My mouth fell open, and my eyes widened. I grabbed Mira's hand and confronted her.
"What is the meaning of this?" I asked through gritted teeth.
She smiled nervously. "I didn't mean to."
"You didn't? Then why are they here? I thought it would be just the two of us. Did you invite them to your house too?" I asked directly.
"I actually didn't plan on inviting them. But I accidentally slipped and told Dominic about it, and he said they would come too. At first, I explained to him that it was supposed to be just the two of us, but he insisted so much that I couldn't refuse him. Then that night, Damian called me and said he wanted to come and meet my family. I got so excited that I told him he could bring his friends too. I'm sorry," she said without even pausing to take a breath.
"Hi, Mira. Hi, Seraphina," Dominic greeted as he approached us.
"Ah, hi," I replied without enthusiasm. Who would be excited when I thought this was going to be a stress-free trip?
Then I realized that all our planned trips somehow ended up being interrupted by the guys. I couldn't even think of a single trip that didn't involve Damian, Dominic, or Lucca.
I sighed deeply. I should just remind myself that Mira paid for this trip.
Dominic looked excited too, smiling brightly the moment he saw us. But the other two guys? Never mind. I don't even know why they're here. They could have just let Dominic come by himself.
Okay, I could understand Damian coming since Mira wanted to introduce him to her family. But Lucca? I had no idea why he came, especially knowing that he probably wouldn't enjoy it.
I grabbed Dominic's arm and leaned closer to whisper.
"How did you convince Lucca to come with you?"
"I just told him that I was going to Mira's hometown with you and Damian, and he agreed to come too."
Then, I suddenly remembered crying in front of Lucca when my mother sold my grandmother's house. I gulped and looked at his back. Then I remembered my conversation with Mira.
Should I ask Lucca about my mother?
What if he didn't do it and it only made the situation more awkward? What if he told me I was just assuming things?
I shook my head, which made Dominic and Mira glance at me.
"Why are you shaking your head?" Mira asked with a chuckle.
I shot her a warning look, and she immediately zipped her mouth shut.
"Let's enjoy this trip!" Dominic said with a smile before returning to his friends.
I sighed deeply.
Would I really enjoy this trip? Or would it turn into another chaotic adventure like our last one?
A few minutes later, we boarded the plane. I silently pulled my luggage while Mira and Dominic chatted. Damian and Lucca, on the other hand, walked quietly with their luggage.
As I searched for my seat, I deliberately headed toward Mira. However, just as I was about to sit beside her, Damian approached me. I looked at him in confusion.
"Sit with Lucca," he said without even asking if I was okay with it.
My mouth fell slightly open in shock. I wanted to protest, but Damian had already taken the seat beside Mira. Dominic sat by the window while Mira occupied the middle seat.
"Oh, Sera! Do you want to sit here?" Dominic offered, willing to give up his seat for me.
However, the aisle was crowded, and the passengers behind me were waiting for me to sit down. I shook my head and immediately took the seat beside Lucca. He sat by the window while I took the middle seat. Maybe someone would occupy the aisle seat later.
Earlier, Lucca had complained that we should have asked him first so he could have prepared his private plane for us. But since Mira had already booked the flight, he couldn't do anything about it. Mira even apologized as if it were her fault when, in fact, they were the ones interfering with what was supposed to be our peaceful trip.
I glanced at Lucca, who was quietly staring out the window. I wasn't sure if he noticed me looking at him, but he didn't say anything.
A few minutes later, the plane took off.
No one occupied the aisle seat beside us. In our row, it was only Lucca and me. I wanted to move to the aisle seat, but I didn't want Lucca to think I was avoiding him, so I stayed where I was.
I looked at him again, but this time he caught me staring.
He frowned slightly, and I quickly looked away.
"What was that stare for?" he asked.
Surprisingly, I couldn't detect any annoyance in his voice, which was unusual.
"Ah... nothing," I replied.
"If you want to say something, then say it," he said as he leaned his head against the headrest and closed his eyes.
