C2 Unexpected Encounter

A few weeks later…

I found myself wanted by the police, and the City police force was searching for me. The house I was staying in was unoccupied, and it stank due to poor drainage. I could hear shouting from across the room, and I had already cut my hair and hadn't washed it for two days, giving off a foul odor of slush mud and garbage.

I thought it was better this way, without anyone recognizing me, as Uncle George had already ruined my reputation. His secretary made a catty remark, publicly stating that I had initiated the mobbing in Atty. George Alfonso's house, where his wife had been shot and was on the verge of death.

I held my arms tightly around my waist, suppressing my hunger, and stood up to walk in the night streets while carrying my dirty bag. The icy chill of December was so evident, and I tried to avoid crying. I decided not to complain about all of these, as my birthday was just two weeks away.

My city life was no longer grand. When I was in City with my parents, life was easier, and I used to imagine that I would have a debut in a private restaurant with my friends and parents. But right now, my whole body was sore, and I badly wanted to take a bath. However, I couldn't, as I might be recognized by the police.

The millionaire's daughter was now begging for money on the streets. I contented myself with sleeping inside the abandoned apartment. Everyone survived on their own, and nobody cared about me because they were too busy surviving.

I decided to wait for Winnie outside 7-Eleven. Scrubbing my hands on my ripped shirt, I lowered my head, afraid that the police might suddenly appear and arrest us.

"Hey, beauty!" Winnie said to me. Although Winnie was trouble, she had a heart of gold and was a good girl who occasionally resorted to stealing on the streets.

She handed me a plastic bag from fastfood. I raised my chin to Winnie, and she just smiled smugly at me. "Where did you get this?"

Looking around and afraid that the police might suddenly appear, I replied, "I have a job! I've eaten, and I luckily remember you! You ask too much!" This meal was a pricey meal for us, and it’s like gold that peasants like us could only eat if we had a luxury.

Thankfully, Winnie had found a job, but who was I kidding; she had stolen it. She had become my closest companion when my aunt asked me to go to Manila to escape Uncle George. I couldn't imagine what would happen if I stayed on their side. I might have become a rape victim.

I ate the chicken while walking with a smile. "Damn. If you weren't so dirty, you could be an actress, beauty."

Giving her a stern look with my eyes, I held back from speaking. I could smell the dumplings, and I devoured them without any finesse.

"I take back what I said; you can't be an actress anymore!" Winnie and I walked home, and I planned to apply at the local supermarket, but I needed to be eighteen and have a valid ID. I needed to be extra careful, as my uncle was lurking and waiting to pounce. I might end up like Auntie Alona if I wasn't careful.

We arrived at our house, and I couldn't wait to get inside. I had this intense paranoia that my uncle would appear and do something terrible to me. Winnie handed me a manila envelope. She was cocky, smirking at me as if she was giving me millions of dollars. "This is the application of a naive girl from the suburbs."

"Why did you steal this? The woman might be in trouble." I was kind of worried about the poor woman's welfare.

"Don't be overly dramatic. She left it at the fastfood while talking on the phone. Her father had a heart attack, and she went back to her hometown.”

My eyes narrowed. My would-be angel-in-disguise friend smirked at me. She dangled the envelope in my face. "You know, I heard the woman was applying for a job because of the ad she saw in the newspaper. So if you get caught cheating, it's okay! If you get away with it, even better, we'll have more than just dirty fastfood, maybe steak!"

I took a sharp breath, hoping to make a wiser decision. Winnie had stolen information about Agatha Rivera, another Rivera.

I looked at Winnie, and she nodded at me, encouraging me to lie and survive. She tapped my back and squeezed my arm. We both knew we needed to survive. I'm sorry, Agatha Rivera, but I need to survive.

I couldn't afford this luxurious room in this hotel. Why did the interview have to be here? I stole a sidelong glance at the man in front of me. He was in his sixties and smiled like a father to me.

It wasn't my habit to assess every person I talked to, but I had to. After all, I'd had bad experiences in the past that taught me to be careful. Hell, I rarely spoke during interviews, and I'm not the bubbliest person in the universe.

"Is this your first job?" The secretary nodded to me. Everything felt right as he smiled genuinely at me. The warmth of his gaze remained.

"Um, Sir, it's my third time." This whey-faced man presented himself as the secretary of Mr. Diordano, and he asked me to call him Assistant Diordano. He wore butler attire, and I wasn't in my most presentable clothes, with skinny jeans and a plain white shirt.

I gaped like a speared fish at the old man, silently asking for his mercy on my poor attire and minimal responses. The offer was so good because my position would be residential nanny, and my accommodation would be free.

Even if it was just for a temporary moment, I would have some security. I was terrified yet excited. Whatever Fate gave me, I would grab it because this was survival.

I looked around the whole room. It was luxurious and spacious, and I already felt so out of place. Fortunately, I wasn't kicked out by the guards and receptionists downstairs when I inquired about Assistant Diordano.