"Why are you so surprised, Levi? What's bothering you?" Tessa asked, questioning my reaction.

"I'm just taken aback by Sir Mike's behavior. He's always so angry in the mornings. Sometimes I wonder if he's just having a rough time," I responded, looking displeased.

"Once again? I'm curious to know what issue Sir Mike is dealing with this time," Tessa wondered aloud as she settled into her desk and focused on her own computer.

"I have no clue what's going on with our boss. Ever since that milkfish arrived earlier, he's been acting this way," I shared with Tessa.

"Perhaps they broke up, or maybe there's some kind of misunderstanding between them, or maybe she's actually Boss Mike's girlfriend?" Tessa speculated.

"I'm not sure about their relationship. It would be understandable if it was just a disagreement between the two of them, but to take it out on his employees as well, that's not fair, right? Where's the justice?" I complained, just as Mike's office door swung open.

"What did you just say?" Mike asked, his irritation evident as his forehead creased.

"Uh, um?" I stammered, taken aback by my boss's sudden presence and stern gaze. Nervously, I swallowed and mustered a hesitant smile.

"Yes, sir? Is there something you need?" I asked, trying to maintain a friendly tone despite my unease.

"I said, what did you say? I'm not oblivious, Ms. Velez, to not know who you're referring to," Mike replied, his brow furrowed, while Tessa pretended to be engrossed in her computer but was secretly listening in on our argument.

"Fine! I'll admit it then! How can I not when every time a woman enters your office and exits through that door, you always manage to criticize me? I'm not even your secretary, sir, so isn't that unjust?" I retorted, my frustration evident as I clenched my jaw.

"How can you not have contributed anything to this company except a series of failures in your work? Why did Dad even place you here? You're worthless," Mike said, emphasizing his final words. His words pierced my heart, but I resisted the urge to let them get to me.

"Damn you, woman!" Mike exclaimed, swiftly turning away from me and exiting the room.

It was only then that the tears, which I had been holding back since earlier, finally welled up and fell. I didn't want to cry in front of Mike and risk being ridiculed.

Ever since my mother passed away, I found myself without any immediate family. My mother used to work as a maid for the Montenegro family, and since I had no close relatives, the Montenegro couple graciously took me in. They provided me with education, love, and treated me as their own child. To them, I was no different from their own children. The Montenegro couple possessed a natural kindness that Mike seemed to lack.

"Levi, take a deep breath and try to calm down. You should be accustomed to our boss by now. You know he's moody every day, handsome but incredibly grumpy," Tessa said soothingly as she gently massaged my back, helping me settle into my seat and offering me a tissue.

"Thank you," I sniffled, appreciating her support.

"No problem, let's focus on our work now. We don't want to find ourselves in another argument when he comes back. It seems to be his usual habit, always shouting at people. Dealing with Sir Mike can be quite stressful. If he weren't so good-looking, I might have quit a long time ago. He should consider himself lucky for his looks," Tessa joked, attempting to lighten the atmosphere, and it seemed to have an effect.

"You're crazy," I responded with a smile, grateful for her attempt to bring some levity into the situation.

***

_

As I carefully brushed my long hair, I took a moment to observe my reflection in the mirror. Suddenly, a knock on my door interrupted my thoughts. Intrigued, I stood up and opened the door.

"Ate Levi, can I ask for your help? I need assistance in choosing my outfit for our prom tomorrow," Micah, Mike's sibling, requested.

"Of course, I'd be happy to help," I responded, and Micah excitedly tugged me towards her room.

As we entered Micah's room, my attention shifted towards helping the young girl. It wasn't a challenging task to choose an outfit for her, as anything she wore seemed to complement her natural beauty.

"Where did Dad put my new sandals?" Micah asked, her forehead creasing as she searched her room.

"Hmm, do you remember where you last placed them?" I inquired, trying to recollect where she might have left them.

"I left it right here, Ate," the young girl replied, pointing to a specific spot in the room.

