Sugar Daddy

Samantha's Visit

"Mama! Samantha's here!"

Jillian, Samantha's youngest sister, scrambled when she saw her.

"Ate!" she exclaimed happily while hugging her tightly.

"How are you?" Samantha asked, stroking her sister's hair.

"I'm fine, Ate," she replied, pulling away from the hug for a moment. It was rare for her to come home since she had become successful in life.

Back then, Samantha promised herself that when she became rich, she would never return to this place—a place of hardship and the pain of the past.

But here she is now, standing in the very yard of the home she once hated, filled with a mixture of guilt and longing.

"Oh, Samantha, my daughter!" Aling Niña, her mother, greeted her happily from the kitchen.

Samantha hugged her mother.

"How are you, Nay?" she said, bowing her head to take her mother's hand in a sign of respect.

"I'm fine, my child. May God have mercy on you," the old woman replied.

"Ate, I'm so glad you visited Nanay and me!" said Jillian, who at the age of fifteen was very talkative.

Samantha smiled.

"I missed you two," she replied as they both sat on the newly bought sofa—a result of the money she sent home every month.

She sent almost one hundred thousand pesos every month—a considerable amount, coming from her sugar daddy.

"Sam, thank you so much for what you always send," her mother said. "It's a big help with your sister's studies."

"It's nothing, Nay. It's for you, anyway," Samantha replied.

Recently, her sugar daddy even gifted her a yacht—which she couldn't use because she was afraid of the sea. She almost drowned before, if she hadn't been rescued by her childhood friend Michael.

Michael... I wonder where he is now?

"Thank you again, Ate," said Jillian.

"Just study hard, okay?" Samantha reminded her.

"Of course, Ate! I'll become a doctor someday!" Jillian replied, full of dreams.

She smiled, but sadness was evident.

"Don't disappoint me, okay?"

"I won't, Ate."

"Oh, my child, I cooked lunch. Eat here," Aling Niña offered.

"I can't, Nay. I can't stay long either—they might look for me at the house."

Her sugar daddy was jealous. She always needed permission before she left, and she had to provide updates at all times.

"What a pity, my child. It's stewed native chicken—your favorite."

She smiled, forced.

"It looks delicious, Nay, but sadly, I can't taste it now."

"Just eat a little—"

"I really can't, Nay. I have to go."

Jillian hugged her again.

"Okay, Ate, take care."

"Of course. You too, take care of Nanay."

"Yes!"

"Take care, my child," her mother instructed as she walked her to the door.

She nodded and got into her car.

Carlos, her driver, immediately greeted her.

"Sam, do you have any other places to go?"

"None. Let's go home," she replied.

"Are you okay, Sam?" Carlos asked, glancing in the side mirror.

"Of course. Why?"

"Nothing. It just seems like you're carrying a problem," he replied.

She smiled, slightly boastful.

"Me, a problem? Why would I? I have everything," she replied. But deep down, she wasn't sure if that was true.

"Oh, by the way," Carlos said, "I'll be gone for a month. Boss Ramon gave me permission. I'm going home to the province, my cousin from Europe arrived."

Samantha's face suddenly fell.

"Is that so?"

"Why, are you sad?" Carlos asked.

"Well, you're the only ally I have in the mansion," she replied.

Carlos smiled. "You can handle it, Sam. You're used to the people there."

Carlos knew the situation in the mansion—many CCTVs, many watchful eyes, and maids who loved to gossip. She had no freedom of her own.

"You'll be back, right?"

"Of course, Sam."

When they arrived at the mansion, she got out immediately. As soon as she entered, she was greeted by a woman who looked very high-society, with a wine glass in hand.

"What are you doing here?" Samantha asked, frowning.

"Why? This is my Daddy's house," the woman replied, her tone sharp.

"Your Daddy's house?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Althea, FYI, this is my house. It's in my name," Samantha replied firmly.

Althea stood up, still holding the wine.

"Yours? Hah! All of this was given by my Daddy. You have no right!"

Samantha didn't want to engage, but she couldn't resist.

"Althea, please..."

"Why? Are you ashamed to admit that you're my Daddy's mistress?!" Althea shouted.

"I'm not a mistress!" she replied emphatically.

"Really? Then what are you—a leech?"

Samantha gasped, trying to remain calm.

"You don't know the truth, Althea. They were separated before I came into your father's life."

"Whatever! I'll break all of this if I have to!"

And in an instant, Althea smashed the glass she was holding, then glared at Samantha.

"Are you done?" Samantha's voice was cold.

"Not yet!"

Then Althea stormed out, and only the hum of the car was left in the silence of the night.

