I suddenly faced Sir Zach, who was now looking at me, but I couldn’t see any emotion on his face. My heart was gripped with anxiety when he glanced at Aaron, who was also looking at him now.I quickly grabbed Aaron by the arm and pulled him behind me before he could notice how much they looked alike.“S-Sir Zach, I didn’t realize you were there,” I stammered nervously. “W-We won’t be staying long, I still have some things to take care of at home and—”“But your son still wants to play with his friends,” he cut me off. I fell silent and looked at Aaron, who was now frowning as he stared at Sir Zach.Dear God! He’s starting to notice something, and I’m sure later he’ll have a lot to say or ask me."Mommy, who is he?" Aaron asked curiously as he walked over to my side and held onto my arm. But his eyes remained fixed on Sir Zach."Umm... sweetheart, he’s my boss—""Your grumpy boss, Mommy?" he cut me off, turning his gaze away from Sir Zach.They really are father and son—always interrup
"Didn't he find it strange when he saw Aaron?" Vanessa asked as she placed a glass of juice on the table."Thanks, Van. Umm, I don’t know, but he seemed interested in getting to know Aaron," I replied.We had arrived at Vanessa’s house, and I had already told her about what happened earlier at the school. It was just the two of us in the living room now, while Aaron was in his room watching cartoons. Vanessa had asked him to stay there so we could talk freely without him overhearing."That's a bad omen, Athena. What if he became interested in getting to know Aaron because he noticed they look alike? He even noticed it about your son. So, it’s really possible he saw that. You know what they say about a blood connection? Maybe that's why your son is confused and questioning things."I fell silent and placed my hand on my head. I’ve been thinking and worrying about my son’s situation for a while now. Now that the two of them have met, Aaron won’t be able to get Sir Zach’s face out of his
I let out a deep sigh as I once again thought about what happened yesterday — my meeting with Sir Lim and the things we talked about that left me with so many questions.I'm still wondering, still confused about what he said. I still can't believe what he told me about Zachariah — that he suddenly stopped showing up to him.Why? Why did he suddenly disappear?I know I shouldn’t be thinking about it anymore, but... I want to understand why it happened. But how could I find out when even now, I'm still too scared and unwilling to tell him about what happened between us in the past and about our child?"Tsk! Stop thinking about it, Athena. Just stop," I suddenly told myself as I threw myself back against the chair.I'm already here at the office, working on the task assigned to me by Miss Lina, my supervisor. It's not really that difficult since it’s just about the new software for our department. But I still haven’t finished it because I kept thinking about the conversation I had with S
I thought that once I finished fixing his internet, I’d be able to leave, but I was wrong. He still had me sort his files on his laptop by year. This wasn’t part of my job; it was supposed to be the work of his secretary. But since he’s my boss and I’m just his employee, I did what he asked.His friends were still here in the office. They’d been here for about an hour and a half already. They didn’t do anything else but talk about business.I realized that Sir Zach’s friends were also wealthy and well-known figures. The three of them were CEOs and heirs to their family’s companies. I couldn’t believe the life they were living. I thought they were just ordinary citizens of the Philippines, but I was wrong."Sh*t! What’s that?" I muttered when I suddenly felt my stomach growl. "Tsk! I haven’t eaten yet," I said as I realized that Sir Zach had given me tasks right when I was supposed to be eating.What should I do?Should I ask permission to eat?OrShould I ask to step out for a while?
