Lahat ng Kabanata ng Empire of Desire: Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 10

AmeliaThe subway always smelled like sweat and regret — but at six in the morning, medyo kaya pang tiisin. The doors creaked open, and a rush of stale air brushed past me. My coffee was lukewarm, my eyes burned from another sleepless night, and I was clutching a folder full of legal notes I couldn’t afford to forget.Hindi ito ‘yung life na pinangarap ko noong grumadweyt ako. Top of my class, full of dreams — I swore one day I’d be a lawyer. My name on shiny office doors, my voice echoing in a courtroom, commanding respect. Pero isang taon matapos ‘yun, ayan ako — twenty-one, paralegal lang, drowning in utang and hospital bills, fighting to stay afloat between two jobs na parang walang pake kung mabuhay man ako o hindi.Pero give up? Hindi pwede.My mom needed her meds. My brother needed a future. And I needed to keep that promise I once whispered sa basag naming salamin sa banyo: I’ll make it. No matter how ugly the road is, I’ll make it.The subway screeched into Midtown. Sumama ak

AmeliaMay mga sandali talagang hindi mo nakakalimutan—‘yung tipong alam mong habang nangyayari pa lang, tatatak na siya sa’yo.Ang pagkikita namin ni Adrian Blackwood… isa ‘yon.The morning light filtered through the boardroom’s floor-to-ceiling windows, tumatama sa glass table at nagre-reflect sa mga pader. Lahat kumikintab—chrome, glass, power. Kahit ‘yung hangin, parang may presyo.Nakatayo ako sa dulo ng mesa, hawak nang mahigpit ‘yung folder ko na parang iyon lang ang kakampi ko. The partners were already seated, talking in low, rehearsed voices. Halatang tense lahat. Kasi hindi lang basta meeting ‘to. This was the meeting—the kind that could make or break careers.And for some reason, pakiramdam ko, kasama doon ang career ko.Then the door opened.And he walked in.Tahimik bigla ang lahat—so quiet na rinig mo pa ‘yung mahinang ugong ng aircon.Adrian Blackwood didn’t just enter the room. He owned it. Every step was calculated—calm, confident, commanding. Hindi siya nagmamadali.

AmeliaFor the next two days, I tried to disappear.Every time someone mentioned that meeting, my stomach twisted like hell. Apparently, balita sa buong office na may “bagong paralegal na nag-correct kay Adrian Blackwood in front of his entire executive board.” Overnight, naging urban legend ako.Half ng office looked at me like I’d just ruined my career. Yung kalahati naman, parang tingin nila hero move ‘yung ginawa ko.Honestly, hindi ko alam kung alin dun ang mas masama.So I kept my head down, buried in paperwork, pretending I was invisible. Maybe, if I was lucky, the CEO of Blackwood Corporation would just forget I existed. Surely, he had better things to do — mergers, deals, millions of dollars, actual important people.Except… hindi pala.Kasi exactly 11:13 a.m. that Thursday, may pumasok na email.From: Executive Office — Blackwood CorporationSubject: Summons.Summons. As in, sino ba gumagamit ng ganung word sa totoong buhay?> Miss Cruz,Mr. Blackwood requests your presence

AmeliaPaglabas ko ng office, halos midnight na. Tahimik na ang city—yung klase ng katahimikan na mapapaisip ka kung ilan pa bang tao ang gising… either chasing their dreams, o tumatakbo mula rito.Ako? Nasa gitna siguro.Nag-vibrate ang phone ko pagpasok ko sa elevator. Si Maya — best friend ko since college. Hindi talaga siya natutulog nang maaga, lalo na kapag alam niyang OT na naman ako.> Maya: “Tell me you’re out of that office, woman.”Me: “Just left.”Maya: “Good. I’m heating leftovers. You’re coming over.”Napangiti ako kahit pagod. Ang version kasi ni Maya ng “leftovers” ay parang handa ng fiesta—at may kasamang emotional support sa bawat subo.Pagdating ko sa apartment niya, naghihintay na siya sa pinto—barefoot, messy bun, oversized shirt na may print na “Overworked but Still Fabulous.”“You look like a zombie.” sabi niya, sabay yakap.“I feel like one.” sagot ko, sabay bagsak ng ba

Amelia’s POVMay kakaibang tahimik sa opisina kapag alam mong may nag-aabang na problema.’Yung tipong bigat ng hangin parang hatol—at bawat bulungan, parang kutsilyo.Ganun ang naramdaman ko pagpasok ko sa Archer & Vale kinabukasan.Lahat ng tao biglang naging abala. May ilang napatingin sa akin tapos mabilis na umiwas, kunwari busy sa mga screen nila. ’Yung mga nasa coffee machine? Biglang tumigil sa usapan.Hindi ko na kailangang magtanong kung bakit. Alam ko na.Pag-upo ko sa desk ko, andun na agad ’yung email galing kay Mr. Vale:Subject: Immediate Discussion Required.Bad sign.Huminga ako nang malalim at dumiretso sa opisina niya. Hindi man lang ako inalok umupo — unang red flag.“Amelia,” simula niya, malamig. “May ideya ka ba kung anong klaseng gulo ang pinasok mo ’tong firm?”Kunot-noo ako. “Sir, hindi ko po—”Bam. Binagsak niya sa mesa ’yung folder — mga notes ko, ’yung revisions ko after ng meeting with Blackwood.“You overstepped. Again.”“Sir, sinunod ko lang po ’yung co