4

Chapter 4

Heart breathed a sigh of relief as the initial payment of 75 thousand entered her SCash wallet. Another 75K would be due tomorrow. While she was still in Vandros’s car, on their way home, she already planned to call her mother to find someone who could send the seventy-five thousand. She didn’t know if it was possible to withdraw that amount at this hour. Her father needed the operation.

Time was slipping away, and her father’s condition was becoming more critical. Vandros spoke up, “Heart…” which made her look at her employer.

“Yes?” She gazed at him with sadness in her eyes.

“Why don’t you ask the doctor if it’s still possible for your father to be transferred here? To the Philippine Heart Center, you know? The five hundred thousand can potentially be reduced to two hundred. That’s a significant difference. You’ll need less money. I’ll talk to Senyora Carmen; maybe she’ll allow you to do salary deduction.”

She fell silent, contemplating the idea. But what if her father couldn’t handle the trip? She was worried, so she lowered her gaze without a response.

“You will not risk his life. You have to talk to the doctor and ask him everything you need to know. Come to think of it, Heart, if you can’t get the money out for your father, it won’t just be five hundred thousand. It will reach a million, and it will be even harder.”

Even if she sold herself ten times over, she wouldn’t earn a million. Her body would deteriorate quickly from the number of men who would use her, and she still wouldn’t be able to pay the hospital bills.

She cried again, “Call your mother.”

Heart nodded. Vandros had a point. If her father could make it to Manila, why not? It would save them a lot of money.

“If, sir, could they stay in the apartment?” she asked, looking directly at him.

He glanced at her briefly, “My grandmother has a rental property, an old house. They can stay there for free. I’ll take care of it. I want to help you.”

She smiled through her tears, “Thank you, sir.”

She dialed her mother’s phone number.

“Hello, my child,” Lumeng’s voice crackled, and she immediately began crying.

“Mom…” Heart cried as soon as she heard her mother’s voice on the other end.

“Why did you only call now? We don’t know what to do here. Your father wants to come home and wait there,” her mother scolded, and Heart could sense her frustration on the other end.

“If I could pawn myself, Mom, I would have done it already. I don’t know. I don’t want to say it, but I’m losing hope. All of you are suffering because of this.”

“Mom…” she tried to calm down, but her sobs continued, and she couldn’t help it.

In the corner of her eye, she knew Vandros was watching her.

“Mom, I want to talk to Dad’s doctor. Maybe he can still be transferred to the Heart Center here in Manila. It might save us money, Mom. I don’t…” her crying intensified, and she mirrored her mother’s tears.

They were both in tears.

Gosh, she didn’t know where to find the additional one hundred fifty thousand. She had no source left.

“I don’t know where else to get the money, Mom. I already have seventy-five thousand. This is all I have, Mom, but it’s not enough. I can’t handle half a million. I want him to be operated on here, so we're sure we can cover the expenses. I’ll find a way.”

“Wait a moment, my child. I’ll find Doctor Bueno. Just wait. Don’t cry, my child. Just a moment, my child. I feel stronger now that you’ve called. Gosh, I don’t know what to do without you, my child,” her mother said, breaking into sobs again.

She ended the call.

“I think it was positive,” Vandros said to her, and she glanced at him.

Heart nodded, seeing the nearby eatery.

“I’ll get off here, sir. It’s early, and there are still a lot of people outside.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, sir. I’ve already troubled you enough. Thank you again, sir,” she said to him.

She expressed her heartfelt gratitude to Vandros. Thanks to him, there was a blessing for her father. Regardless of the source, it didn’t matter anymore.

He nodded In response and pulled the car to the side of the road.

Heart got out immediately, and by sheer luck, Gigi was near the car and was staring because she recognized Vandros’s vehicle. Who wouldn’t recognize their manager’s car?

They exchanged glances like old friends, but she still smiled at her invisible boss when he honked before leaving.

“Hey, girl,” Gigi immediately whispered, holding her waist. “What’s going on?”

Heart handed her the food as they started walking. She didn’t know whether to tell Gigi about her new sideline, but she knew that if she didn’t, Gigi would figure it out eventually. They knew each other’s secrets since they were kids. They had no secrets from each other.

“Yes, Gi, I’m leaving for a while.”

Gigi got so quiet, and her friend suddenly stopped walking, so she did, too.

“My goodness! What kind of decision is that? Where are you going?”

“I have a side job,” she said in a hushed voice.

His gaze was meaningful. This is what she was talking about. She didn’t even have a clue right away.

“What side job?” Gigi didn’t break her gaze from her eyes, so she didn’t answer. “Just by the way your face looks, I know. Oh my, with Sir Vandros, right?”

“N-No…” she quickly responded.

“Then with whom?”

“I don’t know. Nobody can know about this. It’s the only way I know to save Dad, Gigi. I have no one else to turn to. You know that very well because you know our life,” her voice quivered, and she saw pity in Gigi’s face.

She embraced her and held her, “I believe Sir won’t harm you. We’ll continue to help Dad, Heart. We discussed it earlier.”

“Thank you. I’m sad because I have to leave the apartment, but it’s temporary.”

“Geez, be careful, Heart. It’s tough being poor.”

“You’re right,” she agreed with her friend, but she didn’t want to dwell on her being a prostitute. Her parents were on their way to Manila for an operation.

“So what now?” Gigi asked when they both let go of each other.

“I’m going to pack now because I’m moving tomorrow. My mom and dad don’t know about this, Gi.”

“Likely. They might go hysterical from Albay to Makati,” Gigi said, even though her facial expression was humorous.

