Lustfully Yours, Uncle

"Isabel Vergara, are you sure you're okay?"

Carl, her best friend, asked with furrowed brows while staring at her intently.

Izzy forced a smile and quickly nodded.

"Of course! Why wouldn't I be okay?"

"Izzy, do you even look in the mirror? Can you still see yourself? You look like a corpse with how pale you are."

Carl said with a pout, making Izzy laugh.

"Wow, a corpse? That's a bit much! I'm really fine, promise! By the way, thanks for the free coffee. That's why you're my favorite best friend!"

She joked with a teasing grin, making Carl roll his eyes before pushing a plate of muffins toward her.

"You're such a freeloader. As if you have another best friend besides me-I'm the only one who puts up with your stubbornness."

Izzy pouted at his grumpy tone but still accepted the snack he offered.

It was just past 3 PM, and they were at the coffee shop where Izzy worked as a waitress. Fortunately, Carl arrived just as she was on her break.

"Why are you so grumpy today? Are you on your period?"

"Shut up, Izzy. You can see I'm a full-grown man, yet you're asking me that? And I'm not grumpy! Anyone would be annoyed seeing you looking like that."

He said with a frown.

"Ouch! When it comes from you, it sounds like I'm the ugliest person alive."

She smirked at him.

"I'm not saying you're ugly, Izzy. I'm just saying you look like you've lost all your blood. Do you even rest? You're overworking yourself with your job and studies. You're only twenty-two, but you look thirty and married."

Carl lectured her, making Izzy force another smile.

"I have to, and I do get some rest! After work, of course."

"By the way, do you know any job openings? Maybe you can come with me?"

Izzy suddenly asked, making Carl frown even more.

"Since you have a car, I'd save on transportation fare."

She wasn't shameless-she just needed help, and she knew Carl was used to it.

They had been best friends for almost seven years, but the difference was that Carl grew up wealthy while she was raised in a squatter area.

"Izzy, you already have two jobs. After this, you work until 2 AM, and then you have class at 6 AM. Are you trying to kill yourself?"

Carl asked, his eyes full of concern.

"Carl, I know it's exhausting-I'm the one working, after all. And you also know how much I need this. If I could go without resting, I would."

She said with a forced smile, making Carl shake his head.

"I know. Your mother is sick and needs expensive medication. But still, you shouldn't overwork yourself. If you push too hard, you might get sick. You need to take a break, Izzy."

Izzy gave a bitter smile upon hearing Carl state the painful truth.

Her mother had cancer. She knew that working nonstop without rest might cause her to collapse before her mother did.

She took a deep breath and forced another smile.

"I can do it, Carl. Even though it's exhausting, as long as I can, I won't stop fighting for my mom's life.

I'll do anything, even just to extend her life a little longer."

Izzy said seriously, meeting Carl's worried gaze with determination.

"Izzy, Sir Pete is calling you to the office."

Izzy immediately stopped wiping the tables when she heard her coworker's words, feeling a sudden, inexplicable nervousness.

"I-I'm not getting fired, am I?"

She asked without thinking.

She had too many responsibilities-losing her job wasn't an option.

Her two part-time jobs weren't even enough to support her mother.

"Hey, relax! Maybe he just has something important to tell you. Don't overthink it. Now go, he's waiting for you."

Chris said with a smile, making Izzy move quickly.

She hesitated outside the boss's office, debating whether to knock. The nervousness wouldn't go away.

She kept wondering if she had done something wrong or messed up at work-but she couldn't think of anything.

Taking a deep breath, she finally mustered the courage to knock.

"Come in."

She heard from inside before she turned the doorknob.

"You called for me, sir? Is there a problem?"

Izzy asked worriedly. Her middle-aged boss smiled at her, and she exhaled in relief when he shook his head.

"No problem. You just have a call here. I think it's important because they called directly to my office. You should call back."

Her boss said with a smile before handing her the phone.

He even dialed the number himself.

Izzy fell silent when she heard it ringing.

"Hello? Izzy, is that you?"

Her heart pounded in her chest when she recognized her Uncle Oscar's voice on the other end.

