An escort of at least twenty people waited for Sofia as she arrived at the airport through a chartered plane. After fifteen years of being hidden at their townhouse in London, Don Armando summoned her to come home. This time, she didn’t know why she was brought back to the Philippines when in the first place, the tyrant man didn’t like her to be in the country. In fact, as young as ten years old, she was sent to London, far away from her home, and far from her loved ones.

Don Armando beamed with happiness as he walked towards his daughter who got down from the plane. She looked stunning and regal, and she was more than qualified to help him with the merger with Dizon Group. “Welcome home, hija!” Armando faked a smile as he greeted the daughter that Katerina gave him before she passed away.

Katerina, the only woman he loved, died during childbirth, and he blamed Sofia for causing her untimely death. As if her death wasn’t enough, Sofia looked exactly like her mother, except her eyes that resembled his. Katerina was green-eyed because of her American parents, while his eyes were black, and Sofia has his black eyes. Just a glimpse of the young woman made him his blood boiled with rage!

Sofia stared at the man who greeted her with a smile, but she couldn’t smile back. She was scared that she might commit a little mistake in front of him and that surely would infuriate her father. With controlled posture and emotion, she managed to move her lips and smile at Armando Arellano. “Thanks, Papa, it’s great to see you, too.” She lied and kissed him on the cheek.

In London, Miss Victoria trained Sofia to hide her emotions like a royal, and she did well on her first day!

“You looked like your mother,” Armando said, while his tone has softened. Yes, he hated his daughter for causing Katerina’s death but she was his blood, and somehow, there’s still a part of him, however little it is, that was proud of the woman she became. It’s just that, she reminded him of Katerina, and he didn’t like to get emotional.

He always mentioned her mother, but at the age of twenty-five, she still didn’t know how her mother looked like. Armando has hidden all her pictures, and she couldn’t understand his motive. She was their only daughter, for goodness sake, but she couldn’t raise her voice against her father. “I wish that you will allow me this time to visit her room Papa” she requested in a soft, and sweet voice.

“Soon, my dear. Let’s go,” he ordered, and his men followed.

The convoy of six black Audi cars traveled from the airport to the Marcelo Fernan Bridge and headed straight to Cebu City, where the headquarter for Katerina was located.

Sofia felt nothing as they entered a private road going to Katerina. She was only ten years old when Armando sent her to London. From then onwards, she lived with her English nanny, and although Miss Victoria treated her nicely, the Englishwoman acted on Armando’s order. “Will I be allowed a little freedom while I’m here?” she asked.

“Hmmm, it would depend on how you behave, daughter.” Armando was back to being cold to his daughter. Sofia was not yet aware of his arrangement with the Dizon. Tonight, the founder of Dizon Group would dine with them and they would discuss the merger between KM and Katerina.

Unlike Mario Dizon who inherited a fortune from his family, Armando was a self-made man and he wished to maintain the prestige of his name by acquiring more. He eyed to become part of the prestigious KM Hotel so he proposed a merger between them. Mario Dizon refused the idea of merging their hotel business and it angered Armando, so he devised a plan to corner the founder of KM. He got lucky when he spotted Mario with a young woman, and from there, he devised a plan to corner the tiger.

When they entered Katerina, Sofia glanced at her father and wished he could be different this time. “Papa…” she whispered and tried to hold his hand but Armando shoved her away and asked one of the lady guards to take her to her room. Once again, she felt the pain of rejection but she hid her emotions well. She did everything he asked her to do, just to earn his favor, but to no avail. Sofia vowed that she would try and do her best to win her father’s heart. Growing up, without experiencing her parent's love and devotion was quite different.

“Miss Sofia, follow me please.” Jana, one of the lady guards hired by Don Armando to watch over her precious daughter, walked ahead. When she arrived at the mansion, she envied the life of Miss Sofia Arellano, but after she witnessed the scene earlier, she pitied the young woman. It was crystal clear that Sofia wanted to be close to her father, and nothing more.

