"Ma'am you can now come inside,"
Kimberly gave me a tight smile, she's at the door of the meeting room. I smiled back at her, I was still very disrespectful to her when we first met and then she was still kind to me!
"I'm really sorry for what I said, Ms. Kimberly," I apologized to her passionately when I got to her place.
She laughed at me. "No need to worry about that ma'am. It's no big deal. You can just call me Kim." She said she also signaled me where to sit.
They have two meeting rooms-- or maybe three because one is downstairs. That one meeting room I saw earlier on this same floor, more. Here in this room, only up to four guests.
As soon as I entered their main company building for the first time, I immediately fell in love. It was as if I had been slapped with poverty in several hundred languages. This company is really rich. And based on my research, it was built a long time ago. That's why I mistook Cadmus Jr. for an old man. They had the same name as his father. His father was the founder but he was the one who supported the company so he was included in this year's Youngest Self Made Billionaires.
Cadmus Arcajante Jr. | chief executive officer'
You can immediately see the face of the very handsome CEO right from the door. He dominates even the shiny things around. Even if he's just reading the papers he's still very hot to look at. Add to that that he's now wearing glasses while reading. Oh, yummy! haha. He is also sitting on his table. In front there are two short sofas on the right and left.
When he felt our presence, he lost his concentration. He looked up at the same time as he removed the glasses that were only on his eyes earlier. When we met, I saw how his adam's apple move.
Even before Kim and I could get close to the handsome creature, I immediately whispered to him. "How old is Arcajante Jr.?" I asked the secretary.
She seemed surprised by my question but she answered anyway. "Sir Cadmus is only 23 years old, ma'am."
Ah... he is quite older than me for almost four years. I'm almost twenty years old.
"Oh Kim! Just call me Erin!" I still giggled because I was blushing on the way she called me. She's so beautiful, she's so smart! "How about you, how old are you?"
She smiled. "I'm 29 years old ma'am."
My jaw dropped. Damn?! She's 29?! Then her boss is handsome! Could it be that Kimberly has also fallen for Cadmus Jr.? How could Kimberly bear to be the boss of such a handsome creature?!
"Crisostomo," Cadmus Jr. called me.
It's always Cadmus Jr. What can I call him? Can it just be Cade? Or Caddy? Hey. I do not know. I'll think about that. Besides, we're going to be boyfriend and girlfriend, so maybe we'll call each other 'honey', 'babe' or maybe 'love'?
"Crisostomo, I'm talking to you," Cade said again at the same time as Kim elbowed me. "Are you with us?" His voice was mixed with irritation.
"Yes, what is that again?" I tried to laugh because I really didn't understand anything. Because I'm not listening, I'm still daydreaming about the billionaire in front of me.
"I'm asking if you've already read the terms and conditions of our deal? Kimberly sent it on your email." This is the answer. "But I guess you haven't yet because you seem clueless right now so I will state it to you lively."
"Huh?" I questioned in return.
He massaged his temples. He gestured to Kimberly, his secretary, who immediately gave him a folder. He read it for a while before looking at me again. "Why is this so long..." I heard him whisper with a sigh.
"I'll read it!" I almost shouted as I grabbed the folder from her "Okay..." I said as I stared at it.
All the conditions are easy. That's what I expected, eh. It matches my imagination's condition. Similar to; we will be sweet, go to events together, hold hands in public and much more. There was no one to kiss with so I breathed a sigh of relief. Not until I saw the last condition.
"Condition 27: Party B shall live with Party A for the meantime." I read it out loud. "What? I'm going to live with you guys?" I asked in surprise. I even read it again because maybe my reading comprehension is weak but it's really right.
"Yes." Cade answered. "You have nowhere to go and I need you there. Dad often goes to the mansion so he can ask me where my girlfriend is. He thought my ex girlfriend used to like going there so he still asks for her every time we see each other. "
"Can't you just buy me a new place? Hehe, just kidding. Please don't take me serious," I looked away because I was ashamed of myself. I also heard Kim's soft laugh that escaped because she couldn't hold back her laughter.
"For the meantime only, then we'll find you a shelter." Cade answered seriously.
"So... How long will I have to pretend to be your girlfriend?"
"Maybe before or after four months we will be done. Let's make it realistic. Shall we?"
"All right!" I smiled. "Seriously, I really have nothing to do? Even scrub the toilet or something?" I asked out of curiosity, so he and his secretary laughed at the same time. Even I was laughing at their faces. I'm glad that I made people smile even though what I said was unintentional.
"No things like that ma'am," Kim smiled as she looked at her boss. I looked around but I could still see them in my peripheral vision. "You did a great job finding her, sir,"
*********
"Wow! What a big house! size! Is this for real? Like seriously?" I feel dumbfounded because of the size of their mansion. We even passed by the huge fountain near their gate. I can even swim there in my size!
