Chapter 3 WHEN WE WERE US

Selene had just wrapped up the final shoot for her upcoming primetime series-one that stretched into the early hours of dawn.

Exhausted didn't even begin to describe how she felt. Her schedule had been brutal lately: back-to-back commercial photoshoots, endless mall shows, relentless press conferences, and countless social events she was expected to attend-all to promote her newest project. The price of success, she thought, was sleepless nights and a soul that never truly rested.

As soon as she entered her condo, she dropped her bag to the floor and collapsed onto the bed without even changing her clothes. She didn't care. Her body was on the verge of shutting down. Within minutes, her eyes fluttered shut, and the world slipped away.

It was already two o'clock in the afternoon when she finally stirred awake.

Groggy and still in her clothes from yesterday's shoot, she made her way to the balcony of her 25th-floor unit at BMT Residences in Quezon City. The wind was crisp against her face as she curled up on the egg chair she had bought from a weekend furniture fair in Makati-a small luxury she'd gifted herself when she landed her first major role.

From up there, the entire stretch of Metro Manila sprawled before her-concrete, chaos, and dreams wrapped in smog and sunlight.

Her eyes fell on a copy of Forbes Business Magazine sitting on the side table, slightly crumpled from being read too many times. Duke's face stared back at her from the cover.

"The Billionaire's Heir," the title read in bold, gleaming letters.

She reached for it slowly, tracing his jawline on the glossy page with her fingers as if it were some long-lost relic. According to the article, Duke was now one of the most promising and influential young businessmen in the country, following in the footsteps of his father, who apparently owned several enterprises in Zambales.

What baffled her was how Duke, who once lived with her in a rundown apartment in Tondo, turned out to be someone born into immense wealth and power. He never spoke of it. Or maybe he did, just not in words.

She smiled to herself, a bittersweet curve on her lips.

Their story ended in heartbreak, but she couldn't deny how proud she was of him.

She had loved him once. Deeply. Fiercely. And in many ways, she still did.

Her condo had become some kind of shrine-every magazine, every feature where Duke's name appeared was tucked somewhere, as if her heart couldn't let go even if her life already had.

Sometimes, she found herself wondering... what if fate brought them together again? What if she could finally explain what happened that night, five years ago, when everything fell apart?

She had tried to fight back then. Tried to file a case against Connor.

But Connor's family had influence-deep political ties, money, a network too wide for someone like her to challenge. They turned the narrative against her, making her out to be the temptress, a gold-digger who seduced their son for his wealth.

She was humiliated.

Left with no choice, she withdrew the charges, packed her things, and disappeared.

Singapore became her refuge.

There, far away from the noise and cruelty of Manila, she lived quietly. Enrolled in school. Focused on healing, even if the tuition fees drained her. Even if every night she cried herself to sleep.

Then came the unexpected twist.

A talent scout spotted her at a mall in Singapore during her final year of college. It started with a small role in a shampoo commercial-just a background extra. Then came another commercial, and another, until one day, she was no longer in the background. She was the face.

Eventually, a manager saw her at a product launch and signed her on the spot.

She returned to the Philippines, this time as someone new.

Fame came fast. But so did the pressure.

The world of showbiz, she realized, wasn't all lights and applause. Beneath the glitz were sleepless nights, forced smiles, and a sense of emptiness that no amount of camera flashes could fill.

And that emptiness still gnawed at her.

Her phone suddenly rang from inside.

She went back inside and picked it up from the bed. "Hello, Ming?"

It was her manager.

"Selene, there's a scheduled press conference tomorrow afternoon at the Buenavista Hotel. You'll be with Richard, so be ready by two. We'll meet and head there together."

Selene sighed, disappointed but not surprised.

This was one of the ugly truths of show business-your life, your time, your energy-they didn't belong to you anymore. You couldn't say no. As long as the public loved you, you kept going. Project after project, interview after interview, even if you were burning out inside.

She tossed the phone back on the bed and headed to the bathroom, deciding to soak in the bathtub for a while. It was the only moment of silence she could gift herself today. She needed it. Especially since there was a mall show she had to attend by six.

