"boss order na ko?"

i'll have shrimp carpaccio. make sure to order caprese with bocconcini to go, for french fries.

"akala ko ba mag-lunch sila nila chloe?"

favorite nya yun dito sa giovanni's.

"ahhh ok." he grinned, oh well might as well order her favorite now, he thought. "boss, riesling?"

nope. i'll just have san pellegrino

"wow! iba talaga pag magkaka-asawa na!" tukso nito

kaya mag-asawa ka na na rin.

"dadating din tayo dyan boss. ikaw muna."

after this i don't have any more meetings right?

"i cleared everything. you're good to enjoy time with your french fries"

oo nga pala, do you think you can arrange for us to meet with holly?

"i'm waiting for that question. yup i texted her. sabi ko malamang next week mag-set ka ng meeting, just tell me which date should i free in your calendar."

holly is leo's long time girlfriend whose an event manager.

that's why i never doubted your effectivity and reliability. reserve thursday, i still need to talk to nico.

"i'll tell her to save her thursday then"

great. plus i need you to— hold on.

he fished his phone from his pocket and answered the call to be greeted by a loud shriek

oouucchhh!!! alex ang sakit sa tenga ng sigaw mo!

he stood up to answer alex's call

"wala akong pake! CONGRATULATIONS RJ!"

ahhh so nico told her, he thought,  thanks! uwi kayo ha

"natural! maid of honor kaya ako!"

claim mo kaagad? ang alam ko si patty eh tukso ni rj kay alex

"gagu mo!!! anyway i'm happy for you both. may date na ba?"

we haven't finalize anything but we will surely let you know the details

"oy dapat lang! iuuwi ko pa ang mag-ama ko"

he chuckled, how's charles and chico?

"chico's doing great in school at ang asawa ko pakamatay sa trabaho para sa tuition fee hahaha"

baliw ka talaga. ring bearer si chico ha

"naman! kahit di mo sabihin ipi-prisinta ko ang anak ko noh!"

si chico pa ba? when did nico called you?

"kakatapos lang namin mag-usap. o sige na i know how busy you are. i just want to personally congratulate you. finally faulkerson!"

hmmm... wala kang habilin?

"rj, kilala kita. ex-girlfriend mo ako baka nakakalimutan mo!" sabay tawa nito, "hindi ko na kailangan ihabilin ang bestfriend ko, you'll do a great job being her husband"

thanks lex... basta pag napagtampo ko itawag mo agad sa kin ha?

"hahaha! oo naman! tsaka wag kang mag-alala hindi ka nyan malalayasan. malayo ang milan at singapore, wala siyang mapupuntahan. sige na bye. keep in touch"

we will lex. take care. hugs for chico

when he returned to their table he was greeted by a lady wearing a black halter dress sitting beside leo.

ms. de dios, glad you can make it. he extended his hand to shake hers

"it's bianca and please, let's cut the formalities rj. don't i get a hug?" the lady moved over to rj's side and gave him a cheek to cheek

so i guess let's get down to business? how much does the property cost? he even looked at his watch. five minutes

"wow! ilang taon tayong hindi nagkita rj wala man lang hi how are you, how's it been phase?"

for what? leo, i thought this is a business meeting?

"boss that's what i informed ms. de dios as well." leo seconded

so i guess naging clear naman pala sayo how this meeting will go. let's get down to it, shall we?

"rj if this is your way of getting back at me ple—"

ms. de dios, for the third time, we agreed with this meeting for one agenda, i want to buy the property that's it. name your price

"leo could you give us a minute?" baling ni bianca kay leo

"i'm afraid not ms. de dios. unless my boss tells me otherwise" he looked at rj and nodded

look bianca, kung hindi ka interesado na ibenta ang property, take it off the listing. i think this meeting is a waste of time. leo, let's go  jay stood up preparing to leave when bianca's hand grabbed his

"i know the significance of that property to you rj, so if you really want that property i suggest you sit down and be a good player" she glared at him, confident that she can manipulate him.

rj held her hand and gave her a smug look

it is important to me. but i don't play games. i am a businessman, if you want to give me a price i'll sit down but if you want to go about things from the past then there's nothing to talk about.

she stood up and gave jay a seductive look

"you haven't forgotten me have you, rj? i'm ready to forgive you, you know." she moved her hands to smoothed the collar of his suit  "just ask"

he held her hand to stop her from what she's doing and looked at her intently.