That gave me the chance to study his face more closely.
If people didn't know his personality, they would probably think he was an angel sent from heaven. With looks like his, who wouldn't fall for him?
"Do you like me?" he suddenly asked, making me gasp.
Fortunately, Mira, Dominic, and Damian didn't hear me.
"I'm sorry," I blurted out, trying to hide my embarrassment.
"I told you to say whatever you want to say. I know you're not staring at me because you like me. You're staring because you have something you want to ask."
This time, I could hear a trace of annoyance in his voice, though not as much as before.
I took a deep breath and opened my mouth.
The situation was already awkward enough. If he hadn't talked to my mother, then everything would be fine.
"Did you talk to my mother?" I finally asked.
He looked at me without answering, as if he were studying my reaction or deciding how he wanted to respond.
"Why do you ask?"
"Because I told Dominic about it, but he said he never met my mother. I know Damian wouldn't do that either," I answered.
"Then what made you think I talked to your mother?" he asked.
"Because you saw me crying the other day."
He fell silent again and didn't say anything. Maybe he was carefully considering how to answer me.
"Did you?" I asked again.
"And what if I did?" he countered.
"I just want to say thank you. It really means a lot to me. My mother came to my house to give me the money, and she actually looked threatened."
He seemed taken aback by my answer, but he quickly returned to his usual composed expression.
"I'm truly grateful because you helped me even though we're not friends," I said.
He wasn't looking at me. Instead, his gaze remained fixed on the window. I knew he had heard what I said, but he chose not to respond.
I sighed, but at least I had confirmed that he was the one who talked to my mother and somehow convinced her to return the money. If it weren't for him, I would probably be living in Mira's condo right now.
I was really grateful to have people like Dominic and Lucca in my life, even though they could be incredibly annoying sometimes.
"You didn't deserve that treatment," Lucca suddenly said.
I looked at him in surprise. I thought he had no intention of speaking again since I was already planning to take a nap.
He was looking at me now.
"Don't let people hurt you just because they want to. Learn how to fight back, even if you're a little fragile," he said without a hint of a smile.
As if I had ever seen him smile.
Maybe his smile was so expensive that only a few people could afford to see it.
"I'm not fragile," I argued.
"But you are. If you weren't, I wouldn't have seen you cry," he replied.
His words left me speechless.
Of course, I had been fragile at that moment. Who wouldn't be? We were talking about my grandmother's house.
"Even so, I still want to thank you," I said.
"Aren't you curious about what I said to your mother?" he asked.
"What for? The important thing is that I got my grandmother's house back and recovered the money."
"Not even a little curious?" he asked again.
Okay, I admitted it. I was a little curious about what they had talked about. But knowing Lucca, I wouldn't dare ask for more details. Finding out that he was the one who spoke to my mother was enough for me.
I shrugged.
"I really appreciate your help. Thank you so much," I said with a smile.
He didn't smile back, but he didn't frown either. His expression remained as blank as ever.
I closed my eyes while smiling.
For some reason, I felt happy knowing that it was Lucca who had helped me. Knowing the way he spoke, my mother must have been completely intimidated. Just looking at him was enough to make most people nervous.
After that conversation, we didn't speak to each other again. I eventually fell asleep and only woke up when the pilot announced that we would be landing soon.
The flight from Davao City Airport to Clark International Airport took about two hours. Since it was my first time flying, it already felt long to me, though not nearly as long as our road trip to the countryside before.
Passengers began leaving the plane, and we followed. After collecting our luggage, we headed out of the airport.
A man immediately approached and assisted us.
"Who is he?" I asked Mira.
"Our driver," she replied.
"Where is your hometown again?"
"Baguio City," she answered.
"How long will the trip take?" I asked curiously.
"About three to four hours."
Another long trip.
We got inside a luxurious white van. It looked like the kind celebrities used. The interior was spacious and smelled pleasant.
Just how rich was Mira's family?
