Chapter One

I was sobbing, letting out my frustrations. "Me? Why always me? Why? Do you think I'm not struggling? Just because I'm pretty doesn't mean I don't have hardships too!" I was on the verge of tears, my voice laced with anger and frustration.

"Why is it that Kuya gets to live the good life? He's in university, dating, living his best life! Don't you know? I see his posts on facebook! He goes everywhere, living like he's a rich kid. While his parents practically have to beg just to send him money! Life's a breeze for him!" I was almost out of breath, and I broke down crying.

My mother, bothered by my raised voice, smacked my arm. "You! Your brother is a man! He's the one who will support his whole family! He needs to study in a good university to provide a better life for his future family!" She looked at me with an intense, almost overprotective gaze.

"Ouch, ouch, Mom! That hurt! Huhu! So what about me? Are you just going to let my future kids live in poverty too? Huh?" I felt like I was falling into a pit of sadness and anger.

"You don't get it! We've told you time and again, women stay home and are supported by their husbands! You won't have to worry about that!" my mother replied, brushing off everything I was trying to say.

"Come on, mom! Food and tech are getting more expensive! It's a new generation! One-sided income isn't sustainable anymore! Both partners need to earn!" I practically shouted, my voice bouncing off the ceiling fan.

I saw mom's reaction, a bit flustered by everything I was saying. "It's like this, my child… I just don't want you to burden yourself. One day, you'll meet someone wealthy and handsome… then you can live like a queen." She tried to soften my anger with a gentle tone.

"Mom! You're not taking me seriously." My tears threatened to fall even more from the frustration.

"No I'm serious, my child… I just don't want to…" she trailed off, struggling to find the right words. I felt myself calm down as I noticed the sadness in her eyes.

"…I just don't want to be lonely if I send you off to study in the city, like your brother. You might leave me here. You're my only help around the house," she added, gently brushing my hair.

I sighed deeply. It's a feeling I couldn't fully understand—almost like she had something important to say but was keeping it to herself. "So, I'm just the temporary helper here until some rich, handsome prince-charming arrives? Like a real-life Cinderella, is that it?" I teased, my tone softening a bit.

We both ended up laughing through our frustrations. Maybe behind all these arguments, there was a touch of happiness still. In the end, I decided not to let my resentment grow, because no matter what, this was still family.

Hello! I'm Sophia Amara Valdez, but my friends call me Sophie. Feel free to call me anytime, especially if there's pizza involved.

A bit about me? I'm 18 years old, the middle child in a chaotic household with five siblings. Yep, five. Imagine an army, but with less discipline and more snack stealing. My parents? They work for the Valdez family, the ones with the big house on the hill and a pool for every season? Yeah, we share the same last name, but the relative title got lost in translation… probably when they realized we couldn't afford matching socks.

My oldest brother Leo, is in some fancy university where everyone drinks overpriced coffee and pretends to enjoy reading textbooks. Me? I go to Pipitsugin High School in the province, a place so small you can hear the principal's lunch break from across campus.

Oh, and my youngest brother, Timmy is 8 years old and has more energy than a three-day-old cup of coffee. I swear, his life mission is to ensure I don't have a single moment of peace. Last week, he hid my school bag inside the washing machine. Spoiler alert! I didn't realize until the spin cycle.

So yeah, life is chaotic, but at least it's never boring. And who knows? Maybe someday, the Valdezes will claim us as their long-lost relatives… until then, we're just the Valdez family in spirit, not in their will.

Isn't my name beautiful? Of course, I'm Princess Sophia the First! And yes, I've always been an honor student! But you know what? My intelligence doesn't mean much because, let's face it, I'll probably just end up as my husband's maid! So unfair!

"Sopyang! Pyang… Pyang... Pyangiii!"

See, my name's lovely, right? But why does it sound different now? Pyangiii? Sounds like a kitchen appliance, right? Well, that's it! That's Chimay, my super nosy best friend the ultimate gossip queen!

Yep, it's Chimay Marie De Guzman, the girl who practically has her nose glued to every piece of gossip. She leaves nothing out, even the things you haven't said yet, she already knows. And if you try to keep a secret? Good luck! She's like a 24/7 CCTV in your brain.

But even though Chimay's so nosy and loves to gossip, I couldn't imagine my life without her. She's the only friend who knows exactly how to make me laugh and cry, usually at the same time. She has a talent for that! Even in the middle of a quiz bee, she'll pass me the latest scoop.

"Sooooo, Pyangiii!" she said, tapping my shoulder as we sipped coffee at Aling Lita's store. "I've got the latest news! You know your crush, kuya Hotdog—I mean, kuya Derek at the newspaper stand?"

[Kuya- Brother as older sibling or use when you call older guy as respect.]

