“Lucian, slow down! You’re going to scrap the undercarriage of the car. These roads weren’t designed for a chassis this low.”

Celeste couldn’t help but laugh as she watched her husband’s intense, focused expression behind the wheel of his luxury SUV. They had left the children at the mansion under Maria’s watchful eye for a much-needed “couples only” weekend. But instead of jetting off to a five-star resort in Amanpulo or a secluded private island, their tires were currently crunching over the dusty, sun-baked roads of rural Bulacan.

“I am being careful, Celeste,” Lucian insisted, his eyes darting between every pothole and stray rock. “But I have to admit, the...