They both laughed, then suddenly became serious.

“I hope that man is okay, Heart.”

“I hope so,” she sighed, looking into the distance.

“I’ll take care of our colleagues. I’ll explain your leaving. Let’s say you’ll accompany Dad to their place here.”

She nodded and smiled, “Thank you, Gi.”

“Of course, we’re in this together. I’ll do everything I can for you, except for money, I don’t have that.”

They laughed together again.

When they reached the gate, Franco was outside, smoking, facing the other boarders in their rented house.

“Your love is here, Franco,” Mario said.

He held a beer bottle, which caught the girl’s immediate attention.

These guys couldn’t face each other without holding beer bottles.

Heart just looked at them and smiled, but she went inside to attend to her things.

“Oh, Franco was ignored!” one of the guys teased, making everyone laugh.

“Heart has a problem, that’s why, don’t tease her,” Gigi replied, annoyed at them.

“We’re not teasing, just joking. Don’t get upset, Gigi. You’re not Heart. She’s far from you,” Franco replied, which irritated her.

It was an indirect insult to her friend, and she didn’t like it. Even though she was beautiful, she didn’t want to hear comparisons with others.

“Gi,” she called her friend’s name with a nod.

Gi followed her upstairs.

“These guys are so annoying. They don’t even help and they’re teasing,” her friend said, struggling to climb the stairs.

That’s why she didn’t like Franco, no matter what. She also disliked his arrogance, as if he was the air, with nothing to be proud of. It’s as if the only thing that mattered to him was chasing women because he’s supposedly good in bed and well-endowed.

Why? Could he feed their future children with that? Franco had a job, but he had vices and smoked way too much. He probably went through a pack a day.

“He offered me his twenty-five thousand savings.”

“My goodness! Did you accept it?!” Gigi’s eyes widened with her question.

She wanted to laugh at her friend’s reaction. She hadn’t even said anything, and her friend was ready to strangle her.

“I didn’t accept it.”

“Good thing. He might have taken more as payment. Who does he think he is, that jerk? As if he’s so handsome,” Gigi grumbled.

She knew her friend got hurt when compared to her, but she understood her friend. She didn’t envy being called beautiful. Her friend was kind and her confidante in all her problems.

“Be careful; he might reveal your secret. Geez, Heart.”

“Yes, I know,” she quickly assured her.

“Come on. I’ll help you pack. Let’s eat first. I bought Laing from the eatery so we can have a taste. I miss Bicol, Heart.”

“You said it. If we get rich, let’s go back there so we can pick Laing from behind the house, no need to buy it.”

“True!”

Their shoulders sagged as they went to the table. Her mind was still wandering during those moments. Other things briefly occupied her mind, but she kept coming back to reality. The hard truth she couldn’t escape.

She didn’t know how to console herself.

She’s now a whore. Sooner or later, she’ll get dirty. A stranger will feast upon her body.

No matter how many times she said it was okay, it wasn’t. Maybe with time, she’d accept it.

She wouldn’t return to that kind of deal, no matter what. She had no one else to turn to, so she learned to cling to a lifeline.

Hopefully, the man who bought her was somewhat better than Franco.

At that moment, she was able to request a handsome man.

Heart looked around the apartment. It had been her home for over a year, and her coworkers were like her family. It was difficult to leave them, but it was only temporary. It wouldn’t last. In a week or two, she’d be back to normal.

The happy Heart Chavez would return.

…

TAKE CARE. We’re at work now. We’ll text each other, okay? Don’t forget how much we love you.

Heart closed the letter left by Gigi on the bedside table.

They cried last night because of her sudden disappearance, but there was nothing they could do.

She glanced at her watch after hiding the letter but her phone was vibrating continuously.

Her mind was already wandering at the sight of the name on the screen. Vandros.

She quickly grabbed her phone to answer.

“H-Hi, Sir Van.”

“Where are you? Come down. I’m in front. I have a meeting, Heart. I squeezed in the appointment with you.”

My goodness!

The girl was spinning around. She hadn’t even had time to wash her face yet.

“I’ll give you five minutes, Heart.”

She felt like a top spinning. She quickly picked up her travel bag and the paper bag with slippers and shoes.

She just wiped her eyes and breathed on her palm. She grimaced. Bad breath.

Am I really that obvious? She asked while covering her mouth.

He nodded and smiled. “You just woke up?”

“Is it that obvious?” She asked with her hand covering her mouth.

He nodded and smiled. “You just woke up?”

“Is it that obvious?” She asked with her hand covering her mouth.

“He smiled and said, ‘Jesus. I’m sorry. Lola Carmen is calling me. I can’t keep that woman waiting. We need something from her, so I can’t ignore her call. Just like you, I’ll run to answer her call, even if I’m probably only in my briefs.’

Heart immediately looked down. She wasn’t wearing any panties. Her shorts were made of cotton fabric and were short, but to the best of her knowledge, they weren’t panties.

He shifted the car, and she had to hold on because it felt like he wanted to fly the pickup, even though the road wasn’t very smooth.

He wasn’t in a rush, just slightly.

After a while, he took something from the compartment and placed it on her lap. It was a white envelope.

“Eighty thousand pesos. They said ten thousand is your allowance. You can take care of your certificate later.”

She nodded while looking at the envelope.

“I’ll drop you off at the condo first. That’s where you’ll meet the Boss.”

She swallowed hard. She couldn’t say anything. Whenever the boss was mentioned, fear overcame her, and only one face came to her young mind.

The old, stocky man with a big belly who was lecherous.

Perhaps she should sho