As soon as she saw me, tears streamed down her face and she ran towards me, hugging me tightly as if she'd never let go. I could feel her tremble as she whispered in my ear and apologized for what happened, saying that she knew it wasn't right. I pulled away and looked into her eyes, feeling my own emotions start to surface. "Malia, it's alright," I said, my voice soft and gentle. "I love you, and I'll always be here for you, no matter what your grandfather does." Malia nodded, her eyes still moist. "I know," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I just can't bear the thought of losing you, especially after all we've been through." Uncle Romnick cleared his throat, bringing our attention to him. "Well," he said, a smile spreading across his face, "I think I'll leave you two lovebirds to it. I have some business to attend to, but I'll be back in time for dinner, okay?" Malia and I nodded, still wrapped in each other's arms, as Uncle Romnick went to the house.
The next morning, I was forced to wake up by Uncle Romnick’s voice, “Wake up! Wake up! Did you switch on your phone last night?” I groggily rub my eyes and look at my uncle. It’s still early in the morning, and I am struggling to shake off the grogginess induced by last night's beer party. “Who’s calling?” I asked. “Nobody’s calling,” Uncle Romnick replied, looking a little worried. “Didn’t you turn on your phone? It's already 9 am. You should check it. Maybe someone from your family members tried to contact you.” My mind is still foggy, but I rise from the bed. I have a headache and a dry mouth, and I feel like crap. I try to remember what happened last night, but everything is hazy. I vaguely recall drinking with Uncle Romnick on the rooftop and getting completely drunk. My uncle repeats his question, “Did you switch on your phone last night?” I shake my head, “I don’t remember. Did something happen?” Uncle Romnick looks at me and I could sense that he
"Actually, we're not, old woman!" Chris exclaimed on my behalf. "Your idiot son, as always, tried to prank me calling the Human Resource Officer of the company I was working. I believed he was jealous of me that his life turned shit since he went to jail." Mom and dad parents looked me in the eye, trying to read what was running through my mind. Chris and his friends were also looking at them from head to toe, considering their looks diverted from them. "I'm fine, mom, dad. Really." I said. "You guys can go back to the car." then I nodded to Uncle Romnick to assist my family out of the mall. As soon as my entire family evacuated the mall, I dragged my blazing eyes back to Chris and his friends. "Give me my phone, Chris," I added. "What are you going to do if I am not going to give it back to you?" Chris scoffed before he tossed my phone to his friends, one by one. And they were enjoying it. "I said give me my phone back before I change my mind," I begged them.
Malia glanced at me but I simply ignored her. Seeing her was not the reason that I was invited to come over. But I can see the sadness in her eyes dropping her gaze to the table. Then the room falls silent when the recording starts playing. At first, I can't make out what Uncle Robin is saying, as it's just a muffled noise. But suddenly, his voice becomes clear, and I hear him say, "I'm going to transfer the funds to Jerry's account. He's been a loyal employee for years, and I trust him to handle the money properly." Everyone in the room is stunned. As far as I could remember, Jerry is a junior associate at the company, and the idea that he would be given control of the company's funds seems implausible. Uncle Robin shakes his head. "There must be some mistake. I never said anything like that." But Don Lucas is relentless in his pursuit of the truth. "This is a serious accusation, Robin. Are you trying to steal from the company?" Uncle Robin's face turns r
Chris and I sat across from each other at the table in my condo unit as we sipped hot coffee. It had been a while since we last spoke without involving our past, and I could sense the tension between us. But I knew I had to be blunt and straightforward if I wanted to get what I came for. "Look, Chris," I said, setting my coffee cup down on the table. "You lost your job, and your only chance to get it back is to give me what I need. I need your help with something." Chris looked up at me, his expression guarded. "What do you mean?" "There's some information I need, and I think you're the only one who can get it for me," I explained. "But it's risky, and it could get both of us in trouble if we're caught." Chris raised an eyebrow. "What kind of information?" I hesitated, wondering if I should reveal my plan. But something in Chris's eyes told me he was genuinely interested, despite his reservations. "Well, I need you to hack into someone's email address," I s
When I looked upon the happy couple, my heart began to race with anticipation, but the scene quickly shifted, and terror replaced my joy. The sky turned red, the flowers wilted, and the sun was blocked by dark, ominous clouds. As Malia and Roland exchanged their vows, I saw something move behind them, something sinister. A shadowy figure crept towards them, their presence sending shivers down my spine. I wanted to scream a warning, but my voice was gone, and I could only watch as the figure wrapped its arms around the bride and groom. As I watched the figure's face become clear, I saw myself, a twisted version of myself. It began to whisper dark promises in their ears, and suddenly, the happy couple kissed, and that was when I woke up, drenched in sweat. Immediately, I jumped out of bed, feeling like I had been hit by a ton of bricks. I was gasping for air, my heart still beating at a rapid pace. I stumbled over to my bedside table, knocking over a glass of water