"Why? Does this look like a joke to you?" His face was irritated but I saw a smile on his lips. Huh! I got him!
"You're lucky," I smiled and closed my eyes to feel the fresh air. There are also many trees planted so it is cold here. When I opened my eyes again, it was his close face that immediately appeared to me. I almost slapped him because of the shock. "What are you doing?!"
"I-I'm just helping you unbuckle the seatbelt, sorry..." He looked away but his red face didn't escape me.
"I appreciate that! Thanks, I can do it," I smiled at him. "Do you believe in love?" I suddenly asked him.
"What a random question," he snapped. "Well, I don't. The last time I got fooled with that so called love, my ex cheated on me."
My eyes widened. "Really?! Someone cheated on you?" I asked in surprise. Who cheated on him? Her face is as thick as my poop whenever I eat chocolates! With Cade's handsomeness, the nerve to look for someone else? Well, he has everything!
I was about to go down when he suddenly spoke. "Do you?"
"Yes... I do still believe in love even it failed me a lot of times. I believe love doesn't only exist in commitments, you can love someone even you have no relationship with them.." I said passionately. It's like I never said the opposite before when I was acting out in my room and lost myself because of the pain of love. "Love is... kind." I whispered the three words of my favorite love verse from the bible.
I didn't realize that he had come out to open the door for me. We were the only two in the car because Cadmus didn't want Kim with us.
"Hey, thanks," I smiled again.
He ignored me because he immediately went to the trunk to get what was there. But wait, what's there is all my stuff?!
"Come on! I can do it! Please don't do it for me!" I hurried to the back to get my things. It's a shame, I'm not going to do anything else rather than be his fake girlfriend but then I'm going to let the CEO of one of the most famous banks in the country carry my bag?!
He signaled me to stop. I was stunned when I saw him holding my three large provincial bags and my favorite pillow in one hand. His other hand was still pointing at me.
"Just please give it to me!" I said 'please' in no time. I usually don't do that.
"It's fine, Erin..." He said. After a while, a woman in her late 40s came, she was a maid because of her clothes. "This is Manang Aida, she'll take you inside. I'll tour you once I'm done fixing some things."
"Good morning, ma'am! You must be tired from the trip. From Marikina to Davao to talk to Sir Cadmus's business partner and now you're coming here to Manila. Come on, ma'am, we've prepared food you." I could hardly see Manang Aida's eyes because they were so narrow. She also has some white hair but she is very fair.
"I'm sorry for tiring you, Erin. You should rest," Cadmus said and went directly inside the mansion with my things. Later he also returned with nothing and got back in his car back to Marikina. He has a lot more to attend to because he has rescheduled many meetings.
"Take care..." I said even though I know he couldn't hear me.
"Come on ma'am," Manang Aida grabbed my waist gently so we could enter the expensive mansion together. "You have a good choice in men, ma'am... Sir Cadmus is very kind, very down to earth. He's always serious but he's like a boy in a book because he's so sweet. He's like my son too." She smiled at me. "You're so beautiful,"
"Don't say 'ma'am' anymore, Manang Aida. Just Erin." I smiled. "Does Cadmus have a sibling?"
"There is... Cadesia. There are only two siblings. Cadmus is the eldest. We call their father Senyor Arcajante so that we don't get confused with him and Cadmus. Their mother passed away a long time ago due to leukemia."
I was a little saddened by Manang Aida's words. Cadmus doesn't even have a mother anymore.
He first took me to my room which was bigger than the house I was staying in with Lady Francia. That's not even half of this room's extra size. Almost everything is white. It just screams elegant theme.
A large picture grabbed my attention. That was a picture of Cadmus with a familiar boy.
"Manang... Do you know this?" I asked pointing to the boy with the hat and arm around Cadmus. In this picture, it looks like they are still in high school.
I hope my thoughts are not correct.
"I know that ma'am!" Manang Aida also pointed at it. "That's Sir Cadmus's friend since they were in elementary school. In that picture, they're at school. Cadmus' mom took that picture. They're both CEOs of different companies. The only difference is, Sir Cadmus is the one who raised the company by himself. Self made as they call it. That's his friend, he got the position from his old father who's now suffering from cancer. That boy is also kind even though he didn't come here for the past few years now..."
"But who is he, manang?" I refused to change the topic. I really want to know the boy. Who is this really?
"I can't remember a bit, it's been a long time since he last visited the mansion... Wait... I'll try to remember and maybe I can remember a bit..." She held her chin, thinking. "Wait... Jiego? No... Ah, I know! It's Jarmin!"
My eyes widened. No way!
That's my ex!