We immediately went back after we played. “Oh, did his mom send you a text message already?” I asked as I sat next to her.
“Not yet—“ Her phone suddenly vibrated, the reason for her to quickly check it.
“What did she say?” She didn’t utter a word, she was just biting her lower lip so I grabbed her phone from her hand.
From Madam Nessy: Alyana, I’m sorry but it looks like I’ll be home tomorrow. Please take good care of Nash. Don’t worry, I’ll bring you pasalubong once I get back. And I know you know that I trust you in everything more than anyone. And also, don’t tell Nash about this matter. If ever he asks you, please, just try to lie.
“So, what now? You’ll accompany that dwarf tonight? Damn, don’t tell me you’re going to sleep here, Alyana?!”
“Hmm, looks like it. It was Madam Nessy who told me to watch over Nash.”
“No way! I won’t ever let you sleep with other boys!”
“Stephen, what are you thinking? Nash is just a kid. A-Are you jealous?” I fell silent because of her question.
Jealous? With Nash? Sh*t! He’s just a kid. It’d look childish if I’ll just get jealous of a kid, right? Nope, I am not that kind of guy.
“Don’t tell me, you really are jealous?”
“Me? Will get jealous? Pfft... Jealousy isn’t present in Stephen Wilson’s vocabulary,” I retorted, shaking my head.
“It was you who told me that when you have feelings for a certain someone, you’ll feel jealous.” She then scratched her eyebrow.
“It’s because there’s nothing to be jealous of...”
“Hmm, yeah right. Why would you get jealous of a kid.”
“Oh, Nash, you’re done. You didn’t mess around inside the CR, right?” He just shook his head in response.
He stepped towards Alyana and I covered my nose. “Something smells foul,” I hinted, the reason for him glaring at me.
“Does that smell foul, huh? For your information, I used soap, Mr!” I just tried pissing him off yet he ended up being angry.
“I bet you haven’t got circumcised yet, am I right?” I sneered and noticed him turn pale.
“Are you scared? Eyy! You must be gay because a real man isn’t afraid of that—Ouch! Why are you hitting me? Alyana, look, he hit me.”
“It’s your fault.” I just laughed sarcastically. Is she taking this dwarf’s side?! She should favor me more because... because she told me she likes me, right? I heard what she said last night, I just pretended that I didn’t hear her since I thought she would say it again.
I saw Nash glancing at the clock at the table. “Ate Alyana, is Mommy not coming home?”
“Uhm, not yet, Nash. Your mom will be back tomorrow. Don’t be sad—“
“I’m with you, Sis Alyana, so it’s okay.” I grasped my head when I saw Alyana kiss, Nash, on his forehead and hugged him. Her lips should only touch mine!
“Ate Alyana, does that me you’ll sleep beside me?” He suddenly asked.
“If that’s what you want, then sure.” His smile grew wide because of the response he got.
“No!” I firmly stated the reason for them to divert their gazes on me.
"Stephen..."
“Hayst! Let’s go home, I won’t let you sleep here. Let’s go, take that dwarf,” I mumbled and stood up.
“No, I want to be here! I won’t go to Mr. Driver’s house!” He stated, pouting.
“You don’t want to go? Then stay here by yourself because Alyana will go with me.
"You don't want to come?” Then I grabbed Alyana’s hand.
“I-I was just kidding,” he said and stood up from his seat. Tsk.
_
Alyana Perez’s Pov.
I was about to step inside Stephen’s car when Madam Nessy suddenly texted.
From Madam Nessy: If you’re inside the house, can you give Nash vitamins before he goes to bed so that he can sleep comfortably? If there are no more vitamins near the TV, please just look in our room. Thanks, Alyana.
“Stephen, I’ll just go get something inside. You don’t have to come with me, I won’t take too long,” I said and quickly turned around.
There were no vitamins left near the TV so I just went into Madam Nessy and Sir’s room. I only entered their room twice and now is the third time. I tried to look in their drawer but there were only papers in there.
“Chen Jewelry Company?” I read on the small envelope. A photo covered with other papers caught my attention even more and I could only see Madam’s face. Madam was in uniform and she seemed to be with someone in the photo... And because I got curious about the person whom she was with, I took the photo and stared at it.
She was with a woman, they were both hugging each other. I frowned as I stared at the woman with her, it’s like... like she looks a bit like Mama? If it wasn’t for her curls and if she has no bangs, she would really look like my mother.
They were both wearing IDs so I stared at the photo even harder so I could read it better. I put on the contact lens that Stephen gave me last night in able for me to see well. “Emily Nessy Chen.”
So Emily Nessy is Madam’s full name, I thought it was just Nessy.
