My tears formed in my eyes. The pain throbbed in my guts. I endured the ache forming in my heart. My lips were trembling, unable to say anything.
“There is no cure for all the pain and hatred that I put you through. I maybe the biggest asshole and an idiot for letting me to forget you and leave you behind with full of misery…” he added.
I shook my head repeatedly. I don’t want to hear what he’s gonna say because I’m not yet ready to hear anything about Alessandra.
“Please, let’s just not ruin this night…” I said in a low voice.
He didn’t speak, he just looked at me like he was reading my thoughts.
“Come here…” he used his big arms to pull me into his chest. I felt him kiss my forehead gently while facing the cityscapes.
Right now, all I really wanted is to be on his side, to feel his embrace and steal this moment with him.
I glanced at him when his phone rang. He answered it while not moving beside me. He only stood straight after he heard what the other line said.
“Hey, relax, what happened?” He furrowed his brows and glanced down at me first before he spoke. “Ferry, just slow down…”
He withdrew from the hug and moved away for a few strides. I gasped heavily, my heart skipped a beat as I watched his strong expression.
“Is she okay? How was my baby?”
At that point, my knees weakened. I held the railing before facing the city.
“Okay, I’ll be right there…” he said in a deep serious tone.
My shoulders slumped together with my tears streaming.
So this is me, fighting not just for my rights but for his attention.
I waited for a few hours at the veranda of our Villa since we came back from Manila.
We need to fly back to Queensland because of the emergency that happened to Alessandra. She was rushed to the hospital and I don’t know why.
We’re not supposed to go home yet because he still needs to take care of the shipyard company he’s planning to build, but he got no choice.
I hugged myself and looked above the sky. It’s already breaking dawn, the sky is not that dark anymore but it seemed like aurora is still far for me.
I glanced at my phone beside me, waiting for a call that may not even come.
In the end, I picked up the phone and typed a message, but I ended up deleting my message. Being possessive and clingy is not my nature, But I’m talking about Alessandra here and their baby.
I know I’ll just fool myself if I let what happened slide off so I didn’t think twice and typed a message once more, asking how was the baby?
I went back inside and laid down the bed while looking at the screen, but minutes passed and no reply from Hezekiah arrived.
It hurts the most when you’re left hoping for same thing over and over again. You don’t know if all you’ve been fighting for would still lead somewhere. Until I became sleepy and drifted of the voidness.
“Good morning, Ate!” Tina’s cheerful voice greeted me in the kitchen.
“Morning…”
I went to the coffee maker and made my own coffee before going to the table with my cup.
“Did your Kuya Hezekiah went home last night?” I hazily asked before sitting at the chair.
“Yes, Ate, he left earlier in the morning. He just brought some clothes.”
My eyes went to her. I felt a pang in my chest when I heard he came home but didn’t check on me.
“D-Did he say anytime?” I asked in shaky voice.
“None, he looks like he’s in a rush.” Trina said.
I slowly nodded and dropped my head to my food. I do understand that he has a responsibility to Alessandra. I already accepted the fact that I have to share his heart. But I can’t accept that after something happened to us, he suddenly became like this.
“Ate?”
I snapped out when I heard Trina. I looked up to her and nodded.
“Your phone’s been ringing.” she informed.
I quickly answered the call when I saw Tawin’s name.
“Hello…”
“Hey, good morning! I have a good news and a bad news.” she greeted.
“Good news first…” I said and leaned against my chair.
“My source said the they saw Tita and Tito somewhere in Manila.”
My face brightened with her news. “Thank you, Tawin! I will try to reconnect with them very soon.”
“And the bad news is…”
My lips were on a grim line while waiting for her to speak.
“Ellwood took charge in Rising Stone. They started inspecting the mine. Dad told me this morning that the Echeverriis are planning a meeting agenda. Dad will attend the closed door meeting this morning. So you better hurry up!”
I was livid as I ended the call. I immediately stood up and went upstairs to get ready.
“Trina, take care of the house!” I said and walked straight to my car.
“Take care, Ate!”
I quickly turned the car on and drove to the Cervantes building. This is my chance to take back everything they took from us. I won’t let them just own the company my mother and father worked hard for.
When I entered the building, I already caught some of the employees’ attention. There are some who greeted me while the others looked confused.
“Did the meeting started?” I asked the girl I encountered.
“Ah, yes ma’am, they just started,” she said.
I quickly turned my back and went to the function hall.
I took a deep breath before pushing the door open.
Their eyes darted on me when I walked through the door with high chin and a fierce look.
My eyes went to Ellwood who quickly stood up from his seat.
“Is everybody here? What’s happening? It looks like I’m not informed of this meeting?”
I wandered my eyes on each of the board members, partners and share holders of the company and I stopped in front of Ellwood.
“Meredith…” Ellwood whispered my name.
“Just call me Mrs. Grant. Only my close friends can call me that.” I said cooly. My brows shot up before walking to the swivel chair he was sitting at earlier.
“Would you mind if I sit here?” I touched the chair’s backrest.
“What are you doing here?” He sternly asked. His eyebrows were almost knitted together while looking at me darkly.
I laughed sarcastically and sat on the swivel chair and faced the board members.
“What am I doing here? I’m the one who should ask you that! What are you all doing here?!” I shot each of them a glare, they’re all silent and some even can’t look back at me.
“Mrs. Grant, as you can see, we’re having a closed door meeting. Could you wait outside? If you have any issues regarding the Cervantes corp. or Rising Stone. You better talk to your parents.” Ellwood’s father said from the other end of the table.
I just smirked, not paying heed to his words and just looked at the board members.
“So, what we have here?” I opened the folder in front of me and scanned the papers.
“Very much impressive! You’re planning to open another mine plantation and another project for the Rising Stone— under Echeverrie Trading?” My eyes raised at Tito Gesmundo. I can’t read any emotion from him, instead, he just stood up and walked towards me.
“Well, because you’re already here, let me tell you everything.”
“Dad…” Ellwood tried to stop his father.
But his father only shot him a sharp glare before looking back at me.
“Actually, I’ve been wanting to go out of this company for a long time now. I tried to take back my shares for a lot of times but Adriano doesn’t want me to. And I obeyed because I valued our friendship.” He smiled at me.
“The company has been in a rough road even before you entered college. The company went bankrupt because of earthquakes occurring in the past years. Your father asked for my held to start again and to pay for all the loans your family has. Because he’s a friend, I lent him a money to start again.”
I felt my tears heating up while staring at Tito Gesmundo.
“I gave everything I have to build Rising Stone again. And as a reciprocation of my kindness, he made me as the company’s vice president and gave Ellwood the highest position. It means, the only thing you have is your name, because the truth is the Echeverriis already owned this company ever since…”
“But everyone didn’t agree to the plan. My son Ellwood wants a lifetime with you, but you ended up marrying someone else…” He went back to his seat.
“And now, I officially announce that the Echeverris will take charge of the Rising Stone and the Cervantes corp!” he said with finality.