Living with the Billionaire (SPG)

PROLOGUE

PROLOGUE

Karamihan sa mga tao, gusto ng marangyang buhay.

Magkaroon ng sariling bahay kung saan hindi na kailangang magbayad ng upa kada buwan, magkaroon ng sariling sasakyan para magamit kada may mga family outings or long drives, mga alahas na maaaring maipagmayabang sa mga kakilala at syempre ang pinagmulan ng lahat ng 'yon.

Walang iba kun’di “Pera”. Every people will do anything and everything just to have huge amount of that four-letter word. Isa 'yon sa pinakagustong makuha ng mga tao.

May iba pa na kahit na mayroon na nito ay hindi pa rin nakukuntento at gusto pa na mas marami ang makuha hindi lang para gamitin sa kanilang pangangailangan, kun'di pati na rin para matustusan ang kanilang mga materyal na kagustuhan sa buhay.

But for a girl like me who started having jobs since I was in grade school, every penny I gain counts.

I was a daydreamer, and I will always be. Just like everyone else, hinahangad ko rin ang mga bagay na hinahangad ng iba.

But what I really wanted is to have a better life for myself and of course... for my mom.

Masaya na ako kahit na maliit na halaga lang ang kaya kong maiuwi sa aking ina. Alam ko rin naman na sapat na para sa kaniya 'yon, pero ako mismo ang nagdesisyon na mas magsumikap para mas umayos ang buhay namin.

I was never pressured by her about anything financial. I never felt that I am the one who need to provide.

She never demanded anything except for us to have a happy, healthy, and fulfilling life. We were fine living in a small studio typed house that my beloved father bought for use to live in when we came.

Naalala ko pa noon kung paano niya pagipunan ang pagpapagawa sa maliit na bahay namin kaya kahit na ilang taon na ang nakalipas simula nung mapagawa iyon, hindi namin ito magawang maiwanan.

Bukod sa mga alaalang habang buhay kong dadalhin na nabuo sa tahanan na 'yon, hindi rin naman namin kaya na bumili o magpagawa pa ng mas malaki at maayos na bahay dahil sa kakapusan sa pera.

Kaya kahit na kapag umuulan ng malakas at pinapasok kami ng tubig sa bahay na 'yon, kahit na butas-butas na ang bubong at laging parang may ulan sa loob ng bahay, kahit na marupok na... wala kaming ibang magawa kun'di ang magtiis nalang.

But because of an incident that I never thought of coming, everything changed in just a snap of a finger.

I never knew that I would ever be able to live inside a house that I can say and even classify as a mansion because of how huge it was.

But that's not because my life finally fall into it's proper place or I suddenly had a fairy godmother who made all of that possible.

It was because I have a duty to fulfill.

"Miss Dein? The president wants to see you now." napalingon ako nang sa wakas ay marinig ko nang muli ang boses na 'yon matapos ang ilang minutong paghihintay. It was the voice of the secretary of the man that I'm currently working with.

That she actually addressed as the "The President" since he's the one who owns the building that I'm in right now.

Tinanguan ko si Avery, his secretary, at hinanda na ang aking sarili upang pumasok sa office niya. With my hands slightly trembling, I pushed the hand bar of the door. Unti-unti kong itinulak 'yon at bumungad sa akin ang malinis at kamangha-manghang opisina.

Hindi ko napigilan ang sarili ko na hindi libutin ang kabuuan ng kwartong iyon. Sumisigaw 'yon ng karangyaan hindi lang dahil sa mga bagay na nakasalansan sa loob kun'di dahil na rin sa kung papaano iyon ginawa.

The structure of the room is actually just the same as other offices that I had been to. The iconic table with a swivel chair along with the name of the owner on top of the office table, the shelves on the corner and even the coffee table with a couch for visitors or other guests.

The only difference is that at the back of the chair, the one that represents the wall is actually a wide glass window. Halos kalahati iyon ng office niyam Tanaw doon ang kabuuan ng siyudad at sigurado ako na kapag sumapit ang gabi ay mas maganda ang magiging tanawin do'n.

Siguro kahit na sobrang stressed out na ako sa trabaho, tapos dito ako nag-office ay mas gugustuhin ko pa na magtrabaho nalang kaysa sa umuwi.

I saw the man standing while facing the front of the glass window. Lumikha ng tunog ang ginawa kong pagsara ng pintuan dahilan para mapatingin sa akin ang lalaki. My lips automatically formed into a curve when I saw his face.

Magkamukhang-magkamukha nga talaga silang dalawa. Parehas ang hugis ng mga mata, pati ang tangos ng ilong at ang kurba ng labi. Ang pinagkaiba lang ay marunong ngumiti si Alessando samantalang ang kumag na 'yon ay hindi. Wala nga sigurong happy bone 'yon sa katawan niya.

Ayun lang ang pagkakaparehas nila dahil ang ugali nilang dalawa ay malayo sa isa't isa.

He in return, also welcomed me with a genuine smile and ordered me to come near him.

"Ija... kamusta ka?" he greeted nang makalapit ako. Niyakap ko siya na siyang sinuklian rin naman niya ng isang mainit na yakap.

Nagtagal nang ilang minuto ang yakapan na 'yon bago ko napagpasyahang bumitaw para sagutin siya.

"Ayos lang naman ho, kayo ba? Kamusta ang byahe n'yo pabalik ng Manila?" I asked him. Alessandro ordered me to sit on the chair positioned in front of his table. Iniusog ko ang upuan na 'yon at pinagpagan ang pants na suot-suot ko bag tuluyang naupo.

When I'm finally comfortable with my position, I turned to him. I waited patiently for the man sitting in front of me to answer.

"The flight's great," he chuckled. "I wanted to surprise you but turns out, my secretary already told you about my return. What a waste." bahagya akong natawa nang marinig ang naging sagot niyang 'yon.

Ang lalaking nasa harapan ko ngayon ay ang taong dahilan kung bakit ako nakakapunta na sa mga lugar na hindi ko manlang magawa dati, gaya rito... sa isang kumpanya.

Kahit ang mga magagandang damit na nasusuot ko ay dahil rin sa kaniya. But he's not providing me these for free. Like what I said, I am at his doorsteps as someone who works for him.

He took something from his desk's drawer. When I had a closer look at what he's holding, that's when I noticed that it was a cheque, the usual one he uses when he's giving me my paycheck. My lips automatically formed into a thin line as I look at him while signing the paper.

Nang matapos siya sa ginagawa ay tahimik niya itong inabot sa akin habang nakangiti. I took the paper from him and stared at the digits written into it, which is the amount of my weekly salary.

500,000.00

Inangat ko ang tingin ko rito at t'yaka ngumiti bago nagsalita, "Thank you, Tito." he nodded at me and placed both of his arms on top of the desk. Susundan ko pa sana ang sinabi ko nang may biglang magsalita sa bandang likuran ko.

"Paycheck day, huh?" he said in a deep husky voice. I slowly turned to him and there... I met his eyes.

His usual dark and intense stare directly darted at me and the paper I'm holding. His name really suits the features of his eyes and how sharp they are to notice every single little thing on the surroundings.

Speaking of my duty, in exchange of the value of the check that I'm holding on with my fingertips is to live with Alessandro's multi-billionaire son.

And that is...

"Hawk Arkin Montreal," I whispered with a smirk plastered on my lips.