I vividly remember the sound of the waves splashing against the shore, the clear blue sky, and the calm breeze.
I am just a little girl, standing barefoot on the warm sand, when I hear his voice.
"Mia, promise me... when we get older, you'll marry me!" he says, so seriously it makes me giggle.
Without thinking twice, I answer, "I promise!"
For a moment, everything feels perfect — simple, like the world is ours.
But the memory slips away like a dream, swallowed by the blaring crash of my alarm clock.
*BRRRING! BRRRING!*
I shoot upright, heart pounding against my ribs.
"Crap! I'm late for work!" Panic surges through me as I scramble out of bed, the all-too-familiar chaos crashing down around me.
Hi, I'm Mia Dela Cruz — a 27-year-old woman just trying to survive adulthood... and also late for work.
I work for one of the biggest fast food companies in the country, MD Fast Food — or MDFF for short.
I'm part of the sales and marketing team as an assistant graphic designer, working alongside Ben Mercado — the mysterious guy who seems to dislike me for reasons I still don't fully understand.
While I rush to catch the bus, I figure today will be just another ordinary day.
That is, until I step into the office... and everything changes.
By the time I stumble into the office, breathless, I cast a desperate glance at the clock — and nearly collapse in relief.
I'm not late. Not yet, anyway.
The team leader hasn't even arrived.
Plastering a bright smile across my face, I call out, "Good morning, everyone! Good morning, Jay!"
Jay looks up from his desk and grins. "Hey, Mia!"
I continue my rounds, stopping briefly at Ben's desk.
"Good morning, Ben," I say, trying to sound casual.
He barely glances up, giving a curt nod.
I mutter under my breath, "Such a snob," and move on.
"Good morning, Jell—" I start to say, but Jella's desk is empty.
Before I can wonder where she is, a frantic voice slices through the air.
"Mia! Mia! Mia!"
I jump, spinning around to find Jella rushing toward me, her face as pale as paper.
"Jella, you scared me!" I gasp, clutching my chest.
She grabs my arms, her fingers trembling.
"Bad news! Really bad news!"
Jay quickly steps in, his voice steady.
"Jella, breathe. Calm down first."
Jella inhales a shaky breath.
"Mr. Wang... he resigned yesterday. He's moving to New York with his fiancé!"
I stare at her, stunned.
"Wait, what? Are you serious?"
My heart sinks.
Mr. Wang had been the heart of our team — kind, generous, the kind of leader you actually wanted to work hard for.
"It's such a shame," I whisper.
Jella nods, tears welling up.
"I can't believe it. It's such a loss."
Before I know it, we're both sniffling, clinging to each other like kids on the first day of school.
Jay, ever the calm one, offers a soothing voice.
"Let's be happy for him. He deserves it."
I swipe at my tears, managing a shaky smile.
"Yeah... you're right."
Just then, the office door creaks open.
Mr. Diaz — our CEO and the son of the chairman — strolls in with his usual easygoing charm.
"Good morning, everyone!" he calls out.
We stand up quickly.
"Good morning, Mr. Diaz!"
He chuckles.
"Relax, everyone. No need to act like I'm royalty every time I walk in."
The playful glint in his eyes fades as he grows serious.
"As you've probably heard, Mr. Wang has resigned for personal reasons. We all admired him greatly, and his departure leaves a big hole in our team. But," he continues, "life moves on. And so must we."
He pauses, letting the weight of his words settle.
"Today, I'm pleased to introduce your new team leader. Please welcome Kevin Garcia from our suburban office."
The door swings open again.
And in walks a tall figure, flashing a bright, professional smile.
"Good morning, everyone," he says confidently. "I'm Kevin Garcia, and I'm excited to work with all of you. Let's do our best together."
My heart drops into my stomach.
Kevin Garcia?
My new team leader?
I freeze, my mind struggling to catch up.
No way... this has to be a nightmare.
Kevin Garcia — the same guy I had a complicated situationship with — is now standing there... as my new boss?