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Kate was going through her bag, deciding on what to wear for their late brunch. Yes, they skipped breakfast altogether, since she and Carlos went for their third round, making love in bed. After which, they dozed off, exhausted from their morning exercise. When they awoke, it was already past noon. Carlos was already downstairs, checking the kitchen when Kate took her long bath. “This one or this one?” She asked herself, choosing between a crop top blouse paired with denim shorts and a casual dress. However, just as she was contemplating, her eyes wandered to Carlos’ closet. A smile formed on her face, saying, “I know what to pair with my shorts.” *** In the living room, Carlos had his hands folded against his chest, his forehead creased. He huffed, watching the news on TV. Hailey Mckenzie was being interviewed by F9 TV, a French TV network. She was crying as if deprived of something that belonged to her. “They won’t let me see Carlos, my boyfriend. Where is the justice in th
“Thank you for returning my daughter,” Ethan said while welcoming Carlos to the dining table. “Although we don’t mind if Kate stays with you until tomorrow. When are you leaving again, Carlos?” Samantha asked. “I’m leaving tomorrow, aunt,” Carlos revealed. “Kate will see me practice tomorrow morning, and I’ll leave for New York in the afternoon.” “Will you be back?” Samantha asked. “Yes, aunt. I will return after my New York trip, but I might not stay long. I still have to wait for instructions from the French Open organizers, but I am certain they will not delay the tournament for long. It can’t clash with the Wimbledon finals,” Carlos explained. “Yes, and we still need you to win the French Open Cup,” Ethan said before pointing Carlos and Kate to their seats. Observing the frown on Kate's face, Ethan asked, “Why are you looking grumpy?” “I’m not grumpy, dad. Pfft!” Kate denied it by faking a laugh. The truth was, Kate was disappointed that she did not get her reward from
Kate: [I miss you already] Reading Kate’s text made Carlos smile. Carlos was in his New York penthouse, ready to leave for his meeting with Officer Baker. The other day, when he left, he gave Kate a secured phone, and the same gadget already had his new number saved. Before taking the lift, he took the chance to send Kate a text back: [I miss you too. I’ll be back before you know it.] The sound of the elevator doors opening caught his attention. His eyes landed on Lemuel, his head of his security. “Sir, this way,” Lemuel said, guiding him to the back entrance of his penthouse building. “Have you added bodyguards to follow Kate around?” Carlos asked. Lemuel cleared his throat and replied, “Sir, um. Miss Wright has six soldiers following her around. She doesn’t even realize it. Plus the two we have commissioned from the security agency, she now has eight protectors.” “Good,” said Carlos. “Nothing is more important to me than Kate.” “Understood, Sir,” Lemuel acknowledged.
“We think… your father may be alive.” The words that left officer Baker's lips echoed in Carlos' head. He did not know for how long he sat there, thinking. His mind wandered back to his father’s wake. Carlos recalled how his mother never let him see Manuel’s face because of his father's injuries. He felt a headache coming his way, trying to identify those who peered inside his father’s coffin. The accident that resulted in his father's death was a head-on collision with a truck and resulted in a fire, barely recognizing the bodies of both vehicle drivers. ‘Uncle Ethan and aunt Sam, I’m sure they had a look,’ Carlos thought. Then, Carlos's voice came through with the recollection of how the police went to his mother about the accident. He stammered into his reply, “I think… the police identified him properly. I remember how, aside from his private things, there was a DNA test done -” “Teeth. I already checked,” said officer Baker. “They identified your father’s DNA through his tee
“Miss Mckenzie, what do you have to say about the statement that Carlos Ronaldo’s party released? According to his statement, you are not in a relationship,” the news reporter could be seen on TV asking Hailey as she walked to the airport in Paris. Kate watched the news while having lunch with her colleagues at CSK Apparel. She narrowed her eyes at the sight of Hailey and waited for her reply. She thought, ‘You better tell the truth, Hailey.’ “I’m sure there is a reason for his denial. This is just a misunderstanding. Everything will be cleared up very soon. You'll see.” Hailey smiled and said, “Thank you. I need to catch my flight and return to New York.” Kate’s lips twitched in irritation. She thought, ‘How dare she?’ “Wonder why Mister Ronaldo denied their relationship. Weren’t they always seen together?” Linsey, Kate’s marketing associate, said. Molly, their store manager, replied, “Yes. Even during his early tennis career. Maybe they are going through a rough patch. Every c
[I’m sorry, Kate. Don’t worry, everyone will know that you are my girlfriend when this is all over. Have a good sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow morning. I love you, and I miss you terribly.] Carlos replied to Kate’s text while at the dining area of Alexander’s home. For over an hour now, Carlos, Alexander, and Kendra had been enjoying their meal while occasionally drinking red wine. They chatted about their previous tennis matches while sometimes talking about the other players. Kendra also injected conversations about models dating tennis players, allowing her to be thoroughly part of the discussion. Kendra picked up the bottle of wine from the ice bucket and poured the remaining contents into Carlos’ and Alexander’s glass. After which, she said, “Oops! Looks like we need a refill, guys.” Carlos checked the time and said, “Nah, I think it’s time for me to go -” “Go? Oh, my god, Carlos. It has been so long since we had so much fun, don’t you agree?” Kendra asked, winking at Carlos.
Earlier that evening, in the kitchen of Alexander's home. Lemuel’s brows met, seeing how Kendra appeared to be preparing glasses of wine, but more than that, she seemed to be concentrated on one glass alone. “Excuse me, ma’am. Mister Jenkins said I could get a beer?” Kendra was startled when he made his presence known, and her face looked liable. Oh, he was familiar with that guilty look, alright. He was a former marine, after all. Another thing he noticed was how Kendra's eyes scanned the floor when she answered him, searching for something. As she did, Lemuel's gaze returned to the three glasses on the tray and an open bottle of wine, and he squinted. The wine was already chilled, and Lemuel saw Carlos and Alexander holding a wine glass each. He thought, ‘There was no reason for Kendra to prepare more glasses when they were drinking the same kind of wine… Unless... she was spiking the drinks.’ Kendra had those bottle service tray-type which allowed her to carry everything inde
From a private island in France, a tall man in his late twenties was looking distantly at the sea from the garden terrace of his mansion. He was slightly bearded, with long hair tied behind his head. The man was Guillaume Bonnet, Hugo’s only son. As Guillaume stood there with his hands tucked inside his trouser pockets, he sighed, planning for his next move. His father’s actions resulted in their family business’ near bankruptcy, and while he had Carlos Ronaldo to thank for the end of his father’s reign, he just could not let go of the hundred million dollars they had lost. They suffered around sixty million dollars, gambling for Carlos to lose in a match. This included the wagers placed by their allied gangs in other countries. However, when the police seized his father’s properties, they also lost control of those assets. They also lost men. The umpires under their payroll were arrested, and the same could be said to anyone who had dealings with the Bonnet Gang. In short, they w