Ella, twenty-two years old, grew up in poverty.

Her mother, had a lung disease.

Her brother, could not go to school because he had no money.

And she — a simple young woman with a dream of getting ahead, even if it meant losing her own freedom.

One night, news reached them.

There was a rich old man, Don Armando, who was looking for a wife.

Fat, almost the size of a refrigerator, almost twice her age.

But people said, kind and very rich.

“Daughter,” her mother said, catching her breath, “maybe this is your chance. So that we don’t have to suffer anymore.”

And out of desperation, Ella agreed.

THE WEDDING WITHOUT LAUGHTER

The wedding took place in a large mansion in Tagaytay.

While she was wearing an expensive gown, she felt a weight in her chest.
Not because of joy — but because of fear.

At the altar, stood the man she was going to marry — Don Armando.

Fat, sweaty, and with a low voice.

He smiled at her, but she couldn’t bring herself to smile back.

“From now on,” Don Armando said, “I’ll take care of you. Don’t worry about money anymore.”

Ella just nodded, but inside her, something was screaming:

“I did this so Mom could live. For my brother.”

And that night, instead of a kiss of love, she cried along with the rain outside.

LIFE INSIDE THE PALACE

A few days later, she gradually got to know her “husband.”

Don Armando was quiet, always watching, and seemed to measure his every move.

He was kind, but there were moments when his eyes seemed… different.

One night, while they were having dinner, she noticed the way Don Armando held the glass.

It didn’t look like an old man’s hand.

Clean, smooth, and strong.

“Don Armando,” she asked, “how old are you again?”
He just smiled.
“Enough to understand what a person’s true worth is.”

She was surprised, but didn’t say anything.
Until one day, the steward told her:

“Ma’am, don’t be surprised if there are things that are strange about our boss.

Everything he does, there is a reason.”

THE SECRET FACE

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