CHAPTER ONE
*****PROLOGUERêAd lat𝙚St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only
Young Phoenix kicked young Hailey’s doll causing it to have its head removed. The girl looked at him as if crying because she loved her doll. Her grandfather bought it for her as a gift for her birthday.
“What are you going to do now?” he asked her angrily. The girl just shook her head so he smiled. “You’re going to report to grandpa again!” he shouted in her face.
“I’m not going to tell it to him,” she replied then picked up the doll’s head when he kicked it again. Because it coincided with Hailey’s pick-up, Phoenix kicked her hand.
“Ouch.” She silently cried.
“You’re going to cry, poor child, no ally because she’s an orphan.” He’s bullying her. Hailey could do nothing but cry as Phoenix danced around her while singing.
“Orphan, adopted, that’s going to cry.” Hailey burst into tears because of what Phoenix was doing.
“Phoenix!” A baritone voice echoed in the whole area. Hailey immediately wiped away her tears and even Phoenix stopped what he was doing. Anyone who hears the voice of their grandfather is automatically nervous.
“You fight with Hailey again?” His angry voice almost echoed throughout the garden.
“No grandpa, we’re just playing,” she defended the boy.
“Don’t cover him, Hailey, I know this kid’s temperament.” Hailey bowed and didn’t answer. “And you young boy, go inside and we will talk.”
“Tss, ugly playmate, crying baby,” he whispered then walked in.
“Grandpa, please don’t scold Phoenix.” Don Alejandro sighed and tapped Hailey’s head.
“You really inherited your mother’s kindness. Don’t worry, this opening of the school year I will send Phoenix abroad. He will study there until he graduates from college. He will be coming home for vacation. ”
“But–”
“He’s not going to do you any good, Hailey, my grandson will fight you because he’s jealous of you when in fact he has nothing to envy.”
“Grandpa, can’t I see Phoenix again?”
“You will, we will visit him from time to time and he will take a vacation here,” replied her grandfather. “All right, and I’ll just talk to that boy now.” When her grandfather left she was sad. He would never see Phoenix again. His first friend that became her first enemy.
Above all, her first love.
*****
=PHOENIX’s=
I look at the hometown where I grew up while driving my Mustang Mach 1 premium. This place bring me a lot of good memories when I was a child. But because of that girl, grandpa sends me to USA. He chose his adopted over me.
This is not the first time that I have come home since I left. Every school vacation we used to come here but when I went to college I stopped visiting them. Grandpa was the one who visited me during Christmas in the US. It’s in a favour for me so I can no longer see the face of that woman who does nothing but leeching with grandpa.
Grandpa adopted her when she was 7 and I was 9 because her parents both died in a car accident. Her grandfather is my grandfather’s best friend. And when her parents die, grandpa brought her into the mansion.
I don’t know when my anger against that woman started. Maybe because of the fact that she took everything from me. When grandpa brought her into the mansion, I feel like I am the happiest kid because I already have a playmate.
I have best friends at school but when I’m at home, I’m even more boring coz the caretaker’s children don’t want to play with me. They looked at me like I am ahead of every kid. When she came and became my friend, I am so happy. Not until I noticed that she slowly took everything from me.
She’s beautiful, cute, and sweet. And she used her charm to take grandpa’s attention. She always teases grandpa and asks him to buy things for her. What I have, she wants, she has too. But what she has, I do not have. She used her sweetness to take the attention of everyone around her. Even my parents adore her to the point that they lose time with me. All the attention is on her. And I hate it because before she came the attention is mine.
I reached the mansion and immediately parked my car. I was immediately spotted by a staff member and greeted.
“Sir Phoenix, is that you?” Nanang Tasing the old caretaker greeted me with a man with her. It’s been four years since the last time I visited them. That was that woman’s 18th birthday and I was her escort. I am so disappointed at that time. I don’t even want to touch my skin on her but what happened? I danced with her.
“Yes, it’s me.” I removed my sunglass and look around the area. The place is still the same. I admit that I really missed this place. If that woman wasn’t here I will be gladly to stay here.
“Oh, you’re become more handsome. How many women cried because of you?” I was just shaken. Because the truth is I can’t even count. I played girls in the US. My friends labelled me as Casanova. But hell, I don’t care because that’s the truth. I used my body and performance in bed to make every woman crazy.
“By the way, where is grandpa?” I ask when I did not see him around.
“He’s on the veranda,”
“All right,” I left them and headed to the veranda. I saw grandpa seated at his favourite spot. I looked around to check if someone’s with him but he was alone. The deceitful woman is not here.
I’m here because I need something from grandpa. No one else can help me but him. I need his money for investing business. I can’t count on daddy because he just invested in an apple plantation in Canada.
I owned three hypermarket, just coincidentally that I am lacking for an investment. Someone just offered me a business that I had long dreamed of getting. The amount is no joke and only grandpa I know can help me. I can’t ask my friends also because our company’s income isn’t that big yet. I owned three hypermarkets on my own. At the age of twenty-four, I became successful but I feel that something is missing.
