Chapter 3

I am here at home right now. Sitting down, while watching anime on YouTube. I will be going to work later, since I woke up late this morning I only have half day. I think I slept late last night because of the reports I had to work on.

"'Elle, I will be going to the nearby market. Do you want anything for me to buy?" Mom asked. There is a wet market nearby our place.

I immediately stood up to pause what I was watching.

"Buy me some spicy flavor pancit canton, Mom. That's the tastiest. And also cup noodles. I ran out of stock last night." I requested.

Pancit canton is one of my favorite food to eat, especially when I have a lot of work to do. Sometimes, I even have it as a snack.

Mom gave me a disapproving look. "Stop eating those noodles, it's not good for your health!"

"But Mom, I really like it." I insisted.

She let out a heavy sigh. "Fine, but I'll only buy six of them," she said before leaving the house.

"Mom, that's not enough! I miss my pancit canton." I shouted for her to hear outside the house.

She turned to look in the direction of the window where I was seated. Her face grimaced.

"Quiet down. Don't nag me, or you'll really get it from me. See!" she showed me her right fist.

I couldn't help but burst into laughter at Mom's antics. I really love how she if she annoyed.

"Take care, Mom," I waved at her, not bothering to go out as I stayed by the window.

Time passed by, I'm still not yet done watching the whole episode.

"What time is it now?" I whispered to myself.

I looked at my wristwatch. It's already ten o'clock, Mom is taking too long.

I'll just cook some rice for now. I'll just prepare the viand when Mom arrives.

"Oh, silly me. I'm about to cook rice but I forgot to put water." I scolded myself as I prepared to cook the rice that has been washed.

Mom arrived at quarter to eleven. She brought a lot of things, so I helped carry some of the items she bought from the market and brought them straight to the kitchen.

Mom handed me the pancit canton and cup noodles. "Here's what you asked for. Don't eat them every day," I nodded.

"Move a bit, I'll start cooking our viand. Since you're done cooking rice," I guided her to a stool to sit and rest, but she resisted.

"I'll cook the viand, Mom. You're tired, you just came from the market. Just rest in the living room," I insisted, but she stood her ground.

"I'll do it! What viand do you want? So I can start cooking now," she asked me.

"Sinigang with bangus, Mom," I said excitedly.

She started to slice the ingredients, including the fish. I looked at her carefully how she remove the guts and taking care the gail not to hatch. It's taste like bitter if the gail is going to crush.

While, Mom, put the ingredients on the boiling water she spoke.

"You know, child, I've noticed something about you since you were young. Especially your eyes and face," she broke the silence.

I looked at her in confusion.

"Why, Mom? Is there something wrong with my eyes and face?" I immediately touched and felt my cheeks and forehead.

I even faced the mirror beside me.

There's nothing wrong. I don't have pimples. I don't even use makeup or contact lenses.

Nothing at all.

She just shook her head at my actions. "I think I'm overthinking... They're not from here, not even in the Philippines."

"What do you mean?"

"It's like this, child. I used to be a domestic helper in Spain. My former employer had five children. Three boys, two girls. The second child is a girl, and she was the first to get married and have a child with a man at the age of twenty-two. They were like my employer's first grandchild. But what puzzles me is that the child of my employer and his wife looks just like you," she said at length.

I felt nervous about what Mom was saying.

She turned off the stove before continuing.

"They have mixed family backgrounds. Let's start with my former employers. My female employer is half American and Spanish, both with blue eyes. The man is a pure Argentinian. Then we move on to the daughter who got married. Her husband is Turkish, with a bonus of green eyes. Their eldest child is a very handsome young man, taking after his father, especially his eyes. His name is Zain Zucchini, I even remember his name."

My heart raced even faster. It felt like a race going on inside me when she said something.

"Sometimes I wonder if you could be their child. Both of them look so much like you, especially the young boy, you could be twins when put together. And your eyes are green, just like the husband," she said.

