PICTURE
As soon as Zachary walked into the dining room, he noticed that their servants were busy arranging things in their living room. He shrugged as he walked to the kitchen, where he could smell the fragrant food from afar. He sniffed as he entered the kitchen to see what was cooking.
When he saw their head housemaid Nana Cora busy giving instructions to the others in the kitchen, he frowned.
“Nana, what is the occasion? And what are you doing? Did Dad advise you that you need rest?” Zachary inquired.
Nana Cora suffered from a minor stroke three months ago. As a result, his father advised Nana to rest.
“Tsk, don’t scold me; why have you come now? Your Daddy was looking for you earlier,” Nana Cora asked.
He considers Nana Cora to be a second grandmother to him. Because Nana has cared for him since he was a child, his father, Daddy Calvin, also treated Nana as if she were a second mother.
“I’m not weak. And go to your Daddy. He’s waiting for you in the study room.” Nana Cora informs him.
“Nana, I went with Claudel to her photoshoot because, you know Nana, if I don’t go with her, she’ll be mad at me or break up with me.” He wrapped his arm around Nana Cora’s shoulders and led her to a chair.
“Okay, if you say so? They’re in the study room waiting for you, but be careful, huh?! Your Daddy’s head is a little hot,” Nana Cora warned.
What’s the latest? His father is always angry and irritable with him. Tsk. He shrugged and went to the study room.
As he stood in front of the door, he just sighed. He wasn’t sure whether he was knocking or not. Because he was called up to his father’s study room every time, he knew he had made a mistake. Fuck! What had he done wrong now? He wondered, but he couldn’t come up with anything.
He gently knocked on the door and waited for an answer from within. He quickly turned the lock inward. As he walked inside, he became nervous. His father was sitting in the swivel chair, staring at him intently. He couldn’t decide whether to walk or stand.
“I miss you, son,” Mommy Lorraine said as she hugged him tightly.
He cracked a grin. “I miss you more, Mom,” he said, kissing his mother on the brow.
“Your Dad just to talk to you about your financial statement,” his mother, Lorraine, said softly. He was quickly swallowed and began to sweat.
Ohh, man! I’m dead! I knew it.
“Sit down.”
His father got up from his swivel chair and approached him. At the age of fifty-five, Calvin Buenavista is undeniably attractive and athletic. The rage was directed at the envelopes that were on the table.
“Do you see those envelopes?? Open them.”
So, he opened it right away; these were credit card bills and bank statements of his savings, which had no longer reached one hundred thousand.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.
“Dad, I’m-?”
“Damn it, Zach. Are you wasting your money? Everything you spend, we work hard for; even a cent, I hope you think about it before you spend it.”
Shoot, my father was angry. Excellent work, Zach. You’re finished now.
“You must now work for yourself from now on. You will provide for it with everything you spend. Why don’t you follow in the footsteps of your older brother Zeke, who worked and saved when he was younger? Look at him now, and he has his own company.”
“We heard Claudel is your girlfriend; is that true?” Mommy Lorraine inquired calmly.
“Yes, Mom.”
Mommy Lorraine sighed. Her disappointment was written all over her face.
“Is it also true that you spend money on her travel and hotel accommodations?”
He bowed his head. “Is it wrong to spend money on the person you love?” he asked his mother, his voice trembling. He didn’t see what was wrong with what he was doing. That’s his money.
“Look, there’s nothing wrong with spending money on someone you care about; our point is, what if you don’t have any money? Will she still love you?” Mom explained calmly.
He barely considered that I didn’t have any money or wasn’t a Buenavista. As a result, Claudel will stay for him. Claudel Margaret Reyes is a well-known student at their university, the woman he aspires to marry and the woman he aspires to be in life.
“Break up with her because you’re about to marry your mother’s best friend’s daughter,” Daddy Calvin replied.
“What? Dad, why are you even including me in that arranged marriage? Do I no longer have the right to choose who I want to be in life?” he appealed.
“Yes, our decision is final; we’ve already spoken with them and are just waiting for Samarra to make her debut,” his father said as he walked out of the study room as if he hadn’t heard what he was saying.
Zachary sat on the couch. Damn! This life is shit! Because of his annoyance, his jaw clenched. He sighed for a few moments, taken aback by what had occurred. He stood up to go to his room to rest. Zeke’s older brother’s room was slightly open as he walked by. He went inside out of curiosity. It was beautiful and twice the size of his room. That was well-organized. Black and gold color combination because his brother Zeke is crazy about that color.
He fixed his gaze on a photograph on his bedside table. He took his time getting and inspecting the item. A woman dressed to the knees in a blue gown. Her hair is being blown around by the wind. Faced with the sea, she must be a stunning woman; even though the girl turned it away from the camera, he couldn’t see its face.
Come on, Zachary, why are you interested in that lady? He returned the picture frame he was holding with a shake of his head. He knew his brother Zeke wouldn’t have put a picture of the woman in the room if it wasn’t necessary. He shrugged and exited the room.
Samarra trembled as she heard footsteps approaching her stand. She is currently standing on the balcony, facing the swimming pool. Part of it is dark, even without opening her eyes. She could tell Ezekiel was the man behind her just by smelling it.
“What are you doing here?”
She didn’t even bother to open her eyes. But she could tell by the tone of Ezekiel’s speech was annoyance. They are the only ones left in their mansion because her father asked him to keep a close eye on her while in Spain. Uncle Calvin and Auntie Lorraine returned to the Philippines last week.
“I can’t sleep.”
She blinked open her eyes and felt his lips brush against her brow. When Ezekiel’s handsome face appeared in front of her, she was almost swallowed up. She made a wrong decision. They will most likely kiss. She just took a deep breath and took a step back. With each step she took back, Ezekiel took a step forward toward her.
Ezekiel placed both hands between her tummy. In those moments, only the moonlight serves as their source of illumination. She shivered as she realized how nervous she was.
“Are you all right, Miel?”
She raised her head. She noticed Ezekiel’s attractive face staring at her.
“Y-yeah.” Ezekiel grinned and shook his head.
“I’m guessing you’re trying to fool me, Young Lady.”
She should hold her breath. Ezekiel drew his face closer to hers. She could smell its fragrant breath. She fixed her gaze on its slightly parted lips.
What is it like to be kissed? OMG! What are you thinking, Samarra? You’re still young enough to do things like this.
“Aww, Kiel,” she said as Ezekiel squeezed her right cheek.
“What kind of expression is that?”
“Hmm,” she said, averting her gaze and swallowing; didn’t Ezekiel notice how close their faces were?
Her body trembled when Ezekiel touched her chin and lowered his gaze to her pitying lips. As he slowly bends down, she closes her eyes tightly. Gosh! Is he going to plan on kissing me? Her heart was pounding in her chest.
She was taken aback when she heard a faint laugh. She could see the sly grin that flashed across Ezekiel’s lips. Her actions and movements appeared so sloppy that she thought Ezekiel was making fun of her.
She pushed Ezekiel’s chest away and turned away. Before she could even step forward, Ezekiel wrapped his arm around her waist. She could feel his breath on the back of her neck.
“Babaysot, I’ll miss you.”
Samarra bit her lower lip so hard that she could feel the moisture in her eyes. She was aware that Ezekiel was leaving for the Philippines the next day. It will be about marriage. She was mindful of her feelings for Ezekiel but couldn’t express them because she didn’t want to disobey her parents.