Baby Daddy For Hire

CHAPTER 1

ISSABELE

“Manang! Bring me a cup of coffee please!” sigaw ko sa kasambahay ko mula sa study room.

“Sige nandyan na!” sagot niya mula sa kusina.

It’s 6 in the morning already but I haven’t been able to catch a sleep because of the paper works that I have been working on since yesterday.

Yes! That’s how busy I am.

Ever since my dad Resigned from his position of being the chairman of the company,all of his responsibility fell in to my lap…

at bilang isang tagapag-mana ni dad ay hindi ko dapat na pabayaan ang kompanya.

He work so hard to get wherever we are now and I'm not gonna disappoint my dad if ever mapabayaan ko ang kumpanya niya.

My dad and our family is one of the riches family in the country…we have lots of businesses, famous friends and strong ties and connection from powerful and well-known persons in society including the president of the country,that’s why I couldn’t let my dad down.

All my life I've always wanted to make him proud...I am his only kid and his only heir,I know sometimes he wishes to have a son for an heir so I work extra hard so that he could bragged to his friends how lucky he is to have me even though I am not a man.

Gusto kong ipakita sa kanya na kaya nya rin akong ipagmalaki kahit na babae ako,dahil kaya ko ring higitan o pantayan ang kayang gawin ng isang lalaki.

“Oh issa anak, coffee mo…” sambit ni manang lina at inabot sa akin ang tasa ng kape na tinimpla niya.

“Thank you so much manang,” I smiled at her.

“Hindi ka nanaman ba natulog magdamag?” tanong niya na may nag aalalang ekspresyon.

I sighed and looked at her sadly.

“Am I really that haggard manang? Halata bang hindi nanaman ako natulog?” tanong ko sa kanya na may kasamang pag lalambing.

“Aba talagang bata ka!” marahas na hinampas niya ako sa braso gamit ang kamay niya, “ nagtatanong ka pa riyan eh nandyan lang sa tabi mo ang salamin! Tignan mo maitim nanaman ang paligid ng mata mo! Ilang beses ko ba sa iyong sasabihin na kailangan mo ring magpahinga…

napakatigas ng ulo mong bata ka! Ang sarap mong paluin sa pwet!” naiiling na litanya niya at mahinang kinurot ako.

I winced in pain as I gently rubbed my arm that she hits!

If you’re wondering why manang lina acted that way towards me and how can she hits me like that even though she’s a maid, well manang lina isn't just a maid,she is one of the oldest employee we’ve ever had.

She’s been working with us ever since my parents moved in to this house.

I’m a 26 years old grown woman and she’s the one who takes care of me ever since I was just a baby ,so she’s basically my second mother.

“Manang naman! Pinagbubuhatan nanaman ninyo ako ng kamay!” daing ko sa kanya pero tinignan lang niya ako ng masama.

“Paanong hindi kita pag bubuhatan ng kamay eh hindi ka nakikinig sa akin! Naku kang bata ka! Ano nalang ang sasabihin ng papa mo sa akin kapag nag kasakit ka!” nag tatampong sabi niya at inambahan ako uli ng palo.

I honestly loved this woman!

She’s the best gift from heaven that God have given me.

She always scolded me like a mother for not taking care of myself and every time I wouldn’t listen to her she gets really emotional.

“Manang wag ka ng mag tampo riyan! Tatapusin ko na lang ito at mag papahinga na ako… okay? Wag kang mag alala hindi ako mag kakasakit!” sambit ko sa kanya at yumakap sa kanya.

Sa tuwing nalulungkot siya dahil sa tigas ng ulo ko ay lagi ko siyang niyayakap dahil alam kong mapapaamo ko na ulit siya.

“Abay dapat lang! Alagaan mo ang sarili mo para naman hindi masayang ang pag aalaga ko sayo ng mahigit dalawang dekada!”Pagpapagalit niya sa akin.

Yes mahigit dalawang dekada na niya akong alaga at dalawang dekada na rin niya akong pinagagalitan lagi.

“Opo! Marami kasing naiwang trabaho si daddy sa office kaya naman kailangan ko na itong tapusin,” sambit ko na may halong pag rireklamo.

“Oh siya! Basta bilisan mo na riyan at matulog ka na! Ipaghahain kita ng masarap na pagkain mamaya pag gising mo!” sambit ni manang bago tuluyang lumabas ng silid.

“Thank you manang!” I shouted at her before she disappeared from my sight.

Napangiti ako sa sarili ko dahil sa pag aalalang ipinapakita ni manang lina…ever since I was just a kid ganyan na talaga siya makitungo sa akin.

Sobrang mahal na mahal niya ako…ni hindi niya ako dati hinahayaang masaktan…

kapag nag lalaro ako ay hindi niya ako hahayaang masugatan…

Kapag may umaaway sa akin noon ay papatulan niya kahit bata huwag lang akong umiyak.

Her love is so genuine,that’s why I always treated her like she was my own mother.

I sighed deeply and sadly speaking about a mother,which I never had…

why?

