It’s Not Personal. It’s Official Business.

CHAPTER ONE *THE MEET UP  

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This story is 400% true to life.

Back then, I was a hopeless romantic. My friends kept pushing me to install a dating app because I was the only one in our group who was still stuck nursing a broken heart after a six-year relationship that ended in cheating.

Eventually, I gave in and installed the app.

To be honest, I didn’t like it much. It felt dull and shallow. People swiping left and right like they were browsing a menu. So after trying it for a bit, I basically abandoned it. I left the app on my phone but stopped using it completely.

Almost three months passed without me opening it.

Then one day, while I was in the middle of a workout, my phone made a notification sound I didn’t recognize. Curious, I glanced at it.

Someone had swiped right on me.

Normally, I wouldn’t bother checking. Most of the people who matched with me before were just looking for quick hookups, and that wasn’t my thing.

But this one felt… different.

Let me explain something about me.

I’ve always had this strange preference for girls with boy names. So think of all the boy names out there that somehow work for a girl—and that’s exactly what caught my attention first.

Her name.

That alone made me check her profile.

Her picture looked decent. Simple. A bit formal even. Not flashy, not trying too hard. Something about it felt grounded.

So I thought, why not?
I had nothing to lose.

I sent a message.

Ten minutes passed.

No reply.

Then suddenly, another notification popped up.

She replied.

She apologized right away and said she was currently working.

And just like that… the conversation started.

As we talked, I found out she was a U.S. paralegal. Not just any paralegal either. She was self-made. Persistent. The kind of person who built things from scratch and didn’t give up easily.

That was something I admired immediately.

But the more we talked, the more curious I became. I wanted to know more about her—but more than anything, I wanted to hear her voice.

I have this weakness for women with voices that are soft but confident. The kind of voice you hear from great voice actresses. Calm, warm, but with a quiet authority.

And honestly, I wondered…

Could someone who already looks that good possibly have a voice like that too?

If she did, that would be the complete package.

So I asked if she had another app that people usually use for meetups. She said she didn’t have that one, but she had something similar.

So we transferred there and continued talking.

Then she surprised me.

She said she wasn’t really into texting.

She preferred calls… or even video calls.

That instantly made me excited.

Because that meant I would finally hear her voice.

I tried to act calm about it.

Then suddenly—
my phone started ringing.

She was calling.

I held my breath as I answered.

And the moment I heard her voice for the first time, I remember thinking:

How did I get this lucky?

It was exactly what I imagined—soft, clear, and confident.

Meanwhile, I started stuttering a little. I tend to do that when I’m nervous, and honestly I still couldn’t believe someone like her existed on that app.

So I tried to steady myself and started asking questions to get to know her better.

Eventually, we talked about our past relationships. From what she shared, it seemed like both of us had dodged bullets in the past.

But her story had layers—things she hinted at but didn’t fully explain yet.

Oddly enough, that made me more interested in knowing her.

She opened up about how she didn’t want to be taken advantage of anymore. She made something very clear too: if I ever asked her out on a date, she would prefer somewhere public, not a closed-door place.

I appreciated that honesty.

So I decided to be honest too.

I told her I had just gotten out of the hospital after being admitted for three days. Money was tight at the moment. And even if I did ask her out, I didn’t want to take her somewhere cheap just because that’s all I could afford.

Not because she was picky—but because, based on everything she had been through, she deserved better.

Somewhere in that conversation I realized something.

She was really smart. Almost intimidatingly smart.

But she was also composed, practical, and thoughtful in the way she made decisions.

She was… one hell of a woman.

Before we knew it, we had been talking for hours and had completely lost track of time.

And after that call, I had this quiet feeling inside me:

I need to do something about this. This could be something real.

She told me she worked late nights because she was a virtual paralegal, and talking to me helped keep her awake during her shift.

So we kept talking.

One topic after another.

Then suddenly she mentioned something unexpected.

A well-known attorney had asked her to run an errand in Batangas. In return, it would be an all-expenses-paid trip, and she could even stay overnight at the attorney’s townhouse.

