Arrange Marriage: Destined?

20: Bacolod City

Bacolod-Silay International Airport.

(Alden)

"Ivy, we are going to cancel the hotel reservations." I declared. She looked at me like I'm out of my mind.

"What? Why? Where are we going to stay?" She asked.

"I have a house here. I bought that house right out of college." I said. 

"You? You have a house here?" Head tilted to the side, her hand on her waist and one eyebrow raised.

"I do. Mom gave me a good amount of money and my grandparents left me a generous amount, too. I'd love to get away from the busyness of work and the traffic of Manila and I will come here for a couple of days, mostly weekends." I said smiling at her.

"But how... I know how, you just said, but what I meant was, how are we going to, you know, get in? Do you have a caretaker that takes care of the house? Do they know?" I know she's confused.

"My caretaker, Manang Josie stays there. She lives in the mother in law house in the back, her and her daughter, Milz." I said.

"Oh, I see. Does she know you're coming?" She asked.

"No. But she always have it ready. I don't have to tell her anything. Sam and Tony used to come here a lot, especially during the time that Sam is going through some tough time with Patty and Tony with, you know, Maine." I explained. She just nod.

"You mean Tony knows this place, too? How come he didn't tell me?" Her brow raised as if she's ready to cut Tony's throat. I smiled.

"Ivy, this is my place and it s my story. Tony don't have to tell anyone and besides they both swore to secrecy. I don't want my family to know my hiding place. Sam called me last month for a favor. Patty's friend was looking for a place to stay to unwind or something, only for a few days. He or she may have left already." I explained. She stared at me like she was trying see if I am telling the real story or I was just messing with her.

"Let me guess, it's under Alden Reyes." She smirked and I smiled.

"You know what, you're a fast study." This time I laughed. "Yes, and no." I said as we go in the company car.

We are heading south to Bacolod from Silay Airport. We are now in the long stretch of Airport Road going to Talisay that would turn to Lacson St. as you get closer to the city. You'll see houses by the road but mostly you'll see tall and almost ready to harvest sugar canes. This may sound like a lesson in economics or history I don't know, but it did amazed me to find out that Negros Occidental produces more than half of the sugar production in the Philippines.  That's why there's a lot hacienderos here.

Anyway, Dad already discussed with the general manager that he'll send someone to help out. Help out not fixed the issue. The issue? We are losing money because spare parts go missing, and if parts go missing, we lose customers. We lose customers, we lose sales. We lose sales and there it is, we lose everything. But of course nobody really know what I'm here for even the general manager. Remember, I am just her to help. He doesn't even know who's coming.

"So, how far is your 'house' from here. We're in Bacolod already, right?" She asked.

"No, we're' not in Bacolod City yet, were in Talisay right now but approaching Mandalagan. We're about an hour away from my house." I said smiling at her. She have that face of, I am not sure if she's disgusted of the fact or she's disgusted because of the fact. You have to see it, I can't explain it, but it's funny.

Now I know why Tony is so crazy about her. Which leads me to think. Maine is funnier. She makes me laugh without even doing anything. Her mannerisms, her facial expressions, they all make me smile at times makes me laugh. I am not merely crushing on her.