Safe In Your Sound

Chapter 8: Corner

"I don't have a mom."

Upon hearing that, Erica knew she wanted to slap herself for not realizing it sooner and never thought of it that way. She was insensitive to even ask it out loud.

"I'm sorry," she apologised quickly.

"It's okay, Ate Erica. I don't mind it at all," Hope shrugged which only made her more guilty.

"How can you say that? I mean, Hope, I'm sorry. I didn't know and I don't want to be —"

"Do you wanna be my mom, instead?"

"What?" Erica's eyes widened at what she just heard from the girl.

Hope smiled and repeated her question. It made Erica fall into a pit of confusion but also made her want to laugh. She knew that the girl is probably bluffing and she just said that out of longing.

Erica doesn't want to hurt the girl's feelings by giving her an honest reply but she also doesn't want to give her false hope. She can't think of a way how to deliver the words to make Hope understand that that's not how things work.

When she was unsure of what to say, Lucas immediately went in between and changed the topic right away. However, Erica couldn't still get over it until Orly arrived and knocked on her door that same afternoon to take Hope home.

She wanted to talk to him about it but she's afraid that he would think she is making a big fuzz of the girl's words which she shouldn't be doing, knowing that it's only Hope's young mind talking. The thought of the guy laughing at her because of it is enough to make her boil in annoyance so she scrapped that idea.

Meanwhile, that night while Orly was tucking Hope in bed, the latter kept narrating what she did that day but mostly, she was just complimenting how Erica had taken care of her while he was away, that she even bought her fruits and taught her how to paint. Basically, she was telling stories about Erica and not how her day went by.

Orly chuckled when she finished. "Alright, I'm convinced that she's a very beautiful and kind human being. Now, can you stop talking about her and go to sleep?" He said, caressing her daughter's hair.

"I also asked her to be my mom but she still hasn't given me her answer because Lucas—"

Before she could continue with what she wanted to say, Orly cut her off after comprehending what she said.

"You asked her what?"

"At first, she asked if I wouldn't show my mom my painting so I told her that I don't have one. And I asked her back if she wanted to be my mom..."

"Why did you do that, Hope?"

Hope pouted after sensing that her father's frustration. "I..."

"We talked about this, right?" Orly reminded, trying not to sound angry but he did sound very upset which made Hope feel guilty about her actions.

"Sorry, Papa," Hope apologised and hugged her father. Orly sighed in defeat. Though he was disappointed at what she did, he knew he couldn't resist her.

Besides, he understands why Hope is acting that way and he can't help but blame himself for the lacking presence of the most important person that should be there with her. Although for the past years, Hope never mentioned that she wanted to meet her mother, he knew she was longing for the nurture of her other parent. And now, she has expressed her wish for a mother to be there with her.

Feeling sorry for her daughter who had to grow up with only him by her side, he thought to himself.

Should he try dating now?

"Did you do something to Erica?" Andres asked, the next morning at work.

When he came in, that morning, the first thing that greeted him was Erica's glares and judging eyes, again. Ever since the woman started working there, she never failed to give him that kind of look in her eyes. And he hated it. He feels like he needs to give her a good impression every time she would bore unto him but he is not very good at making one though.

Orly shrugged. "I don't even talk to her."

"Then why does she look so mad at you? For sure, you did something to her," Andres insisted.

Orly sighed in annoyance and faced the long-haired guy who never failed to flex his hair. He takes note to bring scissors next time and just cut it by himself if he annoys him too much, like what's happening now.

"I didn't do anything. Go f**k yourself up and stop bothering me," he said in gritted teeth before leaving Andres alone inside the locker room.

He got out from annoying person number two. And now, he has come face-to-face with number one, which he didn't really expect.

He was planning to talk to her about Hope later but seems like Erica can't stand thinking about it so she was the one who confronted him, inside the storage room when he came in to get some supplies out.

Erica was fuming in irritation when she saw Orly came to work this morning. She actually went to work early as not to stumble upon him in their compound and have been planning to avoid him. She have thought of what happened overnight and concluded that Orly is badly raising his child.

"About Hope..." Erica sighed out heavily.

Before she could say more, Orly cut her through. He knew she was going to lament over his daughter's words and he doesn't want to hear it. "I'm sorry for my daughter's actions. She didn't mean any of it."

"I know, she didn't. But I am also expecting that you get your parenting right!"

His brows furrowed. "My parenting? Are you questioning how I raised Hope?"

"I don't know how you raised her but I'm certain that you're doing it wrong. The girl told me she doesn't have a mom. And asked me without even hesitating, if I want to be her mother. Tell me, just how many women did Hope asked to be her other parent?"

Orly chuckled, not knowing what to say. "I'm sorry, what?"

He couldn't get a grasp of her point.

