My events management business has grown.

Thanks to a wise investment tip from one of my business partners, The Guevarra Events Company is now considered as one of Fortune 500's top companies.

The rags-to-riches story of how my company rose to the top was widely known in the business community and I was proud of my accomplishments.

I was sitting in my office, with my back behind the door, admiring the Makati skyline.

The pink sky softened the bright glow of the setting sun and it was a beautiful sight to see.

I absentmindedly played with the charm bracelet Jade gave me years ago.

The memory of her always brought a dull ache in my heart.

I pushed the thought from my mind and focused on the here and now.

My company almost collapsed with the weight of the love we fought so hard for.

Years ago, Oscar Tanchingco almost sabotaged my business.

It was because he wanted me to leave his daughter alone.

He even bribed me 50 million pesos just to disappear.

Of course I refused it.

I have too much pride in me.

Not only that.

My father, blessed his soul, raised me to value my integrity.

It was something non-existent in Oscar's vocabulary.

Also, I loved Jade with all my heart.

To me, she was priceless, the love of my life.

I would sacrifice everything for her and I did.

In the end, it was all for nothing.

Oscar succeeded in taking her away from me.

I was never the same since.

A soft knock on the glass door caught my attention.

Batchi, my longtime friend and now COO, came in looking dapper in a gray-tailored suit.

She grinned widely and her eyes shone with excitement.

In her hands were two folders, white and green.

She placed the white folder on the glass-topped table and sat comfortably on the leather chair, across from where I was standing.

She held on to the green folder.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" she said to me, looking at the sky overhead.

I didn't answer.

She kept talking, ignoring my coldness.

"Althea, I'm sure you're happy to know that our financial reports showed a 45 % increased in profits,"

I sat down, still unresponsive.

"But you know that already," she adjusted the silver Skagen watch she wore.

I reached for the folder and studied the figures.

I'm aware of all this information.

After the unexpected disappearance of Jade, I buried myself with work.

Like a well-oiled machinery, I was on top of the game not because I was that crazy about my career.

It was because work was my refuge from my pain.

Unlike love, if I take care of my company, it reciprocates.

Love is trickier.

Sometimes you give it all but you still end up with nothing.

My reverie was interrupted by the sound of Batchi's voice.

"I think you'd be more interested to see this," she handed me the green folder.

I took it from her and frowned.

The front was labeled "Project Gemstone".

Batchi's expression turned serious.

"I didn't tell you but I hired a new detective to look for Jade," she explained.

I opened my mouth to speak but she held up one finger to stop me.

"Before you say anything, hear me out."

I sank back on the chair.

"We couldn't find Jade in China because she wasn't there,"

I took a mental note of what she was saying.

Whatever questions I have will wait.

"All these years, she was living in Canada."

Batchi grew quiet as if thinking of the next words to say.

I opened the folder and inside where pictures of Jade.

The first photo was a close up of her smiling.

Her long hair was loose and in her hand was a sunflower.

She looked happy and completely unaware of the detective following her.

My heart gave a jolt and I choke on the emotions that resurfaced with unforgiving intensity.

My hands shook and I put down the folder on the table.

"I'm sorry Althea," Batchi reached for my hands and gave it a squeeze.

The tears were now in full force and I was helpless to stop it.

Eight long years and yet, just one photograph of her was enough to break down the walls I built to protect myself.

My fortress came tumbling down because of a smile.

I waited till the tears stop falling.

Batchi took the box of Kleenex and put it in front of me.

I took a tissue and blew my nose on it.

"Damn you, Jade!" I remarked, half crying, half laughing.

I heard Batchi chuckled and I looked at her reprovingly.

"After all these years Althea, you're still crazy for her." She shook her head.

I could only laugh because it was the truth.

No matter how I drown myself with work, I would come home to an empty house with only one thought in mind: to see her again.

"Do you want to know the rest of the information?"

I nodded, taking a new tissue out of the box and wiping the tears.

"She's back!" she declared.

I tossed the crumpled tissue in the metal garbage bin under the table.

"What do you mean?" I asked in disbelief.

"Her plane from Vancouver touched down at 5:50 pm yesterday," she revealed.

Batchi inhaled as if debating whether to give me the rest of the information.

"Are you really going to kill me with the suspense?" I urged her.

She sighed.

"Why don't you look at the third picture?" she pointed towards the green folder.

I opened it excitedly and as soon as I did, my heart sank.

The photo was of Jade and David, smiling.

Between them was a young girl, holding on to their hands.

Her hair was tied in a ponytail and she was wearing a pink dress with ruffled sleeves.

She was looking up at David lovingly.

I inhaled, my emotions in a rollercoaster ride.

"It's better that you know this now," Batchi told me.

"I know you, Althea." Her tone was hard.

"Before, I didn't succeed in stopping you from pursuing her."

"I have no illusion that I will be able to stop you now,"

She stood up but didn't make a move to leave.

"If you want to run after her again, I must warn you that she's always heavily guarded." She met my stare fiercely.

"I doubt that Oscar and his henchmen are going to be careless again especially now that she's in the country."

"They know how you look, Althea." She warned.

"You may want to think of a Plan B for you to get near Jade without raising their suspicions."

She paused for a few seconds.

When she spoke, her words were heavy with concern.

"You are my priority, Althea." Her features softened.

"I know how miserable you are despite the fortune you made for yourself and all of us,"

"Jade is still the one you love after all this time."

"There's just one thing I beg of you," she paused again.

When she spoke, I felt the love she had for me.

"Take care of your heart too,"

With that, she turned her back and gently closed the door behind her.

I sat there listening as the sound of her footsteps disappeared in the hallway.

The pictures were splayed on top of the table and I looked at them one by one.

I ran my fingers on a photograph of Jade wearing a red beanie while on a skiing trip.

The detective was fastidious enough to add notes to the pictures.

I checked the date and realized that it was very recent.

The one where she was skiing was labeled Banff, November 8, 2023.

My mind was telling me that I should reprimand Batchi for doing this.

I asked them to stop looking for Jade three years ago.

She obviously didn't want to be found.

Although I could afford to keep paying the detective agency, my heart was getting increasingly frustrated with the negative reports I received every month.

I stopped the search for my own sake.

Like what Batchi told me a while ago, I took care of my heart too.

For a while, I thought I did.

Until now.

I picked up the first picture I looked at.

Once again, the tears fell.

I knew what I had to do.

It's time for a Plan B.