The Sovereign Trio - Zeus Sullivan

Chapter-01

Amele's POV

After I graduated from Senior High, I flew straight to the United States to pursue college. It wasn’t just any school — my dad wanted me to study at one of the most prestigious business universities in the world: Zeus International University.

It’s not your typical school. This is where heiresses and heirs from powerful families are sent — trained to take over empires, build legacies, and dominate boardrooms. Here, connections are currency, and last names hold weight.

My family, of course, is no stranger to this world.

My dad is a French business mogul, the man behind several luxury brands in France. His name alone opens doors in fashion, hospitality, and high-end retail. Sa totoo lang, halos lahat ng kaibigan niya either may sariling brand or owns part of an empire.

My mom? She’s just as powerful. She comes from one of the wealthiest families in the Philippines — they own the biggest chain of malls in the country and across Asia. On top of that, their construction company is behind some of the most iconic skylines in the region. Ibang level talaga.

So, yeah… pressure? Definitely. Expectations? Sky high. But I’ve learned to wear my last name like armor — and now, I’m stepping into a world where every move counts.

There are only three of us in the family — tatlo lang kaming magkakapatid.

My older sister, Amelia, is a full-time model. She’s stunning, confident, and honestly, she was born for the spotlight. Runways, magazine covers, endorsements — that’s her world now.

Business? Not really her thing. She’s always been more focused on building her name in fashion than joining board meetings.

My younger brother, Amiel, is still in high school. He’s smart, driven, and observant for his age, but he’s still figuring things out. Too young to be pressured, sabi nga ni Mama.

Which leaves me.

Let’s be real — it only means one thing: either I step up, or Amiel will have to carry the entire weight of the family legacy. And that’s a heavy responsibility to place on someone who hasn’t even finished high school.

So in my mind, I already know the answer.

It has to be me.

The company. The legacy. The name.

It’s all heading in my direction — whether I’m ready or not.

It’s been a week since I arrived here in America. And honestly? Medyo nalulungkot na ako.

I’m all alone here in California. Amelia, my sister, is in Paris for Fashion Week — of course.

That’s her world now. Besides, she lives in New York, not here, so I don’t really have anyone close by. Kaya ayun, hello homesickness.

I called my family earlier because I miss them — especially Amiel. We’ve always been close. He’s the type who checks up on me even with just a meme or a random message. Walang araw na hindi kami nag-uusap noon, kaya ang tahimik ng buong linggo para sa akin.

Daddy, as always, told me to enjoy my life here while I study. I know what he means — live a little, explore, maybe even party.

But the thing is, I’m not into night outs. I don’t really like drinking.

Shopping? Yes.

Food? Definitely.

Pero bar hopping or wild college parties? Not really my thing.

So I figured… maybe I’ll just go out today. Walk around. Check out a mall. Eat somewhere nice. Just breathe.

Good thing I’m not totally on my own — I have a driver, and three staff members who flew in with me. Our house here is huge, typical of my parents, of course. Everything I could need is here, except people I can actually talk to.

So I changed clothes, fixed myself up, and got ready to head out. School doesn’t start until next week, and right now… I’m honestly bored out of my mind.

Time to explore a little — kahit mag-isa.

Pagdating ko sa mall, naglibot muna ako kasama ang bodyguard ko — pero naka-companion look lang siya. Ayoko kasi ng obvious na may security detail ako; mas gusto kong makagalaw nang normal kahit alam kong may bantay.

Pumasok ako sa ilang luxury brand stores — yung isa nga, technically, pagmamay-ari ng pamilya namin. I just browsed a little, wala akong balak bumili para sa sarili ko ngayon. Then I remembered something.

Amiel.

Bago ako umalis papuntang States, sinabi niya sa akin na gusto raw niya ng bagong relo. Hindi basta-basta ha — men’s luxury watch. Kaya nagpunta ako sa isang boutique na kilala sa ganung klaseng items.

Alam kong mahal, pero kaya ko naman. Lahat kaming magkakapatid may platinum card from our parents. As in no limit. As long as hindi nonsense ang binibili, walang problema.

Habang tinitingnan ko ang isang mamahaling relo — simple pero elegante, eksaktong style na gusto ni Amiel — may biglang lumapit sa gilid ko.

