3 YEARS LATER
"Ms. Samaniego, please listen!" My secretary whispered to me while I was sitting at the back of the conference hall, pretending to be listening to my mother's presentation, but the truth is I am writing an update in my story.
I ignored my secretary as I know that she's there to write the minutes of the meeting for me.
"We already closed the deal with the company in the Philippines," I heard my mother say, though I really don't know what she's talking about.
Meetings and presentations really bored me. As much as I want to listen, I feel like I am wasting my time. Although, my mother was telling me to pay attention since sooner I will be the one handling the board.
It's been three years since I went back to Spain and pursued architecture, making my mother the happiest woman on earth. But, I know I am making her head ache since I still don't want to manage the company. I just agreed to become their architect.
I will just learn everything when they already gave me the power. To which I assume, my mother is not willing to give it to me yet since I haven't proven that I deserve it. Yeah. I am doing everything for her not to give it to me. But of course, I cannot do it forever because if I continued to act like this, she might have really arranged my marriage to her business friends.
I am the first child, first granddaughter, first niece from both sides of my family. Of course, the pressure is mine. That is why they really want me to choose the man I will marry because they don't want to put our company into waste.
She was still in the middle of talking when my phone rang. I immediately grabbed it and turned it off. It was Dave that's calling me. Ugh! I forgot to silence it.
"Sorry. Continue, Ma'am." I smiled a bit and pretended to listen to her but I am thinking of a scene for my story.
Architecture bored me to death, so I decided to go back to writing and also to ease my stress away. It's just a get-away from the cruel world and I decided to write again because I need something that will help me escape from some things.
However, I know I am just lying to myself because I started writing hoping that he would also come back to writing. Of course, that's impossible.
I gave him so much pain and I just wished that after years, he's now happy. I am trying to be happy, too.
"Going back, we already signed a billion contract with the company."
Woah! That caught my attention and I looked at my mother who was looking at me. I thought she was going to be mad when she spoke.
"Ms. Samaniego will be the project manager for that."
"What?" I raised my brow. "I mean, I am not yet done with my project and…"
"You will be passing the project to Dave," she said. Though, Dave wasn't around. He was busy preparing for his wedding.
"Isn't that in the Philippines?" I confirmed and my mother nodded.
My gosh! My mother is killing me. I told her I am never going back to the Philippines again. There's no reason to go back.
"Yes."
"But…" I brushed my hair. How could I say my lame reason?
"Okay. Uhm...why me? We have a branch in the Philippines, right?"
"The owner personally requested you upon seeing the designs we propose. It was your design that they chose and they want you to look at it." My mother explained. "And, aside from the hotel, they also asked you to design a house for them. The details will be talked about when you are already there."
"Okay…" I lazily replied and my mother glared at me so I straightened my back. "What's the name of the company?"
"You are not listening, are you?"
I made a peace sign and bowed down. My secretary, Harriet, whispered the name of the company.
"Ash Engineering Firm."
I just nodded and ignored it. I finished one chapter of my story right in time for the meeting to be adjourned. I was left alone with my mother in the hall. Again, she wasn't amused by me.
"I will do the design. I promise!" I told her as I closed my laptop.
"I trust you. The owner of this company is a close friend of mine, so don't dare mess it up." She glared at me.
Close friend of hers? I doubt that. When I looked at my mother, it was like she’s regretting something.
“Are you not telling me something, mom?” I asked.
“What do you mean by that?” She scoffed.
“Are you hiding something from me?”
For a second, I saw how sorry she was and I couldn’t understand that. She looked like she did something real bad towards me and is now trying to make up?
“I’m sorry.” She smiled.
“Why?” I blinked. “What is it now?”
“You’ll figure it out soon, but you deserve to hear it from me and I am making it up to you now.”
“You’re creepy.” I sighed. “Whatever, mother. I will be back after I finish it. How long does it take?"
"A year."
"What?" I was surprised. "Why is that?"
"This isn't just a business. He's a family friend and we are looking to merge our company." Mother told me.
I paused upon realizing what she said. She looked at me and nodded.
"I let you do everything and even waited for you to find someone after Mattel died and what happened between you and...It's time that I arranged it for you."
