Prologue

Five years ago...

Iñigo Miller Monteiro stood in front of his bedroom's full-length mirror. He was wearing a three-piece Armani tuxedo with a pair of Testoni Italian leather shoes, and a Rolex watch on his wrist. His dark brown hair was combed neatly on his head, emphasizing his striking chiseled facial features; strong jaw, well-sculpted nose, thin lips, and eyes a shade of blue-gray.

He clasped his hands together and rubbed them forcefully, a mannerism he couldn't avoid whenever he was anxious or nervous.

I can't do this. He thought, rocking his feet back and forth.

A knock alerted him from his reverie, making him temporarily forget his uneasiness.

"Come in." He shouted.

The door was opened slowly by his mother, Samantha Miller Monteiro. Despite being in her forties, she was still very slender and beautiful. Her blue figure-hugging shimmering gown and gold stilettos made her look ten years younger.

"Iñigo...You look so handsome!" His mother embraced him right away then fixed his bowtie.

"All mothers say that to their sons."

"Not me. Hmm...I'm sure all the girls in the party will be very envious of Chloe tonight." She smiled, studying his appearance.

She was so proud of him. At nineteen, Iñigo was extremely good-looking, tall with broad shoulders. His overall appearance was very appealing.

Aside from his looks, he was very well educated, a Harvard Engineering student, and highly intelligent. He portrayed confidence and motivation. He was also very adventurous, a thrill seeker and just like his father, so obsessed with fast cars.

"I don't feel like going to her party." Iñigo said and sat down on his bed.

"Why? Are you sick?" His mom touched his forehead then his neck.

"No, I'm not sick."

"Then, what's wrong? Tonight's party is very important for Chloe, it's her sixteenth birthday. You have to be there. She's your girlfriend."

"I know, Mom, you don't have to remind me all the time."

"Then, why? Did you quarrel?"

"No."

"You can tell me. I'm your mother."

He grinned at her then shook his head. "I can't."

His mom sighed. "Well, whatever it is, just set it aside for the moment. Come on, we have to go now. We don't want to be late. Your dad and your sisters are already waiting downstairs."

Iñigo nodded and stood up. He took his phone from the bedside table and pressed the home button. Then he saw the fifteen missed calls from Chloe.

The Monteiro family was already inside the limousine going to the Petrakis' New York mansion. They were invited to attend the sixteenth birthday celebration of Chloe Petrakis, daughter of Markos and Nina Petrakis.

The Petrakis and Monteiros were good friends. The families both came from Brazil and migrated to New York. They were involved in the same businesses. Instead of competing, they transacted business together and even merged some of their companies. They monopolized the supply of various consumer goods in the United States. Each family was tagged as one of the world's richest billionaires in Forbes magazine.

Iñigo's father, Lucas Monteiro, was caressing his wife's arm and kissing her cheek. "You look so beautiful, honey and hmmm...is that a new perfume?" He sniffed her neck.

"Yes. We will launch this next week together with the new clothing designs. The perfume is called 'Seduction.' Why darling, are you seduced?" Samantha teased her husband.

"Very. You know you never fail, my love."

She giggled and said. "You looked so dashing and gorgeous as always."

"You know, kids, your mom is so honest, that's why I love her so much." He said to their children, Jasmin, Leia Rose, and Iñigo.

"Ha-ha! You never changed, still very conceited." Samantha laughed.

"And you, too, never changed, still so hot and sexy..." Lucas gave his wife an intense look.

"Well, my daily exercise really helps a lot and of course, a good diet."

"Talking of diet, I noticed Chloe gets bigger every time I see her." Jasmin, Iñigo's younger sister who was sitting beside her mom, butted in.

Leia Rose, Jasmin's identical eighteen-year-old twin, laughed. "Yeah. I wonder if she would fit in her gown now, it was made a month ago."

"Girls, please be nice to Chloe. She's your brother's girlfriend." Samantha looked at her son, who was sitting silently across from her husband, playing an app on his phone.