And there she goes again. I don't even have a crush on kuya Derek anymore, but because Chimay is a gossip queen level 1000, it's like national news to her. Sometimes I wonder who hired her as the news anchor of my life.

"You know, Chim..." I said, trying to focus on my math reviewer, "If you're that good at digging up gossip, why don't you apply to the NBI? I'm sure you'd be their top investigator."

She laughed out loud. "Girl... If I weren't busy being a gossip queen, I'd probably be CEO of a gossip network!"

That's Chimay, my gossiping best friend, but at least, with all the gossip she knows, she always makes sure I'm her first target. True friendship, right?

After our endless gossip session, I went back to reviewing. Because seriously, I want to study. Even though deep down, I know it feels like a road trip to nowhere. But that's how it is. At least my grades are high, even if I don't have a future husband to serve, unlike the usual joke I make.

By evening my mom approached me for a serious talk, no jokes. So I knew it was a big deal.

"Sophia," she said, sitting next to me with a serious tone. "After you graduate senior high, Mrs. Valdez wants to take you to the city."

I thought, "Wow, the city! Like, is this Manila level?" But my mom wasn't done yet.

"They want you to be their son's tutor, he's about your age, and also… a nanny." Nanny. There it was. The word I didn't expect but knew was inevitable like rain on a trip or traffic on EDSA.

[EDSA: Place in Metro Manila]

"Wait, wait... A nanny?" I said, hoping she was joking.

"Yes, but only part-time," she added, as if part-time was supposed to soften the blow. "And you can study in the city too."

I paused, deep in thought. "Hold on. Tutor? Nanny? And college student in the city?" Three jobs for one person, like I'm a superhero! And that's me? I'm Sophie the Housemaid-slash-Tutor-slash-College Student Extraordinaire? In fairness, it sounds like a TV series title. Could work!

"Are you serious, Mom?" I asked, trying to process everything.

"Yes," she replied, smiling. "And don't think of it as being a maid, okay? You'll still be studying for free, dear. It's a big opportunity for you."

And that's when I realized. Hey, free college tuition in the city? That's a win! I stopped thinking of the "nanny" label. I said, "Mom, I don't mind being a nanny! Finally, I'll have a new boss! No more nagging to wash dishes! No more Timmy hiding my things!"

Mom laughed. I tried to stay positive. Seriously, tutor-slash-nanny? I can handle that! Princess Sophia the First can do this! At least I won't be stuck in the province with endless gossip courtesy of Chimay. Although, I admit, I'll miss her constant Pyangiii.

"City, here I come!" I said, looking out the window as if I were in a movie. I didn't think of the maid label anymore. Instead, I saw this as the next chapter in my life and wherever it may take me, I'm sure it'll come with lots of pizza and of course, Chimay and her latest scoop won't be far behind.

The way I was amazed by the tall buildings in the city of Manila, I was even more astonished when we entered a towering, luxurious-looking building. I felt like I needed to take off my shoes—coming straight from the province, there might still be mud on them, and it would be embarrassing if I dirtied the pristine tiles I was walking on. It's my first time in Manila, especially in such a fancy place, and I felt like I didn't belong here.

I was startled when the small room we had entered suddenly moved upward. Out of fear, I clung tightly to the metal railing on the side. This must be the "elevator" I've seen on TV. Why does everyone else look so relaxed, while I'm here holding on for dear life? What if there's an earthquake, or we get trapped? It's terrifying!

"Zed... this is Sophia. You still remember her, don't you? The daughter of Danny and Laura," Mrs. Ana Valdez introduced.

I glanced at him awkwardly, my head slightly bowed, stealing glances when I thought he wasn't looking.

"Of course, how could I ever forget someone like her?" He smirked, raising an eyebrow.

Is this really him now? He's changed so much I barely recognized him. I felt shy meeting Zed's eyes, so I only looked at him when he wasn't looking and quickly averted my gaze when he did.

"Alright, Zed, take care of her. Be a good boy… don't give Sophia a hard time, okay? And Sophia, feel at home. Call me anytime if you need something, alright?" Mrs. Ana said with a smile. I just nodded and smiled back. She excused herself, saying she had more things to do.

"You've changed a lot. But that's not a bad thing," he said, still with that smirk. What's his problem? What's so funny? I wanted to snap back, but I remembered it was only my first day, and I didn't want to be sent back to the province just yet. "Come with me; I'll show you to your room."

I followed him in silence, walking carefully to avoid making any noise.

"Welcome to Manila. I hope you enjoy your stay here… and I hope you've already forgotten what I did to you back when we were kids." He smiled and winked before closing the door.

I just rolled my eyes. Raki Zed—my childhood worst enemy. A spoiled brat!