Chapter 3
1655 Words
Chapter 3
It was already six in the evening when I got home.
I tried not to think about what had happened earlier. It was embarrassing enough, and I was sure people would be talking about it in class tomorrow.
I walked slowly into the mansion and found Aunt Eleanor sitting in the living room, her eyes focused on her laptop.
“Good evening, Aunt Eleanor.”
She only spared me a quick glance before returning her attention to the screen.
Aunt Eleanor was already in her fifties, but you would never guess it. She looked much younger, and her presence alone was intimidating. She had that unmistakable don’t-mess-with-me aura that made people think twice before bothering her.
Careful not to make any noise, I went upstairs to change.
A few moments later, my gaze landed on my old bag.
The handle hung loosely from one side.
“I’ll sew you later,” I whispered.
Dad bought that bag for me when I was in Grade 12. Up until now, I was still using it.
Aunt Eleanor gave me a monthly allowance of two thousand pesos. I spent it carefully and saved as much as I could. I didn’t like spending money unless it was necessary. I wanted to have savings in case I needed them someday.
I had also been looking for a part-time job. Something that would fit my class schedule. Even a small income would help.
After soaking my uniform, I headed to the kitchen to help prepare dinner.
The twins usually arrived home around five in the afternoon. Aliya and Eliya were both in Grade Ten.
Link, on the other hand, usually came home around seven-thirty.
There were several housemaids, but I always tried to help. I couldn’t sit still knowing everyone else was busy.
It was almost eight when dinner was finally ready.
“Aliya, call your brother. It’s dinner time,” Aunt Eleanor said.
“Ah, I’ll do it,” I volunteered.
The twins immediately looked at me.
I quickly stood and headed upstairs.
A few seconds after I knocked on Link’s door, it opened.
His expression was blank as usual. He simply stared at me, waiting for me to speak.
“D-Dinner’s ready,” I said awkwardly.
He didn’t answer.
He simply closed the door.
I stared at it for a moment before turning away.
We rarely talked anyway.
We didn’t even share a room.
My room was located near the staff quarters.
A few minutes later, Link came downstairs wearing a gray shirt and checkered pajama pants.
If you ask me, Link was ridiculously handsome.
That was exactly why my friends couldn’t understand how we ended up married.
He was tall—around five-foot-eleven. He had beautiful eyes, fair skin, a sharp nose, and a natural charm that drew attention wherever he went.
Link was also incredibly smart.
At the university, he was known as a genius.
His family was well-known, and he had even appeared in several TV commercials and fashion exhibits.
Everything about him felt out of reach.
Which was why I understood why he never wanted this marriage in the first place.
I understood why he had almost failed to show up at our wedding.
I couldn’t blame him.
Sometimes, I felt like I had ruined everything he wanted for himself.
…
“Link, I heard Lexa is already here in the Philippines.”
Link paused in the middle of taking a bite as Aunt Eleanor suddenly brought up the topic.
“Yep! She contacted me,” Aliya answered excitedly. “I can’t wait to see her.”
“That’s not fair,” Eliya complained. “She didn’t tell me anything.”
“She told me she’s visiting next week,” Aliya added proudly.
“Yeah, we’ve talked.”
Unlike the twins, Link sounded completely uninterested.
I quietly listened while eating my dinner.
“I think she’s transferring to Architecture as well,” Aunt Eleanor said.
“Yeah.”
“That means you’ll be classmates, Kuya?” Eliya asked.
Link simply nodded.
“Cool! I’m so excited to see her!”
Eliya practically bounced in her seat.
As for me?
It was as if I wasn’t even there.
They weren’t rude. They just never included me in their conversations.
Never asked for my opinion.
Never really spoke to me.
I had gotten used to it.
After dinner, I helped clear the table.
“Arieza, we’ll take care of everything here,” Aling Marta said. “Go study. I’ll wash your uniform too.”
She was one of the housemaids and was already in her forties.
“It’s okay, Auntie Marta. It’s still early. Thank you, though,” I replied politely.
“Go on now. Stop being stubborn.”
She practically shooed me away.
Knowing I wouldn’t win against her persistence, I smiled and headed upstairs.
