Money has all the power to give those who were privileged the means to live. But a temptation to those who are not.

I roamed my eyes around the whole function hall and wondered how much all these things cost. I even heard someone saying that the one in the middle of the hall is a million dollar chandelier.

Marahan akong napailing. If only my parents hadn't organized this for me, I'd probably ditched it this early.

A month after they got the DNA results, they organized this gathering to formally introduce me as a Serrano.

That month is enough for me to slowly adjust and digest everything. I'm staying at Serrano's mansion with my parents and my twin, Rieselle. Though there were times that I'm sleeping in Chaos's condo, once a week, if I remember it right.

Hindi na sa mansyon nakatira si Rieselle at may sarili ng condo. But she's staying in the mansion for awhile while the whole family were catching up. 

Maayos ang relasyon namin ni Rieselle. I apologized too for the whole family for what I did five years ago. Though I'm still a bit distant.

While my father is in the Quijano mansion. Nakabalik na rin si Flavio kasama si Faye. They're invited but both weren't here. And I understand that they most probably won't really be here. It's too awkward for my father, Nathaniel Quijano, to attend as well as Flavio. 

Hindi kinasuhan ng mga magulang ko si Dad at ganoon din si Flavio. Reason why he's back and they doesn't have to hide.

Few hours after the introduction, I finally escaped from the crowd. Na alam kong panandalian lang ulit. 

"I know a place, Miss." 

I rolled my eyes as I shifted my gaze back to Gremian and eyed him with a ridiculed expression in my face. "I won't screw cousins." I raised a brow before smirking, sinasabayan ang mga biro niya.

"Won't screw a cousin's woman too." 

A hoarse chuckle escaped his lips. "Your boyfriend will kill me if he heard what I said."

Of course, the Zaldivars were invited. Even Timothea and Abacus, hindi ko lang alam kung pumunta ang mga iyon. I haven't seen them but well, who cares. 

Even though the Quijanos isn't my biological parents, they're still my parents. At ang mga nagawa nilang mali sa mga Quijano ay hindi ko malilimutan dahil lang nag-iba ang apelyido ko. 

The moment my biological parents knew that I'm their daughter, they immediately processed the changing of my surname. 

"How do you even know that I'm not my twin before?" I asked, pertaining to the time where we met in a bar.

"You two were totally different. You just have the same face," sambit niya, tulad ng sinasabi ng karamihan. Though I don't find it offensive.

I lowly chuckled and stopped when a hand encircled on my waist. Hindi ko na kailangang lingunin pa kung sino iyon. 

"You left," akusa niya matapos niyang maipit sa mga kakilala, dahilan kung bakit nagkaroon ako ng pagkakataong umalis at makawala sa mga tao.

I smirked before I tiptoed a bit as I rested my hand, that's holding my purse, in his chest to give him a quick kiss on his lips. His hand on my waist immediately tightened, pushing me closer to him as he gave a peck back on my lips. 

"Oh, I'm outta here." Gremian raised both of his hands while stepping back and slowly shaking his head at his cousin. 

Nang makalayo si Gremian ay dali-dali kong hinila si Chaos palabas ng venue bago pa muling may lumapit sa amin. 

We agreed that I'll stay in his condo for tonight but I don't think I can wait for it.

We successfully sneaked out of the function hall and rode an elevator towards the parking lot. 

"I promised to pay you after a month," I stated while stretching my neck a bit to find his car. 

The boutique was sold after few negotiations with the buyers while weighing each of their conditions. Tatlo ang buyer tulad ng sinabi ng abogado ng mga Quijano, at kinabukasan lang ay nadagdagan pa iyon ng isa. First two were both a good catch but for some reasons, they changed their minds and backed out. 

The third buyer has no plans on selling the boutique back to me so I opt it out of the choices.

The fourth buyer is willing to retain my current staff and willing to sell the boutique back to me when I already have money.

Dahilan kung bakit agad akong nagdesisyon na ibenta ang boutique sa panghuling buyer.

I was about to sign the contract when the lawyer of the buyer called and realized it's my parents buying the boutique when the buyer's lawyer mentioned Mrs. Serrano, who is my mother.

I cancelled the contract right away and called my mother. Tama ang hinala ko nang nakumpirma iyon mula sa kanya. She said she doesn't want me to sell the boutique if it's not what I want. 

Tinanggihan ko ang gustong mangyari ni Mommy.

My lawyer immediately contacted the third buyer. The buyer agreed not to change the staff but the condition is, I can't buy back the boutique. 

Ayon sa abogado, desidido ang pangatlong buyer at wala nang plano na ibenta muli ang boutique pabalik sa akin. 

Plus, the offer is a bit high. Enough to pay all the money I stole from Chaos. At may sosobra pa.