Sofia followed the woman and they took a lift going to the penthouse. “Thank you, hmmm, what should I call you?” She asked the woman as they reached her bedroom.

“I’m Jana, Miss Sofia.” She answered shyly.

“Thank you, Jana. You may call me Sofia.” She offered her hand to shake, but Jana hesitated whether to take her hand or not.

It was not proper to be personal with her boss and Armando prohibited her to be friendly with his daughter. Never mind, she thought and accepted Sofia’s hand. “There’s a red button near your bed, just press it anytime you’ll need my service,” Janna informed Sofia as she opened the door for her.

“I’m going to need a friend, Jana. Will you be available?” She asked, but she knew that it was like wishing for the moon. Just like in London, the staff was not allowed to be friendly with her. Sofia sighed deeply as she settled herself in a California king bed, and her eyes were full of sorrow as she watched Jana left.

Sofia changed her outfit into something comfier and strolled towards the window. From above, the people in the ground looked small, and she knew that there’s no way to escape from her tyrant father. She wanted to know why she was summoned back to the Philippines, but Armando refused to tell her all the details. She scrolled her contact list to check if there’s someone whom she could call to have a chat, but there was none. She knew no one in Cebu!

Thirty minutes before dinner, she was ordered to don something presentable as she would be introduced to her father’s future business partner. Sofia obeyed and chose one of the designer gowns that was in her wardrobe. Miss Victoria taught her how to apply make-up and styled her long, ash blonde hair. From etiquette and style, Miss Victoria made sure that she learned everything on time. Her coming out at the age of eighteen was something that most girls would envy. It was a ball for selected individuals based on family lineage and prestige. If it’s not because of her father’s wealth, she wouldn’t be invited.

Dinner was served one floor down from the Penthouse, so Sofia didn’t bother to use the elevator and descended from the stairs. Armando wasn’t fond of it and scrutinized her with his deep-set eyes. Regardless of her father’s disapproval, Sofia smiled at their guest and introduced herself. It was just a dinner for two families who would be discussing a possible merger, so there’s no reason to be nervous at all. She may be a coward when it comes to her father, but she learned how to be a good host.

“You’re beautiful, dear.” Charlotte, Mario’s wife, praised Armando’s daughter for her beauty.

“Thank you, Mrs. Dizon,” Sofia answered as she regarded the woman, who at her fifties, still looked pretty and young. “I’ve heard so much about you,” she added.

“I hope they’re good rumors, hija.” Charlotte teased the young woman and nudged her son Ariel to talk to Sofia. She had to pinch the skin on Ariel’s side before the young man smiled at Sofia. Her husband’s decision to consider the proposal of Don Armando was so sudden and she fully understood why Ariel was not inclined to be nice with Sofia. She knew that he agreed to it out of gratitude and her heart went to the young man.

Sofia noticed that Ariel Dizon was uncomfortable. He looked tense and sweating, and she wondered why. “Of course, Mrs. Dizon.” She replied.

As he listened and observed, Ariel concluded that Sofia was a good woman, and he wondered why Don Armando was blessed with such an angel. When his mother nudged him to talk with Sofia, he took it as an opportunity to talk to her in private. The elders smiled and assumed he was attracted to Sofia’s delicate beauty and he just ignored them.

Sofia was surprised when Ariel subtly grabbed her arm and lead her to a spot where no one would hear them, although, they would still be seen. “What’s wrong with you?” She was offended at his action because it was their first meeting for goodness sake!

Ariel narrowed her eyes at the woman and he tried to analyze her thoughts about their situation. “What’s wrong with me? Are you for real? So, it’s fine with you to marry a stranger,” he enlightened the woman who seemed to be clueless about what was happening.

“Of course not! But why are we discussing it?” She asked, and she realized that something was off. “Who’s getting married?” A line appeared in the middle of her fine brows as she waited for his response.

