The scent of smoked fish and ripe mangoes greeted Rose as she stepped into the bustling lanes of the San Andres Market.

The clamor of traders haggling, the buzz of conversations in different dialects, and the clinking of coins in metal bowls wove a chaotic but familiar rhythm she had grown up with.

After everything that happened at work, this was the only place that still felt real.

She walked through the narrow path between stalls, eyes scanning for a particular blue umbrella, the one her mother always used to shade her small table. It didn’t take long to spot the tiny, energetic woman arranging bunches of spinach on a wooden tray.

“Mama!”

Her mother turned, her tired eyes lighting up at the sight of her only daughter. Mila Kurt, a woman of small frame but fierce spirit, wiped her hands on her apron and opened her arms.

“Anak, you're early today.”

Rose collapsed into her embrace, breathing in the scent of herbs and sweat that strangely comforted her more than any luxury scent could.

“Had a rough day,” she mumbled.

Mila gently pulled back, scanning her face. “Your eyes are swollen. You've been crying.”

Rose nodded, tears threatening again, but she blinked them back. “I’ll explain, but not here.”

Her mother gave her a knowing look and sat her on the wooden stool beside the fish baskets. “Talk.”

Before Rose could begin, a familiar high-pitched voice cut through the noise.

“Rose!”

She looked up to see Abigail, her best friend since college, weaving her way through the crowd with her ever-bouncy curls and oversized purse.

“You won’t believe what I heard,” Abigail said as she arrived. “Julia slapped you? In front of everyone?”

“I wish I was there, I would have pulled that ugly hair of hers”.

Rose blinked. “Wait! how did you know already?”

“Are you kidding? It's all over the company WhatsApp group. Even as a janitor I know what's going on inside the company. Some people even uploaded it on TikTok before HR shut it down.”

Rose groaned, burying her face in her palms. “I just want to disappear.”

Abigail sat beside her and placed a comforting hand on her back. “You don’t deserve any of this, Rosie. You're the most honest person I know.”

Mila gave her daughter a worried look. “Did she hurt you?”

Rose shook her head. “Not physically. Just… my pride. I felt like the whole world saw me break today.”

She then recounted every detail: the accusation, the slap, the planted jewelry, and Diego’s neutral expression as he dismissed her.

Abigail’s eyes grew wide. “Wait, Diego pulled the jewelry out of your pocket?”

Rose nodded slowly.

“That witch,” Abigail spat. “Julia totally planted it! She’s jealous because Diego is finally moving on with someone better.”

“But he didn’t defend me, Abby,” Rose said quietly. “Not really. He just told me to go.”

Abigail was silent for a moment, then sighed. “He probably had to stay neutral in front of everyone. You know how corporate politics are. Doesn’t mean he doesn’t believe you.”

Rose wanted to believe that so badly.

Mila looked at her watch. “You should eat. You’ve barely touched anything since morning.”

Just then, Rose’s phone vibrated. A text from an unknown number.

> Driver is waiting outside the market. Mr. Edwards asked that I take you somewhere. Lito (Personal Driver)

Her heart skipped.

“Who is it?” Abigail asked, peeking at the screen.

“Diego sent his driver,” Rose whispered.

Abigail raised an eyebrow. “Hmm… I sense a private apology loading.”

“Should I go?” Rose turned to her mother, uncertain.

Mila gave her a warm smile. “You need answers, anak. And if he has something to say, you should hear it from him directly.”

With a reluctant nod, Rose stood and hugged them both tightly. “I’ll be back.”

***

The black SUV was parked just outside the market entrance. Lito, a broad-shouldered man in his late 40s, stepped out and opened the door for her.

“Good evening, Miss Rose,” he said politely.

“Evening,” she murmured.

As the car pulled into the smooth, evening-lit roads of Manila Bay, Rose stared out the window, her fingers intertwined in her lap.

A part of her still stung from humiliation. But a deeper part longed for Diego's explanation.

Fifteen minutes later, they arrived at La Vida Park, a serene garden space tucked away from the buzz of the city. It was their secret spot. A place Diego had taken her during their early lunch breaks and spontaneous weekend getaways.

The place where they’d once watched fireflies dancing near the lake and where he'd confessed he couldn’t imagine a future without her.

Diego was already there, seated on the grass under the large acacia tree near the water. He stood up as she approached, his face softer than usual.

“Hey,” he said.

“Hi,” she replied quietly.

He studied her face. “Are you okay?”

She looked down. “Not really.”

There was a silence between them. Only the chirping of crickets and the distant laughter of children riding bicycles across the park paths filled the void.

“I didn’t believe her, you know,” he finally said.

She looked up, surprised.

“When I found the jewelry… I knew something was wrong,” he continued. “But I needed to handle it carefully. Julia’s trying to ruin you, and the moment I reacted emotionally, it would’ve made things worse.”

Rose frowned. “You could have at least looked at me. Defended me. Said something.”

“I know,” he said, stepping closer. “And I’m sorry.”

A breeze passed between them. Rose’s hair danced softly across her cheek. He reached forward gently to tuck a strand behind her ear, his fingers lingering for a moment too long.

“I’m angry at myself for not stopping her before it got this far,” he said. “You didn’t deserve that.”

Rose blinked rapidly. “It was humiliating. Everyone was watching. And then, finding it in my pocket Diego, I felt like I was drowning.”

“I’m fixing it,” he said. “Tomorrow morning, Julia will no longer be employed at Edwards & Co.”

“Her father has a bigger company, she should go work there”.

Her eyes widened. “You’re firing her?”

“Immediately.”

Rose’s lips parted in disbelief. “Won’t your mom be furious?”

Diego chuckled dryly. “When is she not?”

He reached for her hand. “Listen. I don’t care what anyone says. Not my mom. Not Julia. Not society. I’m still going to marry you, Rose.”

Her heart fluttered. “Even now?”

He smiled. “Especially now.”

Their eyes locked. For a moment, the pain of the day dissolved into the cool night air between them. Rose stepped closer, and Diego welcomed her into his arms.

They held each other under the soft rustle of acacia leaves, the stars peeking out one by one above them. He held her like she might slip through his fingers if he let go tightly, reverently, as though she were the only thing anchoring him to the world.

He whispered into her hair, “I want to protect you from everything, Rose. I swear, nothing like that will ever happen again.”

She pulled back slightly to look up at him. His gaze dropped to her lips, and for a moment, she thought he might kiss her.

But instead, he leaned his forehead against hers and closed his eyes.

“I made a promise to myself,” he whispered. “I’m not going to touch you until the night of our wedding.”

Rose blinked. “Why?”

“Because you deserve more than just passion in dark corners or kisses under pressure,” he said. “You deserve love with honor. With intention. With peace.”

Her eyes softened. “That’s the most romantic thing anyone’s ever said to me.”

They sat together on the grass until the night deepened. Rose leaned against his shoulder, listening to the sound of his heartbeat and wondering how her life could go from chaos to comfort so quickly. For the first time since that morning, she smiled.

But somewhere far across the city, in a penthouse suite with tinted windows, Julia Raymond was already planning her next move and she was far from finished.

She will do anything to get Diego back, what will be her next move?