UNEXPECTED LOVE

UNEXPECTED LOVE - CHAPTER 4

While Crishane was watching Lian lying on the long chair on the top floor, she waited until she was sure he was alone.

Then she approached him.

"So even a creature like you knows how to feel emotions," Crishane said, standing beside the chair.

Lian suddenly sat up. "What are you doing here? Do you often come here?"

"No, just now. I'm not assigned to clean here, so it's my first time," Crishane said.

"So how did you get here?"

Crishane didn't answer and just looked up at the sky.

"Did you follow me?" Lian asked.

Crishane nodded shyly. "Ehm."

"Why did you follow me?"

"Because... I wanted to talk to you."

"About what?" Lian asked.

Crishane couldn't say it at first. She just rubbed her hands together as if she was cold.

"Hey, Crishane, will you tell me or not? If not, you can leave."

"Because Sir... I wanted to borrow money," she said softly without looking at him.

"For what?"

"For my sibling, Sir."

"Your youngest?"

"Yes, Sir, he is in the hospital."

"I know," Lian said. "Leave."

"Huh?"

"I said leave. I need to be alone."

"Ehm, okay Sir, sorry for disturbing you."

Crishane walked away.

"Even the devil knows how to emote," she whispered while leaving.

"What did you say?" Lian pretended not to hear.

"Ah nothing Sir, I said I'm going down," Crishane made an excuse and went back to the kitchen.

Lian suddenly smiled. "So I'm a devil now," he said with a grin and lay down again.

---

"Crishane, where have you been? I've been looking for you," Aling Dena pulled her into their room.

"I just talked to Sir Lian," she answered.

"What did you say? Did you agree?"

"No."

"Then what?"

"I just tried to borrow money."

"Did he give you?" Crishane shook her head.

"See, you know his attitude. You still talked to him," Aling Dena said. "Good thing you didn't talk in the living room. If Ma'am Bishel saw you, she would be angry."

"Is Ma'am looking for Sir?"

"No, I didn't tell her he arrived earlier. Where did you talk to him?"

"I saw him go upstairs so I followed him."

"What! You went up there?" Aling Dena was shocked. "Sir Lian strictly forbids anyone to go up there."

"Huh! That's why he told me to leave."

"Next time don't go there again."

"Okay, Ate."

---

After a while, Lian went down to their room.

"Why are you only now?" Bishel asked.

"Who cares?" he answered and lay down.

"Before you say that, tell me if you have solved your problem. Dad and Tito are angry. Next week is your trip to America."

"I know."

"So what will you do now?"

Lian didn't speak and closed his eyes.

"Lian."

"Lian!"

"What!" Bishel was annoyed.

"Okay, if you don't want to talk to me, solve that problem alone."

"I will solve this alone," Lian said angrily. "When it comes to business in America, you don't care anyway. I'm the only one who worries about it."

"Yeah, you're right, Lian. I don't care about that business. Don't involve me. But remember, if our business here in the Philippines is affected, don't drag my business down. My business is more important than you."

"Oh yeah, perfect wife," Lian said with slow claps. "We are the same. My business is more important than you or anyone else. I will not exchange my business for anything in this world. If I want to have a child, I will do what I want."

He took his jacket and left the house. Bishel was left sitting on the bed, stunned.

---

It was midnight and Crishane was still awake, thinking deeply.

_Where will I go now? Even Sir didn't give me money. What if I just agree so everything will be over?_

Her tears kept falling.

Because she couldn't sleep, she went out to the garden to get some air. She noticed someone sitting alone at a table with a glass of wine.

"Sir Lian!?" she was surprised.

"What are you doing here again?" he said, annoyed.

"Why are you still outside? It's midnight, Sir."

"None of your business."

"Are you drunk?"

"No." Lian wasn't drunk. He just wanted to be alone.

"Leave," he ordered.

Crishane didn't leave. Instead, she sat on the chair in front of him.

