Your Lucky One

Chapter One: Under the Shadow of Privilege

Trese Anaya's Point of View

It wasn't the first time I had shown up late to class, and it wouldn't be the last. I was Trese Anaya Monforte, after all. A Monforte doesn't rush for anyone.

I sauntered into the lecture hall, catching the stares of my classmates. Some looked annoyed, others amused, but no one dared say anything. They all knew who I was. Trese—the one born with a golden spoon in her mouth, the girl who never had to lift a finger to get anything in life.

Bakit ko nga ba kailangan magmadali?

As I slid into my usual seat in the back, I didn't even bother to open my notebook. What was the point? It's not like I'd be held accountable for anything. Professors feared my name, of the legacy tied to it. If I missed a few assignments or showed up late, no one would make a fuss.

"Your late," the voice cut through the air, sharp and unexpected. I jumped, heart racing, as I turned to see who had spoken. The voice was so familiar, yet it took me a moment to place it.

I didn't expect to see her there. Lenore Everette—my sister's best friend, and now my professor. Ang weird ng pakiramdam, na someone who'd been around our family for so long would suddenly be standing at the front of the classroom. I wasn't sure how to feel about it.

Hindi ko Nakita sa list na siya pala ang magiging kapalit ni Sir Lemar sa Strategic Management because until now, TBA pa rin ang nasa Student Portal ko.

I smiled at her, but she didn't smile back at me, leaving me feeling confused and a little lost in the moment. Honestly, it was almost amusing. She knew me, knew exactly how I lived my life. Alam niyang hindi ako nag-aaral ng seryoso. I figured she'd let me slide, the way everyone else always did.

But as I sat there, slouched in my chair, I felt her eyes on me. Not the usual dismissive glance I got from most professors. No, Lenore's gaze was sharp, cutting through me like she knew exactly what I was thinking—like she knew every excuse before I could even make one.

"You're in your fourth year, right? Be punctual next time," she said, fixing me with a steady gaze that seemed to pierce through my casual demeanor.

For the first time in a long time, I felt...off.

Siya ba talaga si Lenore? She's not like this outside, we don't have a lot of interactions but she's not like this.

"Miss Monforte," she said, her voice cool and calm, the kind of calm that made your skin prickle. "Perhaps you could enlighten us with your thoughts on today's reading?"

My heart skipped. Tangina. I hadn't even glanced at the reading. I shifted in my seat, trying to think of something smart to say, but nothing came out. The whole class was watching now, and I could feel their silent judgment, waiting for me to make a fool of myself.

"I didn't—" I started, but she didn't let me finish.