FERNANDO MOSLI’s report was thorough and it made Angelo smile. Again, the former Federal Agents had done his job well. Angelo read it again and his mind raced thinking of a plan. The Madrigal Group of Companies is planning for another expansion. This time to US territory and currently looking for investors. The link of the announcement was found at the lower portion with the telephone number on it for inquiries.Time to meet his half-brother Carlo Dimagiba, the favorite son of Arnald Lopez.He called his secretary. “Can you arrange a meeting with Mr. Carlo Dimagiba of Moon Gate Hotel. Tell him that I am interested to invest. Remind him that we already met once at his father’s birthday.”“Okay sir.” The secretary said. “Anything else?”“That’s all. Thank you.” He said thinking. He could have called Carlo himself but decided not to and let his secretary. It will leave an impression.After an hour his Secretary called back confirming the meeting tonight at Moon Gate Hotel with Carlo Dimag
WHEN Angelo and Marisa entered, Carlo almost twitched as he focused his gazed on Angelo. The man was so handsome in his black Armani suite. He suddenly envied the woman besides him.Carlo said trying to be casual. “Nice to see you again, Mr. Lopez.”“Thank you.” Angelo replied cordially and introduce Marisa. “This is Marisa Madrid, my fiancée.”Carlo welcomed his guest. After few preliminaries he lead them to a table with foods and drinks that the hotel staff had prepared before his guest arrive.Carlo gestured to the waiter on standby. The waiter immediately poured champagne and served it directly to the guest.“An appetizer for a start Mr. Lopez…Ms. Marisa?” Carlo hold his wine glass. “Cheers.”Angelo and Marisa obliged. “Cheers.”“I suggest we eat first before we begin with business.” Carlo said and lead Marisa to her chair like a real gentleman.When they were seated the waiter started the first servings. Angelo noticed that the foods were superb and the wine too. He thought that
SAMANTHA was stunned when she entered the room and saw Angelo Lopez. She felt many conflicting emotions. In some point, a surge of tremendous excitement and then followed by painful reality. She felt excited seeing the man after quite a long time but she managed to retain her composure. The painful reality is that she wanted to hug and kiss the man but she could not. She is with another woman and obviously the woman is his date.She assessed the woman secretly and she was sure that the striking beauty next to Angelo was the man’s kind of woman she remembered the man had dated during their time.She had that impulse to turn back and headed out of the room but it was too late. She kept her poise and smiled but walk thru and kissed her brother.“I didn’t know you have a visitor.” She said. “Shall I leave?”“You don’t have to.” Carlo replied. “You knew Angelo Lopez right.”“Yeah. Hello Mr. Lopez.” Samantha managed to flashed a feigned smile.Angelo nodded and simply said. “Hello Samantha.
MARISA was silent all the way from the hotel to the house. But Angelo was certain that trouble is forthcoming. He hardly focused on his driving that he almost hit the rare of Ford Everest in front of him when it suddenly jolted and stop. He cursed aloud but Marisa maintain her silence.Until now, Samantha’s revelation was a shocked. But he knew Samantha well enough to believe her. Samantha was straight forward and never talked nonsense. He could not remember that the woman engaged on fabricated stories neither lies during the time that they were seeing each other.Deep inside him, Baby Divine’s smile with that big blue eyes brought out excitement. The baby’s rounded face is just like his baby picture that he still kept along with his mother’s memorabilia that was still in one of the mansion’s room.He provided a small room in his mansion and it was for his mother as tribute to the only woman she loved the most and whom he owed his life. In it, was all his mother’s earthly positions li
CHAPTER 52Marisa was already at the dining table when Angelo got out of bed. Breakfast was ready as usual. Ever since they lived together, Marisa always prepare their breakfast.“Good morning.” Marisa was in lighter mood today. She even smiled and kiss Angelo’s cheek.Angelo’s reaction was a sigh of relief that the events last night has no tailing effect. He kissed Marisa back.“Morning.” Angelo sit down before started saying, “About last night…”Marisa immediately hush Angelo with her finger touching his lips. “Shhh..It’s a beautiful morning honey. Let’s not talk about it. Besides, as you said it was just a one-night stand. You never be sure that it was really your baby.”Angelo thought about it. Is he over reacting? Marisa was right. He never too sure about it. It’s peculiar that a one-night affair will born him a baby.“Yeah. You have a point, that is why I will forget that matter now.” He said lying. Of course he felt that Samantha was telling the truth. Besides, when he secretly
Marisa was furiously pacing back and forth waiting for Angelo. Her rage increases when Angelo was not answering her calls. She tried to call the office but Angelo’s secretary said that her boss was not yet reporting.Marisa look at her watch and it was almost lunch time. But what angered her is knowing that Angelo had visited the hotel. This morning, while Angelo was in his shower she secretly opened Angelo’s Cellphone and activated the GPS (Geographical Positioning System). This system can track down every cellphone and the user’s where about.After Angelo left, Marisa monitored Angelo using the GPS which she linked to her cellphone. She had installed this app since it was offered. Initially, her purpose was to monitor all her staff’s where about and now she is using it to monitor Angelo.“That lying bastard.” She said to herself full of jealousy. “I’m sure he wanted to see that bitch, Samantha.”But what angered her more is when the signal of GPS was lost. Definitely Angelo was smar
