2.
THE NEW GIRL
∞≠∞
It was the first day of school at Libangon National High, a public school located in one of the provinces in Southern Isla.
The school had been living for decades, shedding light on those students who cannot afford to go to expensive private schools in the city. As expected, enrolment for this year skyrocketed and the number of students doubled.
"Okay, settle down," teacher Greg instructed his new students.
He was a man in his thirties, charming, intelligent, and possessed a charismatic appeal. He was wearing his Monday uniform and his hair was fixed in a clean cut. The teacher wrote his name on the board then smiled to himself as he heard the students exchanged whispers among them.
"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. As you can see on the board, my name is Gregor Lopez, but you can just call me Teacher Greg or Sir Greg. I am your new adviser."
The students looked at him with eager eyes. He even noticed a couple of girls batting their lashes at him. With his chiseled jaw, long nose, and a pair of thick eyebrows, one cannot help but admire his masculinity.
Skimming through his list, he called their names one by one. Each student raised a hand as he checked their attendance.
"Quinto, Charlotte."
"That's me, Sir."
The teacher looked up and glanced at her. Charlotte stood up, flipped her hair, and blew him a kiss. But the teacher only flashed her a grim expression, discouraging the young lady. Slowly, she retreated to her seat and was gravely embarrassed and rejected.
"For our first activity—"
A knock on the door stopped Teacher Greg from speaking.
"Good morning, Sir,” greeted a middle-aged woman who was standing by the door. By the looks of it, the woman came from a well-to-do family, judging from the coat and the pair of earing she was wearing. In this area, it was not hard to identify those who had the money given that the place was just a small town. Everybody knew everybody.
"Good morning. What can I do for you, Ma'am?" Teacher Greg asked politely as he strode towards her. The room immediately erupted into a murmur.
"I'm Mrs. Rivera and this is my daughter. We were told that she's under your advisory."
Just then, a tall girl with pixie-cut hair emerged behind the lady. She was already wearing the school uniform of Libangon National High. Teacher Greg glanced at the girl, then they both stared at each other for a moment. The teacher was quite awestruck by the girl's demeanor. She didn’t flinch when he tried to burn her with his inviting glances.
'Funny how my heart flutters when I saw her,' he said in his mind. He immediately shook the idea away.
"So, you are the new student," he said. "It's good that you're finally here. I was informed beforehand."
The student pressed her lips together as she flashed a knowing look at her new teacher. Then her mother embraced her lightly.
"See you later, honey," said Mrs. Rivera as she kissed the girl on the forehead. Then she curtly extended her hand to the teacher. "I'll get going now. What may I call you, sir?"
"Sir Greg," he replied meekly, shaking Mrs. Rivera's hand. It felt soft and delicate under his grasp.
The new girl stared at her mom's back who’s already walking away from them. He, on the other hand, was still absentmindedly gawking at his new student. When she turned to look at him, she was flustered as to the way he is behaving. The rest of the students behind them were already getting restless as well as they talked in whispers, but Teacher Greg seemed to have lost his composure.
"S—Sir Shall I go inside now?" she squeaked, snapping him back to reality.
"Oh, of course. Come in," he said with a sense of embarrassment in his tone.
The girl followed as the teacher had led her in front. The students looked at her. Some of them flashed a smile while others gazed at her with disregard. Greg nodded at her and she nodded back. She politely stepped in front and immediately scanned the room with a friendly face.
"Hello everyone," she said in a small but clear voice.
The boys leaned on their desks as they stared at her. Teacher Greg guessed what’s on their minds. Perhaps they were thinking that this girl was one of the cutest girls they have ever seen in their entire lives. Her small round face complemented her blonde pixie cut and her school uniform emphasized her slender fire. Teacher Greg was thinking the same way.
"I'm Steffy Rivera, and I'm from Manila. I'm half Filipino and half Spanish. It's nice to meet y'all."
"She's half Spanish!" the boys remarked, still whispering among themselves. Just then, another boy who was taller than the rest raised his hand with an embarrassed look on her face.
"Yes?"
"I'm Brandon,” he said almost shyly. “You look so pretty."
The students erupted into hooting and giggling. Steffy flashed them a heart-melting smile.
