A
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Episode 20

~Playlist for this chapter is 'Taylor Swift - Love Story' 🎶🎶 do enjoy

Fernando's POV

My trip back to Madrid was.... inexpressible. I was having mixed feelings about everything that had happened back in Seoul. How do I explain to Antonio that my mission to that place failed? And what reason do I have for my failed mission? I stared down at my wristwatch and it was 5 pm, my chauffeur Pedro was already waiting up for me here at the airport on my arrival.

He flashed me a wide smile and waved at me from the car park. I noticed he came with one of my favorite cars, my white Royce phantom. I returned his smile and walk a few meters toward him.

"Welcome back Boss Fernando" he greeted and took my bags from my hands.

"Thank you, how are you doing?"

"I'm doing great. I missed you, boss. The house was lonely and quiet without you in it" he continues and opens the backseat door for me to get in while he drops the bags in the car trunk and came back afterward. "I thought you said you were going to stay for just one night, what then happened? How was the business trip, did it go well?".

His questions brought back memories of the kiss Micaela and I shared a couple of hours ago and that sent shivers down my spine and I felt a jigged in my heart. I was in a dreamy silence for how long I couldn't tell until I heard my name. "Sir Fernando!" 

I snapped out of my thoughts and cocked my head to have a glimpse of him. "Oh sorry, I was just thinking of some things. What were you saying again?" I inquire hoping he wouldn't ask me the same question again.

"How was your business trip? You don't look so excited as you always do on your return from other trips. Is everything okay?".

Business trip? My brow twitched in confusion.  Oh! I forgot I lied to him I was going on a business trip to Seoul. I facepalm myself inwardly for being so forgetful.

Did he say I don't look enthusiastic right now? If this was coming from Mr. Pedro then I can't argue with him. He knows me too well, he knows my cheerful mood and my unhappy mood. He reads my every move and can tell when something goes wrong with me. He's just like a father who knows his son so well.

"And you even look like you haven't slept for days" he added while I was yet thinking of what to respond. I crinkled my brows at him in surprise at how he could be so right with his guesses.

I groaned aloud and rubbed my beads. "Mr. Pedro you're observing so many things right now that even I ain't sure of my well-being at the moment. Can you just take me home first and then we can talk about this later?".

"Yes, boss. Please get inside the car" he held the door open for me and I nodded and hopped in.

While on my way home, I put a call through to Antonio letting him know of my arrival. He insisted he comes over to my house and has a good chat with me. Despite the fact I was tired and needed to be alone, I accepted for him to come over but not to my house. I told him to meet me up at my hotel VVIP bar and we talk over there.

I needed to visit my hotel and know how things I've been going since my absence, so having Antonio there with me is better than staying at home thinking about her.

"You seem so quiet boss, is everything okay?" Pedro asks glancing at me through the rearview mirror.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine. I'm just tired. I got so busy over there that I forgot to sleep" I replied and glance out through the window.

"You need to rest then. You're working so hard boss, you should take it easy on yourself" he advises and I gave a sharp sigh.

"Isn't that what we men are made for, to work hard and care for our family?" I ask in return.

"No doubt. But don't you think you're working too much? I mean you have so much money already and your mother and brother are financially stable. What else are you looking for since you're not planning to settle down someday?".

A state of sullen self-absorption took over the moment and I was absorbed in a stream of thoughts. My gaze dwindled to his head in silence. Isn't he right with his question, why do I feel bad about it? I'm never getting married and having kids, so why stress myself so much to acquire more money?

"I'm sorry boss, I didn't mean to offend you with my question, I'm sorry" he apologizes when he noticed my awkward silence.

"No, you don't owe me an apology. You are right with all you said. I should reduce my working hours and rest more while I leave it to my employees to do the work. I'm a billionaire so I should act like one. But you do know it's not going to be easy to stay off work when you already know how dedicated I am with all that I do, right?".

"I know boss, but I'm not saying you shouldn't work, you can keep up with your work and still find out time for a rest you know".

"Okay father, I'll do as you say" I smiled and he chuckles. At least I've been able to deviate my trip discussion to a work topic.

"I'll tear up if you keep calling me that" he jokes and I chuckled.

"Oh yeah? Let's see, how about I start addressing you by that, would you deny me that?" My question made him glance back at me briefly and returns his gaze to the road.

"Boss, I'm... not...eligible for that" he stutters and a cocky grin spreads on my face.

"I'm not asking for your permission here, I'm the boss and anything I say is final. So, can you please keep driving, father?" I derided and I noticed his mouth flew open in shock.

Well, Mr. Pedro is a good man, he is a father figure that I admire so much after I lost my dad to some woman years back. If not for anything but for the sake of our relationship he should accept me calling him father. "One more thing.." I called his attention and he glanced at me from the rearview mirror. "No more calling me Boss Fernando. I'll prefer Fernando only, just like you call your son Manuel. Got it?".

Pedro gasps and then silence follows. I adjusted my sitting position and came closer to him. "Got it?" I demanded.