"Y-yes, it's me. Is something wrong? How's Mom?"

"That's why I called, Izzy. We rushed your mother to the hospital."

"Which hospital, Uncle? I'm on my way!"

Izzy asked, holding back tears.

She didn't waste another second after hearing the hospital's name.

Thankfully, her boss immediately allowed her to leave.

Izzy half-ran as she searched for a jeepney, not caring where she stepped in her rush.

She gasped when a fancy car honked behind her. Before she could react, its bumper hit her hip, causing her to fall to the ground.

"Ouch..."

She groaned softly and tried to stand up, but before she could, she saw the driver step out of the luxury car.

"F#ck, are you okay? Why the hell weren't you watching where you were going? You were in the middle of the damn road, miss!"

The man, who looked to be in his thirties, snapped at her. He wore a black tuxedo, and with his sharp features and expensive-looking clothes, he was clearly someone important-and undeniably handsome.

"S-sorry, I was in a hurry... I know it was my fault. I'm okay-"

"Well, then, get the f#ck up already. I'll be late for my mee-are you sure you're okay?"

His annoyed expression shifted to concern when he saw her struggling to stand. She winced in pain.

Before she could react, the man carefully lifted her up.

"No, you're not okay. And I'm sorry, miss. I need to take you to the hospital."

He said firmly before placing her inside his car without a second thought.

"I-it's not necessary. But... can you take me to the hospital? I'm in a hurry."

Izzy asked, still wincing.

The man stared at her for a moment before speaking.

"Well, if you insist. Which hospital?"

Izzy quickly mentioned the name. He simply nodded, got in, and drove off.

"My name is Seth Santiago. Sorry for hitting you. I was in a hurry, too. I didn't mean to be rude. I forgot to check if you were hurt-and clearly, you were. Are you sure you don't want to be treated?"

He asked seriously, keeping his eyes on the road.

Izzy looked up and shook her head.

"I-I'm fine. I don't need a doctor. I'm Izzy Vergara."

She introduced herself.

Seth suddenly stiffened and turned to look at her.

"D-do you know me?"

She asked uncertainly.

"No. Are you famous?"

He replied indifferently before looking away.

"N-no. You just looked at me like you already knew my name."

She said shyly, wincing when her side throbbed again.

"No, I don't know you."

That was all he said before falling silent.

Minutes later, they arrived at the hospital. Izzy quickly reached for the door but realized it was locked.

"You have a patient here or something?"

Seth asked. Izzy nodded hesitantly.

Without a word, he handed her a small card.

"W-what's this?"

She saw him clench his jaw before looking at her intently.

A gaze so intense she had to look away.

"That's my calling card. Since you refused treatment, call me if you need anything."

He said expressionlessly.

Then his next words left her speechless.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Izzy Vergara. See you around."

"Tiyong, how is Nanay doing? Have you spoken to a doctor? Is someone looking after her?"

Izzy fired off one question after another to her uncle, Oscar, her mother's younger brother, as she found him standing in front of the hospital ward where her mother was.

"The doctors haven't said anything yet, Izzy. They're still inside treating your mom-"

Izzy didn't let her uncle finish speaking. Instead, she hurriedly tried to enter the room, but before she could, her Uncle Oscar quickly stopped her.

"You know we're not allowed inside, Izzy. It's the usual protocol, right? We have to wait out here."

His voice was gentle as he reminded her. Feeling defeated, Izzy just sat down on the hospital's marble floor.

"M-my mom is going to be okay... right, Uncle?"

Izzy asked, her eyes brimming with tears. Her uncle forced a reassuring smile before replying.

"Of course, Izzy... I'm sure Ate Hilda will be fine. Didn't your mother promise you that she would be there for your college graduation?

She may be weak now, but later, she might start cracking jokes again, just like she always does whenever we bring her here."

Despite her overwhelming worry, Izzy managed a small smile. She hoped it was true. She wasn't ready to lose her beloved mother.

Especially since it was just the two of them now. Izzy was an only child. She was seven years old when her father died in a road accident, and now, her mother was the one who was sick.

"I hope so, Uncle... I really do..."

