Don Eduardo was one of the wealthiest businessmen in the Philippines—but he was also the loneliest.
Fifteen years ago, his only daughter, Angelica, disappeared while they were having a picnic in a park. She was only five years old.
Overwhelmed by grief, Eduardo’s first wife died soon after. Eduardo was left alone until he met Stella, his secretary, whom he later married. Stella had a son from another man—Javier—whom Eduardo adopted and groomed to inherit the company.
For fifteen years, Eduardo never stopped searching.
“Eduardo, stop this already,” Stella would always say.
“Your daughter is dead. Accept it. You have Javier now. Love him instead.”
But deep inside, Eduardo always felt that his daughter was still alive.
Then came Don Eduardo’s 60th birthday. A grand celebration was held at the mansion. Stella hired new waiters and household staff from an agency to help with the party.
One of them was Maya.
Maya was twenty years old, raised in an orphanage, and worked as a server to save money for college. She was kind and hardworking, but often mistreated because of a scar on her arm—something she said came from an accident when she was a child.
On the day of the party, everyone was busy.
“Hey! You, girl!” Stella shouted at Maya.
“Hurry up! You’re so slow! Make sure Don Eduardo’s glass is always full. If you make one mistake, you’re fired!”
“Yes, ma’am,” Maya replied softly, bowing her head.
The party began. Don Eduardo sat at the head of the table, looking sad as he watched Javier boast to the guests.
Maya approached to refill Eduardo’s glass.
As she poured the water, Eduardo noticed her hand—and suddenly felt something strange. A rush of blood.
“Miss,” Eduardo asked gently, “are you new here?”
Maya was startled. “Yes, sir. Today is my first day.”
“What’s your name?”
“Maya, sir.”
Eduardo stared at her. Maya’s eyes—slightly narrow, hazel brown—were exactly like those of his late wife.
“Eduardo!” Stella suddenly interrupted, stepping between them.
“Don’t talk to the servants. They’re low-class. Javier, come here! Give a speech for your father.”
Maya stepped back and returned to work, but Eduardo couldn’t take his eyes off her.
It was time for the toast. Javier stood up, already drunk.
“To my dad!” Javier shouted, raising his wine glass.
“Please hand the company over to me tomorrow! Hahaha!”
The guests laughed along.
Maya passed behind Javier carrying a tray of food. Drunk, Javier suddenly turned and shoved her.
Splash!
Spaghetti sauce spilled all over Javier’s expensive white tuxedo.
“Damn it!” Javier shouted. “Are you stupid?!”
He slapped Maya hard across the face.
Smack!
Maya fell to the floor. Food scattered everywhere.
“Javier!” Eduardo shouted, standing up in rage.
“Dad! Look what this idiot did! She ruined my suit!”
Stella rushed over and pointed at Maya.
“You trash! Who do you think you are, dirtying my son?! Guards! Drag her out! Have her arrested!”
Maya cried as she tried to clean the mess. In her panic, something slipped out from under her uniform and fell to the floor.
A silver locket shaped like half a heart.
Eduardo froze when he saw the silver glint on the floor.
It felt as if time stopped.
He knew that necklace.
He had commissioned it himself fifteen years ago. One half was with him—and the other half had been worn by Angelica on the day she disappeared.
“Don’t touch that girl!” Eduardo shouted. His voice shook the entire ballroom.
He rushed to Maya and picked up the necklace.
His hands trembled as he pulled his own necklace from around his neck. He placed the two pendants side by side.
A perfect match.
Together, they formed a complete heart engraved with the words:
“Papa’s Angel.”
“A-Angelica?” Eduardo whispered, tears streaming down his face as he looked at Maya.
Maya clutched her neck.
“H-how did you get that?” she cried.
“My mother gave that to me before I disappeared in the park.”
“I’m your father…” Eduardo sobbed, pulling her into a tight embrace.
“My God! You’re alive! My child!”
The entire party was stunned.
The maid who had been slapped and humiliated… was the lost heir of the billionaire.
But the revelations didn’t end there.
As Eduardo hugged his daughter, he noticed Stella’s reaction. She had gone pale. She was shaking—and quietly pulling Javier toward the exit.
“Where are you going, Stella?” Eduardo asked coldly.
“I-I don’t feel well, Eduardo. I’m going upstairs,” she stammered.
“Maya,” Eduardo asked his daughter, staring sharply at Stella,
“how did you disappear back then? What do you remember?”
Maya looked at Stella. Her eyes widened as buried memories rushed back.
“It was her…” Maya said, pointing at Stella.
“What?!” Stella screamed.
“She’s crazy! Don’t believe her!”
“I remember now,” Maya cried.
“The day we were having a picnic… that woman came to me. She said Papa had a surprise for me in the forest. I went with her. Then… she put me in a van. She handed me to a man and said:
‘Take her far away. Kill her if you must. Just make sure Javier is the only heir.’”
Chaos erupted in the ballroom.
“She’s lying!” Javier shouted, lunging toward Maya.
But Eduardo punched Javier, knocking him to the ground.
“Guards!” Eduardo roared.
“Arrest that woman and her son! No one leaves!”
Police—part of the VIP security detail—rushed in and arrested Stella.
“Eduardo! Let me explain!” Stella sobbed as she was handcuffed.
“I did it because I loved you! I wanted us to have a peaceful family!”
“You never loved me,” Eduardo replied, holding his real daughter.
“You loved my money. And because of your greed, you stole fifteen years of my life with my child. You will rot in prison.”
That night, Eduardo’s search finally ended.
Maya’s dirty uniform was replaced with the finest gown.
She was no longer Maya the maid.
She was Angelica, the princess of the mansion once again.
Though they had lost time, they filled the years that followed with love.
And Stella and Javier?
They regretted everything behind bars—watching on television as Eduardo passed his entire empire to the daughter they thought they had erased forever.