Secretary Andrew's Friends Are Much More Important Than Sir Allen

Andrew suggested that they eat on the small table inside the living room instead of that long-ass table in the dining area where they would have had to shout just to have a conversation. They all sat snuggly around the table. Being his usual self, Luiz expressed his doubt at the meaning, or lack thereof, of the homecooked meal spread across the table. "Am I missing something?" he asked, placing rice on his plate and a grabbing a bowl of soup. "Are we the kind of family that enjoys a homecooked food now? What happened to chef Lou? You did not fire him, did you?"

"Yes, we are, my youngest heir," replied Mrs. Lopez. Her expectant eyes had befallen on Luiz. "Is it delicious?"

Luiz, under the expectant stare of his mother and the discreet observation of sir Allen, took a sip of the Sinigang. He swallowed down the spoonful and licked his lip. His eyebrows rose and he displayed a look of surprise on his face. He cleared his throat and took another spoonful to start eating in earnest. Sir Allen breathed out a sigh of relief.

"It's delicious, isn't it?" Mr. Lopez asked with a hearty laugh. "Just admit it."

Luiz kept on chowing down, but in a more dignified manner compared to Andrew's mess of a plate. Pre-peeled shrimps were always the best. Luiz couldn't be bothered to answer Mr. Lopez, instead he asked, "Who made this?"

As a response, Mr. Lopez sent a flying kiss to his wife.

"Stop, dear. You're making me blush," cooed Mrs. Lopez who definitely wasn't blushing. "I had a little help from my little chef son."

Mr. Lopez patted Sir Allen on his back, and whispered with a smile, "My little chef."

Sir Allen mouthed a shy 'thank you' to his dad while trying to restrain himself from grinning too much. Andrew found the good atmosphere to be a good sign for their plan.

"Huh," Luiz grunted. He stared at his big brother for a moment before resuming his dinner. "This is the first time I've eaten one of your meals, big brother."

"This is my first time chowing on Sir Allen's Sinigang," announced Andrew after swallowing a mouthful. He waved his spoon at Sir Allen, making big gestures as he spoke. "At first, I thought it was only your big ego and pride that made you confident about your cooking, I mean I've only tasted your omelets, but this Sinigang is the bomb! You should leave corporate and be a house husband. Oh, you should make my lunches from now on."

Andrew laughed, partly because of his genius move. The whole quitting part was a subtle message to Sir Allen's parents, but Sir Allen just had to ruin it by getting flattered. This son of a bitch. When Andrew had praised him before, the reply he always got was 'I know'.

Sir Allen cleared his throat. He scratched his cheek, shyly. "If you want me to cook for you, just say so. There's no need for a marriage proposal." He mumbled the last part.

This was not the reaction Andrew expected. He was horrified at the marriage prospect. He wanted to stomp down the parent's sliver of hope of pretending to get engaged. But he didn't want to kill their glittering eyes... He just sighed and joined Luiz in their silent appreciation of the meal. Andrew and Sir Allen wouldn't go as far as a fake engagement, right? Andrew should get this whole fake boyfriend thing done with and get his five million already. He glanced between Mr. Lopez across the table and Sir Allen.

He edged closed to Sir Allen. "So, what's the fuss with using Sinigang powder? I mean it's easier and somewhat tasty."

Sir Allen dropped his forked and directed his scowl at Andrew. "You heathen. Of course, there will always be a difference between natural ingredients and artificial ones—"

Gotcha. With one simple statement, Andrew could make Sir Allen launch in a tirade of explanation about whatever ingredients he was spouting about. But somehow, Andrew wasn't annoyed. He found joy in listening to Sir Allen discuss something he was passionate about. But he couldn't help but make fun of Sir Allen. He even elbowed Luiz so they can secretly laugh at his big brother. If he could continue this great atmosphere, it would be completely possible to

Andrew wouldn't deny that he had a good time, but he wondered how long would this go on.

After dinner, just as the plates were being cleared up. Andrew's phone rung inside his pocket. He pulled it out and got taken aback by the flood of messages Sonna had sent. The caller ID was also Sonna's.He rushed to excuse himself out into the garden and answered the call.

"Sonna," he exclaimed. "Are you alright? I—"

"I'm, I'm being. I'm being followed," came Sonna's stuttered reply. Her voice trembled with fear. "My ex took out a loan from those guys at Torch Lending—and he left me as the guarantor—" she sniffled. "He—he stole my IDs and forged my signature, Drew. I don't know what I'm going to do. He borrowed 10 million under my name and now he's gone."

