On Tuesday morning, while Anna was waiting for a jeepney outside the subdivision, a black Lamborghini stopped in front of her.
"Good morning!" Mr. Yang greeted her as the window of his car rolled down.
Anna smiled. "Mr. Yang!"
"Come on, I'll send you to school," he invited.
Anna hesitated for a moment.
"Get in. Don't be shy. I came from my friend's house two blocks away from here, and I saw you, so I wanted to give you a ride," he explained.
Anna got into the expensive car.
"You live here?" he asked in surprise, looking at the place where she lived.
"Yes—unexpectedly, my sister won a house and lot last week, so… yes!" she said proudly.
"Wow… very lucky," he said with a smile.
As they drove, Anna was amazed. The interior was luxurious, and the engine's roar sent a slight rumble through her body when Mr. Yang started the car.
By the way, I was planning to meet you at lunch. Since we've met now, I need to tell you something," Mr. Yang said.
Anna listened closely.
He handed her a brown envelope.
"What is this?" she asked, intrigued.
"Open it," he requested.
Anna raised her eyebrows, confused.
"I'm not even sure if this is a gift for you," he said softly, "but your grandfather gave it to me."
They drove off to the university.
Inside the moving car, Anna slowly opened the envelope again. Her fingers hesitated as she pulled the thread in the center, carefully unwinding it. She took out the papers from the small brown envelope and saw a letter on top. Something about it made her pause before she even began reading.
Then she started.
At first, her eyes moved steadily. But as she continued, her expression slowly changed. Her brows furrowed. Her forehead creased. Her eyes narrowed, scanning the words again and again, as if she couldn't accept what she was seeing.
Halfway through the letter from her grandfather, she suddenly folded it.
She turned away.
Her lips trembled. Her eyes turned glossy, and tears started to form without warning. She blinked quickly, trying to stop them, but they still fell. Quietly, she wiped her face and looked out the window, hiding what she felt.
The car stopped when the traffic light turned red. Outside, people stood still at the pedestrian lane, waiting for the signal to change.
"Is it true?" Anna asked, her voice breaking.
Mr. Yang looked at her while holding the steering wheel.
He nodded.
"It's the letter from your grandfather," he said. "He wrote it eight years ago."
"I know it's hard to believe," he continued, "but we promised… and that has been included in our brotherhood since high school."
Anna stayed silent.
She tried to understand the words in the letter, but her mind refused to accept them. Everything felt heavy. Confusing. Unreal.
Her eyes filled with tears again.
A moment later, the traffic light turned green. Mr. Yang drove off.
Anna looked down again and reopened the letter. She read the contract and the passbook included inside the envelope. Her hands tightened as she read further, then slowly, she looked at Mr. Yang.
He met her gaze.
"That is all for you," he said calmly. "Including that passbook. Half of it has already been transferred to your account. When the company officially accepts you as the CEO, all the assets will be transferred to you."
When they arrived at the university, Mr. Yang parked the car in front of the school. The luxury vehicle immediately drew everyone's attention.
Students turned to look. Whispers spread. The sight of the expensive car made Anna feel even more nervous.
Anna, being shy and easily overwhelmed, did not want to get out.
"Mr. Yang," Anna said softly.
"Uh-uh," he interrupted. "You're forgetting something."
Anna's eyes widened slightly.
"How many times do I have to tell you?" he said. "Call me Lolo, not Mr. Yang."
Anna nodded quickly and forced a small smile.
"What is it?"
"Can you park your car at the back of the university?" she asked. "I'm shy to get out here."
"What?" he replied.
"They'll think I'm rich," Anna explained nervously.
Mr. Yang laughed softly. "And so you are," he said proudly.
"No, I'm not," she answered immediately.
Mr. Yang turned to her, a little confused. "Don't you really know who I am?"
Anna shook her head.
"No.
"I am Chairman Yang! That company is mine—but as you've just read… your grandfather was the real owner."
Anna froze.
"Is it a prank?" she asked weakly. "That's common these days…"
Chairman Yang's expression hardened. "Do you really think this is a prank?" he asked seriously.
"I… I don't know," she answered, shaken.
"Promise me one thing," he said firmly. "Don't tell anyone about this."
Anna looked at him, confused. "Why?"
"For your own safety," he said in a low, warning tone.
Anna suddenly felt a chill run through her body.
"Sa… safe?" she stammered.
The Chairman nodded. "A lot of people are interested in that company," he explained. "That's why we need to keep this secret."
Anna's thoughts spiraled.
"I don't want to be married… and I'm still studying," she suddenly interrupted.