"I'm just curious about why have you transferred here," Brandon continued.
"Well, my parents are assigned to this area and I have to go with them since I'm an only child."
"What are your parents' jobs?" another one asked.
"My dad and mom work as—"
"Are you smart enough?" the girl named Charlotte interjected. "Transferees like you shouldn't be in this section. This is Special Science Class. You need to take an exam to be admitted here."
Steffy's expression turned sour, and yet she politely replied, "I don't need to take the exam."
Charlotte scoffed, "Really? And do you think you’ve got what it takes to become a member of this elite section?”
Teacher Greg raised his eyebrow. 'What elite section is she talking about? There is no such thing as an elite section!'
The room was suddenly silent now. The teacher let them continue to see what the new girl would do.
"The school principal placed me in this section. I think, with that alone, you already know the answer."
Almost instantly, the room erupted into another loud cheering. Teacher Greg was not able to suppress his smirk.
"Who do you think you are?" Charlotte asked angrily.
"I told you I'm Steffy. And as you all know; I am a transferee."
"You're making it sound like I'm dumb!"
The teacher finally decided to step forward. "Okay, everyone, cat fight’s over. Charlotte, take your seat now, and Steffy, you sit beside—"
Upon scanning the room, he realized that there was no vacant seat anymore. Just then, two boys who were sitting at the back immediately volunteered to get Steffy a chair. Their kindness was returned with another sweet smile from her. Charlotte, on the other hand, sat back on her chair and was fuming with bitterness and anger.
∞≠∞
As Steffy stepped out of the school gate, she noticed the dark patches of clouds that were just forming above her. "Shit. It's going to rain," she mumbled as she lazily walked through the narrow pathway.
Her hands were tucked inside her pockets and her small leather bag dangled to her side. Just then, the ringing of her phone immediately caught her attention. She hastily fished it from her bag and brought the speaker to her ear.
"Hola, Papa. Yes. I'm finally here. I've already met the target. I’ve made an investigation earlier during lunch break and I found out that he was one of the most respected teachers in this school. I still had to get his schedule so I could—alright, I’ll stop talking now. I'll just send you an update soon. Yo también te quiero, Papá."
She constantly told him her 'I love yous' but her father was one cold-hearted man. Heaving a sigh, she dropped the call without getting an 'I love you too' from her father. She started walking again; the soles of her black school shoes created a sound on the cemented path.
"Fucking hell," she cursed under her breath as tiny droplets of rain poured onto her skin.
"Language, Miss Rivera."
Steffy was startled when a deep voice rang her ears. Teacher Greg was already walking towards her, carrying a black umbrella. Steffy stared at him with her mouth slightly opened. Her heart thumped wildly inside her chest. She didn’t want to admit it but the sight of Teacher Greg suddenly left her breathless. Before she knew it, he was already standing beside her.
"What are you doing, Sir?" the curious girl asked in a soft voice.
“It’s raining. I can see that you don't have an umbrella with you."
"I—I didn't expect for a rain, Sir."
"Neither did I,” the teacher replied with a lopsided grin. “But we should always be prepared. We don’t know what the future brings. Anyway, let me just walk you to that waiting shed as we wait for your—?”
“Dad,” she said. “I’m waiting for him.”
“Okay.”
They walked side by side as the rain started to pour heavily. Both of them were not saying a word, and yet, Steffy was fully aware of Teacher Greg's hand around her small shoulder. She felt uncomfortable, but the teacher seemed to think the opposite way.
“How long have you been standing behind me, Teacher Greg? Did you hear anything from the call I made?”
The teacher flashed her a side glance before answering. “No. Why do you ask? Are you afraid that I might hear what you and your boyfriend talked about on the phone?”
Steffy blushed at his straightforward remarks. “I don’t have a boyfriend,” she grumpily replied.
The teacher only laughed at her. “I was just teasing you, Miss Rivera.”
Steffy rolled her eyes. Then both of them fell silent.
"I've heard that your parents work as engineers," the teacher asked after a while. "They're building the new mall in the next town, aren't they?"
Steffy smirked. "For a teacher, Sir Greg. You sure know a lot."
"It's normal for an adviser to get curious about his or her students, especially the new ones," he retaliated.
