CHAPTER 2

Sunlight passed through her face as she woke from a dreamless sleep. As she hurried to stand up, the pain just below her shoulder blade immediately consumed her. She looked at her hand and it was already covered with white linen. Memories of last night's events started to get vivid on her mind.

"Fucking hell,” she cursed under her breath. “Good morning, mi amour (my love)."

Turning around, she was startled to see her father sitting comfortably on the red couch across her bed. "P—Papa," she nervously replied as she leaped and kissed both of her father's cheeks. Realizing that she was already wearing her black nightgown and her wound was already cleaned, she thought that her assistant, Elizabeth, must have helped her in all of this. She went back to her king-sized bed and sat on it, crossing her legs. Her bedroom was huge, with pink curtains and big chandeliers. Glass windows faced her, displaying the panoramic view of the city they lived in. Skyscrapers also greeted her every morning, while the occasional glittery skies waved hello at night. There was a grand comfort room as well, with a huge tub and a glass cabinet of her collection of expensive wine and perfume. "I passed out last night.

"My apologies," she meekly said as she faced her enigmatic father.

"It's okay. Getting the seal was quite exhausting. Does it still hurt? It usually burns during the first three days."

She unmindfully touched her new imprint which was still sending pain on her skin. "I'll be lying if I'll say no."

"Take some pain reliever, hija," the Don replied. There was a brief exchange of silence between them as the Don continued to sip his tea. Tiffany then stood up to look herself in the mirror. Then she turned around and examined her burnt imprint.

"I like it though,” she eventually said, addressing Don Arnulfo. “It makes me feel like you are indeed a part of me."

Don Arnulfo stiffened but then eventually recovered. She knew that her father was aware of her special affection towards him and to his work. And she smirked to herself as she saw him looking so uncomfortable. The Don, later on, stood up and carefully placed the cup of tea on the glass table beside him. His masculinity and his white hair showed how focused he was in his endeavors. The Don was not someone who can be easily fooled. He was a clear picture of an experienced and hallow man. He didn’t like to forgive easily but he was always a believer in the idea that a man should do certain sacrifices. With steady steps, he walked towards his daughter and rubbed his thumb on her cheek. The latter smiled at the gesture.

"I idolize you, Papa," she said as she intently stared at her father's face. She noticed wrinkles on his forehead and some grey hair on his mustache.

"And I adore you, unica hija," her father replied "You look exactly like your Mama."

"She wouldn't approve of this," she said, chuckling. Taking no heed of her comment, the Don walked back to the couch and revealed a brown Manila envelope.

“This is your assignment."

Tiffany opened it and slowly pulled a picture of a man from the envelope. She studied him then decided that he must be in his mid-30's.

"He's handsome. Am I marrying him?” she said, wrinkling her face. The old man let out a throaty chuckle.

"And why did you arrive at such a conclusion?" he asked, amused.

"Well, that's what happens in movies—"

"He is a threat to our business and the brotherhood. He is an assassin, and he is very good at hiding. But the good news is, we have just finally located him. That’s where you are going, hija. Right now, he is currently making a lot of moves that have recently affected our chains of businesses. It is your job to stop him.” "So, what do you want me to do with him?" "Eliminate him. All the things that you need to do with your mission are inside that envelope. Read it, then pack your things urgently."

Her eyes popped in surprise.

"Urgently? And why is that?"

"You're leaving tonight. You are going to the island of Southern Isla, a place somewhere in the Visayan region. Breakfast is ready. Prepare yourself," he replied seriously before he turned to leave.

Tiffany eyed her father before she stared back at the photo.

"Poor man," she whispered to herself. "The Alphas have already decided your destiny." She then fixed her eyes at the window. She's now thinking about her mother and the future that awaited her.

It was the first day of school at Libangon National High, a public school located in one of the provinces in Southern Isla. The school had been living for decades, shedding light on those students who cannot afford to go to expensive private schools in the city. As expected, enrolment for this year skyrocketed and the number of students doubled.

"Okay, settle down," teacher Greg instructed his new students. He was a man in his thirties, charming, intelligent, and possessed a charismatic appeal. He was wearing his Monday uniform and his hair was fixed in a clean cut. The teacher wrote his name on the board then smiled to himself as he heard the students exchanged whispers among them. "Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. As you can see on the board, my name is Gregor Lopez, but you can just call me Teacher Greg or Sir Greg. I am your new adviser."

The students looked at him with eager eyes. He even noticed a couple of girls batting their lashes at him. With his chiseled jaw, long nose, and a pair of thick eyebrows, one cannot help but admire his masculinity. Skimming through his list, he called their names one by one. Each student raised a hand as he checked their attendance.

"Quinto, Charlotte."

