The Billionaire’s Playmate

I paused for a moment, my heart pounding rapidly as I gazed at him. My eyes watered. My chest rose and fell, and my hands felt cold. He stood beneath a large tree with many lights above it.

As I realized where we were, my eyes widened.

We are on a mountain! Behind him were brightly lit houses, cars, and lights on buildings. It’s beautiful!

“Walk, Tangi!”

I heard Thes’ voice. I looked for her and saw her on the side. My lips parted when I saw who was with her.

“M-Mommy… D-Daddy…”

Aunt Cynthia, Uncle Royce, Luther, and Taki were with her. My Mom and Dad and also my brothers, their wives, and their children. T-They’re all here! They’re complete!

When I redirected my gaze to Rozzean, I walked again. When I got closer to him, I lightly hit his chest.

“I thought you were busy! You’re not answering my calls and messages!” I said to him.

He handed me the bouquet of red roses and kissed my forehead and lips.

“I was busy, baby… I was so busy preparing all of this.”

I moved closer and hugged him tight. When I pulled away from Rozzean, I caressed his cheeks.

“I am sorry if I made you worried. Thes was part of this plan. I am thankful that you didn’t notice that we were planning something, baby.”

I shook my head and briefly looked at Thes. She’s smiling widely. She even gave me a thumbs up. So that’s why she had so many stories and said we should stay at Picnic Grove for thirty more minutes earlier. That’s why she kept glancing at her cellphone.

“Good thing she didn’t slip up and mention this!” I said.

Rozzean stepped back from me as I continued to gaze at him.

“I lied to you when I said that I am busy at my company. I am sorry, baby. The whole day I was busy preparing for tonight with the help of my brother and Thes, who was with you.”

I just looked at him while he spoke. I could see the love in his eyes as he looked at me. I really thought he was busy at his company today, but they are good at acting!

“I wanted to do this properly because you deserve this.”

“I wanted our family to witness how much I love you, Thaliana.”

My tears fell, and I couldn’t help but smile as I saw Rozzean slowly kneel in front of me. I wiped away the tears that escaped. I thought this would just be a dinner for us with our family.

“Baby… you bring out something that I didn’t know existed inside of me. You are the only one who understands me even more than myself. That night when I got sick, and you took care of me, the moment I saw your round eyes, I knew that I would be damned.”Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

I bit my lower lip. That was my first day in his house as Tali-his maid. It was also the night when I forgot to attach my mole and caused the mole saga in his house.

“Before, I was a man who only woke up to do the same thing I did yesterday. I am not getting excited about the things that may come until you came into my house as Tali. I wanted to wake up every morning and look at the CCTV to see what you are doing. My weird maid. The maid who always talks back to me. The maid who has a mole that moves on its own.”

Amidst my tears, I laughed at what he said. My mole, which I thought would get me into trouble back then.

“We had a rollercoaster love story when you told me the truth. That there’s no Tali Dela Cruz and you are Thaliana who pretended as Tali. We hurt each other, but that made my love for you even stronger. I realized that I cannot live without you-not as Tali but as you… Thaliana. I regret that I let my anger take over me. Our time to be happy together was wasted because of what happened, but I am so happy that we are now back in each other’s arms.”

I looked at his hand as he slowly opened the red box he was holding. My tears kept falling without stopping. We are getting married, he knows my answer, but he still did this for me.

“Thaliana, when I imagine the future, I see you. I want you to be my wife and the mother of our children. I want to spend most of my time with you, waking up beside you every morning. I love you so much, baby, so much…”

My hands were shaking as I held the bouquet of red roses he gave me. I glanced at my parents. My dad wiped his tears, my mom and Aunt Cynthia were crying while holding hands. Thes and Luther were smiling. I also looked at my brothers. Grecion had his back turned, Griz and Grand were looking in a different direction. It seemed like they were teasing each other with their wives.

When I faced Rozzean, I saw the ring in the box. The same ring he gave me before!

He still had it!

“R-Rozzean…”

He smiled at me.

I groaned when Rozzean started singing “Grow Old with You.” He sang while looking at me.

After the song, he bit his lower lip. He didn’t take his eyes off me.

“Thaliana Tangi Dela Vezca…”

Tears escaped my lips as I stared directly into Rozzean’s eyes.

“Will you marry me?”

I walked towards him and placed my hand on his cheek as he knelt in front of me.

I bent down and kissed him on the lips. “I love you. I love you so much,” I said.

When I pulled away, I nodded.

“Yes, yes, baby… I will. I will marry you!”

Rozzean took off the ring from the box and put it on my ring finger. He didn’t immediately stand up; he was looking at my finger where the ring was. After a few seconds, he bowed and kissed the top of my hand.

When he stood up, he hugged me tightly.

“Thank you… thank you so much! I love you, baby!”

He already knew my answer, but I didn’t expect this happiness from him after my response. I hugged him tightly in return. We swayed, and I heard him whispering in my ear while tightly embracing me.

“Can we celebrate later? At home? Hmm?”

I playfully hit his arm while laughing.

“Oh… damn, if only I could pull the day forward so that you can marry me tomorrow.”

When Rozzean let go of me, he gave me a deep kiss. That kiss was interrupted by applause from the side. After that, our family approached us and congratulated us. Rozzean hugged my siblings, and even though Kuya Grecion initially gave him a stern look, in the end, he shook hands and hugged him too. Rozzean even got a pat on the back.

“Let’s eat now! The little ones are hungry!” Aunt Cynthia said.

Rozzean and I walked hand in hand into the venue, but when Taki ran to us and hugged my leg, I let go of Rozzean’s hand.

“Mommy…”

Rozzean and I exchanged glances. I handed him the flowers I was holding and picked up Taki. He nestled on my shoulder and hugged me.

“He misses you. Mama said he always looks for you. It’s a bit heartbreaking, I used to be the one he always looked for.”

I smiled at what Rozzean said. He kissed Taki on the forehead after saying that.

“I told you, right? I will get your mommy back,” Rozzean said, looking at Taki. He raised his clenched hand and bumped fists with Taki. I smiled as they fist-bumped.

“Yes… Thank you for bringing Mommy back to us, Daddy.”

I bit my lower lip when I heard what Taki said. Rozzean and I locked eyes. He kissed me on the forehead.

“I love you, baby…”

I kissed him on the lips.

“I love you, too.”