A Virgin for the CEO

30

Before nine o'clock that night, all of their belongings-as meager as they were- were moved from their old hut to the bigger and sturdier house near the fishponds.

That house was built a year ago and remained vacant, only occasionally used by a consultant for the fishery who visited the hacienda when needed.

They first got the bedrooms ready for sleeping that night so their mother could get rested as soon as she comes back in the morning from the hospital.

That left their other stuff scattered in the living room of the house.

There were three bedrooms upstairs, which meant they would all have their own rooms.

They didn't have time to go to the hospital before visiting time was over, but a nurse Zoren knew had arranged a video call with Zoren's phone so they could show their mother the mess in the living room and their bedrooms.

She looked happy and so well that Arianna felt guilty after the call for arguing with Enrique—Eric—too much about moving, as it was supposedly their mother's health foremost and Tommy's job at the fishponds that allowed for this move.

Not about her.

Or what happened between them and the Señorito.

Tommy appeared alright while Zoren and the others remained to help them move things about. But when it was late and the last person had left, his shoulders fell and he looked tired and morose.

There were a thousand questions in his eyes every time he stared at the walls. Yna wanted to talk to him again, but she didn't want to do that tonight. It had been a long day and she thought it would be better to talk when they were both rested.

But when they finally entered their respective rooms that night, it took a long while before she could sleep. She could hear him moving about in his room as if he was also as restless as he was, just that he also did not want to talk as she was.

And to the siblings, as the day was long, so also was their first night in their new house.

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"Ate?"

Arianna's back straightened as she sat in the chair.

It was morning and she was drinking coffee. Tommy was gone when she woke up. He'd left very early. She was still thinking of what to cook for breakfast, planning to bring him some food later since the fishpond was really just about a ten-minute walk to the house, when he called from the back door.

"Did you forget something?" she asked, waiting for him to come in.

He came in with a sack full of vegetables and she watched as he put them on the surface of a smaller table near the sink.

"I pedaled back to our garden and picked up what we can cook today," he explained as he wiped the sweat off his forehead with a small, white towel hanging on around his shoulders, and went for water from a jug. "I also watered our plants a bit," he said, and drank from a glass full of water, and took a deep breath, then continued explaining. "The Chairman said, instead of selling vegetables, you can cook lunch and merienda for the workers in the fishponds every working day. You will receive a salary as our cook, and you can formally start today."

He was looking anxiously at her while she was speechless and stunned in the first few moments.

"Is that alright? I only found out so I couldn't tell you before I left this morning—"

"Tommy! What do you mean if it's alright? It's good news! I have work. Wow!" Yna had already jumped from her wooden stool and was rushing over to him. She hugged him, sweat and all. "I have a job! Yes!"

"They sometimes swap food with me during lunch," he added, grinning. "They already know you cook delicious food with whatever are available. The chairman said they'll have a whole fridge delivered here by the end of today and meat and spices and whatever other things you require will be sent here, too. I can bring fish every day, of course. Everything will come from the hacienda."

She stared at him, grinning, and couldn't know what to say. "Tell the chairman I'm so grateful I'll start right away, I'll cook the best lunch they'll ever taste!"

He was glad to hear that. "I'm sure! They'll all get fat."

They both laughed, but then, he pursed his lips.

"What is it?" she asked as she started taking green papayas from the top of what was in the sack. "Tommy?"

"I think the Señorito also didn't want you to sell outside anymore," he said in a lower voice. "Do you think he suggested the job to the chairman? They were talking very early when I arrived."

"What made you think they were talking about me?" she asked, as curious as he was.

"Because he came to me before he left. He asked how we were doing here, and I said we were alright. And then he said not to worry about what you will do regarding the vegetables, because you wouldn't need to sell them anymore. And then... he left."

Yna tried to school her face because Tommy was watching her closely, suspecting that Eric approached Tommy so she would know.

"Why does he care so much about us, Ate?" he asked, confused. "Why is he suddenly everywhere? Is it because he wanted you to..." he stopped abruptly, looking at her like he was beaten by a snake. He looked pale. "Ate, I didn't mean—"

"Do you know why he fell off the horse?" she asked him.

"Why?" he asked, looking nervous.

"We were arguing. I... he just told me we were moving and I didn't want to. I was kind of thinking the same way you were thinking and I..." She looked away, then sighed. "I know... I didn't want to go with him yesterday but he snatched me and we... went to his house and talked. But you are right. He still wants me, Tommy."

"Ate!"

She turned to him. "No, it wasn't like that. He knew I was not like that. He was shocked when he found out it was my first time that night and I... I'm sorry that I'm shocking you and you're so young and I shouldn't be discussing things like this with you, Tommy. But you're still thinking it and I want you to stop worrying about me!"

He came to hug her. "Tell me. Tell me."

"I didn't want to keep this a secret from you," she said as she mussed his hair, "as you already know the worse part. So, suffice to say, he still wants me after everything, and I told him that was not possible. But it's been him who's been helping us because he felt guilty about that night. I sincerely believe if he had known of the circum-stances, he would have helped us, Tommy. That night wouldn't have happened. I believe he really is a good man."

He nodded as he continued to hug me. "But, Ate, what are we going to do? He's the señorito. He can do whatever he wants."

"He's the señorito who left yesterday wearing one of my oldest t-shirts, and who, before that, fell off a horse arguing with me because I was trying to refuse whatever it is he further planned to do for us." And well, it was because of what he'd tactlessly said about Tommy. He should know better that if she prostituted herself to save her brother, there was nothing less she would do for him. "He thinks he's always right, and he can be manipulative. But I believe he will not force me to do anything beyond what's already done, and that if he manipu-lates us to accept something he believes is really good for us, it's because he didn't know anything beyond being a spoiled rich brat."

She heard a surprised giggle from her brother.

"Anyway, so far, that's what's happening... like moving here and those charity work he's employed to help us in disguise. I don't think he cared if we approved of the help. He's going to do it anyway."

Tommy raised his head to look at her face. "That's why I'm confused. He's been trying so hard, ate. Do you think he likes you?"

It was a very simple, honest, innocent question.

And she remembered it occurred to her before, once, before she violently rejected the idea.

Because that was just so impossible.