Rica is a beautiful young lady with a fiery personality. Rica managed to live on her own despite being alone in life. She didn't mind how exhausted she was. Rica only wishes for a simple life, a degree, and a good job. Her life, however, turned upside down the day she took a scholarship exam at John Sebastian University. That's when she met Alexander Morris, the hottest guy at the university. Their first meeting was a disaster. She was the only woman who raised an eyebrow at Alexander's arrogance. His pride was touched, which piqued his interest in her. Rica was then the target of Alexander's bullying. As a result, they became mortal enemies at school. But it didn't stop there when she discovered that the man she despised the most was her boyfriend's older brother. She admired her boyfriend so much that she didn't want to detach from him, so she tried to reconcile and win over her boyfriend's older brother's heart. But what if her good intentions conflicted with Alexander's? It is to lure her into his trap. Will she fall for his ruse? What if the situation will reverse? What if Alexander accidentally trapped himself?
CHAPTER 1: THE ENCOUNTER
Rica's Point Of View
My brow furrowed as I walked in the scorching heat, carrying my cousin's bag. My cousin was wearing high-heeled shoes as we rushed off the bus when she suddenly lost her balance, and her feet stumbled. As a result, it forced me to bring two bags, one at a time, because it was more inconvenient for Ara to carry her bag when she was in pain.
We're walking through the university where my cousin wants to study. It is the John Sebastian University. Today is the day for us to take the scholarship exam.
It was the most prestigious university in the entire City. I've heard that students here are mostly the children of tycoon entrepreneurs and politicians. So you're lucky if you're one student here, especially if you weren't born with a silver spoon in your mouth.
My cousin's boyfriend was studying here, which is why she wanted to be a part of this prestigious school. But her parents couldn't afford it, so my cousin made way, and the worst part is, she included me in her nonsense, so we could be on the list of those who would take the scholarship exam.
Even though I didn't want to study here, I had no choice but to accept a scholarship so she wouldn't be upset with me. I had heard that the exam here was so damn hard, but because my brain is only average, I knew there was no way I could get in.
My cousin is intelligent, and she used to have a lot of connections with the rich kids because of it. She also had a wealthy boyfriend. As far as I know, her boyfriend's father was a shareholder in this school. That's why it was so simple for us to sign up for the scholarship exam.
As we walked, I noticed that almost all the students entering here had cars, making it easier for them to get to the building, and while we who don't own a car took too long to get to the school because it is too far from the entrance gate. It felt like we were there for an eternity, and the worst part was that not a single car offered us a ride.
Without a doubt, I will never be interested in studying here because it will only add to the burden of my daily life. I'm just a simple person with simple desires. To graduate from college, even if not from a prestigious university, is acceptable to me. The important thing is that when I graduate, I'll find a decent job with a good salary.
Rica Della Torre is my name. I am 19 years old. On our high school campus, they nicknamed me "The Goddess of Fire" because I have hot curves, a gorgeous face, God-like long hair, and porcelain skin. How much more if I will dress up formally? However, I cannot afford to buy those. And besides, I've already stopped fantasizing about those things because of a lack of funds. I'm perfectly content in a t-shirt and jeans.
I only support myself. In the morning, I study, and at night, I work as a server in a posh bar. My father died of a heart attack when I was six years old, and my mother found a replacement after my father's funeral and then went with her man, leaving me with my grandmother, who also died two years ago. That's why I'm all alone.
We're finally close to the building, but I'm out of breath from exhaustion. I came to a halt and looked around, hoping to find a bench where I could rest on my tired feet. I discovered it under a tree near the basketball court. I was considering sitting down there.
"Ara," I called to my cousin, who was walking ahead. She heard my call, paused, and turned to face me.
"What exactly is it?" she asked, her face exhausted.
"Can we please sit there for a moment?" I asked, pointing to the empty bench beneath the tree.
She returned her gaze to me as she turned to it. "May we proceed directly to the building? We're almost there, you know. We're wasting our time if we only sit there. Don't be concerned. If we get there, we'll find a seat," my cousin explained. She didn't even feel sorry for me. When the truth is, I was carrying her bag, which was significantly heavier than mine. But she had a point, so I only followed her although I was exhausted.
