First Temptation: The Billionaire's Game

CHAPTER 19

Nasa veranda kami ni Mama. Tahimik ang gabi, malamig ang hangin, at may baso siya ng wine habang ako naman ay may mug ng chamomile tea na hindi ko rin naman iniinom. Sa pagitan namin, isang kandila lang ang nagbibigay ng liwanag—soft, flickering, intimate.

Hindi kami madalas mag-usap ng ganito.

Hindi ganitong… totoo.

Pero tonight felt different.

Matapos ang lahat ng ingay, ng banta, ng intriga—parang pareho kaming nauubos. At sa pag-upo naming dalawa rito, parang ‘yun ang tahimik naming paraan ng pag-amin: Pagod na rin ako, anak.

She stared into her wine glass for a long time bago siya nagsalita.

“Alam mo, may minahal din akong tulad ni Xander dati.”

Napalingon ako.

What?

“Ser-yoso ka ba, Ma?”

She nodded. Slowly. Eyes soft, almost distant. “Yes.”

Tahimik ulit.

Pero ako, hindi na makahinga. Kasi si Mama—si Camille Dela Vega — Villareal ay hindi basta nagkukuwento. Hindi siya open. Hindi siya… ganito.

“He wasn’t rich,” she added. “But he had power. Presence. Yung tipong pagpasok pa lang niya sa kwarto, lahat napapatingin.”

“Anong nangyari?”

She sipped her wine. Parang nag-time travel ang mga mata niya, bumalik sa isang lugar na matagal na niyang nilibing.

“I loved him,” she said, simply. “With the kind of love na hindi matino. Hindi safe. Hindi presidential. Dangerous.”

My breath hitched.

“Pero hindi naging kayo?”

“No,” she whispered. “Your grandfather hated him. Sabi niya, ‘That man will burn you to the ground.’”

“And did he?”

She looked at me.

And her eyes… they looked like mine when I tried to hide how broken I was.

“Yes,” she answered. “But I crawled out. And I learned.”

“Do you regret it?” tanong ko, mahina.

She paused.

Then shook her head. “No. Kasi kahit masakit, tinuro niya sa’kin kung paano magmahal ng buo… at kung paano lumaban para sa sarili ko.”

Bumagsak ang katahimikan sa pagitan naming dalawa. Parang kandilang nauupos pero ayaw pang mamatay.

“Cassie,” she said, turning to me. “Xander might be like him. Or he might be worse. But he’s also… yours to figure out.”

Napakagat ako sa labi.

Bumilis ang t***k ng puso ko.

“Bakit mo ‘to sinasabi, Ma?”

She sighed.

“Because for the first time… I’m not speaking to you as the First Lady. I’m speaking to you as a woman. A mother. And maybe… someone who understands more than she lets on.”

She reached out, touched my hand.

“Huwag kang matakot magmahal, anak. Pero huwag mo ring kalimutang mahalin ang sarili mo sa prosesong ‘yon.”

Bigla akong napaiyak.

Tahimik. Hindi iyak ng bata. Iyak ng babaeng napagod, na umamin.

Umiyak ako habang hawak ni Mama ang kamay ko.

And for the first time, hindi niya ako pinagalitan.

Hindi niya ako sinaway.

She just held me.

At sa gabing ‘yon, sa wakas… naging ina ko siya.

Gabi na. Tahimik ang buong Palasyo. Sobrang tahimik, parang bawat yapak ko sa marble hallway ay lumalakas ng sobra. Galing ako sa veranda kung saan nag-usap kami ni Mama. Akala ko tapos na ang mabibigat na pag-uusap ngayong araw.

Pero hindi pala.

Kumakabog pa rin ang dibdib ko nang mapadaan ako sa may study ni Dad. Bahagyang nakabukas ang pinto, at may liwanag mula sa loob. Narinig ko ang isang pamilyar na boses—si Senator Yulo.

"Kung hindi mo kayang disiplinahin ang anak mo, Mariano, baka kailangan ng iba ang gumawa."

Tumigil ako. Natigilan. Parang sinampal ng lamig ang batok ko.

“Ano’ng ibig mong sabihin?” Boses ni Dad—kalma, pero may bahid ng tensyon. Controlled, pero naninigas.

“Your daughter is a walking PR disaster. Kung hindi ‘yan maaawat, madadamay ang buong administrasyon. At baka hindi lang ikaw ang mawala sa pwesto.”

Isang mahabang katahimikan ang sumunod.

Then Dad answered, low and sharp.

“Umalis ka na, Senator.”

Umalis ang senator kasama ang mga security nito. Hindi sya napansi ng senator na tuloy tuloy lang ang lakad.

Tumalikod na sana ako, pero—

“Cassie.”

Tumigil ako sa lakad. Napapikit ako saglit.

