Yna felt bored; she had spent the entire day surfing the internet. She stood up and checked her watch. It was three o'clock in the afternoon. So she decided to take a shower and go out shopping. It was a better idea than going to the bar—she had sworn never to set foot in that place again.
She wore ripped jeans paired with a white off-shoulder top and matched it with her Vans shoes. She kept her look simple since she didn't plan to stay long at the mall.
She went downstairs, and her father saw her. "Where are you going?" he asked. She knew he would get angry again because she was leaving. It had been a month since that incident in the bar, and she hadn't gone out at all until now.
She continued walking until she reached the main door. She smiled and looked back at him. "I'm going shopping, Dad. Don't worry." She opened the door and stepped out.
Jomari was left feeling annoyed. He tried to control his temper, shook his head, and let out a deep sigh.
Yna started her car engine and drove off towards the mall. She preferred shopping at the Domingo Mall. She always went there hoping to catch a glimpse of her ex-boyfriend, Janus. This mall was owned by his family. But she never saw him there; perhaps he had gone abroad.
She parked her car in the lot, put on her shades, and got out. Holding her head high, she walked into the mall. Many people stared at her, but she didn't care.
She took the escalator up to the third floor. Although the mall only had three levels, it covered a very large area.
She was almost at the top when she saw a familiar, broad-shouldered figure on the descending escalator. She kept looking back at him, completely forgetting to watch her step. Her foot almost got caught in the gap, and she nearly lost her balance. She cursed herself for being so foolish. It didn't matter anyway; no one here knew her.
She pretended nothing happened and headed straight for the stalls selling branded clothes. She picked out her favorite dresses, then moved on to Gucci bags and apparel, buying new bags and high heels.
She paid hurriedly. Her foot was still aching from almost getting caught in the escalator. It was the price she paid for being careless. Who told her to look back at a guy she kept mistaking for someone else?
She was just about to drive out of the parking area when another car almost hit hers. "Argh. I'm so unlucky today," she shouted in anger. The whole day had been a disaster. Why couldn't the driver see that her car was also exiting?
There was nothing she could do. The other car just drove off, and the driver didn't even get out to apologize. Furious, she decided to just go home.
She went straight to her room and locked herself away, still annoyed. She didn't even want to eat dinner. She really had the worst luck today.
Yna woke up with her stomach growling. She went downstairs to find something to eat. As she approached the kitchen, she smelled her favorite dishes. She was surprised to see who was cooking. She wasn't dreaming—her mother was there, preparing food.
She walked up to her mom with her hands on her hips. "Something fishy is going on here, huh," she teased, her tone suggesting she knew there was a hidden agenda.
Her mom smiled at her. "Nothing really. I just felt like cooking. Besides, you didn't eat last night."
Yna rolled her eyes. She knew her mother too well; she was definitely going to ask for something.
Her dad came in. "Wow, smells delicious."
"Of course, honey," her mom replied.
Yna felt irritated and rolled her eyes again. She just sat down and waited for the food.
"Dad, Mom, I know you two are planning something. I'm telling you right now, I object," she said flatly.
Her mom ignored her and served the food. Her dad also pretended not to hear what she said.
"Let's not talk about other things yet. Save it for later, okay?" her mom gently scolded.
Yna smirked. "Tss!"
"Let's eat first," her father intervened.
She stayed quiet. The food was delicious, and she was starving. She ate without saying a word.
AFTER breakfast, Jomari told her to meet him privately in their library. They had their own library because she used to love reading books. She loved writing stories too, though she never succeeded in publishing any.
Jomari wanted her to take Business Management instead of Journalism. Even though she had graduated with that degree, she never felt passionate about it and never dreamed of pursuing a career in business. She had absolutely no interest in it.
She dragged her feet towards the library. Her father was waiting inside. She knocked. "Come in," he said.
Jomari was sitting in his swivel chair. "Take a seat. Let's talk."
She obeyed immediately. She just wanted to get this over with. "What is it, Dad? Is it really important?" she asked blankly.
"Yes. I'll be straightforward. I want you to become a responsible person. It's simple—you are going to work in another company."
"No, I don't want to."
Jomari pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath, trying to hold back his anger. "Okay—but remember this. If you don't obey me this time, you will no longer be the heiress of this family."
She opened her mouth in shock and stood up. "You can really do that, Dad?"
"Yes. I will take everything away from you. Even your bank accounts will be frozen until you accept my deal."
She held her head. "What? Why are you doing this to me?" She was almost crying. "What deal? I can't live without money. I can't go shopping, hang out, or party."
Jomari smirked. "Is that all you care about? Then work hard to earn money. You will work at Dela Merzcid Real Estate Company."
"What? I don't want to, Dad," Yna begged, but Jomari ignored her.
"That's final. You will work to earn money to satisfy your needs and wants, and to get back your inheritance. If you fail or disobey, you are free to leave this house. I won't stop you."
Tears welled up in her eyes. "Okay, I will work in that damn company, but I have one condition too. Don't cut off my credit cards."
"Oh? You'll have a salary once you start working. What do you need credit cards for?"
"I can't live without money. Just one credit card, please," she pleaded again.
"Okay. One credit card with a limit of 5,000 pesos per month only. Take it or leave it?"
Her eyes widened in disbelief. How could she survive on such a small amount? She was never used to being broke.
"Fine. But I will use my own car to go to that damn work."
"Sure. Now, please sign this agreement."
She felt completely trapped. There was actually a written contract. Inside, she wanted to tear it into pieces. Her dad had set a perfect trap for her.
He smiled widely. "Well, you can leave now. Prepare yourself. You start work tomorrow." He handed her a small piece of paper with the address and the name of the person she needed to report to at Dela Merzcid Real Estate Company.
She didn't leave. She remained seated, crying silently. Jomari walked out of the library instead, feeling very happy that he had finally made Yna agree.