Ayaw ko man, wala na akong nagawa. The moment I sign the contract, I already knew I can't take it back. Reason why the contract signing got delayed for a few days. Ngunit sa huli ay pinirmahan ko rin ang kontrata at tuluyang nawala sa akin ang The Estelle noong nakaraang linggo. 

The regret is there. I lost my boutique. My mother, Melissa Quijano's last gift to me. But I don't think I can be in a relationship with Chaos with the fact that I stole money from him. Para bang pampalubag-loob ko na lang sa aking sarili na babayaran ko ang lahat ng perang nakuha ko sa kanya. 

"I told you, you don't have to pressure yourself. You don't even have to pay for it," he muttered as he settled on the driver's seat of his car. While I'm in the passenger's seat.

We haven't seen each other for a week because of the preparations for this event while he became busy in his company. 

I comfortably shifted my body towards his direction while fishing for the envelope in my purse.

Nang nahawakan ay agad kong nilabas iyon. I opened it and scanned the check before stretching my hand towards his direction. The amount written in the check is the exact amount I spent using his black card.

"Here's my payment." 

His eyes narrowed as he accepted the check. He leaned forward and nonchalantly tossed it inside the glove compartment of his car. 

Napakunot ang aking noo nang hindi man lang niya binuksan ang envelope para tignan iyon. 

"You didn't check it?" I raised a brow. Paano pala kung kulang ang isinulat kong halaga roon? 

Oh, damn. And what? He just tosses millions in his glove compartment like it's nothing!

He shrugged and shifted towards my direction too. "I'm not even requiring you to pay. Or... pay one peso a day, like what I said." 

My eyes turned into slits. One peso a day! Hindi mo 'ko maloloko, Chaos.

He lowly chuckled like he can read what I'm thinking. "What?"

Binalingan ko ang purse ko na nasa aking kandungan. Muli kong kinapa ang loob noon at inilabas doon ang black card ni Chaos. I didn't got a chance to return this to him before. Ngunit ganun pa man, hindi ako nagtangka o naisipan man lang na gamitin iyon habang nagtatago ako. 

Siguro, dahil na rin sa katunayang baka matunton ako kung gagamitin ko iyon. And the fact that... I love Chaos, makes me feel awful at the thought that I'll use his money without his permission. 

Well, he gave me a permission before because he thought I'm Rieselle. Sinamantala ko ang pagkakataong akala niya ay ako ang mapapangasawa niya.

Ngunit ngayon, tila bumabaliktad ang sikmura ko tuwing maiisip iyon. And the thought that I'm not worthy to be with him is haunting me. The only thing I have is his assurance. That I am enough. 

I extended my hand once again towards him. His eyes darted at the black card in my hand.

"That... is what I won't accept."

"You let me have this because you thought that I'm Rieselle. I'm not."

"I know." Kinuha niya iyon sa aking kamay ngunit muli iyong inilahad palapit sa akin. "Then, here. You're Marcia. Not Rieselle."

My lips automatically parted. Hindi makapaniwala sa mga sinasambit niya.

I tilted my head and mockingly eyed him with a sly smirk in my lips. "I don't need that."

"Damn," he softly cursed and chuckled. He leaned at the backrest while his eyes are still on me, hopeless. 

"Shall we go back inside? They're probably looking for the both of us. Baka akala nila... may ginagawa tayong milagro eh, wala naman. Maybe later," I sensually muttered at the last words and my voice curled a bit. The smirked in my lips widened as I cocked my brow.

He handed me the black card while slowly shaking his head at my words, trying once again but I shook my head with a smile in my lips. Sa huli ay wala na siyang nagawa kung hindi ang ibulsa ang card na hawak niya.

Matapos ay pinanliitan niya ako ng mga mata. "Let's visit your boutique tomorrow," he stated. Para bang nakaisip siya ng paraan kung paano maibabalik sa aking ang card na isinoli ko sa kanya. 

As if I'll get it again. 

Natahimik ako nang matanto kung ano ang sinabi niya. Hindi alam ni Chaos na ibinenta ko na ang boutique. I hide it from him because I know he won't let me sell it just to pay my debt to him. Hanggang sa sumunod na araw ay hindi ko alam kung paano ipapaliwanag na wala na kaming pupuntahan dahil hindi na sa akin ang boutique.

Yes, the staff are still my staff before, the reason why it's easy to go there like it's still mine. But I don't wanna lie again. I don't want him to be a fool as he'll believe that I'm still the owner of the boutique.

"The Estelle was sold a week ago. I'm not the owner any longer." I finally admitted it the next day when we're already in the car, bound to visit The Estelle. 

Natigilan siya sa pagbubuhay ng makina ng kanyang sasakyan. His eyes landed on mine. 

He nonchalantly nodded his head. "Alright."

