His Last name, My Secret

The Billionaire's Burden

Chapter 8

-THIRD PERSON POV-

Hunter dropped his exhausted body onto his swivel chair, raising both hands behind his head as he leaned back. Slowly, he spun the chair, lost in thought. Their conference had just ended a while ago and it went well. They launched new projects to build in a rural area of Manila, Philippines and set to begin once collaboration with other investors was finalized. But it wasn’t the project that occupied his mind right now.

It was his new young wife.

His fists clenched as unwanted memories came flooding back. He never expected to end up in this situation and to be married to Zia. Matagal na niya itong kilala. Their families had always been close, halos parang tradition na ang pagiging family friends nila. But he never really paid attention to her. She was just… there. Quiet. Proper. Almost invisible.Paminsan-minsan pag umuuwi siya ng pilipinas, dumadalo siya sa mga pa dinner ng mga Aldama kaya nga alam din niyang ikinasal din ang kapatid nito, for the purpose of business and money.

Never in his wildest thoughts did he imagine she would become his wife, yet here he was—trapped in a marriage he never wanted.

The whole thing was his parents’ doing. One day, bigla na lang siyang kinausap ng mother niya, begging him to finally honor the arranged marriage he had rejected for years. He didn’t want to marry Zia. Wala talagang space sa puso niya ang babae. He was Hunter Del Tiero—a billionaire, dominant, cold, and merciless. The idea of having a wife? Absurd. But there was one weakness that could bring him to his knees. His mother. He couldn’t hurt her. Not now. Not when he knew her time was running out.

His mother, Anabela Del Tiero, had been diagnosed with brain cancer, an incurable illness that shattered him the moment the doctor told them. Hanggang ngayon, hindi pa rin niya matanggap. Not a day passed without him worrying about her. Both he and his father knew that no amount of money could save her. And that truth broke him more than he would ever admit.

Her dying wish? To see her son married and to hold her grandchild before she left this world. So even if it was against everything he wanted, he said yes. That was the only reason he married Zia.

Every time he remembered that promise, his chest tightened with guilt and pain. Ayaw niyang nakikitang naghihirap ang mommy niya. Kaya kahit labag sa loob niya, he walked down that aisle and placed a ring on Zia’s finger. Naalala pa niya kung paano masayang hinaplos ng mother niya ang mukha ng kanyang young bride. Pero siya , wala siyang ibang nararamdaman ngayon kundi galit. Especially when, not long after the wedding, Zia’s father showed up at his office asking for financial help for his failing company. Hunter had laughed right in his face and refused to give him a single cent. But what shocked him even more was what the man said next. Without shame, Zia’s father practically offered her to him like a product, saying Hunter could do whatever he wanted with her. After all, she was already his wife.

Hunter’s brows furrowed at the memory. Yes, they were legally married at karapatan niyang gawin ang lahat ng gusto niya sa anak nito. But to offer a daughter like some kind of commodity? It disgusted him. Still, he entertained the offer. Hindi siya agad naglabas ng pera. He took his time thinking about it. After all, he never understood why someone like Zia’s father was even considered a family friend. The man was clearly greedy. Manipulative.

Hunter stood and shoved his hands into his pockets. Lumapit siya sa glass wall ng office niya and stared out at the skyline. From where he stood, the golden glow of the Manila Bay sunset bathed the city in warm light. But even that couldn’t calm him and hindi pa nga siya sigurado kung gusto niyang umuwi. Because all that waited for him there was Zia—his cold, distant wife who treated him like a stranger. She avoided him as if he were some kind of predator.

And for some reason… That irritated him even more. Maybe what really bothered him was the fact that she was the only woman who had ever resisted him. Every other woman practically threw themselves at him. They begged for his attention. Dreamed of being close to him. But Zia? She wouldn’t even look him in the eye. His jaw tightened as he remembered the few times he had kissed her. Her lips were soft—too soft na mismo siya sa sarili niya, nahirapan din siyang kontrolin ang init ng katawan niya, kaya nga agad na nagshower siya pagkatapos niyang dumikit sa katawan nito.

There was something about her innocence that made him uneasy. She seemed too young at baka nga nasa twenties pa lang ito.

“Is she still a virgin?” he muttered under his breath, irritated by the thought. Probably, dahil wala naman siyang nabalitaan na may boyfriend ito. He shook his head. No! He wasn’t ready to touch her. The idea of sleeping with a woman he didn’t love—didn’t even like—made him sick. Yes, she had the body of a woman. Tall. Curvy. Beautiful in a quiet way. But he couldn’t bring himself to desire her. Because he hated her. He hated every inch of her. As he had told himself before, the plan was simple. He would get her pregnant and then cast her aside. Let her family deal with her at bahala na ang mga ito pagkatapos ng isang taon. He didn’t need a wife. He didn’t need a woman. Life alone was easier. Quieter. Walang drama. Walang emotional chains kapag wala kang iniisip.

Just business. and control. And love? Love had no place in it. He didn’t want commitment. He despised manipulation. And more than anything, he hated distractions. All he wanted was a life where he could enjoy himself freely. He was a womanizer. Alam niya iyon.

He used women for pleasure, but he made sure everything stayed clean and temporary. Wala siyang patience sa mga babaeng nagiging emotionally attached. All he needed was a bed-warmer and someone to satisfy his desire.

Hunter grabbed his coat and walked out of his office. As he passed through the ground floor, employees greeted him respectfully, but he didn’t even spare them a glance. Diretso siya sa kotse niya sa parking garage and instead of going home, he drove straight to his favorite club. Pagdating niya roon, dumiretso siya sa VIP room, where a sexy, stunning woman was already waiting for him.