THE CEO’S FIRST LOVEPROLOGUELabinlimang Taon ang LumipasLabinlimang taon bago siya naging isa sa pinakakilalang businessman sa bansa, si Loca Montessori ay isang labinlimang taong gulang na binatang sanay sa yaman at kapangyarihan—ngunit walang ideya kung paano magbabago ang buhay niya sa isang iglap.Isang simpleng bakasyon ang dapat sana’y magaganap: isang helicopter trip kasama ang ilang tauhan ng pamilya. Ngunit sa gitna ng biyahe, nagkaaberya ang makina. Ang huling naalala niya ay ang malakas na pagyanig, sigawan, at ang malawak na dagat sa ibaba.Pagkatapos noon—wala na.---Pagmulat ni Loca, alon ang una niyang narinig. Hindi makina, hindi ospital, kundi dagat. Masakit ang katawan niya, at halos hindi niya maaninag ang paligid dahil sa sikat ng araw.Nang tuluyang dumilat siya, isang batang babae ang nakatayo sa harap niya. Morena, magulo ang buhok, at seryosong nakatingin.“Buhay ka pala,” sabi nito.Napakurap si Loca. “...Ano?”“Akala ko patay ka na.”“Hindi ako patay.”“Ah. Okay.”Parang wala lang sa bata ang lahat. “Saan ako?”“Sa isla namin.”“Nasaan ang pamilya ko?”“Hindi ko alam.”“May paraan para makaalis dito?”Nagkibit-balikat ito. “Siguro.”“Siguro?”“Oo. Hindi ko lang ginagamit.”Sa unang pagkakataon, naranasan ni Loca ang isang taong hindi natatakot sa kanya o sa apelyido niya.“Anong pangalan mo?”“Mathea.”“Mathea…?”“Mathea Galang.”“Loca Montessori.”“Ang haba,” sabi nito.At doon nagsimula ang anim na buwang hindi niya malilimutan.---Dahil sa sugat, hindi agad nakalabas si Loca. Dinala siya ni Mathea sa maliit nilang bahay sa tabing-dagat kasama ang lola nito.Walang yaman. Walang cellphone. Walang mundo ng negosyo.At walang katahimikan—dahil si Mathea ay laging nasa tabi niya.“Loca, kumain ka.”“Wala akong gana.”“Bawal mamatay.”“Hindi ako mamamatay.”“Sigurado?”Sa kabila ng inis, hindi niya maiwasang mapangiti. Walang pakialam si Mathea kung sino siya. Para rito, isa lang siyang taong kailangang alagaan.Sabay silang kumain, naglakad sa dalampasigan, at natutong mangisda. Palaging natatawa si Mathea kapag wala siyang nahuhuli.“Bakit ako maghuhugas?”“Kumain ka kasi.”“Babae ako,” sagot nito.“Eh ano?”“Dapat marunong kang tumulong.”“Gusto mo ba akong pakasalan?” biglang sabi ni Loca.Natigilan si Mathea. Tapos tumawa.“Ang bata mo pa!”“Kapag malaki na tayo.”“Promise?”“Promise.”Hindi alam ni Mathea na seryoso siya.Pero si Loca, hindi niya nakalimutan.---Anim na buwan ang lumipas bago siya natagpuan ng pamilya niya. Kailangan niyang umalis.Sa dalampasigan, hinawakan niya ang kamay ni Mathea.“Babalik ako.”“Promise?”“Promise.”Ngumiti si Mathea. “Hihintayin kita.”At iyon ang huling araw na nakita niya ito sa loob ng labinlimang taon.---Pagbalik niya kalaunan, wala na si Mathea. Wala na rin ang lola nito. Ayon sa mga tao sa isla, may dumating at kinuha sila.Mula noon, hinanap ni Loca si Mathea—taon-taon, bansa-bansa. Ngunit hindi niya ito natagpuan.Lumaki siya, naging CEO, at naging isa sa pinakamakapangyarihang tao sa negosyo. Ngunit sa kabila ng lahat, iisa lang lagi ang sagot niya sa tanong kung bakit wala siyang minamahal:“May hinihintay ako.”Labinlimang taon.Hanggang isang araw, isang babae ang pumasok sa kumpanya niya para mag-apply bilang secretary.Pag-angat ng kanyang tingin—natigilan siya.Ang mga mata. Ang mukha. Ang boses.Walang duda.Si Mathea.Ngunit ngayon, hindi na siya ang batang babae sa isla.At hindi rin siya kilala ni Mathea.Tahimik na napangiti si Loca.Sa wakas.Natagpuan na niya ang babaeng minsan niyang ipinangakong babalikan.

