⚠️Viewer Discretion Advised:⚠️
This episode contains mature themes, strong language, high-intensity violence, and morally complex characters. It explores power, betrayal, and criminal dynamics under extreme pressure. Viewer guidance is recommended for younger or sensitive audiences.

MANILA DISTRICT

At the Highway

The SUV sliced through the Manila night like a predator on the hunt. Inside, the tension sat heavy between them, thick as the humidity pressing against the city streets. Vanessa could feel the weight of Vincent’s gaze on her, but she didn’t look away from the passing lights outside.

Instead, she exhaled slowly, keeping her voice steady. “You are not going to give me back, are you?”

Vincent leaned back against the leather seat, one arm resting lazily on the door. He was composed…too composed. “Why should I?”

She turned to face him fully now, tilting her head slightly. “At the risk of putting you and your men in danger?”

Vincent smirked, but there was no amusement in it. He studied her for a beat longer before finally speaking.

“Don’t take my words lightly, Prinsesa. If you are with me, you have my protection.”

Vanessa arched a brow. “Where are we going?”

“Somewhere safe.”

Ezequiel, seated in the front, let out the slightest exhale. “So far, so good, Sir.” He reported. “We have confirmation that those thugs work for Alvaro Montemayor.”

The name sent a chill through her, but she masked her reaction.

Alvaro Montemayor wasn’t just another crime lord. He was the crime lord. One of the few men powerful enough to challenge Vincent in both influence and brutality. Ruthless, unpredictable, and known for eliminating anyone who stood in his way, quietly or with a spectacle, depending on his mood.

And now, it seemed, she had caught his attention.

Shit.

She kept her voice even. “My father never did business with Alvaro Montemayor. I don’t understand why he got involved.”

Vincent’s dark eyes gleamed, sharp with calculation. “Because he sees an opportunity. One most likely presented by your father.”

He let that hang in the air between them, waiting for her to put the pieces together.

And she did.

The attack hadn’t just been about Vincent. It had been about her.

Whether Montemayor is working with her father, or not, the man clearly wanted leverage.

Vanessa cursed under her breath.

Vincent chuckled, low and dark. “You see it now, don’t you?”

She turned back to him, eyes cold. “You should have let me walk out of that penthouse.”

Vincent grinned, slow and dangerous. “And miss out on all the fun?”

Before she could snap back, Ezequiel’s voice cut through the moment.

“We have a tail.”

Vanessa’s pulse spiked.

Vincent didn’t even blink. “How many?”

“Two vehicles. Motorcycle following at a distance. Black sedan closing in.”

Vanessa didn’t hesitate. She reached for the Glock still strapped to her thigh, checking the magazine in a swift motion.

Vincent noticed and gave a slow, approving nod. “You really are full of surprises, Prinsesa.”

“Save the compliments.” She checked the side mirror, her mind already assessing the situation. “How do you want to play this?”

Vincent’s smile was all teeth.

“Oh, we play to win.”

At that moment, the black sedan made its move speeding forward, its headlights cutting through the night.

Ezequiel barked orders into his comms. The SUV lurched as their driver responded, accelerating sharply to break pursuit. Tires screeched, and Vanessa braced herself, heart hammering in her chest.

Then came the unmistakable sound of gunfire.

Bullets shattered the rear windshield.

Vincent barely flinched as he pulled his own gun free.

He met Vanessa’s gaze.

“Try not to die, Princesa.”

She smirked. “No promises.”

And then---chaos.

The SUV jerked violently as bullets tore through the rear windshield, shards of glass flying through the cabin. The acrid scent of gunpowder filled the air. Vanessa barely had time to react before Ezequiel shouted, “Hold on!”

The driver spun the wheel hard. The vehicle skidded, narrowly avoiding an oncoming truck before launching down a side street. Manila’s night blurred past, neon lights flashing like gunfire against the wet pavement.

Vanessa twisted in her seat, locking eyes with Vincent. “If you’ve got a plan, now would be a good time.”

Vincent smirked, unbothered. “You’re holding a gun, aren’t you?”

She rolled her eyes but didn’t argue.

The black sedan was still on them, relentless. The motorcycle rider surged forward, weaving through traffic with ruthless precision.

Vanessa didn’t wait.

She threw open the SUV door, bracing herself against the frame, and took aim.

One deep breath.

She squeezed the trigger.

Bang.

The motorcycle wobbled. She had clipped the rider’s shoulder.

