Hiding the CEO's Daughter

Chapter One

Chapter One

I was in school… doing my homework at the gazebo with my friends. This is just a typical day for me. I am already on my third year in college. Just another year and I’ll be graduating.

“Lia, you done?” Jea asked.

Tumango ako. Ibinabalik ko na kasi ang notebook ko sa loob ng bag ko. “Ikaw ba?” tanong ko sa kaniya.

Umiling siya. “Pakopya naman,” aniya.

Natatawang kinuha ko ulit ang notebook ko at ibinigay sa kaniya. Nilibot ko ang tingin ko habang busy pa silang dalawa ni Camille sa pagsasagot.

“Are you two free this weekend?” Jea asked Camille and me.

Tumango ako. Camille nodded too. “Yeah, why?” sabi ko.

“Edrin is throwing a party at his Dad’s club. You want to come?” Jea said.

Kumunot ang noo ko. “No, thank you,” I politely declined. I am really not into parties. Mas gusto kong sa bahay na lang kahit ba na hindi ko naman masyadong nakikita ang mga magulang ko. At kung makita ko man sila ay away lang nila palagi ang nadadatnan ko, okay na ako doon. At least I get to see them. I get to be with them.

“Ako gusto kong sumama,” ani Camille bago bumaling sa ‘kin. “Sige naman na, Lia. Sama ka na,”

Umiling ako. “Ayoko. Hindi naman ako maka-relate sa inyo pagdating diyan,” sabi ko pa.

Sinamaan ako ng tingin ni Jea. “Eh kasi hindi mo pa na t-try!” sigaw pa niya. “Minsan lang naman, Lia,”

I sighed. “I’ll try. Papaalam muna ako kay Daddy,” sabi ko.

Camilled shook her head. “Wala na ‘yan, Jea. Palagi niyang sinasabi ‘yan kahit hindi naman siya hinihigpitan ni Tito. Ayaw lang talaga niya sumama,”

Natawa ako at hindi na nagsalita. Kilala na talaga nila ako.

Pumunta na kami ng klase pagkatapos noon. Jea, Camille, and I were seatmates. This is what I love in college. Walang pakialam ang prof kung saan ka uupo. Ang importante ay pumapasok ka at gumagawa ng school works.

“Prof Castillano is so cool,” ani Jea nang makalabas kami. Prof Castillano is one of our youngest professor here in the university kaya naman mas nakakarelate siya sa mga estudyante. Maraming may favorite sa kaniya.

“I know right,” Camille said. “Ikaw Lia, hindi mo ba siya crush?” tanong niya.

My eyes narrowed while thinking about Prof Castillano. Well, he is good looking. He’s also smart… but not my type so I shook my head. “No,”

Natawa si Jea. “Wala ‘yang crush eh,” sabi niya at sabay silang nagtawanan ni Camille.

I went home after that. It was still early so I just stayed on my room until Yaya Linda called me for dinner. I went down only to know that mom and dad isn’t home yet.

“Yaya, can you have dinner with me?” I asked Yaya Linda when she was preparing the food.

She nodded at me. “Sige, anak,” aniya. “Samahan kita. Tapusin ko lang ‘to,”

Tumango ako sa kaniya. Nang matapos siya sa pag-aayos ng pagkain ay naupo na siya sa tabi ko. Tahimik kaming kumain.

“Okay ka lang ba, anak?” Yaya asked.

I turned to her and smiled. Tumango ako. “Opo, okay lang,” sagot ko sabay subo.

Oo, okay lang ako. Sanay naman na ako na wala sina Mommy at Daddy kada kakain ako. Okay naman at least kasama ko si Yaya kumain. I am not alone.

Nang matapos akong kumain ay nagkulong ako sa kwarto. I just did my assignment kahit na nag-usap kami nina Jea kanina na bukas na lang gagawin sa vacant time namin. Wala din naman kasi akong gagawin ngayon. Napapagod na ‘ko kakaisip at kakaasa kung kelan ba ako makakapag spend ng quality time kasama ang mga magulang ko. Para kasing Malabo.

Mabilis kong natapos ang assignment ko. Nang matapos ko na ay may kumatok sa pinto ko. “Bukas po ‘yan!” sigaw ko habang nagliligpit ng gamit.

Bumukas ang pinto at sumungaw ang ulo ng isang kasambahay namin. Napatingin ako sa kaniya. “Pinatawag ka po ng Daddy niyo,” aniya. “Nasa study po siya,”

Tumango ako at ngumiti sa kaniya. “Sige po, salamat,” sabi ko sa kaniya. “Pupunta lang po ako doon,”

Tumango naman siya at isinara na ang pinto. Tumayo naman ako mula sa sahig ng kwarto ko. I fixed my things first bago ako lumabas. Dumiretso ako sa study ni Daddy. I knocked on the door. When I heard his voice telling me to get inside, I opened the door and went in.

I saw my Dad sitting on his swivel chair behind his table. Mommy was on the chair in front of the table. May bakante pang upuan sa harap ni Mommy.

Iminuwestra ni Dad na isara ko ang pinto, and so I did. Pagkatapos ay naglakad ako papalapit sa kanilang dalawa nang nakangiti.

“Pinatawag niyo po ako?” tanong ko sa kanila habang dahan-dahan na naglalakad. I stopped when I was already in front of them.

“Take a seat, Lia,” Dad said in a serious voice. Nawala ang ngiti ko at dahan-dahan na naupo sa upuan sa harap ni Mommy. I looked at the both of them and waited for them to say something, but none came.

I took a deep breath before I talked. “What is it, po?” I asked after a few moments of silence. I had to ask dahil parang wala silang balak na magsalita. They looked like they were thinking about something deeply.

Dad raised his head from staring at something on his table. He looked at me. “Lia, we need to tell you something,” he said. “And I want you to open your mind about it. I hope you realize that we are doing this for you. We are doing this so we could secure your future,”

My heart thumped so fast inside my chest. I feel like I know where this is going but I refuse to accept it. No… they won’t do this to me. No.

Mommy held my hand. “Lia,” she called.

I shook my head as tears formed in my eyes. No… not this one.

Mommy smiled sadly at me. “We are doing this for you, honey,” she said. “Just listen to your Dad,”

I turned to my Dad who was just looking at me seriously. “I have arranged you marriage already,” Dad said in a small voice but it felt like it was a bomb he dropped in front of me. I feel like my whole life exploded in front of me. “You will marry after you graduate,” he added.

I shook my head. No. This is just a dream. My parents won’t do this to me.

I closed my eyes and let my tears fall. No. This is just a dream. After I open my eyes, I will come back to reality.

I sighed as I opened my eyes. I saw my Mom staring sadly at me. I looked around and saw that I was still in the library. And when I turned to my right, I saw my Dad, sitting, while looking at me seriously.

“It’s fixed, Lia,” Dad said again.

This is real. This is not a dream.

I shook my head as I stood up. My tears were flowing down my cheeks. I wiped it using the back of my hand before I glared at the both of them. I did not say anything. I just ran out of the study room and went back to my bedroom.