The Queen (Book 2)

Chapter 8

"Hey, cutie pie, what do you want to eat?" I cooed at Clarky, pinching his chubby little cheeks. He looked at me with those big, innocent eyes, and I knew he'd never actually get to choose. I was just entertaining him, although he had no clue.

I was on babysitting duty for Clark Martin Morris, Ian and Christina's 6-month-old bundle of joy. They left him in my capable hands while they were in America. Christina was there for Uncle Frederick's heart transplant, which, frankly, sounded way too serious for me to handle.

With no one else to step in, I had canceled all my meetings and work for Clarky's sake. I mean, who needs work when you have a baby with the cutest giggle ever? But of course, there were a couple of meetings that absolutely couldn't be postponed. Christina would be back soon enough to reclaim her baby duties, so it was just a few weeks of Clarky and me.

Clarky's parents were all the way in America. My job? Keep this adorable little guy fed, happy, and away from mischief. It was day four of my gig as Clark's personal entertainer. Usually, he was either snoozing or we were glued to his favorite cartoon, *Boss Baby*.

Sometimes, while he was napping, I'd clean the condo or tackle some paperwork. Romeo would drop by whenever he had a spare moment. Ayi was out of the country for personal reasons, and Ace and Rage were in wedding prep mode. Taty was tied up with hospital duties, Steve was busy with their Bulacan business, and Klime was back at Desi with Draven. Miya and Jay were off to Scarabaegaria, and Sybil and Augustus had headed back to Greece. I hadn't heard from Astrid lately, and Agatha seemed to be somewhere in the Philippines.

Tonight, I was preparing for a dinner with my parents and bringing Clarky along so they could meet this adorable little dude. I knew they'd love him as much as I did. I could already imagine how excited my mom would be. We were heading to their mansion, where Clarky and I would stay for two nights. The day after that, Christina would return, and we'd head back to Tito's place.

I was wearing high-waisted mom jeans and a vintage striped crop top, paired with white Skechers. No time for heels when you're wrangling a baby. My hair was down, slightly tousled, and definitely not suited for any royal events.

As soon as we arrived, my mom's eyes lit up. "Wow, he's so cute!" the first thing that my mom said nang makababa ako nang sasakyan. He was referring Clark na siyang karga ko. Kuya Jerry was the one who picked us. My mom keep on kissing Clark cheeks kaya umiyak na lang bigla si Clark.

Agad namang natawa si Daddy dahil sa ginawa ni Mommy, napailang nalang ako at pinatahan si Clarky habang papunta ko sa living room.

I have been busy with Clarky since tinotopak na ito dahil siguro natakot kay mommy. I didn't even notice Astrid's presence until my mom called me for dinner. Talk about a surprise!

Astrid appeared in the dining area, greeted my parents with his usual charm, and gave me a polite smile before taking his seat. My dad was in the center, Mom to his left, and I was standing, still working to soothe Clark. I whispered sweet nothings and gently kissed Clark's forehead to make him feel secure.

"Prince Astrid, this is Baby Clark, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Morris," Dad introduced. I turned Clark to face Astrid, who offered a warm smile and a gentle bow—a royal greeting for Clark.

Dad signaled a maid to take Clark for a while so I could enjoy my dinner. Reluctantly, I handed Clark over, despite my mom's assurances that he was in good hands.

Dinner started with a prayer led by Dad. My parents peppered me with questions about life in the Philippines, and I answered as briefly as possible. Astrid's intense gaze didn't help my nerves. I tried to enjoy my meal, but it was hard with him staring me down like I'd stolen his last cookie.