Izzy whispered, and all she could do was silently cry.

They had been waiting outside the ward for almost half an hour, anxiously awaiting news from the doctors at the public hospital. Every passing minute felt suffocating to Izzy, her fear only growing stronger.

Please be okay, Ma...

Please be okay, Ma...

She silently prayed, still seated on the floor.

Her throat ached from holding back her tears. Unable to take it any longer, she quickly stood up and tried to peek inside the room. But she couldn't see or hear anything, making her even more anxious.

She nearly jumped in shock when the door suddenly opened, and a doctor stepped out.

Izzy's heart sank when she saw the look on his face.

"Izzy..."

The doctor called out to her. She knew him well-he had been treating her mother for nearly four years.

"D-Dr. Martin, how is my mother?"

Izzy asked, her voice full of concern. The doctor looked at her with an expression that seemed to say there was bad news. Izzy tried not to think negatively, but she couldn't help it.

"Come with me to my office, Izzy. Let's talk there."

The doctor spoke gently. Izzy quickly nodded in agreement.

"For nearly four years, we've managed to extend your mother's life with expensive treatments. Her illness has been severe, and you know that, Izzy, don't you?"

Izzy took a sharp breath upon hearing the doctor's words. But she chose to stay silent and nodded slowly.

"We've given her additional medication along with the chemotherapy she's been undergoing for the past months. However, I regret to inform you that the treatments are no longer working. The cancer cells have spread throughout her body, Izzy."

Izzy felt her world crumble upon hearing those words. She didn't want to lose hope. She would fight for her mother as long as she could.

"I-if that's the case, Doctor, what else can we do for my mother?"

Izzy asked, holding back her tears. Her Uncle Oscar remained quiet in the corner, listening intently.

"There is only one option left: your mother needs surgery. But the problem is, our hospital doesn't perform that kind of operation. We need to transfer her to a larger, more equipped hospital. However, the cost will be significantly higher."

Dr. Martin said it bluntly. Izzy felt as if her ears were ringing from what she had just heard.

She had barely managed to afford her mother's expensive medications...

"How much will it cost, Doctor?"

Her Uncle Oscar finally spoke up, stepping forward.

Izzy felt even weaker when she heard the doctor's response.

"W-where on earth are we supposed to find that much money, Izzy?

Five thousand pesos is already hard to come by-how are we going to raise one and a half million for Ate Hilda's operation?"

Her Uncle Oscar asked, full of worry.

Izzy sighed and stared at the cup of coffee in front of her.

"I-I don't know, Uncle... but I'll find a way..."

"Just make sure that whatever you're planning won't put you in danger, okay? It's bad enough that your mother is in the hospital-we don't want you ending up there too."

"I-I'll be careful, Uncle. Honestly, I have no idea what to do yet... but I'll figure something out.

For now, let's just focus on Mom."

Izzy said, deep in thought about who she could ask for help.

Then, a name suddenly came to her-her best friend, Carl Medina. If there was anyone she could turn to, it was Carl.

She quickly reached into her pocket for her old cellphone, intending to call her best friend. But just as she pulled it out, a small piece of paper fell to the ground.

Seth Santiago – President

Santiago Industries

She read the name written on the card. Below it was a phone number and an email address.

"Santiago Industries?"

Izzy mumbled to herself.

"What about it? Did you get a job there? It's hard to get into that company, Izzy."

Uncle Oscar suddenly spoke, making Izzy look up at him.

"N-no, Uncle... I didn't even know this company existed."

"What? After years of job hunting, you've never heard of Santiago Industries? It's a huge company, Izzy.

Not many people get in because of how strict their hiring process is."

He explained, clearly knowledgeable about the company.

But that wasn't what Izzy was thinking about.

'So the man who bumped into me earlier... is the president of a big company?'

"Since you don't want to be treated, call me anytime if you need anything."

His words echoed in her mind.

She took a moment to collect her thoughts, then quickly picked up the business card.

"Where are you going, Izzy?"

"I-I just need to make a call, Uncle. If Mom wakes up and asks for me, please tell her I'll be back soon."

She said before running out of the hospital.