"Ye... yes Sir...yes Fernando" he stutters nervously and I snorted and tapped on his right shoulder.

"Bien," I mumbled smiling.

An hour after I got home, I took a shower and then dressed up in blue jeans paired with a round-neck purple shirt and a grey suit and I was off to my hotel. Antonio arrived in my office 15 minutes later grinning from ear to ear. "Look who is back!" He chuckles and I couldn't help but laugh at how excited he was looking.

"Don't be so excited to see me, someone might easily suspect you're crushing on me" I teased chuckling.

"Oh, shut up! Who told you I'm excited to see you? I'm only here to get all the stuff you brought for me" he retorted and we both burst into laughter. I stood up and shook his hand and then gave him a brief hug. "Now that you hugged me, I remembered I miss you" he sniffles and wiped out an imaginary tear.

"Oh Antonio, you're so cunning. How did you even know I brought something for you?".

"Because you've made me get accustomed to it, buddy. So, if you ever travel and didn't get me anything then be ready to return from the destination you are coming from" he shrugs and I chortle.

"I've spoilt you so much, this has to stop" I deadpanned and he shoots me an icy glare.

"You wouldn't dare do that. I swear I'm...."

"Okay, okay, okay, chill man. I'm just kidding" I cut him off from cussing. "You're sounding like my younger brother right now, I've spoilt you both. How can I turn back the hands of time?" I asked scratching my head.

"You know you are the best buddy in the whole world. Let's forget about what you brought for me for now because I already feel is something worth seeing. Tell me, how did your mission to Seoul go?".

Antonio's question made the smiles on my face disappear and my expression dulled. "It's a long story. Come with me to my private bar and we'll have a glass of wine while we talk".

"Of course, you know I wouldn't miss such a story even though you have to finish telling it in the morning" he replies and winks at me.

"You're such a gossiper" I drawl and grabbed my phone from the table.

"If not for me you wouldn't know what is going on in the world" he fired back and I shook my head amusingly and led the way out.

"So here we are in the bar having a drink, tell me something, why did you stay more than a day in Seoul? Did you find Micaela Alvarado?". The mention of her name got my insides almost exploding. Why am I affected by the mention of her name? "Buddy did you hear me?" Antonio asks and my gaze returns to him.

I took a sip of the glass of wine in my hand and dropped the cup on the table. I let out a harsh sigh I've been holding and quietly I mumbled "I found her and... and everything got complicated when I found her".

Antonio's forehead creased, "What do you mean everything got complicated? What got complicated? Did she tell you the truth about your past?".

"No, she didn't. I never had the chance to ask her" I answered quietly and my eyes darted.

"What!" Antonio clamored with wide eyes. "What the hell do you mean by that? What then were you doing in Seoul for three good days?!".

"Hey, keep your voice down, don't be a drama king now. I'll explain to you all that happened while I was there" I asserted and he relaxed back to his seat.

"I'm all ears Fernando Perez" he replies and took a sip of his drink.

I began my story from the club where I'd met Micaela and her friends to how we got stuck in an elevator and then I continued giving full details of how I saved her life not once but twice.

And at the end of my story, "You've got to be kidding me! This is the most romantic story I've ever had for quite a long time now!" Antonio exclaims.

I lifted a confused brow at him. What the hell is he talking about? What is romantic about this whole story?
"Antonio, did you pay attention to all I just said?".

"Of course, buddy! I heard everything you said from A-Z!" He yells grinning widely. What's up with him? Why is he feeling so excited over what happened to me?

"Then why do you call my unfortunate story a romantic one?" I ask staring at him weirdly. At times Antonio's behavior could be so weird that it makes me wonder if he is normal.

"C'mon buddy, how on Earth is this not a love story? If you can't see it at least don't go blind to the fact that you were the prince charming and the guardian angel of Micaela Alvarado. You saved her life bro just like in those fairy tales we do read and watch at times!"

He exclaims excitedly and I gasp in disbelief, "Is this a joke or what?".

"It's no joke, my buddy. Tell me more please, did you guys kiss each other?" He clasps his hands staring widely at me.

Kiss? A flashback of Micaela stealing a kiss from me came to mind. I omitted this part from my narration to Antonio a couple of minutes ago.

"You both kissed, isn't it? Your silence tells me you both kissed. Admit it, Fernando, you kissed her!"

"What! I didn't kiss her! She kissed me, she stole a kiss from me when she came to say goodbye in my lodge!" I defended myself hastily. How can he even assume I'll kiss a lady out of my own will when he knows that's not possible?

"Wow! I'm flabbergasted!" He squealed excitedly.

Okay, I think Antonio is driving me nuts with his reaction to all this. "You need to stop...

"How did you feel when she kissed you? Did you enjoy it?" he interrupted me.

A sense of uncontrolled emotions dwells in me and I gape at him dumbfounded. I don't know why I lost my voice, but I guess is for two reasons.

One, because I don't know what to say, and two I don't understand what I felt during and after the kiss.