The old letter trembled in her fingers.

Señorito Sev,

Today I slipped on the rice paddy, but you surprised me by helping me up. Your hand was so warm when you reached for mine. When the sunlight hit your face, I saw you smile at me. You're so kind. Thank you, Señorito.

A single tear dropped onto the yellowed paper-the very first letter Grasya had written to her childhood love. She could still picture that bright, easy smile he had given her that day in the fields.

She pressed the letter tightly to her chest. So many beautiful memories lived between them. How was she supposed to bury them all? For years before he left for Manila, he had been nothing but good to her. For as long as she could remember, she had dreamed of building a happy family with him by her side.

"Sev..." she whispered.

Before he left Santa Catalina, his promises had burned with certainty-he would come back and marry her. But when he finally returned, only coldness greeted her. His gaze now made her knees weak for entirely different reasons. It was nothing like before.

She sniffed and wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Why did you suddenly change? What did I do wrong?" The bitter question drifted into the empty room.

She collapsed onto her bed and stared at the ceiling. Slowly, her eyes closed as memories flooded back-the happy ones.

She remembered the day Sev plucked a leaf and slipped it between his fingers.

"Listen to this, Grasya," he had said with a playful grin.

"What am I listening to?" she asked, already smiling.

"This." He blew on the leaf, producing a clear, whistle-like sound.

Her eyes widened in delight. "You're amazing! How did you do that?"

"Secret. I'm not telling you," he teased, laughing.

She had pouted and flopped down on the grass. He came over, still chuckling, and ruffled her hair before sitting beside her.

"Even if I taught you, I doubt you'd get it right."

She had rolled her eyes at him.

He laughed again. "Tell you what-every time you hear this leaf whistle, it means I miss you."

"Really?"

He nodded. "Yeah, it's true."

The memory faded as Grasya opened her eyes. Fresh tears blurred the white ceiling above her. She pushed herself up, leaning back against the headboard, and hugged her knees to her chest. The sobs came quietly this time, muffled. She didn't want her father to hear. She didn't want him to worry.

"Sev... if I ever learn how to whistle with a leaf, do you think my longing would reach you?" She bit her lower lip hard. The trembling started in her heart and spread through her entire exhausted body.

"I love you so much, Sev. Do you even know that? Please don't hurt me like this." Her voice broke into a soft, broken whisper. "The way you're treating me now... it hurts too much."

Sleep never came.

By six in the morning, she slipped out of her room. She grabbed some ice and pressed it to her swollen eyes, trying to hide the evidence of another sleepless night.

The pain was unbearable. She still couldn't accept it. Severen wasn't just her boyfriend-he had been her best friend since childhood. Her first love. Aside from her father, he was the only person who had ever truly held her heart. He had been her rock, her safe place. The one she leaned on when life got heavy. The one who made her stronger. The one who made her smile.

"What happened to your eyes?"

Grasya jumped at the sound of her father's voice. Gabriel Manafa stood in the small kitchen. He was thin but tall, his thinning hair almost completely white now. She didn't look like him. Everyone always said she took after her mother-and that her mother had been very beautiful.

Grasya's face was small and delicately proportioned. Soft cheeks framed her large, expressive eyes with their long lashes. Her nose was straight and refined. Her lips were naturally full and rosy-the kind that easily drew attention. Whenever she spoke, people's eyes often lingered there. Her jet-black hair fell all the way to her waist.

But she never wanted to resemble her mother. That woman had abandoned them for someone else. And the neighborhood had shunned Grasya for years because of her mother's stained reputation.

"Grasya," her father called gently.

"Dad." She hadn't realized he was already eating breakfast. A steaming cup of coffee and a bag of pandesal sat on their tiny table. "W-what is it?"

"I asked what happened to your eyes?" he repeated.

"It's nothing. I bumped into the door last night. That's why they're swollen," she lied.

Her father drew in a deep breath. "Are you really going to lie to your own father, Grasya? I know you better than anyone."

Her lips parted, but no words came out.

He sighed again, heavier this time.

Her brow furrowed with worry. "Dad, is something wrong?" Something beyond her puffy eyes was clearly bothering him.

