The Billionaire's Son

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I put on my best dress for the dinner. It's an ivory lace dress I only wear during special occasions. Gulat na gulat ang stepfather ko nang malaman ang balita na inimbitahan ako ng mga Monterio sa mansion nila.

"Remember what I taught you." My mother reminded, fixing my hair in front of a mirror.

"Pero Mama, paano kung..."

"Ssh. You're going to make it out alive." She said, eyeing me closely. "Just act accordingly. I don't know what the senior Monterio wants from you. Do your best not to upset him."

Tumango ako. Inihatid ako ng stepfather at mama ko sa Avanza na naipundar ni Mama sa ilang taon niyang pagtuturo. I quietly climbed out of the car and was immediately escorted by men in black suit. Tinanguan nila si mama. The car pulled away and I was left surrounded by them.

"This way, Ma'am." One of them politely said. I searched for the man named Zian. He seems like a really good person. Siguro naman ay hindi niya isusumbong na sumilip ako sa surgery ni Sage kapag nakita niya ako.

Ang kwarto pa lang ni Sage ang napapasok ko kaya manghang-mangha ako nang makatapak sa engrande nilang lobby. Two swirling staircases that mirros what you see in Roman castles welcomed me the moment I stepped into their huge front door. Iginala ko ang paningin. The walls are cream-colored. Crimson-themed paintings hung accordingly on the wall and a huge piano sits on the center of the luxurious room.

My heart skipped a beat.

"My, if it isn't my visitor." Kinilabutan kaagad ako sa malalim na tinig ni Sir Sebastian Monterio. He's in his usual three-piece suit, looking fierced and in-charge. On his left hand is a fat tobacco and on his right clung a woman about my mother's age. I assume this is his wife.

Nang tuluyan na silang makababa sa hagdanan ay bahagya akong yumuko upang batiin sila. "Good evening, Sir."

"You are Mallory Rose Castillo, yes?"

I swallowed. "O-Opo..."

"Good." He glanced at the three waiting maids by his side. "Is the dinner all ready?"

They simultaneously nod their heads.

"Perfect. Let's eat, then."

Naglakad na ang mag-asawang Monterio. Sage's mother is a kind-looking woman who look like she was thrown in a secret underground society but didn't cared at all. She smiled at me and looked at ease, as if her son wasn't operated just yesterday or she's really good at hiding her feelings behind her perfectly-made make-up.

The maids served us during the dinner, pouring water into my wineglass every now and then and making sure everything is being taken care of.

"So, Mallory..." napaigtad ako nang magsalita ulit si Sir Monterio. I wanted to search for Sage but he's nowhere to be found. Alam kong magiging mas panatag ang loob ko kapag narito siya sa paligid. O kahit si Zian. Malamang ay nagpapahinga lamang siya sa kanyang kwarto ngayon at nagpapagaling. "When did you start playing the piano?"

"Piano?" I repeated dumbly. I did a quick calculation inside of my head. His presence itself is making me feel blitzed. I can't think straight without worrying for my life lalo pa nang makita ko kung paano niya tratuhin ang kawawang doctor upang iligtas ang anak niya. "Around five years old, Sir."

"Five?" he cocked both of his eyebrows at me. "Then that means that you're excellent in playing then."

"Not really—"

"I want you to play during my welcome party this weekend. It's a private dinner party. Nothing special. Simple lang." He said nonchalantly.

I secretly sighed in relief. At least he haven't mentioned anything about sneaking into his son's bedroom or watching the secret surgery.