Your Lucky One

Chapter Seven: Change of heart

Trese, Anaya's Point of View

I wasn't supposed to be here tonight, sitting at this table with Ate Duece and her. But here I am, pushing food around my plate while pretending Miss Lenore Everette isn't across from me. It's the last thing I wanted, but what choice did I have?

Ate was in her usual good mood, talking about the day. "The meeting with the Aramintas went well. They were impressed with our proposals."

I kept quiet, feeling the tension sitting heavy in my chest. The Araminta meeting—right? The reason I missed class. I glanced at Lenore, half-expecting her to bring up my absence or throw a snide comment, but she remained calm as if nothing unusual had happened.

"That's good to hear," Lenore muttered, trying to sound interested.

Ate nodded, oblivious to the thick air between us. "I nailed the presentation. They're excited about the next steps."

Lenore smiled politely, but I felt her eyes shift toward me, lingering for just a moment too long. " The deal is crucial for the company's future."

I poked at my food, trying to ignore the rising frustration inside me. Future, legacy, all those words my family breathes in like oxygen. Normally, I'd be just as concerned—this business was my life, after all—but with Lenore sitting there, everything felt off.

"Good thing the Aramintas liked everything," I said, focusing on Ate Deuce instead of her.

"Absolutely. We're pushing forward on all fronts," Ate Deuce replied, her voice full of enthusiasm. She didn't notice how stiff I was, or how I avoided Lenore's gaze like my life depended on it.

Lenore leaned back in her chair, as if she belonged there, perfectly comfortable. "It's always important to stay focused. Deals like this can make or break everything."

I rolled my eyes internally. "Yeah, focus," I muttered under my breath.

As silence crept in, I felt Ate's eyes on me. "Trese, you look out of it. You okay?"

I glanced up, forcing a small smile. "Just tired. It's been a long day."

Ate nodded, clearly buying my excuse. "Well, try to get some rest after dinner."

I just nodded back, grateful that she didn't push further. All I wanted was for this dinner to end, for Lenore to leave, and for this awkwardness to stop hanging over my head.

***

After dinner, I headed straight to my room. As soon as I stepped inside, my phone buzzed. I unlocked it and saw a bunch of messages from Yukio and Kasha.

Nasaan ka na? Dito na kami sa Las Galo, kanina pa. Yukio texted