I furrowed my brows at what Mom was saying. It was hard to follow everything she was saying.

"Well, do you know their last name, Mom?" I curiously asked.

She shook her head. "I forgot their last name. It's hard to pronounce."

I just sighed.

Until now, I still think about what Mom said earlier. Even when I was washing the dishes earlier, that's what I was thinking about.

"Hey," someone called out to me.

I turned to look at Lesley, and she lightly tapped my shoulder.

"Are you spacing out? Sir manager has been calling you for a while."

I quickly turned to the front and saw the manager looking at me with a raised eyebrow. I immediately stood up.

I leaned forward a bit. "Sorry, sir," I apologized to him.

"Break up with your boyfriend. So you won't space out overthinking if he's seeing someone else," I heard a chuckle from behind, so I turned to my colleague.

"I don't have a boyfriend, sir-"

"Oh, deny it. Go to the CEO's office now," he interrupted me.

"Oh, it's your last day today. I told you, you were spacing out," Rex teased.

I just rolled my eyes. Then I started walking towards the CEO's office.

I was nervous, unsure of what would happen to me. What if I get fired, what will happen to me and Mom?

I hesitated to knock on the door.

I took a deep breath before knocking.

"Come in," a man's voice said.

I slowly pushed the door open.

"I was told you wanted to see me, sir?" I asked politely.

He just nodded and looked at me intently, as if he was examining me.

"Please, take a seat, Miss Zhanielle," he offered me a seat at the visitor's area. I sat down, my legs were starting to feel numb from standing.

"I called you here because my son's friend needs an employee. His company is short-staffed. You will work there temporarily, and once they find someone, you can come back here," he explained.

"Why me, sir? I mean, why did you choose me? There are many others who are better than me," I furrowed my brows in confusion.

It seemed like for that minute, I forgot that I was facing the CEO. I was really puzzled.

He glanced at me briefly before answering my question.

"Why you? You have a good record. And you are kind, good at entertaining guests. Something my other employees lack. When there are visitors, you're like a tourist guide, you escort them or give them directions on where to go. That's what my secretary noticed about you," he explained.

Was it Secretary Gio who recommended me? She's ruining things! I'm going to a company where I don't know anyone.

"You will transfer tomorrow," I didn't say anything, even to myself.

"Where will I be assigned, sir?" I asked.

"To Magallanes, that's where you'll work tomorrow," I was shocked at what the boss said.

"Sir! That's far. It will take me two and a half hours to travel there. I'll be late, and I won't have a place to stay," I complained.

"Don't be silly. You will stay in my son's condo, since he's not using it anymore. And my driver will take you there," he chuckled.

How rude. The way he called me silly, as if it's nothing.

"Will you accept or not? The decision is yours, Miss Zhanielle."

I nodded, I had no choice. I couldn't refuse, it would be embarrassing.

"Yes, sir," I said.

Instead of 'no, sir,' I sounded like a fool.

"I'll go ahead, sir," I smiled before leaving his office.

"Okay. So you can start packing your things," I felt like he was kicking me out of his territory.

I just shrugged my shoulder.

"Oh, what did the CEO say to you?" Lesley quickly approached my desk when I returned.

Our other colleagues also came closer to listen. They really love gossips.

I sadly smiled at them.

"He's transferring me to another company, to his son's friend," I wiped my face because of the sweats about to fall.

"What?! Are you serious?" I just nodded in response.

"Do you want me to help you pack?" Rex sarcastically asked me. "Finally, the nice girl is leaving. She's being transferred, poor thing," Rex pretended to cry.

"Okay, guys!" Lesley called everyone's attention. "We'll go to the bar later. Rex's treat."

What? Bar? Last month, something bad happened to me at that bar. It's been almost a month since that man and I had an encounter.

"What treat? Hey, I didn't say anything. Inday, I didn't say that. You're deciding," he raised an eyebrow, with a hint of annoyance.