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Episode 05

(***Hi reader! Kindly drop your playlist for this episode, thank you!***)

*A few Days Later*

Fernando's POV

Hanging out with my buddy Antonio has become part of me that I find it difficult to hang out alone when he's not around. Not that I don't have male friends but I trust Antonio more than anyone else, I just don't want history to repeat itself. 

Instead of going out alone, I decided to stay indoors and chill with myself. Speaking of Antonio, he was meant to be back yesterday but I doubt if he was back because if he was, he would have given me a call.

My stomach grumbles reminding me I needed to eat something. Glancing at the time, is past 1 pm and I've not had breakfast and that's because I woke up late. I was up all through the night working out some paperwork for the new hotel branch I intend to open in the city of Valencia in Spain where my mom lives.

I rose and went to the dining room to see what my male chef had prepared for me. Different kinds of delicacies greeted me on the table like I was expecting some guests to join me for lunch.

I took a seat and dished out the portion of the meal I could finish up. While I was having my meal, the doorbell rang and I gazed up at the CCTV footage to see who it was. My eyes blazed like touches on the screen.

I dropped my fork on the plate and picked up the remote control for the door and pressed a button, and it swung open. Not waiting for another second, I stood up and made my way out of the dining room to go receive my guests.

"Antonio!" I exclaimed and my two years old godson came running towards me. I opened my arms wide to receive him and when he got to me, I lift him and carried him in my arms.

"Fernando, it's good to see you" his wife greeted and hugged me briefly. She was carrying my goddaughter in her arms; the baby looks so adorable and at that instant, something in me felt like it was my child I was looking at.

"Hey buddy, I decided to give you a surprise visit with my family" Antonio laughed interrupting my thoughts. I chuckled and immediately erased the stupid thought that was crawling its way into my mind.

"I love surprises like this one. Your wife and kids are welcome but you're not" I joked and we all laughed. "You guys should join me in the dining room, I was having my lunch before I heard the doorbell".

I walked them to the dining room and when we arrived, "Wow, you have so much on the table, were you expecting someone?" Antonio's wife inquired and I snorted.

"Right question" my buddy agreed and took a seat next to where I'd sat down earlier. I tittered and gestured for Barbara to sit while I took a sit as well with little Antonio on my lap.

"Not at all, that's how my chef always prepares my meals. He feels I'm too picky so he ends up preparing different meals so that I can get to choose my desired meal" I explained.

"That's the best thing to do if I were him" my buddy replied and we guffaw.

My gaze fell on my goddaughter again. "By the way, your baby looks so adorable, she's as beautiful as you are," I said and a cheeky smile spread on Barbara's face.

"Thank you" she replied.

"Are you sure she looks like her mom or me?" my buddy asks and I groaned with an eye roll. "What?" he shrugged with open arms.

"You wish you were good-looking. Barbara is just trying to cope with your ugly self so don't make her dump you" I jeer and Barbara joined me.

"C'mon you're just being jealous" he retorted and I guffaw.

"You guys should serve yourself with something and after that, we can have some fun in my pool".

"I saw that coming so we came prepared" my buddy responded and I smiled.

"So how was your trip?" I inquired and fed little Antonio some matched potatoes.

"It was fine, we enjoyed every moment spent there" he answered. "They never wanted us to leave".

"Wow, that sounds interesting" I commended and handed a glass of water to my godson.

"Thanks, Fernando, for allowing my husband to take us to my family".

"Did Antonio tell you I gave him permission to leave for a short vacation?".

"Yes, he did".

"He lied to you! Because I told him not to open his big mouth and tell you stuff like that whenever I did something for him" I shot him a glare when I said that and he shook his head while his wife cackled at us.

"My love, pay no attention to him. He doesn't like accepting my wholehearted appreciation when he does something good for me and that is why I hate him" he scowled playfully at me and I chortle.

"Crazy asshole" I uttered a profanity and ate out of my meal.

"Language please" his wife gestured to her son on my lap and I snorted and fake zipped my lips.

We ate in silence afterward and when we were done, we relaxed for a couple of minutes before we all changed into our swimming suits. Antonio was already familiar with my mansion, he led us to the swimming pool located behind the building.

"Would you like to get into the water, Diego?" I asked my godson and he nodded giggling while we climbed the staircase to the pool. "I got you little buddy" I pecked him all over and he giggles more.

I gently went into the pool with him and he screamed when the cold water graced his feet. We burst into fits of laughter as he held on tight to me.

"Don't be scared I'm right here" I hugged him to my chest. Antonio got in with me and we both swim and played with Diego who by now was relaxed and excited at the fun he was having.

"Come join us mi Amor" Antonio yelled out to his wife and she shook her head.

"I can't leave our baby all by herself!" She responded.

"C'mon babe, you can just leave her in her trolley and come join us" he implored.

"Don't worry I'm fine right here. I'm enjoying the lovely view" she smiled and beckons us to continue having fun. Antonio shrugged and dived back into the water.

He swam back to us like a shark and splashed water on Diego and me. We had more fun and when I noticed my godson was beginning to shiver, I came out of the pool with him and wrapped a towel around him.

Antonio swam back to us grinning widely, I raised a brow at what he found amusing.

