Sandra was gazing at a wall painting, lost in thought, unaware that Roland had quietly approached until he was just a few centimeters behind her. "Do you like this place?" he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper, so close to her ear that she could feel his breath. Startled, she turned without thinking. Roland's face was mere inches from hers, causing her to panic. She stepped back instinctively, only to find herself trapped against the wall.
Her heart pounded wildly, but Sandra refused to admit defeat. She raised a hand, pointing a finger to poke his shoulder and push him away. Before she could touch him, however, he caught her wrist, leaning even closer to her ear. "I heard you met my mom today?" he whispered.
Losing all patience, she yanked her hand free and shoved his chest, forcing him to step back. Seizing the chance, she slipped away from his trap, her annoyance clear on her face. "Yes, we talked about business," she snapped. Roland, with an amused smirk, raised an eyebrow in acknowledgment. "Hmm," he mumbled, then gestured for them to leave.
They walked out of the house and climbed into Roland's car. As they drove through the city in silence, Sandra's guard was up, her defenses at full strength. She resolved to remain cautious as long as Roland was nearby. She knew he was a dangerous man, and she couldn't afford the delusion that they were truly a married couple. She feared she might betray herself and fall for the wrong person. She secretly hoped he wouldn't treat her well, so her resolve wouldn't waver. After their marriage in the US, he had promised they would go their separate ways once they returned to the country.
"Would you like me to come to your office tomorrow for the contract?" Roland suddenly asked, pulling her from her deep thoughts.
Sandra shook her head. "No. I'll come tomorrow during lunchtime," she replied. Roland smiled and nodded. She immediately looked away, her heart racing again. She cursed inwardly. He's too dangerously handsome.
The next day…
In a high-rise building, a handsome man sat behind a massive mahogany desk in the center of a grand office. Two people—a man and a woman—sat in front of the table, waiting for Roland to speak.
"Buy me all the specialty dim sum from Great Oriental," Roland said abruptly. It turned out the paper he'd been studying so intently was Sandra's profile report. "You may go."
The two bowed and left. As soon as the office door closed, Emily, Roland's assistant secretary, turned to Andreas. "Who is the boss meeting today that he even cares about the food?" she asked curiously.
Andreas gave her a stern look. "The chairman's wife is coming for lunch. You'd better behave and not offend her."
Emily was speechless. She'd never heard that their boss was married—she thought it was just an engagement. She quickly pulled her phone from her desk and texted her cousin, Jenny, who worked as the Marketing Director of Fleming Corps PH. Jenny had been vying for the chairman's attention for years, traveling to the country whenever he was there for work. When she'd learned of his engagement, she'd been heartbroken, crying all night.
Emily: Cuz! Emergency! The chairman's wife is coming for lunch in his office!!
Jenny:????????
Emily: Andreas confirmed it!
Jenny: I'll see you for lunch.
In the marketing department of Fleming Corps, an attractive woman sat at her desk with a gloomy expression, staring intently at her phone. Jenny had tried every method possible to uncover the identity of Roland's fiancée, but to no avail. Determined to meet this "vixen" today and size her up as a worthy opponent, she stood and strutted toward the elevator, heading for the lobby.
Sandra stepped out of a taxi and looked up at the towering, intimidating high-rise building of the Fleming Group. Mighty and imposing, she thought. She walked inside and approached the front information desk. Behind it stood a woman in a navy pencil skirt suit—likely a uniform—a security guard, and a seductive, gorgeous woman in a beige suit.
"Yes, ma'am, how may I help you?" the uniformed woman asked.
"I'm here for a meeting with Chairman Fleming," Sandra said confidently.
"Your name, ma'am?"
"Sandra Romualdez."
The seductive woman suddenly stepped out from behind the desk and approached Sandra. "Hello, I'm Jenny Chua, the Marketing Director of Fleming Corps. What's your business with Roland?" She deliberately said Roland's name with an intimate tone, eyeing Sandra up and down. A mocking glint flashed in her eyes for a brief moment, but Sandra caught it.
"You're the Marketing Director. I don't think I need to explain my business with him since it's a personal matter," Sandra replied coolly. Jenny's face twisted with anger. She was certain this plain-looking woman was her dream man's wife, and she couldn't accept it. She'd hoped to provoke Sandra into making a scene and embarrassing herself, but she hadn't expected the "fox" to be so sly.
Regaining her composure, Jenny forced a smile. "It's alright. He'll surely tell me tonight," she said, her tone dripping with provocation.
"Good for you," Sandra shot back with a smile, her mockery unmistakable. Jenny turned to leave; her smiling facade instantly replaced by a scowl of rage. She vowed never to forget the name Sandra Romualdez. Who does she think she is? She's not even that beautiful or exceptional. Jenny was determined to take Roland back from this "slut."
Andreas arrived at the lobby shortly to pick Sandra up. A moment later they arrived at Rolands huge luxurious office.
"Mr. Fleming, Madam is here"
Hearing Andreas, Roland looked up from his work and smiled at Sandra. But after experiencing what had transpired in the lobby, Sandra's mood was foul. She tried to maintain a poker face and nodded in return. Roland gestured for her to sit on the sofa. He then sat beside her and signaled to Andreas. A few moments later, Emily entered with two paper bags bearing the Great Oriental logo. The moment Sandra saw them, her anger dissipated slightly. She didn't know why she had been feeling so irritable, but now she realized she might just be hungry.
Emily set up the table in front of the couple, stealing glances at Sandra as she worked. Emily thought she was truly beautiful. Unlike her cousin Jenny, Sandra wore minimal makeup. She had an ethereal and elegant mannerism, as if she came from a noble family. To some, she might appear plain, but to Emily, her beauty had a solid foundation. She thought the chairman's wife suited him perfectly. A pang of guilt struck her for thinking this way and felt sorry to her cousin.