I caught a whiff of his scent. Damn. He smelled really good.

And for a second, I froze.

It was the same perfume Amiel uses.

That familiar scent hit me hard, kaya automatic akong napalingon. Our eyes met — just for a moment — pero mabilis ko rin itong binawi.

Still, I saw enough.

Gwapo.

Like, seriously gwapo.

He looked clean, sharp, well-dressed — not overdressed, just effortlessly stylish. But what really caught my eye was his body. Lean, toned, mukhang fit na fit. The kind of guy na alam mong may disiplina sa gym.

He looked older than me, siguro mga two years or so. Just enough to look mature, but not too far off.

I tried to act normal, kahit medyo na-distract ako. I wasn’t there to flirt — hello, watch for Amiel Lang to— but he definitely stood out.

I continued browsing, choosing to ignore the guy who was still standing quietly beside me. Focus muna, I told myself. I was here for Amiel, not to get distracted by some good-looking stranger.

As I moved along the display, one particular watch caught my attention. There was something about it — sleek, elegant, but with a bold edge. Parang si Amiel. Classy yet confident, understated but strong. The kind of piece that made a statement without trying too hard.

“Please, can you show me this watch?” I asked the sales associate, pointing at the timepiece through the glass.

He nodded politely and carefully handed it to me. I held it in my hands, feeling its weight — solid, refined, and incredibly well-crafted. I flipped the tag to check the price, and internally, I almost choked.

Damn.

Too expensive.

$500,000.

For a watch.

I stared at it for a few seconds. Seryoso? Half a million dollars?

But the truth is… I wanted it for Amiel.

It was so him — and I could already picture his reaction the moment he saw it. That smile of his, the way his eyes light up when he gets something he truly likes.

And let’s be honest, I can afford it. All three of us — me, Amelia, and Amiel — have platinum cards from our parents. Basically, no limit. Whether it’s $500,000 or even $2 million, mom and dad won’t even blink. They’ve always trusted us to spend wisely and only on things that matter.

But still… I’m not the type to throw money around.

Even my parents know that about me. Yes, I love shopping — but I’m not reckless. I like luxury, but I value meaning more than price tags.

So there I was, holding the watch, doing mental math I didn’t need to do, wondering if this was a want or a need — even if deep down I already knew my answer.

This is for Amiel. This isn’t just a gift — it’s a reminder that even if I’m far away, I’ve got him. Always.

“Okay, I’ll take this,” sabi ko sa sales associate, hawak pa rin ang mamahaling relo.

This will be my gift for Amiel’s birthday next month. He deserves something special — and this watch is exactly that.

Darating siya dito sa America next month to take the entrance exam for ZIU — Zeus International University. Gano’n kasi dito. Even if you haven’t graduated from high school yet, you can still apply early.

Bigla siyang lumapit sa tabi ko — yung gwapong lalaki kanina.

His voice was calm, but confident.

“I want that watch too,” he said, his eyes glancing at the one I was still holding.

The sales associate immediately responded, politely but firmly.

“I’m sorry, sir, but that watch is a limited edition. We only have one left — and the young lady is already purchasing it.”

He turned to me, this time looking me straight in the eye.

“Please… can you give that to me instead?”

Seriously?

I met his gaze without flinching.

“No, sorry,” I said calmly but firmly. “I’m buying this as a present for my brother.”

His expression didn’t shift much — composed pa rin, but I could tell he wasn’t used to being told no.

Well, too bad.

This one’s not up for negotiation.

“I’ll pay double,” he added, still standing beside me.

Pero hindi ko siya pinansin.

Diretso ako sa cashier, kinuha ang card ko, at walang pag-aalinlangan na swipe. I wasn’t about to give up the watch — not for any price.

Pagkatapos kong magbayad, agad akong lumabas ng store.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit, pero kinakabahan ako kapag lumalapit siya. There was something about him — his presence, his voice, the way he looked at me — na parang may kakaiba.

But no matter what, I got there first. Ako ang unang nakapili ng relo, kaya akin ito.

Paglabas ko ng boutique, laking pasalamat ko na hindi siya sumunod.

I took a deep breath, clutching the bag with the watch inside.

That’s done.

One gift ready. One boundary kept.



Now I just needed to survive the rest of this day without running into him again