Izzy sat at a small eatery across from the hospital, staring intensely at the business card in her hands as if it would melt from her gaze.

"Should I call?"

She asked herself like a fool.

"But if I do, what am I even going to say?"

She sighed.

Wouldn't it seem shameless of her to ask for help from someone she barely knew?

"But I have to be bold, Izzy. This is for Mom-you have to do whatever it takes."

She reminded herself, taking a deep breath before dialing the number on her keypad.

She inhaled sharply before finally pressing the call button.

After just one ring, she nearly trembled when she heard the deep voice on the other end.

"Hello? Who is this?"

"H-hello? Is this Mr. S-Seth Santiago? T-this is Isabel Vergara, the one you bumped into earlier."

Izzy stammered, her nervousness overwhelming her.

"Yes, this is Seth Santiago. What do you need?"

His tone was sharp, as if questioning why she had the audacity to call him.

Despite that, Izzy forced herself to push forward.

"C-can I talk to you about something important? I-I have a request-"

"Where are you?"

He cut her off abruptly. Izzy quickly told him her location.

"Okay, stay there. I'll be there in 15 minutes."

And with that, he ended the call.

Izzy blinked in surprise, suddenly flustered.

Why was this man so quick to respond?

Before she could process it, her phone rang again. It was Seth Santiago.

"Actually, no. If you can travel, take a cab and meet me at my condo-it's close to where you are. I'll text you the address."

Toot-toot.

Izzy was almost about to pee from nervousness as she sat waiting inside the taxi she had taken. She had been staring at the message from Seth Santiago for so long that she might have memorized every letter after reading it multiple times.

"K-kuya, are we still far?"

Izzy asked the taxi driver. She winced slightly when she heard him sigh. She couldn't blame him, though-she had asked the same question barely two minutes ago.

"Just five more minutes, ma'am. The traffic is heavy, so the trip is taking longer. It looks like you're visiting someone very important."

Izzy winced again at the driver's nosiness. Because of her extreme nervousness, she couldn't help but be irritable. She shot him a sharp glare, making him immediately look away.

"You're not a gossip, are you, sir?"

"Sorry, ma'am. I just couldn't help but ask. You look like you're about to meet someone very important. Just a reminder to be careful-things aren't as safe as they used to be."

The driver said seriously, and Izzy gave him a bitter smile.

"D-do you still have a mother, sir?"

"Yes, I do. She's old but still strong, though she gets sick sometimes-probably because of her age. Why do you ask?"

Izzy smiled to herself, her eyes welling up with tears as she chose to stare out the window instead.

"Then you're lucky, sir. Let me ask you, how far would you go for your mother?"

"I'd do anything, ma'am. We only have one mother. I'd give her everything to repay all her sacrifices for me."

The driver answered proudly. Izzy nodded before turning to look at him.

"You're right. I feel the same way, sir. I'd do anything for my mother, no matter what."

She took a deep breath before continuing.

"If you're wondering why I'm going there, I'm doing it for my mother's life."

Izzy took a sharp breath the moment she spotted the person she had come to see, stepping out of a large building.

He was wearing business attire, as if he was heading to an important meeting. She couldn't help but feel small in comparison-she was still in her black coffee shop uniform, which had coffee stains and who knew what else.

"Ma'am, we're here."

The taxi driver's voice snapped her out of her daze. She swallowed hard before handing over her fare. She took a few more moments to gather her courage before stepping out of the car.

Unsure of how to fix herself up, she simply ran her fingers through her messy hair and gave herself a bitter smile. No matter what she did, she would still look like a servant next to him.

"Isabel Vergara, it's nice to see you again."

Izzy felt her heart leap out of her chest when the man she had been watching suddenly spoke behind her.

"S-sir Seth Santiago, g-good evening."

She greeted him nervously, biting her lower lip when she realized he wasn't smiling. He remained serious and expressionless.

"I-I apologize for calling you out of the blue. I-I just needed to ask for a f-favor-"

"Let's not talk here."

He cut her off, making her freeze.

"P-pardon?"

"I said, let's not discuss whatever you need here. We are in public, and I refuse to have this conversation here. If you don't mind, please come with me."

