Oneil was never fond of assumption. But he could feel one when there was something odd going on. When Melissa had been too attentive to befriend him, that is when he knew that he must keep his walls even stronger to secure Essi’s affection for him. He was glad that his favorite Queen Calista’s is can still accommodate his reservation within that day and are more considerate to him when he called for the date to be moved.While waiting for Essi’s late night response on his chat, he proceeded to look at Marika’s phone. It had been in his possession by Grant’s permission. There was nothing special in it except that it is filled with many photos of him and Marika. As much he doesn’t to remember this woman anymore, he needed to be careful about what he is wishing for. He cannot afford to lose his loved ones again. So he kept on viewing the phone especially on its gallery panel. But his attention were not anymore to the unimaginable closeness he had with Marika declared by the photos, but t
It was too much for Melissa’s chagrin to find out that Oneil would never consider anyone’s affection for him anymore. It was an outright rejection and stings more because Oneil chooses to love the girl that Melissa disliked the most. But it never meant for her to give up.She always believed that Oneil must have a weakness, a particular melting point. Once she would find that out, Melissa will make sure to utilize that knowledge to the best of her advantage. She is not yet sure if she is already on the way for it. Hence, she remained in her friendly smile in every time that she would see Oneil. While it is obvious that she is already hurting her schedule, she would visit the building of Oda Infrastructures as frequent as possible.Melissa already lost count with her number of visitations. So the current one could only remain as an nth. Her armor was her red-painted lips. Her ready potion was her words. Her best invitation is a dinner reservation for two. Melissa tried all her best to
When they already arrived to a five-star restaurant, Oneil made sure to prepare Essi’s seat. Essi only said a typical thank you. For Melissa, it was as if Essi is not impressed to Oneil’s gallantry. Essi even ordered the most expensive beef dish.“That is your favorite, right? Vintage cote de beauf?” Oneil asked with gladness and thought of requesting the same as well. “And Syrah to pair this.”“Are the two of you leaning towards expensive meals?” Melissa doesn’t like the rib steak. If she has to join them, that would make her credit card already problematic.“I miss this kind of steak since my mom often prepares this for me,” Essi said. “It’s not just about being expensive.”“Oh really?” Melissa nodded to let the blabber get by.“Show me a great deal here then that doesn’t have to be characterized by the price,” Essi challenged.Melissa knows too that the star of this restaurant is the rib-eye steak. Even if the roasted salmon is the most affordable among all dishes, she knew that it
Just like ordinary and not busy days, Essi gets to visit Oneil again to the building of Oda Infrastructures. It has always been among Essi’s routine to talk first to the higher officers before she could arrive to her intention of talking to Oneil. Although they are situated two departments apart, Essi and Oneil still glanced at each other amid their talk towards the other people. When they at last got their rendezvous, Essi hurriedly meandered towards him while holding her bag modestly. Oneil on the other hand, opens up his arms to hug her. Essi didn’t hesitate to engulf herself in this sought out embrace. They went together towards the right wing anteroom where the high ceiling could allow them to see the urban night of Bordeaux. While they were seating, Oneil took out a long velvet box and gave it to Essi. “For you,” he said casually. “You should open it.” Essi smiled upon seeing a bracelet with Akoya pearls and emeralds. “Oneil, this is so pretty.” “Do you like it?” Oneil is m
Behind the strict image of Latifa Mercator is a caring and broken person. Essi was entailed with the vividness of the scene that night. Latifa was quick to pose an figure of a delighted mother taking care of her son. Essi couldn’t help but feel bad about covering the incident of Oneil’s amnesia although such a deed had already been long forgotten.“You seem pretty too occupied today,” Victor noticed as he closes the door of Essi’s home office. “Were you worrying on how to handle our overseas schedule again?”“It’s not about that. It’s not like it should be new to me,” Essi stated and proceeded again to think deeply.“Are you in conflict with Oneil again?” Victor was trying to figure it out by himself but Essi was just too subtle on her gestures. He is never sure if she needed help. When Essi slowly looked up to him, that is when his senses start to kick against his silence when he would just let Essi and Oneil deal with each other alone. He would want to get Essi just to protect her f
It was hard to remove the idea of what can The Carolus Foundation do to Victor to help him about his desire. For many days that he thought about it, he still couldn’t make the most decisive call to Latifa. Maybe it is because he is afraid of what kind of acceptance his biological parents would give him once they saw how Victor turned out to be. But he knew that he is more dreading to a possibility that such a word acceptance was never pre-existing at all. Because if this thing is real, they should have tried to find him.“But what if they do?” Essi asked him.It was hard for Victor to not tell this to Essi because he knew that this woman had been more looking forward for this day of reunion to come. Essi is more enthusiastic than Victor. Her voice keeps on pulling about the good sides of the what ifs.“What if the search was always there but only as a parallel one?”Victor lets Essi’s word to come together in his mind while he tried to think deeply where should it be possible to meet
