CHAPTER 9
1984 Words
Saphire Raven’s POV
“SAPH, your dad is on the line,” Ruby informed me, her voice calm yet urgent. As my best friend, personal assistant, and manager, she handled almost everything for me.
“Alright,” I replied, rising from my seat and making my way toward the phone.
I picked it up with a bright smile. “Hello?”
“Hi, my daughter. How are you?” My father’s voice came through, warm and cheerful.
“I’m doing great, Dad. Actually, I finally took a leave from work,” I told him excitedly. He’d been insisting for ages that I take a break and visit the Philippines.
“Really? That’s wonderful! Does that mean you’re coming home?” he asked, a hopeful lilt in his voice.
“I guess so,” I teased. “We need more bonding time, don’t you think? We haven’t hung out in ages, and I miss my daddy.” I playfully softened my voice, knowing it always got a reaction out of him.
After Mom passed away, Dad had poured all his energy into me and our businesses. Not once had I seen him date another woman. His entire focus had been on me, ensuring I had everything I needed. A part of me admired him for it.
“So, how are things with Clint? Are you two planning to get married? Will he be coming with you?” Dad asked. Clint was the son of his business partner, and ever since we started dating, Dad had been nothing but supportive. He truly believed Clint and I were meant to be.
I sighed. “I’m afraid not, Dad. Things didn’t work out between us.”
There was a pause before he spoke again, his tone laced with disappointment. “I thought you two were solid. Five years is a long time, Saphire. Even when you studied in the U.S., I never objected to your relationship because I was sure you’d end up together.”
“Sometimes, no matter how much we want things to work, they just don’t,” I said gently. “Besides, I’m not really thinking about marriage anymore. Being a mother, though? That’s something I do want.”
“A mother?” he echoed, his voice suddenly sharp with disbelief.
“Yes,” I confirmed. “And with my career, marriage would just complicate things. My shoots are often sensual—I don’t want any unnecessary conflicts.”
“So, what exactly are you saying?” His voice had shifted into a sterner tone. “That you’ll just find some man, get pregnant, and that’s it?”
“Dad, it’s not like that,” I said, trying to pacify him. “Of course, I won’t just pick some random guy. I’ll make sure he’s someone worthy.”
He scoffed. “I’d only agree to this plan if Clint were the father of your child.”
I sighed, rubbing my temple. “Dad, I promise to tell you everything about Clint—every single detail you need to know. But in return, promise me that you’ll respect whatever decision I make for myself.”
Silence.
“Dad? Are you still there?” I asked, feeling the weight of his disappointment pressing down on me.
“I’m here,” he finally answered, his tone clipped.
I exhaled, bracing myself. “Dad, once I tell you what Clint has done, you’ll understand why I don’t want him to be the father of my child.”
Another long pause. Then, in a voice void of warmth, he said, “Fine. We’ll talk when you get home.”
I nodded to myself. “Okay, Dad.”
His tone softened just a bit. “So, when are you coming back?”
“Soon,” I answered, a slight pout forming. “But you’re mad at me.”
“Saphire, I’m not mad—I just don’t understand you,” he admitted.
I smiled despite the tension. “I’ll book my flight today. I miss you, Dad.” I tried to coax a bit of warmth back into his voice.
There was a brief pause before he finally sighed. “Alright, my daughter. So, I’ll be expecting your arrival?”
“Yes, Dad,” I said, this time with genuine excitement.
“Okay then. Take care,” he said, finally relenting.
“You too, Dad. I’ll see you soon.”
After ending the call, I turned toward Ruby.
“Gats!” I called out.
She emerged from the kitchen, holding a steaming mug. “What is it?”
“Book us two tickets. We’re going home,” I said with a grin.
Her eyes widened in surprise before a smirk curved her lips. “Seriously? Alright then, I’ll book them now.” She grabbed her phone and walked onto the terrace to make the call.
I leaned back in my chair, glancing at the contract I was drafting.
After all, if I was going to have a baby, I needed the perfect candidate for the job.
Pervince Tristan’s POV
“Hey, man, did you hear? Manager Perla officially handed in her resignation,” Rex blurted out the moment he sat beside me.
I frowned. “No, I didn’t.” Then, narrowing my eyes at him, I added, “How do you even know everything that happens around here? You’re starting to creep me out.”
He smirked. “Just heard it from the others.”
I merely nodded, brushing off the topic.
It was the middle of our shift, and we were wiping down the tables after a long wave of customers. Business had been exhausting lately, and the last two weeks had felt heavier than usual. On top of that, it had also been two weeks since my last client. Not that I was complaining—I had enough of them to last a lifetime, especially three weeks ago when the demand for me was overwhelming. One whole week of back-to-back appointments had left me completely drained.