Though his tone was stern, it remained formal. Izzy could only nod in response.

"Very well. Follow me, then."

Izzy was on the verge of peeing herself from nervousness as she quietly followed Seth Santiago.

She wondered if he even knew how to smile. From his posture and presence, he looked like someone who would punch anyone who dared to joke with him.

'Is this what wealth does to a person? Turns them into emotionless statues?'

She thought to herself. Despite her anxiety, she couldn't help but smirk slightly at the idea.

Her smirk disappeared instantly, replaced by an even greater sense of dread when he stopped in front of a grand door.

"Relax, Isabel. I'm not going to do anything bad to you. I can feel your nervousness in every pore of your skin."

His voice carried a hint of irritation before he opened the door. She was momentarily amazed that he didn't use a key-just his thumb.

She suddenly felt like a country girl lost in the city.

"Are you just going to stand there?"

His impatient voice made her snap out of it. She quickly stepped inside, nearly tripping from how much her legs were shaking.

"Sit over there and wait for me."

He instructed in a cold tone before disappearing into another room. Izzy nodded mutely and took a seat, her eyes roaming around the luxurious house.

'Just how rich is this man?'

She wondered, glancing around again.

"Good evening, ma'am. Would you like something to drink?"

Izzy quickly sat up straight at the sound of a woman's voice. The woman, dressed in a maid's uniform, looked only a few years older than her but seemed more put-together.

"J-just water, please. Thank you."

"Would you like juice or coffee instead?"

The woman asked with a smile, but Izzy shook her head shyly. The maid left and returned moments later with a glass of water, which Izzy accepted gratefully.

Her throat was so dry from nervousness that she downed the entire glass in one go-only to choke when Seth Santiago suddenly appeared in front of her.

Now wearing a fitted white tank top and black joggers, he looked even more intimidating.

'Damn... is this guy even human?'

She thought, swallowing hard. She had just finished her water, but she suddenly felt thirsty again.

"Stop staring at me."

His voice, devoid of emotion, snapped her out of her daze.

"H-huh? I-I wasn't staring at you."

"Also, drop the 'sir.' I know I'm older than you, but there's no need to make me feel ancient. You're 22, and I'm 35-not a huge difference, is it?"

He said as he sat down on the single-seater across from her.

A moment of silence passed before Izzy realized something.

"H-how do you know my age?"

She asked, full of suspicion. Her heart pounded harder when she saw him smirk.

"Lucky guess..."

He replied coldly.

"But we're not here to talk about age. State your business, Isabel Vergara."

He got straight to the point. If Izzy was already feeling breathless from nerves before, now she felt like she couldn't breathe at all.

She took a deep breath, squeezing her eyes shut. When she opened them, she met his calculating, icy gaze.

"I-I know we don't know each other, sir. I'm just the foolish girl you bumped into earlier today, b-but I... I need a big favor from you. M-my mother is in the hospital-"

"How much, Isabel?"

He interrupted. His gaze was unreadable, but Izzy held it firmly.

For my mother...

She reminded herself.

"I-it's a huge amount, sir. I-I can't ask for it as a gift-"

"How much does your mother need, Isabel?"

He interrupted again, his voice firm.

Izzy took a deep breath and whispered,

"O-one and a half million, s-sir."

Seth remained silent, studying her.

"Money is not a problem for me, Isabel. I could earn that amount in a few weeks, maybe a month. I'm not concerned about the money. In fact, I can cover all your mother's medical expenses. However..."

Izzy held her breath, waiting for his next words.

"What can you do to pay me back, Isabel Vergara?"

"I-I'll do anything, s-sir Seth. Anything, as long as you help my mother."

His gaze sharpened.

"Anything, huh? That means you'll do whatever I want?"

Izzy quickly nodded.

"Hm... I don't need anything. But tell me, what can you give a man who already has everything?"

Swallowing hard, Izzy met his intense gaze.

"O-one night, Seth Santiago... One night with you. I have nothing else to offer but myself."

She declared, despite not being sure herself.

"I-I'll let you have me for one night-just help my mother."