Dangerous Embrace

CHAPTER 1

ISABELLE froze when she heard the sound of shattering glass echoing through the kitchen.

“…I-I’m sorry.”

Automatikong lumabas ang salitang ‘yon mula sa kaniyang bibig. She had learned long ago that saying sorry first hurt less than defending myself.

Wala pang isang segundo… a sharp sting burned across her cheek.

“You useless girl!”

Her mother’s voice pierced through the silence of the house.

“Alam mo ba kung gaano kamahal ang vase na ‘yan?”

Napayuko na lamang si Isabelle. She was furious to meet her mother’s furious eyes.

“I’m sorry, Mom.”

“Sorry?” she scoffed. “Makakabili ba ang sorry mo ng ibang antique vase?”

Her fingers trembled as she knelt on the floor to pick up the broken pieces of glass.

Ang totoo, hindi naman siya ang nakabasag ng mamahaling vase. It was her young sister, Sabrina. She bumped into the table while scrolling through her phone, and the vase fell before Isabelle could even catch it.

Pero nang pumasok ang kanilang ina sa loob ng silid, agad siyang itinuro ni Sabrina.

“It was Ate Isabelle.”

And just like that… Isabelle became the guilty one.

Again.

“Mommy, sinasabi ko na sa inyo, Ate Isabelle was careless,” Sabrina sighed dramatically, crossing her arms. “She always ruins everything.”

Hindi na nagtanong ang kanilang na kung ano ba talaga ang nangyari. At hindi na ‘yon ipinagtaka ni Isabelle dahil hindi na ito bago pa para sa kaniya.

“You’ll pay for this with your salary,” her father said as he entered the dining room without sparing a glance at her.

Napatigil si Isabelle. “…My salary?”

“You work, don’t you?” he answered coldly. “You’re living under this roof. You should pay for the damage you caused.”

Napakagat na lamang sa labi si Isabelle habang pinipigilan ang luha na gustong tumulo mula sa kaniyang mga mata.

Her family was wealthy, living in a mansion with cars, maids, and everything. But when it comes to her, her life was worse than that of a maid.

Her sister, Sabrina, can have everything.

Habang siya ay kailangang pagpaguran ang lahat.

Mabuti na lamang at may trabaho pa siya. But her father took half of her salary every payday. And he called it a contribution to the family.

Ngunit alam ni Isabelle na napupunta sa kapatid niya ang perang kinukuha ng kaniyang ama.

“Bakit ka pa nakaluhod riyan?” Lucinda, her mother snapped. “Clean it before Sabrina gets hurt.”

“Yes, Mom.”

And as they walked away, Sabrina flashed a victorious smile toward Isabelle. There was no guilt, no apology, and only satisfaction.

Isabelle stared at the tiny cuts forming on her fingers from the broken glass.

Mahapdi. Masakit. Pero wala nang mas sasakit pa sa pinaparamdam sa kaniya ng kaniyang magulang. Na para bang wala siyang kuwentang tao. At para bang hindi siya anak ng mga ito.

Ever since, she could see the gap between her and Sabrina. Mas gusto ng kanilang magulang si Sabrina kaysa sa kaniya.

“If only Sabrina had been born first…”

Nagpanggap na lamang si Isabelle na hindi niya narinig ang sinabi ng kaniyang ina. Because if she reacted… they would only say she was being dramatic.

By seven in the morning, Isabelle was already walking toward Sweet Hazel Bakery, the small neighborhood shop where she had worked for almost three years now.

Sumalubong sa kaniya ang amoy ng mga bagong-gawang tinapay.

“Magandang umaga!”

Hazel, the bakery owner and her closest and only friend, smiled brightly as she placed a tray of croissants on the display shelf.

Kumunot ang noo ni Hazel nang makita niya ang pisngi ng kaibigan. She instinctively tucked a loose strand of hair behind Isabelle’s ear. “Anong nangyari sa mukha mo?”

“Wala ‘to.”

Hazel sighed. “Your family again?”

Ngumiti na lamang si Isabelle. Not because she was happy but because she didn’t know how else to answer.

Hazel walked closer and gently touched the faint red mark on Isabelle’s cheek. “You don’t have to protect people who keep hurting you.”

Yumuko si Isabelle. “Alam ko.”

“You deserve better.”

Maybe.

But deserving something didn’t mean you’d get it. Isabelle had learned that long time ago.

Mabait si Hazel at alam niya ang nangyayari sa kaniya. Pero kahit gusto siyang tulungan, wala naman itong magawa dahil maimpluwensiya ang kaniyang ama sa lugar nila. Sa isang salita lamang, puwedeng bumagsak ang bakery ni Hazel. At ayaw naman niyang mangyari ‘yon.

Nag-iisa lamang si Hazel na kaibigan niya at nag-iisa rin itong nagmamalasakit sa kaniya.

The bakery became busy before lunch. Customers came and went while Isabelle packed breads, arranged pastries, and served drinks or coffee with her usual smile. Iyong tipo ng ngiti na para bang walang dinadalang mabigat na problema.

Because people often told her she looked cheerful. They just didn’t know that smiling had become a habit.

Mas madaling ipaliwanag ‘yon kaysa sa ipaliwanag kung bakit siya malungkot.

Around noon, Hazel handed her several neatly packed pastry boxes.

“Can you deliver these to Rios Group?”

Napakurap si Isabelle. “Rios Group?” Mabilis siyang napatingin sa matayog na gusali ng Rios Group na kitang-kita sa kinaroroonan niya. Sa walking distance lamang ito mula sa bakery ni Hazel.

Excited na napatango si Hazel. “Naging regular customer na natin ang ilang empleyado doon.”

Isabelle carefully accepted the boxes. “Pupunta na ako.”

As she walked out of the bakery, she looked at the elegant black logo printed on the delivery receipt.

Rios Group.

It is one of the country’s most powerful companies. A world completely different to hers—rich people, luxury, power and people she’d never meet. And even if she did, they would never notice someone like her.

Mayaman naman ang pamilya nila at nakatira sa mansiyon, pero hindi ‘yon ramdam ni Isabelle dahil sa ginagawa sa kaniya ng sarili niyang pamilya.

Leave?

She wanted to. Matagal na niyang gustong umalis, pero saan naman siya pupunta.

The world was dangerous, especially to a woman like her.

Isabelle adjusted the pastry boxes in her arms and continued walking beneath the warm afternoon sun.

Ang hindi niya alam… somewhere inside the towering Rios Group building… a man who never looked twice at anyone… was about to notice her.

And from that moment on… neither of their lives would ever be the same.