The Rancher's Soulmate

CHAPTER5: Aftermath

November 26, 2017. Early Sunday morning. Teia woke up ahead of Iñigo. She felt very sore yet very contented and free. She had just freely given her virginity to Iñigo. He made love to her so gently not just once but thrice. She had no regrets yet she felt confused.

She swiftly picked up all her stuff, dressed up and left. She went to her hotel room, notified the front desk of her departure, booked the earliest flight to Palay City, Vizas, took a shower, dressed up and packed her luggage.

She didn’t know how long Iñigo would be staying in Japan but she felt the need to be away from him so she could think clearly.

She was already in the airport when she video-called her mother.

Mommy Jacqueline replied, “Good morning, sweetie. You didn’t call last night.”

She responded, “Yes, Mom. I went out partying with Michiko. I went back to the hotel very late.”

Mommy Jacqueline noticed, “Where are you now, sweetie? Are you at the airport?”

She confirmed, “Yes, Mom. I will take the earliest flight to Palay City. Can you please ask Manong Dario to fetch me at the airport? I’ll send my flight details later after this call.”

“Sure, sweetie,” Mommy Jacqueline affirmed but felt the uneasy feeling of her daughter, “But please tell me the truth first. What happened, sweetie? You know you can always tell me the truth.”

She confided in a hushed voice, “I had slept with someone, Mom.”

Mommy Jacqueline smiled and teased her, “Did you enjoy it?”

Her cheeks blushed, “Mommy! I don’t want to talk about it. I’m so confused at the moment. How could I do such thing?”

Mommy Jacqueline teased her further, “Well, perhaps he’s your soulmate.” She knew her daughter was quite the idealistic, conservative, and control-freak when it came to the matters of the heart and intimacy.

Teia declared, “I’m really confused, Mom. Can you also please tell Manong Dario and Manang Lara to keep my arrival in our vacation home a secret? I don’t want even Kerri or any of our relatives to know that I’m there not until you have all joined me. I really need all the peace and quiet I can have before you all join me for Christmas break.”

Mommy Jacqueline affirmed, “I will, sweetie,” then teased her daughter even further, “Did you enjoy it? Was he good?”

Teia’s face was all red from the continuous teasing of her mother.

Mommy Jacqueline then stopped because based on her daughter’s reaction, she already knew the answers to her questions, “Okay, I won’t bring out such topic anymore.”

Teia responded, “Thanks, Mom. I love you.”

Mommy Jacqueline replied, “I love you too, sweetie.”

She said, “Bye for now.”

Her mother uttered, “Bye.”

She then decided to send Michiko a text message – Good morning, Mich. I decided to come home already and just spend my much needed rest in our vacation home. I really appreciate all your help. I’ll expect you and Rukawa to visit Filipinas when you already decided to take a vacation. I’ll be your tour guide. Love yah, girl!

On the other hand, Iñigo woke up with Teia gone already. He looked intently on the bed which was the witness to that wonderful night. The proof that Teia was a virgin was also evident on the bed sheet.

He came to a decision. He must see her again. He must make things right between them.

He called up Ronnie. His chief-of-staff and flight crew had enjoyed the nightlife in Tokyo and went directly to the private airstrip where his private jet was stationed to rest there and prepare for their flight back to Filipinas that morning.

Ronnie replied, “Yes, boss.”

“Is the flight all set?”

Ronnie answered, “Yes, boss. Our pilot had already arranged everything.”

“Nice. I have a request, Ron. I want you to find ways to contact Mr. Nicolas Sierra and request for an appointment the soonest possible time. I would want to talk to him,” he had stated.

Ronnie affirmed with no question, “Okay, boss.”

“That’s all. I’ll be there in an hour,” he informed his chief-of-staff.

Iñigo took a shower, packed his remaining stuff, checked out and rode the chauffeured limousine that would bring him to the private airstrip.

When he reached the comfort of his private jet, Ronnie informed him. “Boss, I already contacted the personal assistant of Mr. Sierra. He told me that Mr. Sierra agreed on an appointment this afternoon at around 3 PM on a venue of your choice. So I already reserved a private dining room in King’s Hotel in Palmaine City. I had also told our pilot to arrange for a landing on a private airstrip in Vienburg City. Your penthouse unit in Victoria Condominium in Palmaine City is also ready should you decide to stay.”

“Excellent. I can really count on you, Ron,” he praised his chief-of-staff, whom he met when he took his MBA.

“That’s what you’re paying me for, boss,” Ronnie responded. 