I blinked. Okay. That's not a surprise but I was still shocked. My mother already gave me years to find someone worthy of my attention, but I still haven't found one because I am too afraid to trust anyone. I am already done with love and I just want to have a life. Mattel died and Gray betrayed me.
"Okay." I plainly said. "Are we going to get married soon?"
"Not yet. You still have a say. That is why I want you to meet the guy and try it."
"Yeah. Got it."
I told my mother and went back to my office to start the project plan. Well, I already have one but I want to make sure that everything will go in plan, especially that my mother requested it. No need to argue because I don't have a say. I need to follow my mother's order before she kicks me out of the house.
And, I guess I need to start moving forward. My mother always sets me up with dates that I refuse to go because I no longer want to have a lovelife.
But, I also know that I could never avoid it. If it comes, it will. Maybe this is also the time for me to forget things and find someone that is worthy of my time.
When will I find that? Will I be able to find that kind of love?
It’s frustrating yet somehow I enjoyed this life. Let love come for me. I am just hoping whoever that guy that my mother was setting me up with is actually worthy. I should check first if he had been cheated because it’ll be a mess if it turns out to be like that.
It took me years to build myself again because of what happened between me and Gray. I don’t want anyone to ruin my peace of mind again even if I loved him. People would contradict me saying that it’s part of love. Indeed, it was part of love and being in love yet it doesn’t mean I will tolerate something that I know would ruin me.
If Gray really loves me, he would never lie. Well, I just hope he already found his ending. I don’t care about him.
I shoved the thought away from my mind when my phone rang.
“Do I really need an appointment to see my girlfriend?” Ethan’s baritone voice registered from the other line.
I chuckled.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Well, I think they don’t recognize me. Can you please talk to me?”
“Not recognize you? What are you now, an alien?” I joked.
I stood up from my swivel chair, picked up my wallet and coat before heading out.
“Where are you? Are you going to treat me to dinner?” I asked. “I am hungry.”
“Yes, sure, honey. Just tell them to remember me. I am at the lobby.”
“Okay...okay!” I said, pressing the elevator button. “I’ll be there in a minute.”
I hung up. Just then, my mother went out of her office.
“I’ll be heading out with Ethan.” I said.
“If you are going to choose a man. Choose Ethan and stop searching or waiting,” she advised me. “Make sure you are done with your work before you go on a date.”
“Yes, Mother!” I waved at her and entered the elevator going to the ground floor.
Ethan waved upon seeing me. Oh my gosh! I immediately laughed upon seeing him. Aside from having a new receptionist, he was unrecognizable. Well, I am used to him, but if you are not, you probably won't believe Ethan is in front of you.
He curled his hair and he looks more handsome than ever plus he also colored it ash gray like a korean idol. Okay, the girls are turning their heads to check on him.
“Wow! My boyfriend is so handsome!” I raised my brows so people would stop checking him out though he is not really my boyfriend.
He is my boy friend. After what happened between Gray and I and him and Vivian, he flew to Spain with me to take a break and up until now he’s still here taking a break.
He stopped working and decided to just sing in restaurants and bars around our place. And, sometimes, he would also tour different countries alone and when he got tired, he would come here to pester me.
That is he’s coping mechanism. That’s how he moved on, although, it seems to me he hasn’t forgotten Vivian after they broke up. It’s not easy to forget people who truly made an impact in our lives. I could not even admit that I totally forgot about Gray. It would always take time.
“What the hell did you do?”
“Did you like it?” He grinned. “Come on, honey. I am handsome!” He clung to me and gave me a kiss on my cheeks, a gesture he learned from the people here so it has no malice at all.
“Where do you want to eat? I want a Paella,” he pouted. “I am craving for some.”
I paused upon remembering Gray but shrugged it away. I don’t want to think about him. But of course, there are moments when I still think about him and the what ifs. I regretted that night, but it was supposed to happen. It needed to happen.
I believe Gray also needs that. He just needs to learn from it. It’s up to him what he wants to do.
“How’s your day?” He asked as we walked around the streets.
“Not much. Got a meeting and my mother told me I need to go back to the Philippines.”
“For what?”
“We have a client and it’s a year contract. A billion contracts and my mother wanted me to personally oversee it.”
“Oh. What’s the name of the company?” He asked.
“Ash Engineering Company,” I replied.
I almost fell on the ground when Ethan said, “It’s Gray’s company.”