Unhinged

Chapter Two

Alex and Jessica’s home looked like stability manifested into architecture. Warm cream walls. Soft gold lighting. Neutral art with expensive frames. The kind of house that smelled faintly of chamomile tea and emotional maturity.

Sophia entered like a sponsored disruption.

She wore a tan oversized blazer, a fitted black tube top, dark high-waisted denim shorts, gold hoops, and sunglasses even though it was eight in the evening. Her presence instantly shifted the room’s energy from serene to “Is this a magazine cover?”

Dominic followed behind her, strutting in a pastel blazer, radiating main-character confidence and mild chaos.

Jessica smiled warmly when she saw them. “You two brought weather.”

“You are welcome,” Sophia replied, removing her sunglasses like a celebrity greeting paparazzi. “I provide ambience.”

Dominic nodded. “We elevate the oxygen levels in every room.”

Jessica shook her head with affectionate exasperation. “Please behave. Alex is stressed.”

“Jessica,” Sophia said dramatically, “I am incapable of not being myself.”

“That is exactly what worries me,” Jessica muttered as she guided them inside.

Inside the living room sat the circle of power they were joining. Alex, sleeves rolled, responsible eldest-son mode activated. Andrew Lorenzo, calm, polished, one of Simon’s key partners in Madanunan, and his wife, Carrie, elegant, intimidating, quietly protective of everyone she considered hers.

Sophia adored this group. Equal parts terrifying and entertaining.

“Good evening,” she said with a soft smile.

Andrew stood to greet her. “Sophia. Dominic. Glad you could come.”

Dominic gave him a graceful bow. “Investor of dreams. Financier of waterfalls. Keeper of villas-not-yet-built.”

Carrie murmured without looking up, “He means hello.”

Sophia sat gracefully on the sofa, crossing her legs with confidence.

Alex cleared his throat. “Sophia. We are here to hear your full marketing strategy for Madanunan Crown’s launch.”

Sophia stood instantly and tapped her phone. The massive screen behind Alex flickered to life.

The rendering appeared.The shimmering waterfall.The skybridge suspended over the ravine.The glass dome casino glowing like a jewel.The villas clinging to the cliffs.

“This,” Sophia began softly, “is not just a resort.”

Everyone looked up.

“It is a story.”

Jessica smiled. Andrew leaned in. Carrie watched her with measured interest.

“Madanunan Crown,” Sophia continued, “is a royal myth brought to life. A hidden kingdom in the North. We build a campaign around discovery, awe and impossible beauty.”

She stepped toward the screen, pointing.

“We tease the cable cars before they launch. The waterfall at dusk. A silhouette on the skybridge. We let curiosity build itself.”

Dominic whispered loudly, “She is serving National Geographic but with billionaire sparkle.”

Sophia clicked again.

“Next is immersion. We highlight Ilocano heritage, local stories, real people. This place has a heartbeat. We show it.”

Carrie’s expression softened again, a sign of genuine appreciation.

“And finally,” Sophia said with a brighter smile, “the spectacle.”

The screen switched again.

“For opening night, we need global impact. And Matt will bring in Alan Walker and David Guetta.”

Alex blinked. “Elizalde?”

Sophia nodded and grinned brightly, proud of herself. “Yes. Matt. He already brought them to Elysium in BGC before. He will bring them back again. Alan Walker confirmed interest.”

Andrew’s brows rose. “Both?”

“Yes,” Sophia said proudly. “Imagine the dome lighting up while Faded echoes through the canyon. Imagine the waterfall glowing with synchronized lights. Imagine the cable cars drifting above the valley while two of the most streamed DJs in the world perform live. We position Madanunan as the place where global names want to play.”

Dominic clutched his chest. “I am emotionally overwhelmed by this brilliance.”

Sophia flipped her hair. “That is normal.”

Alex stared at the TV, absorbing the vision. “This is… genuinely impressive.”

Sophia smiled smugly.

Dominic gasped. “He praised you. Alex praised you. Write it in your journal.”

Alex ignored him. “Now we discuss the part I am less enthusiastic about.”

Sophia tilted her head. “Which part?”

“The part where you want to relocate to Madanunan starting tomorrow.”

Sophia nodded. “Yes. I want to be there one day before opening and stay through the entire launch. I need to live the experience. I cannot direct a campaign from afar.”

Dominic lifted his hand as if swearing an oath. “She thrives in chaos. And mountains are soothing. They will neutralize her internal drama like aromatherapy but with altitude.”

