ther was waiting. Her father's face was ashen when he saw her, wet lik

'm the one apolog

age. She was taken aback when Don Sebas

couldn't recall the last time he smiled

e a petty chick who got lost here in the mansio

r as he turned to face her.

ady defended her at the outset, so she simply waited for the two men to reach an agreement and let her g

into the river,"

ed. He looked at her again, this time with a darker expression. "Jewel Laine! I told you not to g

her emotions. She was aware of the ramifications.

her father, "D

gaze fixed on the ground. She thought Gide

to the Mayor's son. Her eyes were filled with gratitud

rancisko has swept away in the river, and Pedro once told me that your daughter does

s like pouring cold water on a hot lump of coal. She loc

led from ear to ear. She was aware that her fat

n. "No one's going to look for your Francisko anymore, Jewel. He

ad

ould you prefer that

looks the housemaids gave her; she even saw Dal

sed in the stable, especially when they are being cared for a market. Francisko was the only one she had ridden in almost

she stepped up the stair

eeling wel

ver,

stopping mid-sentence and st

at some of the people standing on the stairwell were laughing. She recognized a few

ng about? Get back t

sed in the blink of an eye. T

g as she made her way to her room. She let out a sigh as she entered the medium-sized room and d

ed to see a large box lying there. When she realize

aw the various international and local erotica books, her heart leaped with joy. She took

h what she perceived as happiness coursing through her like a w

inished the last one. She threw the empty box to the

covers, then took a selfie with them. She logged into her so

less than three seconds. Haze

Laine! You keep the bo

n joined the

: How

nny face. Well, the girl did not reach the

You should be ab

aying Gabbi had replied to her message, she was taken

re books o

rang, causing her to jump. She almost fell

e phone, a frown f

" Hazel's enthusiastic voi

e, too, squeaked with delight. "I haven't seen i

into the walk-in closet and selected a green knee-length dress. She ran out of the closet and sat on

bsite of her favorite author. She logged into he

one call. She examined the phone's screen, but the call had long si

tion and a voucher for a 10% discount on future books. She used he

was drawn to a toxic fan's account name, but she decided to di

shed up against the wall, revealing a small door. Her foot moved forward into the secret door, and h

five years ago to the present. Another bookshelf had been built to house her future books. Some of the books on th

ears ago. When she was 13, she

with those monotonous and uncreative articles, she turned to Tagalog Romance Pocketbooks. Until she read a no

e true. But her reasoning is that 'it's okay to read

experience. She thought those books would he

ing Gideon with her