The Billionaire's Closet [English]

Chapter 4: Plans

After taking a deep breath and blowing her thin straight bangs, she walked straight into the hotel hallway to how and where Asher guided her through her message. She knows what's going on with Hughes for quite some time through Asher, her best friend that accidentally meets Hughes because of their nature of business. Yuriah learned that Asher and her boyfriend Andrius are friends with him through pictures posted on her social media account taken on the said conference day.

"How do you know him?" she asked, pointing to Hughes on the picture, who was wearing a navy blue tuxedo as if she did not know anything. The man that came from her past was smiling genuinely on the camera. "He was one of my classmates in middle school back in Zambales, Asher."

"Really?" she asked, amusement is written all over her face. Her voice changed and get serious too. "Hughes is a nice guy Yuriah, I've known him for a year now, and I could say that he was a man who defines almost perfection if he only had a serious relationship with the perfect woman."

Yuriah just laughed at her best friend's changed of expression. She knows her very well as she is her classmates and turned her best friend along with Avril. Asher is silently shipping her with him, not knowing that they had already a fascinating story in the past. If she only knew and the reason for their break up, she will be sad for Yuriah as Hughes left her behind for the unacceptable reason.

Yuriah did not go to Australia to study, as she told everyone in Zambales when she left. She wants a quiet life in Manila, and her parents agreed with that; that is why she studied in a private university that no one knows her except Avril—thinking that it was a good idea to be near him. Yet, she was in afar distance like a shadow of the stars in a far sky every night.

"Silly you, Asher!" she let a loud laughed, and this time the humor is gone, "Do you think he doesn't have a serious relationship right now?" she shrugged her shoulder, considering to herself what she witnessed on their graduation day. "He had everything in his life right now."

"No, he is still single and ready to mingle." she continued to push, "I bet if he meets you, he might change his habit in a relationship and get serious."

"I don't like what you are thinking now, Asher," she said in a disappointed tone. She can tell her meanings through her flickering eyes.

Asher laughed at what she said. Her eyes almost burst into happy tears. Yuriah knows her tactics very well. She starts setting her up on blind dates to her friends right after declining Andrius's affection, her best friend's boyfriend now. Asher wants her best friend to have a serious relationship now that she was getting older. She only knows that she had a boyfriend before, in her ninth grade, but other than that, she did not get into a new relationship in college and even after they graduate. She was working day and night, not considering getting married at the age of thirty.

"Why?" Asher asked in a curious tone.

Yuriah shrugged her shoulder again as she shook her head inwardly.

"No, I won't go, Asher," she replied, using her a bit dry and raspy voice, "I am not going to date anyone as you pleased."

"Yuriah, please give him a try." she begs, "You are almost twenty-five, and you are old enough to get a boyfriend like him." Asher's side of her lip rose when Yuriah throws a sharp look at her as if she hit some spot in her inner self, "We are getting old each day, and we are not getting any younger, Yuriah. We need a companion in those days; we should not prefer to be alone. You should have got a partner, and Hughes was a good match."

"And what's wrong with my age?" she asked as she gets up from her chair again. Her brow shot up as she was annoyed at her friend's statements. "It was just a number, Asher." her voice gets hollowed, dry, and empty.

They were inside a famous coffee shop, taking a short break from their tiring job in their company. The sun is scorching outside, but they are having a coffee right now to lessen their stress from their work. It became their habit when they were packed and tired. Asher called her just to be annoyed about her status and age. Things that Yuriah regrets a little bit.

"You don't like Hughes?" she asked after sipping on her coffee, "Tell me, Yuriah. How can you dislike a man like him in your existence?"

Yuriah holds her breath at what she said. Asher was out of her line again, she doesn't know everything about her, and here she is assessing her. She took a deep breath, thinking if she has a choice, she will and loved to tell her who is Hughes in her life. And will let her know the reason for their break up. But she prefers to be silent. She doesn't want Hughes to be judge by her friend and the whole society if they find it out.

"Asher..." it was whispered in a warning tone.

"What?" she responded with a teasing tone again as she shook her head and rested her back on the chair, "So, you don't like Hughes?"

Yuriah rolled her eyes at her friend's question and exhaled an extensive amount of air as she was about to lose her temper to their topic. She sits down again with a more dangerous look towards Asher whose laughing her heart out. She was too annoyed to be good at her at that time.

"How many times I've told you that I was still into him and still in love with my first ex-boyfriend? Have you forgotten, Asher? A million times."

Asher turned to roll her eyes at what she said. She still can't believe what her friend told her. It's been ages ago when her friend Yuriah got in a relationship, and they were still young and naive at that time. So she doesn't understand why she can't move on from that man in her past.

"So you don't like Hughes?" she repeats her vexing question earlier.

Yuriah looked away as she tried her best to calm herself. She doesn't know how to respond now. Because it was about the man she cherished the most all her life in the past. Still, she doesn't want to reveal why their break up even to her closest friend Avril.

"Do you like him or not?" Asher asked her once again, "I could set you up a date with him. As he treats me as his younger sister, he can not say no to me all this time. Even he is just a year older than me." Yuriah's bore into her happy face. She felt jealous and insecure for a split second to her friend being close to Hughes. "Do you like him to date, Yuriah?"

Yuriah clears her throat first before she looked away and returned her gaze to her friend, who is unzipping her black shoulder bag.

"Asher, I would love to but--"

"Then it settled, Yuriah!" she exclaimed, cutting her sentence before she could finish it. "I will ask him right away to have a date with you."

