CHAPTER 1 .....
I'm Joy, 25 years old. I may look fierce, but deep inside, I'm soft-hearted… just kidding. My life isn't as glamorous as others, but I can say I'm happy. It was already 5 PM when I got home to my mom's sibling's house.
They're not rich, but they're rich in love. They were never blessed with a child, so when I told them I'd come stay for a vacation, they were overjoyed. They've been together for almost 10 years but never had kids. "Tita," I said over the phone. "Oh yes, iha, what is it?" "I'm planning to take a vacation there." "Of course!" she said, her voice full of excitement. "Okay, Tita. I'll be there on Monday afternoon." "Alright, iha. I'll wait for you. See you soon.
To be honest, I don't usually visit them. But this time, I had no choice. I needed to leave… because I was hurt. My aunt didn't know the real reason, I just said I wanted to visit, but deep inside, her niece was trying to escape pain. His name is Jason a doctor. Handsome, tall, intelligent. The kind of man who makes people stop and stare. He comes from a prominent family. His father is a doctor in a well-known hospital in our town, and his mother is a respected lawyer.
We met by chance. One day, I was walking along a street in Sta. Rosa, heading to a friend's house, when suddenly a car splashed mud all over me. "Shiiit! OMG! Look what you did to my clothes! What am I supposed to do now?" I almost cried in frustration.
Then suddenly, a guy stepped out of the car. He looked like a celebrity handsome, tall, neat, with his shirt perfectly tucked in. "Miss, I'm so sorry. I didn't see the pothole. Are you okay?" Okay?! Do I look okay?! I thought to myself. But my heart… was already falling. (Just kidding!) "Well," I replied, trying to stay calm. "Why weren't you careful? I was going somewhere, and now look at me!" "Okay, let's fix this," he said. Oh wow, English talaga? I thought. "Well, you have to help me find something to wear. I can't go like this." But instead of helping me, he handed me his card. "Call me or send me your GCash number. I'm in a hurry. Sorry, Miss." And just like that… he left.
I was annoyed, but I sent my GCash number anyway. Then suddenly, my phone beeped ₱10,000! My eyes widened. My shirt only cost ₱25 and my shorts ₱15! I literally jumped with joy. "If getting dirty means getting this much money, then go go go!" For the record, I do have a job,I'm a nurse in a well-known hospital. Just one month in, so everything still feels new. I found a store and saw a dress worth ₱1,500. I hesitated because I'm used to thrifted clothes. I didn't grow up rich. My mom was a single parent who passed away after giving birth to me. I grew up with my grandmother, aunt, and uncle and they loved me so much.
After fixing myself, I looked in the mirror,"Wow, not bad." I'm fair-skinned, petite eyes, tall… I can say I've got some style. Anyway… "Hey! Where are you? Everything's ready!" my best friend Alison called. She's my college best friend rich, beautiful, funny, and kind. The heir to a big company, but never arrogant. I arrived at her house full of guests and cars. The party was grand.
After some time, I finally got to eat (which I was most excited about 😆). While I was enjoying my food, suddenly "Sis!" I choked when I saw a familiar face. It was him. The same guy who splashed mud on me. "Sis, this is my cousin Jason the one I told you about," Alison said. Wait… what?! "Joy, this is Jason." "Why did you leave me earlier?" I blurted out. Jason looked shocked. Alison looked confused. "But I already paid you. More than enough," he replied. "Well… thank you," I said, trying to stay calm. "Yeah, you should thank me. You look more human now than earlier," he added. I was about to punch him when Alison stopped us. We ended up laughing it off.
The next morning, I went to work early. Everyone seemed busy decorations, balloons, people fixing themselves. "What's going on?" I asked. "The boss's son is arriving today from America. He's handsome and kind," someone said. I shrugged. "Let's see." Then suddenly… he arrived.
