From the back of a sleek, luxurious car, Gilbert Ace Carter stepped out, drawing every eye around him. He wore a custom suit, sharp, commanding, and tailored to perfection. Everything about him radiated power. As he entered the grand lobby of the Celestial Hotel, heads subtly turned in his direction.
He was there for a meeting with Mister Davis, one of their key investors, to discuss a new luxury development project.
Walking beside him, Liam leaned in. "Sir, I've chosen a condo unit for Miss. Blaire. It's in Manila, close to her university. It should be more convenient for her."
"Good," Gilbert replied shortly.
Technically, he and Cherry Blaire were married. At least on paper. It wasn't love, just an agreement. Still, she was the woman Grandma Mathilde had chosen. And after spending a night with another woman, someone he still hadn't identified, this gesture helped ease his guilt. A condo was nothing to him. Just pocket change.
Thinking of his grandmother, Gilbert turned to his secretary. "Don't let Grandma Mathilde find out about the annulment."
"Yes, Mister Ace Carter," Liam replied quickly. He knew the importance. Mathilde's heart was fragile, and any emotional shock could be dangerous. That was the only reason she'd agreed to Gilbert marrying a complete stranger in the first place.
They continued walking until Liam suddenly stopped.
His eyes fixed on someone entering from the other side of the lobby.
"What is it?" Gilbert asked, noticing the change.
"Mister Ace Carter," Liam said carefully, "that's Cherry Blaire. The girl in the pink blouse."
Gilbert followed his gaze and saw her.
She looked... young. A slim figure, simple jeans, and a light pink blouse. A backpack was slung over her shoulders. Her hair was tied in a neat ponytail. If someone didn't know her age, they might have mistaken her for a high school student.
He stared, quietly.
So that's the girl he married?
Frankly, that was the first time Gilbert had ever laid eyes on his so-called wife.
On the day they picked up their marriage certificate, he hadn't looked at her, not even once. He couldn't understand what spell she had cast on his Grandma Mathilde to make her insist on this marriage. And now, here she was… right in front of him.
Still, something about her seemed familiar. He couldn't place it. He was sure he'd never seen her before, and yet...
Before he could make sense of it, a hotel security guard approached the girl and quietly escorted her toward the elevators.
Liam, walking beside him, was deep in thought. How did Cherry Blaire end up in a place like this?
The Celestial Hotel wasn't exactly student-friendly. It catered to business elites, diplomats, and celebrities. A girl like her, dressed plainly, with a backpack slung over her shoulders... she looked out of place.
Gilbert let it go and continued walking toward the meeting lounge until something caught his ear.
He paused, back straightening, as he overheard two hotel staff talking nearby.
"Is everything Mister Scott requested ready?" the security guard asked a waiter pushing a covered cart.
"Yeah, but I don't get it," the waiter said. "That girl looks too young. Too… innocent. You think she can handle Mister Scott's thing?"
"Keep your voice down," the guard snapped. "Just do your job. Mister Scott pays well, really well. You don't get paid to care."
"She just looks like she doesn't belong in that kind of setup, that's all."
"You think innocence matters? These girls know what they're doing. Most of them come here for money anyway. Luxury doesn't pay for itself."
The two men disappeared down a hallway, their voices fading.
Gilbert stood still, jaw tight.
Something didn't sit right.
He turned to Liam, his voice low. "Check if they were talking about Cherry."
Liam nodded, eyes narrowing. "Yes, Mister Ace Carter."
Gilbert had no real idea who Cherry Blaire was, and frankly, he didn't care to dig into her background. He figured she must've said all the right things to Grandma Mathilde to make the old woman approve the marriage.
What's her angle? He thought bitterly. Is she playing innocent? A gold digger? Or worse… something else?
"Go ahead," he told Liam coldly. "Find out what she's doing in this hotel."
"Right away, Mister Ace Carter."
Meanwhile, Cherry hurried after the security guard who had approached her in the lobby. She kept her arms tight around her backpack, trying to stay calm. But when they reached the hotel room, the guard gave a quick nod toward the door and walked away without another word.
"He said Luke was in here…" Cherry murmured.
Hesitant but worried about her brother, she turned the doorknob and stepped inside.
The room was large, as big as Gilbert's suite, but it felt darker, heavier. The walls were a deep red, and the gold accents shimmered under the soft light of a crystal chandelier. A king-sized bed took up one side of the room, and a sleek sofa lined the other.
But it was quiet. Too quiet.
No sign of Luke.
"Luke?" she called out nervously. "Sister's here… come on, let's go home."
She took a few cautious steps forward, glancing around.
"Luke?"
Just as she turned toward the center of the room, the door creaked open behind her.
A voice, low and all too familiar, broke the silence.
