"How are you, you went late, huh?" He put two beers on the table and sat in front if me inside the cottage.
"I just worked overtime. Are the kids asleep?"
He seemed to not believe my reason because his eyes went to my swollen lips.
"Yes, they have school tomorrow."
Silence ensued between us.
"Is it about Emory?"
My jaw clenched as I drank off the bottle of beer I'm holding.
"You won't come here at this late hour if you're problem is not that heavy," he said.
I only shook my head and continued drinking.
"Come on, it's just women. Why don't you leave the other one? Problem solved!" I heard him chuckle before holding his own bottle of beer .
I chuckled, if only it's that easy, I would've done that before.
"Why? Do you love both?"
I licked my lips, not knowing what to answer, "You have a lot of questions." A smile appeared on my lips because of his nosiness.
"I'm serious. I know you love someone more that the other."
I shook my head on him. "If that's the basis of making a decision then I won't choose." I emptied my bottle.
He opened another and pushed it in front of me.
"Choose Emory... Problem solved!"
I smirked, "She suffered a lot. I can't manage to stand beside her after everything." I muttered.
Iseah muttered a cursed. He drank his beer empty before slamming it on the table loudly.
"You're a jerk," he said.
I swallowed what he said. I know this will be his reaction.
"You can't do this to Emory, I'm telling you this now, Kuya..." he said with a threat.
My jaw clenched as opened another bottle.
"I can't be with her... I can't choose her! She's better off without me. She did that before, I'm sure she can do it this time."
"Strong words, you might regret it, for sure."
I ignored him. I only need to talk to one person now... and I'll make sure I won't fail this.
****
"Kuya Zeki! Kuya Zeki, wake up, breakfast's ready!" Kesha shook my shoulders.
"Okay, I'll go down." I mumbled while laying face down.
"The food will get cold, move fast..." she insisted.
She didn't want to stop bugging me, so I pulled her waist and tickled her which made the whole room boom with laughter.
It's been a week since I stayed here after I left the villa. I didn't go back to Alessandra because Marcus strictly guarded her to forbid me from going to her.
"Did you talk to Ate Mary? When will she visit us?"
I glanced at Kesha who was pouting while looking up to me and to Iseah who stopped eating.
"She's still busy, I'll call her later. Go, finish your food or you'll be late for class," Iseah said to them.
"Yes!" Kesha exclaimed and did a high-five with Zia.
"You shouldn't lie to them." I said beside him while we watch their school bus drive away.
"She's still part of the family. Don't involve the kids with your fights, they don't know anything about all these." he answered.
I sighed heavily, I was about to enter inside the house when he spoke again.
"I talked to Rupert yesterday, Julieta mentioned that Meredith checked in Galla via Island yesterday."
I closed my eyes shut for a moment and clenched my jaw with what I heard. I didn't talk and went inside but he followed me.
"You won't talk to her to fix things?"
That's when I bursted and faced him with bloodshot eyes. "We don't have anything to talk about because we're done."
"Because you're fucking coward! You chose to leave her for what? For your mistress?!" he said in a hard tone.
"You don't know what you are talking about..."
"Then tell me what I need to hear! Tell me why you didn't choose her?!"
"You know how painful it was for me to let her go, you should know that out of all people, Iseah!" I shouted.
"You know what? I blame myself for losing her. I blamed this freaking amnesia, why here... here in my mind, I forgot about her!" I pointed my temole with shaky breaths as I stopped myself from getting even more angry.
"If only I can choose, I already did, but no. I chose to let her go because this is what she really deserves!"
"What about Alessandra, what's your plan with her?" he asked with crumpled forehead.
I clenched my teeth, "I only care about the baby..." I turned my back on him.
There's no night I didn't regret about my decision. If there's a chance for me to pay for everything, I'll give it all for my child.
****
"Your meeting with Mr. Echeverrii is settled." Rupert informed me. He followed me as I entered the office.
"Good morning, Mr. President!"
I nodded at the employees who greeted me before going inside my own office.
"How about the Sunrise Steel, is the bidding done?"
"Yes, it was done by yesterday. I already took care of all the permits so we could start it as soon as possible."
"Good, hand me my paper works and cancel all my meeting except for Mr. Echeverrii," I said.
"Noted, Mr. President." After he put all the papers I need to sign and review, he went out of my office.
I busied myself all day. I didn't let my day be vacant and have thoughts about Emory gush in.
We're done but my mind can't stop thinking about the news that she's in Galla via. I already talked to Julieta who's still the manager of the hotel. I tasked her to keep an eye on Emory.
I slammed my fountain pen on the table loudly and leaned back on my swivel chair.
"Fuck!" I cursed loudly.
Why can't I stop thinking about her?! Fuck!
I blew out a deep breath and looked down at the telephone in front of me. I didn't think twice and dialed the hotel.
"Hello, you're looking for me?" Julieta's sweet voice greeted me.
"How is she?" I asked.
"Well, she looked fine here. I tried to make her stay in the hotel but she liked staying at the cottage."
I clenched my teeth and gripped the telephone firmly, "Call Hunts and Sean to look after her and you, keep an eye on her, I'll be there tomorrow night."
After I ended the call, I leaned back on my office chair again and shut my eyes close.
I think this is the least I can do, to guard her from afar.
From a distance, I could already see Ellwood at a corner of the restaurant. He glanced at me and slid his phone on his pocket before standing up.
"I'm glad you accepted my invitation." I said formally before offering my hand for a handshake.
"My schedule is not that tight today," he said and sat down.
I signaled the waiter to serve the foods and drinks I reserved.
"I wanna go straight to the point. I want to pay all of the Cervantes' debts on you and your family. Even the interests and your effort and swats on the company. Name it, I'm ready to pay."