, I stopped on track when I realize that I am finally meeting Tanner Aceres in flesh, the guy who has my mom eyes now.