Owning the Secretary's Baby

It's already 4 o'clock in the afternoon when Xymon climbed into his car and started his engine. It was the day he pinned on the calendar. August 13. The day he would go down on his one knee and asked Janela about a simple question but every girl's dream. While on the road, he kept on sliding his hands inside his pockets, groping for that little box. He smiled again when he felt its slight rough texture.

She would love this surprise, he thought dreamily while hands were still on the steering.

They were in a 3 year-old relationship and still felt the spark for each other. He had already decided plans for them and this time, he'd make it sure that no one could ever oppose him-not even his own mother. He didn't want to bring Janela down, never in his wildest dreams he would let that happen.

After 45 minutes on the road, he's already here. The hibiscuses were dancing with the wind while springing itself back and forth beside their gateway. Xymon made his lips thin as a line before turning the engine off. With a deep breath, he opened the door and climbed himself out from the vehicle.

Today, he would just start his plan and after that, once she'd yes everything would be in bliss. He won't let this pass, not ever.

"You always thought like that, Mom."

That was the first phrase he heard from Janela when Xymon stood on the gateway, branching his attention from the two ladies who were talking on the yard to the hibiscuses resting on the cement.

"Why? He's rich!" her mom taunted.

"So what if he's rich?" Janela replied. "I am not going after his money, after all. What do you expect?"

"Janela, rich people always think about money, not your feelings nor love!"

The phrase made Xymon looked at them straight, flabbergasted with what he just heard.

Janela groaned loudly. "Mom, we had talked about this so many times already!" she complained with tired shoulders and brows lining upward in a frown.

"Yes and I don't like him. I don't trust rich people ever again. He even looked like he's a member of the two-faced peopl-" the mother, Sam, stopped her babbling abruptly when she saw Xymon standing behind her daughter.

Janela frowned her forehead before turning her attention to the direction where her mother was staring at-and there, she saw Xymon. "Oh! H-hi!"

That was the time Xymon felt like his facial expression were heavy so he immediately softened it with a smile. "Hi."

"Did you arrived just now or you were waiting. . ." Janela turned slightly pale because of the embarrassment she felt the moment she realized how the conversation had came through.

"I just arrived," he answered casually and looked at the mother in a swift glance. "Good afternoon, Mrs. Higgins. It has a good breeze, eh?"

"Yes," Sam answered and tapped Janela's shoulder before turning herself away from them. Xymon looked at Janela who recently sighed before turning her glance back at him.

"Let's go?" he invited her softly and all he received was a slow nod. She looked weak because of the argument. She really don't like those kind of stuffs in a conversation but her mother was so hardheaded for bringing that topic back on her.

When they're already inside the car minutes after and Xymon was driving silently, Janela cleared her throat as she sank herself on her seat.

"I am sorry. ."

Xymon felt like his ears moved when he heard her voice. He paid her a one-second glance before focusing on his drive again. "For?" he asked nonchalantly.

"I know you heard what my mom said earlier," Janela uttered. "I felt bad for it. She's always been like that."

"I. . ." Xymon smiled awkwardly before glancing back at her. "I understand."

"Maybe you do," she answered as she looked out from the window. "But my mother will never and I can't even change her mind."

"Probably it's her trauma that's why she don't like rich people," Xymon said. "But well, I'm not rich. It's not my money. It's my parent's company, not mine."

A short silence came upon them. Xymon noticed her fidgeting with her fingers. He sighed; and has the urged to calm her down but he couldn't since they're still on the road. He was trying too hard to make the drive safe, but the fidgeting made him panic. It could be her anxiety again. The moment he was about to say something, she spoke up.

"Did you. . ." she stammered. "Did you accept the responsibility? I mean, about the Glamuri Luxe?"

Xymon had thought about it for a moment. He told himself a while ago that he made good for his plans and won't let anyone oppose him. But the thought of the family's company-he didn't want to think about it this time.

"I'm sorry for asking, it's a family matter after all," she said all of a sudden. "Never mind my question."

"No," he answered in a steady voice. "I told you already about that. As long as you're here, I'll go with my personal plans. Even though I'm the only one who has the potential for handling the Glamuri Luxe."

"But-"

"And besides, my twin brother is there to accompany my mother. I wanted a peaceful life, the company is a mess for me. I will go for something that makes me happy and it's you."

"But your mom-"

"She has nothing to do with us."

Janela went silent after that, thinking that their mothers are the major hindrances of their relationship. It's been years and the mothers are still acting like that. How strong they might be for having a 3 year-old relationship while there are people who were against them.

Xymon looked at her for a moment and sighed. "Hey," he called out softly.

Janela glanced and raised her brows slightly. "Don't think too much about that, hmm? We'd be good, trust me."