“Liliana Haidee Chen,” I read at the id of the woman with her, are they sisters? They have the same surname but they do not look alike. I mean, it’s not obvious that they’re both sisters.
But it was just so cool how my mother’s name is Lilian while hers is Liliana.
I shook my head from what I was doing right now. You shouldn’t meddle with the belongings of others, Alyana! You might receive the first blood from Madam and this might also be the first time you’ll get scolded when you continue what you’re doing! Ever since I worked here, I have never been scolded, even if I was late or can’t do my work, Madam always understand me.
I placed the picture back and searched in the other drawer. I found what I was looking for but I saw something again that caught my attention.
My eyes caught a small box, I think it was empty. “Chen Jewelry Company?” Isn’t it the thing written on the envelope earlier?
That company name was also written in the middle of the box. I slowly opened it and I was amazed at the necklace I saw in it but I frowned as if I had already seen this necklace.
“Mama...” I muttered out of nowhere. I remembered that Mama’s necklace was also like this. First, the necklace that Madam Nessy was wearing in the family picture, and now this?
It must be a coincidence! You’re right, Alyana, stop thinking about nonsense things. Our things are not real while Madam Nessy’s are original because they’re rich.
“Wow, is this your youse, Mr. Driver?” Nash marvelously asked while roaming his orbs around Stephen’s house.
“Of course, does it look like yours? Tsk, are you jealous?”
“Me, jealous? Tsk, our house in Cebu is even bigger than here and we also have a house in Canada. And because there are so many of our houses, I can’t even count and remember them anymore. We’re rich.” I just chuckled at the tone of Nash’s words.
“Rich? Then why don’t you even have maids, pfft...”
“My Mommy has a reason why she didn’t hire a maid anymore! We can do the housework ourselves that’s why we don’t need other people anymore!”
Nash is right, it looks like they don't need other people because Madam Nessy is the one who cooks, washes, and cleans. What I’m only doing is watching over Nash but sometimes, I also help Madam even though she really doesn’t want me to help her because that’s not my job.
“Okay, whatever.”
“Nye nye! Okay, whatever!”
“Don’t imitate me!”
“Don’t imitate me!” Nash imitated him once more. Looks like he really wants to chafe Stephen.
“Alyana, why won’t you teach that dwarf good manners?” Why does he always call Nash a dwarf? Nash is such a handsome kid for him to call him dwarf.

“Nash, stop that. You know it is bad to talk back to people older than you,” I spoke and ruffled his hair.
“Ayy, I forgot, it is bad talking back to people OLDER than me,” he firmly muttered as if he was trying to imply something.
“Oh, why are you looking at me, ha, dwarf? I’m not that old, okay!”
“Then how old are you?”
“I’m only 27 years old, you know?”
“See? You’re already old.” Stephen ended up biting his own lower lip.
“I said I am not that old! Stop being so stubborn!”
“Okay, whatever. Ate Alyana, I’m hungry.” I turned to Nash and he was pouting now.
“Wait, I’ll cook for you in a minute.”
“So the dwarf can still eat.”
“Stephen, stop that,” I scolded. If Nash won’t start a fight, then it’d be Stephen. What’s their problem? I guess, they just don’t really like each other.
“So you’re taking his side more than mine?!”
“It’s not like that...”
“Tsk, whatever!” He walked out and left me here with Nash and I ended up scratching my head. Is he mad at me? But why? I am not doing anything wrong.
I stood up and head towards the kitchen while Nash just followed behind me.
“He’s sulking, Ate Alyana. But what’s your relationship with Mr. Driver? Do you live here in his house? Where is your mommy, Sis?” he asked sequaciously.
“Uhm...” How should I say, I mean what should I say?
“I’m his maid, Nash. Yes, what you heard is right, I am just his maid here.”
“Maid? You must be lying, sis Alyana?” Even Nash knows I’m lying, am I really that obvious when I’m lying?
“He’s my b-boyfriend.” Yes, that’s right. Stephen is my boyfriend, boy friend.
“Hmm, I don’t think so... I bet the both of you don’t even have label, Ate Alyana.” Label? What’s that? Why does he seem to know so much?
_
When I finished cooking, I put it on the table and made Nash sit in the chair.
“You can go eat first, Nash, I’ll just go to your Kuya Stephen first. You can also wait for us if you want so we can eat together.”
“All right. Just hurry up, Ate, and don’t do anything, huh?” I scratched my neck, though a little confused, I just smiled and nodded.
“Do what?” I asked myself as I strode towards Stephen’s room. What does that boy mean?
“Stephen?” I knocked on the door yet I heard no answer from him.