Carrie crossed her arms, perfectly composed. “It makes sense. She should be present while the flagship stores are being finalized. Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Saint Laurent. These are the first luxury houses ever to open in Ilocos.”

Sophia pointed at her with immediate triumph, fluttering her lashes. “Thank you, Carrie. I knew us girlies are on the same page.”

Alex exhaled heavily. “Sophia, Ilocos is quiet. It does not have your usual scene.”

“They only have SM and Robinsons there,” Jessica added gently. “No Greenbelt. No Shangri-La. No Newport.”

“Nightlife is practically nonexistent,” Dominic whispered as if reporting a crime.

“No luxury shopping streets either,” Andrew said, matter-of-fact.

Sophia pressed a hand to her chest, radiant. “Exactly. I will be forced to focus. It is perfect.”

Alex pinched the bridge of his nose, a gesture he seemed to reserve specifically for her. “I am worried about the chaos of pre-opening.”

“And I thrive in chaos,” Sophia said proudly. “Look at Dominic. I have survived ten years with him.”

Dominic gasped theatrically. “Rude. But fair.”

Jessica squeezed Alex’s arm, her voice soft, persuasive, dangerous.

“Babe,” Jessica murmured, “she will be surrounded by professionals. By the staff. By Andrew. By Simon.”

Alex gave her a look. “Simon is not a babysitter.”

“No,” Dominic cut in helpfully, “he is a billionaire. Billionaires do not babysit, Alex. They brood artistically while staring into middle distance.”

Jessica valiantly ignored him. “And Christoph will be there too.”

Sophia blinked. “Who?”

Alex groaned. “My partner.”

“Oh. Ardent Lex,” Sophia said, wrinkling her nose. She only knew Paul, and only because he was tolerable and they occasionally worked together at Horizon. The rest of Alex’s partners existed somewhere well outside the borders of her attention span. “Right. Those people.”

Carrie finally looked up, her tone steady and precise. “If it helps, Olivia will be there. She and Sophia are closer in age. They will get along.” She gave Alex a meaningful glance. “That should ease your nerves more than Christoph ever will.”

Sophia’s eyebrows rose in curiosity, and Carrie noticed immediately. She answered before Sophia could even voice the question.

“Simon’s wife,” Carrie explained. “She was hired as a Housekeeping Supervisor, so she will be working on the floors.”

Sophia’s smile brightened, her grin widening like sunshine breaking through clouds. She glanced at Jessica and Carrie, the unshakeable wives and the strategic powerhouses, both firmly in her corner. She gave them each a sweet, victorious smile.

Andrew cleared his throat, pulling everyone’s attention back to him. “Before you decide, there is something else.”

The room quieted.

“A new player is interested in the project,” he said. “Akihiro Sato.”

Carrie looked up. “Sato-san?”

Sophia blinked. “Who is that?”

“A Japanese billionaire,” Andrew explained. “Owner of Tsukikage Hospitality International. Their portfolio includes some of the world’s most exclusive hotels. Kyoto’s water palace. The floating suites in Hokkaido.”

Dominic squeaked. “Not the floating suites.”

Andrew nodded. “He heard about Madanunan Crown. He wants to explore a future expansion inside the valley.”

Sophia’s mouth fell open.

She turned slowly to Jessica. “I need to be in Ilocos before that man steps foot in the canyon.”

Dominic whispered, “She is vibrating again.”

Sophia continued, animated. “I need to prepare the brand narrative. I need to make sure everything is aligned. I need to make it irresistible.”

Jessica smiled knowingly. “Let her go.”

Alex looked at everyone.

Jessica’s soft eyes. Dominic’s dramatic hope. Carrie’s cool approval. Andrew’s quiet confidence. Sophia’s glowing determination.

He sighed with the exhaustion of a man fighting fate.

“We will discuss it with Simon and the partners,” Alex said.

Sophia grinned. “Perfect.”

“I did not say yes,” Alex reminded her.

She sparkled brighter. “But you did not say no.”

Dominic clapped once like a victorious game-show host.

Carrie hid a smile. Andrew smirked. Jessica leaned into Alex, triumphant.

And Sophia leaned back, already imagining her suite overlooking the canyon, Alan Walker and David Guetta rehearsing under the glass dome, Metroline setting up cameras, and the entire world watching the mountain light up for the very first time.

Tomorrow, she would be in Madanunan.

And nothing would ever be the same. She intended to bring rainbows, butterflies, unicorns, and everything else that was sparkly and alive.