Alianna's POV
I don’t usually clear my schedule for anyone. But today, I made an exception.
My best friend was flying in from Singapore for a short visit, and it had been years since the last time we saw each other. She moved to another country after college. She’d been nagging me for months to “live a little” and make time, and for once, I decided she was right.
So last night, I sent my dad a message. One day off. That’s all I’m asking.
Normally, he would reply with a lecture about commitment and responsibility, but surprisingly, he just said: You deserve it. Go ahead.
That alone unsettled me. Dad doesn’t give away “yes” answers that easily. He must’ve realized I’ve been running myself ragged again. Or maybe he simply knows that there are very few people in my life who can pull me away from work, and this friend happens to be one of them.
I folded the last of the documents on my desk and tucked them neatly into the drawer. Everything had to be in order before I left. One day away shouldn’t matter, but it did. For someone like me, order was non-negotiable.
Standing in front of my closet, I stared at the row of suits and blouses, perfectly lined up by color and fabric. It struck me how dull it all looked. My friend would laugh at me if I showed up in another tailored outfit.
I decided to wear the only casual clothes I had in my closet.
As I buttoned the shirt, I caught my reflection in the mirror. Hair down, a little messier than usual, but I didn’t bother fixing it. Maybe a little imperfection today wouldn’t hurt.
I rarely allow myself to slow down. To take a breath. To enjoy something or someone outside of work.
I exhaled deeply and shook my head. No. Today wasn’t about deadlines or clients. Today was about reconnecting with someone who knew me before I became the Alianna Valderrama everyone else saw.
I was sitting at the corner of the café waiting for my dear friend. I was about to text her when I heard her loud voice calling my name. Hindi talaga nagbago. Sobrang ingay pa rin.
"ALIIII, MY GIRL!!" Napacover talaga ako ng face sa hiya. Café kaya ’to and now pinagtitinginan na kami ng mga tao here.
"Stop it, Hera. Everybody's looking at us." She ignored me and proceeded to hug me na para bang OFW siya na ngayon lang nakita ang anak niya.
"I miss you!" She said while kissing my cheeks. Sweet but annoying at the same time. Alam niya gaano ko ka-hate ang physical affection.
"I know. I miss you, too." Tinatanggal ko yung braso niya sa pagkakakapit sa ’kin pero she's too makapit. Baka sabihin pa ng mga tao dito, girlfriend ko siya. Yikes.
"How's life, my wife? It's been a while since we last met! I have lots of chika to tell you!" She said with matching hand gestures. Natawa na lang ako.
"Alright, alright. Let's order first before all that." She nodded.
--
"... I swear, she's really getting on my nerves. As if she can match my pretty face!" Hera rolled her eyes dramatically habang naglalagay ng straw sa iced latte niya. I shook my head, half-amused, half-exasperated. Same old Hera.
"You haven’t changed," I muttered, taking a sip of my own coffee. "Still narcissistic. Still noisy."
"And still fabulous," she added proudly, flipping her hair na parang may sariling wind machine. I chuckled despite myself.
The moment Hera was about to continue her rant, her phone buzzed on the table. Napakunot-noo siya, glancing at the caller ID.
Bigla na lang nag-shift ang expression niya.
"Uh… Ali, wait. I need to take this." She grabbed her phone quickly and stood up before I could say anything.
I frowned. "Secretive much," I muttered under my breath while watching her step outside the café. Weird. Hera never hid calls from me before. If anything, she would answer it on speaker just to make me suffer through the entire conversation.
I stirred my coffee absentmindedly, eyes occasionally darting to the glass window where I could see Hera pacing outside. Whoever she was talking to, it was serious.
After a few minutes, I was scrolling through my phone when I noticed movement by the entrance.
And then I froze.
Because walking inside the café, like the universe’s cruelest joke, was someone I thought I’d erased from my life.
Harris.
I felt my stomach twist. That familiar sharp pang of recognition mixed with disgust.
My grip tightened around my cup. I had no intention of running into him ever again, and yet here he was, striding straight toward me.
"A—Ali," he said carefully. "It’s… it’s been a while."
I scoffed, leaning back on my chair. "Not long enough."
