THE UNRULY HEIRESS

CHAPTER 1

THIRD PERSON'S POV

"Why did you do that?" The man's voice, though calm, held a clear undercurrent of disappointment. They were on their way home.

His sister reacted instantly, offering a mocking smirk.

"Are you blind? Can't you see she was flirting with Radar? Do you think I'd let her steal him from me? No way!" she said, her voice laced with irritation. The man gripped the steering wheel tighter. He couldn't believe this was his sister's true nature.

He'd spent five years in the States, studying and earning his degree. He'd anticipated many things, and the day he returned to the Philippines finally arrived. He thought his homecoming would be easy, primarily because he wanted to see his sister, Odette.

He and Odette had always been incredibly close. As children, they were inseparable, sharing everything. He'd vowed to protect her, to cherish her as a precious gift. He promised he'd never let anyone harm her, that he'd fight anyone who tried.

Upon returning from abroad, Odette was the first person he wanted to see. He expected her to be the same, but the world seemed to have turned upside down. He'd heard stories from the household staff and his parents about her reckless behavior. His expectations were completely wrong. The Odette he knew seemed to have changed; she was almost a stranger.

He sighed, focusing on the road. He avoided looking at his sister, trying to control his anger.

"But they're engaged, Odette," he said, his voice strained. Though his gaze remained on the road, he could feel Odette's sharp, intense stare in his peripheral vision. She let out a sarcastic laugh that startled him, then fell silent, her jaw clenched as she drove.

"Tsk. Why did you even come back? Even you're useless. I thought you'd be an ally, someone to help me get what's mine, but I was wrong. You're just like them," she spat. His grip on the steering wheel tightened. He felt a deep sense of betrayal.

"I'm not like them," he said, pausing to glance at her before returning his attention to the road. "You're being selfish, Odette. You weren't like this before. What's happening to you? Didn't you promise me nothing would change? Why are you doing this to yourself? You're treating Mom and Dad with the same disrespect. Is it because of that guy? Is that why you're acting like this? Tell me, Odette. Why?"

She was silent for a moment, unmoved by his words. She knew she'd gone too far, but the pain and hatred in her heart lingered. She couldn't bear to be controlled. She wanted her own way.

Silence fell between them, but he broke it. "I'm asking you, don't be stubborn. I just want to know why you're like this. I'm upset. I don't want you to get into trouble; I'm worried about you." His expression softened as he looked at Odette.

She shook her head. "This is me now, Kuya Jack. Since you left, I met Radar. He's the only one who was there for me after you left the country and abandoned me." Bitterness tinged her voice. She bit her lip, trying to hold back her tears.

"Yes, we promised, you're right. I promised I wouldn't change, but you promised you wouldn't leave me. But fck it… You're the one who did this to me. You're the reason I'm like this. I threw myself into a relationship to forget you leaving me, Kuya. All my life, I thought you'd never leave, but you did. You're just like Mom and Dad; you abandoned me." Tears welled in her eyes, quickly replaced by anger.

She looked away, trying to stop the tears.

"Yes, they always left me with those useless maids. It made my childhood miserable. Now that I'm older, I don't want to revisit that painful past." She roughly wiped away the last of her tears and glared at him. "So if you're asking what my problem is? It's you. It's all of you!"

"Odette! WHAT THE FCK! Let go of the steering wheel! We're going to crash!"

Events unfolded rapidly. Odette struggled for control of the steering wheel, wrestling with her brother. Jack fought to stop her, but he saw she was crying. He froze.

"Odette…"

He let go of the wheel. He pulled her towards him and kissed her. Odette's eyes widened in shock, mirroring his own. A large truck loomed, and their car crashed with a deafening impact, shattering into pieces.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled weakly before losing consciousness.