He lowered his head and shook it weakly. "The Morenzos let me go, Grasya. I don't have a job anymore."

The ice slipped from her hand and clattered to the floor. "What? They fired you?" Her whole body started shaking.

He tried to smile, but it was thin and forced. "It's fine. Don't worry. I'll find another job soon. There are plenty out there."

He kept his tone light, but she could see the pain behind it. Her father had served the Morenzo family faithfully for years-hardworking, honest, never complaining.

"Why did they fire you, Dad?" Her hands curled into tight fists.

"They said I'm too old. They need someone younger. They don't need me anymore." The bitter smile returned.

"They can't do that to you!" Fresh tears burned in her already swollen eyes. "Is it because of me? Did they fire you because of what happened with me?"

He stayed quiet for a long moment. "Grasya... just forget about Señorito Severen."

The crack in her heart split wider. She wanted to scream. The Morenzos were cruel. They had even dragged her innocent father into their mess. "Dad..."

"The gap between our worlds is too wide, anak. They're rich. Too high above us. We can never reach them. Let him go."

The pain in her chest flared again.

They could never reach them... so she should just let go.

It hurt so much-like being scalded by boiling water, then having the burned skin scrubbed raw.

What made it worse was that she still didn't understand what she had done to deserve being called an opportunist. If their lives had been reversed-if she had been born rich and he poor-she would have loved him just the same. His status had never mattered. His money had never mattered.

"Grasya, are you listening? Let him go," her father repeated.

She nodded slowly, not wanting to worry him any more than she already had.

Gabriel stood up. "Eat your breakfast. I'm going back to my room." As he took a step, his legs nearly gave out.

"Dad!" She rushed to his side and steadied him. "Are you feeling sick? I'll take you to the hospital right now."

"No, no. My legs just feel a little weak. I'll rub some oil on them later. I'll be fine."

She helped him to his room, applied the ointment to both legs herself, and massaged them gently. She stayed by his side until he finally fell asleep.

That night, she made a decision. She would talk to Sev-not for herself, but for her father. Firing him so suddenly wasn't right. She changed into a simple T-shirt and faded jeans, then headed toward the Morenzo mansion.

She paused at the gate. Dozens of luxury cars lined the driveway. Every light in the house was on. Music, laughter, and the click of expensive heels drifted through the air. A party. She kept walking anyway. The guards saw her but didn't stop her.

She reached the main entrance, gripped the doorframe, and peered inside. Guests in formal attire held wine glasses. Laughter floated on the breeze.

"Thank you, everyone, for coming!" Señora Renata's voice rang out brightly. She gestured to someone.

Severen stepped forward in a sharp formal suit. He wasn't alone. A sophisticated woman clung to his arm, smiling beautifully beside him.

Grasya's hand flew to her chest, fingers curling painfully into her shirt. He looked genuinely happy. That real smile-the one he used to give only to her-was now directed at the woman beside him. Every glance he gave Riva felt like a knife twisting in her heart.

"My son is getting married soon!" Renata announced proudly. "His fiancée, my future daughter-in-law Riva, is the daughter of the Cabinet Secretary of Finance."

A soft, bitter laugh escaped Grasya's throat.

You can't fall in love with anyone else. You're mine for life. Your heart belongs only to me.

When I come back, we'll get married.

All those promises... nothing but lies.

"This son of yours, Tita-he's so eager to marry me," Riva giggled. "Even with his busy schedule at the company, he always finds time to write me letters. Can you believe that? He's so old-fashioned, right? I mean, letters? Who does that anymore? He could just call or text. But I love him, so I accepted every single one."

Severen had written Riva letters.

Grasya's breath hitched. The same kind of letters they used to exchange.

"In his very first letter, he already said he wanted to make me his wife," Riva continued smoothly. "After that, he never stopped. He's always there for me. He goes everywhere with me. He's like my shadow, auntie."

That's why he had stopped calling her from Manila.

That's why he never let her visit.

He had claimed he was too busy. That his father didn't want his attention divided.

Grasya shook her head slowly. From the shadows, she watched Severen's face with aching eyes.

