The Heartbreak Heir (Taglish On-Going)

Chapter 2: Unexpected

Zara woke to the dull ache pulsing behind her eyes, the kind that came after a night she knew she should've skipped but still pushed through anyway. The sunlight filtering through her thin curtains felt harsher than normal, stabbing at her half-opened eyes.

Tahimik ang kwarto.

Maaga pa.

At masakit ang ulo niya.

She sighed and pushed herself to sit. The apartment felt unusually still as it always did every morning, but somehow the silence today felt heavier, almost too familiar. A reminder of how it had been like this for three years. No family calls. No messages. Just... quiet.

And she wanted this, far from interpersonal family conflict, as far as she remember. But sometimes, there's a hole in her heart wishing for things to magically happen.

Napailang siya ng ulo niya. Hindi ngayon ang tamang oras para isipin iyon. Hindi niya hahayaang sirain ng alaala ang umaga niya.

She inhaled deeply and let her thoughts drift to last night. After what happened to Club Haze, they decided to continue their night out to another place. The memory came back in fragments, warm lights from a quieter restobar, the soft background music, the comforting presence of Lyka beside her as they clinked their glasses. It was calmer, safer... a lot different from Club Haze.

And yet, Alec's face still flashed in her mind.

His sharp eyes.

His voice.

That moment she accidentally hit him.

She groaned into her palms. "Why am I even thinking about him this early..."

Bumangon siya at naglakad papunta sa sala. The moment she stepped out, Claude ran toward her with his little paws tapping loudly on the floor. His tail wagged so hard that his entire body wiggled with it.

"Good morning," she whispered softly, kneeling to scratch his ears. "I know, I know. I'm awake now."

Claude barked once, sharp and bright, as if scolding her for oversleeping.

She smiled.

Si Claude lang ang kasama niya sa apartment.

Si Claude lang ang kasama niya sa buhay ngayon.

After feeding him and quickly freshening up, she faced her uniform hanging neatly on her cabinet door. The Grand Solstice Hotel badge gleamed under the light.

Three years.

Three long years since she applied immediately after graduation, packed what little she had, and left her family home without a single look back.

Hindi naging madali ang lahat.

Pero kinaya niya. And now, she's proud of herself.

She buttoned her uniform carefully, smoothing the fabric the way she always did. The hotel expected perfection or at least the appearance of it. She learned to give that every day.

Zara tied her hair into a clean ponytail and looked at her reflection. Calm. Professional. Composed.

Even if she didn't always feel that way.

Paglabas niya ng unit, saglit siyang lumingon kay Claude.

"Be good, baby. I'll be home later."

He tilted his head before walking back to his bed, which made her smile one more time before closing the door.

The hotel lobby was already full when she arrived. Phones were ringing. Guests were pacing. Staff were rushing. It was the usual chaos she'd learned to master.

"Good morning, ma'am. Welcome to Grand Solstice Hotel," Zara greeted smoothly as she assisted a guest dragging two oversized suitcases.

"If you can wait a moment, I'll process your check-in."

Sunod-sunod ang requests.

Sunod-sunod ang reklamo.

Parang hindi nauubusan ng kailangan ang mga tao.

Pero sanay na siya.

A guest complained about a wrong room service order. Another demanded a free upgrade "just because I stayed last year." A couple wanted fresh towels every thirty minutes for reasons she didn't want to know.

Pero kahit pagod, she handled it with a steady tone, precise words, and the calm smile she trained herself to wear.

Hours passed.

Her feet ached.

Her throat felt dry.

By late afternoon, she checked the clock and exhaled shakily. Thirty more minutes before her shift ended.

Her phone buzzed.

A message from Lyka.

"Z, I'm near your area for work. Coffee later? I need to breathe. Please say yes."

Napatingin siya sa paligid. Pagod ang katawan niya. Mabigat ang araw. Pero kay Lyka... she always found space.

She typed back:

"Okay. Just finished my shift. See you in a bit."

