Narrator's Point of View

Peter and his two little sisters—Katarina and Whimsy had no one. After their parents died in an accident, the rest of the family didn’t want to take them in. Some said it was too much of a responsibility, others simply disappeared.

In the end, they were left at an orphanage.

Life in the orphanage wasn’t easy. The days were long, the nights were cold, and the world didn’t seem to care. But Peter had his sisters, and they had him. That was enough to keep going.

Then everything changed.

One afternoon, a man walked through the orphanage doors. Don Manolo Alejandro. A wealthy businessman with sharp eyes and a reputation that stretched across cities. He didn’t choose just one of them—he adopted all three. Manolo gave them a life they could only dream of—luxury, education, and, most importantly, the love of a parent they had never known.

He treated them like his own children, and in return, they vowed to repay his kindness. Manolo granted their every wish, so they promised to stand by him in any way they could. As they grew up, they trained under Manolo’s guidance, learning the ways of his world—a world filled with power, violence, and influence.

It wasn’t a world from storybooks. It was real, raw, and full of shadows. They chose to step into the chaos he lived in. He trained them to be like him—relentless, cunning, and unbreakable. Peter, Whimsy, and Katalina trained hard under Manolo’s tutelage. He didn’t go easy on them, but he never let them fall.

Over time, they absorbed everything he taught about influence, about strength, and about surviving in a world that rarely showed mercy.

Now, they stood at Manolo’s side, ready for anything.

When Manolo entrusted the trio, Peter, Whimsy, and Katarina with the mission of untangling Charlie from Antonio's mansion, they didn’t hesitate. With a well-crafted plan, they geared up and set out, determined to succeed.

For the man who had done everything for them, they would do anything.

When Peter arrived at Antonio’s mansion, the trio immediately began searching for Charlie’s whereabouts. After a while, they heard a series of gunshots. They quickly headed in the direction of the sound. They reached a room, and the only thing they could hear were the voices of men laughing, mocking a woman about her impending death.

The door was slightly ajar, and Peter saw the perfect opportunity. He threw a chemical inside—one that, once inhaled, would surely put anyone to sleep. The trio quickly put on full-face masks to protect themselves from the gas. Once the voices fell silent, they entered the room immediately.

Peter had been right; everyone inside had lost consciousness, including the father and son, Rico and Antonio. Peter saw Charlie lying on the floor, so he hurried to him and carefully helped him up.

Charlie slowly regained consciousness, looked at Peter, and spoke.

“Get Stephanie. Don’t leave her behind,” Charlie ordered, pointing to a woman also lying unconscious on the floor.

“Get her,” Peter echoed, instructing his sister Whimsy.

Without wasting any more time, they left Antonio’s hellish place immediately.

Wilson slowly opened his eyes and looked around the room. His head throbbed, and a wave of dizziness washed over him. The pungent odor still lingered in the air, likely the residue of some kind of sleeping chemical.

Wilson tried to piece everything together, recalling the moments before he blacked out. As he scanned the room again, he realized both the woman and Charlie were gone. A sudden cough snapped him out of his thoughts. He turned and saw Antonio lying on the floor, struggling to sit up.

"Boss!" Wilson rushed over and knelt beside him.

"Are you okay, Boss?"

"I’m fine. I can help myself," Antonio croaked, brushing Wilson’s hand aside.

He pointed to the corner of the room.

"Go help my son, Rico."

Wilson nodded and quickly moved to Rico, who was also beginning to stir.

Wilson helped Rico sit up, then supported him as he got to his feet.

When Rico regained his balance, he immediately went over to his father. He adjusted his collar, disheveled from the fall.

“Dad,” he said firmly.

“You better start explaining what the hell is going on.”

“And who is she, exactly? Who is that woman?”

“That was Stephanie. Stephanie Alberto—”

“What?!” Rico suddenly shouted, his voice echoing in the room.

Antonio flinched at his son's reaction and stared at him, confused.

“Why? Do you know her?”

Rico didn’t respond. Instead, his expression darkened, and he turned away.

“Son!” Antonio called.

“Do you know her or not?!”

Without a word, Rico began walking toward the exit.

“Son! Where are you going?” Antonio shouted after him.

Rico paused for a second at the doorway, his back still to them.

“You shouldn't drag her into this mess,” he muttered, barely audible.

Then he walked out, leaving his father and Wilson staring in stunned silence.

Antonio looked at Wilson, his voice low and uneasy.

“What the hell is happening.”

Everything was finally starting to make sense for Rico. Maybe the reason Stephanie never showed up on their date… was because she was the same girl he saw with Charlie. And now, only one person held the answers is Alesia. The same thoughts kept looping in Rico’s mind as he drove along the dim stretch of EDSA.

If anyone can tell me whether Charlie’s mystery girl and Stephanie—Alesia’s best friend are one and the same…God, I hope I’m wrong. I hope the Stephanie I’ve been falling for isn’t that Stephanie. But the suspicion gnawed at him, refusing to let go.

Rico knew he wouldn't be able to sleep, not until he uncovered the truth.

So he made up his mind.

Rico gripped the wheel tight and pressed down on the accelerator, the city lights blurring past as he sped toward Alesia’s place. One way or another, Rico needed to know who Stephanie really was.