Oneil noticed how his mother got a little busier than before. At first, it puzzles him. But as this familiar joy begins to spark in Latifa’s eyes, he gets happy for him as well. So when she was investing her attention on typing emails inside Paulo’s library, Oneil went inside with some tea and cookies for her.“Are you busy for the foundation, ma?” he asked as he takes a seat.Latifa acknowledged his visit but she kept her eyes on the monitor. Oneil loves the set up of this scene where the dreamy morning sheds a good dispersion of sunlight through the white curtains of the office. It highlights his mother finding a good reason to be happy on her job. As if she is excited for a good result. Her pearl earrings sparkle along her smile. She grinned brightly and finally gazed upon her son.“What is it ma?” Oneil asked again because his mother’s smile is really contagious.“I’m just happy for Victor. We’re somehow getting some clues about his real family. Sooner than later, The Carolus Foun
Essi was more than relieved to find out that their source for blood donation is Oneil’s mom herself. She should be the one standing next to Oneil to give him assurance that everything will be fine. Instead, it was Essi who had heavy breathing. Oneil has to hold her hand as she tries to calm down. She never heard such a case in their locality but it was common in Bayanihan. She heard tragic stories too. Especially to young ones who cannot fight the severity of the illness by their weak body and to the parents who are in their severe regret for not noticing that what their children were experiencing is a common illness brought by mosquitoes. Other than that, she is worried for Victor as well.Oneil understood that such a kind of affection is the prize of friendship aged almost like their lifetime.“Don’t worry anymore, Essi. Victor can get through with this,” he said while gently cupping her hands in between his palms.Essi’s expression at him reveals that she has less of a worry today
Essi has always believed that meeting people like the Binici Siblings meant a good thing --that be it in business or social partnerships. But what Karina offers to her is quite different. Her words have stronger meaning underneath their simplicity as if Katrina had been always trying to interfere in Essi and Oneil’s lives. “So you people are just engaged. It means there is still a greater possibility for any of you to quit, right?” she asked Essi with a hint of excitement. Her words simply do not respect the relationship between the two. Essi chose to not pay attention to it. But Katrina was bugging her in another way by trying to set Essi up with Wyath for coffee nothings and casual dinner. “I do not have much time. If this meeting does not make any sense, then I won’t go, Miss Binici,” Essi declined. “My brother is willing to marry the girl he likes,” Katrina inserted just to make the phone call go on. “Really? That’s good for him then,” Essi commented but was about to excuse he
When everything got settled, she found herself already bringing the large paper bag filled with the three casings where the jewels in their trinket boxes are placed. Her chauffeur waited for her outside and walked with her down the stairs of the auction house. Her car is also set to conclude her night from the Legalion. But before she took a step, Wyath went to her again. “Essi, since it is rare for us to meet, may I ask for your contact number?” Wyath was implying the personal one. “Okay,” Essi said and gave him her number. “But you should also give yours since my phone automatically sets an unknown number as spam.” When they got done exchanging numbers, Katrina went to Wyath to remind him that they must go home now. “Essi, it was nice to meet you. We’ll go ahead for now,” Katrina bid and dragged her brother to their car. “Will you still proceed to the hotel madame?” her chauffeur asked. “Yes, you can also take your time to enjoy things around,” Essi grinned and reminded him ab
It is the actual bidding night. With the preparation of the lights and the friendly interiors of the Legalion Action House, Essi knows this night shall be friendly to her vision. She takes a simple white dress with puff sleeves and white heels. She takes a silk cloth as her headband. Her appearance for the night is elegance mingled with youth and enthusiasm.“Welcome, Madame Essi,” the guard said upon recognizing her card. “This way please.”Essi followed the red carpet leading them to the Jewel Auction Hall No. 1. It is her first time to join an auction by herself. Oftentimes, she would just accompany a family member when they would like to purchase something from the auction. She continued walking around and not recognizing any familiar faces around the auction hall except Wyath. Wyath quickly noticed her too when he turned around. He approached her with a smile. He even introduced his sister to her.“This is my sister, Katrina. She’s the reason why we’d like to buy some of the Maes
