Chapter 9

I've been in my condo for almost two days. Thankfully, Zain is here, taking care of me. He even took a leave from work because he wanted to take care of me.

I told him I could manage on my own, but he was stubborn and acted like a child who wouldn't be denied. No choice!

I'm facing the full-length mirror now, checking if my outfit looks good. I'm wearing a striped blue long-sleeved shirt and a dark blue pencil skirt. I'm going back to work. Two and a half days of absence should be enough.

I also put on my anti-radiation glasses. I just left my hair down, putting in three hairpins. My hair's getting long, it's past my waist and straight, but it's a little curly at the ends.

"Okay, I think this is good." I took a mirror selfie for a while, just to change my profile picture on Facebook.

While in the elevator, I opened my Facebook account. I selected my profile and uploaded a photo.

The caption was "on my way to work"

Back in grade 9, my male classmates used to tease me. They'd ask why I only put in three hairpins, why I didn't add more, saying I'd look like Tinkerbell.

"Zhanielle, why don't you add more hairpins? So we'll have a Tinkerbell classmate." They laughed.

One of our classmates joined in. "And Peter Pan, the fat guy with lots of pimples on his face..." They laughed again. The others held their stomachs.

I really cried back then. I thought Tinkerbell was some kind of monster or something. But it turned out to be just a fairy. I didn't know Tinkerbell, Peter Pan, or any of the others. The only ones I knew were Elsa, Anna, Cinderella, Belle, and Mulan.

I shook my head as I remembered their bullying. I also remembered a classmate telling me I was ugly. I ended up cutting class and went home. I kept complaining to my mom back then.

In grade 9, I used to cry easily and get hurt. But I became a bit of a bitch in senior high. I was always the one doing the reports or preparing for our defenses. Sometimes, during group projects, I was always the team leader. It's tiring, especially when your members don't help. They'd just say, "You're the leader, you do it." So? What are they? An audience or something?!

A wide smile greeted me outside the elevator. Nothing new, he'd always wait for me so we could leave the condominium building together.

He greeted me happily, even kissing my forehead. "Good morning,"

I smiled back at him. "Good morning, too!"

He put his arm around me as we walked out of the building.

He also greeted the guard. "Good morning, kuyang guard..." He waved.

He seems to be in a good mood today, huh?

"Going to work?" I asked seriously. He turned to me, his arm still around me.

"Yeap," he raised and lowered his eyebrows.

"Good thing your boss didn't fire you? From your job,"

"I'm the boss, how can I fire myself from my job?" he said arrogantly, smiling.

My eyes widened, and I turned to him with a surprised expression.

"Really? You're the boss?" I confirmed. He just nodded. "Oh, really? You're probably just kidding me... You don't look like it, you look like a macho dancer in a club,"

He frowned and got serious. He shook his head in the end, seeming to understand I was joking.

"You, really! You love to annoy me every morning, don't you?" He squeezed both my cheeks.

His eyes were sleepy as he looked at me. "You look beautiful, huh. With your eyeglasses... You must have a boyfriend now, right?" Where did he even get the word "boyfriend"?

"Oh, come on, you're already buttering me up in the morning... Besides, I don't have a boyfriend, none since birth." I said irritably. I was already annoyed by him this early in the morning.

"You get irritated so easily. Where did your mother conceive you? In a bad mood?"

He chuckled, about to mess up my hair. But I quickly moved away from him.

I glared at him. "Don't touch my hair. It's hard to comb."

"I'm not buttering you up!... Good thing you don't have a boyfriend. If someone asks you out, introduce him to me first. Before you say yes. Okay?" You could hear the seriousness in his voice.

I looked at him to see if he was joking. His aura and face were so serious, his gaze was sharp and distant.

I just answered. "Aye aye captain,"

I went in front of him and saluted.

"Then, good." He turned back to me. "Can I ask for a favor?" I raised an eyebrow. I even looked up at him.

He seemed happy with what he was thinking. Eyes can't lie, right?

"Can you call me, kuya?" He sounded like a child asking for candy from his parents.

I was stunned in front of him. I only came back to reality when he gently tapped my cheek.

"Hey, are you okay? You're spacing out." You could hear the concern in his voice and face.

He wants me to call him "kuya"? Did I hear that right or not?

"What did you say again?"

"Call me kuya," I did hear that right.

So? I'm going to have a brother?

Even if we're not related by blood? It's possible, right?

"Oh my! Really? Can I call you kuya? Really?" I jumped up and down in excitement.

He smiled too, he seemed happy.

"Yes. You can call me kuya, anytime..."

I couldn't help but hug his waist. It's the only part I can reach, he's so tall. He and Zach are almost the same height.

I was so happy. I don't know why, but my heart was overflowing with joy. It felt like it would burst anytime because of happiness.

He hugged me back.

He whispered. "Do you agree?"

"Yes, yes! I finally have someone to call kuya," I nodded repeatedly.

I looked at my wristwatch.

Oops, I'm about to be late...

"Oh, I have to go. I'm going to be late for work, and so are you." I broke away from the hug, but he didn't.

"I'll drive you," I immediately shook my head at his offer. "Then, call me kuya first! I'll let you go,"

This is the first time I'll have someone to call kuya. That's why I'm a bit shy, especially since I only met him yesterday.

