Keeion’s POV
“From this day forward, you can start working with me. I’m hiring you now as my personal assistant.”
After I said that, I turned my back on her and went inside the mansion. She did not follow me and remained standing where she had been before. I went straight to the kitchen to have breakfast.
I would have had breakfast earlier if Aunt Cora hadn't just told me that Ellie wasn't in her room. Aunt was about to call Ellie to wake up and have breakfast when she found no one in the room.
She immediately told me.
I immediately forgot about my hunger and immediately looked for Ellie.
To be honest, I felt afraid that Ellie might run away from this house.
But my nervousness was also removed when I saw her in the hut with Cyfer. I don’t know how to react at that time. I badly want to hug her, but why should I?
I should control myself.
Perhaps because of my rashness, I could do something unfavorable and could ruin what I now keep.
I know Ellie is smart. And I have to be even more careful because it’s not easy to believe Ellie. If now I can still gain his trust, it does not mean that all the time she will still favor me. Is it because of that one’s stubbornness? It will be difficult for me to control her and make her do what I want. It may be obvious right away. I have to be careful with every move I make. I’m not the only one who has to be careful, as well as the people around us.
"You're here now. Have you found Ellie yet?" Aunt Cora asked.
She is currently serving breakfast at the table. When she saw me just entering the kitchen, she immediately went straight to me and forgot to put the bowl of soup she was carrying on the table.
"Is it true? Ellie is missing?” Arya jumped behind Aunt Cora.
She seems to have caught the news because she seems to have just arrived here at the mansion. If I'm not mistaken, Arya came from a coconut plantation. That has been her routine ever since. She won't have breakfast until she visits the plantations. Early in the morning, she was circling the whole farm. That was one of the things I liked about her so I don’t regret entrusting her with the whole hacienda while I’m not here. She is my eye and hand here. And she never disappointed me.
I passed them both and headed to the dining room table. They followed me with their eyes because I was still not answering their question. Aunt walked closer to the table and only then did she realize that she was still holding the bowl. She slowly laid it down in front of me.
"I already found her so, no worries."
I noticed the old woman was breathing deeply.
At the same time as they turned their backs on me, the person they were looking for entered.
I turned my attention to the newcomer.
"Ellie!" Aunt called. She approached Ellie and immediately hugged her. “What a child you are! Where did you go, huh? You haven't been in your room all night. I thought you’re gone! ” Concern can be traced to the elderly.
Ellie gently stroked Aunt's hand that was holding her. She looked the old woman in the eye. “Aunt, I'm fine. I was also just here at the hacienda all night. I didn't realize that I slept in the hut so I'm sorry if I worried you.”
“Hey, Ellie! You know I was about to be attacked when they announced you were missing. I thought you had left the mansion.” Arya entered the conversation.
Even though Ellie has only been here for a few months, she can quickly win over Aunt Cora and Arya. As well as the other servants and workers who were here, she had no difficulty mingling with them all.
"If I run away, where will I go?" Ellie asked laughingly. That laugh has a chisel attached. “I have no family to go to. I no longer have a real family waiting for me. There are no more people to help me regain my lost memories.”
The two he was talking to were speechless. They didn’t expect what Ellie said. Even they were shocked at what she said.
"I didn't know that you and Keeion had already talked," Arya said gently.
Ellie nodded. “Just last night, last night I found out everything. So I ventilated outside to meditate. That's also why I fell asleep in the hut while talking to Cyfer.”
I averted my eyes from her.
She’s with Cyfer last night.
I swallowed to calm down. I drank water to get rid of the emotion I was feeling.
I knew why she’s with him.
For sure, Ellie opened up to my cousin.
The night she found out all about her true identity, she needed someone to listen to her resentment that she wanted to vent. And I’m not that person. It’s Cyfer.
“Oh, alright. Just sit down and we will eat,” Aunt Cora changed the conversation that was going to the drama. She still feels that what she found out is just as heavy for Ellie so as much as possible, they don’t want her to remember it anymore.
Arya imitated Ellie on the edge of my chair. Ellie was next to Arya and Aunt Cora sat opposite Arya.
"Liah, please call Señorito Cyfer to join us." Aunt ordered one of the maids who was near us.
The waiter immediately complied. But before she could get out of the kitchen, she met my cousin near the door.
"No need, Aunt, 'cause I'm already here."
Cyfer walked straight closer to us. He sat down where I was facing.
I noticed that Cyfer first glanced at Ellie before finally sitting down. I sneezed when I felt it. He also immediately turned his gaze in another direction.
Aunt Cora led the prayer. She is the one who leads the prayer because she is the one who does it often.
We had a quiet breakfast. Arya sometimes talks about what is happening in the plantations. She gives me an update of the operations of our businesses here at the hacienda.
I just quietly listened to what she was saying. They are also Aunt who also eats quietly while also listening to what Arya says and announces. Cyfer, on the other hand, doesn't seem to care about this. After all, when did he really become interested in things related to our family business? What he hears enters one ear and immediately exits the other ear. He just focused on the food.
I secretly looked at the person next to me. Like me, he listened intently to Arya. Once again he even looked at Arya while speaking. I seemed to pay attention to every word that came out of my friend's mouth. He was undeniably interested in listening and finding out what was happening on the plantations.
“The rice harvest will begin tomorrow. All the equipment that will be needed tomorrow has been prepared. There are enough workers to take care of it,” Arya continued.
“It is good then. I will see and monitor the harvest tomorrow because I have nothing to do. I've booked all the work in the company with Haezyl and Tedson so they won't bother me about the job I left behind. I will be with you tomorrow for the harvest, tell that to our colleagues.”
Arya nodded.
I stopped eating and slowly approached Ellie. She noticed that so she also stopped grieving. I put my face close to her ear to whisper. "Hurry up with the food because we're going somewhere," I said.
She looked at me in surprise. “H-Huh? Where? ”
Instead of answering her, I turned my face away from her.
I took my attention away from her and returned it to the food in front of me.
I plan to go to the plantations today. I haven't visited there in a long time. I come home to the mansion but sometimes I can't visit the whole hacienda because I also return to Manila immediately. Sometimes it's because I have a job to take care of even though I'm in the mansion and on leave. So now, I will take the time to monitor everything. I plan to tour the entire hacienda today. And I’ll do that with Ellie.
After eating, we first dropped off something to eat on the veranda.
I didn’t notice where Cyfer went because we don’t have him with us anymore. Maybe he went straight to her room upstairs. That's what he used to do, just lock himself in his room.
I understand him because that's his big lifestyle in the States. Very different here in the Philippines, knowing that he is still in the province. It’s really hard for my cousin to adjust to that.
When I was sure we had reduced what we ate, I stood up.
Ellie's gaze followed me.
"Let's go," I said while grabbing his hand.