บท 22: Chapter 22
Days passed by too fast. Dei and Charmaine took the early morning flight to Manila from Cebu. As usual Athena and Richard picked them up at the airport.
When they got home, Athena excitedly shows Charmaine their surprise.
"Come with me, Charmaine. There is something I would like to show you." Athena said and pulls Charmaine going to the new study room con library.
"Athena is so excited as if she was the one who thought of the surprise." Richard said, laughing.
"Let's go to the library. I am excited to see it and I also want to see Charmaine's reaction." Dei said while pulling Richard.
The two proceeds in the library and upon entering, they saw how stunned Charmaine is with the renovated library.
"I already arranged some of your books here, Charmaine. Mom said Tita Coleen would shift the rest of your books today. Do you like how I organized it?" Athena asked.
"Of course, Athena and thank you for doing this for me. When the other books arrive please help me to place it here, too." Charmaine said then she tightly hugged her sister.
"I am very glad to do that for you, Charmaine. Also, is it fine if I read some of your books once in a while?" Athena asked.
"Definitely, we could read together, if you like. You will enjoy it I promise." Charmaine said
"Can I join my girls on that reading session please?" They heard Dei asked, and they both run to their mom to hug her.
"Certainly, Mom. How about you Dad, would you like to join us." Charmaine asked.
Richard smiles, "Sweetheart, you know my eyes are for contracts reading only. But I like the idea of book reading, it can make Athena gets rid of her gadgets once in a while." He uttered.
"Daddy ….." Athena exclaimed.
"Hey, enough of that, we need to have breakfast first. I am already hungry, as hungry as I can eat the whole dragon, so come on guys." Dei said before she went out of the library.
After breakfast, Dei and Charmaine went to their respective rooms to unpack.
"You don't need to immediately unpack. You can rest for a bit. You had an early flight today, and you don't have super powers to do things without getting tired." Richard told Dei when he saw her starting to arrange her stuff in their room.
"I'm alright. I had a good sleep last night because the king went online early last night." Dei said smiling.
Richard smiled back and gave a Dei a back hug. "Because the queen was home early last night." he said and kissed Dei's temple. "Are you ready to invade Manila?" He asked.
"Yes your highness, i hope they are ready for the queen." Dei replied, giggling.
///
Dei started to work in her office in Manila two days after their arrival while Charmaine and Athena took advantage of their semestral break to spend sometime with Grandpa.
After 2 weeks of work in her new office, Dei's schedule became chaotic. She seldom had dinner with her girls and Richard needs to wait on when he can pick her up.
"Tired?" Richard asked before he gave Dei a peck on her cheek, as soon as she settled in the car.
"Yeah, I did not know that this would be so stressful. My previous position was even better because only the projects I handle were my only concern. Now it is all different, I oversee all the projects in all branches. And those stubborn PMs add to my stress." Dei replied.
"Your highness, is there something wrong?" She asked when she noticed that Richard was not listening to her and just staring at their building.
"Nothing, I just thought I saw someone I know." Richard replied. "Are you ready to go?" He asked.
"Yeah, I want to hit the bed. I am so tired." Dei replied.
Until the two reached home, Dei senses that there was something wrong with Richard. He barely said a word on their way home, which is very unusual. Richard was the one who talks a lot when they are in the car. But tonight is different. She decided to skip dinner because she was too tired to eat, Richard skips dinner as well. After checking on Charmaine and Athena, they went to their room to rest.
This strange behavior of Richard puzzled Dei a lot. She was so worried on what have bothered him.
"Are you alright your highness?" Dei asked.
"Yes." Richard replied.
"Are we ok?" Dei asked again.
Richard gave Dei a blank stare and replied, "Of course, your highness."
Dei just settles in bed after kissing Richard goodnight. She did not ask anymore. After a while Richard finally speaks. "Alright, I guess there is no point of hiding it, it will just make you worry and I don't want that. Yes my queen, I am not okay."
"Care to share what's bothering you?" Dei asked.
Richard had taken a deep sigh before he said "Earlier, in your office, I saw someone very familiar. Honestly, I sincerely hope I am just mistaken."
"And who is that, your ex-girlfriend?" Dei seriously asked. "You are beginning to scare me, Richard. How special is this girl that she bothers you this way?" She added.
"Not an ex-girlfriend, but an ex-boyfriend." Richard replied.
"Oh my God, you had an affair with a man?" Dei surprisingly asked.
Richard chuckled "You never fail to amaze me your highness, even in a serious conversation like this, you can still make me laugh." He said, chuckling.
"Who says I am kidding? I am dead serious Richard Reyes, Jr., who is that man who you had an affair with?" Dei exclaimed.
"I am offended, but since you seem very jealous, I will let is slide. At least your reaction boosts my confidence, and my heart is jumping for joy, now. I miss my jealous queen." Richard said, but Dei just gave him a very sharp stare. Realizing how serious his fiancee is as she claims, he can't help still, but to find her cute when she is jealous. Richard took a deep breath again and smile before saying, "Well the guy is not someone I had an affair with and for the record I never had an affair with any man, let's be clear about that." He explained. "He was once my rival … to you. He is your ex-boyfriend."
"My ex-boyfriend? Who among them?" Dei asked.
"What do you mean by, who among them? Was there any other boyfriend that you had that I did not know? As far as I know, you only had one boyfriend, the one who made you cry a river. I remember how worried I was then as you almost jump from the rooftop of the engineering building because your boyfriend then was migrating to California." Richard said frowning.
"I'm just kidding." Dei said then she cupped Richard's face and kissed him on his cheeks." Anyway, maybe you were mistaken. He is now peacefully settled in New Zealand. How can he be in our office? Please, stop thinking about it. Most probably the guy that you saw earlier is only his look a like." Dei said.
Richard raised an eyebrow "How did you know that he lives in New Zealand now? He migrated to California when he left." Richard asked.
"I saw a picture of him with Robert. I think they are high school classmates." Dei said. "Oh my God." Dei quickly gets her phone and checked on her instagram account. She finally saw what she is looking for when she sees Robert's post, she shows it to Richard.
Richard saw a picture of Robert with Dei's ex-boyfriend. Richard read the caption "New Zealand will always be great especially if you have a high school friend hosting the stay. See you soon in Manila brother."
Dei grab her phone from Richard and texted someone.
"Who are you texting?" Richard asked.
"I am texting Robert." Dei replied.
"And why are you texting him in the middle of our conversation?" Richard asked.
"I want to ask Robert about the new Marketing Group Head. Someone told me that a certain Mr. Rivera will head the Marketing Group. I just want to make sure." Dei replied. After a few minutes Dei receive a reply.
"What did he say?" Richard excitedly asked. Dei loudly read the text message.
"Dwayne Rivera is the new Marketing Group Head. He is from New Zealand but decided to just settle here in Manila. Why did you ask? Are you worried about your meeting with him the day after tomorrow? Relax Dei, Dwayne does not bite. Also, I think he knows you. You were schoolmates back in college I think."
Dei looked at Richard. "It's him. And I have a meeting with him the day after tomorrow." She said.
"When will you give your resignation letter?" Richard seriously asked.
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