"But sometimes, it's better not to meddle on someone's affair, Sir," countered Steffy.
"I'm not meddling. I'm just merely telling you what I know about you."
‘That’s not necessary!’ Steffy replied in her mind. She started to feel irritated with this encounter. "I didn't say you're meddling, Sir."
She heard him laugh again. It was clear that Mr. Lopez was becoming more amused by her every minute. She can’t stop herself from rolling her eyes. Upon reaching the waiting shed, Teacher Greg carefully closed his umbrella while Steffy dried her wet arms with a hanky.
"Thank you, Sir," she murmured politely.
"Don't mention it."
They stood underneath the roof of that small waiting shed as they stared at the pouring rain before them. Steffy looked around and noticed how the ground turned brownish and muddy. She cringed when she realized that not all parts of the school were cemented. Most of them were now swimming in mud and dirt.
Being raised by a billionaire father, she was not used to such an environment. As much as she wanted to complain about the mud that was sticking to her newly polished shoes, she cannot do that. No one should know her real identity, not even her teachers.
"So, your records tell me that you are 17 years old."
Steffy glanced at him and nodded. "Yes, I am."
Just a few nights ago, she celebrated her 18th birthday in the presence of the Alphas. But of course, she wasn’t telling him that. Her father was able to pull some strings to weave a new identity for her thus changing her name and her profile. It’s amazing how her father did that in just a flick of his fingers. Indeed, being a daughter of a multi-billionaire had its perks.
Just then, a fancy car pulled in front of them. The window rolled down and the face of a huge man emerged by the window. Steffy felt relieved.
"My dad is here,” she squealed as she sprinted towards the car. Steffy was already wet when she finally got inside.
"Thank you, Sir Greg. See you tomorrow," Steffy exclaimed from inside the car. The teacher smiled then nodded at Mr. Rivera. The latter closed the tinted window before the man drove away. Both of them watched Teacher Greg who was left standing underneath his umbrella, smiling to himself.
"That man likes you, señorita."
"Oh, come on, George. Shut up," she replied, rolling her eyes. George only chuckled.
"Stop chuckling, George. It's not funny."
Grunting, the big man beside her said in a now serious voice, "I'm sorry, señorita."
Feeling suddenly grumpy, she pushed a button in front of her, and almost instantly, the chair reclined on itself, transforming it into a comfortable bed. "Long day, George. Long day," she muttered underneath her breath as the huge man, who presented himself as her father, drove silently through the rain.
3. CHARLOTTE ∞≠∞ Charlotte Quinto was determined to make the new girl’s life miserable at Libangon National High. After that incident where Steffy humiliated her in front of their classmates and Sir Greg, she wanted nothing more but to be the big bitch that everyone in school had been dodging to cross with. That afternoon, she directly went inside Teacher Greg’s private office and initiated a kiss. She was so mad at him because he had ignored her on the first day of school and he did nothing when Steffy grilled her in front of her classmates. “What the hell are you doing, Charlotte?” The girl continued to ravage the teacher’s lips as her hands move
4. YOLO ∞≠∞ Steffy heaves a deep breath as she remembered the girls' frightened faces. Plastering a smirk, she absorbed the overwhelming feeling of power she received just by defeating those bullies. ‘So this is how it feels like; to be feared.’ She now understood why her father valued power over anything is. If you had power, all the things that the world had to offer will be yours for the taking. And as she sat idly, she cannot wait to fulfill her mission so she could finally become the first-ever female Alpha Don. But upon remembering a conversation with her dad just this morning, she wiped her smirk and heaved another deep breath. He had been bugging her about her ordeal. He said the earlier for Steffy to finish the target, the better. 'I need to immediately come up with a plan,’ she said in her mind as she clicked her tongue. She had been following Lucio Hernandez for several days n
