"If you keep hanging around people like this, I'll personally tell Olivia to cancel your engagement," Gilbert said, his voice low but firm.
Cherry felt like she'd just been slapped. He wasn't even talking to her directly, but she could feel the blade of those words cutting through her.
She opened her mouth, wanting, needing, to defend herself. But one look at Gilbert's face stopped her cold. His expression wasn't just angry. It was full of disgust. Not the kind you bounce back from. The kind that makes you feel like dirt.
So she said nothing. Even if she fell to her knees, begged for him to believe her, what was the point? His mind was made up.
"I'm sorry, Brother Gilbert. This won't happen again, I swear," Benjamin said quickly, lowering his head. But in his mind, he was boiling with rage. Damn Cherry. If that little tramp hadn't run, Gilbert would've never seen her like that.
He clenched his jaw behind his fake apology. His engagement to Olivia was non-negotiable. His family needed the Ace Carters, and if he screwed this up, his father would kill him. Literally.
Not everyone got the chance to be tied to the most powerful family in Luzon. He couldn't afford to lose it.
Gilbert signaled his secretary to close the elevator. He was already running late for a high-profile meeting. But when the doors didn't shut, his eyes narrowed.
Benjamin was still there.
Gilbert raised an eyebrow. "Do you have anything else to say?"
Benjamin stiffened. "N-No, Brother Gilbert."
"Then why are you still here?" Gilbert asked, his tone dropping to ice.
"I, right. I'm leaving." Benjamin forced a smile, though his glare lingered on Cherry. Just wait, you pathetic bitch. You're gonna pay for this.
He turned and walked away, swallowing his pride, but only because he had no choice.
Gilbert didn't say another word. He pressed the elevator button himself, and the doors finally started to close.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Cherry, standing there like a drenched kitten, hugging herself and trembling.
And suddenly, a memory flashed in his mind, the strange woman from the other night. The one who looked at him like she was trying to remember something... or forget everything.
It hit him all at once.
It was her.
That woman had vanished like smoke.
She hadn't left a name, no number, no trace at all. Gilbert didn't even remember her face. He had been drunk, barely conscious of anything except the sound of her soft cries and the way her body clung to him that night. Her moans still echoed faintly in his memory, like a song he couldn't forget.
He clenched his jaw, shaking his head. Why the hell did Cherry Blaire remind me of her?
It made no sense.
That woman… she was gentle, untouched. There was a kind of purity in the way she trembled under him.
But Cherry? Cherry Blaire was the exact opposite, deceitful, manipulative, and hungry for money. Everything about her screamed fake. Still, something about her lingered in his head far too long.
Cherry stood in silence, tears rolling down her cheeks. She didn't care how Gilbert looked at her, as if she were a speck of dirt on his shoe. What mattered was that she was safe. That she had escaped Benjamin's clutches. And for that, she was grateful. Even if he hates me… at least he saved me.
What Cherry didn't know was that this moment of peace would be short-lived.
Her phone vibrated in her pocket. A message.
She pulled it out, hoping it was her brother. But the number was unfamiliar. When she opened the text, her blood ran cold.
"We're not done yet, Cherry Blaire. I'll give you one more chance to give me what I want. If you don't show up... your shameless mother will pay."
Her legs nearly gave out. If she hadn't been leaning against the elevator wall, she might have collapsed. Her vision blurred with panic.
No. No, no, no... Why couldn't he just leave her alone?
She clenched the phone to her chest, trying to breathe.
Why, Mom? she thought. Why did you let this happen?
She had believed her mother changed after what happened three years ago. The tearful apologies. The promises to do better. Cherry had forgiven her, because that's what children do. Because she had to believe in something.
But maybe… maybe it had all been an act.
Their father had died when Cherry was just three years old, and since then, it was just her, her mother, and her little brother Luke. Luke, who was only sixteen but mentally challenged, trying his best to study at a Special Ed school, on his own.
Their mother didn't care about school fees or uniforms. She never did. So Cherry and Luke learned how to survive in silence, making plans for themselves because no one else would.
The elevator finally stopped with a soft ding. The lobby.
