The Next Morning...

Sapphire was scrolling through her phone, reading the morning news from a website. She felt happy as she scrolled through the written article.

"Hey girl, what are you smiling about?" Zoey walked to her.

With a glint of joy and happiness in Sapphire's eyes, she showed her friend the news.

"What? Gabby got signed?!"

"Yes!" Sapphire replied. "Umm... I want to ask. When would you close your today?"

"Why? Do you want me to close early so we can eat and drink together?"

"No. Not that exactly. I also want to ask... Can you tell me what most guys are into." Excitement laced her eyes as she asked.

"What? Guys?" Zoey whizzed at her. "Guys like who? Gabby?"

"No, not Gabby!" Sapphire jerked almost immediately. "So you know... I was referring to an average adult guy. More of a man."

"Are you talking about Jade Alejandro?"

"Well, yes. I should do something for him at least. He helped Gabby this far, after all."

"A car worth 1 billion dollars that a Saudi prince would drive. A 100 million dollar watch of pure gold." Zoey suggested.

"Are you serious?" Sapphire almost dropped dead.

"Yeah... I'm damn serious." She laughed out loud throwing her tiny body into the sofa.

"Well, just help me out. I know you can."

"I've helped you out, Fire. Well, there isn't much to it, really. A woman." Zoey suggested again.

"A woman?" Sapphire thought about it as she nervously scratched the nape of her neck.

'I'll have to go shopping for him.' A voice murmured in Sapphire head.

***

Jade was about to meet Sapphire when he bumped into Ace. He rushed to stop Jade, blocking him with his mysterious look.

"What do you want?" Jade hissed.

"Are you happy living this way? I mean, living someone else's life, you seem so comfortable with it."

"I don't think you gave the right to say something like that to me. I've been Jade Alejandro since I was born and that is the destiny of God that you can't even change. I've never for once, lost my name, my position or my status let alone taking someone else's I've never thought that I was living someone else's life. I've never given up on something I wanted to do because of someone else either so you see, You have Zero idea about who I am. But.. I can't say the same for you though."

Ace scoffed at Jade's words unbelievably.

Jade moved closer, as if it was a hug but wasn't really touching him. Jade's hands were in his pockets as usual, as a stern look appeared on his face.

"Let me give you an advice, little cousin. If you want to win against me, break free from your father, first. Let go of your mother's arm you're still laying in. And don't be influenced by what she says, either. Then when you've done that, you can come and find me. I'll consider you my opponent then." Jade pat him thrice on the shoulders and proudly walked away.

Ace scoffed abruptly in reaction to Jade's words. They were hurtful but it really meant nothing to Ace anyway. Almost worried, his phone rang. He picked the call immediately like the impatient jerk he is.

"Yeah?"

"She's here sir. The lady we've been looking for." A mysterious voice sounded over the voice. A voice that only Ace recognized.

"Here? At BB Mall?" Ace ends the call as his ocean blue eyes scanned the front of his Mall.

Just then, his eyes caught Sapphire. She was dressed in a beautiful green miniskirt and a flowery shirt that fitted her perfectly. She held a shopping bag in her right hand and walked into his shopping mall. She looked more cute and innocent in his eyes. A satisfying smirk appears on his lips as moved closer.

Sapphire walked into the jewelry section of the mall and went to lady in charge.

In front of her were all types of wrist watches from the Audemars Piguet, Vacheron Constantin, Patek Philippe, Blancpain, Hulblot, Chhopard, Omega, IWC Schaffhausen to the Rolex.

"Yes, the Rolex." Sapphire almost jumped out of her she's with excitement.

"Can I get that Rolex, please." She pointed to the seller.

"Yes, sure." The lady replied her politely and handed her the box of wristwatch.

Looking at it with so much admiration, Sapphire knew that Jade would definitely love her gift. Opening it to check the label price. Sapphire saw...

Paul Newman's Rolex Daytona: 17.7 million Dollars.