"What are you doing? Didn't I say leave?" Lian said.

"No one wants to be alone when they are sad," Crishane said softly.

"Are you making me angry?"

"Please, Sir. Help my sibling. He is really struggling because of his asthma. Please," she begged, tears in her eyes.

Lian looked at her for a long time. His expression softened.

"Okay," he said quietly.

"Really, Sir?"

"Yes. I will help. Tomorrow, doctors will take care of your sibling, your mother, and your father. But only if you agree to my offer freely. I will not force you. I want to hear a clear 'yes' from you. If you say no, I will still help your sibling tonight, and you will not lose your job."

Crishane was shocked by his change in tone.

"But Sir... I need time to think."

"I will give you time until tomorrow morning. And I will also process your passport, just in case you agree to come with me to America. Everything will be legal, with a lawyer. Your decision, Crishane."

Crishane cried, but this time not from fear, but from confusion.

"Now go back to sleep," Lian said gently.

She left and went back to her bed.

---

The next morning, Cristoph called Aling Dena early.

"Hello," Aling Dena answered, still sleepy.

"Is Ate there?"

"Yes, wait, I'll wake her up."

Aling Dena woke Crishane and gave her the phone.

"Cristoph, why did you call?"

"Ate, the doctors quickly took care of Bunso, as well as Nanay and Tatay. Later is Nanay's operation," Cristoph said.

"What?" Crishane was shocked.

"Why Ate? You seem surprised, didn't the payment come from you?"

"Ah, I just woke up, sorry."

"By the way Ate, all our debts have been paid. And Nanay said if your boss allows, you can come here. Nanay wants to talk to you before her operation."

"Okay," she said and hung up the phone, tears falling.

Crishane was stunned. She didn't know what to do.

She went to the kitchen to return the phone to Aling Dena.

"What did they say?" Aling Dena asked, putting the phone in her pocket.

"Nothing, Ate, they just asked how I am," Crishane said. She couldn't tell the truth yet.

"How is your youngest sibling?"

"He is okay," she said, hiding what really happened.

After a while, Lian went downstairs and looked for her.

"Sir, have breakfast first," Aling Dena offered.

"No. Where is Crishane?"

"In the room, Sir."

"Call her."

"Okay, Sir."

Aling Dena quickly went to Crishane.

"Rish, Sir is calling you. He seems in a hurry."

They went out.

"Sir, Crishane is here," Aling Dena said.

"Crishane, get dressed," Lian said.

"Huh?"

"Get dressed. We need to go somewhere. I will wait in the car," he said and went out.

Crishane and Aling Dena looked at each other, confused.

"What happened to him?" Aling Dena whispered.

"I don't know," Crishane said, shrugging.

"Just get dressed. Maybe you will go somewhere important," Aling Dena said.

Crishane changed clothes and followed Lian to the car.

"Get in," Lian said, opening the door for her. They left.

While Lian was driving, it was quiet. Crishane was so nervous she couldn't speak. Sometimes she glanced at Lian, but he was focused on driving.

"S-Sir," she finally said.

"Why?" he asked, still looking at the road.

"Can you tell me where we are really going?"

"You will get a passport."

Crishane became silent. Her mind was messy.

_What should I do? The money already went to the hospital and to pay our debts. If I refuse now, how will I pay Sir back? But I also want my family to be happy. I will endure this for them._

Tears fell from her eyes as she looked out the car window.

After a while, they arrived at the DFA office. Crishane just followed what Lian said.

When her passport application was done, they went to Lian's office. Lian called Don Mart, Don Larry, and Bishel to inform them of his decision.

"She is Crishane, one of our maids," Lian introduced.

"So what's your plan?" Bishel asked sharply.

"Like what I told you before," Lian said.

"Are you sure, Crishane? Did you agree to Lian's offer voluntarily?" Don Mart asked gently, looking at Crishane.

Crishane lowered her head. She was nervous, but she nodded.