“Hi, grandpa,” I greeted him kissing his forehead.
“You’re already here, seat.” Despite his age, he still has not lost his authority in form and speech. “When did you arrived in Philippines?” he asked then sipped coffee.
“Two months ago.”
“Two months ago, but you didn’t even visit me.”
‘Because I don’t want to see that woman.’ That is what I wanted to say.
“I was too busy. We opened a new branch here in a commercial company with my friends and that’s where I focused my attention.”
“And here you are because you need money.”
“Yes.” I saw him smiling. Grandpa knows the reason why I came here. We already talked on the phone regarding this.
“I will offer you something, Phoenix.” He fixed his self and seat properly. “I will give you 50% percent of my assets in one good condition.” I narrowed my forehead because of what he said.
“What offer?”
“Marry, Hailey. Make her a Sebastian.”
“What?” Is he serious?
“25% after the wedding, 25% when you can give her a child.” Child? Is he said that—-Damn, thinking about having sex with that woman make me shiver in disgust.
“Are you serious, grandpa? You want me to marry that woman?”
“As I expected, you don’t want. But, yes, that is the only option you have in return of getting money from me.”
“Grandpa, I won’t ask money for free. I will borrow and pay it later.” He chuckles.
“I can’t give it to you. Accept the deal, I will give you right away the amount you needed. Then after the wedding, I will transfer 25% of my properties.” I can’t believe grandpa’s deal. Is he fucking serious about what he said? “The choice is yours, Phoenix Sebastian. Marry Hailey Paredes and make her your wife and the money is yours.”
I need the fucking money. If I didn’t get that deal I wouldn’t get it again. I wanted to be a part of Luxury Hotel. I have long dreamed of getting in there. Because once I can get it, I can get back the woman I love.
“I will think of it,” I said.
“The offer is valid only today. After the sun dawn, I will ask another person that is willing to marry Hailey. And same as my offer to you, I will give him 50% of my assets.” Is that how desperate he is to get that woman to get married or maybe she pregnant and no one wants to take the responsibility?
“Is that how important she is to you?”
“Yes,”
“More important than me, your grandson?” I heard him sigh and shook his heads.
“Hailey was entrusted by her parents to me, his grandfather is the only person who was there for me. His grandfather is the only person who believes in me. His grandfather is a brother that I never had. And now, Hailey is alone with no family at all. It’s not superfluous if I give her back the help his grandfather gave me. ”
“Bullshit!” I mouthed and look at him.
“Hailey is a good woman. You won’t regret it if you marry her. She will take care of you.”
“Why me? Why did you choose me for her?”
“Because you are the only person I can trust with.”
I don’t want to get married. I never even married Jessa whom I loved and I was the first man in her life. And now, I’m going to marry a woman that I don’t know how many men have slept. I heard my phone rang when I see the caller it is a secretary from Luxury Hotel.
“One minute,” I said and answered the call. “Yes?”
“Hello, Mr. Phoenix Sebastian. I just want to inform you what my boss said.”
“About what?”
“We found another investor that is willing to invest with us. We will wait for you until the next day only. I am sorry sir, but if you can’t invest until next day. We will grab another investor.” I clenched my fist in annoyance.
“Sure, I will give you the money tomorrow.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Damn! I can’t think of anyone else to approach. Even if I ask daddy and my friends for help, I can’t immediately save the money I need. I turned to grandpa who was looking at his staff busy smoking mangoes.
“Do you mean it?” I ask.
“Mean what?” he asked but did not look at me.
“You will give me the amount I need right away if I agree?” I saw him smile but still not looking at me.
“How much do you need?”
“Thirty Million Pesos, and I need it tomorrow.”
“I will transfer it to your account today if you will agree.” I sighed upon hearing him. I have no choice.
“Deal, I will marry her.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I will marry her.”
“Good,” he said and look at me. “The wedding will be held next week.”
“What?” Why he decides it quickly.
“Hailey doesn’t want a fabulous wedding. She wants it to be simple. Family and friends only.”
“Why it sudden?”
“Because that’s what I want. Deal or no deal.” Why grandpa tortured me like this.
“Fine, I need to go back to my place to meet my friends. I will transfer them the important works that I have.”
“Ok, I will let my secretary transfer to your account the money.” I rolled my eyes around to look for that woman. “Looking for her? She’s not here. She’s in the stable to help Tasyo give birth a horse.
“Does she know how to give birth a horse?”
“She knows everything.”
“Grandpa, the horse alrea—-” She couldn’t continue what she was going to say when she saw me. I looked at her also from head to toe. She’s wearing white dress below the knee and simple slipper. She looks fragile and innocent. Her innocent face will catch everyone’s attention. Her fucking lips will seduce you. Her innocent eyes will hypnotize you. But sorry, I am not one of those people who will deceive by her appearance. Because I know her real identity. She’s nothing but a deceitful woman.