A Bullied Billionaire

Chapter 4

"Pare, you're really a friend." Dante hugged him tightly. Rex coughed again, so Dante quickly released him.

"Uhm… Dante, it's not that I'm hurrying you, but I'm late for work."

"I'm sorry, I bothered you. You're the best, Rex." Dante put his arm around Rex and patted his shoulder as they walked to the door. Rex didn't respond. He was also grateful that Dante had a car, so he wouldn't have to take him to the exit. It was a Honda Civic, but a hatchback, and purple. Cute, and undeniably girly, which clearly showed the owner's personality. It was obviously expensive. He imagined Marimar riding in that car.

He shook his head to get rid of that thought. "See you, Pare," he said goodbye to Dante as he got into his car. He hurried to his car and left the compound. Once he was driving, he sped up to make up for the time Dante had wasted. He needed to get to the office quickly because he had a lot of work to finish.

Rex got a manicure. Actually, he only did this when he wanted someone to talk to. Even though Olga, the Ilongga manicurist, had a somewhat broken way of speaking, he enjoyed talking to her. His stress lessened just by talking to someone like her, someone who seemed unconcerned about the economic crisis, the war in Mindanao, and all the important issues in life and the world.

"That's good," she said when he told her about Marimar. "At least, you're not alone anymore. You have a family, right? But it's like you don't, huh?"

"I also feel like I'm alone, even though I have siblings. I have two older brothers and three half-siblings from my mother's second husband. But since they're in different provinces and we haven't seen each other for a long time, I hardly know what they look like anymore."

"Well, why don't you check up on them regularly?" Olga said, removing the cuticles on his left foot.

"I don't feel like having regular communication with them," he replied.

"I get it, brow-der. Even I'm not really into talking to my aunts and uncles in Iloilo. Wait, you're an orphan on your father's side. When did he die?"

"When my brother Nick was in college. My father died of pneumonia. Less than a year later, my mother remarried. She got pregnant right away with her eldest child with her second husband. My stepfather is well-off, but from the start, it was clear he didn't plan to take on the responsibilities left by my father to us siblings."

"Oh, that's typical stepfather behavior."

"My mother is hardworking, so she managed to send Kuya Nick to school. After Kuya Nick finished college, she sent my sister Madi to school. The plan was for Ate to go to college next, but after she graduated, she eloped with her boyfriend."

"Oh my goodness!"

"They left for the boyfriend's province—Marinduque. I heard that my brother-in-law is rich, and my sister lives like a lady there. But because she didn't have her own money, Ate didn't send me to school. My brother was already in Bukidnon by then. He had a high position on a pineapple plantation there. But he didn't support my studies because he had his own family. So, after I graduated from high school, I stopped studying and became a servant in my stepfather's house. I suffered a lot there, Olga, so I decided to leave my mother and Tito Junie's house. I went to Manila to seek my fortune."

"And the rest is history."

He laughed at her comment. That's exactly what he wanted when he talked to her or any of her gay friends. He always laughed a lot when he talked to them. "I went to my cousins when I found out they were renting an apartment here in Santa Cruz. They split the rent, so I didn't hesitate. They brought me to Manila because they knew what I was going through with Tito Junie. The rest is history." He smiled, subtly correcting the manicurist's statement.

"I still remember your story, Rex."

"I'm not done with the drama yet, Olga," he said, laughing.

"Okay… continue," she said, continuing to work on his nails.

"Well, there were ten of us in that two-bedroom apartment. The rooms were so small. I almost had to sleep outside because it was so crowded with my cousins. I wasn't lucky in finding a job when I discovered that sleeping in Lolo Urno's tricycles was better." He was referring to their landlord. He had tricycles and several apartments in his backyard. "I noticed that the old man was alone in his house. And because I'm naturally helpful—"

"Oh! Wait for me to get a stool for you. You know," Olga interrupted.

He laughed at her interruption. He casually continued his story. "When I wasn't busy doing laundry for my cousins, I helped Lolo Urno clean his house. I also accompanied him to the market. Soon, he completely trusted me, and I became his market goer. He would give me some money, even if it was just enough for cigarettes. But Lolo Urno didn't give me a little money, huh? Actually, that's where my food came from—three times a day. Then, one day, he offered me a job. I would clean his tricycles, and he would pay me thirty pesos each. Of course, I didn't refuse."

"Of course. That's money."

"Every day, I was exhausted. But I knew I had food and could save a little, so at the end of the day, I felt a little relieved when I lay down. In the morning, I still did laundry for my lazy cousins, and in the evening, I cleaned the tricycles. At noon, I helped Lolo Urno at his house."