*SUGAR DADDY IS BACK*

Her sugar daddy, Ramon, arrived. She happily greeted him and he immediately kissed her on the lips.

“How are you? I miss you so much,” Ramon said.

“I’m fine. How about you?” she replied.

“I’m sorry that I only just got back,” said the old man, hugging her, his hands wrapped around her waist. She, in turn, held onto his arms.

Wait… should I tell him about his daughter's trouble-making?

“You know Althea came here yesterday,” she began.

“Is she causing trouble again?” Don Ramon asked.

She thought carefully about how to answer. Would she tell the truth? She knew it could only lead to conflict.

“N-no, not really,” she finally said. “She just asked when you were coming back. That's all.”

Ramon broke from the hug and sat on the sofa.

“Are you sure, huh? She isn’t causing trouble?”

“No,” she quickly replied.

“Good if that’s the case.”

She sat next to Ramon.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“Yeah, I’m okay. Why?” he replied, stroking his forehead, clearly feeling unwell.

“Are you sure? Does something hurt?”

“Nothing.”

“By the way,” she said, “did Carlos mention that he’s leaving?”

“Yes, he already said goodbye to me,” Ramon replied.

“I see.”

Ramon smiled. “By the way, have you seen my gift—the new yacht?”

Her eyebrows rose. A yacht?

At a price of eight million dollars, that’s really what he decided to give as a gift. What would I even do with that? I don’t even know how to sail!

“Not yet,” she replied, shaking her head. She wasn’t interested in such things.

“Want to take a look? It’s at the beach house.”

They had bought a beach house before, also a gift from Ramon.

“If you want,” she replied softly.

The two of them went to the beach house to look at the yacht. It was the second yacht that Ramon had given her—both in her name, and both of which she had never used even once.

“Hon, what’s this for?” she asked, staring at the large yacht.

“For you. Because you always make me happy,” Ramon replied, with his arm around her.

“But… wouldn’t this just be wasted? I can’t even use it.”

She preferred cars, jewelry, and fashion—but a yacht? Not really.

“Didn’t you like it?” Ramon’s tone suddenly changed. Disappointment was visible on his face.

“I-I like it!” she forced a reply, smiling even though she didn't want to.

She knew the gift was expensive, but she had no interest in it.

“Yes, I know you’d like it,” Ramon said, smiling again.

Since they got together, she hasn’t been able to do what she wants in life. Ramon was generous—giving her all the luxury. But in return, she lost her freedom and happiness.

I thought if you have money, you'll be happy. But it's not like that at all.

“Sam, I’ll give you everything. I’m willing to do anything for you,” Ramon said.

“Ramon…”

“Since Carlos is going on vacation to his province anyway,” the old man added, “why don’t you go with him for a while?”

What? Go with Carlos? Why is he suddenly being so nice? Before, he didn’t even want me talking to Carlos!

“Huh?” was all she could say.

“So you can enjoy yourself.”

“R-Ramon, it's okay. I'm fine."

“Sam, this is your chance to enjoy your life.”

She frowned. Ramon was acting differently now—like he wanted to let her go.

“Ramon, why?”

“What do you mean, why?”

“I mean… you weren’t like this before.”

“Sam, like I said, this is your chance. Enjoy your life.”

She smiled, with a hint of nervousness.

“It sounds like you want to let me go,” she joked with a touch of sarcasm.

“Don’t you want to?” the old man asked back.

She wanted to. She had long wanted to be free. For eight years, their relationship had been like a prison—luxury, yes, but no joy.

“I want to,” she said softly. “But why does it seem like…”

“Don’t ask any more questions, Sam. Go ahead. Enjoy your life.”

She wanted to ask many things, but she just nodded.

“Are you sure, huh? Because maybe later, you’ll change your mind.”

“Sure. Very, very sure,” the old man replied.

“Do you want me to just tell Carlos that I’m going with him?”

“Okay.”

Ramon smiled. “But before that, let's go inside the yacht first. Let's enjoy the day together.”

“Yeah, sure.”

When they entered the yacht, she was impressed by its beauty. Clean, bright, with a mini-fridge and a place for expensive wines.

“It's beautiful inside,” she said.

“Hmm,” was Ramon's simple reply as he poured wine into two glasses.

He handed one to her.

“Thank you,” she said.

Ramon was silent for a moment before speaking again.

“There’s one more thing I want to give you, Sam.”

His face was serious as he looked at her. After a moment, he handed her a black ATM card. Her eyes widened.

“Really? This is for me?”

“Yes, it’s for you.”

A black card—a symbol of unlimited wealth.

“Wow!” she almost screamed with joy. At last, she held a ticket to wherever she wanted to go.

In her mind: I can leave now. I can live how I want. I don’t have to go back to this old man.