Chapter 13: Chapter 13

Isabella's pov;

"What did Mr Brett say?" Evelyn asked me after coming from Mr Brett's office room.

"As usual. He told me to get a high score in the open test."

"Upcoming test? When is the test? Did he say anything about the date?"

"He said it's on Friday."

"Who's phone is ringing?" Sophia asked us while I was having a conversation with Evelyn.

While we were looking at everyone in the class, Evelyn said to me, "It's coming from your bag."

"What?"

I took my bag and opened it to find a ringing phone inside it. Since this was handed over to me yesterday, I didn't remember having a phone with me and I hadn't gotten used to the ringtone yet. I took the phone and checked who was calling me at this time.

I saw 'Mom' on the phone's display.

I took the phone and walked to the nook of the class and accepted the call.

"Mom, I'm in my class."

"Sorry, babe, is your teacher there?"

"No, mom. Ms Devlin hadn't come yet. What is it?"

"I will be late tonight so don't wait for me till I come."

"Yes, mom and don't call me during classes."

I ended the call and came back to my seat.

When I saw my friends, each one of them looked stunned. I forgot to tell them that I bought a new cell phone.

I waved the phone saying, "Surprise!"

Everyone started talking at the exact time, I couldn't figure out what they were speaking about.

Liam, "Why didn't you say that you bought a phone? Why did you hide it from me?"

Noah, "Give me your number, I'll add you to the basketball practice group and send you the schedule."

I gave the phone to Noah when he asked for the number. Because I still haven't memorised my number yet.

Evelyn, "It's weird to see you with the phone."

Sophia, "Who bought the phone for you?"

Sophia's question made everyone silent.

"Um... I bought it with the money I earned for the past week's job." And let out a nervous laugh.

"I can't believe you used your money to buy a phone. Why did you buy the phone suddenly?"

I always struggle to come up with a lie whenever Sophia asks me.

Liam sat at my table and asked Sophia, "Why are you interrogating her with so many questions?" Turned to me and asked, "Are you free this evening?"

Noah put his hand around his shoulder saying, "Nope! We have basketball practice today so she doesn't have time for you, dude! Your girl will be busy on the basketball court." And made a smirk at him.

"Who said I'm coming for practice today?"

Liam beamed with light all of a sudden and asked, "Does that mean you're coming with me?"

I let out a sigh and looked at Evelyn to ask help for preparing for the test with her but she was studying so seriously. I can't always reach out to my friends for help, I think I should do this by myself this time.

Noah tapped on my bench asking, "What are you thinking about? Why aren't you coming to practice today? Did you forget there's a tournament next week?"

"I have to prepare for the test."

"Test? When did you start to prepare for the test? Even though you started studying now, you know you won't get a good score so what's the point for preparing... " Noah laughed at me and continued, "It's better to practise for a match than to prepare for the test."

Seeing Ms Devlin entering the class, Noah placed the phone on my bench and left for his place.

I took the phone and squeezed it in my bag and attended the class.

While I was listening to Ms Devlin's class, I got an idea.

After finishing class, I sneaked out of the school quietly and ran to the bus terminal as soon as possible. I got out on Ghert Avenue and walked to Mr Martinez's house.

Outside the gate, I saw two guards who didn't allow me to enter the house yesterday.

I walked to them and asked, "Do I have permission to enter the house?"

Two of them saluted at me and one of them started talking, "We're sorry for what happened yesterday, mam. We didn't know that you're one of the guests of Mr Martinez. We apologise for our behaviour and we would be glad if you took it, mam."

I laughed and said, "Mam, huh? Actually, You don't have to call me 'mam' by the way. I'm way younger than the two of you so you can just call me by my name. Isabella. And, about the thing that happened yesterday, I don't think I can accept your apology."

They both looked confused and worried.

I continued, "Only if you treat every person coming here the same way you treat the rich people. We people don't like to be treated like that just because we don't have money and don't look rich. We would like to be treated well too. Do you understand, misters?"

They bowed to me while saying, "Yes, mam."

"And don't bow your head to any human in this world, we all are equal on this land."

They gave a smile and nodded at me asking, "Does this mean you forgive us?"

"Yeah. So, can I go?"

"You may, mam." Said with a smile on their face.

"Thank you, misters."

I walked to the house and knocked on the door. Someone opened the door from inside. It's one of the maids working here. I asked her about Mr Martinez's whereabouts.

She said, "He's not home, mam."

"Do you know when he will come?"

"I don't know, mam."

"When will he usually come home?"

While I was talking with the maid, Noah came.

"Why do you want to know about Mr Martinez all of a sudden? Do you want something from him?"

The maid left after Noah appeared.

"Um... I came to ask for help."

"Help?"

"Yeah, I need help in preparing for the test."

"Mr Martinez is the CEO of Skyland Corporation and you're expecting him to help you prepare for a school test?"

"I... I..."

Before I finished, Mr Martinez entered through the door.

"What are you doing here?"

I walked to Mr Martinez and said, "Ah! You came. I came to see you."

"For what?"

"I need help from you."

"From me?"

"Yeah, I have this test this Friday and I need help to prepare for it. Can you help me to prepare for my test?"

"You need help for a test?"

"Yeah!"

"But I'll be busy in the company."

"Oh, is it? Okay."

"Noah will help you."

Noah stepped in and said, "Sir, what are you saying?"

