The Billionaire CEO's Great Love
img img The Billionaire CEO's Great Love img Chapter 4 Kind Faith
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Chapter 6 Austin Found Where Faith is img
Chapter 7 The Manipulator img
Chapter 8 Finally Meet Her img
Chapter 9 Faith the Loving Mother img
Chapter 10 The Hope was Finally img
Chapter 11 It's Not The Right Moment Yet img
Chapter 12 Mother and Son img
Chapter 13 Faith As a Mother img
Chapter 14 Aunstin's Heartbreak img
Chapter 15 Austin's Flashback img
Chapter 16 Austin and Faith first Meeting img
Chapter 17 Austin and Faith first Meeting img
Chapter 18 Faith's Coffee Debt img
Chapter 19 Maria Clara Girlfriend img
Chapter 20 Faith is Gone img
Chapter 21 Back to Present img
Chapter 22 At the coffee shop img
Chapter 23 It got interrupted again img
Chapter 24 Austin, Such a Tease img
Chapter 25 Bye Again,Faith img
Chapter 26 Austin's Dad is Awake img
Chapter 27 The True Story Begins img
Chapter 28 The Confrontation Between Austin and Faith img
Chapter 29 New Nurse img
Chapter 30 Austin Meets Jairee img
Chapter 31 Austin's Downfall img
Chapter 32 Austin's Downfall 2 img
Chapter 33 Faith's Heartache img
Chapter 34 Austin in Zambales again img
Chapter 35 A Puzzle for Faith img
Chapter 36 Austin's guilt img
Chapter 37 Who is Justine img
Chapter 38 Almost a first kiss img
Chapter 39 Unending Tears of Faith img
Chapter 40 Jobless Faith img
Chapter 41 Faith's Work hunting img
Chapter 42 Faith's Downfall img
Chapter 43 Faith Accepts the offer img
Chapter 44 The Beast Austin img
Chapter 45 Austin To the Rescue img
Chapter 46 Is Austin Jealous img
Chapter 47 A Desperate Measure img
Chapter 48 Jairee's Awake- Faith and Austin Got Married img
Chapter 49 Bye Zambales img
Chapter 50 The Honeymoon That Fell Through img
Chapter 51 Faith and Mother-in-Law Confrontation img
Chapter 52 Austin is back to his senses img
Chapter 53 Second Attempt Honeymoon img
Chapter 54 Faith's New Look img
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Chapter 4 Kind Faith

Faith's POV

"You know what, Faith? Just a little more and I'm going to pull Nicole's hair," Charls said, fuming with anger, more intense than any woman I know. We were walking out the school gate to wait for their tricycle rides, while I planned to walk home after they left.

"Honestly, she acts like she's not even a teacher. Worse than our gossiping neighbors. At least they just do it for fun," Charie added, clearly annoyed.

"What's the difference between her and those gossipers who ruin lives with baseless rumors?" Charls said with a dramatic eye-roll.

"The gossipers don't have a license. That witch Nicole does," Charie replied with a laugh.

"Exactly! Haha! But they have the same goal-to bring others down."

"Hey, she's not my peer. I won't accept that no matter what."

"And why not?"

"Because I'm not a witch."

"Oh right, you're a dwarf, not a witch."

"And you're a tikbalang."

"Wait, that's harsh! Can't I just be a horse?"

I couldn't help but laugh at my friends' silliness.

"Oh, you're here, Faith?" Charie said, pretending to be surprised I was with them.

"Haha! I don't know about you two. Charls called my name first, but you two kept talking to each other. Hmmf!" I said, pretending to sulk.

"Sorry! We knew you'd just stop us from saying bad things about her," Charie said. And it's true-I don't want to waste energy on Nicole. I already have too much on my mind.

"You know what, guys? No matter what we say, we can't really do anything about it. That's just who she is. She knows herself. If she wants to change, great. If not, there's nothing we can do. It's her life."

"You're right. I just hope she changes jobs so we don't have to see her Monday to Friday. Ugh! She's so annoying. I feel like I'm getting wrinkles from the stress she causes," Charls said, his face showing pure frustration. If Nicole were in front of him, he might've folded her seven ways. Haha.