She arrived at Coffee Den ten minutes later. The place was warm, dimly lit, and smelled of roasted beans and caramel syrup. It was a welcome break from the noise of the hotel.

Lyka arrived instantly recognizable. Polished blazer, curled hair, lipstick barely smudged after a full day of meetings. She always looked effortlessly expensive.

"Z!" Lyka waved, sliding into the seat across her. "You look dead. What happened?"

"Work happened," Zara answered, placing her phone aside. "How about you?"

"I survived five clients, two arguments, one settlement, and zero patience," Lyka said dramatically. "In short, normal."

Napangiti si Zara.

Lyka came from a wealthy family of lawyers. Their firm was practically an institution—marami silang high-profile clients, and even back in college, everyone knew she was set to inherit that world.

Zara met her during an orientation event. Maulan noon. Nabasa ang notes ni Zara dahil nabuhusan ng tubig.

Lyka saw her struggling, approached, and said, "You can copy mine. I won't let you fail on the first week."

And that was it.

That was how it began.

Hindi na sila nagkahiwalay simula noon.

"So," Lyka said, leaning her elbows on the table. "Let's talk about last night."

Zara froze. "No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

She sighed in defeat. "Fine."

"I still can't believe you accidentally punched a Varela." Lyka shook her head in disbelief.

Zara frowned. "You didn't tell me you knew them."

"You didn't tell me you were punching random men."

"It was ONE time."

Lyka laughed softly before her tone shifted.

"You know my dad worked with the Varelas, right? They're one of the biggest families in the region. Old money. Big businesses. And Alec—"

"I don't want to know anything about him," Zara cut in quickly.

But Lyka continued, softer now. "Alec is... complicated. But he's not the type who forgets things easily."

Zara's heart sank. She didn't like the sound of that.

"Lyka," she whispered. "Please tell me he's too rich to care."

Lyka bit her lip. "That's the thing... men like him? They notice what stands out."

Zara shook her head. She didn't want to think about him anymore.

But fate had different plans.

They parted ways after finishing their coffee. Zara took the sidewalk going home, the evening wind brushing lightly against her hair.

Tahimik ang paligid. Mainit ang ilaw ng poste. At medyo magaan ang pakiramdam niya matapos makausap si Lyka.

Until someone turned the corner too fast.

Their shoulders collided.

"Sorry—" Zara said, stepping back.

But the moment she lifted her face... her breath caught.

Alec Varela stood in front of her.

Black shirt.

Hands in pockets.

Expression unreadable.

"Of all the people," he murmured, tilting his head slightly. "I didn't expect to see you again this soon."

Nanlamig ang batok niya.

"Why are you here?"

"I live around the area," he replied casually. Then his eyes locked onto hers.

"So... are you going to explain now?"

"Explain what?" she snapped.

"Why you punched me." A hint of a smile tugged at his lips. "I feel like I deserve a proper answer."

"I don't owe you anything," Zara replied, voice firm even if her pulse raced.

Alec stepped closer—not enough to be inappropriate, but enough to make her catch her breath.

"Maybe not," he said softly. "But I want one."

At that moment, she realized something terrifying.

This wasn't ending anytime soon.

Zara didn't move. For a moment, the world around her seemed to blur—cars passing, lights flickering, footsteps echoing on the pavement—yet everything felt distant. Too distant. Too quiet.

She hated that her heart reacted before her mind could catch up.

Alec's eyes were steady on her, sharp as last night but calmer now, almost curious. As if he was trying to solve a puzzle he didn't expect to pick up.

Zara swallowed hard.

This is not happening again.

Hindi na siya dapat nadadamay ulit sa kaguluhan kagaya kagabi.

"I have to go," she muttered, stepping back.

Alec didn't block her way, but his gaze followed her every movement. "Running away already?"

"I'm not running."

"Really?" His tone held a hint of amusement. "Because it looks like it."

Zara clenched her jaw. "I just don't want to deal with you."

