Mysterious 04: Heated Argument

Aris Sandoval’s P.O.V.

“You’re impossible! If that’s what you want, we don’t have anything to talk about here then. For your information, I don’t sell any of my paintings and most especially, I don’t need your fucking money, sports car, yacht, or condo! You can have them all by yourself including your damn massive ego! Excuse us. Nickos, let’s go… and please, don’t you ever try to follow us again, mister!” She sneered.

She even pointed her finger right in front of my face. She had these long and beautiful nails painted with a crack-styled cuticle that could scratch me anytime. “If you were used to getting things that you want, well this time, it won’t just work out.” She continued as if she had read what my mind was saying before she held her brother’s wrist again and started to walk away from me.

I used to reject people and this was the very first time in history I felt that I somehow… got rejected. I couldn’t accept this and I guessed, I had to make another way. I shouldn’t get my money involved. I should have not insulted her.

Tsk, Aris… wrong move!

I was wrong when I thought a while ago that she was only after me for attention… when in reality, I was the one here who definitely needed Drey Laxamana’s attention. I had to accept the fact that I didn’t have any other choice for now but to lower my ego.

Being obsessed with Juno, I wouldn’t let anything interfere with my search. I could feel that I was one step closer to know everything about her. Drey might get abhorrent with my existence, but I still followed them. I didn’t want to lose over our heated argument.

I didn’t want to win either. I just wanted us to have a normal conversation so I could know what was her exact relationship with Juno.

Not thinking about what might be the consequences of my action, I headed towards their way out and caught them in the parking lot. Nickos was already inside their black limousine but Drey was still getting into it when I decided to call her.

“D-Drey!” I shouted as I felt something inside me got intimidated. She turned around and looked in my direction with her eyes wide open.

“And it’s you again! Didn’t I tell you to stop following us? Or do you really want me to report you to the guards?” She glared at me while crossing her arms in front of her chest, raising her head at the same time.

She caught her chauffeur’s attention with her loud voice that was why the man began to intrude on our conversation. “Was there a problem, Drey? Did you know him?” he asked her before he suspiciously looked at me like I was nothing but handsome trouble. Yes, the word handsome was already with me ever since birth.

“Oh! Nothing, Uncle. I can still manage, this is just a piece of cake without any icing on it…” she answered him with a smile before she looked at me again with fierce in her eyes. “Now, what? Will you stop pestering us?”

So the old man was her uncle that she asked from Nickos a while ago. Okay, I got it! I thought, he was just a valet driver knowing that we were in the executive parking area of the airport.

“Please, Drey. I—I’ll do anything for me to have a copy of that painting. I will give anything that you want, I promise…” I pleaded earnestly. I just hoped that she could feel my sincerity. I was not faking it like what I had always been doing to strip a woman naked and make them cum in my bed.

I was so desperate thinking that Drey could be my last chance to see Juno. Never in my entire life that I begged for someone like this, only to her. And yes, never did I see myself that I would be doing this crazy thing—begging.

Most especially, begging for someone I didn’t even know!

“Why are you so interested in that painting? Hmm, let’s see… so you’ll do anything, really huh?” A wicked smile suddenly formed on her mauve red lips that made me slightly shiver. “Why don’t you just rob it inside the airport? That way, you’ll get it so damn easily without even bothering me! What a brilliant idea, right? Well… have a nice day, mister! I hope that this would be our first and last encounter. Goodbye!” She then climbed at the back seat of the limo as fast as she could, as her chauffeur that she called Uncle, immediately conformed to drive them.

That happened so fast that all I could say was, “Wait!” as I ran afterward to chase their car but hell, my steps would never be enough to tail them.

Shit! I have to follow her. But I have to take care of my personal belongings too. Damn it! Where’s my fucking chauffeur?

