MY BOSS [the Series]

25: Sweet Jealousy

'Sweet Jealousy'

Philip was raised at an orphanage? How possible was that?

I stared at him in disbelief as he watched the ripples on the water's surface.

"You're kidding right?"

One good look at him was enough to fathom the seriousness of his statement.

"I grew up in an orphanage, specifically the one we visited a while ago. My real parents were in a ghastly motor accident together and they died on the spot. I had no one but then so the only option was to send me to an orphanage. It was at the age of fifteen I got adopted by my foster parents. Alice and Peter aren't adopted." He ended his speech with a deep breath and bent his head in sorrow.

I placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's so sad to hear you lost your parents at a young age."

I finally pieced the puzzle together. I finally figured out why he behaved like a jerk to everyone around him before we got closer and no wonder he flamed up when Stephan mentioned something about the less privileged at the meeting. I rejoiced at knowing that my entry into Philip's life brought transformation. I was just like  salt that added flavor to a food, I was his salt.

"I'm grateful you found your way to me, Florence." He touched my cheeks lightly and as I glanced at him, he produced a smile, this time it was genuine.

"You give me purpose." He whispered. I smiled and entwined our fingers as I recalled a song by Justin Bieber I listened to yesterday.  Purpose.

I felt my hips for the bulge of my phone. It wasn't there. Maybe I left it in Philip's room.

Philip noticed my restlessness. "What's missing?" He enquired.

"My phone, I think I left it in your room." I made to stand up but he restrained me and stood up instead.

"I'll help you get it, wait here."

I nodded and watched him leave. I observed his muscles dance as he walked back to the mansion soaring high in the sky.

While Philip was gone, my mind strayed to other things like my mother's condition which the Doctor Michelle said wasn't getting better at all. Mom was diagnosed with diabetes to our dismay, and she never even got out of coma for us to know the progress she was making with the treatment given to her.

Mom's situation put Tamara into further anxiety. I sympathized with my sister knowing the tasks she carried on her shoulders. She had developed the initial nervousness every bride faces before her wedding and even though I couldn't be with her all the time due to my new relationship status, I was glad Michael and the girls were there to cheer her up.

The wedding was coming in a less than a week and as Philip reappeared, I concluded my thoughts with wondering how my sister would cope with the wedding.

"You look tensed, what's wrong?" He handed my phone to me.

I felt guilty in a way for not telling him that my mom was hospitalized. Someone was bound to tell him anyways but it would be bad if he heard the news from someone else as he has told me several times never to hide anything from him.

"I'm nervous." I blurted out my words.

Philip surveyed me with his eyes. "Why? What's the matter?"

I stared into his beautiful eyes and heaved. "My mom was hospitalized last week after she collapsed in her office."

Philip's mouth formed an ' O ' shape. "That's...that's a sad news. But why didn't you tell me?" He placed a hand on my shoulder.

"I'm sorry for not telling you in the first place."