"There you are, Cherry…"
"W-Why are you here?!" Cherry stammered, her breath catching in her throat.
Standing in the doorway was Benjamin Scott, a schoolmate from university. Like her, he was in his second year. She didn't know him personally, but she knew his name. Everyone did. His father was a powerful politician, and Benjamin acted like the rules didn't apply to him.
She always got a bad feeling when he looked at her on campus, like he was stripping her down with his eyes.
Now that same cold dread gripped her chest.
"W-Where's my brother? Why are you here?" she asked again, backing away, her hands tightening on her backpack.
Benjamin stepped into the room with a slow, easy smile. "Brother?" he repeated, pretending to think. "Oh, you mean Luke?"
Cherry turned toward the door in alarm, but he was quicker. His hand shot out and grabbed her arm.
"Easy, baby," he said, grinning. "Why rush off? You just got here."
"Let me go!" Cherry cried, yanking against his grip. "What do you want?!"
Her voice shook. Her heart pounded so hard she could barely hear herself.
Benjamin leaned closer, eyes glinting. "Didn't your sweet mommy tell you? I paid for you, Cherry Blaire. That makes you mine."
The words hit her like a slap.
"What?" she whispered. "What are you talking about?"
He released her arm just long enough to pull out his phone. With a few taps, he turned the screen toward her.
"This," he said proudly. "A little deal I made with Lucille Blaire. A hundred thousand pesos for you."
Cherry stared at the screen. A scanned contract. Her mother's signature.
It felt like the floor dropped out from under her.
No.
No, this can't be real.
Her knees buckled, and she stumbled back, gripping the edge of the sofa to steady herself. Her throat tightened. Her whole body felt numb.
Benjamin's smile faded into a sneer.
"What, you didn't know? Well, now you do," he muttered, then suddenly lunged forward and grabbed her by the waist. "C'mon, don't be like that. It's not a big deal. I'll give you even more if you make me happy tonight."
He leaned in, trying to force a kiss.
Benjamin had been watching her for months. Ever since the university's charity gala, he couldn't stop thinking about her. She was quiet, polite, and untouched. He could see it in how she moved, how she kept to herself. That made her different. That made her desirable.
And now, she was finally within his reach.
But Cherry wasn't naïve.
As his grip tightened, she turned her face away, dodging the stench of alcohol in his breath. Panic surged in her chest.
She shoved him hard in the chest, just enough to make him step back. "Why are you doing this?!" she screamed, shaking.
Benjamin's expression twisted.
"You don't know who I am, do you?" he growled.
He lashed out, fast, and his fist struck her mouth. The pain was instant. She gasped as the metallic taste of blood spread across her tongue. Her fingers trembled as she touched her lip and pulled away, red.
"No one says no to me," he snarled.
Then he grabbed her by the arm and yanked her toward the wall, his voice low and dangerous. "You want to act like a tease? Fine. I'll give you what you came here for."
Cherry's heart nearly stopped.
He pinned her there, his hand reaching for the button of her pants.
Tears welled in her eyes, but she fought to keep her voice steady. "I'm married," she gasped. "If you lay a finger on me, he'll come for you. He's powerful. You don't know who you're messing with!"
For a moment, Benjamin paused. She thought maybe, maybe, it worked.
But then he laughed.
"Married? And? You think I care?" he sneered. "You know who my father is? He runs this city. Nobody touches me. Nobody ever has, and no one ever will."
He leaned closer again, the weight of his power pressing against her like a cage.
Cherry felt him shift again. His hand moved lower, fumbling with the button of his pants.
Panic shot through her like lightning.
"Gilbert Ace Carter is my husband!" she blurted, her voice cracking.
Benjamin froze.
He looked at her sharply, stunned. "Gilbert Ace Carter?" he repeated. "The Gilbert Ace Carter? Ace Carter Group of Companies?"
Cherry nodded quickly, clutching her backpack tighter against her chest. Her voice shook, but she forced herself to meet his eyes. "Yes. That's him. I'm his wife."
Silence.
Then Benjamin laughed, loudly, harshly, mockingly. "You've got guts, I'll give you that," he said between laughs. "You think I'll believe that? If you can prove it, I'll cut off my damn hand."
Cherry took a step back. Her hope drained just as quickly as it came. She had played her last card, and it failed.
Tears blurred her vision. Her back hit the wall again. Her mind screamed for a way out, but her body was frozen.
Benjamin's expression darkened.
"I've had enough of your games," he snarled, grabbing a fistful of her hair. "You think you're special? I've waited long enough, "
But then something dropped to the floor with a soft thud.
They both glanced down.
A small silver pack of contraceptive pills had fallen from her pocket.
Benjamin blinked, surprised. He bent down and picked it up slowly, confusion flickering across his face.