That was when my cellphone rang and the caller was no other than him. I gritted my teeth as I told him that I was in the executive parking area. He said that he was just on the opposite side and would be on his way to fetch me up. I already ended the call but my mind was still entirely focused on Drey Laxamana while looking in the direction I last saw their car.

Who are you? Why is it that the mermaid in your painting really looks like Juno?

It was such a good thing that I memorized her limousine’s plate number. I made a promise to myself that I would be able to find her, sooner than expected.

[Copyright© Nihc Ronoel]

“The car was owned by Ondrea Laxamana, bro!” said Jerome, my college buddy who was now the Finance Director at Montecillo Group.

I called him over the phone and gave him Drey Laxamana’s plate number. Montecillo Group of Companies or MGC mostly handled the land transportation in Manila as well as all documents related to private car registrations. Though, their main business was all about construction.

So Drey came from Ondrea. Oh! What a lovely name, huh?

“Thanks, bro… but could you give me her registered home address?” I asked.

I was desperate. To find Juno, I would do anything. And if that Drey would be the only person to help me, I would do whatever it takes just to please her.

“I’m sorry to say this but other than her name, I couldn’t give any further details. I hope you understand, man. I cannot disclose the details of her address as it was too confidential. But anyway, you can search her Famebook account or her photos on the internet. She’s quite a public figure, bro. Well, that makes me think about why you didn’t know her. Ah, I know right! You’re always busy dating your bunch of girlfriends,” and he really laughed at me on the other line, “but by the way, why did you suddenly ask about Ondrea Laxamana? What about her? Is she your new flavor of the month?” he asked.

“None of your fucking business, bro. Thanks for the help!” I smilingly said as I quickly ended the call. That way, I was able to get even with his mockery.

The new flavor of the month, huh? I doubt it!

After ending the call, my wallpaper suddenly appeared. Yes, I came back inside the airport yesterday and took a clear and high-definition photo of Juno’s painting.

But I was the type of person who would never be contented with just an imitation, I wanted the original. I could pay a top artist overseas to draw Juno the way I wanted. Actually, I already did that before… but they were all unsuccessful to depict Juno’s real-life emotions like what Drey vibrantly did in her masterpiece.

So, I opened my Qooqle app and began searching for Ondrea Laxamana. It took me a couple of minutes before I finally had some details regarding her and these are the things that I was able to know about her so far:

Ondrea Cresta Laxamana, also known as Drey Laxamana was a licensed engineer, but currently works as an endorsement model and a MeTube vlogger. She was the daughter and first-born child of Nestor Laxamana and Olivia Cresta—two of the owners and major stockholders of the famous Cresta-Laxamana International Airport or CLIA.

Well, I couldn’t believe that she was a licensed engineer. I was amazed… she might have both beauty and brains. But other than those, I wasn’t able to dig up for more information. 

Uh oh! But I thought, she’s a public figure? Or perhaps, an artist?

I frowned. I didn’t see any details related to arts or painting exhibits that should be connected to her name. But well, that could be the reason why her painting was hanged at the CLIA when in fact, she doesn’t even sell any of her paintings. Her proud parents probably placed it there and creating murals might only be one of her hobbies. The same reason why her brother, Nickos, wouldn’t get lost there too. Maybe all his life, he was always at the airport.

After almost two hours of searching for Ondrea Laxamana from different websites, I still had the same results—no added information. I watched her latest video on MeTube, but it was only about her photoshoot in Japan. A few minutes went by and I already found myself searching with my Famebook app.

I wasn’t a Famebook user but I opened my account just to search for Ondrea Cresta Laxamana or Ondrea Laxamana but nothing appeared to be her profile. I then searched ‘Drey Laxamana’ on the search key and after pressing enter, many accounts appeared. About fifteen.

Tsk, how can I know who’s the real Ondrea here?

And so, I opened the one on top with her face as the display picture and noticed that she had lots of online fans. It surpassed the two million count. I began scanning her ‘About Me’ section and I literally gasped when I saw that…

She originally came from El Nido, Palawan.