Everyone was staring. I didn't care until I looked up. It was him. Jason. "Hi, Miss Joy," he said casually before walking past me. My heart raced. I didn't even drink coffee, but I felt like fainting. Then my supervisor told me: "Miss Joy, the boss wants to see you." I was dead. Fired, for sure. I knocked. "Come in." "Good morning, sir… I'm sorry for earlier.
Please don't fire me. I need this job." He laughed. "Afraid of me?" Then he said, "I need someone to be with me 24/7… and I choose you." "What?" "You'll be my personal assistant." I had no choice but to agree. "I'll pay you ₱50,000 a month." "Deal!" I said instantly. "Start now." And just like that… my life took another turn.
It feels like it just happened yesterday, I was already about to faint. What if I had to see him every day in the same office? 😩 I woke up early and arrived at work on time. I realized I am a nurse, but why am I doing office work? Still, I just told myself to accept it since the salary is good.
A few moments later, the door opened. I saw my boss looking tired and weak. I took his things and placed them on his desk. Before he sat down, he leaned back on his chair in silence. I stayed at my desk, pretending to be busy, while thinking if I could request to be transferred back to my station. The silence in the office was making me uncomfortable.
Suddenly, I was startled when I heard a loud thud. My boss had collapsed. I quickly called for help and brought him to the ER. He had a fever—of course he would, coming straight from the airport yesterday and going directly back to work without rest. He probably didn't even know what rest meant. "Let's observe him first, Miss Joy, then bring him to his room," the doctor said. After a few minutes of examination, we transferred him to his room. Sigh… just yesterday I was a nurse, and now I feel like I'm more of a secretary. How annoying. "Miss Joy, water please… I'm thirsty," he said. "Okay, Doc. Wait a minute, I'll prepare it," I replied.
preparing his water, the room suddenly became quiet. The next thing I knew, I had fallen asleep. When he woke me up, I was still half asleep. I looked at him and said, "Here's your water, Doc. Don't be too assuming, it might give you Alzheimer's," then I laughed quietly. "Miss Joy, are you married?" he suddenly asked. "Oh no, Doc, this is only our third meeting and you're already asking that? Don't be assuming," I said. "I'm just asking so I know how to act properly," he replied. I went silent. Don't be too assuming, I reminded myself. Because of exhaustion, I fell asleep on the sofa. Who wouldn't? The room was so cold. It would be nice to be rich… sigh. When I woke up, I was already on the bed, covered with a blanket. He was on the sofa. "Oh no… Doc, did I drag you here so I could sleep on the bed while you stayed there?" I said nervously but laughing. "If you sleep on the sofa, you might fall. I'd feel guilty. You move a lot," he said, smiling. I just laughed and got up.
I checked him his fever was gone, and he looked normal again. So I guess he's really fine now. "I'll go out for a while to buy food," I said. "Don't go out. There's already food here. I doubled the ration so you can eat well. I might be blamed if you lose weight… your boyfriend might kill me," he said jokingly. I couldn't help but laugh because he was really cute. After we ate, we left and his driver took him home. Suddenly… beep beep beep…
my phone rang...
When I looked at my phone, I sighed. Seriously? This guy is so persistent. Even when I'm off duty, he keeps calling nonstop. I answered the call. "Hello, Doc" Silence. The line was quiet for a few seconds before his voice suddenly came through. "Report to my place. Now." My eyes widened. Excuse me? In my mind, I immediately protested ,No, Doc… I'm still young! 🤣 But of course… I still went. Because at the end of the day, I needed this job. And honestly… I loved money a little too much.
He had sent me a message earlier: "Corner Aurora Street, Purok 3. After the second guard house, turn left. You'll see a white two-story house with three cars—one red and two black." I stared at the message and shook my head. Wow… rich people really live differently. Meanwhile, I didn't even own a bike. When I finally arrived, it wasn't easy at all. The guard kept sending me in different directions. "Ma'am, try over there." "No, maybe that way." I was practically going in circles. In the end… it was just one straight direction. Seriously?