Her mind rang a bell immediately, she immediately handed the box over.

"Thank you, ma'am." Sapphire smiled anxiously.

She'd never touched a million dollars in her entire life. She wouldn't even dream of such luxury.

"Good bye ma'am." She added before leaving the jewelry store. Walking alone with an empty bag,

Staring through the transparent glass, Sapphire watched some people buying bowties. She was thinking about getting one for Jade when a little 3 years old girl came to hold her leg.

"Mummy!" The girl cried loudly as she held unto Sapphire's like as if it was a life-bouy.

"I'm not your mum, sweetheart." Sapphire corrected her immediately, turning to the girl.

She had light, blonde hair and ocean bike eyes like hers. Again, the girl was in a pretty pink dress and had a pink sneakers on.

She bent to her height as the girl wailed even louder.

"Oh no, dearie. Don't cry please." She begged the girl who has mucus pouring down her nose. Her tears were none stop too but Sapphire held her closer.

She looked around and studied the environment but everyone were busy doing their thing. No one was watching them.

The girl cried louder to the silence.

"Oh no, don't cry little princess." Sapphire brought out and handkerchief to wipe out her tears.
"I'll find your mum for you. Okay?" Sapphire assured, just the make her weeping reduce but it didn't.

"Your mom would be here, soon okay?" Sapphire tried to persuade her as she cuddled the wallowing child carefully. As if her cuddle meant something, the girl stopped crying and let out an heavy heave.

"Awwwwn, where is your mummy right now?" Sapphire asked as she caress the girl's hair. Her eyes were already swollen and red due to the shower of tears she'd just wasted.

Sapphire looked around carefully and confusedly. Then a matured voice muttered

"We should take her to the Lost Children Centre."

Sapphire turned to the man standing right in front of her. It was Ace but Sapphire didn't recognize him. She didn't know him since they haven't met. She gazed at him still confused, while Ace on the other hand wore an intimidating smile at her.

There and then, he helped her while  they met the girls mother at the Lost Children Center which was just couple steps away from where they were standing.

Sapphire reunited the girl with her mother and she went to meet Ace who was awaiting at her outside, by a corner.

Walking towards him, Sapphire beamed a gentle smile on her pretty face."Thank goodness we found her mother."

"Yes." He nodded.

"Well, goodbye." She told him and turned to leave when something held her back. Just then, she noticed his hand holding her firmly.
In surprise, she jerked away from his touch. Ace's hand dropped immediate, he wasn't expecting it either.

"Umm... I'm sorry but ummm. I'd like to buy you a meal, if that's okay with you." He asked politely, as gentle-manly as possible.

Sapphire watched him unbelievably. His words startled her.

"Just as a thank you, actually." He ended his words with a deep swallow. "I'm BB Mall's CEO... No, employee you see." He lied.

"Oh, umm... It was nothing, though. I just helped the little girl. Thanks for your kindness sir." Sapphire gave a weird smile.

"Can I have your phone number then? I'd like to contact you later, just in case." Ace appealed.

"Um, I have a boyfriend." She pointed out.

"Uh?" Ace muttered, dumbfounded. Lost in her words and beauty.

"Well, I feel like I had to tell you that just in case. So you won't be disappointed." She replied him nervously and walked away.

Watching Ace in his shocked state, Sapphire walked away. He tried to stop her again but she fastened her footsteps.

He stared at her lustfully with a mysterious smirk on his list as usual. He placed his hands in his pocket as he watched her move farther away into from the distance.

'Who's that and what did he want?' Sapphire whizzed at herself in excitement. It was the first time a man ever asked her out, just on their first meeting. He wanted to go on a real date!

"Wait, am I dreaming? No man ever asked me out!" Sapphire wiped her eyes and tooled at his direction but Ace had already turned away.

"What was that all about? He was trying to get my number... Oh my Gosh! Like seriously?" She held her chest the was still beating like a drum of war and left out a soft sigh.