Boses ni Dad. Malambot na. Hindi utos. Hindi galit. Parang pagod lang. Pagod na ama.

Pagharap ko sa pinto, nandun na siya. Nakatingin. Nakasuot pa rin ng barong pero tanggal na ang cufflinks. Mukha siyang pagod. Matanda. Hindi ‘yung Presidente na nakikita ng publiko. Kundi ang lalaking ilang taon nang binubuhat ang buong mundo.

“Come in.”

Tahimik akong pumasok. Ang bigat ng bawat hakbang ko. Parang ‘pag naupo ako, hindi na ako babangon.

Umupo siya sa leather chair. Umupo ako sa kabilang dulo ng lamesa. Malayo. Malamig. Parang ang pagitan namin hindi lang mesa—kundi taon ng hindi pagkakaintindihan.

“You heard all that?” tanong niya.

Tumango ako.

“Sorry,” mahina kong bulong.

Nag-angat siya ng tingin. Kumunot ang noo niya. “Sorry?”

Huminga ako ng malalim. Pinilit kong hindi umiyak.

“Sorry, Dad… sa lahat. Sa gulo. Sa eskandalo. Sa lahat ng lumalabas ngayon sa internet. I know I’ve made things harder for you… for us. And I’m so sorry if I became a liability.”

Tahimik siya. Pero alam kong nakikinig siya.

“I never wanted to be a problem. I never wanted to embarrass you,” tuloy ko, boses nanginginig. “Pero Dad… hindi ko rin kayang itanggi ‘yung totoo.”

I looked up.

“Mahal ko siya.”

Nanigas ang panga niya. Pero hindi siya nagsalita.

“I know what you think,” sabi ko. “Na impulsive ako. Na he’s reckless. Na I’m blinded. Pero Dad… Xander is not what you think. He’s not the villain they’re painting him to be.”

He looked at me. Hindi Presidente. Hindi strategist. Ama lang.

“Mahal mo siya… despite all this?”

“Yes,” I whispered. “Because despite all this… he was the only one who stayed. When everyone else wanted me polished, silenced, and perfect… he wanted me whole. Even if I was messy. Even if I was angry. Even if I was broken.”

“Cassie…” Mahina ang boses niya.

“Please, Dad,” nagmakaawa ako, tuluyan nang bumigay ang luha ko. “Tulungan mo siya. He’s being set up. Someone inside is trying to destroy him—maybe even us. And I think… I think it’s Senator Yulo.”

Napapitlag siya.

“Trixie warned me. She said someone inside sold that footage. Someone with access. Power. And motive.”

“Do you realize what you’re saying?” seryoso ang boses niya. “Na may tao sa gobyernong ito… na gustong pabagsakin tayo mula sa loob?”

“I know it sounds crazy,” sabi ko, hawak ang dibdib kong parang sasabog. “Pero please, Dad… get to the bottom of this. Not just for Xander. But for us. For this family. For me.”

Napapikit siya, tumayo, nilapitan ang bintana. Ilang saglit siyang tahimik. Parang tinimbang ang buong mundo.

“Alam mo ba…” aniya, mababa ang tono, “bata pa lang ako, sinanay na ako ng lolo mo sa kapangyarihan. Sa disiplina. Sa control. Hindi ako pinayagang madapa. Hindi ako pwedeng magmahal ng mali.”

Tumigil siya. Lumingon sa’kin.

“Pero minahal ko ang mama mo.”

Tumango ako. “At minahal mo siya sa kabila ng lahat. Just like how I love Xander now.”

He looked away. Then umupo siya ulit.

“Natatakot lang ako, Cassie,” bulong niya. “Na baka mapunta ka sa lalaking katulad ko. Someone who puts power before peace. Control before happiness.”

“Naiintindihan ko, Dad. Pero I’m not asking you to bless everything. I’m just asking you… to believe me. To help him. Kasi kung siya ang matalo ngayon… ako ang mawawala.”

Tahimik.

Then, slowly, tumango siya.

“I’ll look into Yulo.”

Napakapit ako sa dibdib ko, luha na lang ang sagot.

“I’ll investigate. I’ll call my intelligence chief tonight. But Cassie…”

Tumingin siya sa’kin, mata niyang puno ng pagod at pag-aalala.

“If he breaks you… if he hurts you…”

“I’ll come home,” sagot ko, mabilis. “But please, Dad… not without a fight.”

Tumayo siya.

Lumapit.

At sa unang pagkakataon sa napakatagal na panahon—

Ni-yakap niya ako.

Buong-buo.

Hindi bilang Presidente.

Kundi bilang tatay ko.

At kahit malaki na ako… kahit buo na ang loob ko… parang sa yakap na ‘yon, bigla ulit akong naging anak.