The next day, she got home past seven in the evening after the press conference at Bueanvista Hotel.

She was tired, but it wasn't just physical. There was a weariness in her soul that no sleep could cure.

The press conference was packed, flashing cameras and questions flying from every corner. Many of the reporters wanted exclusives, desperate to dig into her life beyond the screen.

But Selene refused all interviews.

It wasn't because she was trying to be rude. She just didn't want to offer her personal life as entertainment.

They weren't really interested in the film. They wanted dirt. Gossip. Scandal.

And she couldn't give them that. Especially not the part of her life where Duke still lived-quietly, intimately, secretly.

That chapter was hers. Sacred.

She wasn't ready to let strangers dissect it.

Then came the questions about Richard, her on-screen partner.

They had undeniable chemistry on screen. The audience shipped them hard. Fans wanted them to be together in real life. The rumor mills spun fantasies out of their every glance.

But the reality was different.

Richard was married. Very much so. And his wife, Valerie, had become a friend to Selene-a kind woman now pregnant with their second child.

Selene didn't like lying, and every time she was asked about her supposed relationship with Richard, guilt gripped her. She always danced around the question, offering vague smiles and ambiguous answers.

She hated it.

They had to act sweet for the cameras, but in real life, there was always a line they didn't cross. And they were both grateful for it.

Now, as she dried her hair by the window, looking out into the night sky that blanketed Manila, a thought settled heavily in her chest.

She had everything she once dreamed of-fame, success, a beautiful condo in the city.

And yet...

Something was missing.

Something that no amount of applause could ever replace.

Duke had just finished his morning jog around the perimeter of their vast family hacienda in Zambales.

Given the choice between Manila and this place, he'd choose Zambales any day.

Here, the air was cleaner. The silence is soothing. And the view from the mansion's balcony was like something out of a postcard: lush green gardens, tall trees swaying gently in the breeze, the distant outline of the hills. It gave him a rare sense of peace. A contrast to the chaos of the city he had grown used to.

As he wiped the sweat off his brow and reached the old stone bench near the east side of the mansion, a familiar voice called out.

"Hi, handsome cousin."

He turned to see Addison approaching, a smug smile playing on her lips. She had flown in with him yesterday from Malaysia via a private family jet.

"You're up early," he said, settling onto the bench.

"Jet lag," she shrugged, stretching her arms. "My body's still adjusting to Zambales time."

Duke smirked. "We're in the same time zone."

"Exactly." She grinned. "So... are you ever going to tell me about you and Selene? Or do I have to keep guessing like a telenovela fan?"

Duke gave a short laugh, shaking his head. "There's really nothing to tell. I was twenty-three. Young. Stupid. Thought I had everything figured out." He leaned back and looked out at the trees. "Besides, I've realized there are... prettier faces here in Zambales."

Addison rolled her eyes. "Please. We all know there are plenty of beautiful women here-including me, obviously-but Selene? She's different. There's something about her."

He gave her a sideways glance. "You just like the drama."

"No, I'm serious. Her face, her smile, the way she carries herself... she's got this quiet strength. And maybe it's not a coincidence she ended up as the endorser for one of our biggest campaigns. Maybe it's fate."

He snorted. "Don't start with that fate and destiny crap."

"Why not?" Addison challenged, sitting beside him. "You think everything is just chance? I mean, come on. Of all the people in the industry, she ends up linked to our brand?"

Duke picked up a small twig from the ground, turning it in his fingers. "Our relationship ended five years ago, Addie. That chapter's closed."

Addison leaned back on her hands, studying him. "Is it though? I mean, she's single. You're single. And from what I heard, that whole thing with Richard? Probably just PR. You know how showbiz works-make-believe romances to sell tickets."

"I don't care," he said flatly, eyes fixed on the horizon. "Her personal life is none of my business now."

Addison paused, catching the shift in his tone. "Alright, alright. I'll drop it."

Silence settled between them for a few beats.

But even as Duke looked out over the trees, pretending to enjoy the peace, his mind had already drifted-uninvited-to memories he thought he had buried long ago. Her laugh. The way she used to steal glances at him when she thought he wasn't looking. That night ever