They reached the private airstrip in Vienburg City at around 1 PM. His on-call private diver had fetched him at the airstrip using his SUV stationed at his designated parking space in Victoria Condominium – Palmaine City. The sister of the driver was his on-call housekeeper for the penthouse. Ronnie and his flight crew flew to his private airstrip in Palay City. He would just be traveling back to Vizas via his private helicopter.

Meanwhile, Nicolas and Jacqueline had just finished having lunch at home.

Afterwards, Jacqueline told her husband. “Our daughter is on her way to our vacation home. It seems she had finally let go of her innocence. But she’s confused.”

Nicolas then assumed, “Then perhaps that’s the reason why she decided to return right away.”

“I think she had a wonderful night but she’s freaking out because as usual she had returned to her control-freak ways,” Jacqueline added.

Nicolas stated, “At least, she had other things to think about besides her broken engagement. There are rumors that Louisse is pregnant with Christopher’s child.”

Jacqueline commented, “I don’t think she’s affected by the breakup at all. I think she’s the only lady who went on a shopping spree, travelled around some tourist spots in Japan, partied all night and enjoyed a one-night stand just within a week after a broken engagement. She is having the time of her life. The breakup actually did her good than bad. Besides, I really don’t like Christopher that much for her. But because he had made her happy, I didn’t voice it out to her.”

“Same here, darling,” Nicolas affirmed then shared, “Iñigo Bermudez wanted to talk to me. I still had no idea why. But I heard he had been purchasing all those properties near our vacation home for the continuous expansion of Bermudez Ranch.”

Jacqueline asked assumingly, “Do you think he'll offer to buy us out?”

Nicolas expressed, “I had no idea. I’ll know once I talk to him this afternoon.”

Iñigo came a few minutes earlier at King’s Hotel. A few minutes thereafter, Teia’s father arrived. Iñigo stood up and extended his right hand for a handshake. Teia’s father accepted it.

They sat opposite each other. The waiter came to take their order. They just only ordered drinks.

Nicolas then asked the handsome billionaire as the waiter left, “So what do you want us to talk about, Mr. Bermudez?”

Iñigo courteously responded to Teia’s father, “Just call me Iñigo, sir. I would want to talk to you about your daughter, sir.”

Nicolas didn’t expect such. He was surprised but he had managed to ask, “Why do you want to talk about my daughter, Iñigo?”

“I’m interested in her, sir,” Iñigo confided.

Nicolas took pride in saying, “Well, my daughter is a one of a kind lady. A lot of men have become interested with her.”

“Very true, sir,” Iñigo had agreed.

The waiter had arrived with their drinks, brewed coffee for Nicolas and espresso for Iñigo.

Nicolas spoke up, “My daughter is a control freak and she always minds what other people have to say about her. Despite your outstanding qualifications, I don’t think that my daughter would be ready yet to entertain suitors.”

Iñigo affirmed, “That, I very well understand, sir,” then he imparted, “Teia and I met in Tokyo. I already told her my intention to pursue her when she’s ready. But out of courtesy, I also want to inform you.”

Nicolas felt the sincerity of the billionaire, “I appreciate such, Iñigo. Only few men do such gesture nowadays.”

Iñigo revealed more, “I don’t know how to tell you this, sir. But I felt that I have wronged Teia?”

Nicolas felt confused but something in his mind was whispering that it could be about his daughter’s letting go of her innocence. He asked the billionaire, “How?”

Iñigo stated, “I might have taken advantage of her. We had drinks with friends last night in Tokyo and we ended up sleeping together without any protection. I’m her first. I have great respect for her so I want to make things right between the two of us. But she wasn’t there anymore when I woke up.”

Nicolas commented with calmness, “It seems to me that what happened was consensual, Iñigo. My daughter won’t do anything against her will even if she’s under the influence of alcohol. She knows how to hold her drinks. But the unprotected s*x is a bad judgment indeed.”

Iñigo immediately said, “I will take responsibility of whatever consequence it may lead to, sir,” he imparted further, “I have liked your daughter since the first time I saw her at the corridor of CVM Building more than 7 years ago. I was still then a humble farmer’s son unworthy of her. I was also in a relationship back then so I never acted on the strong affinity I have for your daughter. Years had passed, still whenever I see her even from afar, that strong emotion I felt for her the first time our eyes lock is still there. I had already lost hope of a future with her when she got engaged to Mr. Poe. But with her broken engagement, I got a renewed hope. I know it’s too soon to presume of a possible pregnancy. But should it lead to such, I would want your blessings to take your daughter’s hand in marriage immediately, sir.”