I thought he'll ask questions but he didn't. Mataman niya akong tinitigan bago tuluyang tumango. 

I was staring outside the whole ride, silently. I have no idea where we're going now that I admitted everything already. Maybe somewhere.

Wala rin imik si Chaos ngunit nararamdaman ko ang paminsan-minsang sulyap niya sa akin.

I feel the car stopped in a familiar place. Napalingon ako sa direksyon ni Chaos ngunit wala na siya roon. Before I could even open the passenger's door, he already did it for me. 

Nakumpirma ko ang lugar kung nasaan kami nang tuluyan akong makalabas ng kanyang sasakyan. 

My eyes fixated at the boutique in front of us. Kunot noong binalingan ko si Chaos ngunit wala na siya sa aking harapan. I saw him shut the door of the back seat while now holding a black leather folder.

I bitterly glanced at the boutique. "I told you this isn't mine."

But instead of answering, he extended his arm and handed me the leather folder he's holding. 

I tilted my head upon accepting it. Nang buksan ko iyon ay agad akong napalingon kay Chaos matapos mahagip ng aking mga mata ang dokumentong nasa loob.

He gave me a quick nod while the corners of his lips formed a smile. "I know how much you love this." 

Muli akong napasulyap sa dokumentong hawak ko.

"Transfer certificate of title?" I loudly read the headings of the document before looking at Chaos. Nahihiwagaan ko siyang tinitigan.

Kasama sa ibinenta ang lupang kinatitirikan ng boutique. Dahil aanhin ko pa ba iyon kung hindi na sa akin ang The Estelle? 

But as I scanned the document, I confirmed that it's for the transfer of land title. And the address of the land is the place where The Estelle is built.

My eyes darted at the name of the original owner, Christopher Carlos Zaldivar, transferring the land under my name, Marcia Estelle Serrano.

I flipped the pages. Noon ko natantong hindi lang ang lupa ang inilipat niya sa pangalan ko at kasama roon ang The Estelle.

"W–what? What is this?" I asked, confused even though it's obvious already that he's the one who bought my boutique and now he's transferring the ownership back to me!

"A gift," he nonchalantly answered like it didn't cost millions. 

"Binenta ko 'to para ipangbayad sa 'yo ang perang pinagbilhan. Then now, what are you doing?"

Chaos shrugged. "I know. And that's a gift, I said," he uttered in a matter-of-fact tone.

"You bought this! This is yours." I like this! A lot. But isn't it too much? Kung simpleng bagay lang, siguro kaya kong tanggapin ng walang tanong. But this? I don't think I can accept this without second thoughts. 

"Yeah, it's mine. I have the right to do what I want with it and I want to give it to you. This is yours. A gift is a gift, baby."

"A gift? For what?"

He glanced at the boutique and shrugged. "Because you're... finally my girlfriend."

"Really? A lot and a boutique just because we got official? What more in our anniversary? In our wedding? Wedding anniv? And a lot more mileston—" Napahinto ako nang makita ang ekspresyon niya. 

He pursed his lips, hardly suppressing the wide smile that's knocking in his lips. 

"Why are you smiling?" I frowned.

He shook his head. "Nothing—" He cleared his throat when a smile slipped off his lips. But it instantly vanished as he tried to suppress it again. 

He's failing but still trying to control hisself as he saw that I'm serious. "Maybe a house for our anniversary and a baby for our wedding? How do you like that, huh?"

My eyes widened a fraction. "A what?" nahihiwagaang tanong ko. 

"We can marry on our anniversary so I can give you my gifts all at once."

My mouth literally parted while amusedly staring at him. "I'm serious here." 

"Who's not? Though, the decision is still yours."

"And if I don't want to marry you? Ano, babawiin mo ang boutique?" nanghahamong sambit ko. 

Kumunot ang kanyang noo. "I'm not immature, Estelle. All the things that I gave and will give, whether you marry me or not, it's all yours."

I pursed my lips as this is the first time he called me using my second name. "Then, what will you do? Leave?" 

Ano nga bang gagawin niya kung tanggihan ko siya? A sly smirk is evident in my lips.

"Stay. Maybe you'll change your mind the next day and decide to marry me?" 

"And if I still don't?" I asked again, hinahamon pa rin siya.

He smirked at me. "I have a whole lifetime to wait, Marcia."

I narrowed my eyes as I stared at him for a couple of seconds. Umayos ako ng tayo. I cocked my head. "I'll give you a year, think about it. If you change your mind, leave. If you didn't, on our anniversary, let's get married," I stated and smirked.

Dahil ako, sigurado na 'ko. I will marry him, with or without his riches. I can even request a prenuptial agreement as I don't need his money. 

It's only him that I want, I need, and I love. 

__________