Arla : The Less Favored Daughter: Written By: Christine Amada

Chapter 6

Our stay in  Hongkong
     Prince Rashid wanted to stay for a couple of days in HK and enjoy some sight seeing.

Victoria Peak is a hill on the western half of Hong Kong Island. It is also known as Mount Austin, and locally as The Peak. With an elevation of 552 m, it is the highest hill on Hong Kong island, ranked 31 in terms of elevation. In Hongkong, the higher you live the richer you are.  Knowing this the Prince considered owning a house where we could live by the time we get settled. True that I love him but I did not expect him to be this serious of me. I told him that there are a lot more beautiful places in my country than the hill in Hongkong. And he  urged me to come with me when I get home. So, even if I had not a plan to go home yet, my plans had changed and filed my leave of absence to see my family.  I did not know if I will take Rashid to our place. I'm afraid of what my Father has to say. How wrong was I.  When Father met us at the airport and saw that I was with a Prince he had almost pushed me to him and was too assuming that we were getting married. That was so embarrassing
he has not proposed anything about marriage to the Prince what if he is about to marry someone of royalty and not one who was bred from the mountains like I am. Even if it is believed thay in Hongkong the higher you live , the richer you are. If he see the place where I live he can think again.
     He mentioned this while we were in a car he rented on the way home. Soon as we reached our place  , we were surrounded by people from the neighborhood. Not only they came to see me and Rashid, they had the guts to ask for gifts mostly chocolates for their children ,while the men were asking for cigarettes and wine.And my father's drinking mate had the guts to ask for money.
     Mother embraced both of us as  we entered our dwelling place. It's Gorlette thought of cleaning the house.It's the only thing that we can be proud of. Everything is clean in our house that was what I always wanted them to do. He did not stay long but Prince Rashid promised to be back on the weekend when were done looking for a place to stay.
I know that Tanay , Rizal is the nearest place in Metro Manila that showcases the wonders of nature aside from its cool climate. So, he suggested to go there directly and we settled at the Luljetta's  Garden.

Luljetta's Garden 

Luljetta's Place - Hanging Gardens Spa and Garden Suites is meticulously and beautifully carved along Antipolo ridges, which offer the spectacular views of Laguna de Bay, Antipolo and Metro Manila. Since its establishment, Luljetta's became the newest and the most up-to-date tourist spot in Antipolo.
     Prince Rashid fell in love with the place and asked if he could possibly buy the place.  I never dreamed that he could be that rich. All I wanted is to see a place where we could stay for a couple of days and he wanted to own it. Never in my wildest dream have I dreamed of owning  such a beautiful place and now it is becoming a reality.  Sadly, we were told that the place is not up for sale. He was disappointed
This is more surprising, he thought of buying about a hectare of land that he can convert into a resort.  He said our place is mountainous and can be made into a resort. When we came back, he was ready to talk to the lot owner and buy the place.  The owner was quite amazed of his impulsive desire to own it.  So, in a day the transaction was completed and he was not in a hurry to be back home. Father was so thrilled that he got all the unemployed men to start the job.
     Mother was delighted to start her garden and she went to a nearby.province to buy all flowering plants and got the services of the gardener to take care of the  landscaping of the place. Father would not let himself be excluded and asked for some cash to buy some nipahuts and some gravel and sand and pebbles to add to the landscaping. But Prince Rashid wanted to personally design the pool and got a permit from the Dept of Natural Resources if he can have a simulated falls and mechanical waves on the pool where children can slide and play on the waters.It looked like a small paradise when it was finished.  I was looking for something to contribute to make the place more appealing.  It was a natural place where all kinds of birds dwell and build their nests. So I suggested to have an aviary. Prince Rashid wanted to have a house built at the peak of the elevation. He got the services of the best architect to design the house.  When it was finished he wanted me to prepare a celebration.  I asked Gorlette to assist me.  We went to see several cook to take care of the catering and decoration of the resort/spa.  My Father invited all his relatives to show off my accomplishments and mother invited all her friends and relatives too. The Prince might be shocked at our culture. He might not be comfortable with too many people around. But on the contrary, he was delighted because he felt accepted. It was a successful celebration and a sign of victory for an investor.The best part is the employment of my siblings. When the resort started operating, my problem started which made me lose my patience. Father cannot avoid his drinking which makes him unreasonable. He wants to handle the operation of the resort but he keeps the proceeds to himself without paying the salary of my brothers and wanted me to pay separately.  When I explained my side to him, he  did not like it and threw the proceeds on the table. The Prince asked me to back off and let things go to my Father's wishes. I do not want him to see me in such a foul mood because it never happened before. He might get the impression that I am so bossy going against my Father's wishes and disrespectful.  I firmly instruct my siblings not to go against my Father's wishes. That will trigger against me. Good that my brothers got my point. If the proceeds from the resort will not be saved the operation will stop and that will be the end of them It will.not be a loss to Prince Rashid but he might decide to close the resort for public visit and will be exclusive for us. The resort has been gaining popularity and has a potential  to be the newest resort and spa  to  win a  recognition. 
The Prince was happy with his accomplishment.