“Hey,” I started.
“What?”
“Didn’t you say that if Manager resigns, the General Manager’s daughter is going to take over for a while?”
“Yeah. Why?” His lips twitched in amusement. “Don’t tell me you’re eager to meet her?”
I shrugged. “And if I am?”
He let out a bark of laughter. “Damn it, man. You’re probably thinking of working your charm on her already.”
I smirked. “Why not? As long as the payment isn’t overlooked, I see no problem with that.”
“You’re impossible,” he muttered, shaking his head before exhaling deeply.
Then, after a brief silence, he hesitated. “Uh… I have something to ask, but don’t get mad, alright?”
I gave him a flat look. “If you already know there’s a chance I’ll get mad, then maybe you shouldn’t ask.”
“No, I still want to ask,” he insisted.
“Fine. What is it?”
He cleared his throat. “So, my girlfriend mentioned something… that your family’s company and her parents’ company are business partners.”
I c****d a brow. “And?”
“Well, that means you’re filthy rich,” he said, rubbing his chin as if trying to piece things together. “Which makes me wonder—why the hell are you working as a hospitality man when you’ve got all that money? And what exactly do you do with all the cash you make from your clients?”
I smirked. “You really wanna know?”
He nodded eagerly.
I sighed, setting down the cloth in my hand. I wasn’t one to go spilling my past, but since he was this curious, I figured I’d enlighten him a little.
“I use the money for my daily expenses,” I began. “Ever since my parents deported me here five years ago, I refused to take a single cent from them. I threw away all the credit cards, ATMs, and cash they sent. I didn’t even step foot in the house they prepared for me. I cut ties with them completely, and I have no interest in ever rekindling anything.”
Break time came, and we moved to the locker room, sitting in silence for a moment before Rex spoke again.
“But… isn’t your father a senator in London?” he asked.
I nodded, my expression blank. “Yeah.”
“Then why the hell did they deport you?” His brows furrowed deeply, his confusion obvious.
I let out a dry chuckle. “Because I slept with the Prime Minister’s daughter and got her pregnant.”
Rex choked on air. “What?! You banged the Prime Minister’s daughter?” His voice shot up, earning glances from our other colleagues.
Annoyed, I elbowed him in the stomach. He coughed, quickly lowering his voice. “Wait—so you have a kid?”
“No.” My voice was devoid of emotion. “She had a miscarriage. She fell down the stairs.”
The excitement in his eyes faded instantly. “Damn. Sorry to hear that.”
I shrugged. “It’s fine. Honestly, it was better that way. If she had carried the baby to term, things in London would have turned into absolute chaos. And besides, I never loved her. She was the one who begged me to sleep with her, and I simply granted her wish.”
Rex could only nod, processing the information as I got up and grabbed a towel from my locker.
He watched me for a moment before asking, “Why do you hate your parents so much?”
I inhaled deeply. “To be honest, I don’t completely hate my mom. But my father? I despise him.” My grip tightened on the towel. “He blamed everything on me, as if I forced myself into that mess. And my mom… I don’t hate her, but I resent the fact that she allowed my dad to send me away. She never even fought for me.”
Rex’s lips parted slightly, but he said nothing.
I continued, “Now? I don’t care about them anymore. I’ve built a new life here, and that’s all that matters.”
Rex sighed. “You know, my wife told me your parents were looking for you four years ago. They even asked her if she knew where you were. But she didn’t say anything—apparently, you two had an agreement.”
I scoffed. “They did find me once. I was in Los Baños at the time, but I escaped and moved to Manila. And in a place this big, finding me again won’t be easy.”
Rex gave me a knowing look. “But what if they do find you again? No matter what you say, parents never stop looking for their children. If they haven’t given up, they probably already sent people or agents to track you down.”
His words struck a nerve.
I clenched my jaw. “And what exactly are they searching for? As far as I’m concerned, they no longer have a son. They lost me the moment they cast me aside.”
Rex exhaled, rubbing his nape. “Look, man, no matter how you put it, they’re still your parents. Forgiving them doesn’t mean you have to go back—it just means you respect the fact that they brought you into this world. Give it some time. Things might turn out differently.”
He patted my shoulder before walking out.
I simply watched him leave, his words lingering in my head.
What is he? A priest? What was all that preaching about?
I had no idea if I ever wanted to see my parents again.
It was as if I had simply existed in this world without them.
And honestly?
That was fine by me.
- Writer