"I'll handle the meetings and the company. You help Isabella with her test."

"Yes, Sir."

Mr Martinez left for his room.

I laughed at him and asked, "Should I call you master?" And made fun of him.

"Let's go to the study room." And directed me to follow him.

We came to a room, painted with light colour. I saw an open wardrobe with many books. Looked like I stepped into a miniature library. There was this ancient big table looking like it was from some haunted mansion.

"Have a seat."

I sat on the chair and looked around the room.

"What test are you preparing for?"

"Environmental studies."

"Give me your books." Said in a firm tone.

I opened my bag and took the book out and placed it on the table before me. He took the book from the table and started flipping through the pages. Seeing him reading my book made me let out a yawn.

He placed the book on the table and pointed at a certain page while saying, "Study this part and ask me if you do not understand."

"Okay."

I started studying and had trouble memorising many botanical terms at a time so I asked him for help. He helped me to memorise the terms and I finished studying what he asked me to.

After some hours of studying, I felt sleepy. Noah asked one of the maids to bring me warm milk. I wonder why warm milk? I drank the milk and continued studying.

"It's enough for today."

"Really? So that means we finished preparing for the test?"

"Be here as soon as the school gets over tomorrow. We'll prepare for the test again for two hours so that you can do well on Friday."

"Okay."

"You may leave now."

As I was packing the books into my bag, I asked Noah, "Hey Noah, can I call you big brother? Because you and my friend share the same name, I get confused at times. So can I call you big brother, please?"

"Whatever you want."

"Thank you, big brother."

When I was about to leave the room, "Big brother, should I inform Mr Martinez that I'm leaving?"

"No need. You can leave now."

"Then inform him that I left on my behalf."

"Wait. Did you save my number?"

"About that, I lost the paper you gave me, big brother."

"Give me your phone."

I walked over to him and handed over the phone to big brother.

He gave the phone back saying, "Go to your home and revise what you studied today."

"Okay, big brother."

"Bella..."

"Yes?"

"Nothing. You can leave."

I left Mr Martinez's house.

Noah's pov;

Big brother? I smiled and started clearing the table.

"Did she leave?" Mr Martinez asked while looking around the room like he was searching for her.

"Yes, Sir. A few minutes ago."

"Oh, okay."

He left after hearing that from me.

I walked out of the room and asked him, "Sir, Can I take my absence?"

"Where are you going now?"

"I requested a half-day absence earlier, Sir."

"Yes, I remember. You can leave."

"Thank you, Sir."

After leaving Mr Martinez's house, I took my car and came to my house. As soon as I opened the door, "Dada..."

Yuyang. My little princess came and hugged me.

I squatted down to her height and hugged her back and broke from the embrace and asked, "How did you do your dance performance today?"

"I rocked it, daddy. Everyone stood and cheered for me but you weren't there."

I patted her saying, "I promise that I'll be there next time, yuyang."

"Will you really be there daddy?"

"I promise." And smiled at her and asked, "Did you have any homework today?"

"Yes, the teacher asked us to draw a family tree."

"Bring your notebook, we'll do your homework first."

She ran to bring what I asked her and came back with her notebook.

I drew on a blank sheet and said to copy that into her notebook.

While she was drawing, she asked me, "What about our grandparents, daddy? There's only your name, mom's and mine."

"Yuyang, what do you want for dinner? I'll go and prepare it for you."

"I want white pasta, daddy."

"Okay, do your homework quitely. Daddy, go prepare the white pasta for you."

After coming out of the orphanage, I graduated and got a job in Skyland Corporation as an executive director. I met Yu-er, yang's mother when I went on a business trip in Korea. We fell in love and got engaged. Yu-er's parents opposed our marriage so I came back to California along with Yu-er and married her. Yu-er became pregnant with yuyang in months. Yuyang's mother died when she was 11 months old, which left me and yuyang alone. Now, yuyang is 6 years old.

"Daddy, I finished my homework. Is pasta ready?" Asked while clutching to my pants.

"Almost. Do you want it spicy or bland?"

"Yeah, spicier and spicier."

"Go and prepare the utensils, I'll bring the pasta."

"Okay, daddy."

From executive director, I became a personal assistant to Mr Martinez in years. After joining as an assistant to Mr Martinez, I took care of Mr Martinez as my little brother, soon I came to know about him and his family. Mr Martinez also lacks a proper family like yuyang. Mr Martinez's phobia affected his business meetings. After consulting a doctor, we started searching for a person with whom Mr Martinez can feel comfortable touching. Many years passed, and we couldn't find that person.

Suddenly, Mr Martinez called me and asked me to check the details of a person by giving a girl's name. In the beginning, I was uncertain about that girl when I first saw her in Mr Martinez's house so I did a background check on her and found she's living along with her mom and there was no information about the father. The girl's mother has a debt which can't be resolved in years, I informed Mr Martinez. After reporting the information to him, he asked me to prepare a contract with that girl. The girl signed the contract because of the debts that are growing on her back. After she started working, she gave off an immature careless vibe whenever she spoke to me so I did another background check on her to make sure. How can a girl who's studying in high school take on hard jobs? I was amused by that. The way she's helping her mother touched me. She may be immature on the outside but never was she on the inside. To be honest, I liked it when she called me her big brother.

I want yuyang to be a strong girl like Isabella when she grows up. I patted yuyang's head while she was eating the food I prepared for her.