Finally, I stood in front of the house. It was big. Clean. Elegant. Definitely expensive. I took a deep breath and pressed the doorbell. Ding dong… ding dong… The door opened. A woman stood in front of me probably in her thirties. Beautiful, but her expression was sharp… intimidating. She looked like someone who could snap at any moment. "Yes?" she said coldly. I forced a polite smile. "Uh… is Doc Jason here?" "He's here," she answered bluntly. Her tone immediately got on my nerves. Wow… attitude. I tried to stay calm, but inside, I was already irritated.
"Come in," the woman said coldly. "Be careful with the things here they're worth more than your life." I forced a smile, but inside I gulped. Wow… this place is full of dragons. "Sir said to go to the study room," she added. I nodded and slowly made my way down the hallway, my steps careful and quiet. When I reached the study room, I hesitated for a second before opening the door. There he was. Doc Jason. And wow… his aura right now? Completely unreadable. "Why are you so late?" he asked. I crossed my arms. "Doc, maybe you forgot, I don't have wheels like you." He went silent for a moment, then sighed.
"Sit down." I obeyed. "Open that," he said, pointing to several paper bags on the table. Curious, I reached for them and slowly opened one. My eyes widened. "Doc… what is this?" "Clothes," he answered simply. "Wear those when you're with me on duty. Don't wear your hospital uniform anymore. You look like a caregiver following me around." I laughed at first, but quickly stopped when I noticed his serious expression. Carefully, I checked the tags. My eyes nearly popped out. "These are expensive…" "Are they yours or not?" he said. I blinked. "Wait… these are really for me?" He looked at me like it was obvious. "Who else would I give them to? You're with me every day." I scratched my head awkwardly. "Doc… since they're so expensive, can I just wear one and sell the others?" I joked. His expression darkened instantly. "Miss Joy…" "Sorry! Sorry!" I raised my hands. "I was just kidding… they're just really expensive…" He shook his head. "After that, go home. Your face is stressing me out." "Doc Jason " "What now?" "Nothing… I'm going home," I said quickly, grabbing the bags. When I got home, I couldn't hide my excitement. I tried on every outfit. "They're so beautiful…" I whispered, admiring myself in the mirror. I couldn't help but smile.
The next day, I arrived at the office early. Since Doc wasn't there yet, I made myself a cup of coffee. I hadn't even eaten breakfast. Then suddenly. The door opened. Doc Jason walked in… and stopped. He stared at me. I awkwardly smiled. "Good morning…" "You look…" he paused, "…different. More presentable." I blinked. "Bulating buhay?" I teased. Before I could even react, I suddenly slipped. "Ah!" Good thing he caught me. My heart skipped a beat. "Careful," he said softly. I quickly pulled away. "S-sorry, Doc…" But then. Without warning, He leaned closer. And kissed me. My mind went blank. Wait… what just happened? I stood there, frozen. When he pulled away, he didn't say anything. He just walked out. Leaving me completely stunned. I held onto the table, my heart racing. Why didn't I stop him? And why did it feel like… I didn't want to? Hours later, he returned like nothing happened. "Separate those files," he said coldly. "You know what to do you're in the medical field." I frowned slightly. Why is he acting like a dragon again? I just sighed and did my work. "Doc, can I go out for a while?" I asked later. "Why?" "I'll just buy food. I'm hungry," I said, giving a peace sign. "Stay. I'll order."
A few minutes later, the food arrived. My eyes widened. "Wow… that's a lot. Do you have visitors?" "No," he said. "That's for you. You're always hungry." I smiled. "Really, Doc?" "Finish your work first. Then we'll eat together." "Okay!" After a few hours, I finally finished. "This is it, Doc." He flipped through the pages, then nodded. "Impressive." I smiled proudly. "Of course. With this salary and free food,I have to do well." I noticed him smile slightly. He looks so handsome when he smiles… After eating, I went home, not realizing how late it had gotten. Meanwhile… Doc didn't go straight home. He went to a bar with his friends. And drank. A lot. Late that night,,
Knock… knock… knock… I frowned. "Who could that be at this hour?" I checked the CCTV.