Because I paused for a few seconds, Roland tightly grabbed my collar and enlarged the balls of his eyes while staring at me before he added, "Always remember you are a slave of Don Lucas' company, John. No matter how smart you are when it comes to business, you're just as poor and useless as you are. Did you get my point? You can never give Malia what her family wants." Then he let go of his grip and clapped my face. "See you back at Malia's new office." As soon as Roland disappeared from the rooftop, I screamed as louder as a bolt of thunder to let out my rage. I lifted my head to the sky and just realized that the rays of the sun were already etching my skin. But I simply ignored it and pulled the phone from my pocket and dialed Uncle Romnick's digits. "Aren't you supposed to be working by now?" Uncle Romnick asked the second he answered the call. "Get me the best attorney New Orleans can offer," I said in a sharp and firm tone. "And I don't care how much as
Don Lucas and I exchanged glances. His glance was telling me that I must lie in front of Malia to save their asses. Roland, on the other hand, remained his eyes on the surface of the table around us, guilty that he shared nothing to save his fiance. "For God's sake, gramps! You expected me to marry someone to make sure our company will not go to the bottom," she added. "but you are keeping things from me. How do you expect me to trust you, huh?" Malia went out of the meeting room and I believed she will never come back. Part of me wanted to follow Malia but I was preceded by my anger and hatred toward her, nailing my butt on the chair. Instead, Roland moved out of his seat and followed her like a puppy simply to prove to Don Lucas he was worthy to be part of their noble family. Without it, Roland was just a mere toy to his parents. Well, they deserve to be with each other considering they were both manipulative. "What do you think, Mr. Stevenson?" Don Lucas insi
"Don't forget to bring those with you, Miss Spencer!" Uncle Romnick added. He pointed a finger toward the table. "Relax, Uncle Romnick," I said in a calm tone, trying to take control of the situation. "How can I get relax, John." Uncle Romnick insisted. "Our enemies are here. And we are caught by surprise. We let our guards down." Without hesitation, Cecelia sprung into action. She swiftly gathered all the essential documents and pieces of evidence we had been examining, carefully concealing them from prying eyes. "I'll be hiding in the guest room." Cecelia cut us in. As she disappeared into the shadows, I followed Uncle Romnick, making our way toward the main door. With a touch of apprehension, we opened the door cautiously, revealing Don Lucas and Malia standing before us. Although I already knew the purpose of their visit, I could not let them suspect that this villa truly belonged to me. Taking a deep breath, I masked my true intentions and put on a c
"I would like to apologize for the inconvenience, Mr. Roland. Let's go, John." Uncle Romnick bent half of his body toward Roland and his parents. Then he tried to drag me out of the room but I dodged him. "Are you challenging me right now, huh, Roland?" I scoffed with confidence while glancing at them, one by one. I groped my phone in my pocket and dialed Cecelia's digits which confused Roland and his parents. "How about canceling the European expansion?" "What are you doing?" Cecelia said from the other line of the phone. Good thing I did not put the call on speaker so no one could hear it apart from me. "Yes. It happens that I am confronting Roland in front of his parents for the five million dollar scheme but he denied it despite the evidence we have. Is that the kind of person are you going to be part of Mr. Stevenson's business?" Everyone's eyes, especially Roland's dilated in disbelief. He even tried to snatch the phone from me but I refused to give it to
"Are you sure about involving them in this case, John?" Uncle Romnick asked, his voice laced with doubts while looking at Chris and his friend from head to toe. "I mean, this is a crucial case in your life." I cannot blame Uncle Romnick to feel that way. He still doesn't know a thing about Chris and his hacker friend. I once informed him and Cecelia back at my office when we hired someone to be the fake Mr. Stevenson. But we already reached this far. Chris and his friend already know my secret and I was amazed by how they achieved a mission without any trace. So, keeping them on my side will be the best thing to do. Chris and I already sealed a deal that he will serve me until I say so. And their skills are one-of-a-kind. ''They are here to help us, Uncle Romnick." I smiled at them to lessen the tension. "And besides, I have something on them if they are going to betray me." Chris and his friend were taken aback in disbelief. Though it was simply a bluff, the