Ara Perez is the only child of aunt Anabelle (my mother's sister) and dressed in the style of a fashion icon. Ara had a thing for delicate dresses, bags, and shoes. She was also attractive and, of course, super intelligent. Since we were children, she has been my best friend. Previously, our young neighbors bullied me. They teased me about being unloved by my mother, but she always defended me.
On that day, I promised myself that I would always be there for her in every way. We kept walking, but I couldn't walk anymore because of exhaustion, and I noticed that my cousin's foot was a little swollen, but she was enduring it, so I considered acting up to her so that she would agree. "I couldn't take it any longer. I'm completely exhausted! Why haven't you called your boyfriend and asked him to send us here?" I express my displeasure to her.
She frowned at me once more. "Why not, if only my boyfriend is here in the City? However, his father had to take him on a business trip," she explained, and then she took a deep look at me and asked, "Wait, are you sure it exhausted you, or are you just acting?"
I was expecting her to suspect me. No wonder she's an ace in class, so I nodded and looked at her back with a pity look. She is looking at my face. I had a feeling she would. I didn't let her read my mind and kept looking pitiful. "All right, you win. Let's sit for the time being."
I approached her and hugged her because it overjoyed me that she agreed with me. "Thank you, Ara; you are the best," I said, complimenting her.
She gave me a friendly smile. We went straight to the empty bench. We were about to leave when I noticed someone playing basketball on the court. They're probably university students or seniors.
I enjoy watching basketball, so I paused briefly to look at them when the ball suddenly came my way. The ball came dangerously close to hitting me. It's a good thing I caught it before it happened. The players signaled I should throw it back at them, but it irritated me. It almost hit me, so I stood my ground and didn't give them the ball.
I waited for one of them to approach me and apologize. I was right. A man in a basketball uniform was walking straight toward me. I'm pretty sure he wanted to reclaim the ball. He was slim and tall. The way he walked smote me. He has intrigued me and has been staring at him even more. I didn't seem to care about the background noise any longer; all I wanted to see was his mysterious face. His charm enchanted me as he got closer and closer.
"My God, he was so hot!" I mumbled.
I'm astounded! My saliva was almost dripping! My heart was pounding so hard that I couldn't move. I'd nearly forgotten I had a boyfriend.
"Rica, get a grip on yourself. Remember when you had a boyfriend?" I reprimanded myself as I pressed down on the ball in my hand.
"You don't intend to throw that ball, do you?" he asked me arrogantly.
My fascination with him abruptly ended and was replaced by annoyance. My right brow furrowed. His character irritated me. True, he is attractive. But he has an attitude, so no thanks to me. I was about to say something when my cousin took the ball from me and said, "Here is the ball, mister. We're very sorry," my cousin apologized as she bowed her head and handed the ball to the uniformed man. That appeared in front of me and immediately dragged me onto the bench.
"Wait, I'm not finished with him yet!" I exclaimed.
My cousin never stops dragging me around and pinching me around the waist. "You're too much, Ara!" I yelled angrily at her. We've already positioned ourselves in front of the bench.
"What are you up to?" she inquired, pissed.
I just wanted to teach that guy a lesson. He is extremely arrogant! Who does he believe he is?" I told my cousin.
"Oh, Rica, could you please restrain yourself? We are no longer in high school, and even less so in a public school. We do not know who that man is or whose son he is. What if he is the son of a politician or a business owner, and you end up fighting him? What will become of us, Rica? We're doomed, so it's far better to be humble and patient," she explained.
She was right, so I didn't argue with Ara anymore and sat on the bench.
Alyssa De Guzman was in a tight situation regarding her grandma's illness, so when Master Guang Lee offers him help in exchange for marrying his grandson Leonard Lee the CEO of GL corp., she has no choice but to agree. On the day of their wedding, she never thought that she would fall in love at first sight with her husband-to-be. She was even more attracted to him. The gentleness Leonard Lee shows to her at their wedding. She felt excited and expects that her marriage will be a perfect one. But she is unaware that after the show, the true feelings of her husband towards her will come out. His HATRED against her! What do you think fate awaits her at the hands of her husband? Will she still choose to love him or choose to hate him back?
