The day had finally come—the long-awaited assembly was happening now. It was Tom's first board meeting after two years.
Nancy moved quickly across the boardroom, placing printed copies of the market sales on every seat. Tom stood in a quiet corner, carefully organizing his reports while preparing his laptop for the presentation.
Technicians checked every detail. The laptop was connected to the large screen display. The goose-neck microphones were tested one by one, ensuring clear audio. Every seat was properly arranged. Everything had to be perfect.
It was 9:00 a.m.
Little by little, the boardroom filled up.
Shareholders entered in silence, taking their seats around the long rectangular table. Each one of them reviewed the summaries of the company's market performance, flipping through pages with focused expressions.
Then the meeting began.
They discussed everything in detail—the comparison between last year's sales and this month's results. Charts were presented, numbers explained, projections defended.
And then… the outcome.
The results were better than expected.
A wave of satisfaction filled the room as they confirmed the dividend distribution—each shareholder would receive a 5% return on their shares. A result they clearly welcomed with approval.
Five hours later…
The meeting finally came to an end.
Chairman Yang looked at Tom with visible pride, a rare softness in his expression. Daniel and Tom exchanged relieved glances—satisfaction clear in their eyes.
But then they noticed him.
Kent.
His expression was dark. Tight. Controlled anger hidden behind a forced composure.
Tom's gaze stayed on him.
Kent walked toward them.
"Wow… what a brainwave," he said sarcastically, clapping slowly. "What a case in point."
A pause.
"But don't get too proud of yourselves…" His voice dropped, colder now. "You'll never know what's coming."
He stepped closer and adjusted Tom's collar, pressing the fabric just a little too firmly.
Tom didn't flinch.
But the air between them turned sharp.
And heavy.
Daniel stood up immediately, but Tom raised a hand to stop him.
"Bring it on, Kent," Tom replied calmly, a faint smile curling on his lips.
"Tsk." Kent clicked his tongue, then turned away and walked off without another word.
Meanwhile, Anna had already gone to the HR Department.
She personally submitted her resignation letter to Ms. Danica.
After handing it over, she stepped out of the office.
Ms. Kate was strongly against her resignation, but Anna had already made up her mind. She wanted to cut all ties that bound her to Chairman Yang—and everything connected to him.
It was already dusk when Anna and Ms. Kate left the company building.
They waited for Nancy at the bus stop. Sitting side by side, they tried to lighten the moment by taking a photo together—something to remember the place they were about to leave behind.
But the moment didn't last long.
A black Honda Civic stopped in front of them.
It was Chairman Yang.
His driver quickly stepped out and opened the door.
"Anna," Chairman Yang called firmly. "Get in."
"Good evening, Chairman!" Ms. Kate greeted politely.
"Good evening, Ms. Kate," he replied briefly, before turning back to Anna. "Anna… please."
Anna took a deep breath.
She gave Ms. Kate a small wave.
Ms. Kate smiled back, silently encouraging her.
Then Anna got inside the car.
She sat beside Chairman Yang. The driver closed the door, entered the vehicle, and started the engine. Slowly, they drove away.
Traffic was heavy.
The city was drowning in rush hour chaos—vehicles crawling along the streets, horns echoing in the distance. The humid air clung to everything. Passengers in jeepneys fanned themselves with handheld fans, while others used small USB rechargeable fans just to breathe a little easier.
Inside the car, silence pressed between them.
Then Chairman Yang spoke.
"Ms. Danica told me you already submitted your resignation letter."
Anna nodded.
"Yes, I did." Her lips tightened slightly.
"Is it because you want to focus on your studies… or are you avoiding us?" he asked, his gaze narrowing.
Anna turned to him and gave a soft, almost gentle smile. She nodded again.
"I'm sorry, Lolo. But I need to do this," she said quietly.
"You didn't even ask me before submitting it," he said, disappointment creeping into his tone. "You know I wanted you to stay in the company… it's yours, Anna."
She immediately shook her head.
"No, Lolo. It was never mine," she replied firmly. "If my grandfather didn't give it to you, I have no right to take your throne. It's all yours."
"I knew you'd say that," he murmured. "Maybe that's why your grandfather chose you over your sister, Anna."
Anna laughed softly.