SAMANTHA still had a lot of things in her mind and she felt a heavy heart a day after she arrived in her apartment. She still not in a mood to return to work but she forced herself. She needed money for her mother’s medical maintenance. The Doctor said that it is important that her mother should be cautious to foods and there must be regular medical checkups.Another thought that occupied her mind was Angelo Lopez. No matter how hard she tried to wave away the man in her mind, it always coming back. The man’s smile always lingered in her thought. She was almost tempted to call her brother Carlo to ask for Angelo’s contact number. But she hesitated. Angelo was engaged to be married and she don’t want to be a third wheel.She was still in deep thoughts when her phone rang. Norberto was calling.“Hello Samantha,” The man’s baritone voice reverberated from the other end. “When are you going to report to work?”“I’ll be there tomorrow. Sorry if I can’t make it today. I accompanied my mothe
SAMANTHA did not expect that hell with Beverly will start very soon. The following day she arrived in her office and Becky Sanchez her assistant greeted her with bad news. She was about to seat when Becky hurriedly stormed inside her office.“My Gosh Samantha, what have you done.?” Becky said almost panicky.She has no idea what Becky was saying so she asked. “Why?”“Miss Beverly was here very early and asking for you. So I said that you phoned me that you will be a little late this morning. She instantly shouted at me and got mad.”“Shouted at you because I am late?”“Yes she said, we are being paid for every hour’s work so we have to be on time so that every penny that was paid to us by the company should not be wasted.”Samantha was troubled instantly. She knew that Beverly was just making her life difficult but she shrugged and decided to just ignore what Becky had just said but as when she decided so, Beverly hurriedly entered her office without even knocking.“So the Boss is her
WITH so many things occupying her mind, Samantha was surprised to see Angelo Lopez in her office accompanied by her secretary Becky Sanchez.“He insisted Boss.” Becky reasoned.“That is okay, Becky. You can leave us now.”“You are very hard to find, Boss.” Angelo said mockingly. “Cannot reach your phone and the apartment was empty and no neighbor can tell where you transfer.”Samantha understood Angelo’s resentment. Because of the fast turned of events in her life, she actually forgotten about the man. Due to Franks advice she terminated her subscription with her old cell phone, instead she used burner phone. An inexpensive phone designed for temporary call. According to Frank it will be safer so that no one can track her. She forgot to inform Angelo about it.Also due to Frank’s insistence they already move to the mansion. Her mother resisted it at first but when she realized the gravity of danger to Samantha being Frank’s daughter she eventually obliged. She already realized by now t
MARISA was overwhelmed, elated and more than happy seeing her new face. She was even more beautiful now. The doctor had really done a miracle on restoring her damaged face. She cried and hugged Angelo with too much happiness.“I think this needs for a celebration.” Angelo suggested silently feeling overwhelmed too. The burden that was lurking inside him and the fear that Marisa could not make it suddenly disappear.“Ohh… honey. I am so thankful.” Marisa said with misty eyes and then turned around. “Thank you Doctor.”“Thanks the Lord ma’am. I am just his instruments.” The doctor humbly answered. “The miracle was from him.”Marisa nodded in silence. She believed the doctor. In her past reading of the holy bible she contemplated much about her past and she realizes how lucky she was. A blessing that she should share to less fortunate. She was so touched and now she had promised herself that she will do good deeds in the future.They dined happily that evening as a celebration. She now r
FRANK was thinking if he will tell Samantha everything about his secrets. When his wife and son Roberto was killed in the car explosion, he vanished for a year. He also spread rumors that Franco Ortega was also killed in the incident. His youngest daughter Beverly, orphaned at two years old was raised by his wife’s parent.When he resurrected, he became incognito and very careful. He transacted business online and made some slight changes in his appearance through plastic surgery. He became Frank Sevilla. In his absence he stayed at the hotel he inherited from his grandfather. That was the time he met Divina Montes and Samantha was born.He looked at Samantha and contemplate whether it is her time to inherit the organization. He sensed that she had the quality of a good leader. In her few months as Chief Executive Officer of the company, Samantha showed prowess in decision making. Decision making makes or breaks a leader. Poor decision went astray while good decision made it through.