He snarled, but instead of slowing, he kicked forward, trying to get alongside the SUV.

Vanessa scowled. Persistent.

Vincent chuckled from inside. “Not bad, Prinsesa, but if you’re going to shoot someone, aim to kill.”

“Thanks for the lesson,” she muttered.

Before she could take another shot, the black sedan rammed them from behind, jolting her forward.

“Shit---”

Vincent caught her wrist before she tumbled out completely, yanking her back into the cabin.

“For someone so smart,” he said, far too amused, “you have a terrible sense of self-preservation.”

Vanessa shoved his hand off. “And you have a terrible habit of talking too much.”

Vincent laughed, but it was cut short as another round of bullets slammed into the SUV’s side panels.

Ezequiel’s voice was calm despite the chaos. “We’re boxed in.”

Vanessa’s grip on the Glock tightened. She checked the side mirror.

The sedan had sped up, trying to cut them off at the intersection ahead.

They weren’t just being chased.

They were being cornered.

She turned to Vincent. “If you say ‘this is getting interesting,’ I will shoot you myself.”

Vincent grinned. “No need.”

And then, before Vanessa could process what was happening, he rolled down his window, leaned out, and fired three quick shots.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

The sedan’s front tire exploded, sending the car spinning out of control. It slammed into a parked jeepney, crushing metal and glass on impact.

Vanessa blinked.

Vincent pulled himself back inside, completely unfazed, reloading his gun with an easy flick of his wrist.

He looked at her, smirking.

“That,” he said smoothly, “is how you aim to kill.”

Vanessa stared at him for half a second, then turned and shot the motorcycle rider square in the chest.

The man jerked back, losing control. His bike spun out, skidding across the pavement before colliding with a lamppost in a burst of sparks.

Vincent’s smirk froze.

For the first time since she’d met him, he actually looked impressed.

She clicked the safety back on and settled into her seat. “Lesson learned.”

Ezequiel let out a rare, low chuckle. “I think she just outdid you, boss.”

Vincent tilted his head, studying Vanessa like she was a puzzle he hadn’t quite figured out yet.

Finally, he exhaled.

“Damn.”

Vanessa allowed herself a small smirk. “You’re not the only one who plays to win, Ginoo.”

Vincent laughed, dark and rich.

“Oh, Prinsesa,” he murmured, shaking his head. “I think I just found my favorite player.”

The SUV sped through Manila’s tangled streets, weaving between cars and motorcycles that barely had time to react. Ezequiel barked orders into his comms, coordinating their escape with the other security vehicles shadowing them from a distance.

Vanessa kept her Glock in her lap, heart still racing from the adrenaline. She stole a glance at Vincent, who looked far too relaxed for a man who had just been in a shootout.

His smirk hadn’t faded since she took down the motorcycle rider.

“You’re enjoying this too much,” she muttered.

Vincent chuckled, stretching like a man who had just woken from a nap rather than one who had dodged death. “Well, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were enjoying it too.”

Vanessa scoffed. “I’d enjoy it more if I wasn’t being shot at.”

“Then you should stop making yourself such an appealing target.”

She turned sharply to him, glaring. “You think this is funny?”

Vincent leaned in just enough that she could see the sharp gleam in his dark eyes. “No. I think it’s exhilarating.”

Before she could fire back, Ezequiel spoke up.

“We’re clear, ---for now.”

Vanessa exhaled, pressing her fingers to her temples. She hated that Vincent was right.

There was a rush to this, a dangerous thrill she hadn’t expected.

And worse?

Vincent had noticed.

She refused to give him the satisfaction of acknowledging it.

Instead, she focused on the bigger issue.

“But to be able to mobilize this fast,” she said. “And Montemayor knew exactly where to find us.”

Ezequiel nodded. His expression grim. “This was all pre-planned.”

Vincent’s smirk faded. He turned to his security chief. “Because Vanessa was not the real target for extraction. Where is my IT expert, Zeke?”

“Enroute to HQ.” Ezequiel replied.

Vanessa frowned. “The IT guy was the main target for extraction?”

The car fell into a heavy silence.

Ezequiel’s jaw tightened. “I’ll handle it.”

Vincent nodded, but his gaze flickered back to Vanessa.

She knew that look.

He was assessing her. Weighing her.

She met his eyes, refusing to look away. “You’re wondering if I’m part of it too?”

Vincent didn’t deny it.

