0.29 Her Tita

"Oh, my!!!" she took in another huge bite.

"This is so delicious!!" She moaned as she licked the juices off her finger.

"Oh, nom, nom," she gave Jared a cheeky smile as she plunged another chicken leg into her mouth.

"How on earth did this happen?" Jared sighed as he turned back to look at his assistant, Fred.

"U-Um, she-" Fred stuttered as he took a wary look at the young lady and his boss.

Jared had just stepped outside of the room for what seemed like ten minutes to pick up an important business call. Ten good minutes after, he returned to the room and he saw Ariana(who was supposed to be asleep) munching down on fried chicken and chips with his assistant standing next to her with a helpless look on his face.

He didn't know how or when Ariana was able to sneak in three servings of fried chicken and chips in just a short span of ten minutes without him realising it.

The most annoying part was that she was eating it so shamelessly without a look of guilt on her face.

"She what, Fred? I asked you to keep an eye on her, not shove unhealthy food in her way," Jared muttered.

"I-I couldn't stop her. She threatened me, y-you know how she is, sir," Fred looked down with an apology.

Jared sighed as he took another look at the blondie who was munching on the chips with her hospital gown on.

He shouldn't be reprimanding his assistant. He already knew what Ariana could do if she wanted something.

"Miss Ariana," Jared sighed as he called her.

"Yes, Jerry? You want some?" she shoved a piece of spicy chicken leg to his face.

"No, I don't," he pushed her hand away.

"Do you have any idea of what you are doing?" He asked as he looked down at the empty plates on the table.

He had no idea how such a tiny lady could eat this much in a short amount of time.

"Yes, I am eating fried chicken legs and chips," she said as a matter of fact.

"Obviously," Jared rolled his eyes.

"You're a patient. You shouldn't be eating this...junk," Jared looked down at the greasy food.

"Huh!!! Did you just call my darlings junk?! How rude of you, Jerry mouse!" she swatted his arm with her clean hand before she returned to chowing down the chicken leg bathed in red sauce.

"Well, that's what it is, and you shouldn't be eating it," he moved to take the plate from her when she slapped his hand away.

"How dare you?! Don't touch my food!"

"Ariana," Jared rubbed his hand on his weary face.

"What do you want from me, Jerry?! I was imprisoned here against my own will!! The least you can do is let me eat what I want to eat!" Ariana rolled her eyes as the red sauce spread all over her mouth.

"Fine, fine. Do what you want," Jared raised his hands in surrender.

He couldn't argue with her any further. After all, she was nearly half done with the food.

"You are a really stubborn girl," he murmured as he took a tissue from the nightstand to clean the sauce off her mouth.

"And a clumsy one too," He dropped the tissue on the table before he moved to roll his sleeves up.

"What are you doing?" Ariana frowned as she eyed him up.

"I'm not just going to let you finish this delicious food on your own. I'm taking my share as well," he snickered and took a chicken leg from the plate as Ariana smiled.

She knew he would later give in. Why wouldn't he? She was Ariana Jatropesh after all.

After they were done eating, Jared cleaned the place up and handed the trash to Fred to handle it secretly before the staff would find out they had brought food from outside.

"Don't you have anyone at home to call? I mean...to inform then you're here," Jared asked.

"Nope, I'm an only child and my parents are long gone seventeen years ago," Ariana responded plainly as she drank some water.

"Okay..." Jared nodded his head slowly.

He wondered how she could say such sensitive things with a blank look on her face.

She could just announce that she was about to die, or that she had no parents or anyone waiting for her at home.

"I do have my Tita at home," Ariana added.

"Tita?" Jared asked.

"Yes, she was our house help before my parents passed away and she has been taking care of me ever since," Ariana said.

"So...you don't want to call her?"

"Uh...she doesn't know yet," Ariana mumbled.

"She doesn't know that..." Jared trailed off.

"I'm going to die soon," Ariana finished off for him.

"B-But why? Aren't you close with her?" Jared asked.

"No, I am close with her, she is the only person I have that is close as family. I just...am not ready to face that, not yet," Ariana shook her head.

"Okay, but you still need to call her so she wouldn't be worried," Jared said as he handed her phone to her.

"Yeah," Ariana sighed before she took the phone.

"Hey, Fredarling," she said as Freda picked up.

'You little rascal! When are you coming back home? You made me prepare lasagna and it's already getting cold,' Freda rang from the other side which earned a chuckle from Ariana.

"Oh, Tita Freda, I'm sorry but I won't be able to come back home tonight. I have tons of work on my head. It's not easy to be a CEO of two companies, you know," Ariana said and Jared rolled his eyes at her sassiness.

'Oh, then why didn't you inform earlier? I wouldn't have made so much food then!' Freda sighed.

"Sorry, but you can keep it in the refrigerator. I'll eat it all up when I'm back," Ariana said.

'Fine, are you sure you don't want me to bring you some food?' Freda asked.

"Oh, no, it's fine. What are fast food restaurants for?" Ariana snickered and Jared snorted.

'Fine, take care of yourself,' Freda said.

"You too, Fredarling, make sure you lock the doors and don't forget to close the windows before you sleep, it's cold out there," Ariana reminded.

'Get off my case!' Freda said before she hung up the call.

"Sometimes, I wonder who took care of who," Ariana mused which made Jared chuckle.