The Boss lead Samantha to a sitting room after they eat. It was a huge room with no windows but well lighted. There was a steel framed working table and a sofa. Aside from collection of antiques, the room was almost bare. No pictures or paintings hanged. Only a brown painted wall with high ceiling.The Boss took a bottle of wine and pour it into two wine glass and handed Samantha the other one which she eagerly took. She badly needed a drink after the incident of gun fire and surprises that had happened. Her adrenaline was still up and she wanted to eased a bit.“I know you are surprised seeing me here.” The Boss said after he emptied his glass. “I think we have to be introduced properly. I am Franco Ortega. But to you and your mother I am Frank Sevilla. I am sorry that I did not introduce you myself earlier. I have reasons.”“So you knew that I am your daughter all along?” Samantha said sounding like a statement of annoyance.“Yes. Since you were born. I was in the hospital when you
AS they speed away going to the office’s direction, Constantine eyes was wary and wandering. He was looking at every direction of the road. The bodyguard seated at the front also do the same. Samantha was sitting at the back and trying to relax but she could not. She sensed something was up to. The way Constantine and the other bodyguard was acting made her nervous. She touched the gun on her bag and adjusted her bullet proof vest.Samantha was thinking about her daughter and was almost tempted to make an order to turn around and go back. Constantine had fill her in about how dangerous Marisa Madrid’s family. An old mafia family that made things done by violence and guns. She glanced back and saw the other car following them. It was part of the three car convoy. Their car was in between and the first car leading them was speeding constantly.As they are about to cross the bridge, there was an explosion in front of them. The first convoy was almost hit and then there was another explos
Marisa Madrid was sleeping in her hospital bed. Angelo was staring at the woman who was fully bandaged on the face with broken nose and gunshot wounds on the right cheek. The wound was not fatal because it exited the soft skin of the jaw but the doctor said that it will need longer therapy to restore both the skin and the broken jaw.Marisa also suffered fractured bones and limbs. Other than that she was already out of danger and the good thing is that the baby was not affected. Angelo got a mixed emotion about what happened. He learned that Marisa provoked the fight but he could not imagine that Samantha was now capable to break somebody’s limb. What happened to the sweet soft woman that he used to loved? It seems that something had turned out within the woman that made her a killer.Marisa moved and open her eyes. She was wary at first but when she saw Angelo sitting beside her bed she started to mumble incoherent words. The bandage and the wounds made her difficult to talk.“P-Plea
ONE morning Constantine her driver/body guard handed her a bullet proof vest before they left the apartment.“It’s a vest. Like mine. Please wear it.” Constantine slowly said while helping Samantha unwrapped the black jacket like vest.“You are scaring me Constantine. Why am I supposed to wear a vest like this?” She said, starting to feeling nervous.“Protection Boss.”“Oww. Another threat I guess.” Samantha said to lighten the mood and then added a joke. “Or maybe we are going to a raid or something.”Constantine help Samantha with the vest and asked after. “Is your gun with you?”“Yeah of course.” She said touching her bag.She remembered Brenda’s word. “Don’t let yourself a willing target. Always carry your gun with you wherever you go. Consider it your best friend that you cannot live without.”“Let’s go then.” Constantine said and started the car.AS the car drove to the office direction, Samantha could not help but think. She never dreamed of a life like this. What she wanted wa
Divina was silent during breakfast and Samantha decided to respect that silence too. She was light headed that morning because of lack of sleep. As she watched her mother silently, Samantha was almost tempted to ask her who was her real father again but she had a second thought because Divina had answered that already and firmed in her conviction that Arnald was her father. Samantha had a second thought about it and she knew that asking will bring her nowhere. Now she realized how distant was Arnald to her and her mother in her growing days. She never remembered that the man had spent longer hour for her even during special occasions like Christmas and birthdays. She outgrown the thought that maybe Arnald was just a busy man.After high school she was sent to America to study college. It was Arnald’s idea and her mother could not say no but cry.Well maybe her mother was still expecting a second chance between them and Arnald like she was silently hoping for the second chance between
Divina remembered that when she confronted Arnald about the blind item, her husband did not confirm nor denied. She was so hurt and devastated. She loved her husband but she reached her limits. Like a scorned woman seeking for vengeance her first impulse was to self-distract. She began to socialized with old friends to forget but the pain always remained.She started drinking heavily and going out every night with old friends. Rich and adventurous friends who eventually taught her to gamble in the casino. Gamblers always had its beginners luck but it doesn’t last that long. House always wins and Divina had already been addicted to it. She lost heavily. She had almost dried her own savings, pawned all her jewelries but could not have the nerve to tell Arnald and ask for more money.The Pharmaceutical Company was now converted into a corporation from single proprietorship. As corporation it has a separate entity from the owner’s and she could not withdraw money without asking permission