Chapter 005

Meanwhile, in Arnaldo’s office, his friends arrived one by one, the reason for that sweet night.

“Hey, man, it looks like you’re unusually happy today! You’ve got a big smile on your face!” John teased as he suddenly entered his office.

“Maybe it’s because the ‘Lady in Red’ gave you quite the treat!” David joked as well.

“Bro, was it good? Was she great? That girl we got for you seemed pretty yummy. What’s her name?” Oscar teased, too.

“You guys are crazy!” Arnaldo said, smiling as he threw his pen at his friends.

“I got a scolding from my mom because of what you guys did. Sandra caught us; she walked in on us in my room. But seriously, guys, this girl. She’s really different. I don’t know! But she left an impact on me!”

“I even felt bad because Sandra and Kenzo ganged up on her, pulling her hair. Everything went chaotic since my mom was at the mansion at the time. Sigh.” Arnaldo continued telling his friends.

“So, what’s the deal with that girl? You mean you didn’t even get her name?” Oscar asked, disappointed.

“Exactly, man! I didn’t get her name. Worse, I didn’t even see her face clearly! This morning, there was chaos again in the mansion because Sandra caught us, and her friend Kenzo was with her,” Arnaldo replied.

“It must have been a real mess, bro! I can already imagine Sandra being a tiger! And I bet Auntie was furious,” David added.

The friends continued chatting and teasing Arnaldo. They often teased him because, despite his good looks and charm, he wasn’t into chasing women. So, they set things up for that night to “baptize” their friend before he got tied down to Sandra.

“Seriously, guys! What did you put in my drink? It hit me hard, and I still have a headache!” Arnaldo questioned his friends.

“Don’t worry about it, bro. But did you have fun? Hahaha,” they teased.

“It was nothing! Hahaha,” one of them replied.

“You guys are crazy! You’re trying to make me like you! But you know I’m already tied down to Sandra, no matter what,” Arnaldo said with a sigh.

“Let’s go for a coffee break. Let’s head to the Starbucks downstairs so you can clear your head. You’re way too deep into your work, man. You’re wasting your good looks,” John suggested to his friend.

They all stood up one by one from their seats.

John was also a business owner. At 25, he already owned a large company.

Oscar was the CEO of several well-known hotels and big casinos in the Philippines. He handled the family business.

David was a businessman who managed the luxury bags and shoes brands popular throughout Asia. He inherited the business from his aging parents, who could no longer handle the operations.

As for Arnaldo, he was known as the “man of steel,” controlling many of the big projects not only in the Philippines but also abroad. He was a contractor who built bridges, buildings, and casinos.

In addition to his family’s clothing business, which he also managed after the incident involving his sister Angela, Arnaldo made sure to focus on his construction firm since that’s where he became known to big investors.

His mother, Veronica, nearly went crazy after the incident that took his sister Angela’s life, so Arnaldo didn’t oppose anything she wanted, including the arranged marriage to Sandra. They did everything to make their mom happy. The same went for Gener, who didn’t object to anything his wife wanted.

Veronica loved Angela dearly, as she was their only daughter. Like Arnaldo, Angela was a beautiful woman who attracted any man who laid eyes on her. She had many suitors, from famous actors to politicians and businessmen, both in the Philippines and abroad. Angela graduated cum laude from Harvard University as a lawyer. Because of this, she received numerous job offers to work at various law firms.

Angela chose to work at a law firm in New York.

“Sweetheart, isn’t the work you’re doing dangerous? You know how many bad people are here in America,” Veronica reminded her daughter during a visit, as she missed her.

“Mom, you know I love what I’m doing here! I want to help innocent people get justice,” Angela replied to her mother.

“Yeah, I know, sweetheart. Just take care of yourself here. Your dad and I are flying back to the Philippines soon. We can’t leave the business for too long, and your dad has meetings with investors. We also need to visit our supplier in China. We’ll be flying there after a week,” Veronica told her daughter.

“Yes, Mommy! You and Daddy be careful on your flight. I’ll take you to the airport, okay? I love you, Mommy and Daddy. And tell Arnaldo I miss him—he’s been so busy he hasn’t visited me here,” Angela said sweetly, kissing her mother on the cheek and hugging her, as well as her father.

“Yes, Arnaldo has been super busy. He got another project in Dubai. The Sheikh is building a new bridge there.” Veronica hugged her daughter back, showering her with kisses and reminders.

At the airport, her parents bid farewell, waving as they entered the boarding gate. Angela smiled as she watched them leave. She was happy, even though their visits were rare due to their busy schedules with the family business. Angela herself was swamped with cases, making it hard for her to return to the Philippines often.