if you think it's not fair that i broke up with you the moment i realized i'm not inlove with you, then i'm sorry. but what i just want right now is to buy the property, that's all. if you're not interested on selling it so be it.  then he let go of her hand and motioned to his friend   let's go leo

"yes boss, you go ahead i'll just settle the bill. excuse me ms. de dios" then he smirked at her

rj started walking out of the restaurant, all of a sudden he heard bianca shouted

"bakit hindi mo aminin na mahal mo pa ko? that you made a mistake letting me go? rj, yun lang naman eh! hanggang ngayon mahal mo pa ko di ba? tell me!" bianca pleaded

he was dumbfounded. he did not expect this kind of outburst from her especially now that they are in public. lucky there were only a few customers. he didn't even realize that bianca is now hugging him from behind. he cringed. he took her hands off him and turned to face her

bianca don't do this to yourself.

"mahal mo pa ko di ba? rj, just tell me you want me back. tell me you never meant to break up with me. tatanggapin kita. we can start again. please rj." she continued to plea

bianca this is getting out of hand. stop this. i have been honest with you, but if you need me to repeat it, i never loved you. i thought i did. still, i thank you for being my friend during that difficult part of my life. but don't ask me for something i can't give.

leo moved in to get bianca off rj whose now crying her heart out.

"ms. de dios, let's go. hatid na kita sa sasakyan mo" when he tried to escort her, she wiggled and turned to rj

"then you can't have that property. hindi mo makukuha ang bahay na buong puso mong ginawa! no one - NO WOMAN can ever be the queen to that castle!!!"

but before jay could say something

it does not matter b, besides i never would have wanted a castle anyway.

rj was surprised when he saw nico walked in. he didn't even notice that she was already beside him holding his arm

"you??? i— wait— you? and why would you even matter"

bianca that's enough!

jay was about to led nico outside but she got herself out of jay's hold

oh you're right — why would i matter? hmmm... let's see... bakit nga ba?... oh here's one, kasi ako ang mahal niya

"mahal? how can you say that? you're not even his girlfriend, you said so yourself"

and i'm not. she took a step and raised her hand 
i stand corrected though. fiancee, bianca. i'm mr. faulkerson's fiancee. his soon-to-be-wife

"rj is this true? why? it should be me right? you built that house for me!!! ako ang mahal mo di ba? rj say it, tell me this is just a plot, bumabawi ka lang di ba" she tried to run to him but he was fast enough to move behind nico

bianca— he was not able to continue when he heard his future wife speak

BACK. OFF. BIANCA. she said sending a glaring warning with a stern but definitive voice and raised eyebrows oh and please don't make me exhaust my vocabularies and find words that will make you wish that you haven't met me

kingina ang hot ng magiging asawa ko he thought

hianca was astounded with the fierce look of rj's bride-to-be. it's clear that her stance cannot be shaken, she stood her ground. he is definitely hers. when bianca did not say another word

good i think we're all settled then. she turned to him and peck his lips, let's go, love. i believe you're done with your business meeting right?

all done love. let's go  he kissed her forehead then whispered on her ear love, patinging ulit mamaya ng hot and feisty

she gave him a smug look, gusto mo talagang maparusahan noh? mamaya ka sa kin bulong nito kay jay

and with that, the couple walked out of the place leaving behind a tear-stricken bianca.

"ok na ms. bianca? malinaw naman kasi ang pagkakasabi ko sayo, business meeting. i gave you a heads up that he's not interested on anything but the property"

then came two people throwing banters at each other

"oh ano ang bagal mo kasi! muntik na tayong mahuli!" sita ni chloe kay jerome

"eh kasalanan ko ba na traffic? umabot naman eh! in the nick of time nga!" je defended

"oy pasabay na lang, mukhang iniwan na ako ni boss.naknang pag si french fries talaga, walang ka-kumpitensya!"

"sinabi mo pa. oh b? andyan ka pala?" biro ni je na nakatanggap ng irap mula sa babae

"tara na. madami pa kong aayusin sa schedule ni boss" pagyaya naman ni leo sa dalawa

"wedding prep?" chloe asked making sure the other lady heard her

"you bet!" leo confirmed

"pano b? nice seeing you. take care of yourself, ok?" je said smugly while waving goodbye

they all went out, contented that they conveyed the message. richard faulkerson jr. is very much taken. and that ms. nicomaine mendoza owns him.

                                  ************