Crazy Rich Bea (JiBea fanfic)

Chapter 4

MANILA...

"They'll be staying at Paras Corp Hotel, Ma'am," Sharlene, Det de Leon's assistant announced.

Why Det hasn't ask her daughter herself and why she had to ask Kobe's assistant about it... Sharlene didn't bother asking. There's a rumor going around that Bea has been estranged with her Mom and she knew better than to join the gossips about them. Getting a job as Det de Leon's assistant is a long and difficult process. She won't waste this once-in-a-lifetime chance by making the same mistakes that others did.

Det looked up from the paper she's signing on. "They?"

"Ma'am Bea is bringing her girlfriend," Sharlene added carefully. Although Bea has been out, she's not really sure if her boss approves of it. "Ma'am Bea will help daw po in the preparations but immediately after the wedding, they'll go to for a month-long vacation in Boracay, Palawan, and Siargao, before going back to US."

Det doesn't actually care if Bea's dating a man or a woman. Gender has never been an issue. What has always been important is that they come from a family of wealth.

Bea has always thought it was too classist. But Det only wants to protect her daughter. Their wealth is not only theirs, but an accumulation of all the hardwork of generations before them. If it's up to Det, Bea should have just married the youngest daughter of the sultan of Brunei. After all, didn't they hook up too many times already?

"What's the name of the girlfriend?" Det asked.

Sharlene looked up her note in her phone. "Jia Morado."

Det signalled Sharlene to go out. She opened a drawer in her table and got her extra phone— not her personal phone. Not her business phone. Not her phone for VIP contacts. Her phone which she specifically used for moments like this.

She stood and faced the glass walls. Her office is located at the top floor of the tallest building in Makati. From there, she can see the whole of Makati... and even some part of Mandaluyong. When someone's up there, you can literally see and map out the divide.

One side consists of all those tall buildings that big companies occupy. It's a picture of a successful commercial district. On the other side, there are your usual regular middle-class homes and informal settlers, living walls to walls to each other. It's a picture of poverty and in this certain city, these people were unconsciously forced by the government to stay in their social class, so that they can stay in power.

When Bea was young, she enjoyed coming to her office specifically for this view. But as she grew older, she started resenting all of this.

She'll forever blame her husband Elmer for sending Bea to Ateneo. It's where she got all her idealistic views of the world.

Someone picked up from the other line. Det immediately said, "Jia Morado. I need her profile by the end of the day."

NEW YORK...

"Bea! Napakabagal mo!" Jia shouted from the living room as she waits for Bea outside her room.

June came by fast. Jia became busy with her classes when the end of semester came close so it was Bea who arranged all their logistics. It was Bea who set-up their tickets, hotels, and tours. After all, it was her who's familiar with Philippines anyway.

Jia didn't have the time to check the documents kasi literally, kakatapos lang niya mag-submit ng grades ng students niya an hour ago. Naligo lang siya then ready to go na sa airport.

Bea went out of the bedroom wearing almost the same outfit as Jia: long-sleeves, short shorts, and white sneakers. "Wala ka pa sa Pinas, ramdam ko na pagiging Filipino mo," she teased. Jia looked confused. So Bea added, "Late for everything... except when going to the airport."

Jia threw her a dagger look, which Bea returned with just a grin. Jia wanted to go to the airport early because she wanted to buy something for Bea's mom and dad. Jia made sure that she have money set aside for Johnny Walker and Chanel No. 5 perfume kahit na nagtitipid sila. Sabi ng parents niya, 'yun daw palaging pinapasalubong ng mga balikbayan and of course, gusto niyang magpa-goodshot sa parents ni Bea. She's also planning to buy chocolates para sa mga ibang kamag-anak ni Bea na makikilala niya. She doesn't want to tell Bea because she also kinda want to sneakily do it. Alam niya kasing i-i-insist ni Bea na 'wag na siya bumili ng anything.

Bea kissed Jia's pout before getting some of their baggages and exiting their pad to go to the Uber they called.

When they arrived at the airport, Jia was surpised when uniformed men instantly got their luggages. They're wearing all-white, with a matching cap, which was honestly leaning midway being a chauffeur and a pilot. "Oh no, we can carry them!"

Bea just signalled Jia to let go. "Perks of having a cousin who owns a plane."

Jia shook her head in amusement. The joke about Kobe having his own plane never dies down.

Now free of their luggages, Bea grabbed Jia's hands and they followed the men. But instead of going inside one of the gates, they were led to a different part of the airport. She whispered to Bea, "Babe, sigurado ka ba dito? Where are they going to take us?"

Bea chuckled and just kissed her head as a form of assurance.

After a few minutes, one of the men opened a door for them. What's inside is like a high-end airport lounge. Everything smells so good. Everyone looks so friendly. "Good evening, Ms. de Leon and Ms. Morado, may I have your passports please?"

Bea got their passports from her bag. Jia thought that like the regular check-in procedure, their boarding passes will be released. Instead, the receptionist stamped it in with what looks the immigration pass already.

Jia was so lost, but Bea was just pressing her hand as if asking her to leave it up to her. When they got their passports back, they were led on a different exit, and Jia was so sure that someone's playing tricks on her.

There's a plane. Instead of the usual airline names, it bears in big letters: K O K O W A V E.

It's Kobe's IG username.

She looked at Bea who wasn't surprised at all... but just grimacing. "Napakayabang talaga. Bago na naman!"

"Bea, Kobe wasn't joking," Jia said, stunned. "He has a plane."

Bea was still looking disappointed as she leads Jia to the stairs. "Planes, actually. This was his what, 10th already? It's a waste! He's not even using half of them!"

When they reached the top, they were personally greeted by two pilots. Then the flight attendants led them at the center. Jia has only ridden business class once... and this was way ahead than that one. This isn't a plane! It's a luxury hotel! The only difference is that there are wide recliner seats instead of a bed.

Bea sat on one and Jia sat next to her. "Bea, Kobe's rich."

"Yeah."

"I mean, I knew he was rich... but I didn't know he was this rich."

Bea started looking uncomfortable. Jia squinted her eyes, "Sila ba 'yung nanalo sa lotto nung halos umabot sa 1 billion 'yung prize?"

That made Bea chuckled. "Well, no. But apparently, they won in an even bigger lottery— the lottery of birth."