Prologue The Girl He Never ForgotSix years ago, Alexander Go believed he knew exactly what he wanted from life.At twenty years old, he was already being groomed to inherit the Go family's vast business empire. He was cold, disciplined, and rarely interested in anything that didn't concern business.Then, one rainy afternoon, he met a girl who changed everything.He found her beneath an old pavilion near the Go family's private estate.She was sixteen.Her clothes were soaked from the rain, her long dark hair falling messily over her shoulders.And in her arms was a small, trembling kitten."Easy," the girl whispered, gently wrapping the injured animal in her handkerchief.Alexander stopped."What are you doing here?"The girl looked up.Most people became nervous whenever they saw him.She didn't.Instead, she looked at him from head to toe."Waiting for the rain to stop.""This is private property.""I know."Alexander raised an eyebrow."And you're still here?"She smiled innocently."The kitten needed help."He looked at the animal."You could have called someone.""I could have.""Then why didn't you?""Because while I was waiting for someone else to help, the kitten might die."Alexander fell silent.There was something strange about her.She wasn't afraid of him.She wasn't impressed by his family name.She simply cared about a wounded animal.Then she looked at him again."You look angry.""I always look like this."She laughed."That's unfortunate."Alexander stared at her.Nobody talked to him like that.Yet somehow, he didn't feel offended.They talked until the rain stopped.She told him she loved art and music.She spoke passionately about paintings, antiques, and classical compositions.Alexander listened.He didn't understand why he was so interested in a girl he'd only met moments ago.Before leaving, she handed the kitten to a nearby security guard who promised to take it to a veterinarian.Then she turned toward Alexander."What's your name?""Alexander.""Alexander what?""Go."Her eyes widened slightly."Ah. The Go family."He nodded."And you?"She smiled."Anastasia.""Your surname?"She hesitated."Maybe I'll tell you the next time we meet."Alexander frowned."There won't necessarily be a next time.""We'll see."She turned around and walked into the rain.Alexander watched her disappear.For the first time in his life, he wished someone would keep a promise.

👑 THE PRINCESS HE LOST, THE MAID HE LOVED STORY DESCRIPTION Ten years ago, Princess Seraphina Aurelia of Elaria, only eight years old, disappeared into the forbidden forest during Crown Prince Adrian Lucien of Valoria's tenth birthday celebration. Seraphina and Adrian had known each other only a short time, but their childhood friendship had already become special. Seraphina was adventurous and fearless, while Adrian was serious and cautious. Along with Princess Arabella of Lydria, the three children secretly entered the forbidden forest, unaware that their adventure had been deliberately manipulated by Lady Eveline, a noblewoman determined to weaken the alliance between Elaria and Valoria. Eveline's plan was to frighten the children, separate Seraphina, and make her disappearance appear accidental. But everything went wrong when a massive black bear attacked them. As the children fled, Seraphina fell. Adrian desperately reached for her, and their fingers touched for one heartbreaking moment before she slipped away and fell into a ravine. Although Seraphina survived the fall, a sudden surge of the river swept her downstream. She disappeared without a trace. The kingdoms searched for days, but no one found the missing princess. Adrian blamed himself and refused to give up. Beneath the old oak tree where he and Seraphina had once made a childhood promise, he vowed that he would find her. Far away, an old couple discovered an unconscious girl beside the river. She remembered nothing. Not her parents. Not Elaria. Not Arabella. Not Adrian. Not the palace. Not even her own name. The only thing she possessed was a silver pendant. The old woman gave her a new name. Lina. Ten years passed. The lost princess grew up believing she was simply Lina, unaware that she was actually Seraphina Aurelia of Elaria. Then fate brought her back to the Kingdom of Valoria. She entered the palace as a maid and was eventually assigned as Crown Prince Adrian's personal maid. Neither of them recognizes the truth. Adrian sees only a stubborn, outspoken young woman who somehow feels strangely familiar. Lina sees only the serious crown prince she is responsible for serving. She argues with him. He teases her. He protects her. And despite not understanding why, Adrian slowly begins falling in love with Lina. Again. Meanwhile, Princess Arabella becomes protective of Lina. Something about the mysterious maid reminds her of the childhood princess she lost ten years ago—the little girl she once explored the forest with. But Arabella does not yet understand why. As Lina's life inside the palace unfolds, fragments of her forgotten past begin returning. A silver pendant. Childhood dreams. Memories of the forest. A forgotten promise beneath an old oak tree. And eventually... a name. Seraphina. The princess who disappeared. The maid who returned. The girl Adrian never stopped loving. And the woman he will fall in love with all over again. But Lina still does not know who she truly is. She does not know that the kingdom she once called home has been waiting ten years for her return. She does not know that the crown prince she serves is the same boy who once desperately reached for her hand at the edge of a ravine. And Adrian does not know that the girl he spent ten years searching for is now standing beside him every day as his personal maid. Their hearts remember what their minds have forgotten. And as the past slowly collides with the present, the truth threatens to change everything. Because Lina is not merely a maid. She is the lost princess of Elaria. And after ten years... the princess Adrian lost has finally come home.