The Elite Men Empire Series: Singing Zeus a Love Song

Chapter 4. Agreement.

"Welcome back, Young Master Zeus. Sir Leon and Madam is waiting at the garden..."

Lumukot ang mukha ko. Ito ang bumungad sakin sa grand entrance ng Villa.

"I'm going to murder you, Jake. How many times do I have to tell you...DON'T...EVER...CALL ME THAT WAY." idiniin ko pa ang bawat salita.

Jake flashed a complete, wide-eyed smile and laughed hard.

"Come on man! It's been what, 10 years? I haven't seen you in decades!" si Jake

Tzk.

He was just messing with me.

"10 days, Jake...and I would really like it if you don't put up that greetings of yours ever again." pikon paring sabi ko.

Hindi parin maalis ang aliw sa mukha niya. He pat my shoulder at iginiya ako papasok ng Villa.

"Ha-ha! I find it amusing whenever I see that look on your face...it's quite entertaining."

"Just stop talking."

"You haven't change! You know I never stop talking. Anyway, tama na muna ang pikunan. I'm having a time off, thanks to you..."

Kumunot ang noo ko.

"What did I do?"

Jake smiled genuinely.

"It's because you're here, your father spared me my time...to take my girlfriend out on a date." proud na anunsyo niya.

Jake Salvador is my father's hand. Meaning, he is a full-time personal assistant ng mga Tyrell.

Galing si Jake sa isang mahirap na pamilya. My father found him as a side-walk vendor sa labas ng simbahan kung saan sila nagsisimba ni Mommy every Sunday.

Jake was 15 then, I was 16 when I went to U.S.A. to study.

I was a study-maniac while I left my parents alone, longing for their only son's time.

Dad arranged Jake's papers at pinag-aral. He gave Jake's parents a job and took them in.

Naging hardinero namin si Tatay Lucas at si Nanay Minda naman ay taga-luto sa kusina.

Dahil talaga namang masisipag at devoted sa trabaho ang pamilya Salvador, binigyan sila ni Mama ng libreng pabahay at lupa.

Likas na mabubuting tao sina Jake kaya naman naging malapit sila sa amin at naging parte na ng pamilya.

Umuwi ako noon para makilala sila. They didn't just bring life into our house, I even gained a second family dahil napaka-warm ng pakikitungo nila sa lahat.

Maybe that was what my father saw in them, that goodness in their hearts.

And now, naging cook si Nanay Minda sa Villa dahil talaga namang masarap siyang magluto. Si Tatay Lucas naman ay isa nang in-demand na vegetable dealer sa mga sikat na restaurants dahil napagyaman niya ang lupang nabili niya mula sa sariling pera.

Even when they were already capable of having a life of their own, they refused to leave us...hindi dahil malaki ang naging utang na loob nila sa amin kundi talagang napamahal na sila sa amin.

And so...Jake and I...we grew up together.

Parang magkapatid na rin ang turing namin sa isa't-isa.

"Girlfriend...? Akala ko ba nagpropose ka na kay Lauren?" tanong ko sa kanya na ang tinutukoy ko ay ang nobya ni Jake ng limang taon.

"Ang sabi ko 10 days ago, I'm planning to marry her. And so...I've arranged a date---and that will be tonight."