"I know you have a lot of women with you but I'm sorry, you will never have me as one of them. If you're using Hope to come at me, then you better stop. Stop using her to get what you want and start being a responsible father!"

Her words cut deep and were really insulting. He has never felt so triggered before by a woman, aside from the one of who left her own daughter to pursue her dreams. For years, he have tried to be the best father he can be for his child but this woman who barely even knows him shot words sharp as a knife.

"Watch your words, woman. You don't know me well enough to say such things," Orly said in clenched teeth. His gaze were dark as he stared down at the woman who is also as mad as he is.

One corner of her lip rose into a grimace of what he thinks is disgust. "And you don't know me very well too, mister."

Erica never felt so frustrated and annoyed over someone for a long long time. She had one enemy back in high school whom she have always found so irritating but that was years ago and that was the last person she ever wanted to skin alive not until she met Orly.

She thought confronting him would finally give her a relief but her hate towards the guy just swelled up even more.

Because of what happened, the two of them had become worst enemies in their workplace. Sometimes, Erica would catch Orly flirting with one of the salesladies, if not Tanya, it would either be Jessica or Nelly. Whenever their eyes would meet, regardless if they were talking to someone or not, they would glare and roll their eyes at each other.

Surprisingly when Erica went home, she didn't see Hope waiting in front of her door. For the past few days, she had become used to seeing her smile when she comes home but today, she saw no sign of her, not even her shadow. But then thought that maybe Orly came home early and is already with her inside their home.

"Come on, Orly, it's my birthday! And I'm not asking for a gift. I just want to be there on my special day," Tanya lamented towards Orly.

Tanya has been trying to invite him over and over again to come to her party this Saturday and he had repeatedly declined her too but she's still insisting with what she wants.

"I'm sorry, Tanya. I'm busy. I have to work the whole day on Sunday so I can't really join you. Maybe some other time," he said, for the nth time.

"You always say that. That's not even an excuse anymore. Come on, baby..." Tanya spoke sensually on the last sentence and pushed herself towards him, her chest on his and her face was only inches apart from his own when the door suddenly burst open and revealed Erica, who upon seeing them dropped her mouth open in shock.

Knowing exactly what she is thinking, Orly carelessly pushed Tanya away from him. The latter was startled with the harsh push that hurt her pride.

"Orly!" Tanya exclaimed, not caring about Erica's presence inside the locker room.

"I said no!" Orly bellowed.

"Fine! Then this is the end of it!" Tanya declared, in her loud and raspy voice before storming out of the room and almost bumping into Erica if the latter hadn't moved aside to give her a smooth exit.

Erica watched Tanya as the latter stomped her feet out until she disappeared on the aisles. Astounded with what she just witnessed, she slowly turned and looked at the man who seemed very unpleased and surprised to see her.

She smirked at him meaningfully when she saw the slight trouble in his gaze. What she saw and what she heard was more than enough to conclude that they really have a thing. "Don't worry, I won't tell Hope."

"As if you have something to tell? Don't bluff," Orly uttered, mockingly.

"Then what was that all about? You're dumping her after getting what you want? That's so wrong!" Erica gestured to the door where Tanya left, shaking her head as if she is really disappointed at the guy.

"I don't know what you're talking about. And please, stop acting like you know so many things."

Orly was close to losing his patience but Erica doesn't seem to care. In fact, she even wanted to push him off to his limits and annoy him to the core. There is always a pleasure in irritating someone and she is enjoying what she is seeing now. She could almost see smoke coming out from his nose.

She scoffed. "You're acting like you know nothing, like you didn't do anything."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Orly asked, gritting his teeth in anger.

Erica shrugged. "I don't know? Maybe —"

She didn't finished her sentence when Orly suddenly cornered her, closing the door behind her and pushed her back towards it that caught her off guard, she was unable to speak for a moment.

Orly was towering over her and his chest was almost unto her face. He looked down on her with a fiery gaze while she looked up to him with mouth gaping in shock. Her eyes then traveled down from his eyes to his lips, to his jaw, and to his Adam's apple right in front of her.

"W-what do you think are you doing?" she stuttered in a very small voice that she can barely even hear herself.

"Tell me, what were you saying earlier? Hm? Can you at least enlighten me of the things you supposedly know?"

Erica doesn't understand why he is suddenly talking in his bedroom voice: hoarse, deep, and sexy. She bit her lip realizing how could she even tell that it was his bedroom voice?

He swallowed and she didn't missed to see his Adam's apple move.

"You think you know me so much, huh?"

Erica gulped, sensing that he was watching her every reaction. He tried catching her gaze but she refused to. Her eyes wandered around, avoiding his gaze. Flustered by the overwhelming confidence and frame of the person in front of her, she felt small and weak and her self-confidence were drained.