"Iñigo's not answering her phone calls anymore." Jasmin shrugged her shoulders.

"Really?" Samantha looked at his son worriedly, but Iñigo pretended not to hear them.

"Chloe called me about six or seven times today, asking me where he was." Jasmin added.

"And what did you tell her?"

"Well, I was not home, I told her to call him instead."

Samantha sighed. "Iñigo, what happened? Did you quarrel with Chloe?"

"Mom, I already told you. We didn't." Iñigo answered, looking so bored.

"Then, what's the problem? Why aren't you answering her calls? Today is her birthday, and you are giving her a bad time?"

Iñigo rubbed his hands together and shifted on his seat.

"Whatever problem you have with your girlfriend, fix it son. Be a man. It won't make you a lesser man if you tell her what you really feel." Lucas Monteiro advised his son.

"Yes, Dad. I'll do that." Iñigo answered. Be a man. Tell her the truth.

Chloe was in her room, fitting her gown once again for her sixteenth birthday party that evening. She was panicking because her gown no longer fits her. It was already adjusted twice and yet, it still wouldn't fit. She started sweating profusely now, and her freshly made make-up became slightly smudged.

"This is still too tight, it wouldn't zip up. Can you loosen this some more?" Chloe said, feeling so agitated.

"Dear, I already adjusted it twice, there's no more allowance." Marian, the couturier said.

"You mean I can't wear this gown tonight?"

Marian sighed. "Well...we can't zip it up, and there's not enough time. It would take about an hour or two to revise the back."

"Oh, Mom, what am I going to wear now?"

Nina Peres Petrakis, Chloe's mother, looked so disappointed that the very expensive and beautiful pearl- and diamond-sequined pink gown wouldn't fit her daughter anymore.

"You have no choice, Chloe, you have to wear another gown."

"I love this gown, and I'm sure Iñigo will love this on me, too."

"The party will start in a few minutes. Choose another gown, Chloe, so the makeup artist can retouch your face."

Chloe looked so sad but still obeyed her mother. She opened her wardrobe and chose the only gown that would fit her, a light blue ball gown with puffed sleeves, ruffles, lace, and satin ribbons. She used it when she played Cinderella last year at her school. There was no zip at the back, only adjustable strings.

Chloe's dad, Markos Petrakis, frowned when he saw his daughter descending the carpeted marble stairway of their mansion that evening.

"Baby, what happened to Chloe's gown? I thought it was pink?" Markos asked his wife, raising his eyebrows.

"It wouldn't fit her anymore. The couturier did her best to adjust the gown, but there's not enough time." Nina whispered to her husband.

"I think our baby is getting bigger."

"Yes, that's what I thought, too. It must be part of growing up, hormonal imbalance, perhaps?"

"Probably, but we have to do something about it, sweetheart. Help her stay fit and healthy."

"Yes, anything for our daughter."

"Come here." Markos said while pulling his wife closer towards his body.

"My goodness...not here." Nina whispered, eyeing their guests.

"What? You have a very dirty mind, baby. I just want a little hug and a little kiss. I haven't seen you in four days, and I miss you terribly."

"Don't fool me, darling. We know where that little hug and little kiss will end."

He whispered something in her ear, and she giggled. "You are really unbelievable, Petrakis."

"I'm so glad you are here. Why aren't you answering my calls?" Chloe said the moment she was alone with Iñigo.

"I was busy."

"With what?"

"With my projects." Iñigo blurted out without looking at her.

"You used to call or text me, no matter how busy you were. Even when you have your exams, you always find time for me." She nagged at him.

"It's different now. Our subjects are getting harder every semester. You know how important it is for me to concentrate on my studies, it's not easy to pass a subject in Harvard." He reasoned out with her.

"So you mean, you don't have much time for me anymore."

Iñigo sighed. "It's not that. We'll talk later, okay? There's something I want to tell you."