Well that’s a story for another day!

I quickly finish what I was doing and went to bed afterwards.

I woke up later and it’s already 2 in the afternoon.

I have a meeting later at 5 pm with the investors so I went straight to my closet and picked something formal to wear before heading in to the bathroom.

I exhaled feeling relaxed as the cold water starts to wet my body…

Having to work almost a 100 hrs per week is really tiring…mas mahaba pa ata ang oras na inilalagi ko sa opisina at sa mga business trips ko kaysa sa pamamalagi ko sa sarili kong bahay ,no wonder I don’t have a life!

I sighed deeply remembering how boring my life was... I don't even remember the last time I went on a date.

Well technically it's not a date because I was just set up by either my friend or my dad.

They always love to set me up on a date with some random losers!

Even though I am always invited to many parties I still can’t have fun because all the attendees there only attended because of business.

I’m not complaining…it’s just that I sometimes envy other people who also works hard but still manage to live their life!

I felt like life is so unfair to me.

“Issabele! Your friend margarette is here to pick you up!” manang shouted outside my room.

I almost forgot that margarette is the one who’s gonna pick me up today because my driver ask for a day off.

She's my best friend or should, I say my only friend!

“Thanks manang…I’ll be there in a bit!” I shouted back.

I quickly finished my bath and hurriedly fix my clothes and put on a little bit of make up before I head downstairs where marga is waiting.

“Hey marga You’re early…are you sick?” I said to margarette jokingly because she’s usually late.

She turn around pouting her lips…

“We had a fight so I took off early and came here!” she said sounded so annoyed.

“Fight with who?” I ask

“Dad!” she exclaimed

I chuckle a little looking at her face with a hint of anger.

“Why am I not surprise?!” I laugh “come on let’s eat first before heading out,"

Sumunod siya sa akin papunta sa dinning table kung saan nakahain na ang mga nilutong pagkain ni manang lina.

“So what’s the fight about?” I asked as we dig in to our food.

“As usual he’s rushing me to get married to this jerk that I don’t even know and obviously I don’t even like! I mean, how can he push me to marry someone I barely know and someone I don’t love!” pag rireklamo niya.

I shook my head while smiling…

what she said doesn’t amused me anymore, because this is what they were always fighting about.

Just like my dad,her dad is always pushing us to get married to their business partner’s sons, some of them are either too young or too old...

some are too polite and most of them are jerks!

“Is he rich?” tanong ko sa kanya na may mapang asar na ngiti.

“Yes he is! But who cares?! I don’t need anyone’s money! I can take care of myself!” paghihimutok niya.

“Hindi kana na sanay sa mga daddy natin…I mean lagi naman nila yang ginagawa pero wala naman silang magagawa kung ayaw natin diba? So just say no.” sambit ko sa kanya

“Dapat siguro mag bigti na din ako para hindi na niya ako pilitin mag pakasal sa kahit na sino! I hate it when he does that! Mukha lang ba akong kuting sa kanya na pwede niyang ipamigay sa stranger kung kailan niya gustuhin?!” she said trying to prevent her tears from pouring down.

I smile bitterly when I remember those times that I tried to hang myself in my room because of the pressure that my dad is giving me when he forced me to marry this pervert man who is old enough to be my father.

I end up 50-50 in the hospital and after that my dad stop setting me up with another man for a while.

“Yeah you should probably do that…I’ll help you! But make sure you don’t end up almost dying in the hospital just like me,” paalala ko sa kanya.

Hindi ko naman noon sinasadyang malagay sa bingit ng kamatayan…gusto ko lang naman takutin noon si daddy pero hindi umayon sa plano ko ang ginawa ko kaya naman nang mapatid ang lubid ay tumama ang ulo ko sa table na nasa room ko kaya naman sa hospital ang bagsak ko!

after that ilang buwan din akong tinantanan ni daddy pero lately lagi nanaman niya akong kinukulit.

Pagkatapos naming kumain at mag pasalamat kay manang para sa pagluluto niya ay nag pasya na kaming umalis.

Si marga ang nag mamaneho ngayon habang patuloy pa rin siyang nag rereklamo tungkol sa pamimilit ng papa niya na mag pakasal.

“If your dad really wants you to get married then why don’t you just marry jason? I mean you’ve been dating for so long and jason is also stable so just get married already!” mungkahi ko sa kanya.

“I wish!” napairap na sabi niya

“ni hindi pa nga siya nag papahiwatig kung mag popropose siya o ano eh! I don’t even know if he’s planning on getting married,” she sighed sadly.

“Well at least you have someone who you can call a boyfriend! Sometimes I regret na tinanggihan ko pa ang mga ipinapakasal sa akin ni dad noon… ngayon tuloy hindi ko alam kung makakapag asawa pa ako!” nakasimangot na sambit ko.

Malalim kaming napabuntong hininga ng sabay at umiling iling.

“Yeah…life is so hard!

It sucks!

I wish I can go back in time as a kid!”