Essi had a simple target in heading to Normandy. The Legalion Auction House announced its 25th jewelry auction. Essi was never attentive towards auctions. But this one sets a great importance in her agenda because it was the jewelry collection made by Maestro Marco. She had two important target items because of the discovery that she arrived upon studying the decoration and details on the jewelry portfolio of her grandmother Priscilla. Two pieces of jewelry are no more in the possession of the Paulsson household. It suddenly became included in the auction series of the Legalion because it is made by Maestro Marco.The first piece was dubbed as Ingrid’s because Essi’s grandfather had especially commissioned the jewel maker to make a bluebird-inspired jewelry as a ready gift for his daughter once she will be brought to the world. And yet the owner, continued sleeping.The second piece was a fancy yellow diamond about 80 carats filled with many more white diamonds on its side, forming l
Victor has to weigh many company concerns. First, for the Amyrgia-Gautarza. Second, to Essi’s Gautarza Company and third, to the Mercator Group. Concerning the first two, he can see the clear directions on how the owners would take their future paths. But for the Mercator Group, he couldn’t see exactly where it even errs or go on correctly.He became an instant breadwinner with a clear source of income because the other Mercators in their humble barn house have to lie low for a while. His great ally on the discussion for the Mercator Group was his father.“Our hope in raising this alarm is to the interim chairman himself,” Paulo said. “If only he could also be cooperative to us.”“I don’t see any reason though that he wouldn’t,” Victor stated. “That is why I talked to him about the deliberation of a new policy concerning the selling and purchase of shares.”“What do you see is the problem about the shares then?”“I see some problems of the old policy. It may allow the shareholders to
Sometimes, amid all trials, one couldn’t help but wonder how others felt for them. It was in Victor especially when he regarded how Mr. Arlelle must have reacted to the fate that chased the Mercators. Yet, hoping to be always in his favor, Victor could only remain in silent and work with perseverance. It must have been a good asset that he was not heard as a Mercator because no one would chase him in the hopes to scoop out a splice of an information that can serve a cup of tea. Victor was on his way back to Arlelle’s office, bringing the reports about the recent confirmations he received on his email. But while he was outside the office, he heard some key people of Amyrgia-Gautarza.“How come that you still keep him sir? Is he not a member of the Mercators? It is quite unsettling.”“How can I not when he is still officially a part of the Amyrgia-Gautarza? And what has he done then that he should be fired out?”“But he is a Mercator.”Victor couldn’t deny that maybe in the business wor
Because of the conversation Lady Imeldine and Latifa had in the dining room, Grant went to them with some mud on his jumper and polo. He was worried that Latifa cried again while no one was watching.A shine light hit his eye when he tried to look at what is on the table. He marched slowly until he could see what is inside the box.“Is this your last jewel that you would sell, Latifa?” he asked because he couldn’t recognize the jewel.It was pretty understandable. Because he was never able to see this ring right from its bidding and until his wife’s death. It was Paulo who kept it because Grant didn’t know about the many things that his wife bought.His daughter-in-law didn’t answer yet but his recognition was also now to the visitor. “Your highness,” Grant said. He bowed even lower because he is ashamed of his situation. Knowing that Lady Imeldine was a shareholder, it would be harder to explain his situation to the royalty.“Please, may you be comfortable in dealing with me for I am
It was surely a grave offense that Louis made only to stain the reputation of the house of the Emirvas. But Lady Imeldine couldn’t even make greater punishment against him by sending him back to their country because he would face more grievous repercussions from the entire royal clan concerning the ring. After all, she has compassion to this lad who was also alike to her, almost impossible to receive the crown. He is but a royal and yet has to live in a manner that could promote his name despite the absence of the crown.So Louis was grounded in the rest house and every inch of his move was under Lady Imeldine’s strict supervision. When he tried to beg to his aunt that maybe he could go with her to talk to Essi, she glared at him.“Isn’t it enough that you made a careless work here?” she snarled. “Louis! You even brought shame to our family in front of the Paulssons.”“I’m sorry,” Louis cried out barely having any sincerity since he said out of annoyance to his aunt’s endless squawk
When the prompt for writing kicks, it is sometimes hard to stop the feeling of typing it all. But when Essi got done, she was unsure on how she should continue her article. Because there was something missing about the details of the maestro. Until she remembered what Marco’s wife said when she asked why is it okay for them to look.“It’s just like our twins are also cheering for him.”Essi’s tears escaped from her eyes. Now she’s doubting if she should tell his story. She tried to call Oneil and glad that he had also picked up.“Why? Are you alright?” Oneil asked because it is still not yet 11PM. It means Essi must be still working for something. “But with all the curiosity that Essi has, she hesitated in asking.“Come on, you can tell me,” almost pleaded because when silence starts to answer, it means a bothersome case.“Did Sir Marco ever tell you that he would like some people to interview him? He’s quite famous as a master jeweler.”“You were inspired to write about him, is it?”