TWO YEARS AGO…
“Dad, I’m going to Uncle Franco’s house today,” Yumika Rose said to her father while they were having breakfast. “Steph asked if we could meet first before she flies to Switzerland at six this evening.” She was referring to Uncle Franco’s youngest child.
She and Stephanie Lyka Hernandez had been friends since they were little. Their fathers had also grown up together and remained close friends even after they got married. Just as close as their parents were, she and Steph were just the same.
“Well, just send my regards to your uncle and to Fiona,” he said, referring to Uncle Franco’s wife. “Franco nearly had a heart attack.”
She almost dropped her fork. “What? Why? What happened?”
Her father let out a sigh. “Because of Cade again.”
Her chest tightened at the mention of the young man’s name. He was her uncle’s eldest son—Steph’s older brother. He was two years older than her. “Why? What’s wrong with Cade?” she asked her father. No one knew about her secret admiration for the eldest Hernandez, except Steph.
“As far as I know, father and son argued again. Cade still hasn’t accepted the position Franco gave him as vice president of the Hernandez empire. Instead, he continued with his obsession with cars,” her father said, shaking his head. Cade also joined drag races from time to time.
“What’s wrong with that?” she said before she could stop herself. She blinked. “I mean, he’s already twenty-six. He has the right to choose the career he wants, right, Dad?” She just hoped he wouldn’t notice that she had always been biased when it came to Cade.
“Yes, but your uncle is getting old and he’s sick. Who will take over their company then? While Franco is still alive, he wants to train Cade to run their business. And besides, it would put Cade’s education to good use. What was the point of becoming a business graduate?” he commented with a cluck of his tongue.
The words were already on the tip of her tongue—that Cade hadn’t even chosen his course; his parents had chosen it for him. Both siblings had never been given the chance to pursue what they truly wanted. But she didn’t say that. “Steph is there, isn’t she?”
Her father shook his head. “Steph is still too young. At twenty-three? And besides, Franco’s youngest is far too happy-go-lucky. She’d cry all day if she couldn’t go to a club. She’s not ready to run a company either.”
Even though Steph was her best friend, she laughed at what her father said. Everything he said was true. Steph had been too spoiled for being the youngest. She almost always came home near dawn because she loved to party. Neither of the two heirs had inherited their parents’ sense of responsibility as businesspeople.
“So what is Tito Franco going to do now?” she asked, taking another bite of her steak.
“He said he’s going to get Cade married so his son will finally settle down,” her father replied. At that, she completely dropped her utensils, the clatter ringing loudly against the plate. Her father looked at her. Yumika cleared her throat and offered a sheepish smile before quickly picking up her fork and knife again.
“S-Sorry…” she apologized. “So, um, who is Tito Franco planning to marry off to Cade, Dad?” she asked curiously.
Her voice sounded calm, but inside, every part of her was at war. No! Cade couldn’t marry another woman!
“Franco hasn’t decided yet who exactly. But at the top of his list is Viktor’s only daughter, Artemis,” he said, continuing to eat. She knew Artemis Markov—a half-Filipino, half-Russian CEO of Markov International. She was beautiful, tall, and intelligent. A bit uptight, though. Still, Yumika could understand that, considering the heavy responsibility on her shoulders. She had met the woman once at a party, but they weren’t exactly friends.
Yumika froze when a strange idea suddenly entered her mind. Her heart pounded hard at the thought forming inside her. She pretended to glance at her watch.
“I should go now, Papa. Bye, I’ll see you later.” She stood up and kissed her father on the cheek. She had never been this serious in her entire life until now. She was certain about her decision and nothing was going to stop her.
YUMIKA was currently driving toward the Hernandez family’s large house. Earlier, just before she got into her car, Steph had called to tell her to come over after lunch instead because she wouldn’t be home yet. She was with her boyfriend, Andrew. Yumika agreed, but she still got into her car and sped off. She had another reason for going to the Hernandez house, one that had nothing to do with Steph.
A few minutes later, she arrived. Since the guard was already familiar with her, he let her inside the gated property. Esther, the Hernandez family’s housekeeper and Steph’s nanny, greeted her when she stepped out of the car. She had been serving Uncle Franco’s family for many years. Even when she and Steph were still children, Esther had already been there, making her practically part of the Hernandez household.
“Good morning, Nan,” she greeted the older woman. “Is Uncle around?”
“He’s in his library, Mika. Fiona is with him.” The older woman replied.
“Ah, alright, Nan. Thank you.”
“But Steph had just left…”
She smiled at her. “Steph called me earlier. But it’s really Uncle Franco I came to see,” she said. “Alright, Nan. Thank you again.” She was about to turn away when she suddenly remembered something. “Uh… is Cade here?”
