The hacienda woke early.
The air shimmered with late-morning sun, cicadas buzzing in the bamboo grove, and Lydia humming softly from the kitchen while Ramon hammered at a fencepost. Paolo scampered between them, clutching a stick he had declared his "sword," chasing chickens that scattered with indignant clucks.
Bianca leaned on the veranda rail, sipping salabat tea Lydia had made. Her mind should have been at ease—the orchard was glowing with health, the soil fertile, her plans with Lara slowly taking shape. They had even begun preparing a space for livestock, laying out stones for pens and discussing which breeds to purchase first.
And yet…
Marco's visit still lingered. His smile, his offer, the sharp flicker of greed she had seen in his eyes—it all gnawed at her. She had turned him away once. She doubted he would stay away for long.
Her unease was proven right that afternoon.
---
"Señorita!" Lydia's voice called from the gate, faintly breathless. "Your cousin is here again."
Bianca stiffened, setting her cup down. Lara, seated at the dining table with ledgers spread out before her, raised her brows. "Well. That didn't take long."
Bianca exhaled, squaring her shoulders. "Let's see what he wants this time."
Marco was at the gate, dressed casually in a pale-blue shirt, sleeves rolled up as though he had come to work in the fields. He even carried a basket of mangoes, their golden skins gleaming.
"Cousin Bianca!" he greeted warmly, voice smooth as silk. "I brought something sweet from Manila. Thought I'd share with family."
She forced a polite smile. "Thank you, Marco. Come in."
---
They sat in the shaded veranda again, Ramon passing by occasionally with a hammer in hand, giving Marco curt nods but no words. Lydia placed a tray of kakanin on the table, her expression carefully neutral, while Paolo peeked from behind her skirt, staring at the visitor with wide, suspicious eyes.
Marco laughed softly, holding the basket out. "Mangoes from a supplier friend of mine. Sweetest you'll ever taste. Thought it might add variety to your orchard."
Bianca accepted it with a nod. "Kind of you."
He leaned back in his chair, eyes sweeping the fields. "You know, it really is remarkable, how alive this place looks now. The orchard is thriving, the soil looks rich. You must have been working hard."
Bianca's tone was steady. "The land is generous. I'm simply caring for it."
"Hmm." Marco's smile didn't reach his eyes. "It's almost as if the hacienda wanted you, cousin. Strange, don't you think? How others couldn't manage it, but suddenly, when you arrive, everything flourishes."
Lara, sitting nearby with her ledger, slammed it shut with deliberate noise. "Some people are simply suited for responsibility, Marco."
His smile flickered before recovering. "Of course, of course. I didn't mean otherwise."
---
End of Chapter 19