The Billionaire's Bundle of Joy

Chapter 30

RIZ

THE word “sleep-deprived” is not enough to describe what happened last night. I’m blaming it this time on Justin’s foot massage. If he hadn’t insisted, we wouldn’t have ended up in that heated moment. He was so gentle, and I enjoyed it, but now I’m completely exhausted this morning. If I didn’t know my friends were coming, I would want to stay in bed all day. Thankfully, Manang had already cooked. At least we have something to eat, and I don’t have to prepare anything. I just don’t have the energy to do it this morning.

We were in the middle of eating breakfast, if you could still call it that, when my friends arrived. It was almost eleven in the morning when the doorbell rang.

“I’ll open the gate. You all keep eating,” Manang said to us.

When she returned, I could already hear my friends from Matet’s voice. I met Matet before Reysa. Can you believe she came to class without a pen and without any paper? Needless to say, she Xeroxed my notes during our break. That’s when I met Reysa, who was still half-asleep. She was also in our class and didn’t attend the first few subjects that day. She already knew Matet because they were classmates in high school. She also asked for a copy of my notes, and as a thank you, she treated me to pancit at the canteen. We’ve been friends ever since.

“I’ll go and say hello. Finish your meal first,” I said to Justin. We chose to eat in the kitchen and didn’t prepare any food in the dining area.

“Okay, I’ll follow.” Just then, his cell phone rang, so he checked his messages.

As for me, I headed to the living room, and when I saw my friends, they suddenly ran towards me. But halfway, they stopped and stared at me, particularly at my tummy. Their eyes darted between my belly and my face, looking as if they couldn’t believe it.

“Riri! How are you?” Their faces still showed surprise, but Matet was the first to recover and hugged me.

“I’m okay. How was your drive?” I smiled at them and gently rubbed my belly.

“Our trip was fine. We should have arrived earlier, but Matet here was desperate for a bathroom, so we had to look for one,” Reysa replied. She gave me a hug. “Y-You’re pregnant? You seem different now. You’re glowing, and what—” She scratched the side of her neck.

“You’re newly watered, right?!” Matet, the queen of bluntness, said. I blushed at her comment, and the two of them burst into laughter.

“I knew it! Who’s your boyfriend? Do we know him?”

“Sit down first. I’m getting tired of talking while standing.” I took a seat in a chair, and they followed me, positioning themselves on the long couch.

“I’ll get you something to drink. Just a moment,” Manang said to us.

“Thank you, Manang.” When I looked back at my friends, they were observing the inside of the house.

“It’s so spacious here. How did you end up here? My God, that witch of a stepmother, I’d love to slap her! What happened?” Among the two of them, Matet was the most annoyed with Madam.

“Whose house is this?”

I didn’t know which question to answer first. I don’t have many friends, but I knew I could trust these two, so I decided to tell them the truth.

“A few days ago, I found out that I’m pregnant. But Dad found out before I could tell him,” I told them.

“Let me guess, that witch beat you to it?” I grimaced. “I knew it!” Matet rolled her eyes.

“Dad was furious and said I should leave the house and not come back until I was with my baby’s father.”

“And did you find him? If not, we’ll help you. How long are you staying here?” Reysa asked.

“I found him, and… he married me.” I heard them gasp, and they could barely breathe. “This house belongs to the Calderons, and I will be staying here for the time being.” I couldn’t tell them that our arrangement was temporary. I’d save that for later when my husband arrives.

“You got married.”

I smiled faintly at Reysa. But I noticed Matet was frowning.

“This house belongs to the Calderons?”

I nodded.

“But the guy you went with was—” Her eyes widened suddenly, and when I followed her gaze, it landed on my husband.

“Good morning, ladies,” he greeted them. Now it wasn’t just Matet looking dumbfounded; Reysa was too. He walked over to me and put his arm around me. He didn’t bother to sit down.

“G-Good morning.” The two of them were almost stuttering.

I cleared my throat to break the spell. “These are my friends, Matet and Reysa. Girls, this is Justin Calderon.”

“I’m her husband,” Justin added. The two of them were even more shocked and exchanged glances.

“Justin?” Matet asked. “That’s not the Justin you introduced to me that night.” She snapped her fingers and was trying to remember.

“Matet,” I called her.

“Just a moment. I’m still thinking. It’s something like P. Pat? Pax?”

“Paul,” Justin replied.

“Right! Paul! I just couldn’t remember your last name, but it’s not Calderon,” Matet said, laughing.

“We’ve met?” My husband looked amused, and I could sense where the conversation was going. I nudged Justin, but he didn’t pay me any mind.

“Oh my! Yes! I ran into you at Club Pyre in the washroom. You asked me what Riri’s name was. You said she was cute. But I was desperate for a bathroom, so I couldn’t chat with you much. You even laughed when I said she called you the hottie CEO. You’re so handsome,” Matet said, giggling.

I shot her a glare. “Matet, hey!”

She waved her hand in the air. “Riri had already had a drink, and Reysa here mixed her drinks, and your husband isn’t used to drinking. So, he got drunk. I told him I’d be quick in the washroom, but when I came back, you were gone! Turns out, you took him away.”

Confirmed. Justin is the hottie CEO.