He winced, but of course, he still had the audacity to give me that practiced smile. "I… I wanted to talk. To apologize. To explain—"
I cut him off, my voice steady, even if my chest was tight. "No. You don’t get to explain. You had your chance. You cheated. End of story."
His jaw clenched, like he didn’t expect me to be this cold. "Ali, please. I made a mistake. I want to make it right. I want us back."
I laughed bitterly. "Us? There is no us, Harris. Whatever fantasy you’re holding onto, let it go. Because I already did."
He looked like he wanted to argue, pero wala na siyang laban. Not anymore. I wasn’t the same Alianna who once believed his sweet lies.
And just like that, Hera walked back in, eyes widening as she saw him standing there.
"Harris, what the hell—" she hissed, glaring at him.
Oh. So that’s who she was on the phone with.
I shot her a look, but I didn’t say anything. My decision was already made.
I stood, picked up my bag, and faced Harris one last time. "Stay out of my life."
And without waiting for his reply, I walked out of the café, each step lighter than I thought it would feel.
"Ali, wait!" Hera’s voice carried after me as I stepped out of the café.
I didn’t even slow down at first but Hera caught up anyway, tugging at my arm like the stubborn best friend she’s always been.
"Ali, please—listen. I’m sorry, okay? I should’ve told you."
I crossed my arms tightly, eyes narrowing at her. "So it was him on the phone."
Her lips pressed into a guilty smile. "Yes. Harris called me yesterday, and again this morning. He’s been… insisting that I help him talk to you."
I felt my jaw tighten. God. Of all the names I didn’t want to hear today, it had to be his. "Talk? Hera, he cheated on me. What could he possibly say now that matters?"
"I know!" Hera blurted, her accent sharper when she’s stressed. She raised her hands in surrender. "I told him that. I told him you don’t want to see him ever again. But Ali—he just doesn’t get it."
Napairap ako. Harris never understood limits. Never respected them, either.
Hera sighed, pushing strands of her hair behind her ear. "He kept calling, texting… even showing up at my workplace two days ago. Can you imagine? My boss almost thought he was my boyfriend!" She groaned, covering her face. "It was so embarrassing. I told him to stop, but the guy’s stubborn as hell."
Pathetic. That’s the only word that came to mind. Harris showing up at Hera’s office? And the worst part? He still thought he had a chance with me.
Hera touched my arm gently, her voice softer this time. "Ali, I’m really sorry. I didn’t want to ruin our time together. I just wanted today to be about us. Not about your stupid ex."
I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. The Manila heat wasn’t helping either; ang init-init pa naman ngayon, parang gusto akong tunawin sa inis at araw. "Next time, Hera, don’t keep it from me. I’d rather hear it from you than see his face walk through the door."
Relief washed over her features. "Promise. Never again."
I gave her a look, finally letting my shoulders relax. "Good. Because Harris is done. He’s nothing to me now."
Her lips curved into a grin, all dramatic again. "Perfect. Then let’s forget about him and enjoy our day. Come on, Ali, I flew all the way here for you. I brought stories, drama, gossip, you name it. You need fun, my wife, and I’m here to deliver."
Napailing ako, but I couldn’t help but laugh. "Fine. But only because you’re impossible to ignore."
She linked her arm with mine, dragging me along like she always did back in college. And for a while, it almost felt normal like the world had paused just enough for me to breathe.
We drove down the street, the late afternoon sun spilling gold across the pavement. The city was alive, cars honking, vendors shouting, people rushing around us but Hera and I were in our own bubble. She wouldn’t stop talking, her hands flying everywhere as she recounted some ridiculous story from Singapore about her neighbor’s cat stealing food deliveries.
By the time we settled into another café, I finally had the chance to breathe properly. Hera plopped down across from me, chin resting on her hand as she studied me with that mischievous smile of hers.
"So," she said, drawing out the word. "Ali, my wife. Tell me about your love life."
I almost choked on my iced tea. "Excuse me?"
She laughed, loud enough for the barista to look our way. "Don’t play innocent with me. It’s been years! I know your career is amazing, CEO Alianna Valderrama and all, but come on, are you seriously telling me there’s no one special?"
I rolled my eyes. "You make it sound like I’m secretly hiding a boyfriend."