"We'll have lunch first, Mang Kanor," Mira said.
"Okay, Ma'am."
She then told him that we would be eating at a Korean barbecue restaurant in Pampanga.
Mira and Dominic continued talking. Dominic mentioned that it wasn't their first time visiting Baguio since they had been there several times before.
I was the only one who had never been there.
Rich people really could visit places whenever they wanted.
After a few minutes, we arrived at the restaurant Mira had mentioned earlier. We went inside together with the driver.
"Just eat whatever you want, guys! It's on me," Mira exclaimed.
Dominic grinned.
"Just how rich are you, Mira?" he asked with a laugh.
"You'll find out," Mira replied with a smile.
After talking to Dominic, Mira turned her attention to Damian and started chatting with him. That nonchalant guy didn't seem bothered by his surroundings at all, but he still responded to Mira's questions.
I didn't pay much attention to them and focused on grilling meat in the pan. Lucca, who was sitting beside me, silently watched me cook.
"It'll taste better since Sera cooked it," Dominic said, winking at me.
I rolled my eyes, and Dominic laughed. I was starting to get used to his teasing. He was a flirt, but he was actually a kind person. Luckily, despite his good looks, I never fell for his charms.
I placed the cooked meat on a plate and let everyone help themselves. Then I put another batch on the grill and started eating as well.
"There are so many good foods in my hometown, Sera. You'll definitely love them," Mira said while munching on her food.
"So you're trying to make me gain weight?" I joked.
"Why not? You look thinner than before. You don't need to diet anymore because you're already sexy," Mira said, then winked at me.
I rolled my eyes again because she had just copied what Dominic had done earlier.
Dominic joined the conversation while Damian and Lucca quietly continued eating.
I placed the second batch of grilled meat on the plate, and we enjoyed our meal. I lost count of how many plates of meat we finished because we ate so much.
After lunch, we continued our journey to Baguio City. According to Mira, it was much colder there, so I would need to wear a jacket once we arrived. Luckily, I had brought two because I got cold easily.
I didn't expect to fall asleep again during the trip. I only woke up when we finally arrived at our destination.
As I stepped out of the van, my mouth fell open, and my eyes widened at the sight before me.
A massive white mansion stood proudly in front of us.
The property was enormous and breathtaking. We were standing near a huge garden, and beside it were rows of luxury and sports cars.
Then I looked at Mira, who was smiling at our reactions.
"Well, that confirms my suspicions," Dominic said with a grin.
I looked at the cars again and started counting.
"You have twenty cars?" I asked curiously.
"Thirty in Baguio alone," Mira replied. "That doesn't include the cars we have in other places."
"I knew you were rich, but not this ridiculously rich," I muttered.
She laughed and invited us inside.
At the entrance, uniformed maids stood in two neat lines. As we passed by, they greeted us politely. I secretly counted them and realized there were fourteen maids.
As soon as we entered, a grand hall welcomed us.
It looked like a venue for parties and special events. The space was so enormous that it could probably accommodate hundreds of people.
I glanced at Dominic, Damian, and Lucca, expecting some sort of reaction, but they all remained calm and composed.
Unlike me.
I was so amazed that I couldn't stop staring.
"You're this rich, and yet you worked at my company?" Dominic asked with a laugh.
"Because I wanted to experience what it's like to be an employee," Mira replied.
Her answer made me realize just how humble she truly was.
She had never bragged about her wealth, not even once, not even to me.
Now I understood why offering financial help had never been a problem for her.
Money simply wasn't an issue.
"Hija, you're finally home."
Our attention shifted to a man and a woman descending the grand staircase with warm smiles on their faces.
As soon as they reached the bottom, the woman immediately wrapped Mira in a hug.
Meanwhile, the man stood nearby, smiling patiently as he waited for his turn to hug his daughter.
"You brought your friends here," the woman exclaimed while smiling at us.
"Yes, Mom," Mira answered.
