The limousine bus had at least 40 reclining seats with tablets on its backrest. The professional driver was in uniform. He smoothly parked the bus in front of Georgetown International School one lazy Saturday. As he pushed a button on the controller, the tinted glass door slid softly open.
"Listen up, children!" Mr. Davis, their PE Teacher slash Physics Teacher, was wearing the school's branded color, white and blue.He had a whistle wrapping around his neck of which he barely used and really useless at that time. He was not training six students for a taekwondo competition that day. He was accompanying six geniuses in Physics for a once in a lifetime event.Yes! The International Physics Olympiad would be in three days from now."Let's see whose not here, yet!" Mr. Davis scanned the students with his thick glasses."Dave, the three senior students aren't here yet!" Mrs. Smith, their Physics Department Head, whispered."Hmm! I see. We should wait for them. They're"Kids, let's thank the Michaels for preparing for our itinerary and our accommodation for this two weeks competition!" Mr. Davis uttered while he stood in front of the students. Mrs. Smith was beside him.They just arrived in the airport and they settled in the business class cabin. Five stewardesses were attentively listening while they were all smile staring at the candidates for the competition.Lori and Andrea looked over their shoulders to where Albert and his friends sat. Samantha sat beside Andrea on the front seats. She kept herself busy reading the magazine she took from the stand.When they got off the bus a while ago, she immediately strode towards Andrea and Lori avoiding her Young Master's dim stare."Wow! I've heard our hotel is 7-star. Can't wait to plank myself down on the huge comfy bed!" Lori who was from a middle class family couldn't hide her excitement."Well, if it's from the Michaels, expect more than that. Right Sam?" Andrea nudged the girl sit
Houston Tower!Carved magnificently in brush script with a shade of blue and a shadow of light gold. A name towering a 50-floors 7-star accomodation. Paramount during the day when the sun beamed its rays to its supreme name. Picture perfect at twilight when its silhouette covered the resting sun. Magisterial at night when it towered and lit the whole city.Lori gasped for her first experience settling in a business class cabin, for riding a luxurious limo, and for sitting beside these three gentlemanly refined young men.In constrast with Samantha, whose head was lifted back thinking she was really just an ant by just reading its name. She gaped at the emperor of all the buildings she saw the moment she set foot in and covered her small mouth in astonishment."Paramount!" she whispered."That's just a building!" he snorted.She didn't need to turn around to pay attention on the person who reacted on her comment. Maybe, even in her sleep, she was familiar with his v
"Geniuses! Good morning! Listen up!" Mr. Davis called them in their room at six.He was standing in the sala of the boys' rented room. He had taken his shower before he went inside.Chester and Edward were still rubbing their eyes and dragging their feet when they opened their doors."Morning coach!" Edward uttered while yawning."Coach!" Chester simply whispered while he slightly waved his hand."Morning Edward. Morning Chester. Is Albert still sleeping?" Mr. Davis asked when he didn't see Albert went out.The two just shrugged off after looking over their shoulders and glanced at his room.When Mr. Davis went to his room, he saw a note on the side table saying, 'Went to the Library'. He curled up a satisfying smile before he went out of his room."Albert indeed is always an early riser. He already went to the library. Let's have breakfast first!" Mr. Davis announced."Coach, we're not exactly breakfast eaters!" Edward uttered as he squinted his eyes.
Samantha finished the book as what he had told. When she glanced at her tutor, he was still resting. His clasped hands were on his tummy, straight long legs that showed on his Levi's jeans and crossed feet that covered by his favorite footwear, Nike.As she scanned his sideview feature, he looked so serene with closed eyes. His thin lips were pretty to touch till she remembered their kiss. Her pale cheeks blushed pink right away."Done reading?"She almost jumped to her seat with that deep baritone voice suddenly came out from those rims. She sat straight and cleared her throat before she answered."Yes, Young Master!"Albert opened his eyes and turned sideward to face her. His hand rested on the seat back. He stared with amusement at the girl who was trying to hide her blushing face with her long wine color locks. A light smile escaped on his thin lips and a beaming eyes appeared on his light brown orbs."Look at me!" in condescending but gentle voice, he uttered.