"What is it?" Chloe started to get nervous. "Is it about us?"

Iñigo rolled his eyes, looking so irritated. "We will talk later, okay?"

Chloe nodded and suddenly smiled. "Iñigo."

"What?" He said impatiently.

"Ah...you forgot to greet me. It's my birthday, remember?"

"How could I ever forget that, Chloe, of course it's your birthday, that's why we are here, right?" He laughed sarcastically. "Happy birthday."

"Thanks. Ah...we can sit at the same table during dinner."

"No thanks. I'll sit with my family."

"But Mom said..."

"I said no."

"Well, okay...if that's what you want."

"I'll see you later. As I said, we need to talk."

Chloe was so uneasy the whole evening. What is it that Iñigo wanted to talk about? She thought. He was acting so weird. He used to be so sweet to her. For the almost two years that they've been together, they've been so happy and so in love. But now, he was acting like a stranger to her.

She was not enjoying the party. Her father danced with her as well as her male cousins and friends but not Iñigo. Once, she saw him dancing with Brenda, her model-actress classmate. They were talking, laughing, and dancing sensuously to the slow music. She was instantly filled with jealousy. She tried so hard to fight back her tears from falling down her cheeks. The worst part was that, all throughout the night, she noticed him evading her.

When the guests started to go home, Iñigo finally talked to Chloe. They went to a gazebo in the back garden.

"Why are you avoiding me, Iñigo?"

"I'm not avoiding you."

"You are! You never even danced with me. I'm sure everyone was wondering why. They probably thought that we quarrelled or even broke up!"

"Is that what you want?"

"What do I want?"

"Break up?"

"Of course not. I said, people might think that we broke up because you never asked me for a dance, and instead, you danced with...Brenda."

He sighed, looking so bored. "So you mean, I can't dance with anyone because I have a girlfriend already, right?"

"No, that's not what I meant...but, I'm jealous. I don't like you dancing with Brenda...you should have danced with me, coz I'm your girlfriend."

"Oh really? HA! That's the problem Chloe, you want to chain me to your side. For the almost two years that we've been together, you often get jealous, so demanding, and always doubt my actions. You don't trust me."

"How can you say that? I always trust you, Iñigo."

"No, you don't. You keep on checking on me and calling me at inappropriate times. It's very irritating."

"I'm sorry...it's just that I get so worried when you don't call me. You used to call me all the time...and sometimes during inappropriate times, too, but I never complained because I love you, and I love every minute talking to you. I thought you felt the same way..."

"That was before you changed. You are not the same person that I used to love. I'm sorry to say this, but I'm really fed up with your childishness, you've become so clingy! Sometimes, I can't even breathe anymore when I'm with you. You are strangling me with your possessiveness. I have a life, too, my studies, school activities, family, and friends. I can't focus my time on you entirely. You are even acting like a wife! And sometimes, like my mother!"

"Iñigo...."

"I want freedom, Chloe...freedom from you..."

"What do you mean?"

"I'M BREAKING UP WITH YOU." Iñigo said, emphasizing each word.

That night, Chloe's world fell apart. She went back inside the mansion, shook hands, and kissed some of the guests goodbye. She thanked them for coming to her birthday party. Her parents and brother, Eros, hugged her.

"Nice party, sis. Everybody had so much fun." Eros said smilingly at her.

"Yes, everyone had fun." She smiled back at her brother.

"Well, goodnight, sis. Always remember that I love you, and I'll always take care of you. Happy birthday." He hugged her once more and kissed her cheek.

"Thanks, Eros."

She slowly went up the stairs and waved goodbye to some of their guests. Then finally, she arrived in her room. The tears that she was holding back finally fell down her cheeks.

She cried so hard in bed that night until her tears ran dry. She was so hurt that she wanted to die. She tried to erase the pain by taking a shower, still in her gown, but the pain was so deep, and it kept on escalating. Then she started crying again and again...until she passed out.