“Stephen?” I called out for his name again.
“What?!” Even though I can’t see him, I know his brows were furrowing right now.
“Can I come inside?” I asked while holding the doorknob.
“No!”
“Okay—“ I was about to leave but I heard the door open so I looked at it.
“You’re not really coming in?” His eyebrows were knitted.
“You told me not to.” His palm met his forehead. He said no, didn’t he? He might even get angry with me if I insist on entering.
“Are you mad at me?”
“No! I’m just annoyed!”
“For what reason?”
“You should also take my side! Why do you even always favor that dwarf!”
“Is that the only reason you’re like that?” I asked him but instead of answering me, he just draw near me and hugged me.
“Is there a problem?” I wondered, my heartbeat started pounding so fast. He might even hear my heartbeat now.
“I just want to hug you,” he fondly stated.
“W-Why?” I stuttered because I feel somehow nervous again.
“Do I still need a reason to hug you?” Right, you don’t need a reason to hug someone.
“Let’s go eat.”
“Alright, let’s go—“
“Wait, that’s not what I mean. What I mean is I’m done cooking so let’s eat downstairs, Stephen,” I enlightened because he suddenly held my hand and was about to go inside his room.
“Ahh, I thought... Hays, never mind.”
“Oh, you haven’t started eating yet, Nash?” I sat next to him and Stephen was in front of us.
“You said, Ate Alyana, that I can wait for you, right?” I just smiled because of the thought that he really wanted us to eat together, I like eating together like a family.
We started eating and I was just shaking my head the entire time because even while eating, they were fighting. They were like children. Well, Nash was really young, but Stephen isn’t... he’s just a little childish.
While Stephen was washing the plate, Nash and I were here, just sitting.
“Sis Alyana, what happened to your hand?” He held my palm and looked carefully at my wound with a bandage.
“Nothing—“ I wasn’t able to finish my words when Nash stood up and walked towards him.
“Did you hurt my Sis Alyana, Mr. Driver?!”
“What??” I heard him asked Nash, surprised.
“Are you the one who did that to Ate Alyana’s palm?” Stephen looked at me and turned his gaze to my palm.
“I’m not the one who did that, okay?”
“Don’t ask, you’re too young to know such things,” Stephen muttered, shaking his head.
“I’ll know about it eventually when I grow up.”
“Then wait ‘til you grow up.”
When Stephen finished washing the dishes, he went back to where we are and sat down, too. The three of us were silent for a few minutes.
“Ate Alyana, let’s sleep together,” Nash suddenly spoke.
“No, you can’t. We’re the ones who’ll sleep together.” I looked at Nash.
“You? Ate Alyana said she’s just a maid here. Is there a maid who sleeps with their boss?” I thought he didn’t believe that I was just a maid there.
Stephen’s gaze turned to me with a frown. “You said that, Alyana?”
“Ahh, uhm, yes,” I answered and shut my mouth.
“She’s not my maid, okay?” I suddenly remembered what Stefanie said when we were at the CR, Stephen told her that I am just a maid.
“Ate Alyana, I’ll just go to the CR. Hey, Mr. Driver, where’s your CR?”
“Just turn right there and then you’ll see a second door,” Stephen explained, Nash stood up and followed what he said.
“Ah, So I’m not a maid. But Stefanie told me that you said I was just a maid,” I said as Nash left, Stephen turned to me with a serious look.
“Stefanie? S-She told you that? I n-never said s-something like that to her, Alyana.” Then why is he stuttering?
“Liar!”
“I’m not lying.” I stared at him right through his eyes. So, that Stefanie was just lying ?! Oh, maybe he really said that and he’s just denying it?
“That bitch even called me Yaya!” I immediately covered my mouth because of what I just said.
“What else did that woman tell you?”
“Hah! She told me so many things. She said that I’m cheap, that you’ll never like someone like me.”
“It’s the other way around, it’s her that I would never like.”
“You don’t... you don’t like her?” I asked while refraining myself from getting pissed off.
“No.” Is he sure of what he said or is he just kidding me? "Why the hell would I like her."
“Then why did you kiss her?”
“T-That’s just nothing. I just kissed her back so that she won’t embarrass herself.”
“Ah, all right, it’s just nothing if you kiss someone. So, maybe it’s just okay if I also kiss any man—“
“You can’t do that, Alyana...” He looked at me sharply.
“I can’t? Do you want me to prove it?”
“Okay, okay, I’m sorry! I won’t do that again, promise.”
“What are you talking about, Sis Alyana?” We were both surprised to hear Nash’s voice behind us. I should have looked carefully before I spoke, he might have heard unnecessary things.