Chapter 02
Carlos was still undecided if he’s going to knock on the door or not, but he’s doubting. However, he doesn’t to think as malice; he wouldn’t know… He’s just thinking too much and the woman inside of the hotel room was Alex’s cousin after all.
He’s in front of the hotel room already, undecided to knock. But he ended up driving and decided to meet up with Sam. He was about to knock when his phone suddenly rings and got a message from Sam; she wants him to come over and at this designer’s place where Sam plans to check out the designs of some wedding gowns.
He excused himself to his father and it felt like it was a free day when he mentioned Sam’s name to his father again. And now, he was on his way to meet up with her.
“What do you think of this one?” she points the white gown that is fully beaded and showing the perfect curves of a woman in the magazine she was holding. Carlos was sitting right next to her, looking at her.
He just nods all the time if there’s something that Sam would like to ask him. But his mind was not there eversince he arrived at the haute couture shop. He still keeps thinking about what he saw in the hotel room. He wanted talk to Alex. And so he stand up this time to do what he must do, he wanted to secure everything first. He don’t wanna see later on that she’s crying because he failed to tell to her what he really saw back there.
On that moment, he lost her from his sight. The designer’s assistant told him that she’s at the fitting room and was trying some of their wedding gowns and so he followed her to the next room where the fitting room’s located. There were three fitting rooms, but she wasn’t there. He saw her standing in front of the mirror, wearing the white gown. Her two hands were both trying to reach the zipper at her back to close it.
“Hey, babe, can you help me zip this gown for me? I wanna see this gown fits…”, she said when she saw him approaching. Carlos zipped it for her without malice. But he couldn’t help but clear his throat; he doesn’t know the reason why he did that. But whenever he does that, it means he’s craving something for a woman. He usually does that to his women; he likes undressing them and got laid.
Ah! You’re so unbelievable, Carlos! You’re imagining stuff again. You’re not supposed to feel that way with your bestfriend! He said to himself as he couldn’t help but imagining hot stuff with his very own bestfriend. Blame it to the scene he saw, he couldn’t concentrate not if he gets to talk with Alex.
“Listen, I need to go. There’s someone I would like to meet up”, he told her.
“But that’s not part of our rules. Remember no appointments during our hangout, okay?”, she turn away and fix herself in front of the mirror. She’s fixing herself while he couldn’t help but notice her cleavage and something playing inside of his mind.
Before he’ll go crazy and imagining stuff again, he decided to leave. He left a note to the assistant and he made Sam wondered why he was in a hurry.
“Where were you, buddy? I thought you’ll arrive first”, Alex approach him as he was holding something. “There’s something I wanna show you”
“Did you also just arrived here?”, that was the first thing he asked Alex. He wanted to ask if he was the one he saw at the hotel room.
“Yeah, I just arrived. But first thing is first, I wanted you to see this…”, he gave the document to Carlos. It was about their profit this month. The normal profit they were expecting for this month raise for about two times, both of them didn’t expect to see such an amount. The two discussed their next strategy on how they’ll be able to raise the same thing they received from their last profit And Carlos was able to forget what he needs to ask from Alex.
Alex shares his plans when he marries Samantha, he prefers calling her that way. It more sounded feminine and sweet. Carlos would never understand since he has been calling his bestfriend as ‘Sam’ or ‘Babe’.
After having a conversation with him; Carlos figured that maybe the person he saw from the hotel room was just Alex’s look alike or maybe he’s just being paranoid. Thinking too much and starting to realize how he’s gonna miss his bestfriend. He’s stil in disbelief knowing that Alex and Sam are getting married soon.
After work, Carlos smiled as he picks up his phone; one of his women was calling him. Carlos already knew where to spend his night. Lilac was one of his women; a professional model. She called because she was looking for someone to escort her to a cocktail party and after that it’s just the two of them.
He needed to pick up some clothes to wear for the cocktail party. He can’t wait to see her and to hold her again. Carlos thought that it’s been awhile since he hadn’t seen Lilac; they were both busy with their work and this is only time they get to see each other again. He bet that she also couldn’t wait to see him and that she’s been longing to be with him on bed.
“Lilac, it’s been a long time…”, he said while approaching her.
“Did you miss me?”, she asked him while smiling.
“I miss everything little thing you do to me…”, he told her and gave her a light kiss on the lips.
The two went together to the hi-so’s cocktail party. Honestly, he doesn’t like going out with these kinds of events. He rather wanna hangout to the private bars or nightclubs. He would only attend this kind of party whenever he’s with his parents or with Sam. He typically doesn’t go out with any women to date at these social events. His reason: not to make issues with his father again.
However, Lilac was hard to refuse. He also wanted to bed her and that’s the only reason why he decided to escort this woman.
Good thing, people didn’t care that much that he’s dating Lilac that night. He and Lilac were not the eye candy that night; it was the “celebrity couple-slash-billionaire”. Carlos didn’t care and all he cared about was how to convince Lilac to go home early.