“Us. Didn’t your father tell you that he set our wedding as soon as possible?” He was taken aback that the woman who acted as a smart hostess was clueless about her father’s agenda.

“My father told me about the merger,” she answered. It was the truth because her old man didn’t mention anything about getting married or even engaged!

“Merger through marriage. You don’t know your father, do you?” He felt pity at Sofia. It wasn’t the first time that he met someone like Armando, who treated their daughter merely as a tool to expand their business empire.

Sofia clenched her fist when she discovered the reason why he summoned her to come home. Her father lied about needing help to grow their business empire! He used her and she should have known better. She should have asked his real intention but her fear stopped her from asking Don Armando. “So, your parents also forced you into this.” It was not a question but a statement based on the fact in front of her.

“No, I volunteered. Your father wanted Khalil for this marriage, but something came up and he wasn’t available. But we could work out a plan…to convince them not to proceed with this arranged marriage.” Ariel believed that if Sofia wouldn’t agree, then there’s a chance that Don Armando would change his mind.

She felt insulted that he only volunteered to marry her, like what the hell? As if, she was cheap merchandise! “But how?” She was confused, but at least, Ariel was also against their arranged marriage, and together, maybe, they could convince their parents that a wedding was not necessary to complete the merger.

“I don’t know, but we will think of ways,” Ariel answered, and he looked up at the clear sky with bright stars, wishing that sooner, he would find Erin, who disappeared like a bubble!

The man must have been in love with another woman, or else, he wouldn’t go into so much trouble to let her know about his plan. They just met, but how could he trust her that easily? “I will also think of something,” she said before she asked Ariel that they should go back to the elders.

“Let me have your mobile number so I can call you,” Ariel said and took out his mobile phone from his pocket.

Sofia left her phone in the room, so she just dictated her number and Ariel saved it on his phone. “Call me when you get home,” she told him and he nodded. “Are you sure that we can get out of this marriage?” She needed confirmation but Ariel only shrugged off his shoulders.

Don Armando Arellano was all smile as he welcomed back the young couple who enjoyed to have their conversation privately. With the Dizon being around, he couldn’t boss his guard to monitor the conversation between Ariel and Sofia. Inwardly, he was worried that his daughter would tell something disadvantageous for Katerina to Ariel.

They dined on premium steak and enjoyed a finely aged wine, before the discussion of their marriage begun. Sofia zipped her mouth and listened to her father’s terms, while the whole Dizon family didn’t comment. The talking was solely made by her father and Sofia was confused. If the Dizon came to discuss the merger and their marriage, why it was only her father who did the talking? Something was not right, and she wondered what it was.

“Therefore, as all partied involved, agreed to this marriage, it will be held six months from now.” Don Armando ended his long speech with a target date for the wedding.

“Why don’t we hear something from the groom’s side, Papa?” Sofia voiced out her opinion and regretted it afterward when she earned a scowl from her father.

“Silence means yes, hija!” Armando replied with a cold tone that sent shivers to Sofia’s spine. “I will have my legal counsel draft the papers for the merger, and we will meet again, soon.” He added.

As the Dizon prepared to leave after the so-called discussion, Sofia made a hand gesture for Ariel to call her later. He nodded, but Armando’s eyes that were like a hawk, caught a glimpse of it and he raised his brows.

“What was that earlier?” He asked Sofia when they were alone.

“About what, Papa?” Coyly, she dodged his question by asking him.

“Never mind. Go to your bed now and prepare for tomorrow’s morning activity. I will introduce you to the workers in Katerina, and please don’t disappoint me, daughter.” He warned her.

Sofia wondered why he liked calling her daughter, when she has a name, and it was much easier to pronounce. “Noted Papa, but perhaps you should start calling me with my name. It’s easier,” she advised him, but the old man didn’t like her suggestion and left with a scowl on his face. Her mouth curved into a smile as she watched the back of Armando Arellano because she wouldn’t let him control her anymore! Never.