As they continued walking through the mall, I couldn't help but notice how happy Malia seemed. She can laugh and joke with Roland's parents as though they were most likely similar to a real family. A twinge of jealousy resides in my heart while looking at them. I had always been attracted to her, and I know that she feels the same way about me. But what is Malia planning? Why can she just announce it to John and his parents about us being engaged? Didn't Malia realize that she was making it hard for me to believe that her love for me is sincere and real? After I few walks, they stopped at a clothing store, and Malia started fitting on clothes. I sat down on a bench, watching them with a bored expression. And I could not help but feel like I was being used, just there to carry their shopping bags. Three hours later, they finally finished their shopping trip and headed back to the parking lot. Malia turned to me and smiled. "Thanks for coming with us, John. It
Roland and his parents did not hesitate to tell Don Lucas about the incident earlier in the mall. All of them pointed the blame at me Malia got kidnapped by those men in masks. With their combined false accusations, Don Lucas did not think things through as he slapped me straight in the face. I could even feel the handmarks that were left on my face. Of course, Malia getting kidnapped was a huge incident all of us could barely imagine. So before Don Lucas blames any one of them, they pointed it on me because they fucking believe that I am just a mere employee of the Andersons. That my life was not even worth a dime. What else would I expect from those people who only cared about money, fame, and name? Roland doesn't want to ruin his reputation in front of Don Lucas, considering he and Malia were going to get married soon. "For God's sake! Aren't you supposed to be the one keeping an eye on your wife, huh, John?" Don Lucas furiously announced right after slappin
"Are you kidding us right now, Mr. Stevenson?" Don Lucas asked, still in disbelief, and at the same time, he was extremely furious at me. Truth be told, it was all of them who shared the same expression toward me, even Mr. Emilio, whom I believe as the only person in this meeting room Malia considered our ally. I already announced the case to everyone, so I stood up with my decision. "You can call your contact person in Europe if you don't believe me, Don Lucas. That's how desperate I am to save Malia from the hands of the kidnappers." Don Lucas was about to reach out to his phone but Uncle Robin stopped him and asked, "If we'll provide you the remaining four billion dollars, what's in it for us?" he asked. "I mean, four billion is four billion." "Then I will be the company's slave for the rest of my life." I proposed desperately. "I managed to close the European business deal which all of you is impossible to happen. My brain is a huge asset for the company."
Right after distributing the money, I made sure these people inside my condo could get out of the building unnoticed. So I assisted them. Afterward, I went back to Don Lucas' mansion to make sure everyone will not feel suspicious of me. For what it's worth, our kidnapping transaction went well. And I nailed the drama even if one of them put a bullet in my shoulder. It was a quiet evening when I reached the mansion and I found myself at the dining table with Malia, her mom, and Don Lucas. We were all quietly having our meal, appreciating the delicious food prepared by the chef. Suddenly, Don Lucas broke the silence, "Malia, have you given any thought to taking over the presidential position in our company?" I saw Malia's expression change, her eyes widened, and she lowered her gaze to her plate for a brief moment before looking back up to face her grandfather. "Yes, Grandpa, I have thought about it, and I am definitely interested," she replied with a small smile.
After a few minutes of casual conversation with everyone at the table, an envelope slides across the table toward me. Out of curiosity, I take a look inside and to my surprise, it's an employment contract. As I read it over, Don Lucas begins to explain that I will work under him for the rest of my life and the list of my duties and responsibilities. "As we agreed at the meeting yesterday." Don Lucas said "You will be working in the company to pay the four billion dollars. I am not the worst employer, so I came up with a forty years contract. Working hours start at seven and end at seven. This time, you are going to work with me." My initial reaction was shock and confusion. I had always dreamed of a career that would allow me to someday be my own boss, but here I was being offered a lifetime of servitude to someone else. However, I knew that saying no was not an option. "Part of your job is to keep the company's financial statements updated," he added. "I don't wa
Later in the night, while lying on the bed, I could not help but think about what to do with my three days before my life gets ruined by the Andersons. Even if I already have everything in the world, money, businesses, properties, and connections, my heart still feels the emptiness of my soul. I promised myself that once I could have everything in the world, revenge comes next. Now that the truth reached my knowledge, getting everything to disappear is the least of my worries as long as I could get the justice I truly deserved. But before getting myself into trouble, I came up with better things to do tomorrow. The next day, as Uncle Romnick and I made our way to my parent's house, my nerves began to set in. It had been five long years since I'd last seen them, and the last time we saw each other was plagued with accusations of a crime I did not commit. "Just relax, John." Uncle Romnick breaks the deafening silence between us in the car. "Your parents may
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
"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