Chapter 24: Chapter 24

"Mommy, why Papa isn’t calling?" asked Erom innocently.

He just arrived and that’s what he immediately asked me once he sat on the couch. We are now in the lounge of the housekeepers.

I smiled thriftily as I was unbuttoning his uniform. "Maybe, he’s just busy, son," I explained.

I did not want to show him that even I was confused as well. It's been four days since Chaos left. Our last conversation was when he said he texted that he would bring Erom to me. I also asked the driver who always picks up my son if he has talked with Chaos, but he also hasn’t received any calls from him. The last conversation they had was when Chaos ordered him not to forget to pick up my son.

I had just finished changing Erom to a comfortable clothes when my phone rang. I just gasped when I saw Valjerome's name on the screen.

It's also been four days since I was bearing with this man!

"Do they need you in your work again, Mommy?" my son asked.

I smiled sadly and gently caressed his face. "I am sorry, son. Mommy has been too busy lately. Mommy's work changed so I'm not here more often."

He gave me a warm smile and hugged me tight. "I love you, Mommy. Thank you for everything," he murmured.

I could not answer immediately nor even move. Although this is my responsible to give him his necessities, I cannot deny that this it feels so nice that in his young age, he knows that every sacrifice I do is only for his sake.

"Don't grow too fast, my prince," I said and kissed his head.

He slowly moved away from me and then climbed onto the bed to reach my height. My son slowly leaned and kissed my forehead.

"Be careful at work," he said.

I just smiled and nodded. Even though I was reluctant to leave him again, I could do nothing.

"Here! Play something on my phone when you get bored," I said and handed him my phone.

My son took it quietly and then sat down again.

"Don't answer a call when it's from an unregistered number, okay?" I ordered.

"I will, Mom," he answered.

I sighed and hugged him again. "I'm going to work," I said weakly and then left.

I stood up then slowly turned my back on my son. I looked at him for a moment when I reached the front of the door. Erom smiled and waved his hand at me. I just smiled back then finally left the room.

"WHAT do you need, Sir?" I asked formally as I entered Valjerome’s suite.

He's sitting comfortably on the couch. I noticed the cluster of paper on the center table.

"Staple them," he commanded.

I clenched my jaw. Day by day, I was annoyed with his presence even more. I don't know if he's really ordering me to work, or he just wants to watch me struggle. Well, I chose to believe the latter.

I secretly heaved a sigh then walked towards the papers. There I just noticed a stapler beside of the piles.

"Where are you going?" he asked when I got the files and was about to leave.

I raised an eyebrow. "Stapling these," I replied.

"You can do it here," he said quickly.

“I can also take it and do it anywhere,” I insisted.

His jaw clenched. "It's my company files, so do it here."

Whether I want to explode in anger, unfortunately, I can't. It's always like this. He was asking me to do whatever, that I almost spent my entire day in his suite.

Stupid!

Annoyed, I went to the other side of the couch and then started to arrange the papers. I didn't pay the slightest attention to Valjerome even though I could feel his gaze. This is the reason why I don't want to stay in his suite for long, because he's always here and I often see him staring at me.

I started stapling until I was peeved with my hair. I stopped for a moment then tied it up.

"You are more beautiful now."

I was shocked when I heard him faintly whisper. I looked at him slowly. His serious eyes were on me. Just like before, I had no trace of any emotion there.

I smirked. "Being taken care rightfully," I said and went back to what I was doing.

"You have a boyfriend?" he asked.

I don't know but it sounded insulting.

Why? Are you the only who have the rights to have an affair?

Even though I didn’t want to look again, I just couldn’t help it. “Husband,” I corrected.

"It's a lie," he said immediately.

I raised an eyebrow at him. "And why would I lie?" I challenged.

He smirked. "You don't have any ring on your finger," he pointed out.

"Can I just not wear it to work?" I stared at him and turned my attention back to the papers.

There was something inside me that was embarrassed because he almost knew I was lying.

"Is that the reason why you want to leave whenever you have the chance?"

That's because of my son who is always left in the room, stupid!

I sighed deeply and looked at him seriously. "Mr. Montevardo," I started. "As far as I know, my job here is to work and not someone whom you can chitchat with."

He seemed embarrassed with what I said when he avoided my stare.

"Keep doing what you're doing, I'll need that later," he said then stood up.

He started walking off to somewhere. As I always do, I didn’t look at him. Soon, I felt it became colder around that it was. I lifted my head and wandered my eyes around. I caught Valjerome in front of the aircon while holding the remote. When he was satisfied pressing the buttons, he walked again closer to my direction.

I saw his hand slip into his pocket then pulled out a handkerchief before handing it to me.

"Here, wipe your neck. It's sweating," he said.

That was when I realized that I was sweating a lot.

"I-I have my own handkerchief," I stammered then quickly reached into my pocket.

I bit my lip when I remembered that I had left my handkerchief to Erom.

"Take it. Don't worry, I haven't used it yet," Valjerome said as he handing his handkerchief over to me.

I stopped acting stubborn and took it from him. "Thanks," I whispered while not looking at him.

He did not speak and just walked back to his place earlier. I returned back to my job even though I felt embarrassed by his stare.

"Are you happy?" he asked.

I stopped what I am doing and smiled genuinely at him. "Yes," I said sincerely.

If there’s one thing I am really grateful for to Valjerome, it’s my son. Erom is my world. He is my everything. He changed my life for he became my life for over the years.

I saw Valjerome's squinting eyes disappear quickly as well. He stood up from his seat and started walking, without any words he left the suite.

I just shrugged it off and continued stapling the files so that I could go back to my son again.

"THAT WAS AMAZING," I said in so much adoration to my son as he showed me the three stars in the activity he did earlier at school.

As I planned, I came back here as soon as I finished my work. Good thing he didn't come back after leaving the suite earlier.

"What do you want to grow up, son?" I asked Erom as I stroked his hair.

"I want to run a business, Mom," he replied immediately.

I couldn’t help but wince. "A company, son?" I laughed even though there was a little admiration in my chest.

Usually, when you asked a five-year-old kid like him, they would answer police, soldiers or doctors. I guess my son is too advanced.

"Wait, Mommy will go out for a minute. I'll just pee," I said goodbye as I felt my bladders fill.

There is no restroom inside the staff's room. We, housekeepers, have to go to the hotel bathroom for staffs whenever we have to use the restroom.

It took me a minute before I reached the restroom. I immediately entered a cubicle and took a pee. I also didn’t forget to wash my hands after.

I was coming out of the bathroom and walking back to the lunge when I met Ken.

"Oh, Jazzie, you're here," he said.

"Yeah, just took a pee for a while," I said smiling back.

"I thought you were at the lounge, that's where I told the VIP guest. He’s looking for you."

I feel like I lost blood when I heard that from Ken.

"W-Who was it?" I asked nervously.

"Mr. Montevard—"

I did not let him finish what he was saying and I hurriedly ran back to my son. I almost got a heart attack when it pounded in my chest with the force of its beating. Even though it's not hot, I'm sweating profusely in nervousness.

My eyes went wide when I reached the room. I couldn't help but hold on to the wall when I saw my son and Valjerome, talking to each other.

He is sternly looking at my son, while Erom stared back at him—confused.

"What is your name?" Valjerome asked.

I want to run closer to them. I want to take my son away. But even the slightest bit of my strength seemed to disappear from my body the moment I saw them facing each other.

"Jace Erom..." my son trailed off. "Hevion."