CHAPTER I: FAIR LADY

Shopping bags littered the marble floor as a fair lady held a glass of wine, her eyes fixed on the tempting array before her. Her fingers twitched, fighting the urge to buy all the expensive items here.

Approaching her, the sales clerk politely interjected, "2.9, ma'am. Swipe nalang ng credit card." Without hesitation, the lady complied, swiping her card without a word. "Thank you," she murmured, placing her wine on the nearby tray.

Observing from a distance, her elder sister and best friend exchanged glances. Amelia sighed, shaking her head. "She's swiping her card again. Hay nako, June..." Her voice trailed off in exasperation. Maricel, her best friend, chimed in, her brows furrowed. "Typical June. Kapag may nangyari, puro swipe nalang ang ginagawa niya"

June caught sight of the two figures and waved cheerfully. "Achi, Mari, you're here na pala!" she exclaimed, beckoning them over. Amelia and Maricel pushed aside their concerns and joined June.

Approaching June, Maricel voiced her concern, "Babes, you know this excessive spending isn't healthy." Amelia nodded in agreement, gesturing for one of her bodyguards to gather the shopping bags. With a stern expression, she addressed June, arms crossed.

"June, alam mo naman na magagalit si mom kapag nalaman niya yung mga ginagawa mo." Rolling her eyes, June took another sip of her wine. "So what, atsi? Let her," she retorted, a mischievous smirk playing on her lips. "After this, let's shop some more," she suggested, some people must've thought she was out of her mind.

Maricel scoffed, "There's no way we're shopping more. I have plans with my ahia," she declared, taking a seat beside June. June leaned back, shooting Maricel a playful look. "Ano ba 'yan" she teased.

Amelia fixed June with a stern gaze. "June, ease up on the shopping, will you?" she pleaded, gathering the last of June's shopping bags. June chuckled sarcastically, "Relax, atsi. I've got it all under control." Her voice softened as she added, "And weren't you just like me? What changed?"

Amelia facepalmed, "Marriage changed me. You'll understand once you tie the knot." She adjusted her sunglasses on her forehead. June cringed, "Whatever you say, atsi."

June cast a sarcastically sad glance at Maricel, pulling her hand. "Mariii, please stay a little longer. Atsi's scolding won't ever end," June said, her grip tight but Maricel chuckled softly.

"June naman, parang bata," Maricel remarked. Despite being a year younger than June, she treated her as an elder sister, while June treated her as a younger one. June clung to Maricel like a child, while Amelia facepalmed, instructing their bodyguards to load the shopping bags into the van.

"I have to go, June. My ahia is waiting for me," Maricel said, prompting June to soften her grip until she let go. Amelia chuckled at the two before grabbing June's wine and bidding Maricel goodbye.

Maricel laughed before leaving. June then turned to her older sister, Amelia, who gave her a disapproving look. "Hay nako, June, wala ka bang magawa kundi magsayang ng pera?"

June stood up, grabbed her bag, and some onlookers watched as she retorted, "Achi, it's my life, okay?" before leaving her sister in the store, leaving her jacket behind as it was raining outside.

Amelia sighed, taking the jacket. "June, ano ba ang tumatakbo sa utak mong 'yan," she whispered softly before leaving the store too.

Outside, it rained heavily, signaling a possible typhoon.

The Liu mansion stood quiet, as it often did, with only the occasional sound of maids' gossip breaking the silence.

June sat in front of her vanity, her room decorated with tree branches from the side of her bed, adorned with red lanterns. She sat in front, her hair in a towel. Her eyes tired, yet she felt cold. She stared at the small portrait near the mirror, a family picture from times when money didn't matter.

She gazed at it with a stoic expression before placing it back and focusing on the mirror. Taking the towel off her hair, she brushed it softly. Loud noises erupted from the living room, her parents arguing over something trivial, which June found confusing.

June grabbed her earphones, plugged them into her ears, and listened to calming music as she prepared for bed. As the arguing intensified, June tried turning up the volume, but she could still hear it. Her hands shook with anxiety.

Reaching for the pills on her bedside table, she chugged one down with water and wiped her lips with a nearby napkin. Leaning against the headboard, she clasped her hands together.

As the sun rose, the mansion bustled with activity, maids gossiping in the kitchen as they prepared breakfast. June made her way to the dining table before her mother, who seemed hurried. "Ma, saan ka nanaman pupunt-" June started, but Alice, her mother, cut her off, speaking in a rush. "June, not now, nagmamadali ako. Kumain ka na d'yan," she said before leaving the mansion.

June was left standing, then turned to the well prepared meal. It looked appetizing, but her mother's hurry robbed her of her appetite. She left the dining room.

If this were the life or cycle she were destined to live, she would simply escape to the countryside. But the weight of her responsibilities was immense; even just being Jeremiah Mariano's daughter brought its own set of burdens.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***