He hadn't been busy.

He had simply stopped loving her.

He had learned to love someone else. Her name was no longer the one his heart whispered.

She bit her lip hard and lowered her head. Her whole body trembled. Tears fell silently.

When she looked up again, Severen's eyes had locked directly onto her.

He froze. The smile vanished from his lips. For several tense seconds, their gazes held. His jaw tightened. A storm of emotion crossed his face.

His lips parted. She was certain he whispered her name.

"Grasya..."

A hand suddenly closed around her wrist.

Grasya spun around, heart leaping. "Señorito?"

For one wild second, hope flared. Maybe he had changed his mind. Maybe he had called off the engagement. Maybe he remembered the promises he made and wanted to keep them.

But one look at his face killed that spark. His expression stayed cold. His lips pressed into a tight line. He looked like he had forced himself to come after her.

Severen sighed. "What are you doing here?"

"I came because-"

He cut her off. "To ruin my engagement party? What do you want, Grasya? To force yourself on me? Wake up. I don't like you anymore. We can't go back to how things were."

*We can't go back.* The words sank deep.

She lowered her head, throat burning with unshed tears. Should she laugh? Cry? Beg? Or just accept it?

Was everything they once had truly gone?

Even as pain clawed at her, she lifted her gaze to his. "Sev... do you really not want me anymore?" Her voice broke, but she held his eyes, willing him to see the truth. To feel how deeply she still loved him.

He stayed silent, but something in his hard expression softened.

She reached for his hand and squeezed it gently. Her fingers trembled, yet she tried to warm his with her own. "Don't you love me anymore? Did you pour everything you felt into her? Is there nothing left for me?"

Still no answer.

Did his silence mean he was having doubts about Riva? That he wasn't completely sure?

Hope surged again. The longing she had carried for so long overwhelmed her. She rose on her toes, pressed her body against his, and wrapped her arms tightly around him. Sobs shook her as she buried her face in his shoulder. "Sev! I missed you so much. I've been waiting for you to come back to Santa Catalina."

"Grasya..." His voice softened, barely a whisper.

Maybe he still loved her.

"Can't you love me again? Can't you stop giving your heart to someone else? Come back to me, Sev. You promised you'd come back for me, remember? We loved each other once. We can have that again. Because I still love you-so much." Her words came out in soft, broken cries, heavy with every ounce of emotion she had left.

"Severen!"

They both startled at the sharp voice. Riva stood there, eyes wide, hand covering her mouth in shock.

"Riva!" Severen pulled back, panicked.

"Are you kidding me? You're cheating on me?" Disgust dripped from every word.

*Cheating.* The word echoed in Grasya's mind. How had she become the other woman? She had been his girlfriend long before he left Santa Catalina. Why did he make her feel like her own mother-the one who had destroyed another family?

"No, this isn't what it looks like! I can explain!" Severen rushed out.

"How do you explain what I just saw? You were hugging her! I can't believe you'd do this to me, Severen. Especially right after we got officially engaged." Riva turned on her heel and stormed off.

"Riva-"

He tried to go after her, but Grasya grabbed his arm. He whirled around, irritation flashing across his face. "Let me go, Grasya."

"But-"

He exhaled sharply and pulled a card from his pocket. "Here."

"W-what is-"

His hand shot out, gripping her face hard. His fingers dug into her cheeks, forcing her to look at him. "There's fifty thousand pesos on this card. Take it. Just stay quiet. Don't make a scene here. And stay the hell out of my head and my life."

A scene? As if she was the type to cause trouble. "I don't want your money," she whispered.

"Fine. Whatever." He shoved the card back into his pocket and tried to yank his arm free, but she held on.

"I said let me go!" Rage exploded across his face. He shoved her hard.

Grasya stumbled and fell. He didn't even glance back to check if she was hurt. He simply didn't care anymore.

He glared down at her. "If I lose my fiancée because of you, I'll never forgive you! Don't ever show your face to me again!"

His shout didn't just hit her ears-it shattered what remained of her heart. His cold, cutting voice sliced deeper than any blade.