"I'm so sorry, John." Finally, some dare to speak up. However, it was neither Dad nor Mom but Uncle Romnick. Cecelia and I exchanged confused glances when we realized it was just the two of us who seemed to be unaware of what was currently going on. "Perhaps this is the result of what I did behind your back," he added, his voice sounding desperate and regretful. "Did I do something wrong to you in the past that I am not aware of, Unce Romnick?" I said back. "Was my monthly allowance not enough for you to betray me?" I tried to stay calm as much as possible but my nerves are showing the other way around. So I grasped the metal bars of the cell I was in to minimize the trembling of my nerves. One thing that I hate the most about trusting people is when they stab me behind my back. I already learned my lesson after what happened to me five years ago. That is why up to these days, I only limit those people who I talk and share my day with. And that includes Unc
Malia may have shown her tough side but I feel her heart was also in excruciating pain. She barely looks me in the eye even if my glace at her is quite obvious. It means to me that she still has feelings for me even if she was already married to Roland. So am I to her. Unfortunately, our love is not enough, and was bonded by a lie. As Cecelia and I left Don Lucas' dinner, the weight of her actions weighed heavily on my mind. I couldn't help but express my frustration as we started our journey back to my place. The car ride was filled with an awkward silence, punctuated only by the faint sound of the radio playing softly in the background. "Cecelia," I began, my voice tinged with disappointment. "I did not expect you to go that far tonight. Announcing our relationship in front of everyone, it's just... it felt like too much." Cecelia sighed, her gaze fixed on the passing city lights. "I'm really sorry, John, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. It's just t
Don Lucas, who was sitting next to us, coughed all of a sudden. He quickly regained his composure and asked, "Why? Did something happen, Malia?" Malia glanced at Roland with her eyes sharp. "Well, my beloved husband didn't spend a single cent before and after our one-week honeymoon. His credit cards kept getting declined every time we pay something." The room went silent as we all caught up in the middle of absorbing Malia's shocking revelation. Then Cecelia and I exchanged glances, our mouths agape in disbelief. Not that I was trying to tease Roland. However, I couldn't help myself from bursting out laughing, finding the situation incredibly amusing. "I'm sorry for laughing," I said, trying to compose myself. "It's just that I find it hard to believe that a billionaire's son does not have anything on his credit cards. Perhaps he already maximizes his credit limits. It happens sometimes, right?" Malia suddenly gave me a stern look, clearly not amused by my reaction. But despite h
Then, I filled Cecelia and Uncle Romnick in on our plan to meet up. "Remember Chris, the one that I fired from this company?" I said. "You mean, the Branch Manager Chris, who we met in the shopping mall and humiliated you?" Uncle Romnick asked, pointing to the main event of our encounter. I nodded. "I ran into him outside, and brought me such wonderful news." "But I thought you already fired him?" Uncle Romnick furrowed. "Why changed of heart?" he and Cecelia looked me in the eye without even blinking. "He did something big for me in return," I uttered. "Something that I cannot just ignore. And it worked somehow." "If it has something to do with the Andersons, then perhaps that's what changed your heart and mind." Uncle Romnick said, however, this time, in a cold tone as though he disagreed with it even if I haven't told them anything yet. Before everything gets awkward, Cecelia's cut us in and said. "That's great! I'm glad you are now thinking indifferentl
Uncle Romnick and I looked at each other as if we had something in common, then back at Cecelia. There was a long pause before Uncle Romnick spoke, "That's... actually not a bad idea." I nodded. "But who and where should we hire someone to do the job? And how much was the probability this idea is going to work?" Before anyone could respond to my inquiry, my entire family appeared in the living area all of a sudden. Their unexpected appearance made me furrowed when as far as I could remember, I did not ask Uncle Romnick to invite my entire family back to the villa. What was more surprising by their unexpected visit was that all of them were carrying luggage bags and backpacks behind them as though they will be on a one-month vacation or more than that - to stay with me for good. If they could have bought with them their house's electrical pieces of equipment or utensils, I could have assumed they will be staying here with us forever. So, I glanced at Uncle Rom
Right after that, the tour continued. Cecelia and I did not waste more of our time but enjoyed the best the night could offer. We experienced eating street foods, listening to live music, and even taking a riverboat cruise. On top of that, I also found something new about the woman I spent them with. Cecelia Spencer is such a lovely woman, easy to go with, and she always put a smile on her face every time I asked her something. And the experience was all worth it. The next morning, Cecelia and I walked into Don Lucas' office, hand in hand. It was part of our plan to pretend to be a couple. I could feel the sweat on my palms as we walked closer and closer to the meeting room. We had been practicing our act, but it was finally time to put it into action. As we entered the meeting room, I could see the confusion and curiosity on Don Lucas and Uncle Robin's faces. I knew we had to sell this, so I kept my grip on Cecelia's hand. We greeted them warmly and made our way t