Nicolas had admired the billionaire’s righteousness, straight-forwardness and courage, so he expressed, “I admire your straight-forwardness and courage, Iñigo. But let’s just cross the bridge when we get there. You will have my approval to pursue my daughter once she’s ready. As for a possible pregnancy, your plan is quite acceptable. But I want to know. What are you willing to do just to prove that you’re worthy to be my daughter’s husband?”

Iñigo expressed with great conviction and all honesty, “I’ll do everything in my capacity just to make her happy, sir. I’ll stay true to her until my last breath. I will never ever do anything to cause her pain and suffering.”

Nicolas was impressed, he divulged, “My daughter is in our vacation home in Jinan, Vizas, Iñigo. I wish that you could look after her safety while we haven’t joined her yet there. Bermudez Ranch is quite near there.”

Iñigo responded, “Rest assured that I will do my best to keep her safe, sir. I had already purchased the hilly beachfront property beside your beach vacation home, sir. I had set up my official residence there. Be guaranteed that the security provided on the extent of my property shall be extended to your property as well.”

Nicolas expressed his gratitude, “Thank you very much, Iñigo. At least I wouldn’t worry for my daughter’s safety while she’s there. Dario and Lara, our caretakers, are her only companions there. Should there be some nosy press who discovered her whereabouts, Dario might not be able to handle such. Christopher’s family is also angered because of what my son did to Christopher. The Poes could be very vindictive. I’m   sure they didn’t like the thought that Christopher is on the bad side of the breakup. They might do something bad toward my daughter. We are not that rich, Iñigo. The Poes might have experience some financial setbacks but they are still way much influential than my family.”

Iñigo reassured Teia’s father, “I’ll make it my duty to keep her safe, sir.”

Meanwhile, Teia was already settled in her bedroom in their beach vacation home. She was still consumed with what happened between her and Iñigo the previous night. Could he be her soul mate? Was it the reason why she was able to let go of her defense?

While she was on such thoughts, she received a phone call from her brother.

She responded, “Yes, Kuya.”

Troy asked her, “How are you now?”

She answered, “I’m fine. I’m quite settled here already.”

Troy told her, “Our friends told me that Christopher is asking your whereabouts. I already told Dad to arrange for your protection while we can’t be there with you yet.”

She assured her brother, “Don’t worry much. I’ll just stay mostly at the house. I’m making myself busy browsing the internet for Christmas decorations. I’m also starting to make all the preparations for my dream animal clinic.”

Troy inquired, “Where will you have it?”

“Palmaine City was the original plan. But I might start with the commercial lot I had purchased here in Palay City rather than the one I had purchased there in Palmaine City,” she shared.

Troy suggested, “You can do both. You have more than enough capital for both anyway.”

She acknowledged it, “I’ll think of it. As of the moment, I’m still looking up for some statistics. I will also be gathering information on possible contractors and suppliers.”

Afterwards, she posted on her social media accounts some of her photos in Japan just to mislead the press of her presence in the country.

On the other hand, Christopher was so angered of what happened after Teia broke up with him. His bruised cheek from her brother’s punch was still painful. Some of his big clients had already back out on closing the deal with his firm.

If he had to go down, he would make sure Teia had to go down too. If he couldn’t have her then he would make sure that no other man would want her.  

But a shocking news came that same day. His father visited him at his condominium unit.

“Good afternoon, Dad. What brought you here?”

“You should stop looking for that ex-fiancée of yours and start focusing your attention to Louisse. Cassie just told us that Louisse passed out while they’re shopping and when she had consciousness at the nearest hospital, the lab tests showed she is pregnant and the father is you,” his father divulged. “You and our family will go to their home tonight to talk about your wedding. Your Mom wasn’t able to make any cancellations yet on your supposed wedding except for the church and invitations. The large amount of money we spend with all the deposits for the other wedding details won’t go to waste at all.”

“It could be someone else’s child, Dad. You cannot force me to marry Louisse. I want Teia as my wife,” he answered back.

His father raised his voice, “You should have not cheated on Teia then with Louisse. Teia doesn’t want to marry you anymore. Louisse wouldn’t stoop down so low trapping you into marriage just because she’s pregnant. She won’t also lie to Cassie about the father of the child she’s carrying. So do right with her and her family. Her family are good friends of ours. Louisse is Cassie’s best friend. You will marry Louisse whether you like it or not.”

That night after his family and Louisse family agreed on a garden wedding on December 3, 2017, the same date he was supposed to marry Teia, he went home and received the news that Teia was already at their vacation home in Jinan, Vizas.