I slammed into the chair after finishing what Miss Lina asked me to do. Thankfully, I finished it before lunch so I can rest later.It’s Monday, but I can already feel the intense exhaustion. Yesterday, I didn’t do anything except rest the whole day and take care of my child. But when I get to work, all the energy I saved up gets drained. And now, only ten percent is left."Thena, there’s a girl's night out later, are you joining us?" Paula asked as she approached me, with Maurice following behind her, carrying his bag and ready to head down to the cafeteria for lunch."Girl’s night out? But it’s Monday today," I said as I put my scattered things into my bag on the table."It’s just to relieve the tiredness. Don’t worry, we’re not going to get drunk, and it’s just the girls from our department joining later. No boys, only girls," Paula replied, which made Maurice laugh."That's why it's a girl's night out, right? Because there are no boys, you're not thinking straight," Maurice said w
"Did you say something, Athena?"I immediately looked at Paula, who was now looking at me with confusion. She was a little tipsy, and I wasn’t sure if she also saw our boss."Sir Zach... I saw—"But he was gone when I looked back."... there..."Where did he go?It was really him I saw. I’m not hallucinating or imagining that he was here. And I’m not even drunk yet."What did you say, Athena?" Paula asked while leaning her ear toward me.I just shook my head in response and took a shot of gin. They had ordered another round of drinks that I didn’t notice. Our drinks were a mix of everything, but I just hope we’re not crawling home later."Another shot, Athena. Let’s make the most of it while we still can," Trixie said while handing me another shot of gin."Is this what you meant when you said we weren’t going to get drunk, Paula?" I teased, looking at Paula, who was now quietly sitting on the side, holding her head.She was drunk."It’s just this once, I swear it won’t happen again,"
I didn’t feel like getting up—I was too lazy to go to school. It was already seven in the morning, and I hadn’t even started getting ready. I don’t know, I just felt so unmotivated today.I’m only in second year high school, but here I am, already being lazy. It’s not that I hate studying—my quiz and exam scores are always high, and I consistently do well in recitations and projects too. But sometimes, laziness just gets the better of me."Ugh, so tiring," I muttered to myself, finally deciding to get out of bed. I grabbed my towel and headed to the bathroom to take a shower.I let out a deep sigh, in the end, I’m still going to school anyway."Dear, Athena."That was Aunt Rosa’s voice, my mom’s sister who raised me ever since my mom passed away.I was about to take a shower, but that didn’t happen. I was holding a bucket of water when I heard her enter my room. What could she possibly need?"Yes, Auntie? I’m in the bathroom. Is there something you need?" I called out from inside. I e
I was shocked when I looked at the white rose resting on top of my desk. I never expected to receive something like this today. I thought no one would have the guts to give me something like this, but I was wrong.Could it really be the same person sending all these, or is it someone else?"Oh? Who's this one from?" Vanessa asked in surprise as she reached my side. There was no note with it, so I couldn’t tell who it was from."I don’t know," I replied shortly. I looked at the boys in my class, but none of them seemed to act any differently, so I was pretty sure none of them had left it for me."Sandra..." I called out to one of my classmates. She immediately looked at me and walked over."What’s up, Thena? Do you need something?" she asked, smiling at me."Did you see who left this on my desk?" I asked. She glanced at the flower I was holding, then seemed to think for a moment. I really hoped she saw who it was, so I could finally figure out who was sending these."Oh, that. Someone
"Did you say something, Athena?"I immediately looked at Paula, who was now looking at me with confusion. She was a little tipsy, and I wasn’t sure if she also saw our boss."Sir Zach... I saw—"But he was gone when I looked back."... there..."Where did he go?It was really him I saw. I’m not hallucinating or imagining that he was here. And I’m not even drunk yet."What did you say, Athena?" Paula asked while leaning her ear toward me.I just shook my head in response and took a shot of gin. They had ordered another round of drinks that I didn’t notice. Our drinks were a mix of everything, but I just hope we’re not crawling home later."Another shot, Athena. Let’s make the most of it while we still can," Trixie said while handing me another shot of gin."Is this what you meant when you said we weren’t going to get drunk, Paula?" I teased, looking at Paula, who was now quietly sitting on the side, holding her head.She was drunk."It’s just this once, I swear it won’t happen again,"
I slammed into the chair after finishing what Miss Lina asked me to do. Thankfully, I finished it before lunch so I can rest later.It’s Monday, but I can already feel the intense exhaustion. Yesterday, I didn’t do anything except rest the whole day and take care of my child. But when I get to work, all the energy I saved up gets drained. And now, only ten percent is left."Thena, there’s a girl's night out later, are you joining us?" Paula asked as she approached me, with Maurice following behind her, carrying his bag and ready to head down to the cafeteria for lunch."Girl’s night out? But it’s Monday today," I said as I put my scattered things into my bag on the table."It’s just to relieve the tiredness. Don’t worry, we’re not going to get drunk, and it’s just the girls from our department joining later. No boys, only girls," Paula replied, which made Maurice laugh."That's why it's a girl's night out, right? Because there are no boys, you're not thinking straight," Maurice said w
I thought that once I finished fixing his internet, I’d be able to leave, but I was wrong. He still had me sort his files on his laptop by year. This wasn’t part of my job; it was supposed to be the work of his secretary. But since he’s my boss and I’m just his employee, I did what he asked.His friends were still here in the office. They’d been here for about an hour and a half already. They didn’t do anything else but talk about business.I realized that Sir Zach’s friends were also wealthy and well-known figures. The three of them were CEOs and heirs to their family’s companies. I couldn’t believe the life they were living. I thought they were just ordinary citizens of the Philippines, but I was wrong."Sh*t! What’s that?" I muttered when I suddenly felt my stomach growl. "Tsk! I haven’t eaten yet," I said as I realized that Sir Zach had given me tasks right when I was supposed to be eating.What should I do?Should I ask permission to eat?OrShould I ask to step out for a while?