"I know," he replied calmly, "but you can continue your studies even if you are married."
"WHAT?" Anna raised her voice. "My father doesn't even allow us to have a boyfriend while studying! Do you really think he will allow me to get married?" she laughed in disbelief. "That's not going to happen. No!"
"Are you mad?" he asked, slightly taken aback.
Anna nodded firmly.
Without another word, Mr. Yang drove and parked the car at the back of the university.
"I'm going," Anna said quickly as she got out.
She walked away without looking back and entered the campus. Mr. Yang drove off.
Inside the classroom, Anna sat quietly. Her friend Shania leaned toward her.
"What's wrong?" Shania asked, studying her face closely. "Something bothering you?"
Anna shook her head. "I'm just tired… we're still cleaning our new house," she lied with a sigh.
Shania laughed. "You need to rest, girl."
"You know what? You and your sister are so lucky," Shania said.
"Yeah… I guess so. Thank God," Anna replied softly.
"Out of nowhere, your sister won a house and lot—with free furniture," Shania continued.
Anna only smiled.
"And you're not even living in a slum area anymore," Shania added.
"Yes… it's true," Anna replied.
Shania suddenly changed the topic. "By the way, do you know 'lavage' and 'gavage'? We might have a quiz."
Anna smirked. "I always get confused with those. What are they?"
"Gavage is the administration of food or drugs by force, usually through tube feeding," Shania explained.
Anna shook her head. "And lavage?"
"It's the therapeutic washing out of the stomach or colon," Shania answered.
"Ohhh… so lavage is out, and gavage is in," Anna joked. "Now I know."
Later, Shania leaned closer again. "By the way… have you heard about Kevin?"
Anna froze slightly.
They went to the washroom together.
"Oh my goodness… he's dating?" Shania said, shocked.
"Ouch!" Anna clutched her chest dramatically. They both laughed.
Kevin had been Anna's crush since first year college.
"But he broke up like two months ago… and now he's dating again?" Anna asked.
"Third party," Frej interrupted. "Someone said they saw them at a hotel."
"Hell no!" Shania reacted.
"Yikes…" Anna muttered.
"So she's not a virgin anymore," they teased and laughed.
"Yeah, Kevin is the first," Frej added.
"Legit?" Shania asked.
"Yeah."
They all sighed.
"What department is she from?" Anna asked.
"Mass Communication?"
"Whoa…" Anna reacted.
"Last girlfriend was from Tourism, now Mass Comm…" she added.
"So what's your problem with them?" Frej asked.
"Nothing," Anna quickly said.
But her friends raised their eyebrows.
"It's true, nothing!" she insisted. "They're all pretty, that's all."
"Don't worry, girl. You're the last," Shania teased.
"No!" Anna protested. "He's just my crush. Period."
After class, Anna went home and searched online about Chairman Yang. She read about his family and company. Slowly, she realized he was real—not a scammer.
She even saw family photos… including the man she was supposed to be connected with through the agreement. She also discovered that Tom was already in a relationship, which made her feel uneasy.
Something about the man felt familiar… like she had seen him before—but she couldn't remember where or when.
During dinner, Anna couldn't stop thinking.
"What if one day you become CEO of a company?" her sister joked.
"That's not a dream," Dana replied. "It takes pain, tears, and blood before you get there."
"I wish that would happen to me," Karen said while washing her hands.
"Or what if a stranger suddenly tells you that you are the rightful heir of a company?" Sarah said, acting it out dramatically.
They all laughed.
"Too many movies," Karen said, tapping Sarah's shoulder. "Focus on your studies."
"But if it happens to me… I will grab it," Sarah said.
"Me too," Dana agreed.
Anna just smiled quietly.
Later, Anna washed the dishes while her sisters relaxed.
She couldn't stop thinking about the company, the letter, and the marriage arrangement. More than anything, she thought about escaping it all.
Her thoughts were heavy.
She knew her father—strict, disciplined, but loving—would never accept something like this easily. He had always worked hard for them, raised them with strong values. And despite everything, she respected him deeply.
But inside, Anna felt like she was slowly breaking.
That night, she stood by her window.
The wind touched her face gently. The moon shone brightly, and the stars flickered like silent witnesses.
But Anna couldn't feel peace.
Everything was too fast. Too heavy. Too real.
Tears finally fell.
She lay down on her bed, curling into herself, trying to shut everything out.
The wind moved the curtains softly, as if the night itself was breathing with her pain.
Chapter 4: Dinner with the Yang FamilyTo be continued…