The Billionaire's Hidden Heir

Chapter 1: Turning life better

Year 2019, Present, New York

Vanessa's POV

Five years had passed already, and days keep passing by so fast to me.

I couldn't hide my happiness as I watch my son happily playing with his friends at the playground. Five years had passed already, and I couldn't believe I was able to raise my son alone. My smile wider when my son happily wave his hand at me. I always feel sorry to him, because I can't give him the perfect and complete family he really deserves. My life is too complicated, and I won't allow that my son will get into my own mess. This is already enough, we are both happy.

"Mommy!" He run towards me with a bright smile pasted on his face. I kneeled down as I prepare myself to hug him. I kissed his forehead. He became my strength and a life saver to me. Bearing a child will never been easy, and when I thought that I can't be a good mother to him — he became my light and hope when I first saw him.

Of course, I miss Lili, and the place I left just to protect my son and myself. Lili is the only family I have, and yet I lost her too. I don't have any information about her anymore, because ever since I left — I really leave everything behind.

"Mommy, can I sleep at Jeco's place later?" he asked in a soft small tone. We are both walking as I hold his smalll hand. "We don't have class tomorrow, Mommy. Can I spend a night with him?"

I smile at him and nodded. "Of course you can. Just promise me one thing..."

"Don't be stubborn, and listen to aunt Merry." I chuckled when he continue my sentence. He smiles brightly at me. He is really such a bright kid.

My son, Elijah, never ask for his father. Probably he is curious too, but then I still don't have courage to tell him about his father. I don't want him to suffer just like me. I don't want him to go through to my complicated life. As soon as we arrived at Jeco's place he happily hopped out of the car. Merry welcome us with a bright smile pasted on her face.

I'm really thankful for having my son beside me. I never feel so alone and sad because of him. He gives me so much reason to fight back with all the burden I feel. I found a reason to live because of him.

"Merry, sorry to disturb you again, you see my son loves to hangout with Jeco," I stated before I sat down on her sofa.

Merry and I only met at the hospital where we both given birth our little angels. Jeco is only days older to Elijah. Without Merry, probably I'm still having a hard time adjusting here. She became my guardian and also a friend to me. Thankfully, she's here.

"No worries. Anyway, have you already consider the offer to you? You see it might be challenging, but I know you can actually do it." She smile at me.

When I arrived here at New York, I immediately get myself a job as an assistant architectural designer, and I still am an assistant, but then last week my boss offered me to be a department head, I know I've been waiting for this promotion however I don't think I'm capable enough to be one.

"It's a good offer, however I still don't have courage to do such things like that. That position is something that I shouldn’t take for granted." I sip onto my coffee.

Deciding and choosing something is so hard to do, because I don't want to make a mistake again, just like what happened five years ago. It's so hard fo me to take a risk. I'm afraid that it will only make me suffer at the end.

No matter how much I tried to live my life as if there's nothing traumatic happened to me in the past — still I keep coming back from that day. I feel like I'm stuck in a place which no way out. Even though how much I want to get myself out still I keep coming back to that pain.

As soon as I get back to my house, I let myself fall to my bed as I closed my eyes. Every time I'm alone, I feel like I'm drowning. I can't breathe. I felt tears fell from my eyes.

"I hope you finally found your happiness, Lili."

When I left, I make sure that no one will be able to find me. At first, I thought, Lili will stop me, however she never come. She let me leave... she also turn her back at me. I did wait for her to stop me, but she didn't.

"Lili, are you still mad at me?" I asked to myself as I cover my eyes. My heart is so much in pain every time I remember her.

I promise her that I will never ever go back again, that she will never going to see me again. I don't know if she miss me or even thinking about me, but for me, everyday I miss her.

My eyes shifted on my phone when it rings. My boss is calling so I immediately answer it formally.

"Yes Mr. Chiangco?" I sat down as I fix myself. I took a deep breath, I had a bad feeling about this, and I hope that it's not actually what I think.

(You need to accept the offer, Nessa.)

I closed my eyes. I cussed inside me. I tried to calm myself but my nerves are acting strange. I know that if I accept the offer... I will go back to the place that cause me so much pain — the place that I once called home.

"Mr. Chiangco, is there no other way? Can't you just give it to someone? I'm fine with my work as an assistant, I can't accept the —"

(It has been decided, Nessa. Don't worry about anything. I know you're someone that is capable of doing things perfectly.)

I'm not afraid to accept the offer, because I'm more afraid that if I go back things will be going chaotic again. I don't want my son to see my life. I don't want him to suffer too.

(You'll be leaving next week. Prepare yourself.)

I closed my eyes once again. I was about to speak when he ended the call. I guess I really don't have any choice again. This is probably how my life works — always the one who doesn't have choice.

The next day, I went straight to the company. If begging them will make them change their mind, then I will gladly do it. I can't risk myself and my son.

"Nessa, finally you're here." Mr. Chiangco immediately walk towards me when he saw me.

I bow my head and give respect when I saw the owner of the company I'm working. What is he doing here? Oh f**k! I guess, I really don't have any chance anymore.

"Nessa, it's finally glad to see you." He stood up as he walk towards me with a smile on his face. He extend his hand at me. "I'll leave our branch company to your hands now."

I took his hand. "But..." I saw Mr. Chiangco shrugged his head when I was about to say something. I took a deep breath. "I'll do everything I can, Chairman Yu. I won't stain your name."

Sometimes what we only wanted in life is to have a peaceful and happy life. However being complicated and stucked in a situation that I don't even know my way out is always the thing that happen to me. Taking risk is the hardest thing to do, I still am not ready to go back.

“Are you okay, Nessa?”

Merry immediately walked towards me. I closed my eyes intently as I took a deep breath. There’s something inside me that I really couldn’t define. Words that I don't know specifically the meaning of it.

She hand me a cup of coffee. "I heard from your team that you accept the offer. You did the good choice." She tap my back.

Good choice? I don’t think it's a good choice. Merry knows my story. I thought I will be fine now… that there’s nothing to worry about anymore, but again here I am — confused and distressed.

“Is there something you want to tell me?” she asked as if she is so ready to listen on the things that I will tell her.

This is so infuriating. I don’t know what to do again.

Merry been there for me through my ups and downs. She is always ready to listen. If I didn’t meet her maybe I am still lost. I'm thankful, because I have her.

“I know I can't do anything about it anymore, but Merry, I still am not ready to go back." I cover my face with my hands. This is so frustrating! "That place gave me trauma. How can I go back to the place that destroyed my life?" It seems like someone is choking. I can't breathe.

Merry sat closer to me. She holds my hand as she smiles at me.

"I know it's hard to go back to the place that cause you so much pain, Nessa, but then you can't run away forever. What if this time, it's really a good choice?" She stares at me as if she's telling me that everything will be okay.

For five years I did everything I can to condition myself, so that if ever I go back home I have the courage to face everything. I promise my sister that I won't dare to return again, and I know once she found at that I broke that promise, she will really going to neglect me.

Things are really so hard to control. I don’t want to question this situation I'm into right now because I believe that there's a real reason behind it.

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