THIRD-PERSON POV

Midnight. The Presidential Study.

Mariano Villareal sat alone, the light from his desk lamp casting long shadows on the mahogany walls. In front of him, a secured phone—one that never rang unless the nation was at stake.

This time, it wasn’t the nation.

It was his daughter.

And the man she loved.

He dialed.

“K-General,” he said the moment the line connected. “I want full eyes on Senator Yulo. Covert only. Freeze every outgoing transaction from his office. Pull financials. Staff movements. I want access logs to all surveillance terminals from the past seventy-two hours.”

“Yes, Mr. President.”

“And one more thing…”

He opened a drawer, pulled out a red folder marked CLASSIFIED.

“Activate Shadow Protocol. Silent. Media blackout. No one—no one—knows what we’re doing.”

“Yes, sir.”

Click.

Then, he stood and walked to the massive window overlooking the silent grounds of Malacañang. His reflection stared back—tired, graying, human.

But beneath the statesman was a father.

A father ready to fight.

Malacañang Palace was quiet.

But inside the Presidential Study, the air was thick with decision.

Mariano Villareal stood by the window, one hand gripping a tumbler of untouched scotch, the other resting on the desk where folders marked CONFIDENTIAL lay open—footage screenshots, leaked timestamps, and one still photo of his daughter curled against a man’s chest.

Xander Madrigal.

He inhaled deeply, then reached for the encrypted landline.

“Connect me to Xander Madrigal,” he told his private aide. “Secure line. No trace.”

Seconds passed.

Then the line clicked.

“Mr. President?” Xander’s voice—controlled but cautious.

Mariano’s tone was cold steel wrapped in velvet.

“We need to talk.”

A long pause.

“Of course, sir. When and where?”

“Not here. And not on paper. You’ll receive coordinates via encrypted drop line. Come alone. No media. No guards. No Cassie.”

“…Understood.”

Click.

LATER THAT NIGHT

SECRET LOCATION – PRESIDENTIAL SAFEHOUSE, TAGAYTAY RIDGE

A black SUV pulled into a heavily wooded property cloaked in darkness. No markings. No guards in sight—at least none visible.

Xander stepped out, in a dark collared shirt, hands in his pockets, jaw tight. He knew what this was.

A test.

A warning.

Maybe both.

Inside the villa, a fireplace flickered quietly. The smell of old wood and something faintly citrus lingered in the air.

And there—at the center of it all—stood Mariano Villareal.

No barong.

Just a gray sweater and slacks, looking less like the President and more like a man with too many wars under his skin.

“Sit,” Mariano said.

Xander obeyed.

No security. No aides. Just them.

And silence.

“Do you love my daughter?” the President asked plainly.

“Yes,” Xander answered without hesitation.

“No cameras here. No audience. You sure you want to say that to me?”

“Yes, sir. I’ve never been more certain of anything.”

Mariano leaned back.

“She cries for you,” he said after a beat. “Fights for you. Risked everything for you. And now the world is tearing her apart for one damn night with you in her arms.”

Xander clenched his jaw. “And I’d do anything to protect her.”

“That’s the thing,” Mariano murmured. “You didn’t. Because you can’t control the game you’re in, Mr. Madrigal. You’ve inherited enemies. Built your own. And now, you’ve dragged my daughter into your storm.”

“I never meant for her to get hurt—”

“But she is!” he snapped, voice cutting through the room like a whip. “Do you know what it’s like to watch your daughter break from inside out while the world calls her names you can’t even say aloud?”

Xander looked down, guilt bleeding into every word. “Then let me make it right.”

“You think love is enough?” Mariano stood. “It’s not. You need power. Control. Information.”

“I’m learning,” Xander said. “And I’m not walking away.”

The President studied him.

Long.

Quiet.

Then, he stepped closer and dropped a USB onto the coffee table between them. Bigay ng kanyang intel team 1 week pagkatapos nya silang utusan.

“Inside is everything my private intel team has gathered about the leak. Coordinates. Devices used. Possible insiders. Senator Yulo’s name keeps coming up.”

Xander’s eyes widened, shocked.

Mariano continued, voice low, deadly.

“You’re not just protecting Cassie anymore. You’re entering a battlefield. And in this one, you don’t bring flowers. You bring fire.”

Silence again.

Then, for the first time, the President’s tone softened.

“She loves you.”

“I love her more than I can explain.”

“Then prove it,” Mariano said. “Not just to me. But to her. And to everyone who’s made it their mission to destroy her.”

Xander nodded, slowly. “I will.”

“Starting now,” Mariano added. “Because this? This is your war too now. And I won’t tolerate half-battles.”

Then the President walked to the window, staring into the dark.

And for a moment—just a flicker of it—he looked like a father finally sharing the weight.