Janela smiled meekly and nodded thrice before sinking herself down on her seat again. Xymon kept on looking at her and reached for her hands. Janela gazed back at him, wearing her questioning eyes.

Xymon grinned when he saw the cute expression on her face. "I love-"

"Xymon, LOOK OUT!" Janela screamed as she lifted her back and pointed somewhere upfront. Xymon immediately turned his attention on the road as he heard some screeching and roaring of a big truck in front of their car.

But it was too late.

The last thing both of them could remember was the time their heads bumped somewhere in the car, glass breaking, shaking and darkness came upon their senses after that. . .

* * * * *

People managed to cover up the driveway to see what's going on. A delivery truck had a collision with a black car. Someone had called the ambulance and authorities already for the emergency. Xymon opened his eyes slowly as he looked straight to his lover although his eyes were still slightly darkened. "Ja. . ." he tried to call her but his mouth was really dry. Her eyes were closed and blood was running down her nose and mouth. He tried to reach her shoulder but he couldn't because everything in his body ached too much.

What just happened? He asked himself silently. Did he just messed everything up?

"Ja-" He tried once again. "Jane-Janela."

He heard the ambulance coming. The sirens were getting louder until it stopped. He has the urge to cry but his assumptions weren't confirmed yet. He called her again. "Love, please-please wake up," he said under his breath. But Janela never opened her eyes again.

She never did.

* * * * *

2 days later, Xymon stared on the white tiled wall of the hospital. He's not thinking about anything else other than Janela. Just yesterday, his friend Marco broke the news to him. Janela's already gone. She had left him the day he was going to ask her for marriage. They told him she was dead on arrival and no one could ever save her from the inevitability of death.

Xymon was too weak to punch himself, he just stared at the far wall while cursing himself silently. He kept on accusing himself for Janela's death. He would never forgive himself for being reckless. He would never make himself silent in peace.

He bit his lower lip hard as he tried not to cry alone. After many years, it's his first time to cry alone. He never cried without Janela being by his side. She always been here. Always right by his side.

But he lost her. He killed her. He definitely killed her with his own stupidity. The grief in his heart turned into anger but he tried not to show it. Janela wouldn't like the attitude. She might be disappointed if she'll see him screaming inside his hospital suite. His hands curled into fist as the white door was opened by someone. It was Rodrick, Janela's younger brother.

"Xymon?"

He just stared at her younger brother and watched him walk towards his bed. "Hello, Rodrick," he finally said but he sounded weak. He hated the way he said it.

Rodrick stared at his eyes first before extending his hand which was holding something. "I saw this on my sister's box," he uttered as he gave Xymon a dslr camera. "There's a sticker paper with it."

Xymon gazed down at the camera for seconds of silence before nodding slowly without looking up at the teenager in front of him.

Rodrick cleared his throat. "I'll be. . . I'll be going now." And without waiting for Xymon to answer, the young boy left the room.

Xymon looked down at the gadget and read the sticker note. He recognized the handwritten, it was Janela's.

It read: "Happy 4th anniversary! Please check my videos here, my love!"

That was the time he realized their anniversary was fast approaching. It's half a month from now. Bad thing that he would celebrate it all by himself.

In a moment, he decided to open the camera and watched the videos inside.

Janela's round face flashed through the screen with her bunny smile. "Hi, love! So yeah, this is my first video in this camera. Just watch me if you're missing me. Sometimes we're having busy days so on our 4th year, you won't miss me much on our busy days because of these videos. Hope you like it!"

He kept on watching the videos. Some of it was her cooking lessons, petting her cats and eating her meals alone. She kept on talking and talking as she used to. The videos sent a smile on his face that was slowly fading after he realized that she was already gone.

Without him noticing, his tears fell. The videos made him miss her so much and to think that he wouldn't be able to touch her again. She's already gone away from his arms. He took hours watching the videos until the last video was playing.

Xymon was still in his silent crying and wished that no one's going to visit him today. She was eating her favorite dish and watching a movie.

"Gosh!" she snapped. "The movie is so cute, my love. The man proposed! Oh my gosh! Look!" She turned the camera on her laptop and recorded what happened on the movie. "See! The woman was wearing the ring already! She said yes, oh my!"

In a minute, his heart stopped beating. He just stared at the screen for minutes while Janela was still babbling with her genuine smile. The idea of her being happy about engagements and marriages made him feel like he was being stabbed many times. He was about to do that for her- but the destiny didn't let him. It took away his chances. It was bearable. The pain was bearable for him but Janela had said something that made him break into million pieces right after he listened to it.

"It would be so nice, love," Janela said from the recorded video. "To see you waiting for me at the altar. I hope we get to marry each other soon! I so love you!"

In different situation, Xymon might be grinning down while hearing those precious words. He might be feeling the butterflies in his stomach. But with the thought of her death. . .

It would never be the same.