"That's me, Sir." The teacher looked up and glanced at her. Charlotte stood up, flipped her hair, and blew him a kiss. But the teacher only flashed her a grim expression, discouraging the young lady. Slowly, she retreated to her seat and was gravely embarrassed and rejected. "For our first activity—"

A knock on the door stopped Teacher Greg from speaking.

"Good morning, Sir,” greeted a middle-aged woman who was standing by the door. By the looks of it, the woman came from a well-to-do family, judging from the coat and the pair of earing she was wearing. In this area, it was not hard to identify those who had the money given that the place was just a small town. Everybody knew everybody.

"Good morning. What can I do for you, Ma'am?" Teacher Greg asked politely as he strode towards her. The room immediately erupted into a murmur.

"I'm Mrs. Rivera and this is my daughter. We were told that she's under your advisory." Just then, a tall girl with pixie-cut hair emerged behind the lady. She was already wearing the school uniform of Libangon National High. Teacher Greg glanced at the girl, then they both stared at each other for a moment. The teacher was quite awestruck by the girl's demeanor. She didn’t flinch when he tried to burn her with his inviting glances.

'Funny how my heart flutters when I saw her,' he said in his mind. He immediately shook the idea away.

"So, you are the new student," he said. "It's good that you're finally here. I was informed beforehand."

The student pressed her lips together as she flashed a knowing look at her new teacher. Then her mother embraced her lightly. "See you later, honey," said Mrs. Rivera as she kissed the girl on the forehead. Then she curtly extended her hand to the teacher.

"I'll get going now. What may I call you, sir?" "Sir Greg," he replied meekly, shaking Mrs. Rivera's hand. It felt soft and delicate under his grasp. The new girl stared at her mom's back who’s already walking away from them. He, on the other hand, was still absentmindedly gawking at his new student. When she turned to look at him, she was flustered as to the way he is behaving. The rest of the students behind them were already getting restless as well as they talked in whispers, but Teacher Greg seemed to have lost his composure.

"S—Sir Shall I go inside now?" she squeaked, snapping him back to reality.

"Oh, of course. Come in," he said with a sense of embarrassment in his tone. The girl followed as the teacher led her in front. The students looked at her. Some of them flashed a smile while others gazed at her with disregard. Greg nodded at her and she nodded back. She politely stepped in front and immediately scanned the room with a friendly face. "Hello everyone," she said in a small but clear voice. The boys leaned on their desks as they stared at her. Teacher Greg guessed what’s on their minds. Perhaps they were thinking that this girl was one of the cutest girls they have ever seen in their entire lives. Her small round face complemented her blonde pixie cut and her school uniform emphasized her slender fire. Teacher Greg was thinking the same way. "I'm Steffy Rivera, and I'm from Manila. I'm half Filipino and half Spanish. It's nice to meet y'all."

"She's half Spanish!" the boys remarked, still whispering among themselves. Just then, another boy who was taller than the rest raised his hand with an embarrassed look on her face. "Yes?"

"I'm Brandon,” he said almost shyly. “You look so pretty." The students erupted into hooting and giggling. Steffy flashed them a heart-melting smile.

"I'm just curious about why have you transferred here," Brandon continued. "Well, my parents are assigned to this area and I have to go with them since I'm an only child."

"What are your parents' jobs?" another one asked. "My dad and mom work as—"

"Are you smart enough?" the girl named Charlotte interjected.

"Transferees like you shouldn't be in this section. This is Special Science Class. You need to take an exam to be admitted here."

Steffy's expression turned sour, and yet she politely replied, "I don't need to take the exam." Charlotte scoffed, "Really? And do you think you’ve got what it takes to become a member of this elite section?” Teacher Greg raised his eyebrow.

'What elite section is she talking about? There is no such thing as an elite section!' Sir Greg said to himself as he amusingly took a glance at Charlotte. Meanwhile, the room was suddenly silent now. The teacher let them continue to see what the new girl would do.

"The school principal placed me in this section. I think, with that alone, you already know the answer."

Almost instantly, the room erupted into another loud cheering. Teacher Greg was not able to suppress his smirk. "Who do you think you are?" Charlotte asked angrily.

"I told you I'm Steffy. And as you all know; I am a transferee."

"You're making it sound like I'm dumb!" The teacher finally decided to step forward. "Okay, everyone, cat fight’s over. Charlotte, take your seat now, and Steffy, you sit beside—"

Upon scanning the room, he realized that there was no vacant seat anymore. Just then, two boys who were sitting at the back immediately volunteered to get Steffy a chair. Their kindness was returned with another sweet smile from her. Charlotte, on the other hand, sat back on her chair and was fuming with bitterness and anger.