Inamorata's Ascent: The heir and the Pauper

CHAPTER 11

Burden

Leon’s POV

The next morning, i walked into the café, ready for another day of helping Saoirse and enjoying our growing bond. The previous day’s tension with Reeve still lingered in my mind.

As i was about to step behind the counter, my phone rang. It was my parents.

I hesitated for a moment, then answered the call. “Hello?”

“Leon, where have you been?” my mother’s voice came through, sounding both anxious and stern. “We haven’t heard from you in days. What have you been up to?”

“I’ve been helping out at a café” i said, trying to keep my tone casual.

“A café?” my father interjected, clearly surprised. “Why are you wasting your time there anak? May mga responsibilidad ka sa business.”

“I needed a break,” i explained, though i knew it wouldn’t satisfy them. “I wanted to experience something different.”

“Leon, you need to come home,” my mother insisted. “We can’t lose you like we lost your brother. We need you to stay safe.”

Her words hit me like a ton of bricks. The mention of my lost brother, the one who vanished in the woods all those years ago, brought a surge of guilt and pain. They had never fully recovered from his loss, and neither had i.

“I’ll come home soon,” i promised, though my heart wasn’t in it. “I just need a little more time.”

“Leon, we’ve been handling business matters, and we expect you to keep things running smoothly here,” my father said, his tone firm. “Sayo na ang responsibilidad na ito ngayon.”

“Yes, i understand,” i replied, feeling the weight of their expectations pressing down on me.

After the call ended, i took a deep breath, trying to compose myself before heading back into the café. Saoirse noticed my troubled expression and gave me a concerned look.

“Everything okay?” she asked softly.

“Yesh, just a call frm my parents,” i said, forcing a smile. “Gusto nila na umuwi na ako.”

“Pwede ka naman mag day off kung kailangan, Leon,” she offered, her eyes filled with understanding.

“No, it’s fine,” i insisted. “I want to be here.”

She nodded, though i couldn’t tell she wasn’t entirely convinced. As we were worked side by side, my mind kept drifting back to the conversation with my parents. They had always expected so much from me, especially after we lost my brother. They had thrown themselves into their work, and in turn, expected me to do the same.

But i wanted more than that. I wanted to live a life outside the bubble of corporate expectations, free from the constant pressure and guilt. Helping out at the café had given me a taste of that freedom, a chance to be myself without the weight of my family’s name.

As the day went on, the café became busier, and i found myself immersed in the rhythm of taking orders and making drinks. It was a welcome distraction from my thoughts. But the reality of my situation was never far from my mind.

During our lunch break, i found a quiet moment with Saoirse. “Can i ask you something?”

“Of course,” she replied, looking up from her plate of lumpia and rice.

“Do you evr feel like you’re living someone else’s life?” i asked, struggling to find the right words.

She tilted her head, considering my question. “Minsan, but i try to make it my own, you know? To find little ways to make it feel like me.”

Her words resonated wit me. I wanted to find those little things too. to carve out a life that felt like my own. But the guilt of losing my brother and the expectations of my parents loomed large, making it hard to see a way forward.