"Shit, Sonna. Take a deep breath, I'm here. I'm here. Um, I'll go to where you are. Send me your live location and don't turn it off." Andrew glanced at the time on his phone: 9:30. "Sonna, can you find a mall or any convenient store any bright restaurant that's around your area. Ones that are populated but not enough that these guys following you can creep up to you unnoticeable. Avoid any dark places and tight alleys."

"Drew, I'm scared," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I can't go anywhere they're blocking every street end."

"It's normal to feel scared, Sonna. I'm going to you right now. Don't hang up alright? I'll go to you as fast as I can—If I don't reply our you don't hear my voice, that means I'm thinking or running, alright?"

He meant to run, he said he would go to Sonna, but his feet wouldn't move. His heart was pumping with fear and adrenaline. Sonna needs him. His friend needs him. But his body won't move. The money. The possibility of having that five million tonight. The possibility of having the financial freedom to leave Lopez Co. The possibility of having enough money for his own dream.

"Alfonso," the voice of Sir Allen called him. Andrew glanced past his shoulder and saw Sir Allen waiting by the door.

"Sir Allen, Sonna is needs—"

"Dad wants to talk to us right now," Sir Allen cut him off. He held out his hand. "This is it. Endgame. He wants us there, together...Why are you standing idle there, let's go before he changes his mind."

Andrew gripped his phone, hard. If he could just explain the situation to Sir Allen. He'll understand. "Sonna's being followed by those Torch Lenders guys," he said. "Her ex-boyfriend asked for a lot of money and left her as the sole guarantor by faking her signature."

A scowl overtook Sir Allen's previously joyous face. He let out a deep sigh and scratched his head. "Then she should call the police," he replied, aggravated, as if Sonna hasn't been with him since he started at Lopez Co. "How stupid can she be to let her own boyfriend do that to her?"

"The police are not going to help her, Sir Allen. The police are part of the system. How do you think they can continue their abusive practice without legal intervention?"

"Sonna's an adult she can take care of herself!" He yelled from the door. His hand tight on the doorknob. "Let someone else handle it. This is far more important than some squabble with her ex. I'm about to be rid of the position."

Andrew's arms dropped to his side. Ah, here's the Sir Allen that Andrew knew far too well. This is what happens when you create expectations of people you thought were changing for the better. Andrew chuckled to himself. Guilt flooded his chest, because for a passing moment, he thought of staying. But just like that, he's made his choice. He was disappointed in both of them.

"I'm really sorry Sir Allen, but my friend needs me right now," said Andrew, taking a step back. "She's scared and alone. Stuck somewhere with guys following her. And I'm the closest to where she is. I have to go before anything bad happens."

Sir Allen slammed his fist on the wall. He marched to Andrew, a towering but familiar figure of rage. He exhaled his mouth, trying to calm himself down. "Let's just go back inside and talk with dad then you can go. We should not postpone this. It will be over if he changes his mind."

Andrew peered at Sir Allen's eyes. he didn't know what he wanted to see. Maybe he just wanted to see a hint of remorse or selflessness, but he was afraid of finding nothing.

"I have to go." He made to turn but Sir Allen grabbed his wrist.

"What?" he spit out through clenched jaws. "You want to be her knight in shining armor? You like her? Is that it?"

"Stop it, Allen!"

Andrew and Allen stared each other down. Allen's eyes were furious whereas Andrew's were filled with disappointment. "I'm choosing my friendship with Sonna over you. Sonna who stayed with me during those days that I wanted nothing more for the ground to swallow me up as I endured every minute of torture, I've spent with you in that office. You made me feel like I was the most idiotic person alive. I graduated with a hotel management degree, of course I wouldn't know accounting, finance, even the lingo! I didn't even know what a Gantt chart was, and you shoved it down my throat every damn time. Your face alone reminded me how incompetent I was. And when I did learn, work invaded every aspect of my life that I just work and work. I've broken down in tears so many times trying to keep up with the president's perfect son. All these times that I need someone, it wasn't you who was with me. It was Sonna. Claire, Mark, Dennis."

Andrew swung his arm and punched Allen in the face. The man flew back on the ground. "Bend over and die, asshole!" Andrew felt a great sense of satisfaction from the pain in his hand and from the moan of pain that slipped out Allen and his asshole face. But only now did he notice that the whole family was watching them through the window.

There goes his five million. Andrew turned around and headed to Sonna.