"Let me go, please kuya. Because I'm going to be late for work." I said with a bit of weakness.

I looked up at him. His face and ears were red, he was also biting his lip, trying to suppress a smile.

He finally let me go and left me standing here. I turned around and looked at his back as he walked away. No shame! He left me here.

"Hey! You're so rude! Wait for me..." I shouted, but he just ignored me. So I quickened my pace. "Kuyaa!" I shouted again in annoyance.

How dare him?! He just disregarded a beautiful woman like me? He's an outrage!

I saw him hailing a taxi. What?! He's going to commute? Miracle!

"Quicken your pace, you're so slow." He turned towards me. He was in his pocket while waiting.

The clothes he was wearing suited him. He was wearing a black tuxedo. His hair also looked good, he must have put gel in it.

He opened the taxi door.

"Get in, your highness." He smiled sweetly.

"Thank you kuya," I nodded. He kissed my forehead again.

"Be careful. See you, later." Then he closed the door, he waved.

I thought he was the one who would ride the taxi, but apparently not. He's so gentlemanly, whoever becomes his girlfriend is so lucky.

And during the long ride, because of the annoying traffic. Thankfully, I arrived at Zachary's company just in time.

I ran to get to the floor I was going to.

Thank goodness kuya Zain took care of me. He even finished the work that our head gave me.

"Good morning, ma'am." I said when I passed by the CEO secretary. She looked at me and nodded.

She seemed to be busy, she moved hurriedly.

I continued walking to my desk.

Around ten o'clock, I saw Zach passing by. He looked around, as if he was looking for something. I went back to what I was doing, when his gaze stopped on me. Zach went straight to our head, he was holding a folder. I secretly glanced at him, he wouldn't notice because I was wearing my eyeglasses.

While he was talking to our head, his gaze was on me. That's why I felt a little awkward, I could also hear my colleagues whispering. They were asking why he was the one who delivered the folder, when he had a secretary.

I also thought about it. They're right, he has a secretary, he could just tell her to deliver the folder. Maybe he wants to see something here.

'Maybe he wants to see something here' when I thought of that phrase, I felt a pang in my heart. It felt heavy, I held my chest near my heart.

Why am I hurting? I'm nothing to him.

I just focused and paid full attention to my work. I could still feel his gaze.

"I'm out of milk?" I whispered to myself. I was planning to make some milk. But I couldn't find any in my bag, I always bring milk with me.

I took off my eyeglasses. Then I stood up, I accidentally caught sight of Zach who was still there. He was still talking to our head, while still looking at me. He stood up straight.

He might melt me!

I approached our gay colleague. I was just going to ask if there was any milk there. His name is Aljeck. But he said he'd rather be called Aljean.

I tapped him. "Al, is there any milk there?"

He looked at me. "Yes, it's in the bottom drawer."

I thanked him and went back to get my eyeglasses and put them back on. I wiped them first. I also brought my handkerchief.

I wiped the sweat off my forehead when I was near our head and Zach's desk. Why is the dispenser and the container for glasses, milk, and coffee so close to them?

I could only pray silently in my mind. I wanted to take a different path, but it was no use. He was only five steps away from the water dispenser. His strides were so big.

I let out a loud sigh as I passed by their desk. I felt like I was the one at fault, like I was avoiding something. I quickly grabbed a mug and got the milk from the drawer. I hurriedly made my drink.

But it seemed like I was just unlucky. Our head called me.

I looked to my left and right. I was hoping there was someone else here.

"Miss?" He didn't seem to know my name yet.

"Zhanielle po," I said politely and forced a smile.

I could feel his companion's irritated gaze. But I just ignored it.

"Do you know Gio? The guy downstairs," I immediately shook my head.

"I'm sorry, but I don't know that guy." I bowed slightly, it was a habit to bow when apologizing or asking for forgiveness, even to my mother. "Maybe Aljea- Aljeck, sir, maybe he knows him."

"Oh, is that so..." He looked in Aljean's direction. Then he looked back at Zach. But the man was still looking at me, and you could see the annoyance, anger, and irritation on his face.

"Sir, I'll go to Mr. Aljeck first," he excused himself. So I went back to making my drink. I lifted my eyeglasses because they were a bit of a hindrance. Thankfully, they didn't get caught on my hairpins.

I blew on my milk first, it was too hot. I'll just taste it to see if the sweetness is just right. I don't like it too sweet, just the right amount of sweetness.

"Just like this? After you were absent for two days, no acknowledgement? Like that? What, treat me like a stranger?!" he said irritably and angrily. So I put the mug on my desk. I almost choked, I even burned my tongue. I immediately grabbed the glass and filled it with water.

What a bad temper! He didn't even offer me water! What if I die? I'll really sue this guy.

I thought he left already? He just suddenly spoke. That's why my tongue got burned!

I felt his hand stroking my back. And the other one was on my waist. Thankfully, I was facing sideways, I was blocking him and my colleagues wouldn't see.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to!" He apologized sincerely. But I just glared at him. He continued stroking my back and apologizing.

I took a biscuits and dipped it in the milk. I finished three biscuits. Zach was playing with the ends of my hair.

"Are you hungry?" I just nodded. I drank my milk after it cooled down a bit. "Let's talk, later..."

He held my jaw and turned my face towards him. He immediately kissed me, but it was just a smack.