Chapter 1
Hoven’s POV
“We’ll live here, Mom?” Tanong ko kay Mommy nang makarating na kami sa aming magiging bahay.
Kalalabas lang namin sa kotse at nasa harapan namin ngayon ang isang malaki at kulay puti at brown na mansyon. It’s a mixture of modern and old architecture. I’m pretty sure it’s an old mansion that was transformed into a hybrid house because of the constant renovation.
“Yes, Bunso. This was your Lolo Dencio’s house and where your dad used to live.” Sagot ni Mommy.
Lolo Dencio died last year. At dahil only child lamang ang Daddy ko kaya lahat napunta sa kaniya kasama na rin ang mansion at mga lupain.
I’ve never been in this house before. Nakatira kami sa Makati and we never had the chance to visit. Palagi kasing si Lolo ang bumibisita sa amin kaya never ko pa nakita ang bahay na kinalakihan ni Dad.
By the way, ang mansion na ito ay nasa gitna ng malawak na lupain.
Our family has been in the business industry for over a century, pero we never participated in showbiz. We like to keep things as private as we can. No reporters or paparazzi and away from the media.
Our business consists of numerous companies. We have a business in horse breeding, one for poultry, another one for agriculture, and one in manufacturing. Kaya samu’t saring businesses ang mayroon kami. And hindi rin fond ang family ko for personal interviews, pero if it’s an interview for our business tsaka lang tatanggapin at kukuha lamang ng representative in our company to have the interview.
“Where’s Dad? Akala ko sasabay siya sa’tin?” Tanong ko kay Mommy habang papasok na kami sa mansion.
May limang katulong ang bumitbit ng aming mga maleta. Kada isang katulong ay may hawak na dalawang maleta, which more than half of the baggages belongs to me.
“May kinaka-usap kasi ang Dad mo, Bunso. Since isang taon na ang nakararaan kaya wala nang mga katulong dito aside from the caretaker at yung hina-hire na mga katulong every week para mag-linis.”
“But he’s here na, right?”
“Yup, I think nasa office na ang Dad mo.”
Three days ago nang maunang lumipat dito si Dad sa mansion. Sabi niya kasi sa amin ay babalik siya para siya na kang daw ang magda-drive, pero nalaman ko na lang na yung driver na kang daw ang magmamaneho sa amin papunta dito.
It took us six hours to get here. Mabuti na lamang at naka-tulog ako sa buong byahe.
“What about my school, Mom?” Tanong ko habang hinahanap ni Mommy yung susi ng front door. A huge brown wooden double doors.
Isang buwan na lang kasi ang bakasyon at pasukan na ulit. I can’t commute from here to my previous school dahil sa layo.
“Your Dad and I will talk about it. For now, let’s settle in and enjoy your vacation here.”
Napa-busangot na lamang ako sa sagot ni Mommy. Alam kong ipapa-stay na niya ako dito at dito na rin nila ako ie-enroll kahit hindi pa nila sabihin sa akin. I can already feel it.
I’m fine with it naman. It’s not like I have made friends back in my old school.
I have no one who is the same age as me that I am close with. My Dad is an only child, my Mom is an only child too. I have no cousins to play with nor childhood friends, since I was homeschooled.
Nag-start lang ako mag-aral sa isang actual school nang mag-high school ako, from grade-seven up to last year (grade-ten). Pero I never really made a friend-friend na kaya kong mag-open-up to. Lahat lang ay either acquaintances or group mates.
I’m sixteen years old na at grade-eleven na ako next month.
“Woah,” sambit ko nang makapasok na kami sa loob ng mansion.
We were greeted by a spacious hall, hindi ko kasi pwedeng tawagin na living room lang ito dahil sa sobrang laki nito. It has high ceiling and big glass windows.
White wooden furnitures with velvet cloth, glass and porcelain vases and figurines, marble floors, and three chandeliers.
“It’s gorgeous here, right? Your room is on the second floor. Manang, paki-hatid ho si Bunso sa kwarto niya,” utos ni Mommy sa katulong bago bumaling sa akin ng tingin. “Go ahead and take a rest. Alam kong napagod ka sa byahe.”
“Okay, Mom.”
“Dito po, Sir.”
Sumunod naman ako sa katulong na inutusan ni Mommy na maghahatid sa akin sa magiging kwarto ko.
Sa gitna ng hall ay mayroong malaki at marbled na hagdan na papuntang second floor. The intricate design is so well made, the attention to details is just perfect.
How come na never kami dinala dito niya Kuya nina Mom and Dad? Sobrang ganda dito at kahit na hindi ko pa nakikita yung bakuran, alam ko nang sobrang ganda at sobrang sariwa ng hangin.
“Bunso?”
Napalingon ako sa pamilyar boses na tumawag sa akin nang maka-apak ako sa second floor.
“Dad!” Sigaw ko sabay lapit kay Dad at binigyan siya ng yakap.
Niyakap naman ako pabalik ni Dad. He’s wearing his usual polo-shirt and slacks.
“I missed you, Bunso. Where’s your Mom?”
Bumitaw na kami sa pagkakayakap.
“Nasa ibaba po si Mom. I missed you too, Dad!”
Napangiti naman si Daddy. “Anyway, let me introduce you to our newly hired people.” Sabi ni Dad sabay baling sa mga tao na nasa kaniyang likod.
Sa likod ni Dad ay naka-sunod sa kaniya ang apat na lalake.
Damn. They work for us? They look like they work as models because of their well-built bodies, but some of them look like they’re already in their thirties.
“This is Samson and Macoy, our new bodyguards.”
Kunaway naman sa akin ang dalawang lalake. Samson looks like he’s in his early thirties, around 5′7 ang tangkad at moreno. Para siyang may lahing spanish at medyo maganda rin ang katawan. Macoy, sa tingin ko magkalapit lang ang edad nila ni Samson pero mas bata. He’s also moreno at may gupit na semi-kalbo and medyo matangkad lang ng kaonti kay Samson.
“This person right here is Lorenzo, our new head chef.”
Kumaway naman sa akin ang isang lalake na mukhang nasa late thirties na. Alam kong medyo may edad na siya pero hindi ito halata sa kaniyang katawan dahil maganda ang hubog ng kaniyang katawan at wala siyang dad bod. Mayroon siyang kulay itim na buhok na maikli.
“Then this is Enzo, our gardener.”
Sunod namang bumati sa akin ang isang matangkad at meztizo na lalake. He looks young, around early twenties. I’m pretty sure he goes to the gym frequently dahil hubog ang kaniyang katawan sa mga muscles. He got bushy and well shaped eyebrows, tall nose, pretty eyes, pump lips, and attractive adams apple.
In short, gwapo. sobra.
“This is my son, Hoven. I hope you get along.”
“Uhm, hello po,” bati ko naman sa kanila pabalik.
Holy crap, am I getting attracted to our new workers? Stop this madness, Hoven.
Pero damn. My young and naive heart can’t stop beating for these yummy treats in front of me.
