Owned By Mistake

If Gilbert hadn't seen what happened earlier, he might have been fooled again by the way she looked at him now. That soft, pitiful face. Those lowered eyes. She knew how to act innocent, and she played the part well. Too well. He wouldn't even be surprised if Grandma Mathilde had been one of the people she tricked.

His face hardened as he unlocked the car and turned to her. "And one more thing. Until our marriage is officially annulled, I don't want you flirting with any other man."

Cherry froze.

What did he just say?

Her chest tightened. Not from shame, but from the weight of how wrong that sounded. Flirting? Was that what he thought she'd been doing?

"Mister Ace Carter," she said firmly, trying to keep her voice from shaking, "we're just waiting for the annulment papers. You don't have to remind me what I should or shouldn't do."

She met his eyes, not looking away this time.

He looked angry, but she didn't stop. This was her chance to say what she had been keeping to herself.

"And about that wedding," she added, voice low, "I didn't know Grandma Mathilde forced you into it. If I had known that, I would never have said yes."

His jaw clenched.

Gilbert looked like he was about to explode, but Cherry didn't back down. Why should she?

"Do you think I don't have the right to be angry?" she asked quietly.

She wasn't a stone. She had feelings. She had been insulted over and over again by this man. She had been made to feel like she was worth nothing.

She lifted her chin, her brows drawing together.

"Do you think someone like me should be thankful I got to marry someone like you? That I should be grateful just because your grandma gave me that chance?"

Her voice trembled slightly now, not from fear, but from the mix of hurt and fire building inside her.

Gilbert didn't answer. But something flickered in his eyes.

Was it surprise?

Guilt?

Or was he about to crush her with another cruel remark?

When Gilbert didn't answer and just stared at her with that cold, unreadable look, Cherry knew it.

Her suspicion was right.

Of course he thought that way about her.

To someone like him, she would always be the poor girl who didn't belong in his world.

Cherry's eyes warmed, but she refused to cry in front of him. She bit down softly on her lip, trying to keep it together. Then she said in a low voice, "I know even if I work myself to death, I'll never earn what you make in a minute. But I'd rather live that way than make others suffer. I'm not the kind of person who wants something that isn't mine."

She looked at him again, voice steady but quiet.

"So from now on, leave me alone, Mister Ace Carter. Don't waste your time watching someone like me. And don't worry about who I talk to. Because once I have that annulment certificate in my hands, I promise you'll never see me again."

Gilbert's senses throbbed as his anger spiked.

Ungrateful. That was the word ringing in his head. This woman had the guts to talk to him like he was the one who was stepping out of line?

Cherry's hand went to the door handle, but before she left, she turned her head slightly. Her voice was soft, but sharp enough to cut.

"And if you think you're the only one who hates me, you're wrong. I hate you too. I hate you, Mister Gilbert Ace Carter."

Then she stepped out of the car.

She didn't look back.

Gilbert sat still.

Hate me?

In thirty-two years of living, no woman had ever said those words to him. Not once. All he ever got was praise, admiration, or fake smiles. This? This was new.

He told himself it didn't matter.

Maybe she'd just finally dropped the act. Maybe this was her true self showing. But still,

That look on her face as she walked away, it did something to him. It left a tightness in his chest, something heavy and hard to ignore.

Without thinking, Gilbert rolled down the window. He lit a cigarette, his jaw clenched as the smoke curled around his thoughts.

He hated drama.

He hated noise.

But for some reason, the silence she left behind was worse.

A few seconds passed.

Then Gilbert leaned forward and muttered to himself.

"Damn woman."

He threw the cigarette out the window, started the car, and drove off.

But not even the sound of the engine could drown out her last words.

Cherry's whole body was trembling as she stepped into the small boarding house she called home. The moment the door shut behind her, silence wrapped around her like a blanket, cold and heavy.

She dropped her bag to the floor and sank onto the bed. Her heart still throbbed from everything that happened. She had said it all. Everything she had been holding in, everything she never thought she'd have the courage to say to someone like Gilbert Ace Carter.

She knew he was furious now.

But she couldn't take it back.

And she didn't want to.

They were her true feelings, raw and honest, and no matter what happened next, at least she'd said them.

As she stared up at the cracked white ceiling, another memory clawed its way into her thoughts.

That night at the abandoned park.

The night she truly feared for her life.

Cherry's chest tightened. What if he really wanted to kill me back then?

She pulled the thin blanket from the end of the bed and wrapped herself in it tightly, like a child hiding from a storm.

She told herself to calm down, to stop thinking too much. But the fear refused to leave.

If he really wanted to end my life, he could do it easily, like stepping on a cockroach.

That thought alone made her shiver again.

But then something inside her shifted.

If that's how short life could be, then she'd live hers on her own terms. She would stop pretending. Stop holding back. And if the world was going to hurt her again, she'd take it head-on, with nothing left

In the days that followed, Cherry kept herself busy searching for a company where she could apply for her internship.

She still felt disheartened about being rejected by the National Museum of Fine Arts. It had been her dream, but she knew deep down that someone had likely pulled strings to keep her out. Even so, she didn't stop trying. With quiet determination, she submitted her credentials to every company she could think of, big or small.

But no matter how many resumes she handed out, the answer was always the same.

No.