"Or girlfriend," she shot back instantly, eyes twinkling. "Hey, I don’t judge. In fact, I’d love that for you."
I shook my head, lips quirking. Trust Hera to make it sound so simple.
"Seriously, though," she pressed, leaning forward. "What happened after Harris? Did you ever date again?"
At the mention of his name, my stomach twisted. I took a slow sip of my drink before answering. "No. After him, I… I didn’t see the point. He was the last person I let close, and he ruined that trust. Cheating is one thing, but the way he made me doubt myself? Never again."
Hera’s expression softened. She reached across the table, resting her hand lightly on mine. "I’m sorry, Ali. You didn’t deserve that. He was an idiot."
"An idiot is an understatement," I muttered. Traitor. Liar. Waste of oxygen.
Hera squeezed my hand before pulling back. "Okay, fine. But you can’t tell me you’ve closed the door completely. You’re too gorgeous, too smart, too… you, to stay single forever. You must’ve had offers."
I laughed dryly. "Offers? Hera, I’m surrounded by business sharks. Every man who tries to ask me out has an agenda. Partnerships, deals, connections, never genuine interest."
Her brows shot up. "And what about women?"
I blinked at her. "What about them?"
She smirked, tapping her chin. "Don’t tell me no woman has ever tried to catch your attention here. Ali, look at you. I wouldn’t blame them if they lined up outside your office."
My ears burned, though I refused to show it. "If anyone tried, I didn’t notice. Or maybe I just didn’t care to."
"Because you’re scared," Hera said matter-of-factly.
I stilled. "Scared?"
"Yes. Scared to let someone in again. Scared to be hurt again. Admit it." Her tone was playful, but her gaze was piercing, like she was stripping away the walls I worked so hard to build.
I looked away, out the café window, watching the streak of sunset paint the sky. She wasn’t wrong.
Finally, I sighed. "Maybe I am."
Hera smiled knowingly. "That’s okay. But you can’t let fear chain you forever. One day, someone’s going to come along... someone who isn’t Harris, someone who doesn’t want anything from you except… you. And when that happens, Ali, you’ll know."
I rolled my eyes again, but this time my chest felt heavier, like her words had lodged somewhere I couldn’t quite shake. "You sound like a fortune teller."
She laughed. "Maybe I am. And I predict your next lover will be someone unexpected. Someone who’ll annoy you, challenge you, make you feel alive again."
Someone who’ll annoy me, huh? I shook my head, chuckling, but I didn’t argue. Because deep down, part of me wondered... what if she was right?
After hours of talking, jumping from work gossip to college memories, to embarrassing moments we promised never to bring up again, we didn’t even realize the café had long closed and we’d transferred to a small 24-hour diner nearby. Plates of fries and cups of coffee had turned into late-night confessions, easy laughter, and moments of silence that felt like home.
By the time we stepped out, the streets were half-asleep, Manila’s chaos softened by the weight of 2 a.m. Hera stretched her arms above her head, yawning dramatically.
"I forgot how good it feels to just… hang out with you," she said, grinning at me. "Like nothing’s changed."
I smiled, pulling my coat tighter against the cool breeze. God, I missed this. Missed her. Missed us.
"Yeah," I said softly.
She linked her arm with mine again. "I’m flying back to Singapore tomorrow. Work reasons, you know how it is."
My chest sank. "That fast?"
"That fast." She gave me a rueful smile. "But hey, at least we got today. No regrets."
We reached the corner where our cars were parked. Hera turned to me, that mischievous glint in her eyes softening into something tender.
"Take care of yourself, Ali. And… don’t close yourself off too much, okay? Someone out there is waiting to surprise you."
I rolled my eyes, but my throat tightened. Tangina, bakit ako naiiyak?
"I’ll try," I said, forcing a lightness into my voice. "You take care too. Don’t overwork yourself."
She pulled me into one last hug, warm and tight, like she was trying to fit all the years we’d lost into that moment.
When we finally let go, she gave me a playful salute. "Until next time, wife."
I shook my head, chuckling as I slipped into my car.
As I drove home through the quiet streets, her words echoed in my mind. Someone unexpected. Someone who’ll annoy me, challenge me, make me feel alive again.
I sighed, leaning back against the leather seat. "Yeah, right," I muttered to myself.
--