They ended up kissing at each other at the corridor, approaching the elevator. Carlos pushed the button and got inside of the elevator. They haven’t reached her pad yet, but they were slowly undressing each other while kissing.
The elevator opens and the moment he parted his lips from her; for a moment he his bestfriend’s face. “Sam?”
“Who’s Sam?”, Lilac asked him. He thought he would suffer from delusional when he finally sees Lilac’s face. But how come it felt awkward as he thought about it.
“I think we need to stop…”, he said and left Lilac with confusion.
“What?”
“I need to go, there’s a problem that I need to solve”
“And what is that?”
“Lilac, we can always do this in some other time. I guess tonight’s just a wrong timing. Bye, I need to go now”, he said left her.
Carlos was buttoning his shirt when he decided to go back to the hotel. He didn’t go to his office, but instead, he visits the security room. “Hey! Boss… it’s late and you’re still around-“
“Yeah, I guess the reason why I am here is to watch with you again…”, he said.
“Oh yeah, by the way the guy you saw was here again. I happened to find out about the information, the girl was his cousin…”, the security guard who was assigned told him.
He admit his fault this time, he assumes that much and whenever he’s like that; he couldn’t think straight. Maybe he was too concern of his bestfriend. It’s normal that he’s just overprotective and it’s only natural to feel this way because Sam was like a sister to him.
Carlos went home; He decided not to go back to Lilac’s pad or crashing to Sam’s unit. He was at his own home, relaxing and before he sat on the couch he pressed the button of his voice mail machine.
“Babe, I couldn’t reach your phone so I decided to leave a message here. Listen, dad wants us to eat with him tomorrow lunch. Uncle’s coming over and that means dad will never accept any excuse or reason for you not to come. Bye! Mwuah!”
He smiled because he knew what will happen if he’ll not show up. Uncle Mau will be so damn mad at him and his dad will also scold him. He fell asleep after the staring at the glow in the dark stickers at the ceiling. Sam was the one who bought those, and decided to stick on the ceiling at his living room as a prank. He did the same thing in her unit, instead of glow in the dark stickers. He had a luminous paint and if during daylight the walls are in plain empty color but when it gets dark, that’s where his painting shows up. It was galaxy and he even included some constellations on it.
The next day, Carlos prepared some clothes to wear to meet up with Sam and her family. His father will be joining them too, so he had to look nice to them.
They do this whenever they’re not busy and only family discussion they want to involve in this gathering. Mauricio or Mau, Sam’s father is a corporate owner. Sam runs the publishing company that his father owns.
Carlos finally arrived and at the backyard the two good old friends were playing golf while one of the servants he asked if where could probably his bestfriend. He found her at the kitchen and just finishing her second dish.
“Hey…”, he approached her and they give each other’s light kiss on the cheek.
“Hey…”, she smiled. She continues mixing some ingredients to her third dish.
“What’s the occasion?”, he asked her.
“I don’t know with dad. He just wanted to spend time with us today…”, lifting the big bowl that filled with veggies.
“I see…”, without hesitation Carlos decided to help her. He lifted the bowl for her and slowly poured it to the pot while Sam was the one who keeps stirring it.
“When he decided to have this gathering, I wanted to invite Alex so he can meet him. But he didn’t want to meet him and wanted this as gathering as a private one”
“And so?”
She looked at him. “Carlos, I haven’t told dad yet about our engagement. I wanted to let him know as soon as possible so Alex and I can start the preparations for our wedding”
“Then why don’t you just tell him today.”
“I wanted to tell him but I have to bring Alex. Can you help me with that?”
“Help you what?”
“I mean ask my dad or set a date for Alex and dad to meet up”
Sam approached him, she acted sweet again at him. He knows whenever she does; it’s either she pleads or asking a favor from him. What else he can do, it seems like he can never refuse this woman.
Mauricio and Yuan were having great conversation about their businesses. The conversation led them further about dealing business with each other. They wanted to merge their company, but that only happens when their children has to get married—which will never happen in their life. It seems like Carlos Ancheta and Samantha Monterverde will just be forever friends.
After lunch, the two old friends were not done playing golf. But the two took a break as someone called from their hotel and informs Yuan about the updates. Meanwhile, Mauricio was looking elsewhere. He saw his daughter from afar talking someone over the phone. He bet that it was her boyfriend she was talking to. Then he took noticed of Carlos who is just taking a sip of his juice.
He stood up from his chair and called Carlos to come with him at the study room. He follows him then.
Inside the study room, Mauricio gets something from his drawer while Carlos was only watching him with curiosity. He handed him a big brown envelop.
“What’s this, Uncle?”, he asked him.
“Open it…”, he commanded him. Carlos opened it and it was pictures of his daughter and Alex. He scanned the pictures even more; then saw the next couple of pictures and it was only Alex. He was meeting this woman who seemed he argued and that woman was the one he brought in their hotel.
