Chapter 10

Three days pass and Charles is really excited to see his girlfriend again. The past days he could only call her and each time Stella would hang up on him. Yep, that's all he is to her, annoyance.

Today, he plans to exchange phones with her. It is also the perfect chance for him to upgrade her phone so he can see her during calls.

Charles just parked at where he usually parks his car and went out. He leans against it, reached for his phone in his pocket and dialed Stella's number. It didn't take her long to pick up.

"Good morning, baby. You ready?"

"Ugh." He heard her groan. "I told you that I hate the endearments. Don't call me anything but my name!"

He chuckled, gazing at her door. "Come outside when you're done. I am waiting for you."

"Why are you so early?" she asked in an irritated voice.

When he heard the door opening, the corners of his mouth immediately curved up. He raises his free arm and waved at Stella who had her forehead creased.

"It's too early to be wearing a frown," he told her.

"Yeah, cause the devil showed up too early."

"You call your boyfriend devil? Really you'll act like that in front of my family, my love?"

"Yuck!" She gagged. He softly chuckled seeing her contorted face from afar.

"Alright. I'm coming to get you."

"No, I'll--"

Before she could finish, he hung up and started walking to her. Stella then hurried down with her suitcase to meet Charles halfway to the stairs.

"You are really stubborn, Stella Lacrone," he said, climbing the remaining steps towards her. He then wrapped his fingers around the suitcase's handle. Stella was looking at him with a grouchy face. "Stop doing those faces. You don't look scary, you look cute."

"Stop with your cheesiness, mister Castiga--"

"Baby," he cut her off, moving his face closer to her, making her step back. "I'm the love of your life. You only call me by my name when you are about to murder me. Got it?"

When she nodded, Charles moved away. He took her hand which she immediately shoved away. His eyes darted at her.

"Now what?"

"There are no people around us. Why the hell do you have to do it?"

He clicked his tongue. "Do I need to remind you every time that my grandfather has eyes everywhere? Do you want to get imprisoned because you made that contract with me? He is much crueler than I am."

"Oh, why am I even surprised!" she sarcastically exclaimed, rolling her eyes as she walks ahead of him. "If that's so, then let's go, my ba-baby?" She shivers. It really sent chills down her spine.

"That's more like it," he uttered, lifting her heavy suitcase and taking her hand again. This time she didn't say anything nor shove his hand away.

While driving, Charles kept glancing at the passenger seat. Stella has been looking outside the window. He wanted to read what was on her mind, her reason for wanting thirty thousand dollars. She was so fixed on that number and it makes him wonder why?

"We're stopping by Deib and flying to my city the next day," he spoke. He wanted her to face his way and it worked.

"Why at Deib? Why not just go and take a straight flight?" she asked, frowning at him.

"I have a sudden business to do. You can either stay at the hotel we are staying at or come with me to do business."

"You have to start discussing things with me first so we can decide on it together! I don't want sudden stops and go!"

One side of his mouth curved up. "I'm glad you're taking this seriously, baby. I'm sorry I did not tell you. It won't happen again."

"I am staying at the hotel," she uttered, looking back at the window. "I'll use the time to memorize more things about you."

"Good. We're at the airport, baby."

They were both escorted by some men in black suits. While Charles stood confidently, Stella feels like her life is in danger. With big men around them, she feels important and terrified for her life that she clings into his arm.

"Why do they make me feel like a bounty is upon our heads?" she asked in a low tone. This made Charles chortle as they walk to the private plane.

"There might be. You never know," he whispered. Stella gave her a dirty stare, twitching her upper lip, making him smile even more. "Long as you hold me this tight, you are safe from anything."

Stella then scoffs, loosening her hold around his arm. She had her lips pouting all the way in the plane.

Inside the private plane, Stella's eyes were shifting everywhere. Everything looks expensive. Even the carpet seemed to have cost a lot more than her annual apartment rent.

"Where do I sit?" she asked, looking back at Charles with her sparkling eyes.

"Anywhere you want, baby."

"Can I take the pilot seat then?" She sassed.

It earned a sob of laughter from Charles and the guys with them. But Stella was looking at them crept out. She was being serious though.

Since they laugh at her, she decided to sit the farthest. Only Charles went his way to sit in the chair facing her. She expected that.

So there was a spacious sofa and center table that were dividing them both from the guards. It was a fair distance for them both to have any conversation they'd like to discuss.

"You're not afraid of flying, are you?"

"No, not really."

"Good. If you feel sick just tell me."

Stella nodded. Yeah, if she feels sick she'll just have to say it's from the flight. There's nothing to worry about today and tomorrow. He won't be with her so that'd be fine.

"Also, I am taking your phone as we talked about." Charles took something from his suit and handed a new phone to her. She just stared at it.

"But my phone is still working like I said."

