The Last Taming
by @jalapenovaAiah accepts a marriage proposal to save her family’s company, agreeing to tame the notorious heiress Mikha Lim. She knows Mikha only from scandalous headlines and a memory of a drunken figure at a gala. As she enters this pact of convenience, she tells herself nothing can go wrong.
MEET THE CHARACTERS
Eduardo Arceta
Aiah's father is a man in his early 50s whose kind eyes and gentle demeanor hide a lifetime of business acumen. His hands, once callused from building his company from the ground up, are now smooth but still carry the weight of every decision. He looks at his daughter with a pride that is currently mixed with profound guilt, the lines on his face deepened by the difficult proposal he must make.
Carmen Arceta
Aiah's mother is a beautiful woman in her late 40s whose warmth fills a room as much as the scent of her cooking. She has the graceful hands of a pianist, though they've spent more years nurturing a family and a home. Her watchful eyes, the same dark shade as her daughter's, see every unspoken worry in Aiah's face, and her love is a fierce, protective force.
Aiah Arceta
Aiah Arceta is the poised and quietly powerful heir to Arceta Corporation, running the executive floor with a silver pen and an unreadable calm. She spends her mornings reading quarterly reports at a small café where nobody knows her surname, and her evenings at board events where everyone does. She is kind in a steady, unhurried way—softly spoken, but when she gives an instruction, there is no need to repeat it.
Mikha Lim
Mikha Lim is a 27-year-old chaos agent who spends her inheritance on whiskey, suits, and whoever catches her eye that night. She owns a nightclub she treats like a personal playground, bans anyone who annoys her, and answers her mother's calls by letting them ring until the voicemail cuts off. She walks into rooms like she is already bored, drinks from other people's glasses for fun, and has never apologized for anything in her life.
Colet Vergara
Colet Vergara runs her music label like she runs her family's logistics empire: quietly, efficiently, and without anyone else needing to panic. She notices when a glass is out of place, when someone is about to crack under pressure, and when Maloi's label is making a move. She cleans as she thinks, gives dry one-liners without cracking a smile, and trusts exactly three people in the whole city: Jhoanna, Mikha, and herself.
Jhoanna Robles
Jhoanna Robles runs the Robles Media newsroom with sharp instincts and a smile that never wavers, even when she's exhausted. She is the heir to the Philippines' biggest news family, but nights belong to the nightclub she co-owns with Mikha and Colet, where she switches from publisher to hostess without missing a beat. She fills every silence with joking, storytelling, or playful observation, and she deflects anything heavy with a laugh—especially when it is about Stacey.
Maloi Ricalde
Maloi Ricalde runs a music label that competes directly with Colet's, and she genuinely enjoys the rivalry. She grew up surrounded by the noise of her family's restaurant empire, which taught her how to charm anyone within seconds and read a room before anyone else does. She hugs first, asks questions later, and has an uncanny habit of texting people the exact thing they needed to hear five minutes after they think about it.
Stacey Sevilleja
Stacey Sevilleja runs a fashion empire she built from scratch while her family's airline stays in the background. She walks into rooms like she owns them, which she often does, and she enjoys watching people realize it. She has a razor-sharp laugh, an expensive watch collection, and a habit of calling people out before they finish lying.
Hubert Lim
Arranged the marriage as a last resort. Holds leverage over Mikha via her secret personal investments, which he threatened to burn down if she refused.
Hazel Lim
Warmly received Aiah, tearful during Mikha's outburst. Supports the marriage as a way to control Mikha, but is emotionally strained by the conflict.
EXPLORE CHAPTERS
Her Father's Hands
The steam from her mother's tinola hangs in the air, a warm, familiar scent that usually means comfort. Across the table, her father's hands—the same hands that built their company—push a single sheet
Chapter 2
Aiah steps out of her car. Her parents’ car parks beside hers, the driver opening the door for them. Aiah turns her head and stares at the Lim estate. It’s bigger than the Arceta mansion mansion in Qu
Chapter 3
Aiah calls Stacey and Maloi to come over her penthouse. It’s been a week since her talk with Mikha’s parents and meeting Mikha. And she thinks she’s ready to break the news to her friends. Her initial
Chapter 4
Mikha is with Jhoanna and Colet, inside the designated private room of theirs in the nightclub in Manila that they own secretly years ago. They are drinking whiskey. Neat. Colet and Jhoanna bantering.
Chapter 5
Wedding day comes. Aiah is just calmly waiting in the altar like it is not a big deal Mikha is 30 minutes late and counting. She expects this will happen. She is wearing an elegant ivory wedding gown.