"I just remembered something," he said staring at me.

"What did you forget?" I questioned.

"Did you read the book I recommended while I was away?".

His question threw me off guard and my smile faded to a grimace. How could he bring up a book topic when we're busy having fun here? Had he expected me to read a book that got me drunk after reading just the synopsis?

"Fernando Perez!" he shrieked my name and I jolted and came back to reality. "Did you read the book or not?".

Should I tell him yes and explain the effect it had on me, or should I just say no and end the book discussion? I stared at him contemplating the answer to give. "No, I did not have the time to read it" I replied and glanced down at Diego.

"Why not? How busy were you? Are you sure you're telling me the truth?" he asked and I glanced up at him.

"Why on Earth should I lie to you over a book someone wrote?".

"I don't know, I just don't believe you didn't have a glimpse of it. Well, if you insist you haven't read it then you will do that tonight. I'll have Barbara read a chapter to your hearing since she's a perfect reader that reads with enthusiasm" he grinned at me and I frowned.

"What do you mean you'll have Barbara read to me? Am I a child that needs someone to read to his hearing or am I an illiterate?" I demanded. This is getting serious for him to suggest a thing like that.

"C'mon Buddy, I just want to trigger your interest in this book. Okay, why not we have a deal?".

"A deal?".

"Yes, a deal".

"What deal, Antonio?" I begrudgingly ask.

"I'll have Barbara read to you the first chapter of that book, then if at the end of the chapter it doesn't intrigue your interest of wanting to know more, we'll forget about the book but if it does then you'll have to read the complete book. Deal?".

"Deal" I answered without bothering to think it through because I know it won't catch my interest at the end of just a chapter.

"Great. Let's swim a little bit more before we call it a day here" he said and I nodded.

A couple of minutes later, we were back inside and had our clothes on. I served them cookies and wine and we had a little more chitchat.

"My love, you're going to do me a little favor with reading. You know how lazy we men could be at times to read a book after so much work. Buddy and I have been so busy reading a book that was recommended to us by one of our investors, he said we've got to be familiar with it even if it's just a chapter of it if not he won't bother doing any business with us".

I furrowed my brows at my best friend's sweet lies and he winks at me. He meant it when he said his wife will read to me, didn't he?

"I understand. Just tell me what you want me to read to you guys so I can read it right away before we leave".

"Thanks, my love, I know I could count on you. Buddy please get her your iPad pro and show her the book she'll be reading" he requested and I stared up at him.

"My iPad pro?" I asked again to be sure.

"Yes please".

I glanced from him to his wife and back to him. My iPad Pro has not been with me since the day I gave it to Mr. Pedro. I never wanted anything that would tempt me into reading that book. My decision on that hasn't changed, I can't get back that iPad pro. What if after they were gone I feel the urge to read it? Then I'll start feeling bad again. No way, I wasn't going to get it back.

"If your iPad is not close by then she'll use my phone, I still have a soft copy of the book," he declared and dig out his phone from his pocket. He searches through his phone before handing it to his wife. "We're all ears".

I glanced at both of them and my gaze fell on sleeping Diego in my arms. It's time to accept what I didn't wish to hear, at least at the end of it all I'll get my best friend off my neck over this mystery book.

"Shattered Hearts, Chapter one. Let the story begins" she smiled and I relaxed my back and waited for her to read the story.

"Luciano was a nerd in high school with brown hair and beautiful brown eyes. He..." she continued reading and the more she read the more I was picturing myself to be Luciano.

The description of him fits perfectly well to me. I listened as she continued reading and then a few minutes later, she stopped. I gazed up at her and wondered why she stopped.

"Why did you stop?" I asked and she gazed up at me.

"That's how chapter one ends" she answered with a shrug and I frowned in confusion and glanced at my best friend.

"Did you hear that? That's the end of chapter one? How can chapter one end that way?" I demanded in disbelief.

"Because that's how the author wrote it" he replied smiling.

"You can read the complete book to know how the story ends," Barbara said.

"Great idea" my buddy concurs and his grin widens. I know what that grin means, if I get to read the book it means he won the deal.

I don't think I care about who wins right now, the only thing I care about is knowing the end of this story.

"You're right, I'll read the remaining chapters of the book tonight," I said in a deep voice.

"Yes!" My best friend exclaimed excitedly and I leered at him which he shrugs off. "We can now leave my love, you need to rest and so also my little angel".

They both stood up with little Barbara in her arms and I stood up with my godson and handed him to his father. "It was a pleasure to have your family around. I'll be doing the next visiting I promise".

"We'll be expecting you. Coming with your girlfriend is allowed" Barbara winks at me and I snorted. Never! I replied inwardly.

"Thanks, buddy, for the warm welcome".

"Anytime" I replied and walked them to Antonio's car. His wife and kids got in while Antonio came back to me.

"I won the deal, you owe me a beer. And....a review from that book. I'm glad you'll finally read it. Enjoy the rest of your evening Buddy" he hugged me briefly and went back to his car.

They waved at me one more time and I watched them drive out of my premises. My mind was back to that book and what Barbara had read. I was intrigued by the first chapter of that book, I felt like reading the complete story.

Should I do that or... just forget it?

*slide up for the next episode*