Samantha’s newly achieved fame soar high like eagle in the sky. It was marvelous that news about her was pick-up not only by local magazines and newspapers but also by publishers in the other part of the world. Including her country of course, her native land. She was instantly become the pride of her country of origin where she was born that is why most followers were her KABABAYANS, the ever loyal countrymen.The news of her and Angelo was the banner story of almost every entertainment column of both magazines and newspapers. Television anchor and crew find their time to interview her in the states. That was good because the rating of the movie had doubled. The only movie of the century that had acclaimed so much support and earned above gross more than its competitors.Arnald Lopez seldom watch television but he always read newspapers. A habit he developed starting from the time when his business started to grew. The business section of the newspaper fascinated him. The big busines
ARNALD grinned as he rode the taxi to the airport. He was disturbed finding the man behind AR Enterprises. According to Nid Relly it stands for Angelo Rosanes and Rosanes keeps ringing in his ears. It keeps coming back somewhere in his past.It was Sunday morning and the ride to airport was traffic free and the car stereo of the taxi he was riding was blaring with oldies but goodies music from Sinatra, Engelbert Humperdinck and their contemporaries. Those songs in the FM station brought out nostalgic memories from his youth. Arnald could not help but to smile and shook his head remembering his past. Being young and restless he had done some foolish things but those were all part of growing up as everybody does have.But sometimes he wondered and contemplate if what really makes a man. Is it the society, nature, environment or a choice? As he grew older he saw many success and failures in his lifetime. But one thing is sure, men were born and has to live with whatever dream he had. But
JASON Buenavista was at his office early that morning. Since he came to the US and won the bidding of the hotel that his older brother Carlo had started, he decided to spent more of his time here. He occupied the whole top floor of the twenty floor establishment. He had converted it into office and residence with two guest rooms.He was enjoying his new journeys as hotelier. Owning an international hotel and casino was his ultimate dream. And now he had it all. Next target, Europe. Soon the Buenavista’s group of hotel will be known worldwide.Jason smiled remembering his late brother Carlo, the favorite of their father. Now he felt that inner pride. At last he had beaten Carlo in term of accomplishment. He owned the hotel that Carlo had also dreamed of.He still remembered Emil Buenavista’s word when he was still a kid. “Always strive to be the best. In this world, you are not only to survive but to win. Always aspire to be best and get whatever you want and whatever it cost. Patience
ANGELO’s mood was never better the whole day. He could not help thinking about what happened this morning. His anger with Jason Buenavista, his scheming half-brother escalated even more as he thought about it. He could not believe that behind that pretty face and innocent looks hide a notorious scheming mind. To think that he knew that among all of Arnald’s siblings, Jason was the wealthiest. Silent billionaire in his own way with investments in almost all kinds of business from transportation, banking, real state, manufacturing and the widest Hotel and Casino network all over the country. There was no single industry that belongs to the top fifty businesses that the Buenavista groups of companies had not been affiliated.What Jason did to him was greed without moderation. Now he is thinking. If Mosli will carry on his order it might disrupt his peaceful life now. It will poster danger to him and his business. Talking to Don Leonardo Ricci might be an alternative. He knew that the Don
Because of Samantha’s insistence, Angelo could not find any other reason not to accompany her to dinner. He tried many excuses but Samantha did her charm and every time Angelo look at her his heart lift up with joy. That smile almost melted him and every wink of her eyes had totally erased all his hatred to her family. Except for Jason because he never expected that behind that innocent face lies a devil’s greed.He tried hard to play his role as a true gentleman. But his feeling towards Jason Buenavista was never appeased. They arrived early at the hotel and they were escorted directly to the penthouse. As they walk out of the elevator, Angelo saw Jason’s bodyguards guarding the lobby. Two was posted at the entrance door. Angelo recognized the two with black eyes. They were the two body guard that he knocked out the other day. They were alerted when they saw Angelo. Angelo noticed that every one of them was carrying hand gun that was tucked in and was visibly bulging into their hips.
ARNALD was shocked. He felt his knees so weak that he started to collapse little by little like a burning candle. But the thing is he don’t feel like burning. Coldness engulfed him. He tried to seat but it seems that the world was shaking. For the last few months he had already felt that uneasiness and sudden pain in his chest. His doctor said that it was the result of his depression. When Carlo died Arnald was so depressed and begun to drink heavily. His health begun to deteriorate but he doesn’t care. He had already lost the will to live.“D-Dad are you okay?” Samantha started to regain her consciousness from her own shock when she saw his father that was so pale.“Y-yes. Please get me my medicine.” Arnald mumbled.Samantha hurriedly took the medicine kit from Arnald’s room and a glass of water. When Arnald drink it, he begun to relax. Jason was wandering the room walking back and forth as he watched Arnald.“Don’t believe him Dad. He was just an impostor.” Jason interjected when he
ARNALD was awake when Angelo arrived. He just pretended sleeping because he wasn’t ready to face Angelo. As he pondered about what happened, his past with Marisa Rosanes became vivid in his memory. He had loved Marisa like the other women he had relationship. But he was married during that time with Divina Montes and he could not afford to lost the opportunity to grow big.His own business was hardly thriving and Divina’s Pharmaceutical Company was stable and growing. So he focused on managing the company that his wife had inherited. So when Divina found out his affair with Marisa Rosanes, he decided to end it. He went abroad to study and when he came back he could no longer contact Marisa. Apparently Marisa had already quit showbiz and no one knew where she was.He had no idea that she born his son. If he only knew, he will be very glad to take care of him like what he did with his other siblings. He supported all of them when needed. Luckily most of his son’s mother had more money t
For Samantha, it seems that everything that is happening is a whirlwind of culminating events one after the other. From Angelo’s revelation that he was Arnald’s son to Divina Montes keeping the secret about Marisa and his son. She understood her mother. No woman could tolerate that her husband has another woman and a child. She could almost curse her father.After Angelo left, Samantha gathered all the courage to ask her father. At first she was afraid to know the truth. Until now the idea that Angelo was her brother is still not sinking in. Arnald was busy with his phone. He was talking to Jason Buenavista on the other end.“I will pick you at the hospital, Dad. I’ll drive you to the hotel myself.” Jason said.“Is my plane ticket confirmed?”“Yes dad. Everything was arranged.”After Arnald closed his phone Samantha could not wait any longer. Now that her father will be leaving, she had to know the truth.“Is Angelo really your son Dad?”Arnald was silent for a while.“Yes.”“But how
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