But she wasn’t comfortable traveling alone.

So she asked me something surprising.

Would I come with her?

She said I wouldn’t have to worry about anything. She just needed someone to accompany her because she wasn’t very good at remembering directions.

I had once mentioned that my family used to own a taxi, so I was good at remembering routes and places. Apparently, that stuck with her.

Still, I hesitated.

Even though I’m a lesbian, I didn’t want to travel without having at least a little money of my own, just in case things went wrong.

I told her I wasn’t the type of person who makes moves on someone in random places either. If I ever asked her out properly, I would prepare for it.

The invitation happened early in the morning.

By that time, we had already been talking for almost 30 hours straight.

She told me she had already asked the lawyer if she could bring someone along. She was just waiting for confirmation.

While we waited, we kept talking for a few more hours.

Then she suddenly said she needed to hang up because the attorney was calling her.

So I waited.

At some point, I accidentally took a power nap.

My mom woke me up and said someone had been calling my phone for five minutes straight.

When I checked my messages, there it was.

The attorney agreed.

But they needed to go immediately.

She asked me again if I would come.

Then she clarified something in a very formal tone.

“This isn’t a date,” she said.
“It’s not personal. It’s official business.”

That was enough to change my mind.

I quickly got ready.

She asked me to help find an affordable car rental with a driver because she had just finished her shift and still needed time to prepare.

While she got ready, I arranged the rental.

Once everything was set, she finally sent me her location and asked me to take a motorcycle taxi so I could get there quickly.

We had never met in person before.

So during the ride, my mind was going wild.

What if she doesn’t like me?
What if she changes her mind?

Thoughts like that kept racing in my head.

Before I realized it, I had already arrived at her location.

She asked me to wait while she arranged something with her brother, who would take care of her five puppies while she was away.

So I waited outside for about 15 to 30 minutes.

It was raining hard.

Then I saw someone walking from the left side of the building.

And I immediately recognized her.

It was her.

And she was even more beautiful in person.

Her smile.
Her hair.
Her eyes.

For a second I felt like I had seen that face somewhere before.

Then it hit me.

She looked like the actress I used to have a crush on.

I was stunned.

I couldn’t even say anything.

All I could do was smile and nod like an idiot.

She looked almost heaven-sent.

After a few minutes, the rental car arrived.

During the ride, I noticed something about her. She had the energy of someone who lived a corporate life—someone always moving, always working.

She spent most of the ride on her phone.

Eventually we arrived in Batangas, inside a subdivision.

There was a large open conference area where people seemed to be holding an HOA meeting.

And then something happened that I never expected.

The attorney asked her to speak in front of everyone.

Hundreds of people were there.

She stood up and delivered the attorney’s message, claiming what was rightfully theirs.

People were glaring at her. Some looked furious.

But she didn’t back down.

She stood there, calm but fierce, and said everything that needed to be said.

Some people even left the meeting early because of what she revealed.

Meanwhile, me, Kuya Vanz—the driver—and his wife were sitting there completely stunned.

Just minutes ago, this same girl had been laughing and joking in the back seat.

Now she looked like a lioness standing her ground against an entire community.

So many things happened that night as she faced the HOA committee almost completely alone.

And all I could think was:

Why did I only meet her now?

Eventually the night settled down and things ended peacefully.

Before getting back into the car, she reached into her bag and took some medicine.

I remembered she once mentioned she takes medication for her mental health.

Looking at her then, I realized something.

Even the strongest people still carry battles inside them.

She had stood there like a warrior—but afterward she looked anxious, a little shaken. Maybe wondering what would have happened if things had gone wrong.

During the ride home, the medicine made her groggy.

She fell asleep.

As I watched her resting peacefully beside me, I couldn’t help but smile.

It must be exhausting… carrying that much strength all the time.

Then suddenly, while half asleep, she reached for my arm and gently pulled it closer so she could cuddle against my shoulder.

That moment sent a quiet spark through me.

And I remember thinking to myself:

I want to know this woman better.