CHAPTER 3

Lila took a deep, steadying breath as Maro settled onto the bench beside her. The initial panic was starting to subside, replaced by a mix of bewilderment and curiosity.

"Okay, let me try to understand this," she said, her gaze meeting Maro's. "You're telling me I've somehow traveled back in time? To the year 1564, in a place called Maynila?"

Maro nodded. "That is correct. I know it is difficult to believe, but I assure you, this is no illusion." He offered her an empathetic smile. "I can only imagine how disorienting this must be for you."

Lila let out a humorless laugh. "Disorienting doesn't even begin to cover it. I was just tending to my family's flower shop in modern-day Manila, and now I'm..." She gestured around the rustic space. "I'm here. In the past."

"I understand your skepticism," Maro said. "But I promise, I will do everything in my power to help you make sense of this situation." He paused, studying her intently. "Tell me, Lila Flores, where exactly are you from?"

"I'm from the Philippines, just like you," Lila replied. "But not this Philippines - the modern-day version, in the year 2024." She shook her head in bewilderment. "I have no idea how I ended up here. One moment I was arranging flowers, and the next..." She trailed off, her brow furrowing.

Maro's eyes widened slightly. "The year 2024? That is truly remarkable." He leaned in, his expression filled with curiosity. "And you say you were tending to flowers in your family's shop? What was the name of this shop?"

"Bulaklak," Lila replied. "It's a flower shop in Manila."

Maro nodded thoughtfully. "Ah, I see. And what were you doing in the shop when this... transformation occurred?"

Lila wracked her brain, trying to recall the exact moment everything had changed. "I was arranging a bouquet of sampaguitas," she said slowly. "And then, suddenly, everything started shifting around me. The colors, the furniture, even the sounds outside - it was all different."

Maro's brow furrowed in contemplation. "Sampaguitas, you say?" He paused, a hint of wonder in his voice. "Perhaps that is the key to your journey through time."

Before Lila could respond, the sound of the shop's entrance bell chimed, and a new figure stepped into the room. Lila's gaze immediately shifted to the newcomer, and her breath caught in her throat.

It was a woman, tall and graceful, with porcelain skin and raven-black hair cascading down her back. She wore a flowing, richly embroidered dress that accentuated her slender figure, and her dark eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief.

"Magandang hapon, Maro," the woman said, her voice smooth and melodic. She then turned her gaze to Lila, her lips curving into a warm smile. "And who is your lovely companion?"

Maro rose from the bench, a faint flush coloring his cheeks. "Magandang hapon, Doña Sarina. This is Lila Flores, a... a guest in our shop."

Sarina's eyes widened with feigned surprise. "Lila Flores? What an unusual name." She stepped closer, her gaze sweeping over Lila in a way that made the younger woman feel suddenly self-conscious. "It is a pleasure to meet you, my dear. I am Doña Sarina Delgado."

Lila stood, offering the noblewoman a tentative smile. "It's nice to meet you as well, Doña Sarina."

Sarina's eyes sparkled with what Lila could only describe as a hint of calculation. "And tell me, Lila, where are you from? I don't believe I've seen you in Maynila before."

Lila glanced uncertainly at Maro, unsure of how much she should reveal. "I, um, I'm actually not from around here,"

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