"Excuse me!" Albert whispered as he stood up.Everyone lifted their heads and followed him leaving the hall with their confused looks and slightly parted lips. Then like cats in rows which eyes were chasing after a knitted ball, they all shifted their glance at the twelve year old apple red girl who was looking down the books on the table."Ahm! I think you need to follow him!" Andrea nudged her elbow which made her gawk."Huh? What is it?""Oh boy! I think we are going to lose the competition this year. One is extremely angry and one is extremely out of nowhere!" Lori reacted as she propped her chin in her fist with her elbow nailed on the edge of the table.When a screeching sound from pushing out a metal leg chair pierced their ears. Edward just got up from his seat."I will go and talk to him. How many minutes left?" asking about the time the theoretical exam would begin."You have twenty!" Chester replied while he lifted his head to glance at Edward.The
Because she couldn't understand his language, she just glanced at him then strode off. She avoided the congested road till she found herself in a park. She sat on the bench for a while pondering on what happened. She thought of the words Albert called her that day.Flirt!Disgusting tricks!Great Actress!"You're cruel, Albert Michaels!" she roared inwardly.How could he say those things to her? He didn't even have the right!After calming herself, she wiped the tears on her face and fixed her ponytailed hair before she went back to the university. She entered the lab like nothing had happened. She saw Albert still doing the experiment just like the others but with Lori this time."Sam, over here!" it was Chester who whispered her name.She turned around and saw Chester alone at the table. She had an idea that they had changed partners which for her was better."Where have you been?" Chester asked while reaching her some of the apparatus."Ahm, rest roo
It was half past nine when they went back to Houston Tower. They were all exhausted and sleepy.Andrea almost dragged her feet while holding both of Samantha's shoulders as she pushed her from behind."Andrea, what are you doing?" Samantha whispered.She felt uncomfortable that Andrea's head was touching her nape and her hands were weighing up her whole body."Just let me, please. I'm really tired and worn out!" she hoarsely answered instead.Her teammates could see how whacked out she was. Without Samantha's support, she could have crawled on the floor.Totally different from the still energetic Lori whose chuckles echoed in the whole wide lounge at the hotel. While walking towards the lift, they could hear Albert and Lori chatting behind them. She would say something, he would laugh. He would whisper on her ear, she would giggle.This annoyed Samantha to the max!She didn't want to turn around and look but that night wasn't really her lucky night. Probably,
The next day, the theoretical exam had started at ten and they had lunch break for an hour. Andrea eventually fell ill. Samantha had to take care of her in their hotel room.Covered with duvet from her chest to her cold feet, Andrea was moaning from time to time. Her face was pale and she sometimes left a sneeze. Her forehead was hot."Sam, where are you?" her voice was hoarse, too.She tried to get up by pushing her elbows together but she was dizzy and she felt bricks were weighing her body. She dropped herself back to bed."Andrea, do not get up without me. Here, I ordered chicken soup for you. Eat it while it's still hot!" Sam uttered after rushing into her bedroom."Sorry! I had no idea I could get sick by just a five hour stay in the crowd. This is embarrasing!" Andrea talked with her husky voice and sore throat."That happens. It's a good thing that Mrs. Smith brought some med. Your body might not like the medicines here if ever!"She smiled while feeding
In a high-end restaurant in the heart of the city, two beautiful single moms were going to talk to clear a slate. They were both calm, grace, and dignified."You will always be my sister-in-law no matter what!" Liz sincerely told Samantha while the latter still felt embarrassed that she was one of those narrow-minded people who believed something was going on between them with her ex-husband."I'm sorry. I don't know what to say!" all she could say was this.But her actions spoke a lot of meaningful words she couldn't express in sentences."It's all right. It happens to people. And we are not exempted!" Liz just shook her head as she gave Samantha a genuine smile.Samantha left a light chuckle with her phrase and just like her, she also shook her head."Yeah! We are not exempted!" she repeated."So, when will you two get back together? Tristan is at his age to have a sibling. He's already almost ten!" she channeled their talks to another topic when they were done clearing things out."
"Albert is in Ireland now? Is that true?" Candice who had overseas photoshoots for months was surprised when Grace told her about what happened three months ago.She who never liked to watch nor read the news was really ignorant when it came to those current events but when it was all about fashion, she was number one!"Yes, Miss Candice. The hospital here transferred him to Houston Medical Hospital two weeks ago!" Grace sternly uttered."But why? The hospitals here are also good!" Candice still insisted on digging for more information about him."It was Dr. Houston's command!" Grace still casually replied though deep inside she would like to yell at her saying 'Stop wasting my time! Just fly to Ireland if you want!'"Okay, thanks for the info. Bye!" Candice told her in haste before she strode towards the lift.Inside the lift, she called her manager right away."Get me a ticket going to Ireland tonight. I need to see Albert!""Okay, right away!" her manager obeyed at once..After abo
"Sam, Isabella told me to come here to help you today and tomorrow. How's Young Master?" Laila was speaking to her as she opened the door while she strode to Albert's VIP Ward.However, she also halted in the middle and her exciting orbs went open as she saw who were Albert's visitors at that time.The four including Albert's doctor glanced in her direction and smiled. Laila would like to turn around and run away for a while but her flat shoes were nailed to the floor."Laila, right?" one of the doctors asked as he sauntered toward her.She just gawked at him. She couldn't believe she had just eaten her tongue. She flickered her eyes and tried to speak, but she staggered in her voice."Yes, dictor...I mean doc...tor...!" she shut her eyes for a moment while shaking her head. Then she composed herself and spoke again."Yes, Doctor Arnolds!" Laila finally uttered...without looking at him. Her eyes glanced around instead."Beautiful name...Like the owner!" Sean commented before he went ou