"They're all better than me, Lolo. You just don't know them. I'm sure you'll love them if you meet them."
Chairman Yang smirked faintly.
"Really?" He leaned back slightly. "Maybe I should choose one of them to marry my grandson instead."
"What?" Anna's eyes widened. "No! That's a big NO, Lolo. You can't force them to marry Kuya Tom."
He chuckled.
"Maybe one of them will want to marry him. We never know."
Anna shook her head, exasperated.
"Lolo, Mildred is nice. Why don't you like her? She's a fashion designer, a businesswoman, intelligent… she's perfect for Kuya Tom."
The moment she said it, she noticed his expression shift.
A flicker of irritation. A hint of anger.
"I like her, Anna," he said slowly. "I do. But there are things in this world that even if we want them… heaven does not allow. We can do nothing but go with the flow."
"Oh," Anna murmured. Then added quietly, "Unless they are really siblings… by blood."
"Of course not," he replied immediately. "You think too much, Anna. That's just your imagination."
Anna chuckled under her breath.
"So it's not heaven stopping them… it's just you, Lolo," she murmured, turning her gaze to the window.
She sighed.
The city lights blurred past her eyes.
"Tell me," Chairman Yang said after a moment, his voice lower now. "What can I do for you to stay in the company?"
Anna slowly turned to him.
And didn't answer right away.
"Nothing, Lolo," she replied softly. "All I want is a peaceful life… to graduate next year, become a Master's degree holder, and my dream is to build my own hospital in our province."
She paused for a moment, her voice gentler now as she let her dreams spill out.
"That's it."
Chairman Yang looked at her, completely stunned.
"You can have all of that if you accept the company," he said firmly. "It's easy, Anna."
Anna gave a small, almost bittersweet smile.
"That sounds tempting… but no."
She shook her head slightly.
"Do you want your company to go bankrupt? Your employees might lose their jobs… poor Nancy, Ms. Kate…" she sighed. "I don't want that to happen. It would be sad… just because of my selfishness and desire for a rich life."
She looked down briefly before continuing.
"No… I'm already satisfied with who I am. I want a simple life, Lolo."
"Why should I even worry about that?" he said calmly. "Tom will be your assistant. He is your husband anyway."
"HAHAHA!" Anna laughed, but there was no amusement in it. "That's not going to happen, Lolo."
Her expression turned serious.
"Please… let them live their own lives. Let him marry the person he truly loves. That's what would make him happy."
Chairman Yang nodded slowly.
"Sometimes, we must decide what is right for them… because they are blind," he said. "Anna, he is your destiny, my child."
Anna smiled faintly.
"If he is my destiny, then I am willing to change the road I am walking and start paving a new one."
Chairman Yang chuckled.
"But what if he is the man waiting for you at the end of that road? What then?"
Anna exhaled deeply.
"I will do everything I can to change my destiny. Destiny is a choice, Lolo."
"Indeed," he replied. "But what if no matter which road you take… he is always there? What if you are both truly fated?"
Anna turned her gaze away.
"I would rather die than marry someone who doesn't love me," she said firmly.
The car fell silent.
"What?" Chairman Yang blinked in shock. "Don't say that, Anna. If your grandfather hears that, he'll kick my ass—and the three of us will end up in trouble."
That broke the tension.
They both chuckled softly.
But Anna only sighed, her eyes drifting out the window.
The night sky above the city was dim—washed out by glowing streetlights. The stars struggled to shine through the haze, while the crescent moon hung quietly in the distance.
Below, the streets were chaos—cars, buses, and jeepneys stuck in heavy traffic, horns blaring endlessly, the city drowning in noise and heat.
Time passed.
After a few hours, they finally arrived at the subdivision.
Anna stepped out slowly.
She walked toward their home, each step heavier than the last.
When she opened the door, she paused.
A small smile formed on her lips.
Inside, her parents were already packing their things—getting ready to return to their hometown.
"Hi, good evening!" she greeted them with a bright smile as she stepped inside. "Ready for the flight tomorrow?" she asked, sitting down on the couch.
"Yes," her father answered simply.
"Aww… are you guys not going to stay for a couple of weeks?" she asked, her voice softening.
"No. We need to go back. No one will take care of our rice field… our farm."
