Early Christmas update! Thank you for reading and spending your time on my story! I hope you will leave comments, tadtarin niyo na as a Christmas gift for me haha! Thank you agad! Enjoy reading!

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Chapter 24

It was very tempting for me to turn my phone on, but I know what awaits me when I would do that. Kaya hinayaan ko muna sa loob ng drawer ko. Kahit maging phoneless ako ng ilang araw o buwan ay okay lang sa akin. I regret leaving those people behind nang walang pasabi. Nahihiya ako. Parang ayokong magpakita sa kanila—as if naman makikita ulit nila ako.

Mukhang hindi na naman mangyayari 'yon. I might get banned from entering the country again dahil sa biglaang pag-alis ko without even fulfilling my contract.

But why was I hoping that Trent would go and find me here? Nakakaloka kung iisipin. Ang imposibleng mangyari no'n.

After what happened last night on our dinner, I know my parents wouldn't ever forgive me. I don't know how my life will move forward, but I won't ever allow them to do whatever they wanted to do with me. Like, iyong ipares nila ako sa taong ayoko, hinding-hindi ako magiging masaya sa buhay kung ang dinidikta nila sa akin ay ang mga bagay na gusto nila.

A moment later, I heard knocks on the door. I was hoping not to see my brothers this morning. Hindi naman ako sumagot, but then the door slowly opened and my mom peeked her head in.

"Good morning, Lav," pagbati ni mom sa akin.

I faked a smile, but never spoke a word.

Pumasok sa loob ng kwarto si mom and I noticed she had a glass of milk and pack of crumb breads on her other hand. When she got closer to me, inabot niya sa akin 'yon but I placed it on the bedside table dahil wala pa akong ganang kumain.

"Can I give you a hug?" mom asked, but didn't wait for my answer at ginawa na lamang niya. It was tight and comfy at hindi ko alam pero bigla na lamang bumigay ang mga luha. I tried not to fall on my emotion kaya nilakasan ko ang loob ko at pinunasan ang pisngi ko. When she pulled herself from, she massaged my shoulder softly. "You've been holding that forever, am I right?"

I nodded, bowing my head.

"I have no idea how you went through with it but I'm so proud that even though you felt it that way, we won't leave you alone."

"I wished," I sighed.

"But I want to know how did you plan going to Japan after all? We have no idea."

Napangisi naman ako. "Because people don't even care what I do. Kaya hindi niyo napapansin na nasa ibang bansa na pala ako. And you easily believed that I was on our resthouse for a month. Don't you know how freaking lonely that would be? Good thing in Japan, I wasn't alone. I have friends who actually cared for me."

"And would you mind telling me them?"

I shrugged off. "I don't know... I won't be seeing them again naman so para saan pa?"

"Aren't you coming back to Japan?"

Umiling ako. "I don't I'll be able to go back there. Kuya Wel and Nico pulled me out. I have a contract to work there for someone. It's a six month contract and he just extended me for a year or two. I left there without saying a word to him. I never spoke to any of them again. Nahihiya ako."

"Bakit ka naman mahihiya?"

"Gosh! After leaving them, for sure galit sila ngayon kasi umalis na lang ako bigla nang walang paalam. I shouldn't be leaving but Kuya Nico was so persistent he wouldn't leave me alone until I went him to the airport."

"And do you know why would Zonico do that?"

"Yes, because he liked to manipulate me," I answered.

Mom was a little surprised. "Oh, why would you say that?"

"When we're growing up, Kuya Nico was the image of Mercondia siblings at kapag nakita siya, we should also be like him. Kaya siguro naggaya si Kuya Welbourne sa kanya when in fact, he's not that when we were younger. But then they both liked the attention that I was shadowed by theirs. Tinanggap ko naman. Hindi naging big deal sa akin hangga't sa naging paulit-ulit na lang. And then what happened to Japan was the thing I wouldn't able to forgive. I had the chance to be happy on my own pero bakit kailangan pa nila akong ibalik when I will be shadowed by their presence again?"

Mom heaved out a deep sighed, reached for me and clutched her hand on mine.

"It was hard for me to hear you went through this, Lav. I'm sorry that I didn't know..."

I smiled, but a weak one.

"It's okay... you also don't know it."

"So I want to know did you plan all of it?"

I took a deep breath. "I had to do it all by myself. When I found a job posting online and it was actually send to me by someone who jokes about applying because the employer was hot something like that. Sinubukan kong mag-apply. If it's my way of getting out of my misery, I pursued it. Mom, if you'd have seen me there. My life was so easy and fun."

She smiled. "It looked like you had fun there. Who was your employer?"

"I don't know if you know him but his name is Trent Wentworth Hu—a billionaire."

She narrowed her eyes, possibly thinking about it. "I might think I have heard his name before but I'm not sure. So how it went there? How was he as an employer?"

"He was great. At first, I only went there to escape my life here and work for him like a sideline. So, I just used him as a ticket to get away from my problems and misery but it became more than that. Trent and I boundlessly became close to each other to the point na hindi na employer ang turing niya sa akin kung hindi isang kaibigan na."

"Wait. You're working there as a nanny, right? So you've been taking care of his child?" mom questioned.

I chuckled. "That's the funny thing about it. He doesn't have a child. My role was nanny and that's to take care of him. I really thought I would be babysitting, but then I thought it would be hard but it wasn't. it easy when Trent didn't treat me like any other else."