"Why not?"

"Because you're trouble."

Alec paused—just for a second—before chuckling softly. "That's not entirely wrong."

The worst part? He didn't even deny it.

Zara forced herself to turn away. Her heels clicked on the pavement, echoing loudly as she walked toward the main street. She refused to look back. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction.

But halfway down the block, his voice carried after her.

"Zara!"

She froze.

"I'll see you again," Alec said, tone confident—too confident—like it wasn't a guess... but a promise.

Zara didn't respond.

Hindi siya lumingon.

Hindi siya tumigil.

Instead, she walked faster, pushing her breath out in a shaky exhale when she finally reached the next corner. Her pulse was still too fast, parang hinahabol ng kung ano.

Or worse—kung sino.

The bus ride home was quiet. She sat near the window, watching the city blur past. Neon lights, late-night diners, people heading home. Everything looked ordinary. Normal. Predictable.

Pero hindi normal ang pakiramdam niya.

Alec wasn't supposed to be part of her day. Or her night. Or her life at all.

They lived in two completely different worlds. And she had survived hers by keeping it simple and closed-off.

Ayaw niya ng gulo.

Ayaw niya ng complication.

And Alec... was the definition of both.

When she finally reached her apartment building, she sighed with relief. The familiar hallway, the cream walls, the muting silence—it grounded her instantly.

Claude barked from the inside the moment her keys jingled.

"I'm home," she whispered as she opened the door.

Claude jumped around her feet, tail wagging uncontrollably as if she had been gone for days instead of hours. She bent down to carry him, burying her face in his fur.

"Namiss kita," she murmured softly.

Claude licked her chin, making her smile despite everything. She placed him on the sofa and set down her bag. Her shoulders sagged; the exhaustion of the entire day settled all at once.

She changed into pajamas, washed her face, and tied her hair up before preparing Claude's dinner. Routine. Steady. Predictable. The one thing she could rely on.

After feeding him, she sat on her couch and stared at the ceiling.

Her day was supposed to end calmly. Quietly. Just like every day for the past three years.

But instead...

She saw Alec Varela.

Again.

As if fate wanted to play with her.

Hindi siya naniniwala sa destiny.

Hindi rin siya naniniwala sa mga ganitong encounter.

Coincidence lang iyon. Dapat lang. Wala nang iba.

But the way he looked at her...

She shook her head, annoyed at herself. "Stop thinking about him."

Claude barked once as if agreeing.

She smiled faintly. "See? Even you think he's trouble."

The night passed slowly. Zara warmed a cup of tea, took a shower, and did everything she usually did to wind down. But the moment she closed her eyes, the memories slipped in effortlessly.

Alec at the bar.

Alec catching her fist.

Alec smirking.

Alec in the street tonight.

She groaned and rolled to her side. "Of all people..."

Why him?

Bakit siya pa?

But she refused to let him take over her thoughts again. Her life was already complicated enough—silent family ties, stressful job, constant pressure to stay afloat. She didn't need a man like Alec making things worse.

Or confusing her even more.

Eventually, exhaustion won. Zara drifted into sleep with Claude curled at her feet.

Morning arrived with a soft chill in the air.

The alarm beeped. Zara sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes. The headache from yesterday was gone, replaced by a calmer heaviness.

She stretched and stood.

Isa na namang araw sa trabaho.

Isa na namang umagang may pupunuin siyang ngiti kahit pagod na ang loob.

Claude trotted behind her as she walked to the kitchen.

"Good morning," she whispered, pouring kibble into his bowl.

She brewed her coffee, the familiar smell filling the apartment. She took a sip and sighed, letting the warmth spread through her chest.

Today, she promised herself, would be normal again.

No surprises.

No trouble.

No Alec.

After fixing her uniform and grabbing her bag, she knelt down to pat Claude's head.

"I'll see you later, baby."

He barked gently.

Zara stepped out of the apartment with a determined breath.

Today will be different.

She hoped.