Sandra remained quiet throughout the activity around her. "Let's eat first," Roland said. Without much reaction, she picked up her chopsticks and began eating. She had thought she was hungry, but after a few bites, her appetite started to fade.
Seeing her stop eating, Roland asked, "You barely ate. Are you full?" Sandra finally put down her chopsticks and said, "Yes, I had a heavy breakfast." She lied.
Roland nodded and rose from the sofa. He walked to his desk, retrieved a file, and handed it to Sandra. "You can take your time reviewing the contract." Thank you," she replied. She opened the file and began reading. The more she read, the more puzzled she became. The contract stipulated that their marriage would last one year from the date of signing. Upon divorce, she would receive an alimony of 50 million dollars along with a 2% share of Fleming Corp. She should have been thrilled—she loved money, after all—but she wasn't in the mood today. The voice of that strange woman still lingered in her mind. 'I'll ask him tonight'.
She shook her head slightly and considered how much she could expand her business in a year with that money. She'd be set for life. The thought of swimming in wealth lifted her spirits a little.
After carefully reviewing the contract and finding no loopholes or irregularities, she signed the papers and handed them back to Roland.
Roland signed them as well, a smirk playing on his lips. He really liked this woman. "We're flying to the U.S. next week," Roland said. Sandra nodded in acknowledgment. "My mother will probably call you tomorrow and ask you to go shopping with her. I told her you're busy, so you can just decline," he continued.
Sandra frowned slightly, thinking, there's no way I can decline that sweet lady. "I understand," she replied. She was about to bid farewell when a knock sounded at the door. A woman, very familiar to Sandra, entered and walked toward them with a gentle smile. She glanced briefly at Sandra before turning her smiling gaze to Roland."Mr. Fleming, these are the documents you need to sign for the Greenhouse Club project," the woman said.
Roland nodded at Jenny and kept his eyes on Sandra. Andreas, standing nearby, reached out to take the documents from her. Suppressing the fire in her heart, Jenny said goodbye and left the office.
Feeling awkward under Roland's unwavering gaze, Sandra said, "If there's nothing else, Mr. Fleming, I have to go. "Alright, let Andreas drive you back," Roland offered.
"No need. My assistant will pick me up," Sandra lied. She just wanted to walk around for a bit to clear her head. Roland nodded hesitantly and escorted her to the elevator. Once the elevator doors closed, the gentle smile on Roland's face vanished, replaced by a cold, stern expression. Turning to Andreas beside him, he said, "The madam is in a bad mood today. Find out what happened."
Andreas, puzzled—The madam is in a bad mood? —nodded and replied, "Yes, Mr. Fleming."
Walking through the bustling streets of Makati City, Sandra felt a bit better. Hardworking people hurried around her. She used to work in this area and knew the roads like the back of her hand. Deciding to indulge herself, she headed to Greenbelt, a high-end mall, to shop and escape the hot weather.
Sandra entered Greenbelt 3, where luxury brands showcased their latest designs. Being in the clothing business, she studied the trends to stay competitive in the fashion market. Since she had cleared her schedule for the afternoon, she took her time browsing.
Unbeknownst to her, two pairs of eyes watched her every move. One sent timely reports to her husband-to-be, while the other carried multiple shopping bags. Their instructions from their boss were clear: everything "the madam" touched or admired in the mall would be purchased and sent to their future home. At that moment, Sandra had no idea she'd already "spent" thirty thousand dollars on bags and clothes.
Looking at photos of his wife shopping, Roland wore a gentle smile. She really has good taste, he thought. Most of the items that caught her eye were the latest and trendiest from top brands.
Andreas rose from his desk and approached Roland. "Boss, nothing significant came up in my investigation, except that the madam had a brief encounter with Director Chua in the lobby earlier." He handed Roland a tablet with CCTV footage from the lobby.
Roland might have been oblivious, but Andreas knew Jenny had been trying to catch his boss's attention for a long time. He stayed silent because she was a competent employee and had never crossed any lines with her subtle flirting. Besides, his boss—who seemed immune to it—had never noticed.
"Continue to monitor and protect the madam," Roland instructed as he put down the tablet. Andreas nodded and walked away. Lost in deep thought, Roland began formulating plans in his mind. There was no room for mistakes. He was determined to make his wife fall in love with him before their one-year contract ended. After nearly two hours of nonstop walking, Sandra finally felt tired. Parched, she sat down at one of the café's al fresco seating areas and ordered a refreshment.
Sandra took her laptop out of her bag and started working. She still had a lot to finish before leaving for the USA.
The two bodyguards sat at the outdoor seating of a coffee shop next to the café where Sandra at. Dozens of luxury shopping bags were piled on the table and in front of them. One discreetly snapped a photo of Sandra and sent it to their boss. Both remained silent, carefully watching her from behind their black sunglasses.
After a while Sandra stopped working and began packing her things. She then stood up, walked out toward the taxi bay, and hailed a cab. A black car immediately pulled up in front of the two bodyguards' position and followed Sandra until she arrived home safely, reporting her safe arrival to their boss.
In the office, Andreas was checking his messages for the day and nearly had a heart attack when he opened the bank notifications from his boss's accounts. Multiple transactions from the afternoon totaled almost three hundred thousand dollars, and his jaw nearly dropped to the floor. He then reviewed the reports from the madam's bodyguards and realized his boss's instructions. Goosebumps prickled his skin immediately—he hadn't known that his boss could turn into a borderline obsessed psychopath when in love. It was terrifying.
Andreas decided that to secure a bright future, he would need to serve his madam well. She was the goddess who would be his salvation down the line. If he pleased this figure of fortune, he'd be set for life.