"Just accept it, Grasya. I don't love you anymore. And I never will."

Her lips had gone numb. She could only watch as he rushed after the woman he planned to marry. Her eyes traced his familiar back-the same back she had ridden on so many times as a child. Bitter pain flooded her chest. No matter how much it hurt to admit, she knew the truth: the happy days with her Severen were gone forever.

Grasya didn't know where she was going. Her feet kept moving down the long road with no destination in mind. She tripped several times, knees hitting the ground hard, skin scraping raw. But she felt no physical pain. The agony tearing through her heart drowned everything else.

She had once believed she was lucky-that the boy she loved loved her back.

How wrong she had been.

The person she loved most was the one who would bring her the deepest heartbreak.

Rice paddies stretched beside the road. The familiar sight of the embankments made her chest tighten again.

A bitter smile touched her lips. "So this is how it feels to love and get hurt. This is how heavy failure is." Exhaustion dragged at every limb. The world started to spin. Moments later, darkness claimed her.

The next few days blurred together. She drifted in and out of consciousness, catching glimpses of her father pacing the room, his face etched with deep worry. He looked like he had aged years overnight.

She wanted to speak to him, to ask if he was okay, but weakness pulled her back under every time.

When she finally woke properly, the room was quiet. Sunlight streamed through the open window. She shielded her eyes and sat up, throat painfully dry. "Tay?" she called hoarsely.

No answer.

"Tay?"

Silence.

Panic gripped her. "Tay, I'm awake now," she said louder, hoping he would hear.

When Gabriel still didn't respond, she slid out of bed. The moment her feet touched the floor, her knees buckled. She grabbed the headboard to steady herself.

The door creaked open.

"Tay-"

But it wasn't her father. It was their neighbor, Manang Rosa. She had taken over the small eatery in the market after her relative passed away-the same place where Grasya and Severen used to eat their favorite stir-fried noodles together.

Just the memory sent another stab through her chest.

"Manang Rosa, what are you doing here? Where's my father?" she asked.

The older woman's face filled with a mix of sorrow and fear. Grasya's heart raced. Bad news was coming.

"Manang Rosa... is there something you need to tell me?" Her voice shook.

The woman guided her back to sit on the edge of the bed. "You've been in bed for three days, Grasya."

"Three days?"

"Yes. High fever. You were delirious. Your father kept trying to get you to eat soup and drink water whenever you woke up for a few minutes."

She remembered almost nothing. Her gaze swept the room. "Where is he now? Where's Tay?"

Manang Rosa hesitated, clearly weighing her words.

"Manang Rosa, please. Just tell me."

The older woman cleared her throat. "Your father tried to take you to the hospital, but the Morenzos made sure you weren't accepted anywhere local. He was devastated. Still, he begged his former employers for money to buy your medicine."

Before she could finish, Grasya already knew how the story ended. Ice spread through her veins. Her father had humbled himself and begged them-despite having no job and no savings. "What did they do to him?"

"They turned him away."

Her shoulders slumped. "They showed him no mercy. He was always so good to them." Her hands clenched tightly.

"It's not just that, Grasya."

She looked up sharply. "What else?"

"I don't know how true this is, but... people are saying your father has been arrested."

Grasya shot to her feet, eyes wide. "Arrested? Why?"

"I don't know the full story. I only heard he's being held."

"Take me to him, Manang Rosa. Let's go to the police station." She tried to stand again, but the woman gently held her shoulder.

"He's not at the police station."

"Then where is he?"

"Villa Serpentis."

Grasya's knees nearly gave out. Villa Serpentis sat on the remote edge of Santa Catalina. The property had been abandoned for years until a mysterious man bought it, surrounding the vast estate with high, impenetrable concrete walls. No one could see inside.

Rumors said a ruthless mafia boss owned it now. A brutal man who showed no mercy. Someone to fear and avoid at all costs.

"Is it true the owner of Villa Serpentis is cruel, Manang Rosa?"

"They say he was. But the owner has changed. It's not the same person anymore."

"Changed?"

"Yes, but..."

"But?"

"He's still a de Crassus."