She laughed, short and sharp. “You think I would let myself get ambushed?”

Vincent tilted his head. “If it got you back to your father along with my IT guy? Maybe.”

Her amusement vanished. “I’m not working with my father.”

“Then prove it.”

She clenched her fists. “I just saved your ass, Viaqueza.”

His smirk returned. “And I appreciate it, Prinsesa. But trust?” He tapped his temple. “That has to be earned.”

Vanessa hated that he had a point.

Hated even more that a small, reckless part of her wanted to earn it.

No.

She wasn’t here to be part of Vincent’s empire.

She was here to survive.

And maybe, just maybe, to win.

Vanessa exhaled and sat back, crossing her arms. “Fine. Then let’s start with the obvious.”

Vincent raised a brow. “Which is?”

She looked him dead in the eye.

“The reason why I was in that room with your IT expert.”

Vincent leaned back, a slow grin curling at the edges of his lips. “Go on.”

Vanessa hated that he was right. She has to offer a sign of her fealty.

She could have run. Could have disappeared the moment she walked into that hotel. Could have fought harder to get away.

But she didn’t.

Because for now, for this moment, being with Vincent Viaqueza was the smartest move she could make.

And if she wanted his protection, his trust, she needed to show fealty.

Not submission. Never submission.

But a demonstration that she was worth keeping close.

Her heart pounded as she reached into the inner pocket of her coat, fingers brushing against the small, cold device tucked inside.

Vincent and Ezequiel immediately tensed.

Vanessa pulled it out slowly, a tiny microchip, no larger than a fingernail. She held it up between her fingers, letting the SUV’s dim interior light catch the metallic glint.

“This,” she said, her voice low, steady, “is why I was in that hotel room tonight.”

Vincent’s eyes flickered to the chip, then back to her. “And what exactly am I looking at, Prinsesa?”

Vanessa leaned forward, closing the space between them, letting the gravity of her next words settle heavily between them.

“This is everything your IT expert was working on,” she murmured. “Everything my father was trying to steal from you.”

Silence.

Vincent stilled. His gaze darkened, calculating. “Go on.”

Vanessa let out a slow breath. “Don Jayme has been making moves, Vincent. Quiet ones. He’s building an information empire, trying to monopolize the most powerful trade in this country...data.”

She tossed the microchip onto his lap.

“And I’m not about to let him succeed.”

Vincent picked it up, rolling it between his fingers, his expression unnervingly unreadable. “And why would you go against your father?”

Vanessa smirked.

“Because someone has to.”

She crossed her arms. “I know what my father is capable of. I know what he’s done to stay in power.”

She held Vincent’s gaze.

“He must be stopped.”

Vincent stared at her, still turning the chip between his fingers.

Then, slowly, a smirk curved across his lips. But this time, it wasn’t amusement.

It was something else.

Something approving.

Something dangerous.

He tossed the chip once in the air before catching it again. “You stole this from your father’s people?”

Vanessa didn’t blink. “No. I worked with your people to get it first.”

Vincent laughed, low and rich, shaking his head. “Damn,” he muttered, almost to himself. “I keep thinking you can’t surprise me anymore, and yet…”

He leaned forward, mirroring her stance, the space between them razor-thin.

“You betrayed your father,” he said softly, almost admiringly. “For me.”

Vanessa’s pulse spiked, but she refused to let him see it.

“This isn’t for you,” she corrected. “This is for me.”

Vincent studied her, gaze unreadable.

Then, just as smoothly, he sat back, tossing the chip to Ezequiel. “Have this decrypted. I want a full report in an hour.”

Ezequiel caught it effortlessly, nodding. “On it.”

As his security chief turned his attention to the microchip, Vincent’s focus remained on Vanessa.

There was a new look in his eyes now. Something deeper than intrigue, something heavier than amusement.

It wasn’t just respect.

It was recognition.

Vanessa Zaragoza wasn’t just a pawn in the war between powerful men.

She was a player.

And Vincent Viaqueza?

He was very, very interested in seeing how far she was willing to go.

“Tell me something, Prinsesa,” he murmured, resting his arm on the back of the seat.

Vanessa narrowed her eyes. “What?”

Vincent’s smirk returned, slow and knowing.

“If this is how you prove your loyalty…” He tilted his head, voice dropping to something dark, silken, and thrillingly wicked.

“I can’t wait to see how you prove your ambition.”

*******