Chapter 1

HOLLY

Because it is a tea party, husbands and spouses are not expected to go together. But, I am surrounded by men with high testosterone levels today. They are above six feet tall and have muscle mass distributed evenly over their bodies. Gosh! I had no idea that the task could be so entertaining. I was initially afraid that it would be dull, but it turns out that it's rather entertaining.

"Could you pour some tea for me?" I overheard what the guy said. When I was leaving with the little cart, this dashing gentleman was staring at me as if he was peering into my very being.

"There isn't a magic word?" I gave him a kind grin. "I'm kidding." I filled his cup, but as I turned to go, I realized that he was staring at me with an even more intense concentration. Am I wearing something that shouldn't be on my face? I sure do hope not. "Do you require anything else in addition to this? Do you feel like trying something else instead? The one you already have is—" Shit. Because of those eyes, he makes me really nervous, and as a result, I've completely forgotten what kind of tea I was supposed to serve.

"Is?"

"Uhm— Hibiscus tea." I remember reading that in the Philippines, they call it gumamela.

"Hmm." He drank a little of it. "What exactly is the magic word?" The man inquired of me, and I responded with a chuckle that eventually subsided. Is he being serious? I believed he was making a joke about it.

"The word "please" is the magic word."

"Foreign." He took another sip of his drink. The man maintains the same expression throughout the entire conversation. It makes perfect sense why he doesn't have any wrinkles. He does not possess the ability to smile. I pity his woman. Or should I say, women? The likes of him definitely doesn't settle.

"Excuse me?" It shouldn't surprise me but it did.

"I just said that it's foreign to me. I have never used that word." His eyes never left my face. "What's your name?"

"Holly."

"Holly..." As he tried to say my name, it came out easy and natural on his tongue. It seems to me that he was waiting for me to complete the sentence by mentioning my surname.

I swallowed once. "Hopkins."

"You're not from here." He commented, but didn't bother to say his name. Well, I am not here to make friends really. I am here to serve tea.

"I'm here for vacation for a few weeks then I am going back to New York." I shouldn't say that. He didn't ask for my plans. He actually didn't ask me anything.

When I didn’t hear anything else, I smiled and took my leave. One of the men approached the guy I was talking to earlier. Both of them exuding the aura of arrogance but then again most of the guests here if not all belong to the high society. Those people have money to burn and they live like there’s no tomorrow.

And while the others came from old money, some had their hands dirty. 

***

I got home soon after nine o'clock in the evening after taking the bus. Due to the fact that I had to serve tea and then clean up the kitchen afterward, my legs were sore. If I didn't need the extra money, I wouldn't take a job; instead, I would just relax and enjoy my time off. Yet, I require additional time in order to find what it is that I am seeking for. After all, I did come all the way here for this. 

I thought that while I'm in town, I'd be crashing at the house of a friend of mine, Lila. She offered but because her house was smalI and Lila has a big family. I decided to find my own living quarters elsewhere and rented an apartment. Compared to the cost of a hotel room for the length of time I want to spend here, this option is more cost effective.

It's a great flat with one bedroom, and it comes with everything you could possibly require. Both the couch and the bed offer a high level of comfort. On my day off, I need to make sure I don't forget to give the blankets and linens a good washing. The kitchen is on the small side but quite functional. It comes equipped with the fundamentals that I require, such as a stove, a refrigerator and an electric kettle. One of the tasks that I detest doing the most is washing the dishes, and I frequently find myself wishing that I had a dishwasher.

The sound of someone knocking on the door interrupted my plans to take a seat on the couch.  I peered through the keyhole to see who it was. I was surprised to see the property manager at this hour. Usually, he is off around five in the afternoon but we can call him in case of emergency. For example, if there's a leak in the bathroom. 

I opened the door while the chain lock was still attached to the door.

"Antonio, buonasera. Can I help you with anything?" Antonio is in his mid-fifties and he lives with his cat downstairs. He looks harmless.

"Buonasera, Holly. I am just reminding everyone that the power will be off tomorrow at noon. I am sorry for the inconvenience but they are fixing some electrical issues in the building."

"Ah, yes. I got your note. Thank you. Is there anything else?" 

Antonio shook his head. "Nothing else. Buona notte, Holly."

"Buona notte, Antonio." 

When I saw that he was about to leave, I quickly closed and locked the door. It will be my day off tomorrow, and although I had intended to take things easy at home, it appears that won't be possible. It can get unbearably hot, especially considering that my flat is located just in front of the busy highway. There aren't even any trees to provide me with some shade.

I walked to the kitchen to get a cold glass of water and as soon as I finished it, I heard another knock. 

I have no doubt that it is Antonio again. I rolled my eyes in exasperation. It's getting late, and all I want to do is go to bed. I walked towards the door and took another look through the peep hole. I was astounded to see who was knocking on the door. 

The handsome man from the tea party.