'The Innocent Mistress

Chapter 1

"Good job, Models. And also to you, Grace," I smiled at Derek, the photographer of Lux Calisse Model Agency.

I sat on a high chair in front of a large mirror. I smiled at Won as he draped a shawl over my shoulders.

"Thanks, Won," I expressed gratitude and grabbed my bag to retrieve my phone.

"Grace, do you have plans for today?"

"Yes, I do. Daddy invited us for a vacation in Palawan."

Where is that again? Ugh. My phone always goes missing. Will I have to buy a new one?

"Is that so."

Ignoring Won, I focused on searching for my phone.

"Hey, Won, you have a call!" I heard Benny, the gay stylist, say in his painful voice.

"Wait, Grace," I gestured to him, smiling when I finally spotted my phone. Daddy left my bag in a mess.

I quickly texted Dad that I'm done. He doesn't like it when I don't text him once I'm finished. It can be quite scary when he unleashes his protective father mode.

After texting Dad, I looked at the mirror, fixing my hair. I glanced at Won, who seemed uneasy, sitting beside me.

He's been my friend since I started modeling in this agency. He was the one who approached me first, guiding me on how to begin. My fellow models tease me, thinking Won has feelings for me. But for me, it's just nothing.

"What's bothering you, Won?" I asked him. He sighed deeply and massaged his temples.

"My brother is now here."

"Oh, that's good. Is he the general in the army from another country you mentioned?" He nodded, holding his hand, which seemed sore from clenching too hard.

"Yes, that's him. I just hope he doesn't stay. He'll surely bring nothing but trouble."

"You're so harsh on your brother. What if he's here to help with the current issues in the Philippines?"

"He won't involve himself in Philippine issues. He has his own army in America, and he plans to bring them here. A private agency hired them to swiftly catch criminals in the country."

I rested my elbow on my knee and propped my chin on the back of my hand. I looked at him closely, sensing his anger.

"You seem really upset with him. Isn't he your eldest brother?"

"He's just my half-brother. His mother has Greek blood, and his father is also my father. There's a reason why I despise him. He takes everything from me, even my ex-girlfriend."

I fell silent after what he said. I never expected he carried such resentment.

My phone pinged, so I grabbed it from my bag. Zylene and Alisson, my two friends from my previous all-girls school, messaged me.

From Zylene: Hey, Bitches, want to go to a bar? They say there are handsome guys tonight.

From Alisson: God, bitches! I had a one-night stand. He's yummy. He wants to meet you too.

I learned how to flirt from them. But I can't do it for real since Daddy always accompanies me. So, the two of them are the ones who go to bars.

Me: Can't go with you two, bitches. I'm going somewhere with my parents. Sorry. :(

"Here we are."

I looked outside as Dad spoke. We were at an airstrip. I put my phone back into my bag. Dad's staff welcomed us as we got out of the car. I walked towards the chopper and checked my surroundings.

There were many planes and choppers parked. One chopper was ready for takeoff, causing a strong gust of wind to hit us.

Good thing I wore black shorts. My top was a spaghetti strap with a white leather jacket. For footwear, I had on black ankle boots. I'm glad I didn't wear a skirt; it would've been a hassle.

Mommy and I were assisted to board the chopper. We went ahead of Dad because he had some instructions for his staff.

"Mom, aren't Daddy's bodyguards coming with us?"

"No, dear. Your dad said we're going on vacation to Palawan, and he'll take care of us while we're there. He wants us to be safe in case anything happens."

I nodded and looked inside the chopper. I smiled as I took the earphone set for my ears.

"Mom, do I look good? Can I be a pilot now?"

She laughed at my question and nodded, making me smile.

"Do you want to be a flight attendant?"

"No, I want to be a star. A shining star. But Dad will never let me be a celebrity."

"Grace, your dad isn't stopping you. He just doesn't want you to be too exposed to the media. You know that there are dangers waiting for our family. That's why he agreed to your modeling, so you wouldn't get upset."

I sighed deeply and leaned on her shoulder. I don't know if being the daughter of a mafia is a good thing. It's been a tradition in our family since Grandpa. But sometimes, I wish their work wasn't like this. People often think negatively about the mafia, associating them with illegal syndicates.

I become silent when I hear gossip from my classmates and some fellow models. Sometimes, I can tell that some models are just pretending to be friends with me. They know I'm the daughter of the mafia, and they fear what my Dad might do.

But when I hear stories about innocent people being victimized by the actions of evil individuals, I can't help but agree with the nature of Dad's work. His agency is legal, a private agency often sought after by rich businessmen, and some are even governors and senators. Dad has extensive connections, making him the go-to person for help, even for ordinary citizens.