Yuriah's eyes widened when Asher pulled her phone from her bag. On her glowing face can be seen a glimpse of happiness and excitement. Not until Asher, her friend, says hello to the person on the other line. She was smiling from ear to ear as she turned her gaze to Yuriah's viewpoint.

"Hello Hughes, how are you today?" she asked as if they are close.

Yuriah shifted on her seat when she heard Hughes's muscular voice for the first time after how many years when Asher puts her phone into a loudspeaker. His voice becomes profound and a bit raspy. The voice that Yuriah longed for and missed every day. She is just quietly stalking and following him on his social media account, using a different social media account and name, which is why she did not know the sound of his voice now.

"Hi Asher, I am good." he replied shortly and sounded in a hurry, "How about you?"

Asher let a heartfelt laughed that made Yuriah wrinkled her nose. Her eyes did not leave Asher's face, whose cheeks now are blushing in pink.

"I was fine, Hughes. Where are you?" she chuckled as if there is something fun while talking to him, "Are you busy today?"

"Yes, I am." he responded, his voice was still in a hurry, "I am leaving the country for quite some time for a business."

"Oh, have a safe flight, Hughes." she pouted her lips as she turned her gaze at Yuriah, whose still looking at her phone intently. She can't believe that her best friend is now talking to her first boyfriend. It seemed like one of her dreams, as she falls asleep in the middle of searing midday. "Wait, Hughes, are you already at the airport at this moment?"

"Yes, and I was about to go inside the immigration."

"Alright, Hughes, which country are you--"

"China." he unintentionally cut her off, "Asher, I have to go. Let's meet up when I get back. Please send my regards to your boyfriend, Andrius. He is not answering his phone earlier when I called him."

"Alright, I will tell him that." she answered as she nods her head, "You take care, Hughes. Let us know when you are coming back to the country. I have this friend of mine that I want to introduce to you."

Hughes let loud laughter before the call ended. Yuriah took a deep breath as she looked at the empty cup of her coffee. She felt jealous and insecure at her friend at that moment. It was an act of greed, but she can't help herself to be hostile. At the back of her mind, she wishes to be the one talking to Hughes earlier and saying those things and asking him to be safe for her, not Asher. She shooked her head and felt some guilt.

"He is busy right now, Yuriah, and I guess it was for about a month or two or three. I am not sure for how long because he is out of the country from today." Asher babbled as she puts down the phone on the table and put her palms on the side of her both cheeks, "But don't worry, I am going to set you up a date with him in the future. So don't be sad."

Yuriah let a faint smile at her. She is also a bit disappointed at what transpired. This time is her precious chance and time to meet him again after how many years in person. And she was thinking facing him after a long time gave her so much excitement. She can't wait for Hughes's priceless reaction on that great day.

"It's alright. Maybe it's not yet the right time," Yuriah replied.

Asher did not understand what she said, but she still laughed and shrugged her shoulder as she picked up her phone to return it inside her bag. She stopped and looked at her when she asked a question.

"What is his job?" her words made Asher's eyebrow curve.

"He is the boss, a CEO in his own company, and a multi-billionaire in this generation in the business industry." she replied with a proper gesture of her hands, "He was the idol of my boyfriend. He dreamt of being like him in the future as a known business tycoon at a young age with a handsome face for various countries. Isn't he is more appealing because of that?"

"No," she responded as she looked outside of the coffee shop. She waved her hand unconsciously and shifted her attention at the girl who's getting inside of the shop. "Avril, here!" she shouts, not minding other customers.

"Hey, are you out of your mind?" Asher swiftly slapped her free hand on the table, but she doesn't mind as she stands up excitedly to greet and embrace Avril. "Where is your manner Yuriah? Are you inside the market, ha?"

Asher's voice faded when Yuriah and Avril embraced each other as they squeal as it was their short meeting after a while. They will both busy in their job, and making unusual little time with each other seemed difficult.

"Yuriah, I missed you so much!" Avril exclaimed as she hugs her.

"I missed you too, Avril." she responded, "It's been a while."

"Yeah, it has been a while as it has just been f*****g one month, Yuriah, Avril!" Asher stated as she crossed her arms on her chest, a bit irritated. "It has been ages ago, girls," she added as she rolled her eyes at them.

Her statements lead the three of them into boisterous chuckles. Avril slapped Asher's face in a kidding way, witty and playfully.

"Avril!" Asher complained about her action.

"What? Are you butthurt with that Asher?" she asked, still giggling.

Yuriah let a deep sigh and continue to strides; she stopped when she saw Andrius and Asher coming out from one of the VIP rooms of the hotel. She received a message earlier from Asher saying that she has to do something in the hotel. And being a supportive friend, she came without knowing of the real problem and situation of her friend and her boyfriend.

"Andrius, what happened?" she asked him in a worried tone.

Andrius, who got surprised at Yuriah's appearance, just shook his head. His eyes drifted to Asher, that was still sobbing for what happened earlier.

"Are you sure?" her tone was still concerned at her friend. She gets near her and holds her hand that made Asher cry even more. "Why did you make her cry?" she asked and looked at Andrius using her sharp eyes, "Why are you crying, Asher? Did he do something? Did he cheat on you?"

Asher embraced Yuriah tightly and sobbed even more blatant. She thinks that she was fine earlier but seeing Yuriah in front of her made her cried even louder and more. Andrius gets bothered by the reaction of his girlfriend. He thought they were good as they are okay before leaving the room. He is now more troubled that Asher might spill and told Yuriah everything.