"And like I said on a phone call, I prefer to see my girlfriend during calls."

"I don't like to see my boyfriend during calls!"

They were both looking at each other with dull eyes. Both of them hate it when someone is being bossy and opposing ideas.

Charles breathes in deeply, tossing his head to one side and shifts back at her.

"Please, just this once do as I say. It's not a hard thing to do. It might be useful some of these days." His face has softened and the more she stares at those marble eyes of him, she just melts.

Stella looks away, swallowing hard. "Fine! But just this once!"

She took out her phone and gave it to him. He took her phone and gave her his phone in return.

"Isn't this yours? What if someone--"

"I'll give yours back when I update your provider with your new phone. That way your number stays yours." He put her old phone in one of his pockets. "If someone calls me and asks who you are just tell them you're my boss. They'll understand."

"But how am I supposed to call you?"

"As far as I know, you don't call me. Soon as I have your provider's update, I'll call you, baby. Unless... you say you'd miss me too much then I'll have to--"

"No!" she shouts. She looks around and saw the guards looking at her so she flashed them a nervous smile. Then she pierced her sharp eyes at Charles who was covering his mouth with the back of his hand. "I would never miss you!"

"Alright, alright, baby." He displays a charming smile that would take any girl's heart away except for Stella's. "Why don't you have breakfast? I bet you haven't had any."

Dang right she really had not eaten anything! He was too early! She has not even taken a bath. It was a good thing she had taken a shower last night.

"What do they have here?" she asked.

"They can make anything you want," he answers.

Anything? She has no idea about food names but she knows how they taste when she sees them. Should she just say burger? Will it be alright for her and her baby? She's craving it so much.

"Do they have a healthy... burger?" As she said that, she looks away unsure if they have something like that. What even is in a healthy burger? She just wants meat in between two bread with lots of ketchup. Wait, is it possible for planes to have a kitchen? Oh well!

"A healthy burger? Do you mean you want beef in there with lots of vegetables or..."

"Not so many vegetables. I just want to see a burger."

"Eh?" His round eyes were fixed on her for a second before laughing. "You just want to see a burger, that's a funny thing to say."

"Don't make fun of me!" She pouted with furrowed brows.

"I'm not, baby." His charming smile remained on his lips as he raises his hand. Then an attendant came to get his command.

Rich people can get anything they want. With a raise of their hands, they can get food without having to stand. They're taking flights whenever they please and with the comfort of their own planes.

Their flight didn't take longer than two hours since Deib isn't that far from her city. From the airport, someone picked them up and they went straight to their hotel room. Yes, they're in the same big suite.

As soon as Stella sees the big bed, she throws herself in it. It was so soft and comfortable that she had to giggle. Oh, if her bed was this soft, she'd stay there all eternity.

"Tired from the flight, are we?"

Right! She abruptly sits up, hugging a big pillow. She wasn't alone! Charles had disappeared from her mind the moment she felt like laying on a cotton cloud.

"Yeah and since you were too early, I am going to sleep."

"Alright," he uttered. "Like I said I have some business here so I'll leave you alone. Would that be fine?"

"Of course!" she nodded, trying not to show how happy she was to see him leave.

"Or do you want to come alo--"

"No!" she instantly snapped. "I am tired. Doing business is too boring for someone who has no idea about that."

To avoid further conversation, she laid down on the bed and covered herself with the thick blanket. Yes, yes, it'll stop his pestering.

"Stay still in here. If you get hungry call the hotel."

Stella stick out her thumb which made Charles softly chuckle. After that, he finally left the hotel. When she heard the door closing, she instantly throw the blanket away, sitting up.

"Finally, he's gone."

She took out her phone from her pocket and realized, it wasn't her phone anymore! Shoot! She was not sure if she had deleted the conversation between her and doctor Akira.

"Charles would not go to through my phone, right? I mean he is a business-oriented person!" She tries to convince herself in a panic voice. Ugh! She so wants to call him right now but she can't!

Stella sobs and slaps herself lightly. She's feeling terrible just by thinking that he might actually go through her phone. Now her alone time is disturbed.

An hour later, Stella has her forehead against the wall. She's like a possessed person mumbling things on her own. Her thoughts just won't stop and it's making her insane.

Then suddenly, she heard a ringtone and her head instantly jerked to the side where Charles' phone was. She stormed to snatch the phone and her eyes widened at the nickname on the screen. It says there My Love with a heart.

"Does he have a real girlfriend?" she asked herself. Should she answer it? Nah. She let it ring until it stopped.

Just after the ringing, the phone chimed and so she checked it out. It came from that caller. It says, "Pick up now!"

"Looks like Charles is in trouble," she muttered.

Stella flinched when the phone started ringing again. It's the same person. Maybe if she tries to explain, the other line would hear it out. And so Stella pressed answer. The thing is, she didn't know it was a video call.