She didn't know why. Maybe there were just too many students like her looking for placements. Or maybe she just wasn't good enough. She tried not to think about it too much.

Their university required them to gain real-life experience to supplement their studies. But for Cherry, this wasn't just about a school requirement, it was about survival.

Eventually, she stopped being picky. She applied everywhere. Any company that might take her, she gave it a try.

Until one afternoon, when a call came in.

Debonair Fashion Company, one of the most respected names in the fashion world, asked her to come in for an interview.

Cherry couldn't believe it.

Debonair was more than just a fashion brand. It was a symbol of excellence, known worldwide for having its designs featured in magazines like Elle and Vogue. The chance to even walk into their building was something she never imagined.

Clutching her design portfolio tightly, Cherry showed up on the day of the interview dressed simply but neatly. Her heart was racing, but her hope was stronger than her nerves. After the interview, they smiled politely and told her to wait for their call.

So she waited.

While waiting, Cherry went back to her routine, attending her university classes, checking in at the hospital, then heading straight to her part-time job.

But there was one piece of good news.

Luke had opened his eyes.

The doctor told her that while her brother still couldn't move or speak, he was blinking and responsive. It was a small miracle, and it gave her something to hold on to.

The doctor also advised Cherry to consider moving Luke to a rehabilitation center. The hospital had done all it could, and transferring him would mean better care at a lower cost.

Still unsure of what to do, Cherry called Doc Elijah.

But when it became clear that the situation was too complex to explain over the phone, they agreed to meet in person.

When Cherry arrived at South Manila Medical Hospital, Doc Elijah had just come out of surgery. He still smelled faintly of disinfectant, his hair damp at the edges and his eyes tired but warm when they landed on her.

Seeing her, he smiled gently. "Let's eat first. I'm starving," he said with a half-laugh.

Cherry noticed how exhausted he looked. His white coat was slightly wrinkled, and there were dark shadows under his eyes. The thought of burdening him with her worries suddenly felt wrong. So instead, she simply nodded and said, "I'm free now, Doc Elijah."

Elijah raised a brow at her words. "Why don't you call me Brother anymore?"

His voice was husky with fatigue, but there was something playful in his tone.

Cherry pouted, caught off guard. "I'm not a kid anymore, Doc Elijah."

She had been just a scrawny, frightened girl when they met during the medical mission in Paco. Back then, she used to call him "Brother Doctor", not because he looked old, but out of respect and the comfort he gave her and Luke when no one else did.

Elijah studied her for a moment. The once little girl had grown into a young woman, still sweet but now carrying herself with grace and quiet strength.

"That's sad," he teased. "You're still the same little girl to me. Now you sound so formal."

Cherry blushed at that. "Fine. Can I call you Brother Elijah, then?"

Elijah smiled, really smiled this time, soft and genuine. "Much better."

He reached into the side pocket of his coat and pulled out a small white box. "Here," he said, handing it to her. "A gift for my little sister. I hope you like it."

Cherry blinked in surprise. She hesitated to accept it, glancing between him and the box, unsure. "T-Thank you," she said shyly, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Come on," Elijah urged. "Open it."

Cherry lifted the lid slowly, and her jaw dropped.

Inside was a brand-new cellphone. Not just any cellphone, but one of the latest models. She had seen the commercial for it once, and the price stuck with her, it was somewhere between thirty to forty thousand pesos.

"B-Brother Elijah, I can't accept this!" she cried, panicked. "It's too expensive, and if I break it, I can't afford to pay you back!"

She pushed the box back into his hands, flustered and wide-eyed.

But Elijah only laughed. "I bought it for you because I wanted to. Not for you to pay me back. And if you break it, don't worry, I won't send you a bill."

Cherry opened her mouth to argue again, but the sincerity in Elijah's voice and the kindness in his eyes stopped her. Her throat tightened a little, and all she could do was nod, holding the box close to her chest.

She had no choice but to accept the cellphone. She didn't want to hurt his feelings by refusing it. Quietly, she promised herself that when she found a job, she would return his kindness in full.

"T-Thank you, Brother Elijah," she said with a small, shy smile.

Elijah stared at her for a moment, clearly caught off guard. That soft smile seemed to do something to him, but he quickly looked away and hid whatever emotion had flashed in his eyes.

"Let's go," he said gently, then led her out of the hospital.

In the parking lot, they headed straight to his black Tesla Model X. They got in, and soon they were cruising through the city. Not long after, they pulled up in front of a high-end restaurant.

Cherry glanced around, wide-eyed at the elegant surroundings. A man in a bow tie greeted them at the door, and soft music played inside. She felt nervous. The place looked expensive. The kind of place where a single meal might cost more than a week's salary.

As they stepped out, the valet approached to collect the keys. Elijah reached past Cherry to hand them over. For a split second, it felt like he was reaching to hold her, but his arm never touched her. Still, something about that moment made her chest feel strange.

Just as the valet drove Elijah's car away, another sleek black car pulled up behind them. Cherry turned and froze.

The color drained from her lips.

From the driver's side, Gilbert Ace Carter stepped out.

He was dressed in a sharp black suit and a dark v-neck shirt that hugged his frame. The moonlight hit his features just right, making him look sharper, colder. His face was unreadable, but his eyes locked onto Cherry the second he saw her.

And they didn't look away.