Back in my room, I searched for a sewing kit.
Then I grabbed my damaged bag and made my way to the rooftop.
The mansion had three floors and a spacious rooftop overlooking the subdivision.
It was one of my favorite places in the house.
It was quiet.
Peaceful.
And for a little while, it felt like the entire world belonged only to me.
I sat on a chair near one of the lights and began sewing the torn strap of my bag.
My full attention was focused on the needle when I suddenly sensed someone nearby.
I looked up.
Link.
I froze.
For a brief second, his eyes were fixed on what I was doing.
Then he quickly looked away.
Embarrassed, I instinctively hid the bag behind me.
As if he hadn’t already seen it.
Without saying anything, he walked toward the other side of the rooftop.
There was a small veranda there with a table and several chairs.
I assumed it had been designed as a place to relax.
Link sat down and stared into the distance.
For a while, neither of us spoke.
Since I wasn’t sleepy yet, curiosity eventually got the better of me.
Gathering my courage, I stood and slowly approached him.
“L-Link…”
He didn’t look at me.
“Who is Lexa?”
The words slipped out before I could stop myself.
“I was just curious.”
Several seconds passed.
Then came a long, irritated sigh.
Finally, he looked at me.
“That’s none of your business.”
His voice was cold.Sharp.
The kind of tone that instantly made me regret asking.
My shoulders slumped.
“Ah… sorry.”
The silence that followed felt even more awkward.
I was about to leave when I noticed him reaching into his pocket.
He pulled out a folded stack of bills.
“Buy a new bag.”
His tone remained as indifferent as ever.
He extended the money toward me.
My eyes widened.
“Ah… n-no. Thank you.”
I immediately shook my head.
“I can’t accept that.”
For a moment, he stared at me.
Expressionless.
Unreadable.
Then he stood up.
Without another word, he placed the money on the table beside me.
And before I could protest again—he turned around and walked away.
Leaving both the money and me behind.
…
The Next Day
Before I could even enter the campus gates, I spotted Jay from a distance.
He was standing near the entrance with his arms crossed and a deep frown on his face, as if he had been waiting for someone.
Waiting for me.
It was only 6:30 in the morning.
My first class wasn’t until 8:00 a.m.
I always made it a point to arrive early. First, because I commuted and didn’t want to risk being late. Second…
I felt more alive at school than I did at home.
“Jay, you’re here early,” I greeted as I walked toward him.
He didn’t answer right away.
Instead, his eyes dropped to the bag I was carrying.
A tote bag.
Not the old one that had broken yesterday.
The memory immediately made me cringe.
Out of all the people who could have witnessed that embarrassing scene, it had to be Jay.
“Your class starts at eight, right?” he asked.
I nodded.
“Yeah.”
“Your class starts at ten, doesn’t it?” I shot back. “Why are you here so early?”
Instead of answering, he suddenly grabbed my wrist.
“Hey! What are you doing?” I protested.
Ignoring me completely, he dragged me toward the parking lot.
“Jay!”
“Just walk.”
His tone left no room for argument.
A few moments later, we stopped beside his car.
Before I could ask any more questions, he unlocked it and opened the back door.
Inside sat a medium-sized box.
I frowned.
“What am I supposed to do with that?”
“Take it.”
His answer was immediate.
And irritated.
“Huh?”
I looked at him, confused.
“Why?”
I didn’t move.
I just stood there staring at him with a raised eyebrow.
His expression darkened.
Clearly losing patience, he reached into the car, grabbed the box himself, and shoved it into my arms.
“Jay—”
He slammed the door shut.
“What is this?”
“Do whatever you want with it.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
“Then open it and find out.”
I stared at the box.
Then at him.
Then back at the box.
“Seriously, what is—”
“Arieza.”
His voice carried a warning.
I immediately stopped talking.
“Just take it.”
Before I could ask another question, he turned around and started walking away.
“Jay!”
He didn’t stop.
“Jay!”
Not even a glance.
I looked down at the box in my arms.
Then at his retreating figure.
That i***t.
Why was he acting like he was angry when he was clearly the one giving me something?
- Writer
