THE SILENT SHADOW OF THE PAST
While the sun was shining on the turquoise waters in batangas, the atmosphere inside the Vance Group's executive suite was like a block of ice. Sofia Vance, the sharp-eyed CEO of one of the country's biggest company, sat behind her mahogany desk. She wasn't looking at stocks or merger contracts. She was staring at the viral photo of Kei back-hugging Fay on the beach.
Sofia's grip on her phone tightened. She knew a side of Kei Luz that Fay Sterling couldn't even imagine.
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Fifteen years ago, Fay had been left with nothing but a broken heart. But Sofia had been the one to pick up the pieces of the girl who had suddenly appeared at her doorstep.
Sofia's mother, Elena, was an old friend of Kei's mother. When Kei arrived at the Vance mansion years ago, she refused to stay for free. She was stubborn. To pay her way, Kei had offered her services as a servant to the Vance family.
.
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Back then, Sofia was a spoiled, wealthy heiress who enjoyed having someone like Kei smart, beautiful and fallen answering her every needs. It was a "Master and Servant" relationship that defined their youth. Sofia had watched Kei clean the floors, carry her books and work until her hands bled to rebuild her life.
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Over time, that power dynamic had shifted. They became best friends. They became business partners. But for Sofia, the feelings had grown into something much deeper and much more possessive.
"_"
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Sofia scrolled through her private gallery until she found a video from fifteen years ago. It was from a quiet afternoon during their days.
In the video, Kei was sick and Sofia cooked a porridge only for kei but kei laugh and said it was biohazard.
Sofia looked at the video, then at the news of #BeachBridge.
"You think you know her, Dr. Sterling?"
Sofia whispered, her voice cold.
"You think a few days in a beach makes you hers?"
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Sofia didn't need a long caption. She didn't need to explain anything. She knew exactly how to shake the world and Fay's heart.
She uploaded the old video.
Caption: (Empty)
Hashtags: (None)
She hit Post.
Within seconds, the internet which was already buzzing with #KeiFay went into a total meltdown.
The "Master and Servant" history was a secret, but the intimacy in that video was undeniable. It was a direct challenge. It told the world that while Fay was crying over being ghosted, Sofia was the one who was actually there.
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Sofia set her phone down on the desk, a slow, dangerous smile spreading across her lips. She didn't need to go to Batangas. She had just dropped a bomb from the city and she knew exactly who would feel the explosion first.
"Let's see how your 'fairy tale' handles the truth, Fay,"
Sofia murmured, turning her chair to look out at the city skyline.