Earlier...When Albert saw the group of policemen about one kilometer away waiting for them, he did his best to draw Madeline's attention to something else while removing the cloth that was wrapped around his wrists."Why are you doing all of these? What happened to you?""What happened to me? It was you who made me this way. If you didn't cancel our wedding before, we're supposed to be husband and wife now, and maybe, we're supposed to have children now!" she yelled as her glare was burning his eyes."But you feel disgusted by me. Since that monster kidnapped me, you never talked to me again. You avoided me like I was a plague!" she kept on releasing everything that's been keeping her bottled up for too long."Then you suddenly fell in love with a servant? How dare you, Albert?" her fantasy was making her blind but Albert never really listened to her prattles."What's your plan on me now?" he asked as he sneered.Finally, he loosed the cloth. He sideglanced at Rona whose eyes were shu
"Grace, could you get me the reviewed documents from Houston Group? The one I approved yesterday!" Albert called Grace on his intercom but to his surprise, she didn't answer."Grace, the contract from Houston!" he repeated but still it was dead air."Maybe she went to the restroom!" he whispered as he walked out of his office to get the documents himself.But to his shock, he saw Grace lying unconsciously on the cold marbled floor. He was about to call 911 when somebody just hit him on his head. He irked in pain but he didn't lose his consciousness. As he turned around while holding his head that was hit, he squinted his eyes when he saw a sneering Katie appearance but he knew that was Madeline."You?" he exclaimed but even before he could push the alarm button, he received another hit that was stronger than the first. This time, he had lost his consciousness.Simon carried him back inside his office while Madeline followed. However, an employee who happened to pass by saw a glimpse of
She released an evil laugh while staring at the headline that bannered their glorious names:'Madeline Swan, Wanted! Lance Swan Captures!'She laughed at the authorities who always failed to arrest her.She laughed at Houston's men who were waiting for her arrival.Above all, she laughed at Albert and the Michaels for not sensing her closeness in their visibility."St*pid powerful people!" she aggravatingly snorted.She was holding a red wine while sitting on their usual white Italian leather couch.Where?In an originally breathtaking place that became a haunted house.Indeed, Lance helped her escape and fooled the authorities that she was going to Ireland. Her father prepared her hideout once again. But this time, no one would even think she went back to the city of opportunities, to that penthouse where two wanted criminals were killed more than two years ago. The one was killed by her."Miss Swan, they all thought you're in Ireland now!" Simon grinned.He was pouring Madeline a gla
"Even if you will kill me, I would never tell you where my daughter is. She deserves to do those things after everything that happened to her!" Lance Swan shouted at length in a wild, impassioned way."Congratulations, President Lance! You've just admitted you know where your daughter is!" Jake spoke in a contemptuous manner rather.The police station where Vanessa and Jake were assigned immediately arrested Lance Swan when Vanessa called that day.When the doctor in Maui nodded that it was Lance who ordered them to make Cheska's condition worst, she instructed her team to arrest him right away."I'm gonna be behind bars anyway. But I'm not going to tell you where my daughter is!" Lance firmly told him.Jake slowly leaned on the chair glaring at him while his fingers were rhythmically tapping the table. Just one more he thought. He might give this middle-aged man a knuckle sandwich.They were both startled when Vanessa opened the door and announced."Good news! The eel is in Ireland!"
At dinner, Albert brought Candice to a western diner. Her favorite. When the waiter arrived, he ordered almost all of her favorite food such as beefy casserole, cheesy turkey broccoli pasta, and biscuit topped chicken pot pie. He also ordered some dessert and a glass of red wine."Thanks for accepting my invitation, Albert. Even if our relationship is just a sham, at least you're still gentleman enough not to decline!" Candice shyly told him while she tucked some strands of her hair behind her earlobe.But Albert was way too busy glancing around while his hands were clasped on the table. As much as possible he didn't want to see Candice anymore since the latter started showing some interest in him."Ahm! I always love beefy casserole. Here, try some!"She stuffed a cube of meat in his mouth and because it was sudden he wasn't able to shun it. He reluctantly chewed the food while frowning at her."It's delicious, right? Oh, there's a sauce left at the corner of your lips!" She even took
In Maui Medical Hospital...Chester was staring at her weak pale face while his hand was gently brushing her hair. She was still unconscious but the doctor said, her condition was getting better.He gritted his teeth everytime he remembered what the doctor told them. He had been violated not just once. Based from the findings of a single pubic hair they saw on her thigh when the swat team saw her in the big empty house, the owner was Simon Flord."I'm gonna kill you, bastard!" he muttered while staring at her.He had been looking for Cheska since she suddenly left more than two years ago. He tried to call her but her phone was disconnected. He thought she intentionally cut ties with him so after months of trying, he finally gave up.When he heard a soft moan, he sat straight as he moved closer."Cheska!" he gently called her name.His blurry eyes were glued on her pallid face. He touched his cheek while his other hand clasped her hand with an IV dr