CHAPTER 1 - The Unexpected Meeting
829 Words
The shrill ringing of an alarm echoed through the small bedroom.
Sofia Reyes groaned as she reached for her phone and silenced it.
5:00 A.M.
Too early.
Way too early.
For a moment, she considered closing her eyes and stealing another five minutes of sleep. Her body felt heavy from exhaustion, and her eyelids refused to cooperate.
Unfortunately, life didn’t care whether she was tired.
Life certainly didn’t care that she had stayed up until midnight finishing a research paper.
And life definitely didn’t care that she had to attend classes before heading to her part-time job later that afternoon.
Slowly, Sofia sat up.
The room she shared with her younger sister was small and cramped.
The walls were faded.
The ceiling fan squeaked every few seconds.
A single window allowed the first rays of sunlight to enter.
It wasn’t much.
But it was home.
She glanced at her sleeping sister.
Mia was curled beneath a thin blanket, hugging an old stuffed bear Sofia had won years ago at a carnival.
The sight made her smile.
Everything she did was for her family.
Every late-night shift.
Every sleepless night.
Every sacrifice.
It was worth it.
Quietly, she got out of bed and prepared for the day.
A few minutes later, she entered the kitchen.
The smell of garlic fried rice immediately greeted her.
“Good morning, Ma.”
Her mother looked up from the stove and smiled warmly.
“Good morning, anak.”
Sofia walked over and kissed her mother’s cheek.
“You woke up early again.”
Her mother chuckled.
“So did you.”
The older woman continued cooking while Sofia prepared the table.
For a few moments, neither spoke.
They didn’t need to.
Both understood the silent struggles they carried every day.
After Sofia’s father died from a heart attack eight years ago, everything changed.
Medical bills buried the family in debt.
Their small savings disappeared almost overnight.
Since then, her mother had worked multiple jobs just to keep food on the table.
Watching her mother sacrifice so much was one of the reasons Sofia worked so hard.
She wanted a better future.
Not only for herself.
For all of them.
As they ate breakfast, her mother suddenly spoke.
“How are your grades?”
Sofia smiled proudly.
“I got ninety-four on my last exam.”
Her mother’s face brightened immediately.
“I knew you could do it.”
Sofia laughed.
“Of course. I’m your daughter.”
“Exactly.”
The two shared a smile.
Moments like these reminded Sofia why she kept going.
No matter how difficult life became.
No matter how exhausted she felt.
Giving up was never an option.
By seven-thirty, Sofia was already seated inside her classroom.
Students filled the room with chatter and laughter.
Some discussed assignments.
Others complained about deadlines.
Meanwhile, Sofia focused on her notes.
Education was her ticket out of poverty.
She refused to waste the opportunity.
Hours passed quickly.
One class became another.
Morning turned into afternoon.
Before she knew it, it was time to head to work.
She hurried toward the café where she worked part-time.
The café sat near one of the city’s busiest business districts.
Office workers often stopped by after work.
Students occupied most of the tables during evenings.
It wasn’t glamorous.
But Sofia loved it.
The owner treated employees like family.
And unlike many other jobs, it allowed her to balance work and school.
“You’re late.”
Sofia looked up.
Her co-worker Anna stood behind the counter with crossed arms.
“What?”
“You arrived thirty seconds late.”
Sofia gasped dramatically.
“Oh no.”
“I’m going to report you.”
“Please don’t.”
Anna burst out laughing.
The two friends immediately began preparing for the evening rush.
Customers arrived steadily.
Coffee orders continued piling up.
Latte.
Cappuccino.
Espresso.
Mocha.
The familiar rhythm of the café settled around them.
For Sofia, it was just another ordinary day.
Or so she thought.
At exactly seven o’clock that evening, a sleek black luxury car pulled up outside.
Several customers immediately turned toward the window.
Whispers spread throughout the café.
“Oh my gosh.”
“Is that really him?”
“No way.”
Sofia frowned.
Curious, she glanced outside.
The rear door opened.
A tall man stepped out.
He wore a perfectly tailored black suit.
His dark hair was neatly styled.
His expression remained calm and unreadable.
Even from a distance, his presence commanded attention.
The moment Sofia recognized him, her eyes widened.
Alexander Valencia.
The future CEO of Valencia Corporation.
One of the most powerful young businessmen in the country.
The same man whose face constantly appeared in magazines and news articles.
The same man countless women dreamed about.
Sofia immediately looked away.
She wasn’t interested in wealthy celebrities.
Besides, people like Alexander Valencia lived in a completely different universe.
There was no reason for their paths to ever cross.
Unfortunately…
Fate had other plans.
- Writer
