RED (Aragonza #1)

RED 3

Kyle Vincent Villacruz. He had been with them since he was one year-old. Noong mga bata pa sila ay close silang dalawa. Tinatawag pa niya itong kuya dati. But then, habang lumalaki sila ay napansin niyang mas nagiging close na rito ang daddy niya.

Call it sibling jealousy but it didn't sit well with her. Nang malaman niyang ampon lamang ito—not legally—lalo siyang nagselos. He was practically a stranger who lives with them under the same roof but the way her father treats him... parang ito ang legal na anak at hindi siya.

At such a young age of seven, she was told the truth. Vincent is not her brother, not legally, at least. Iniwan daw ito sa labas ng bahay nila noong sanggol pa lamang ito, sometime before she was born. Tanging ang papel lamang na naglalaman ng pangalan nito ang nakapagsabi kung sino talaga ito.

They tried to look for his family pero walang Villacruz ang nag-claim dito.

When Vincent turned 18, her father made him a stockholder. Maliit pa lang noon ang hawak nito. Just 5%. But then, within only a few years, he was able to buy stocks of his own, hanggang sa lumaki na nang lumaki ang share nito sa kumpanya.

Nang mag-21 ito ay bumukod na ito ng tirahan, which didn't really make any difference to her. Nang malaman kasi niyang ampon lang ito, naging malayo na ang loob niya rito.

Tanggap na tanggap si Vince ng mga tao sa paligid niya which made her more sullen. Siya itong legit, pero sya ang hindi respetado. Her own father didn't trust her enough. Kaya siya ang ginawa nitong VP ng HR, instead of Operations.

He even made Vico her EA, which made her feel so helpless. Aminado naman niyang mas alam ni Vico ang ginagawa nito at ginagawa niya kaysa sa kanya. She's just the face, the mean face who gives the final say. Vico does all the work.

There was a knock on the door and she was back again to reality.

"What?" matamlay niyang tanong kay Vico, na noon ay nakatayo sa may pintuan, hawak-hawak ang laptop nito.

"I think I may have found someone..."

Agad na nagising ang diwa niya. "Eligible?"

Tumango ito saka isinara ang pintuan. Lumapit ito at inilapag sa table niya ang laptop.

"Eligible, available and super hot! Vincent-level hot!" Napapaypay ito sa sarili.

She frowned. "Don't make Vincent the standard."

"Bakit? Cannot be reached ba? Masyadong high?"

"He's not up to par," sagot niya.

"Asus! Kakasabi mo lang a few days ago na naha-hot-an ka kay Vincent e!"

"Would you get to the matter at hand?" she asked impatiently.

"Oo. Eto na." Vico opened his laptop, punched in a few keys and then a familiar face appeared on the screen.

Troy Alexander Aragonza. The only guy who could rival Vincent in almost anything. He has the looks, the money and the reputation. Napangiti siya. Vincent-level nga, kahit sa estado sa buhay at sa talino. For years, madalas magkabangga ang dalawa dahil sa mga business transactions na pinag-aagawan ng mga ito.

Troy's definitely the guy. Well, better him than Vincent. She just couldn't wrap her head in the idea that she would wed someone who's close enough to be her brother. Paano na lang kung hindi niya nalamang ampon ito and then later on ay ipapakasal pala silang dalawa?

Kung naging close sila, mas nakakadiring isipin na ikakasal sila. Of course, they can't just be man and wife on papers. They would have to consummate the marriage as well.