“Do you happen to know this woman of him?”, he asked him straight and he expects to get his answer right away.
“I don’t know this woman but I saw them together yesterday at my hotel…”, he told him but he still don’t know why his Uncle have to show this pictures of Alex.
“That guy…”, he gets his seat. “That stupid guy… if he plans to cheat why he has to do it in your hotel”, he chuckled but was piss at the same time.
“I think you misunderstood something, Uncle”, he said. “One of my security guards investigated this woman and Alex. The two happens to be related by blood. They are cousins”, he ended.
“And you believed?”, he gets another document from his drawer and threw at him. Carlos opens it immediately and he read some of the document says. Before he could probably ask if where did uncle Mau got those information; Mauricio sat right next to him.
“Your business partner and my daughter’s boyfriend Alexander happens to be a fake businessman and he runs a smuggling and illegal gambling business. That woman is not his cousin; she’s an illegal dealer and his ex-lover”, he said and Carlos looked surprised to what his uncle just said.
“I’ve been protecting my daughter since she was little. I’ve been protecting not only this business but also my family. I know it’s not appropriate to spy on your daughter’s life, it was hard for me to see my daughter having a relationship with man I don’t know; not even his background. But if I didn’t took the chance to investigate further about this man, I wouldn’t find out about the truth”, he ended.
“That’s why you don’t want to meet him. But when do you plan to tell her the truth?”, Carlos wouldn’t want to interfere this sensitive issue. But he also got himself involve into this. His investment with Alex will be nothing after all.
Mauricio advised him to pull out his investment, but if he did… will it be the same account he invested? Carlos doesn’t want to lose his money. He wanted to get everything; everything that he protects. And before this will come out to the media; Mauricio shared to him that he gave this case to a friend who works at the military.
The only problem that left was the woman they are both concern; Samantha. Mauricio wanted to tell her daughter as soon as possible but there’s no way to convince her in this kind of situation. Mauricio looked at Carlos, waiting for an answer. His eyes were asking him if he can tell the truth about Alex to his bestfriend.
Yuan and Sam were looking for them and they only found them at the study room. The four of them went back to play the golf. This time, they switch teams. Sam partnered with Carlos and their father teamed up against their children.
Days later…
Alex hurries himself to meet up with Carlos. He was holding the papers from the bank. He arrived at the office and made Carlos surprised with his arrival. “Alex…”
“What’s the meaning of this?”, he showed the papers that he signed from bank. It was about closing his account connected to Alex, for their business. “Why did you close the account?”
“I was about to meet up with you later and discuss this matter with you…”
“What do you mean? Carlos, you know that we need money in our business, right?”, Alex said.
“I know but there’s no money I can give you anymore”
“What do you mean there’s no money you can give? You’re my investor and my partner. You’re supposedly helping me expanding my business…”
“Exactly. Expanding business is what I want to see but it’s been a couple of months and I don’t see any progress in our business because you gambled the money!”
“Gambl—how did you…?”
“Don’t ask me how I found out and there’s nothing for you to explain. I am pulling out my shares as I talked to my lawyer and he’ll be the one to discuss this matter to you. Now get out of my office”, he was calm and Alex knew he’s different when he’s mad. Carlos will only get mad if his family or his love ones got involve to a problem he didn’t even started.
Before Alex could leave the office, Carlos still had one last thing to say. “Oh… and before I forget I command you to stay away from Sam. You don’t want me to tell the truth about true intentions, right?”
“Why would I do that anyway? I loved Samantha and we are getting married soon…”, Alex told him.
“I know and I am commanding you to cancel the engagement. You’re just creating trouble in her family and you wouldn’t want her father to chase you away, right?”
“Alex, I am advising you because it’s for your own good. Her father an overprotective man to his daughter and you don’t want to mess up with him…”, he ended.
He could see how Alex changed of mood. He was enraged and there’s a threat that no matter how Carlos wanted to ignore it; he just couldn’t. As soon as Alex left his office, he updated Uncle Mauricio.
“The date has already been set. Dad wants to meet Alex as soon as possible”, Sam told Carlos while they’re having dinner at his condo unit. Carlos stopped eating and looked surprised as what Sam told him.
“What? You’re marrying him?”
“Carlos, you don’t want me to repeat it again, right?”, she continued eating but Carlos remained still and just looking at her.
“Oh… and I heard from Alex that you pulled out your shares from the business. Is there something wrong?”, she asked and Sam still doesn’t know anything.
“No… I—I just needed the money that’s why I had to pull it out”, he said and all of a sudden he stood up. It felt like he couldn’t comprehend to what Sam shared to him. It’s impossible for her to marry Alex and why Uncle Mau agreed all of a sudden.
“Where are you going?”, she asked.
“I need to go… I need to see someone right now”
“Who?”
“Nevermind. But can you know what to do already as soon as you leave”, he picked up his jacket and wore it. He left Sam wondering if where he was going. He’s going to meet her father and wanted to ask if what’s his plan.