"Mark, let's go," Dad said as he boarded, sitting beside Mommy. The chopper's door closed, and in a moment, it ascended.

I looked out the window, smiling at the beauty. It feels amazing to be up here. Every building and house in Clark, Pampanga looks like tiny ant hills.

"Baby, you want a drink?"

I looked at Dad and nodded. He moved to the front seat and took something from there. I smiled as I saw he brought some food.

"Thanks, Dad." I handed the milkshake, bottled by Mommy. I shook it before opening the lid where a straw was attached.

"Wow. Your milkshakes are the best, Mom. So delicious."

"Of course, I'm an expert at that. It's your favorite, baby."

I smiled at Mom for what she said. There's also a cheese pie. I grabbed one and tasted it. I'm on a bit of a diet. Derek will scold me if I gain weight.

"How many more hours until we arrive, Dad?"

"Just an hour more from Palawan."

I nodded, thinking it wouldn't take long. We took advantage of every view we saw. I wasn't scared at all, thanks to Mommy's enthusiasm when she sees something beautiful.

"You know, dear, I've been to Palawan before. I had friends there, Tito Chris and Tita Junior."

"Oh really? They lived in Palawan before, Mom?"

She nodded and smiled. I didn't expect Tito Chris and Tita Junior used to live there. Tito Junior is abroad now, becoming a famous stylist, while Tito Chris, I heard, is already married.

"Roger, one minute before we land in Palawan port."

"What's that, Dad?" I asked.

"We're here in Palawan." I nodded at his words and looked out the window.

Suddenly, we heard a thud on the chopper we were riding, and Dad cursed.

"Fuck. Mark, what's happening?" Dad asked through his mic in his headset.

"Someone hit us with a machine gun, Lord. The chopper will crash in one minute."

When Mark said that, both Mom and I couldn't stay calm. Dad quickly moved closer to us, holding a life vest.

"Grace, sweetheart, wear this," he said in a hurry, making us both panic while putting it on.

Once we wore them, Dad opened the chopper door, letting the wind in.

"Grace, come here."

"But Dad, I'm scared." I shook my head because I was nervous about what Dad wanted.

"Grace, we don't have time. Hurry."

I looked at Mom, who nodded while her face showed fear from her paling complexion. My knees trembled as I approached Dad.

"Whatever happens, remember that I love you so much, baby."

"Dad, let's go together." I cried, but he shook his head.

"You first, my child. Your mom and I will follow."

"Lord, I can't control it!"

When Mark said that, I was surprised when Dad pushed me. I screamed and closed my eyes, seeing the chopper explode. I cried but immediately shut my eyes when I fell into the water.

I couldn't breathe as I fell to the bottom of the water. I struggled to breathe and swim to the surface. But when I looked at the life vest I was wearing, I saw something hooked, preventing me from leaving. I tried to pull the life vest, flailing my legs because I couldn't breathe.

I gasped for air, almost drinking water. My vision blurred underwater, but I saw a man falling into the water.

"Please, help me!" I hoped he heard me.

"I closed my eyes when I saw him swimming towards me. I felt his strong arms around my waist. I tried to open my eyes and only saw the tension in his jaw. I closed my eyes completely, running out of breath.

"Hey Miss, wake up!" A cough escaped my lips as air rushed into my mouth. I held my neck and opened my eyes. A face was above me, but my vision was still blurry. Yet, I heard his deep, smooth, masculine voice.

I closed my eyes again, gradually opening them to reveal his face. His intense brown eyes stared at me like a fierce eagle. He had fair skin, long wet hair down his neck, a well-defined nose, and red lips. His face had a beautiful shape with a cleft chin.

He stood up, causing me to blink as he disappeared from my view. I sat up and looked around. I was on white sand with a deep blue sea. I glanced at the man who helped me, now walking away. I noticed his muscular upper body with a gun tattoo on his back, a snake coiled around it. Broad shoulders, solid biceps – similar build to Kuya Jam and Gab.

"Are you okay, dear?" A slightly older woman appeared. She helped me stand and draped her towel over my shoulders.

"Who is he?" I asked, looking at the man who rescued me.

"That's General Atreo Ripler Alvarez. He sped across the entire ocean when he spotted you. What happened, dear?" she inquired.

Atreo Ripler Alvarez. A beautiful name. A handsome man. I've seen many handsome faces, but he's different. There's something powerful about him. For the first time, someone has caught my interest.