Chapter 3

Months passed, and Felix became even stricter. Every single day, it felt like he was testing Lia’s patience. Felix brought women into the mansion. Almost every day, they were different  beautiful, wearing expensive clothes, and smelling of costly perfumes.

One evening, Felix arrived home from work accompanied by a woman wearing an extremely short dress that clung tightly to her body. They laughed loudly as they walked into the living room.

Lia was in the kitchen washing dishes when she heard Felix's voice.

“Make sure you prepare two glasses of wine and bring it to my room immediately. And make it fast,” he ordered one of the other maids, but Lia heard every word.

Lia’s grip on the sponge tightened.

“Hay naku, araw-araw na lang. Parang wala na siyang ibang ginawa kundi magdala ng babae dito. Akala niya siguro hotel to o club,” she muttered to herself, filled with irritation.

A few minutes later, Lia walked down the hallway carrying the wine. She saw Felix and the woman embracing each other, heading towards his room. She saw the smirk on felix face  a grin full of arrogance and sin.

As the door opened, Lia heard Felix speak. “You look beautiful tonight, baby. Come inside.”

That was when Lia’s anger exploded. She marched straight into Felix's room without knocking, holding the basket of clothes. "Mga istorbo kayo, kita niyo nang  busy ako kakatapos ng hugasin. Pwes ako naman ngayon." whispering to herself.

“Sir Felix! Eto na po!” she shouted, clearly interrupting their moment.

The woman was shocked, and Felix's eyes turned sharp and dangerous.

“Who is she?” the woman asked.

“She’s just the maid. Get out, Lia! Didn’t I tell you never to enter my room without permission?!” Felix shouted, standing up and walking towards her.

“Nandito lang po ako para ibigay ang eto! Akala ko po ba kailangan niyo na agad?” Lia answered, refusing to back down and staring right back at him. “At saka, ang ingay-ingay niyo po, akala ko po tinatawagan niyo na ako kaya nagmadali na ako.”

“You are crossing the line, Lia!” Felix grabbed Lia’s arm and forcefully dragged her out of the room. He closed the door and confronted her in the hallway.

“Ano ba ang problema mo ha?!” Felix shouted. “Why are you interfering? You are just a servant here! Remember that!” she's shocked to hear Felix speaking tagalog.

“Hindi ako nakikisawsaw!” Lia shouted back, holding back tears of anger and humiliation. “Naiinis lang ako sa ugali mo! Ang kapal ng mukha mo! Playboy ka at walang prinsipyo! Dito mo pa pinapagawa ang bahay na ‘to na parang motel! Hindi mo ba iniisip na may mga taong nagtatrabaho dito! kita mong may ginagawa ako eh!”

“So what?!” Felix let out a cold, bitter laugh. “Gusto mo bang malaman? I enjoy it! I enjoy having beautiful women around me. Alam nila kung paano sumunod at magpasaya sa akin."

“Kaya pala! Kaya pala walang tunay na nagmamahal sa’yo!” Lia yelled at the top of her lungs. “Dahil ang turing mo sa mga babae ay laruan lang! Arrogant! Walang hiya ka! Despise na despise na kita, Felix Velasquez!”

“And I hate you too, Lia!” He stepped so close their faces were almost touching. “I hate your face! I hate your attitude! You’re like a stone that I can’t get rid of! You’re just here to pay the debt, so do your job and shut your mouth! Kung ayaw mong makita ang mga babae ko, then close your eyes! But don’t you dare lecture me about morals! You don’t know who you’re talking to!”

“I know exactly who you are!” Lia pushed his chest away from her. “You are a monster hiding in a suit! A cold-hearted mafia boss who thinks money can buy everything, even people! But you know what? You will never be happy! Dahil puro kasamaan lang ang nasa puso mo!”

“Get out of my sight!” He pushed her away roughly. “Go back to your small room and stay there! I don’t want to see your face tonight! And if you ever interrupt me again, I will make your life here a living hell! Is that clear?!”

“Tandaan mo ito, Felix!” Lia said, tears streaming down her face. “hiding-hindi kita magugustuhan kahit kailan! You are the worst person I have ever met!”  Felix stood shaking hearing what lia said, he can't deny the fact that something clicked in his heart when she said those words. It affects him and he hates it so much.