The older woman shook her head. “That young man hasn’t come home yet.”
“Oh.” She smiled again. “Thanks, Nan.” After giving the older woman a small wave, she headed up the stairs. She already knew where the mini-library was, so she didn’t need to ask for directions. She knocked on the door, and when she heard her Uncle Franco’s voice, she turned the knob and peeked inside.
“Good morning, Uncle Franco. Aunt Fiona.” She greeted.
“Mika, hija, come in.”
“Didn’t Steph call you? She just left with Andrew,” Fiona asked after Yumika kissed her on the cheek.
“Actually, I didn’t come here for Steph.” She started. When she saw the married couple’s brows furrow, she bit her lower lip.
“Mika?” her Uncle Franco prompted gently. The couple waited for her to continue.
She cleared her throat before speaking. “I won’t beat around the bush anymore. I love your son, Cade. I have for a long time—ever since we were kids. When I found out from Dad that you were planning to marry him off to another woman, I felt so heartbroken. I’ve always dreamed of marrying him. I don’t think my heart could take it if he married someone else.” She took another deep breath again before continuing. “I know Cade doesn’t love me back. But as they say, love comes in time. And besides, we’ve known each other for so long. Getting along wouldn’t be a problem for us.”
“M-Mika, hija…” The couple exchanged glances. “What are you trying to say?”
Yumika held her breath. “I was hoping… maybe… you could marry Cade to me instead...”
Yumika’s thoughts were cut short when she heard a car pull up in front of the house. She furrowed her brow as she went to the window to peek outside. When she saw a sleek black sports car, she let out a sharp gasp. “No, no, no… this can’t be happening. What is he doing here?” she muttered, full of worry. The driver hadn’t even moved yet, but she already knew who it was.
And there he was—her estranged husband stepping out of the car, looking so outrageously handsome it should have been illegal.
Biting her lip, Yumika hid behind the curtain. Yet she could still make out the young man as he approached the front door. Should she pretend she wasn’t home? Ah, impossible. Her car was parked right in front of her house, and Cade wasn’t stupid—he’d immediately know she was just hiding inside.
“Why did he even come here?” she asked, fuming. The doorbell rang exactly at that moment, and she jumped. For a few seconds, she didn’t move, almost holding her breath from the anxiety.
“I know you’re in there, wife,” she heard Cade call from outside. “If you won’t open the door, it’s okay. I can still remember where you hid the spare key.”
Yumika secretly grimaced. She really had no escape from this man. Of course, he knew where she had hidden the spare key. This house had been a gift from her parents for her and Cade. Cade had even lived here with her before he went missing in action. She hadn’t sold it either, deciding instead to continue living there.
“One last warning, wife.”
She squinted at what Cade said. Hastily, she made her way to the door and opened it. The man looked mischievous, radiating confidence, a corner of his lip lifted as soon as they faced each other. His arms were even stretched out on either side of the door. God, she so wanted to wipe that smug look off his handsome face.
“What are you even doing here?” she asked.
“Aren’t you even going to let me in, Mika?”
“Whatever you want to say, you can say it now. Like, right now,” she insisted, blocking his way so he couldn’t come in. “You’re no longer welcome in this house, Cade. So whatever it is you have to say, say it now. But you’re staying outside.”
He smirked at her. “Hmm, feisty,” he said, crossing his arms and no longer trying to get inside. “I’d like to offer you a deal,” he added.
Yumika stood her ground. “Are you still trying to convince me to live with you? Save your breath, Cade. I will never, ever live under the same roof with you.”
“Hear me out. You haven’t even heard my offer yet.”
“Whatever that offer of yours is, Cade, I’m not interested. I have no intention of helping you get your inheritance. That’s your problem.” She stared at him seriously. “We’ve been done with each other since the day you left. You made it very clear that you want nothing to do with me. You don’t want me as your wife—you said that, remember? And besides, you’ll be filing for an annulment soon, so there’s no reason for you to ask for my help. You’re just wasting your time here, Cade. You can leave now.”
She was about to close the door, but Cade stopped it. Through her long tirade, he hadn’t flinched. Instead, there was fire in his eyes—not the fury kind, but the kind that looked like he had been challenged. That was what she saw in his gaze, and she swallowed hard without realizing it.
“Maybe you’ve forgotten something, Yumika Hernandez,” he emphasized her last name, as if to remind her that she was still married to him. “I am a Hernandez, and I’m not backing down without a fight. You know me so damn well, Mika,” he said, tapping her nose lightly. “You’ll be seeing more of me, my dear wife.” He even winked at her as he slowly backed away, teasingly waving before getting into his car and speeding off.