Cherry stepped out with a heavy heart, hugging herself tightly. Her eyes met Gilbert's.
He was standing near the lounge, watching her, expression unreadable.
Her steps faltered, unsure if she should thank him or disappear.
But Gilbert didn't move.
He just stared.
And for a fleeting second, something flickered in his eyes.
"T-Thank you, Mr. Ace Carter. Thank you so much for everything..." Cherry said softly, her voice trembling as she bowed her head, tears spilling down her cheeks.
Gilbert frowned.
What was she thanking him for?
He scoffed under his breath. Was she trying to make a scene? Did she think saving her from Benjamin was some kind of favor? The only reason he'd stepped in was to keep Olivia from hearing about the scandal. He wasn't defending her, he was protecting his own reputation.
"Just get out of my sight," Gilbert said coldly, his glare sharp enough to cut.
Cherry flinched. She bit her lip and nodded quickly, then turned and hurried toward the lobby, doing everything she could to hold herself together.
But she barely made it halfway when someone called out behind her.
"Miss Cherry Blaire!"
She turned, startled. Gilbert's secretary, Liam, was hurrying after her.
"Do you have a moment?"
Minutes later, they were seated at a quiet table in a coffee shop just around the corner. The air was thick with silence as Liam pulled out a brown envelope and slid it across the table toward her.
"Here is the annulment agreement," Liam said carefully. "Mr. Carter asked that you sign it today."
Cherry stared down at the envelope for a second. Her fingers trembled slightly as she reached for the pen on the table. Her heart was heavy, but at the same time, part of her was... relieved. So he wants out too.
Without a word, she uncapped the pen and started to sign without reading anything.
Liam's eyes widened. "Wait, aren't you going to read what's written first?"
Cherry blinked at him, confused.
He hesitated, then sighed and leaned forward. "I think you should know what's inside. The agreement clearly states that you'll receive no compensation whatsoever from Mr. Ace Carter. Not a single centavo."
Cherry froze.
Liam continued, his tone firm but not unkind. "Originally, he intended to offer you a condominium unit and five million pesos as part of the settlement. But... after what happened earlier with Mr. Benjamin Scott, he changed his mind. He asked us to revise the agreement immediately."
Cherry stared at the paper.
She didn't feel the sting of losing the money, not right now. What stung was the thought that he believed she didn't deserve anything. That after everything... she was worth nothing in his eyes.
Still, she nodded quietly.
"It's fine. I wasn't expecting anything anyway."
She signed her name at the bottom, this time without hesitation.
But deep inside, her chest ached, not because she lost money, but because she lost the chance to be seen as anything but a liar.
Cherry wasn't surprised, not even a little.
Of course Gilbert wouldn't give her anything. Why would he? He hated her. That much was obvious. He probably even believed all the accusations Benjamin threw at her, especially with the way he looked at her earlier, like she was the filthiest woman he'd ever seen.
It hurt, but she kept it to herself.
She wanted to tell him the truth, that if she had known Grandma Mathilde only forced the marriage, she would've walked away. She could've found someone else, anyone else, and none of this mess would've happened. But at this point, she knew it didn't matter. Gilbert wouldn't believe her even if she got down on her knees and swore it on her life.
So instead, Cherry smiled faintly at the secretary and turned her attention to the documents in her hand.
She carefully filled in the lines, name, address, signature, her handwriting as steady as she could manage. She wanted to get this over with quickly. She still had to check on her brother. She didn't know if he was safe at work or if Benjamin had done something to him out of spite. He had threatened her, and knowing him, that threat wasn't empty.
Then there was school. She was just starting university, and she couldn't afford to miss any more classes. Not with her scholarship. It was her only shot at building a real future. Without it, she was stuck. She had no one else to rely on, not even her mother.
After her classes, Cherry headed straight to her part-time job at a fast-food chain, wearing the same tired smile she always did. She wiped tables, greeted customers, and kept moving. No time to think.
And when the shift ended, she didn't stop there. She went back to her boarding house and picked up her side hustle, taking product photos and posting online listings to sell anything she could: preloved clothes, accessories, shoes she barely wore, anything to make a little extra.
