THE BILLIONAIRE'S OBSESSION (OBSESS BILLIONAIRE BOOK 1)

aught a whiff of something burning. Thick black s

g twice, she bolted down the stairs and ran tow

g! Papa! Oh

a thick cloud of smoke greeted

r standing helplessly in front of the stov

here! It's too smoky!"

smoke filling the air was a dead giveaway th

e door. Quickly, she pointed the hose at the stove, pulled the pin, and squeezed the lever

sigh of relief, slum

father muttered with

him a dea

nd had a stocky build. His eyes were narrow, his head completely bald and shiny-something Jessa had gotten used to growing up. She had never seen him w

nearly burned the whole

ched in sweat. Jessa shook her head at the sight of him-h

before stepping toward the stove. She grimaced at the sight of six charred, unrecognizabl

turned to him, expec

gh it sounded more like

tuyo, Papa? And where is Manang? Manang!" she called out for their long-

eclared that they needed to budget wisely-so he let three of them go,

r resign too," her father

ed her head

HA

d at her s

He lowered his head like a child being scolded, playing with his hands. Jessa let out a lo

tened as she looked him straight in the

s her mother had built

cross Metro Manila, hectares of rice fields in Quezon, a

ses started collapsing-one by one. The only thin

f it... even that wa

hed. "Not yet,

ed a sigh of relief

will fai

tration. Where will we end up if we lose the hardwa

ix it, sweetheart.

red as she saw the

eavily. Without another word, sh

d him. She kissed his forehead and wrinkled

eepishly, nod

, she walked out

eetheart!" he c

nd in response, alr

she didn't do something soon..

ust to catch a jeepney to the university. But that was before. Things were different now. They could no lon

e store. Even their so-called friends had disappeared,

e around them. She was just grateful that her mother had secured an educat

, especially when she saw her father struggling. But her pride wouldn't allow it. She r

waiting at the roadside, where jeepneys reg

ng, but the crowd waiting for

g and squeezing her way onto a pa

o have enough time to change clothes in the school restroom, e

o a clean outfit. Once done, she headed straight to th

llway, she spotted Ycos-a

crush since f

th a smile, revealing his per

My.

return, and as he walked past

y made. Just seein

o were arrogant and full of themselves, Ycos was kind and quiet. He was a scholar and quite p

ce, she would secretly tr

on, and black coffee, but her budget wouldn't allow it. With a sigh

till a week away. She no longer asked her father for a

ay and turned around-only to

spilled all over their clothes. The glass bottl

ally rummaging through her bag for a handkerchief. She quickly tried

she lo

eath h

.. why did it

Dale