RDD 124
If you ask me, I'm still skeptical about these people. My wife urged me to go back, but I decided to stay.
I knew I was being paranoid, but I couldn't let these workers be in the house unsupervised. I needed to watch over them. Even if our interaction had been fine, I still wasn't comfortable letting them stay alone in the house.
So yes, I decided to text Santiago, telling him I'd return around 4 p.m., the time the workers were scheduled to leave.
Santiago replied, saying there was no problem. There were only a few burgers left, and they could handle the shop.
Penelope glanced at me and chuckled.
"Keith, you're overreacting... but I like it. I'll go outside to watch the kids. As for you, Mister Castillo, you'll be our guard. Watch over them."
She whispered and gently touched my chest.
"Take care."
I nodded. My wife probably understood why I wanted to stay, so she let me be.
"I like a responsible man," she muttered.
"I'm a responsible man," I replied.
"Well... sometimes you're not. Geez, don't look at me like that. Sometimes you're even more immature than our kids."
Am I? I didn't know that. I thought I was pretty mature for my age.
I tilted my head in confusion, and my wife giggled at me before leaving the room to check on the kids.
I heard Sophia's joyful laughter. It seemed she really loved being with her mother.
While my thoughts drifted toward the kids, the five workers got to work.
They first moved the bed out of the room to avoid getting paint on it. Then, they began moving other furniture to make space.
I led them to the guest room to temporarily store the items. This bungalow house actually had five rooms, but we were only using two. The rest were being used as storage.
The house didn't have a second floor, but it was spacious. I was still amazed by how much my family had invested in building it.
My father had a habit of buying or building houses for investment purposes. Honestly, I have no idea how that works. Land and houses appreciate in value every year, so this house might be worth over 5 million pesos now. It's well-maintained and wide enough to justify that value.
"If another year passes, this house could be worth 5.3 million pesos, I think. I'm not sure of the exact amount, but that's how it usually goes," I muttered to myself, getting lost in the thought.
Unfortunately, the house is still under my father's name. I heard it was supposed to be part of my inheritance, but since our relationship is strained, I doubt it'll ever be mine.
To be honest, I'm scared my father might suddenly show up and kick my family out. That kind of scenario isn't far-fetched.
Time passed, and the workers finished their tasks for the day. They worked fast. At this pace, they might be done in three to four days. Maybe they were motivated by the possibility of getting a better job or higher pay.
"Let me take you to the entrance of the subdivision."
"Thank you, Sir Keith!"
This was a gated subdivision, and it was difficult to find a jeepney or tricycle here. So I decided to drive them to the entrance near the highway, where they could catch a ride more easily.
Besides, I was going to the shop anyway, so dropping them off was just a side quest. My real mission was to get to the shop and collect the earnings.
All five couldn't fit comfortably inside the car, so some had to sit in the trunk.
If they walked to the entrance gate, it would've taken them about an hour. But by car, it only took eight minutes.
"Thanks, Sir Keith. We'll bring our documents tomorrow. We hope you can choose one of us."
"Alright, but I have to be clear, I'll be observing whoever I choose for a month before making them a regular employee."
I'm not running a charity. I need to make sure that whoever I hire behaves properly in the shop.
"We understand."
Two of the workers looked young, probably in their twenties.
The other three appeared older and more rugged. From their looks alone, it was clear they had been through a lot in life.
At their age, they probably understood that it was nearly impossible to get a promotion or salary raise in their industry.
Promotions in the construction industry aren't easy to come by. In my experience, most construction workers are undergraduates. Many didn't even finish high school or elementary school. Some can't read or write.
For them, moving up the ladder is nearly impossible, especially if they can't read a building plan or construction diagram.
I understand why they're eager to find a better job with better pay. It's the same reason I left my job as a taxi driver, because I knew my salary wasn't enough to support my family.
"They're probably fathers too. They need money for their families."
Sometimes, changing jobs is the best decision.
After dropping them off at the subdivision entrance, I stepped on the gas and headed to the FCIE to update my two workers about the potential new hire. They might have a new co-worker joining them this week.
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Announcement:
I will not update this novel for the next 17 days because I've posted a poll on my Patreon asking whether I should continue this story or start a new one instead. After 17 days, I'll announce the result.
If the decision is to drop this novel, I will release the remaining 46 chapters all at once, to make it clear that I've officially dropped the novel.
Also, I used AI to improve this chapter's grammar and sentence structure. If I'm going to use AI, I want to be transparent about it. I also proofread this chapter myself, so it should have fewer mistakes than earlier chapters.