6 years ago, Lydia suffered a brutal betrayal orchestrated by her own husband and step-sister, who drugged her and framed her. In a twist of fate, she ended up having a one-night stand with a stranger. Don't even remember what he looked like. Later, in the throes of death, she discovered the truth about her mother's death all those years ago. In the blink of an eye, she lost everything. 6 years later, Lydia returned with her genius son, vowing to exact revenge on all her enemies! Little did she know, she encountered an incredibly familiar man at the airport! *** The man was briskly pushing open the door to the restroom, heading to the urinal. Even with such a mundane action, he did it with unparalleled elegance and grace. Lydia, following him in a daze, saw his fierce lower body and suddenly snapped back to reality. She let out a high-pitched scream, instinctively covering her eyes with her hands, her cheeks flushed, and stood there stiffly, unsure of what to do. Lambert furrowed his brows slightly but remained calm as he continued to relieve himself. The sound of water hitting the urinal made Lydia's face even redder. She angrily shouted, "You pervert!" Little did Lydia know that Lambert, seeing her in this state, had a flicker of recognition in his eyes. Memories from many years ago flashed through his mind, and his heart couldn't help but stir. It was her!
Lindsey's fiancé was the devil's first son. Not only did he lie to her but he also slept with her stepmother, conspired to take away her family fortune, and then set her up to have sex with a total stranger. To get her lick back, Lindsey decided to find a man to disrupt her engagement party and humiliate the cheating bastard. Never did she imagine that she would bump into a strikingly handsome stranger who was all that she was currently looking for. At the engagement party, he boldly declared that she was his woman. Lindsey thought he was just a broke man who wanted to leech off her. But once they began their fake relationship, she realized that good luck kept coming her way. She thought they would part ways after the engagement party, but this man kept to her side. "We gotta stick together, Lindsey. Remember, I'm now your fiancé. " "Domenic, you're with me because of my money, aren't you?" Lindsey asked, narrowing her eyes at him. Domenic was taken aback by that accusation. How could he, the heir of the Walsh family and CEO of Vitality Group, be with her for money? He controlled more than half of the city's economy. Money wasn't a problem for him! The two got closer and closer. One day, Lindsey finally realized that Domenic was actually the stranger she had slept with months ago. Would this realization change things between them? For the better or worse?
Elena, once a pampered heiress, suddenly lost everything when the real daughter framed her, her fiancé ridiculed her, and her adoptive parents threw her out. They all wanted to see her fall. But Elena unveiled her true identity: the heiress of a massive fortune, famed hacker, top jewelry designer, secret author, and gifted doctor. Horrified by her glorious comeback, her adoptive parents demanded half her newfound wealth. Elena exposed their cruelty and refused. Her ex pleaded for a second chance, but she scoffed, “Do you think you deserve it?” Then a powerful magnate gently proposed, “Marry me?”
Belinda thought after divorce, they would part ways for good - he could live his life on his own terms, while she could indulge in the rest of hers. However, fate had other plans in store. "My darling, I was wrong. Would you please come back to me?" The man, whom she once loved deeply, lowered his once proud head humbly. "I beg you to return to me." Belinda coldly pushed away the bouquet of flowers he had offered her and coolly replied, "It's too late. The bridge has been burned, and the ashes have long since scattered to the wind!"
Rumors said that Lucas married an unattractive woman with no background. In the three years they were together, he remained cold and distant to Belinda, who endured in silence. Her love for him forced her to sacrifice her self-worth and her dreams. When Lucas' true love reappeared, Belinda realized that their marriage was a sham from the start, a ploy to save another woman's life. She signed the divorce papers and left. Three years later, Belinda returned as a surgical prodigy and a maestro of the piano. Lost in regret, Lucas chased her in the rain and held her tightly. "You are mine, Belinda."
Janet was adopted when she was a kid -- a dream come true for orphans. However, her life was anything but happy. Her adoptive mother taunted and bullied her all her life. Janet got the love and affection of a parent from the old maid who raised her. Unfortunately, the old woman fell ill, and Janet had to marry a worthless man in place of her parents' biological daughter to meet the maid's medical expenses. Could this be a Cinderella's tale? But the man was far from a prince, except for his handsome appearance. Ethan was the illegitimate son of a wealthy family who lived a reckless life and barely made ends meet. He got married to fulfill his mother's last wish. However, on his wedding night, he had an inkling that his wife was different from what he had heard about her. Fate had united the two people with deep secrets. Was Ethan truly the man we thought he was? Surprisingly, he bore an uncanny resemblance to the impenetrable wealthiest man in the city. Would he find out that Janet married him in place of her sister? Would their marriage be a romantic tale or an utter disaster? Read on to unravel Janet and Ethan's journey.