The scent of aged whiskey, smouldering cigars, and old money clung to the air as Kendrick strode through the grand mahogany doors of the Good Fella Circle—the city's most exclusive gentleman's club.
Soft jazz drifted from the grand piano in the lounge below while he ascended to the low-lit VIP section upstairs, where his brothers—Andrew and Erick—were already deep in conversation, a half-drunk bottle of 25-year-old scotch gleaming between them.
Kendrick appeared, smug grin etched on his face, his every step laced with purpose and mystery.
"Look at you two—Alpha Kings sipping without the crown prince."
Andrew arched a brow, smirking. "You're late, cocky, and dramatic. That can only mean one thing. You've got something wild to say, like you teased in the chat."
"Or it's a train wreck brewing," Erick added, swirling his glass. "Either way, make it quick. I rescheduled an important art collection outing for this."
"Gentlemen, patience." Kendrick sank into his seat with lazy grace, waving the waiter over. "A revelation like mine deserves the right atmosphere."
"Good evening, sir," the waiter greeted with a courteous bow.
"Lagavulin 16. Two fingers. Don't stop pouring."
"Yes, sir." The waiter briskly left to carry out the request.
Andrew groaned theatrically, setting his glass down with a thud. "For heaven's sake, stop dragging this like a slow-burn Netflix series. I almost bailed on a senator for this meeting. And Rick already told me you ditched Mira tonight before the main event began. You left her hanging on her so-called 'first date.'"
"Date?" Kendrick scoffed. "We weren't even close to that definition. It was mom's arrangement, not mine."
"Well, the tabloids disagree," Erick cut in, flipping his phone to show trending photos of Kendrick and Mira. "Social media's already dubbed her your girlfriend."
"They can speculate all they want," Kendrick waved it off. "I did what mom asked—showed up and introduced her to a lot of people. I never signed a contract to babysit her all night."
"Maybe not," Erick muttered, "but you know how mom operates—she speaks in chess moves."
"I'm not worried," Kendrick replied coolly, sipping his whisky. "I know how to play her game."
His brothers chuckled, watching him closely.
"Now…" Kendrick leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "Are you two ready for the real news?"
"We've grown grey beards waiting," Andrew quipped, glancing at his watch.
Kendrick grinned and finally dropped the bomb.
"She's back."
Andrew blinked. "She…?"
Erick's eyes narrowed. "She as in, Carmelita?"
"The one and only." Kendrick nodded, a fire dancing behind his gaze.
"Wait, are you serious?" Erick leaned in, stunned.
"Have I ever joked about something this sacred?" Kendrick asked, and before Erick could respond, Andrew unleashed a barrage.
"Where? When? How? Did she recognize you? Is she still single? Got a picture? When do we meet her?"
"Easy, Andy." Kendrick chuckled. "You're not interrogating a suspect."
"Tell us everything," Erick insisted, barely containing his excitement.
"We met at the RAD Awards…" Kendrick launched into the story, describing every detail of his encounter with Hiraya—her stunning entrance, the gasps and the shock on the Mendoza family's faces.
Andrew clenched his jaw. "Those cowards."
"Let them keep believing she's dead," Erick said, recalling how only they and Kendrick's private medical staff knew the truth.
"But… Ivy Cruz?" Andrew looked uneasy. "Ken, are you sure it's her? What if this woman's just a lookalike? Think. Carmelita vanished for a reason. Why would she walk right back into the world that destroyed her?"
"It's strange, I'll admit," Erick agreed. "Revenge maybe?"
"That's exactly why," Kendrick said. "She's back with purpose. It's written all over her. Her face hasn't changed one bit, just her name. But I can confidently say she's the same person. And I plan to help her… while winning her heart."
Erick leaned back, intrigued by his younger brother's determination "What if she has moved on? What if there's someone else in the picture–family maybe?"
"She came to the event with Jomari, didn't she?" Andrew asked sharply.
"As his assistant. Nothing romantic—at least, not that I saw," Kendrick replied, frowning slightly. "Nevertheless, if she's taken, I'll step back. Maybe marry Mira like Mom wants and move on. But until I'm sure… I'm not giving up on her or the possibility that I could have a child somewhere."
"Respect," Erick said, patting Kendrick on the back. "You have my full support in this."
"Mine too." Andrew leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "But tell me first, do you have a photo of her at the event?"
Kendrick lit up like fireworks. "Yes."
Both brothers sat up instantly as he unlocked his phone.
"There. That's her."
Erick's eyes widened. "Good Lord! Is she a goddess?"
Andrew exhaled. "Wow! Three words: drop-dead gorgeous. My kind of woman."
Kendrick quickly snatched the phone back, shooting Andrew a warning look.
Andrew grinned. "Relax, junior. I'm not here to poach. Besides, what's yours is—"
"Not yours. Ever." Kendrick snapped playfully.
The three brothers erupted into laughter.
"How soon can we meet her?" Erick asked as they settled back.
"Patience..." Kendrick smiled leaning back into his leather seat. "You will meet her at the right time."
---
Sunday morning dawned quietly over the Mendoza estate.
The air was still and the halls were silent as the family enjoyed the peaceful morning before the next day's storm.
No one had spoken about the previous day's disgraceful incident to the patriarch of the family, leaving him in the dark. They had all returned home the previous night and gone straight to bed.
In his usual routine, Alfonso Mendoza, patriarch of the family, settled into his favourite chair with a cup of steaming coffee and the day's newspaper—oblivious to the media storm.
But the peace was shattered in a second.
Headline: "RAD Awards Descend into Drama – The Mendoza Family Steals the Spotlight for All the Wrong Reasons."
Alfonso's eyes locked on the headline. His grip tightened and his face paled.
Disbelief gave way to rage as he read the story beneath the caption. The paper crumpled under his fingers, as his eyes blazed with fury.
"Unbelievable!" he roared. "They've turned my legacy into a circus act!"
In a fit of rage, he hurled his coffee cup across the room, causing it to shatter against the wall.
Startled, the butler rushed in.
"Great Grand Master—!"
"Get me my son. Now!" Alfonso bellowed.
From the stairwell, Luzon froze, holding a coffee mug in his hand. Hearing his father's wrath echo through the house, he muttered under his breath.
"There goes my peaceful morning…"
With a heavy sigh, he turned toward the storm brewing in the living room.