Chapter 3

I'm pleased with how things are going on a daily basis. Every morning, I come in with flowers or roses on my table. And he always invites me to lunch or breaks. We both have likes and dislikes when it comes to certain things. We are very similar, but there is one major difference: my son.

"Kiera."

I looked up from my slouched position at the table piled high with paperwork. Esan stood in front of me, one hand on his black pants.

“Sir? Do you need anything?" I inquired quickly.

"Do you mind if I drive you home later?"

"Sir!" My eyes glazed over as I was startled.

"I've been wanting to do this for a long time. But I can't seem to stop myself from approaching. It's as if there's something in you that makes my heart want to like you."

My mouth dropped open. I looked down, wishing to dislike Esan. But then I said something else. "It's entirely up to you.

On his handsome face, I could clearly see a drawing of joy. He appeared to be a teen who was ecstatic about what I had said.

Office off. We exited the building together. My coworkers were staring at us at the time, especially when he supported me with his hand into his expensive car parked in the lot.

I had well prepared myself for what might happen when I got home. I will respect and honor Esan's reaction, whatever it may be.

"Do you already have a boyfriend, Kiera?" he asked directly to me.

"Nothing," I said.

"That's great to hear."

I simply nodded lightly. We were getting close, and we were already in front of my house. My cute and handsome son greeted me as soon as I opened the door.

"Mommy!" When Jai greeted me, he exclaimed.

"Hey, take it easy or you'll trip!" I moaned and quickly filled my son's heart with joy before kissing him on the cheek. "How's my baby doing?"

"It's fine," he said, but his gaze was fixed on my companion. "Mommy, your friend?"

I fixed my gaze on Esan. I could see the surprise and skepticism in his eyes. "My son," I said flatly, "he is the reason why no man has ever made the mistake of liking me."

"Y-you have a child already?"

“Yes. I'm a single mom." Without hesitation, I responded.

His eyes were filled with shock and regret. He shifted his gaze between me and Jai, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"Would you like some coffee? Let's get inside."

"Ah, no. I still have a walk ahead of me. Okay, then!" Then he looked at his watch and quickly said goodbye to me. It was as if he had infected with a contagious disease from me.

I just bit my lower lip as my gaze followed him away. I'm correct in my suspicion; he'll back down if he learns I have a child.

"Why did he leave so quickly, Mommy?"

"He's busy." I was still carrying Jayar when I took a step towards the bedroom.

I'm just going to change into my house clothes to play with my adorable and clever son. It makes no difference if no man loves me. Jai is in my life, and that is sufficient for me.

Disappointment was reflected on Esan's face in his earlier reaction. Because of my deception, I no longer believe there is a man for me. But, no, I know, and I know it, that a man is on his way, ready to accept both me and the child.

"Where is your guest, Kiera?" Mela inquired.

"Exactly like before."

“Huh? Oh, it's terrible! Let's just wait for your right prince charming," she joked.

I just laughed and walked into the room. Mela was one of the witnesses to the men who came into my life like a storm and then left like a storm.

I wasn't surprised when Esan treated me differently the next day. I can't blame him for being different, I said. And, at the very least, I discovered his true color.

He built a barrier between us. Boss to employee has been his treatment, and there is a part of me that is happy to think about it, even if I have regrets. His treatment were cold, and every time he ordered something to me, there's no more gentle in his voice.

That no longer surprised me. I'm used to men treating me like this. I have nothing to lose. I am still whole, and I can wait for the deserving man who will love and be loved by me.

"Good afternoon." A baritone voice said, piqued my interest.

I looked up to see who was now standing in front of me. But when I saw the man's face, I was taken aback. Is this a dream? I'm tempted to pinch myself to see if it's true.

Jayar Montevidad is in front of me. And I can't go wrong with my vision. The person in the photo and the person in front of me now have the same face!

"I-is there anything I can do for you, Sir?" As I recovered from the shock, I immediately questioned. Why am I behaving this way? It's almost as I meet my crush.

"My name is Jayar Montevidad. I have a meeting with your boss, Mr. Fobres."

The sensation of a thrill made me want to bite my hand. It's as if I'm in high school, swooning over a guy. But, of course, I act professional in front of him. "Meeting? I am Esan's secretary, I am aware of all of his appointments and meetings."