5.AN ENCOUNTER∞≠∞ Tiffany was assisted by her father's bodyguards as they walked her towards the private chopper that her father sent for her. She was informed earlier that day about the special meeting with the Alphas in Ormon City. “Did my father give you any specific instruction about this trip?” she asked the goon that her father sent for her. “No, señorita. He just said you have to be there.” Tiffany immediately climbed onto the chopper and settled on her seat. From Libangon, the group will travel to a private place in Ormon City whereas her father will also be meeting with the city mayor. Ormon was located miles away from Libangon, but with Tiffany riding on her father's private chopper, it will just be a three-hour ride. She heard that her father and the city mayor will have a partnership in a certain business venture. But she's pretty sure such business will never come clean. It's already past si
6.PUNISHED∞≠∞ She had been mentally counting each passing second, hoping that time would run faster. Ever since the shooting incident happened in Ormon City, she had been constantly feeling agitated. 'It's been two days and there's still no sign of Yuan. What if he died and the Alpha's were not able to protect him? Maybe I'll ring Papa. Perhaps he knows something.' "Miss Steffy Rivera!" Steffy snapped back to reality when she heard the sharp voice of her teacher. "What is it, Ma'am?" "I—I've been calling your name but you seemed lost in your thoughts." 'Right. I am. I have to get out of here and find him.' "My apologies, Ma'am Amparo, but I have to go now.” Her teacher's eyes popped in surprise. Even her classmates were equally shocked by her actions. Ignoring them, Steffy gathered her things and stood up from her chair. "Where are you going? You cannot just leave the class like t
7. TEACHER GREG ∞≠∞ Several stacks of photos and newspapers were scattered on Yuan’s bed, and he was staring at them intently. The newspapers contained pieces of information about a man named Lucio Hernandez. LUCIO HERNANDEZ, AGED 36 DESIGNATION: ASSASSIN, DRAGON COMPANY STATUS: NOTORIOUS Along with it were black and white photographs of the people in the Dragon Brotherhood. There was also a folder that contained the brotherhood’s whereabouts. Heaving a sigh, he laid on his bed and thought about the shooting incident in Ormon City. Unmindfully, his right hand found its way towards his wounded arm. His left arm was bandaged and a basin of warm water sat on his study table. He got it from his encounter with Lucio Hernandez in Ormon City. The man had a
8 SCARRED ∞≠∞ "Do not make any noise." He could hear strange footsteps inside their house. His mother's hands were trembling as she held him and his little brother tightly. The three of them were hiding inside their small bathroom. "Who are they, mother?" eight-year-old Lucio Hernandez asked in a hushed tone. "Sssh! Keep quiet. They must not find us here. They will kill us," her mother replied in a trembling voice. "But, what about father? We should tell him to hide in here as well!" "Be quiet, Lucio!" Just then, loud knocks on the door and muffled voices were heard outside, followed by violent shouts. They could hear glass shattering and pieces of furniture falling. "Please do not hurt my family," he heard his father's voice. Lucio could tell how scared his father was. It seemed like he was about to cry any time soon. "Give us bac
9 TRICKS ∞≠∞ Teacher Greg smiled widely when he saw Steffy walking inside the room. Several students immediately gathered around her and started to ask why her blonde hair had turned into a dark shade of black. Steffy acknowledged them nicely and briefly explained that she had a sudden change of heart. He wanted so much to send her his compliments but decided to hold back his tongue, not wanting to create misconceptions in his students' minds. As a teacher, he did not want to be accused of favoritism; although he favored this gal a lot. In his eyes, Steffy looked stunning in her new look. With her small face, red lips, and fair complexion, black hair indeed suited her perfectly. Teacher Greg had been so enthusiastic with his discussions in his advisory class ever since Steffy was added to the group. Maybe because the new student's intelligence brought his interest to a different l
10 CONVICTION ∞≠∞ The familiar sound inside the casino made Tiffany’s head throb some more. Her father once again made a phone call, telling her she was summoned. So she immediately arranged her travel and as she just got out of the airport, she felt an extreme migraine. Bodyguards immediately gathered around her as she stepped out of the car her father sent for her. Her baggage was handled and she was immediately led inside the casino. It was a Tuesday evening, which meant the casino was full of badass businessmen and slutty mistresses. Such people were more than willing to gamble their fortunes for the sake of their egos and stupid entertainments. And since Tuesday nights were reserved for the VIPs, she saw a lot of faces who were prominent in the business sector. Tiffany also encountered celebrities. No wonder paparazzi were scattered just outside the building. The building itself wa