"Tali, you've been standing there for a while now, huh?"
I closed my eyes tightly before turning to Manang. I shut the door and approached her. While we walked to the kitchen, I bit my lower lip in frustration.
Respect your feelings? Damn you, Rozzean. Not even a day after you confessed that you like me, and now you're going with that orange girl? What? Because I didn't admit that I like you too? Is your ego so fragile that you can't accept that I didn't give you the answer that you want?
Damn it, I just wanted him to wait, to give me some time. I'm also caught in this situation because I like him too.
But I don't want to confess as Tali. I want him to know my feelings as Thaliana. Honestly, this is painful for me. Rozzean likes the fake image I created.
But it's here and I need to face the consequences.
"It seems like sir and Klari are getting along well. At least, Klari's waiting is worth it."
I glanced at Manang when she said that.
I approached the fridge and took a bottled water. I took a sip, trying to contain my anger.
"Klari is beautiful, wealthy, has her own business, not dependent on her parents. She's helpful, and oh, I have nothing bad to say about her. When she moved to this village, she immediately gave us freshly picked fruits."
Manang was really going on about Klari. She seemed to really like the orange girl. Honestly, I don't see anything wrong with the woman's personality, which makes me even more frustrated. There's a possibility that Rozzean might like her, especially now that I've made it clear that I don't like him.
"I'll be happy if they end up together."
I tightly gripped the bottle, creating a sound that caught Manang's attention.
"Tali, why?" she asked.
I looked at Manang seriously.
"Manang, will you believe me if I say that sir likes me?"
She looked me up and down, took a step back, and raised her eyebrows. From Manang's expression alone, I knew she wouldn't believe me.
"Are you feeling unwell, Tali?"
"Do you feel anything unusual? Did you hit your head yesterday?"
Oh, see! Even Manang is having a hard time believing!
Rozzean's taste in women is really different.
"Manang, I'm not joking."
She laughed at me, then sat down, grabbing a squash to peel for our dinner later.
"Tali, I don't want you to leave this house. You're already close to me. You know the reason why sir keeps losing his maids, right?"
She sighed, "Control yourself from developing feelings for sir."
How can I convince her that Rozzean really likes me?
That's when I sat in front of Manang and stared at her. She lowered the peeler and looked at me.
"Manang, I'm not joking, and my head is perfectly fine, that's why I can say these things. Last night, you saw, right? Sir hugged me when you thought something bad happened to me. Then, Manang, earlier..."
I was trying to convince her through my gaze, hoping she'd understand.
"Sir talked to me, he told me he likes me."
"He even said he doesn't care if I'm his maid, or what others or his family would say. Manang, what I'm saying is true. I have nothing to gain, and I can't lie to you."
When Manang stood up and went to the sink, I lowered my head. She really didn't believe me.
"Oh, Tali, just go to the back, pick some mangoes. Those mangoes are ripe now, right?"
I nodded even though she wasn't looking at me. I stood up and approached Manang.
"Okay, Manang, I'll be at the back."
When she nodded, I left the kitchen. I went to the back of the house and headed to the mango orchard. Maybe I shouldn't have told Manang. I saw that she wouldn't believe me, and she didn't.
"Rozzean really likes me. It's not like I was dreaming a while ago, and he kissed me several times."
I touched my lips.
He kissed me like he'll never get enough of me. That was my first kiss in my entire life, and I'm still happy that it was with Rozzean.
But I'm upset with him now. He left the house with Klari. He said he would respect my decision, show me that he really likes me. When I said that it's not fitting for a maid and someone like him is more suited with someone else, he suddenly changed his mind.
"Did he consider not pursuing his feelings for me?"
"Maybe... he thought about it. Realized that he doesn't really like me. Maybe he was just pleased with how I took care of things at home... perhaps."
I sighed, grabbed the picker from the side, and started plucking mangoes.
The image of Klari from earlier kept lingering in my mind. Of course, she likes Rozzean, she was so delighted to be with him.
"I wonder what they're doing now?"
"Ugh, annoying."
I placed the picked mangoes in the basket and then went inside the house. As I entered the living room, my eyebrows furrowed when I saw a man standing. He was talking to Manang.
"He's not here? That's a shame, but maybe I can spend the night here, Manang Selya? I'll go home tomorrow. I wanted to have a drink with Cyron. I'll just wait for him."
I approached them. I put the basket on the table and faced the man. I looked him up and down.
He's handsome too, huh?
But Rozzean is more handsome.
Who could this be?
"Maybe sir will be home late, Sir Luther. What he told me is that he won't be having dinner here, so he'll likely come home in the evening."
Luther?
The man looked at Manang again.
"It's okay, Manang Selya. It's my fault too because I didn't immediately message Cyron that I was coming to his house. I visited the Orlina Museum with a business partner, and since Cyron's house is here in Tagaytay, I thought it's best to drop by and check on him."
Could this be their friend?
I walked over to Manang.
"Tali, come here, let me introduce you to our guest."
Manang and I stood side by side, and I looked at the man named Luther.
"This is Sir Luther Rico Valleje, Sir Rozzean's older brother."
Ohh, he's Rozzean's brother.
"Hi," he said to me and then turned to Manang, "a new maid? Where are the others? She looks different from the other maids the last time I went here."
I winced. Here we go again with the 'she looks different' without explicitly saying that I look bad.
"Oh, they're not here anymore, Sir Luther. Some of the maids have been let go. Tali and I are the only ones left as Cyron's maids."
When Luther looked at me, I introduced myself.
"I'm Tali Dela Cruz, sir."
Luther nodded and glanced at me. I bowed slightly before he turned away.
"Can you make coffee for me, Manang Selya? At the gazebo, please."
"Ah, yes, sir. Alright, just a moment."
Rozzean's brother walked away. I kept my eyes on him until he disappeared from my view.
They share the same height and body build. He seems kind too, but there's something about his smiles that gives me a different feeling.
"Manang, I'll prepare the coffee. You can continue with what you're doing."
Manang handed me the cup and smiled.
"You're so diligent and kind, Tali. Just don't fall for sir, okay? I don't want you to leave this house."
I already have feelings for him, Manang. Our feelings are mutual, you just don't want to believe that he likes me too. Hmp.
After preparing the coffee, I headed to the gazebo. It's quite a distance to carry the coffee. When I arrived, it was already cool, as expected.
Rozzean's house is so spacious. His brother prefers to have coffee here at the gazebo, even though it could have been done in the living room.
"Sir Luther, here's your coffee."
I placed the coffee on the table. He was standing, gazing at the fish swimming. When he heard my voice, he turned to me and smiled. He approached, took the coffee, and sat down.
"Tali, right?"
I nodded.
"How long have you been here in Cyron's house?" he asked.
"It's been a month, sir."
"One month... you haven't had a hard time with the chores, have you?"
I raised my eyebrows at his question. Why would I have a hard time? His question...
"What do you mean, sir?" I asked with a smile.
He shook his head, "Nothing."
"Ah, okay, sir. If you don't need anything, I'll go back inside."
As I turned away, Luther didn't immediately respond. But just as I was about to move away, I heard his voice.
"Tali... ana."
That mase me stopped. D-Did he... called my name?
I paused upon hearing it. When I looked at him, he was smiling at me.
"Tali-ana."
Slowly at first, but when he repeated it faster, I swallowed hard.
"What is this game you are playing, hmm?"
"S-sir?" I said, pretending I didn't get it.
But his smiled widened while shaking his head.
"A maid..."
"What is a Dela Vezca doing in my brother's house?"
My lips parted in surprise upon hearing what he said.
"Huh? Thaliana Tangi Dela Vezca?"
Sht.