"Hearing about him from you, I'd like to meet him."

"You would love to meet him though I think that's impossible," I sighed. "But I've met his family and they welcomed me so much that I suddenly became a part of their family. Hindi ipinagdamot sa akin ni Trent iyon. We don't share a lot in commons pero we came together close to each other to the point he confessed that he liked me."

"Oh, wow. That's a surprising turn of events," mom commented.

"Yeah..." I smiled, but a bit sad because I remembered everything we did there.

"You must be taking care of him right so he ended up liking you," mom said. "You know, a man wouldn't tell the person when he likes her. Trent must be confident to tell you that."

"But then I told him I wouldn't be able to give him what he wanted."

Mom creased her forehead. "What are you holding back?"

"This. This life. I don't want him to be part of this mess. He got a wonderful life. Nasa kanya na ang lahat tapos ang ibibigay ko sa kanya ay ang perwisyo sa buhay. He don't deserve so hindi ako pumayag na mapunta sa intimate ang relationship namin. So it was better we remained as close friends. I just don't know if we're still friends when I left him."

"Do you want to talk to him?"

I shook my head.

"Why not?"

I shrugged. "I guess it is better to let it stay that way. 'Yong hindi niya alam kung anong nangyayari sa akin at hindi ko alam kung anong nagyayari sa akin. Quits lang kaming dalawa kung gano'n."

"But do you think what you're doing would be fair to him?"

I shrugged off. "I literally have no idea. But if it's for the best, then let it be."

"I see now... but aside from him, have you made any friends there, too?"

I nodded. "Yes, a few. Some nights, I went out with Sasa to some clubs in Tokyo and we would have fun all night. She's a DH, but then she lost her job to her previous employer so Trent was there to find her a new employer. Though after that, we never get to hang out more often because she's doing a lot of work and being good at work so she'll get her contract extended for a year or two. Aside from them, I also met Trent's cousin who was a Filipino but he's staying in Kobe now. With his family as well. It was fun until it lasted."

"But you can always visit them there if you want, Lav."

I sighed. "I don't think that's a good thing, but I'm never closing the options so let's see in the future."

"You'll meet him soon, hindi tayo mawawalan ng pag-asa r'yan," ani mom. Sana all gano'n ka-positive sa buhay. "Anyway, I have something to say to you at sana pumayag ka sa kahit ganitong maliit na bagay lang."

"I see why you were here," I sighed.

"No, it's always because of that, Lav," aniya. "I came to check on you at isa na rin ito para malibang ka habang wala ka pang ginagawa rito."

"Fine. Ano naman po ba ang gagawin ko?"

Umayos naman ng pagkakaupo si mom. "Your father will be organizing an event para ro'n sa mga naghahanap ng sponsorships and member ng Mercondia Scholarships. It will be happening sa isa nating private complex."

"So, anong role ko ro'n?"

"You'll be assisting or guide some people there. It will be easy, hindi ka mahihirapan do'n. I'm sure marami rin namang tao ro'n to help the event but to experience it would be good for you. Ayos ba, Lav?"

Tumango naman ako. "Yes po... I think I'll be fine with that."

"Sige, aasahan kita riyan. Sina Zonico at Welbourne ay makakasama mo rin do'n so hindi ka mababagot."

"And when will this happen?"

"Next week. Saturday and I think the event will start at five so be there early as well."

"I'll keep that in mind. Thanks, mom."

"You're welcome, hun." Mom kissed me and then she left the room.

When I was finally left alone in the room, kinuha ko 'yong baso ng gatas at ininom saka kinain ang tinapay. I only then realized what me and my mom talked about. It was all about Trent, Trent, and Trent.

I was so happy with him to the point na nakalimutan ko ang mga problema ko dahil sa kanya. He was there when I needed someone who actually cared for my being. I was so in deal of my feelings for him and I keep invalidating it because of my stupid reasons.

Hindi ko dapat ginawa 'yon. Hindi ko dapat inisip ang bagay na 'yon. Kung sinabi ko rin kaya sa kanya ang totoo kong nararamdaman, would it change a thing? Hahayaan niya ba akong umuwi sa Pinas? What if all those days na hinahayan ko ang sarili kong iwasan ang nararamdaman ko at inamin ko na lang, ano kayang mangyayari sa aming dalawa?

There could be two situations. Isang masaya at isang hindi. And I can't risk being with him kahit na posible sa mga ganitong pagkakataon.

But who would wonder that a man like Trent would actually fall for me?

Makikita ko pa rin kaya siya? Magkikita pa rin kaya kaming dalawa? Maybe that's the question I can't wait to answer in the future.

Over the course of the days, it was uneventful. Nothing special happened. Naghanap lang din ako ng mga bagay na mapag-aabalahan Trying to put myself on some routines para lang masabing may ginagawa ako.

And if I'm still in Hu's household, instead of doing work ay nakahilata rin ako ro'n. But everything was worth it there. Lahat ng pagod at hirap kasi at the end of the day, someone came home from his work and then meet me to show how he cares for me.

And I keep thinking about Trent as if he does the same thing.

And for all I know, he must be hating on me now for leaving him alone. But if there's a chance I would get back to him, I would... I just don't know how I will do that.

I'm clueless and stupid. And that's just me being a Mercondia. Always helpless.

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