THE BILLIONAIRE'S SECRET DAUGHTER

Chapter 3: The Meeting

The boardroom was already full when the doors swung open.

Daniel was late.

His hair was a mess, his white polo was slightly wrinkled, and there was sweat on his forehead.

He looked like he ran all the way here.

Because he did.

Ten minutes ago on his way to the office, he bumped into someone.

Hard.

A girl. Boxes and grocery bags fell everywhere.

"I'm so sorry!" he said, crouching to help her.

The girl looked up. Yna.

His employee. The cashier from FreshMart.

He helped her pick up her things, nodded politely, and ran.

He couldn't be late for the meeting.

Now here he was. Late anyway.

"Sorry," Daniel said simply, taking his seat at the head of the table.

No one dared to comment. He was the CEO.

The meeting went on as usual. But Daniel couldn't focus.

That girl's face kept flashing in his mind.

---

Later that night at the Reyes mansion.

Arthur Reyes, Daniel's father, was not happy.

"Daniel! Why do you have to pretend to be poor?" he said, voice tight with frustration.

"We're billionaires! You don't need to take the bus or shop in small markets!"

Daniel sighed. He was 34 years old and he was used to this lecture.

"Dad, I just want to find someone who will accept me. The real me.

Not Daniel Reyes, the CEO. Not Daniel Reyes, the billionaire.

Just me."

Arthur softened. He was a good father. Supportive of everything his son did.

But he was also getting old.

"Son, I support you. But I also want grandchildren.

I want you to get married. Settle down."

"I don't have a problem with that," Daniel replied.

"I just want the woman I marry to be decent.

And I want her to accept that even though we're rich,

we choose to live simply. Behind the wealth, we stay humble."

Arthur nodded. "Then I have a plan."

A month ago, Arthur made a deal.

With his business partner. Ronaldo Stewart.

The Stewart family and the Reyes family have been partners for years.

To strengthen their bond, to make their business ties even stronger,

they made an arrangement.

An arranged marriage.

Between their children.

Neither the daughter of the Stewarts nor the son of the Reyes knew about it yet.

They've never even met.

The deal was accepted immediately by the Stewart family.

Not because of money. But because of unity.

To make their partnership stronger. To build more trust in business.

---

"Katok. Mama, I'm home!"

Yna dropped her palengke bags on the kitchen table.

Her mother, Imelda, immediately hugged her. "Anak!"

Ronaldo Stewart opened his mouth to speak.

"Anak, why do you have to struggle so much when you don't know that we--"

Imelda cut him off. She ran and quickly covered his mouth with her hand.

"What are you saying!" she whispered frantically.

Ronaldo pulled her hand away. "We can't tell her yet!

We just want things to be okay.

And if this arranged marriage with the Reyes' son pushes through...

will Mr. Reyes accept our daughter if he finds out we've been pretending to be poor?"

Imelda agreed quickly.

Yna walked in. "Ma, Pa, are you guys talking about something?"

"Ah, no anak," Imelda smiled. "We just missed you."

"Ma, I was only gone for a bit," Yna laughed.

"Anak," Ronaldo said carefully, "we just want to imagine you being happy

with the person you'll marry in the future."

"Marry?!" Yna nearly dropped her glass. "Ma!!"

"Calm down," Imelda laughed nervously. "We just mean whoever you're destined to marry."

"Mama and Papa, you're so weird ahahaha!

Don't rush me. It'll happen when it happens."

They laughed. They talked about other things until the conversation ended.

That night, Yna lay in bed and thought:

"All my life, I never thought I could be this happy with my family.

Even if we're poor, I'm full of the love my parents give me every day.

But if only we were rich...

then they wouldn't have to struggle so hard just to provide for me."