"Imagine that? I thought you just hung around then."

"I hung around after I finished cleaning the tricycles. And most of the time, I hung out with Lolo Urno. I hung out at his place and watched how he managed his tricycles. One of his drivers was kind enough to teach me how to drive a motorcycle. When I learned, Lolo Urno was happy. He saw that I was a good driver, so he offered me another job—driving. Of course, I wouldn't refuse that."

"From then on, you just became a tricycle driver."

"Yes. I earned more there. I stopped doing laundry for my cousins. Being a tricycle driver is better than a laundryman, right?" he said grinning. "I earn more."

"And you used your charm on the girls."

"Ah, that's inborn. Not because I'm a tricycle driver," he said, laughing. Olga rolled her eyes. "Okay, continue the story before the storm hits here."

He just laughed. "Anyway, Lolo Urno got a houseboy. He was the one who cleaned the old man's house and tricycles. I was a tricycle driver for several years. I saved money before I finally mustered the courage to enroll in college. I took my dream course—Architecture. The materials were expensive, and the tuition fee was high. I had to stay up late because most of my classes were in the morning, so I traveled at night. I hung around the market until I had regular customers who asked me to take them to and from the market."

Olga smiled. "You're amazing. You're a role model for young people. You're great, Rex. I promise."

He smiled. "Thank you. I really saved money so I wouldn't stop studying again. When I was in my second year, Bong came into Lolo Urno's life."

"Ah… Bong." Olga smiled again. She knew Bong well because Bong's wife was the only daughter of her boss, Mags Toquato, a frustrated beauty queen.

"You know, when I first saw him, I knew he was rich; he just didn't show it. I avoided him at first, especially since he was the one who collected rent from the apartments and tricycle fares from Lolo Urno. He was strict and seemed angry at the world. I thought we wouldn't get along."

"How did you become best friends?"

"One afternoon, he found me in the apartment lying on the floor, busy drawing. He seemed happy to know that I was studying. He also liked my course. During our conversation, I told him about my life in Batangas and why I desperately wanted to finish my studies even though no one wanted to support me."

"Maru—what?"

He rolled his eyes. "Marubdob. Intense. What? You've been in Manila for a long time, Neng." She giggled.

"Then, he invited me to Lolo Urno's house. He said I could do my drawings there so I could concentrate better and improve my work," he said, smiling as he reminisced. "He felt sorry for me because I was drawing on the floor. I was shy at first, but I insisted."

"Oh… the old man is generous!"

"From then on, I did my homework and drawings at Lolo Urno's house. He even let me use his internet for my research. I even ate dinner at Lolo Urno's house. Lucky, right?"

"Exactly!"

He smiled. "If there were people who cared for me and helped me back then, it was Bong and Lolo Urno. Bong even offered me a 'study now, pay later' scheme when I got sick in my third year. I couldn't pay for my tuition because I couldn't work. Bong gave me money for my enrollment. I didn't want to accept it, but he said I could pay him back when I got a job."

"Bong is really kind. Mags is lucky."

"Yes. Anyway, he lent me money every semester. I worked harder to finish because I didn't want to disappoint him. He didn't treat me just as their tricycle driver. We were always good friends, even though our lifestyles were very different. It took me six years to finish college. I had Bong attend my graduation, and he paid for my board review and the exam fees. I really admire Bong, so even though he has a hot temper and is very brave, he's my idol. I don't leave him in any trouble he gets into. Even if my handsome face has been broken several times, it's okay. I'd give my life for that friend."

"When he and Mags were together, you were already reviewing, right?"

"Yes." He suddenly laughed. "Damn, that crazy guy, he's actually subdued by Magdalena! The guy is under her skirt. Our drinking sessions decreased. I didn't go to the beer house anymore after that. It was good because I could focus on my review. When Mags and Bong broke up, I was done with the board exam. Bong left without saying goodbye. I went back to being a tricycle driver, but because Lolo Urno went back to the province and took his tricycles, I applied to several architectural firms. I was accepted as a trainee while I waited for my board results."

"You're an architect. Don't architects earn a lot?"

"My salary was small at first. But two months later, Built in Stone Architectural Firm called me. That's one of the most famous architectural firms in the country, Olga. It's really the dream of every architect to work in that company."

"Oh, what did they say?"

"They said I had a schedule for an interview and exam. I was already there early on the day of my exam. I passed, of course," he said grinning proudly. "I also passed the final drafting test. A senior architect reviewed it. I was so nervous, but when he nodded, I wanted to scream with joy."

"And the rest is history."