Chapter 3

• What a bad idea to challenge someone with the wrong sword! I can’t believe my father finally abandoned me.
• When that man contacted my father, he refused to acknowledge me as his daughter. He denied even knowing me. It shattered my heart and deepened the resentment I already felt towards him.
• I remember the night I decided to leave him. I had just finished a long day of work. My father was the president, and I was the finance director. Though I enjoyed my job, my father's announcement that I was being promoted to vice president filled me with doubt and anxiety.
• My life wasn’t normal. I was homeschooled until I finished high school and was guarded throughout college, leaving me without much of a personal and social life. My relationships were always kept hidden because I was afraid Dad would meddle.
• I was expected to be Andro Ympress' perfect daughter, with high standards and expectations set for me. But no matter what I accomplished, it was never enough.
• I grew tired of striving for perfection and trying to please my father. I felt like a robot, devoid of any sense of individuality. But as a vice president, the pressure would only increase, and my father would expect even more from me. It was a far cry from the life I truly desired.
• Eventually, I came to the realization that, no matter what position I held, I would never have freedom as long as I was with my father.
• And so I thought of confronting him about it. I would only accept the position if he would not meddle with how I wanted it to lead.
• But that all changed one fateful night. I overheard him speaking to one of his business associates, discussing the idea of arranging marriage. I couldn't believe he would so casually arrange my future without even consulting me.
• “How dare you plan my marriage with that dirty old man? He practically passes as my second father! ”I screamed.
• I yelled at my father for the first time. I’m no longer his ideal daughter. I’m done following all his rules! I wanted to leave.
• So, I ran away, thinking it would solve everything.
• As I watched his sarcastic expression after that damned call, I felt so helpless and scared. He wasn't going to let me leave this place, that's for sure. He will not listen at all to any excuses. I felt trapped in this situation, with no way out.
• What's worse? I had no friends to turn to for help. What was the point of reaching out to acquaintances if my own father had already denied my existence?
• Is this my punishment for leaving? All I had ever wanted was to be free, but now I found myself in yet another kind of prison—one that was even more suffocating and agonizing than the last.
• “Veronica, I’m warning you. This is the last time I can be kind. Stop with your madness and just think about how you can repay me for all the things you did," he said coldly, bringing me back to the present.
• "I already told you, I'm not Veronica!" I spat out my frustration and my resentment towards my father. "You can't keep me here. I don't even know you!"
• I stormed out of the dining room, my whole body shaking with rage.
• I was already outside when I realized something. "What if they actually know that I'm not Veronica?" I muttered nervously. It's impossible for my ID and cellphone to disappear. Unless they took and hidden it somewhere.
• I rushed back to the room I was in earlier, grabbed my belongings, and dashed out the door, not daring to look back. The fear of being caught was palpable, but my desire to leave was much stronger.
• The hallway and living room were empty. As I made my way towards the door, I could hear my heart pounding so loudly as if it were inside my ear.
• When I finally came out of the door, I ran to the unguarded gate. It was like I was running for my last breath. After reaching the cold gate, I pushed it with a shaky hand, desperate to get out.
• But then, suddenly, I felt a hand on my arm, pulling me harshly. I screamed in panic.
• “Where on earth do you think you’re going? ”His hard baritone voice surrounds me.
• “Don’t touch me! ”I screamed, struggling to free myself from his grip.
• He tightened his grip on my arm, sending a wave of fear through me. Panic set in as I frantically searched for a way out before I became another victim of domestic abuse.
• Despite my efforts to break free, he forcefully brought me back inside.
• I attempted to slap and kick him, but he easily dodged my blows. His face twisted with rage as he turned his attention to the door.
• I was determined to fight back. I didn’t run away from my father’s shadow to be imprisoned by him.
• "Let me go! I'm not your wife, and you have no right to do this!" I pleaded, struggling against his grasp..
• "Do you think I will let you escape? I won't let you get back with your man! You have to pay for all your sins!" he shouted, his tone sharp and commanding.
• Before I could scream and damage his ear, he swiftly lifted me into the air with alarming strength, as if I weighed nothing at all. He was carrying me around like a sack of rice. His butt was right in front of me!
• Rage boiled within me. I used my legs to kick him and hoped to hit his treasure. But to my frustration, my kicks landed in thin air as he easily dodged them.
• He seized my knees and slapped my buttocks. I was stunned.
• I punched his back in frustration. “Who are you to touch my ass?! You asshole! ”
• He walked into the room and nearly threw me on the bed! What the hell?! This brute!
• “Try to run away again, and I’ll lock you up in your room! "He yelled. His face contorted with rage, and I could see the veins bulging in his neck as he glared at me. I felt paralyzed under his intense gaze, unable to even form a response.
• I followed him with a death glare as he stormed out of the room. The anger bubbled up inside me until I couldn't contain it any longer. I screamed with all my heart.
• I never knew I was capable of feeling such intense rage. The emotions welling up inside me felt overwhelming, like a tidal wave threatening to drown me. I could feel the tears streaming down my face as I struggled to keep my composure, but it was like trying to hold back a dam with my bare hands.
• I AM LEAVING THIS FUCKING HELL!
• I reached my patience limit a few days after being held captive at the house because every day was spent doing nothing.
• I'm trapped. The guards were stationed at every entrance and exit of the house, making it impossible for me to leave. I feel like a prisoner, cut off from the outside world.
• As I sit alone in my room, my mind races with thoughts of escape. I don't even know where I am in the Philippines now, but the chilly breeze that seeps in through the window suggests that I might be in Tagaytay or Baguio.
• The maids are ignoring me completely, as if I never existed! I can sense their disdain for me. I know that it's for Veronica, but it's really getting into me, and I can't help but be irritated.
• I was lying down on my bed, staring up at the ceiling. I have to keep myself occupied. It’s Monday, and I’m doing nothing!
• I'm completely cut off from the outside world. I don't have access to a computer or a mobile phone. I feel completely isolated.
• I tried to ask if they had my phone and ID, but they brushed me off, telling me to talk to their boss instead. But the thought of facing that guy again makes my blood run cold.
• I was annoyed because every time we talked, we ended up yelling at one another and him locking me in my room for hours. He was a master of deception, posing as a doting father and a loving husband. But behind closed doors, he was nothing but a devil in disguise.
• Whenever his child was around, we played the part of a happy family. He would flash me a friendly smile and speak to me in a calm, courteous manner. But I knew it was all fake.
• His glare made me feel like I was melting ice, and he was a hot flare of sun. I have to admit, he captivated me when I first met him. But now, I feel nothing but disgust. My standards were too high to be met by this beast.