Lia ran away, leaving Felix standing there, shaking with rage. He went back into the room, but the mood was ruined.

“Get out,” he said coldly to the woman. “Leave now.”

The next morning, Felix was still furious. While he was eating breakfast, Lia arrived carrying a pot of hot coffee.

Lia placed the cup down a little too hard. Clang!

“Are you trying to break my cup?” Felix asked, not even looking at her as he read the newspaper.

“Hindi po. Inilapag ko lang po nang maayos,” Lia answered sharply. “Kung nabasag, baka dahil mahina ang gawa.”

Felix put down the paper and stared at her intensely.

“Ang tapang mo ngayon ah? Dahil ba pinagalitan kita kagabi? Feeling mo matapang ka na?” the lips of lia formed in O shape, she really can't deny that this beast looks hot every time he speaks tagalog.

“Hindi po ako matapang, nagsasabi lang po ako ng totoo. At saka, Sir, sana naman po ay huwag niyo naman po akong isama sa galit niyo dahil lang umalis yung babae kagabi. Sayang naman ang effort niyo kung hindi natuloy,” Lia teased, provoking him further.

Felix eyes widened. He stood up abruptly and grabbed Lia’s jaw, forcing her to face him.

“You have a death wish, don’t you?” he whispered menacingly. “You are jealous, aren’t you? Admit it! You hate seeing me with other women because deep inside, you want to be them!”

Lia froze, then let out a mocking laugh.

“Jealous? Ako? Magseselos sa’yo? Dream on! Wake up, Felix! You are disgusting! Ang isipin lang na hinahawakan mo sila tapos ako ay inuutusan mo, nasusuka ako! You are dirty! You are a playboy with no respect for anyone!”

“Dirty?” Felix chuckled darkly. “At least I am free to do whatever I want! Ikaw? You are trapped here! You are my slave! Everything you have, everything you wear, galing sa akin! So don’t act like you are so pure and holy! You are here because your uncle sold you to pay his gambling debts!”

SLAP!

A loud, resounding slap landed on Felix's cheek. The whole house went silent. Even Felix was frozen in shock. No one had ever dared to slap him before.

“Huwag na huwag mong babanggitin ang tiyo ko o kahit na sino sa pamilya ko!” Lia screamed, her voice trembling with rage. “May utang man siya, tao pa rin kami! At tao rin ako! Hindi ako bagay na binili mo! Kahit anong gawin mo, hinding-hindi mo mapapatumba ang pagkatao ko! I hate you! I loathe you! You are nothing but a spoiled brat who uses power to hurt people! halos mamatay na ang katawan ko sa pagod! Binabayaran ko ang utang namin sayo! hindi ako palamunin! all the efforts and pain i have right now is worth it! bakit? dahil patunay ito na binabayaran ko lahat ng utang ng tiyo ko sa iyo."

Felix touched his cheek where she hit him. The anger in his eyes looked like fire ready to consume the world. He pulled Lia roughly towards him.

“You will pay for that, Lia,” he threatened, his voice like thunder. “You just made the biggest mistake of your life. Simula ngayon, double ang trabaho mo. Lilinisin mo ang buong bahay mag-isa. Walang tulog, walang pahinga, hangga’t hindi ka humihingi ng tawad at sumusunod nang maayos!”

“Hinding-hindi ako hihingi ng tawad sa’yo!” Lia answered bravely, even though tears were falling. “Mas gugustuhin ko pang mapagod hanggang mamatay kaysa yumuko sa taong katulad mo! You are evil, Felix! And I will hate you until the day I leave this house!”

“Then suffer!” He shoved her away. “Suffer because of your own stupidity! I don’t care about you! I never did! You are just a debt that needs to be collected! Now get out of my face before I do something I might regret!”

Lia ran out again, leaving Felix sighing deeply as he sat back down. He touched his cheek again. It hurt, but the feeling was strange. He was furious, but instead of killing her or throwing her out, he wanted to see her work, endure, and stay even while hating him.

“You really are something else, Lia,” he whispered to himself. “But mark my words... I will break that attitude of yours. I will make you obey me. Even if it means we both hate each other until the end.”