My eyes widened. "Doc?!" I quickly ran to the door and opened it. There he was. Drunk. Barely able to stand. "Doc… what happened to you?" I asked, helping him. Before I could react. He suddenly pulled me into a tight embrace. "Doc, And then, He kissed me again. This time… deeper. Stronger. I knew this was wrong. I knew I should stop. But somehow… I couldn't. Instead. held onto him. We stumbled toward the sofa, emotions overwhelming us both. And in that moment. Everything else disappear..
I woke up early the next morning… in pain. It was my first time feeling something like this. My whole body ached, and I felt slightly feverish. "So this is what it feels like…" I whispered, wincing as I tried to move. Then reality hit me. Where am I…? Memories from last night came rushing back, and my face instantly burned with embarrassment. I slowly turned my head. Doc Jason was already awake. I couldn't even look at him properly. "Doc…" I started softly. "You were really drunk last night. I couldn't stop you… you were too strong." There was a pause. "Did something happen between us?" he asked. I stayed silent. I just nodded. His expression changed immediately. "Shit…" he muttered. "I'm sorry, Joy." Before I could even respond, he stood up, quickly got dressed, and left. Just like that. No explanation. No goodbye. I stared at the door. "This again…" I whispered. I didn't go to work that day. I told him I was sick. "Okay. Just rest," he replied through message. That was it. Simple. Cold. But my body still hurt… and yet, strangely, my heart didn't regret anything. Instead… I felt something else. Something unfamiliar. Why do I feel… happy? Days passed. Everything went back to normal. At least… that's what it looked like. But something had changed between us. He became distant. Colder. Avoiding me. To the point that I could barely do my job anymore because I felt too embarrassed to even face him. Then one day.The office door suddenly opened. A beautiful woman walked in confidently and went straight to Doc Jason. "Hi, babe. Long time no see," she said, smiling. Then she kissed him. My world shattered. I felt something inside me break. Without saying a word, I turned and walked away. "I… I'll go to the restroom," I said quietly. Inside, I couldn't hold it anymore. Tears fell. Why does it hurt this much? .
But I didn't know… He followed me. "Joy—" Before I could react, he pulled me close and kissed me. My eyes widened. "Doc… this isn't right—" But my voice faded. Because deep inside… I couldn't push him away. We didn't realize… Someone had seen everything. Camille. The same woman from earlier. She watched. And without hesitation— She reported everything to his mother. The next day, Chaos erupted in the office. "Where is that girl?!" a sharp voice shouted. I froze. A woman approached me elegant, intimidating. Doña Amparo. Before I could even speak, Slap! My head snapped to the side. "Are you the one seducing my son?" she shouted. Another slap followed. ("you poor!) She pushed me, and I fell to my knees. Tears streamed down my face. "Stop it, Mom!" Doc Jason suddenly appeared. "You're hurting her!" "And you're defending her?!" she snapped. "This kind of girl? A social climber?" "Enough," he said firmly. "This is my life." "I am your mother!" she shouted. "I care about your future—and who you marry!" People started gathering. Nurses. Doctors. Staff. Even watchers. All eyes were on me. Whispers filled the air. I couldn't take it anymore. Humiliation swallowed me whole. I stood up and ran.
I didn't hear the rest of her words. I just ran. And ran. Until I reached home. "This is so embarrassing…" I cried. "Why am I so stupid…" Without wasting time, I packed my things. I had some savings. It was enough. Enough to start over. Somewhere far away. I locked the house quickly and left. That chapter of my life… Was over. That night, I stayed at a friend's house. She didn't ask questions. She just looked at me and said softly
"Rest first." And for the first time in a long while… I allowed myself to break.
To be continued…