I let out a deep sigh as I once again thought about what happened yesterday — my meeting with Sir Lim and the things we talked about that left me with so many questions.I'm still wondering, still confused about what he said. I still can't believe what he told me about Zachariah — that he suddenly stopped showing up to him.Why? Why did he suddenly disappear?I know I shouldn’t be thinking about it anymore, but... I want to understand why it happened. But how could I find out when even now, I'm still too scared and unwilling to tell him about what happened between us in the past and about our child?"Tsk! Stop thinking about it, Athena. Just stop," I suddenly told myself as I threw myself back against the chair.I'm already here at the office, working on the task assigned to me by Miss Lina, my supervisor. It's not really that difficult since it’s just about the new software for our department. But I still haven’t finished it because I kept thinking about the conversation I had with S
"Didn't he find it strange when he saw Aaron?" Vanessa asked as she placed a glass of juice on the table."Thanks, Van. Umm, I don’t know, but he seemed interested in getting to know Aaron," I replied.We had arrived at Vanessa’s house, and I had already told her about what happened earlier at the school. It was just the two of us in the living room now, while Aaron was in his room watching cartoons. Vanessa had asked him to stay there so we could talk freely without him overhearing."That's a bad omen, Athena. What if he became interested in getting to know Aaron because he noticed they look alike? He even noticed it about your son. So, it’s really possible he saw that. You know what they say about a blood connection? Maybe that's why your son is confused and questioning things."I fell silent and placed my hand on my head. I’ve been thinking and worrying about my son’s situation for a while now. Now that the two of them have met, Aaron won’t be able to get Sir Zach’s face out of his
I suddenly faced Sir Zach, who was now looking at me, but I couldn’t see any emotion on his face. My heart was gripped with anxiety when he glanced at Aaron, who was also looking at him now.I quickly grabbed Aaron by the arm and pulled him behind me before he could notice how much they looked alike.“S-Sir Zach, I didn’t realize you were there,” I stammered nervously. “W-We won’t be staying long, I still have some things to take care of at home and—”“But your son still wants to play with his friends,” he cut me off. I fell silent and looked at Aaron, who was now frowning as he stared at Sir Zach.Dear God! He’s starting to notice something, and I’m sure later he’ll have a lot to say or ask me."Mommy, who is he?" Aaron asked curiously as he walked over to my side and held onto my arm. But his eyes remained fixed on Sir Zach."Umm... sweetheart, he’s my boss—""Your grumpy boss, Mommy?" he cut me off, turning his gaze away from Sir Zach.They really are father and son—always interrup
It’s Friday today, and the meeting at Aaron’s school is also happening today. That’s why I woke up early and got ready for it. Good thing it’s my day off, so I don’t have to worry or think about the work I left behind at the office. And I won’t be seeing my boss the entire day.It feels so good. I just hope the Lord gives me this day without having to see him. I just want to avoid him and not think about him—just for today.I need to focus on the meeting because this is for my son’s happiness. And I don’t want to ruin it just because I keep thinking about that guy.“Mommy, is it okay if I play with my classmates while you’re in the meeting?” Aaron asked while we were walking toward his classroom.We had just arrived at the school, and it seems like we’re early. I think I might be the only parent here for now, but that’s fine. Better that than having the teacher wait for us."Of course, sweetheart, just don’t go too far and don’t talk to strangers, okay?" I replied, and he nodded in re
Why did he suddenly ask that? And how did he know? I hadn’t said anything to Dr. Matteo for him to ask me something like that.Could it be that Dr. Matteo noticed I was scared?"Sir—""N-Nevermind, just go now and take some rest," he said, turning away. "I'll just tell my secretary to bring the food to your office," he added, walking back to his desk.I didn’t answer, just turned around and left his office.Once I had escorted Dr. Matteo to the ground floor, I headed back to my department and resumed the work I had left behind. The food Sir Zach ordered had arrived in the office, and there was enough for all of us."What's going on? Why did Sir Zach send food to the office?" Maurice asked, confused. Paula just shrugged because she didn’t know the answer."Maybe he's in a good mood, so he decided to give us food," Paula replied.We were all in the restroom, getting ourselves ready since it was almost time to go home. They didn’t know about what happened earlier because I didn’t tell th
I'm not the only IT in his company, but I'm the one he keeps giving tasks to. Ugh. Oh right, Mrs. Montero asked me a favor—that I'd be the one to help her son if he had any problems in her office. So I guess there's really no escape for me, and I can't avoid him.I really thought I wouldn't see him anymore, but turns out I still will and now I'm even walking with him toward his office. I'm behind him, silently following."What does Alexander do in your department?" he asked, catching me off guard.Why is he asking that? Even that, he needs to know?"Nothing, sir... he just stayed there and talked to us," I replied while watching his body.I don’t know, I just suddenly found myself staring. He’s changed so much now. He’s gotten taller, and even his physique has changed. Just like what Maurice said—he’s now got that “hot and daddy figure” vibe. That’s exactly how he is now.Well-defined physique, broad shoulders that give him a strong aura and commanding presence. A chiseled jawline tha