"I'm going to miss you all," she said quietly.
"You should study hard," her father said, flicking her nose gently. "Don't worry about us. We're fine there. And remember—you are not allowed to have a boyfriend. You can hang out with friends, but don't get drunk, huh?"
Anna gave him a sweet smile and nodded.
"How about Kevin?" she teased.
"With friends only. Not just the two of you," he replied firmly. "And you still have a curfew."
Anna chuckled. "Yasss… trust me."
After a couple of weeks, Anna was officially enrolled for the semester.
She returned as a full-time student again—busier than ever. Her life became packed with community work, hospital duties, and endless academic pressure.
She reunited with her friends, and new professors were assigned for each subject. Still… she remained the apple of everyone's eye.
One afternoon, Anna and her friends were at a bookstore when someone tapped her shoulder.
"Anna," a familiar voice called.
She turned around—and froze.
Mildred was standing behind her.
"Hi!" Anna greeted, surprised but happy. "How are you doing?"
"Oh my gosh!" Mildred hugged her tightly.
Anna's friends froze in shock.
"I'm good! It's been a month since we last saw each other," Mildred said.
"Yes…" Anna smiled. "What are you doing here?"
"Looking for a design… for my invitation cards," she said excitedly.
"Invitations?" Anna tilted her head in confusion.
"Oh! I forgot to tell you… Lolo wants us to have a proper engagement party," Mildred said, eyes sparkling.
"What?!" Anna's eyes widened in shock—then she broke into a smile. "OMG! That's really great news… finally! Wow! I can't believe it… is it true?"
She hugged Mildred immediately.
"Yesss… me either. I still feel like I'm dreaming," Mildred laughed, holding her hands. "I want you to come on Saturday night. I hope you're free."
"She's free," Frej suddenly interrupted.
Mildred smiled at them politely.
"Oh! By the way, these are my friends," Anna introduced them.
"Hi, nice meeting you girls," Mildred waved.
Frej, Nikki, and Shania waved back.
"Anna, I have to go. I'm meeting my friends. Don't worry—we'll catch up soon. And don't forget, Saturday night!"
"I'll try," Anna said.
"Don't try. Just come!" Mildred insisted playfully.
Anna nodded.
Mildred hugged her once more before leaving.
"OH MY GOODNESS… she's a goddess!" her friends chorused the moment she was gone.
Anna smiled softly. "Yes… indeed. I'm so happy for them," she said.
Then, almost to herself, she added while walking through the aisle of books, "Finally… I am free. Free to do the things I want."
She hummed quietly, running her fingers over the bookshelf.
"Anna, are you coming on Saturday night?" Shania asked.
"Hm… no. I think I'm not going," she replied.
"But why?"
"I don't know… I just don't feel like it," she said, flipping through a novel.
"Are you seriously changing the topic?" Shania narrowed her eyes. "Are you jealous?"
"What? No!" Anna quickly denied. "No."
"Hm," Shania studied her closely.
"Don't you believe me? How dare you," Anna said, slightly defensive.
Shania laughed. "Maybe you're just in denial, my friend."
"Oh my… I am NOT," Anna insisted. She placed the book back on the shelf. "I'd rather read Chicken Soup for the Soul than this."
She walked away again, stopping in front of another shelf. "Oh there you are… Reader's Digest is one of my favorites," she muttered.
"I know that's your favorite, Anna," Shania followed her. "But please tell me the truth."
"This is the truth," Anna said firmly. "I like him like an older brother. Kevin… and him… I'd rather choose Kevin than him."
"Oh my… move on," Shania sighed. "If he were truly a man, he wouldn't have said that."
"What are you guys talking about?" Nikki asked.
"About Kevin," Shania answered.
"What happened to Kevin?" Nikki asked again.
"She's going to choose him," Shania said, slightly irritated.
"Well… if she chooses him, we can't stop her. Let her be," Nikki replied calmly. "Are you done? Let's go to the cashier."
"Oh my…" Shania sighed, grabbing Anna's arm. "Come on."
She pulled her toward the counter.
That day, Anna smiled.
And for the first time in a long time… she felt light.
Relieved.
*********************
"Next chapter is coming: The Engagement is coming! <3