Meanwhile, Liam, the secretary, was still trying to process everything.
He had expected tears, anger, maybe even shouting. That was what most people did when they found out they were being left with nothing. But Cherry Blaire? She didn't say a single word. She signed the annulment with a calm that almost unsettled him. She even seemed... relieved?
Like she had been waiting for this day all along.
Her eyes lit up, not with sadness or rage, but with a quiet kind of peace.
Who is this woman? Liam wondered silently.
She didn't act like someone greedy for money or status. In fact, the way she smiled just now... it almost made him feel guilty. As if they had just taken away the only thing that kept her suffering.
Little did he know, they had only cut off the last chain she had to carry.
After Cherry signed the papers, she quietly handed them back to Liam. He accepted them with a small nod, masking the slight surprise that crossed his face. She didn't even flinch. No questions, no hesitation. Just like that, it was over.
"I'll call you once the annulment is finalized, Miss Blaire," Liam said in his most professional tone. "You'll be given an official copy then."
"Okay," Cherry replied softly, her voice steady, almost distant.
Liam hesitated for a second before clearing his throat. "One more thing, Miss Blaire, Mr. Ace Carter also asked that you refrain from contacting Madame Mathilde from this point forward. He hopes this matter won't reach her."
His tone was polite, almost apologetic, but Cherry knew exactly what it was.
A warning.
She looked down for a moment, her heart squeezing painfully. Of course Gilbert wouldn't want her anywhere near his grandmother. To him, she was nothing but a stain, a mistake he wanted erased quietly. He probably assumed she was clinging to the old woman out of self-interest.
But the truth was... Grandma Mathilde had been the only person who made her feel seen, like she mattered.
Still, Cherry understood.
She swallowed the ache and nodded. "You have my word, Mr. Miller. I won't go near her again."
Her voice didn't shake, but something inside her cracked a little.
"Also, if we're done here..." She stood, carefully adjusting the strap of her worn-out sling bag. "I need to find my sister. And I have university at one."
Liam looked at her, a little surprised again. "You're still attending classes?"
Cherry offered a polite, tired smile. "Yes. After that, I have work too. I finish around eleven and get home at midnight, so I should go."
She didn't wait for a response. She bowed slightly and turned toward the exit.
Liam watched her leave, silent. In all his years working under Gilbert Ace Carter, he had met countless women who cried, begged, or raged when things didn't go their way.
But Cherry Blaire?
She walked away with her back straight, her pride intact, even as her whole world fell apart.
Cherry often went through her day running on caffeine and instant noodles.
Whatever little she earned from her part-time job barely stretched enough to cover her daily university expenses. And yet, she still made sure to set aside money, however small, to send food for Luke, her younger brother, who still lived with their mother.
On days when she wasn't working at the fast-food restaurant, Cherry transformed into a food delivery rider, pedaling across the city on the secondhand bike she bought through monthly installments. Rain or shine, she'd be out there, with aching legs and a growling stomach, hoping for just a few more deliveries to make ends meet.
But no matter how hard she pushed herself, it was never quite enough. Scholarships covered tuition, but not everything else. Projects, lab fees, transportation, food, it all piled up. She didn't mind the exhaustion. What scared her was the thought of losing her scholarship. That university, with its tall glass buildings and sprawling gardens, was her one shot at a better future. She had earned her way in through years of being a consistent honor student. She wasn't about to let it go to waste.
Back at the office, Liam stared at the closed door Cherry had just walked through.
"Okay. Thank you for your cooperation, Miss Blaire," he had said.
She had only given a small nod in return and left without a word more. But what lingered with him wasn't her silence, it was everything else.
The way she clutched her bag like it was her only shield.
The faint wound on her lower lip.
And the red mark near her collarbone that looked suspiciously like the afterprint of fingers, like someone had grabbed her too tightly.
Liam sat back, troubled.
If it's true what Mr. Scott claimed, that she seduced him, then why did she look so shaken? So injured? The quiet resignation in her eyes didn't match the profile of someone scheming or manipulative.
Had they misjudged her?
He frowned, fingers tapping on the edge of the folder. Something about this didn't sit right.