Napatahimik kaming pareho dahil sa sinabi niya…

Napaisip din ako…

papano nga kaya kung maaari nga akong bumalik sa pagkabata?

Kung saan iiyak lang ako ng dahil sa laruan…or dahil lang gutom ako.

But honestly hindi din naman maganda ang naging kabataan ko kaya naman wala din sigurong mag babago.

We later arrived at the office just in time to meet the investors…

We discuss a lot about the expansion of our company and how we can generate much larger profit.

Our meeting ended up with us closing a deal.

“Ma'am? Can I go home now?” ask mike, my secretary.

“Oh you're still here? I'm sorry I lost tract of time, go ahead mike…see you tomorrow!” I said coldly to him.

I got consume with a paper work after the meeting that I completely lost track of time and forgot that my secretary is still here.

Mike is a very competent secretary that has been working for me for the last 5 years and even though he is already done with his work he wouldn’t go home without telling me…he always wait for me to go home just to make sure that I don’t sleep there.

“You’re not going home yet?” he ask

“I’ll finish this first tapos uuwi na rin ako,”

“Okay…I want to wait for you but I need to feed my mother today because my sister had an emergency at work…I'm really sorry.” paghingi niya ng paumanhin na ikinatawa ko naman.

Mike is the only employee in my company who isn't afraid of me...most of them is always avoiding me because they thought that I was harsh and mean.

To them I was a terror boss!

“You don’t have to apologize! Sobra na nga ang oras na nilalagi mo dito dahil sa akin eh…it’s ok…go home and take care of your mom,” I said to him while smiling.

I get back to reading the paper in front of me thinking that he already left but when I looked up to stretch my neck he’s still there!

“Oh akala ko umuwi ka na? Go on! I'm fine…really,”

“Ahmmm may sasabihin po kasi sana ako eh,” he said while looking down on the floor.

I suddenly felt this pinch in my chest as if he’s got bad news to tell…

I put down the paper that I was reading and seriously look at him,waiting for him to speak his mind.

“What is it?” curios na tanong ko.

“You know that I love this job right?” he started

“Yes…and?” I said waiting for what he’s gonna say next

“And you know I enjoy working for you right?” he said while still looking down, kicking the floor with his other feet as if he was hesitating to tell me want he was thinking.

“Mike….get to the point!” mariin ngunit malumanay na sabi ko sa kanya.

He takes a deep breath then looked at me straight in the eye…

"Its a bad news..." He said with a hint of sadness in his eyes he hits me with the bad yet a good news.

“I'm getting married,” he smile hesitantly.

"And how is that a bad news?" Naguguluhang tanong ko sa kanya...I mean good for him he's getting married but Why does he think of it as a bad news?

“Well because I’m gonna have to resign from my work here because my fiance wants to stay close to her parent’s place after the wedding and my sister is gonna work abroad so I will be the one left to take care of my sick mom so I have to move out of town,” he said looking at me as if he was waiting for how I was gonna react.

Of course I’m happy for him because finally he’s getting married and gonna start a life with someone he love,but yeah he is right, it’s also a bad news for me because I kinda grew fond of him over the years…

he’s the most competent secretary I’ve ever had even though he's got to take care of his sick mother,that didn't stop him from finishing his job flawlessly and on time... and although it’s hard for me to let him go I know that I have to.

“Wow mike! that’s good news! I’m happy for you!” I exclaim trying to hide the sadness I felt.

“Really? I’m sorry ma'am issa…

I really want to work for you but I know I cannot be competent working so far from here, I hope you’re not mad at me.” nakayukong sabi niya.

I know that it’s also hard for him to let go of his job but he is right,it’s going to be so hard for him to still work here when he moved out of town.

“It’s okay mike… you don’t have to apologize! I’m so grateful and honored that I once had a secretary like you! You’re the best secretary that I ever had and now I want you to go and live your life…I want you to be a good husband and a father soon…it’s sad that I’m gonna have to let you go and find a replacement for you but nothing will make me more happy but to see you living happily and healthy together with the people you love and you cared about.” I said sincerely tapping his shoulder.

He looked at me teary eyed and smile.

“Thank you Ma'am issabele!” he said hugging me tightly, “I thought you’re gonna be mad!” bumitaw siya sa pagkakayakap at nakangiting humarap ulit sa akin.

“How can I be mad at you?! I know you have a personal life too and I don’t have the right to hold you back and refrain you from being happy…I will sign your resignation but on one condition!”

“Condition?” naguguluhang sambit niya.

“You have to train another secretary for me before you leave, And not just some secretary... I want you to train someone who’s good as you!” I said to him with a poker face.

He chuckles “Of course Ma'am! I wouldn’t leave you to drown your self with work just because you don’t have a good secretary!”

I smiled at him and chase him out of the office so he can go home already.

It’s almost midnight when I finished what I was doing and decided to head home.

My body feels so sore that I immediately falls asleep the minute my body landed the bed…

so tired that I didn’t even made it to the shower to clean my body and change my clothes,I just slept with the clothes I was wearing all day.