"Exactly. We'll just age and get uglier if we keep stressing over her. Let's just leave her be. She'll get tired eventually," I said, trying to calm them down since they seemed more stressed than I was.

"But Faith, if she picks a fight with you again, call us right away, okay? One snap from Charls and that stick of a woman will fall."

"Stick?"

"Yeah, stick witch."

"Haha! You guys are crazy. But thank you. You really make me feel better. What would my life be like if I hadn't met you?"

"If you hadn't met us, we wouldn't have met you either. Haha! Right, Charie?"

"You're really crazy, Charls. Haha! But we're always here for you, Faith. Just one call and we'll fly to you, okay?" Charie said, holding my hand. Her words made my eyes well up with tears.

"That's why I don't do heart-to-heart talks with you-you're such a crybaby. Come here, give me a hug." I stepped forward and hugged her. Even though I'm taller, I felt the sincerity in her embrace.

"Oh, my little sister. Stop crying or you'll get ugly. What if he doesn't recognize you next time?"

"Charie, come on," I said while crying.

"Hey, wait! Count me in. Group hug!" Charls said, acting flamboyantly now that we were outside school. Haha!

"Enough now, Faith. Let's hold on to each other. We're your allies. Think of us as your big brother and sister," Charls said while we were hugging.

"Big brother? Really, Charls?" Charie said, laughing and clearly not convinced.

"Yes! When it comes to you two, I'm your big brother. I can fight for you."

"Are you serious?" I asked, trying to end our dramatic moment. Haha!

"Of course not! Haha! With my beauty, I'd rather run home than get into a fight!"

We knew he was joking just to lighten the mood.

We were laughing together when Sir Jaecob's car passed by.

"Faith, come on. I'll give you a ride home."

"Oh no, Sir. It's okay. My house is nearby, and I could use the walk for exercise," I politely declined.

"Just come with us, Faith. Our tricycle service is here too," Charie said. She and Sir Jaecob are neighbors, so they share a ride to save money.

"Bye Faith, bye Sir! Take care of her!" they said teasingly, with Charie giving me a playful poke. I just watched them as they rode away.

Sir got out of the car to open the door for me. Once I was seated, he walked around to the driver's seat and started driving.

The school is only a few blocks from my house. Sir Jaecob drove slowly. The car was quiet, as if each second was waiting for the right moment to speak.

"Hmm... Faith," he finally broke the silence, his voice low and hesitant.

"Yes, Sir?" I replied softly, glancing at him, feeling shy.

He suddenly parked the car on the side of the road.

"Can I talk to you?"

"About what, Sir?" My heart raced, but I tried to keep my voice calm.

"About... us."

I swallowed hard. The air inside the car felt heavy.

"Sir, I'm sorry... but I'm really not ready to enter a relationship. You know my responsibilities. I just can't handle it right now."

I could feel I was hurting the feelings he was trying to offer me. But I couldn't give him false hope.

"Faith," he whispered, almost inaudibly. "I accept everything about your past... everything I have, I'm willing to give to you, to you both-just accept me."

Our eyes met. I saw the depth of his feelings-full of hope and fear. His gaze said everything he couldn't voice.

"Sir... it wouldn't be fair to accept you just because of what you can give. Especially if I can't give anything back."

"That's okay with me, Faith. Just being with you..."

"I'm really sorry, Sir," I whispered, trying to hold back tears. "But I'm not that kind of person. Love should be give and take. I don't want to be someone who only takes. And besides, there's someone out there-someone better than what you see in me."

I looked away. I couldn't bear to see his face trying to stay strong while slowly breaking.

He sighed deeply, gripping the steering wheel tightly. He slowly bowed his head, as if trying to swallow the weight in his chest.

"Then... just let me give you what I can... even if you don't love me back."

I felt the pain in his voice. I felt him letting go, even as he tried to hold on.

"Sir... how will you find the woman meant for you if you keep giving your attention to me?"

He didn't speak for a moment. It was like he was gathering strength.

"C-can I invite you tomorrow... for dinner?"

My chest tightened. I didn't want the conversation to continue, but...

"Sir..."

"It's my birthday tomorrow," he said with a forced smile, full of fragile hope. "I hope you'll grant me this. Just this once."

In the end, I agreed.

            
            

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