"Perhaps it's under your bed," I suggested, offering a possible solution.

She lightly tapped her forehead and winced. "Oh, I forgot, Ate. I actually left it in Kuya Mike's room. If it's not too much trouble, could you please retrieve it for me, Ate? I still need to text my friends," she requested.

"Is there anything else I can help you with?" I reluctantly responded. Despite my inner resistance to fulfilling her request, I couldn't resist her endearing manner. If only Mike had a similar temperament, perhaps our relationship could be more amicable.

Unbeknownst to me, a sudden wave of unease washed over me. I hoped that Mike wasn't in his room and that he was perhaps at the multi-gym where he usually exercises. Spotting one of the housemaids, I approached her.

"Aling Sita, have you seen Mike?" I inquired.

"No, dear, I believe he's in the garden with Zero," the housemaid replied.

"Ah, I see. Alright, thank you," I acknowledged, making my way towards Mike's room. As I approached, I noticed that the door was slightly open, causing me to hesitate on whether to enter or not. I knew that Mike would question my presence if he saw me there.

I knocked on the door before entering, but there was no response except for the sound of Zero barking. That meant if Zero was in the room, then Mike must be inside as well. Just my luck.

A wave of nervousness and anxiety washed over me as I prepared to face another one of Mike's outbursts. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and cautiously entered the room. As I stepped inside, I was greeted by Zero, who was near the carpet. The dog stood up and approached me.

"Zero, are you alone here?" I asked, gently stroking the dog as I scanned the room, searching for Micah's shoebox. I made my way towards Mike's bed, heading towards the bedside table. However, I couldn't seem to find what I was looking for. Frustration began to creep in, and I scratched my head, letting out a sigh.

"What on earth are you doing in my room!" Mike exclaimed angrily, catching me completely off guard. Startled, I let out a loud scream.

"Could you please refrain from being so dramatic? Did you really have to scream that loudly?" he remarked, momentarily ceasing his shouting and turning to face me.

Feeling flustered by his sudden attention, I couldn't help but be slightly taken aback. Mike stood there in his shorts and jersey, a white towel draped over his left shoulder, clearly just having come from his personal gym session. I swallowed hard, my gaze involuntarily drawn to his well-defined six-pack abs.

"Your drool is dripping!" Mike retorted sarcastically, catching me off guard and causing me to quickly snap out of my momentary embarrassment.

"Excuse me? I'm quite accustomed to seeing that, you know. And could you please refrain from startling me like that? I'm simply here to search for the sandals that Micah requested," I pretended to be annoyed as I retorted, giving him an irritated glance.

"They're under my bed," Mike replied matter-of-fact, providing the information I needed.

"Thank you!" I exclaimed, making my way towards the foot of the bed. From there, I spotted the box and reached for it quickly, accidentally knocking my head against the bed in the process. "Ouch!" I exclaimed, feeling a slight pain.

I could hear Mike's sarcastic laughter echoing in the room, and shortly after, I heard the bathroom door close. I assumed my boss, who happened to be Jewish, was going to take a shower.

Rubbing my head gently, I slowly stood up, clutching the box that Micah had mentioned. As I did, I heard footsteps approaching the door of Mike's room, and to my relief, Micah appeared before me.

"Did you find it, Ate?" Micah asked, smiling at me as they took the box and hurriedly left. "Thanks for this, Ate Levi."

I simply shook my head in response. Thankfully, it was a Saturday, and I didn't have to work, which meant I could take some time to rest properly, that is, if I wouldn't become the target of Mike's anger. I let out a sigh, contemplating how I would approach the Montenegro couple to discuss my desire to live on my own. However, I was certain they wouldn't agree with my decision.

Deciding to seek some fresh air in the garden, I made my way outside. I wanted to take a moment to enjoy the cool breeze and gather my thoughts. I settled into a chair, feeling a bit defeated. Where should I even begin? I massaged my temples, releasing another exasperated sigh.