"I'm his distant cousin from the United States." That is, after he said that. He walked away from me and turned his back going to Esan's office.

I was taken aback and shocked. I had finally seen the man who made my heart race. I must admit that he is very attractive in person. He appeared different and stuck. He appears to stand up to 6 feet tall.

But fear enveloped me when I remembered the child in my care. He is the uncle of the child and the brother of the man who got Yeeny pregnant. What if he discovers that Jain is in my care, and they'll take it away from me? When that happens, we're going to kill each other.

They don't seem to care about the child at all. His naughty brother should have married my friend if there was. I don't have to be concerned; he won't be able to recognize the child who has Montevidad's blood and flesh. Only my friend and I are aware of the situation. Yes, that's right. They won't know!

That afternoon, I couldn't concentrate on the business letter I was writing. After all, Jayar's face and presence are all that I can think about right now. I stopped and stared at the monitor for a few moments. Why did his presence have such an impact on me? Is it because I believe the 'non-existent' man is now her and conversing with my boss? I checked my watch; it was almost time for me to leave.

JAYAR'S P.O.V

I had just returned from the Philippines and had gone straight to my cousin's workplace. I will talk to him. We're cousins, but when it comes to money and business, we're business savvy.

How long have I been in the United States? 15 years, I believe. This is primarily based on our family business, and I am one of the people my father has entrusted with leading it. Our business is almost entirely based in the United States, with only 25% based in the Philippines. Because there was a problem, I had to fly in to personally fix it.

I have two missions now that I'm back. First, look for Yeeny Samonte and fix the company problem.

My brother has done a terrible thing to Yenny. She was pregnant, as far as I know, when my immature brother abandoned her in the Philippines. I can't say I blame Ermel for what he did. He's a happy-go-lucky kind of guy. At the age of 22, he was a playboy and immature the our parent intervened.

I am the second child of Montevidad. Ermel and I were five years apart in age, and now we both have businesses to handle.

I want to track down the woman and pay child support to her. I would have done it before, but I was extremely busy at the time, especially since I was handling jobs due to our father's death three years prior.

I only saw the woman in the photo, and she was stunning. It's a shame, because my brother abandoned her. I have a photograph of her in my wallet that I took of Ermel. I'll hire a detective to track her down and help my nephew.

"Oh fuck!" When my cousin saw me, he got up. The fact that I showed up was obviously unbelievable. "Welcome back to the Philippines! When you said you were going home, I thought you were joking."

"You know me, dude, business is business,"

He laughed and said, "I know."

"You pretended to be the manager of your own business?"

He was taken aback by my question, which I responded with a laugh.

“Damn! Lower your voice."

I just shrugged and sat down on the couch. "How you been?"

"Good," he said later, "and my secretary let you in."

"Do you know who that woman is outside?" With a shake of my head, I expressed my dissatisfaction with the situation. In my mind's eye, I can still see her stupor as she looked at me, as if she recognized me and that was her reaction.

"She's Kiera Antonio."

"Sounds like you like her," I said with a grin. As far as I'm aware, this cousin of mine is rude to women, particularly those who work for him.

He sighed. "She's a single mother. It's a shame, I still want her," he grumbled.

I gave a nod. That is the reason. But this isn't why I came here, so I switched the subject to business.

That's the type of person I am. All I know is business, business, and more business. It's as if I haven't had enough of everything. They went on to say, ‘I'm always looking for ways to expand my knowledge.’ This is something I can't deny. Because it's possible that I grew up following in my father's footsteps.

People who worked for me thought I was obstinate, rude, and cold-hearted. They were as scared as rabbits when they saw me. I dislike people who are weak and limp. I'm not going to feel sorry for it; instead, I'm going to step on it. I swoops down on anyone who is vulnerable, just like an eagle.

My true motivation for tracking down the woman who is pregnant with Ermel's child is to take the child from her after a few months of support. I don't want to use my cold-heartedness on the woman, so I'll start with my nephew.

Because it's a Montevidad, all I had to do was pick it up and transport it to the United States. The child will discover the true meaning of life there being a Montevidad.