So, she was her mom, and I presumed the man was her dad. They didn't even look like parents because they looked so young and fresh. They also didn't look fully Filipino; they looked European. That explains why Mira looks like a foreigner.
"Nice meeting you all," Mira's mom greeted us, then gave us a beso or cheek-to-cheek greeting. I smiled at her when it was my turn.
The man greeted us as well with a smile and a nod. It seemed like her dad was nonchalant, while her mom was more talkative.
"Come here, I prepared something for everyone," Mira's mom invited us into the dining room.
As expected, the dining room was huge as well. It could fit about 50 people. There were so many dishes on the table, and maids stood by, ready to assist us anytime.
"Didn't you receive my text? We already had lunch in Pampanga," Mira said to her mom.
"You can have dessert," Mira's mom replied with a smile.
"Oh well, the food has already been digested. Come on, guys, let's eat," Mira exclaimed.
We all sat down. The maids started assisting us, and I felt awkward because we were being treated like VIPs. Of course, Damian, Lucca, and Dominic could pass as VIPs, but me? I had never experienced this kind of treatment before, so I felt uncomfortable with all the attention.
Dominic became talkative again and started asking about their family businesses. Mira's dad responded, and that's when I learned more about Mira's life.
They owned hotels, beaches, and restaurants. Not only in Baguio but also in Manila, Cebu, General Santos City, Sarangani, Boracay, Tagaytay, and Pampanga. They also owned a vineyard in Italy, where they produced wine sold not only in Italy but also in parts of Europe.
Dominic even mentioned that he had once bought wine in Italy during a visit, and it turned out to be from their company.
"Now I know why it tasted so good, because you own it!" Dominic exclaimed with a smile.
"Do you want some? I have stocks here," Mira's dad said. His previously nonchalant demeanor was completely gone.
I also learned that Mira was the youngest among three siblings. Her eldest brother managed the vineyard in Italy and already had his own family there. Her other brother was in Manila, managing the other businesses, while Mira lived freely, doing her own thing.
"Mira isn't really into business, but she promised that once she gets tired of exploring, she will help manage the company," Mira's mom explained.
"Did you know she worked in my company?" Dominic asked.
"Yes, she told me that," Mira's mom laughed. "She chose Davao because we don't have any businesses there."
"I told you I wanted to live an ordinary life," Mira exclaimed while pouting.
I couldn't help but be amazed at Mira. She never bragged about her wealth in the office. She lived in a condo without a maid and handled everything on her own. She never hesitated to befriend me, even though she knew I wasn't rich.
"Mom, I want to introduce you to my best friend, Seraphina."
I was caught off guard when Mira called me out, proudly emphasizing that I was her best friend.
"She always mentions you whenever we talk," Mira's mom said with a smile. I felt my face heat up, and I didn't know how to respond.
"Was she complimenting me, ma'am?" I asked jokingly to ease the tension, though I still felt nervous despite how accommodating they were.
"Don't call me ma'am. Just call me tita," she said while smiling. "You too, boys!"
Mira's mom was definitely very talkative. I also realized they weren't purely Filipino.
"My mom is actually American, and my dad is half Filipino and half European," she explained. That cleared everything up.
"My husband's mother is Filipina, while his father is European."
I nodded. That answered my question.
I, too, was the product of a foreign father. He lived here and started a new family, but all I inherited from him was the surname, Blake. My mother met him when he came to the Philippines for business. They had me, but eventually separated, and I was left with my grandmother. Now my mother also has a new foreign partner. She really seems to like foreigners.
"How about you guys? It seems like you're not purely Filipino," Mira's mom asked with a smile.
"My mom is Filipina, and my dad is American," Dominic said with a smile.
Mira's mom then looked at Damian and waited for his answer.
"We're all the same, tita," Damian answered before Lucca could speak.
She nodded. "You're all handsome. Mira, didn't you manage to get one of these guys?" Mira's mom laughed, making Mira blush.
"Ah, Mom… let me introduce you to my boyfriend, Damian," she said.