Beyond The Square One (BTSO2)

S q u a r e F i v e ( H E )

"You're fired!"

I can't believe that I'm stressing out too freaking much now in this place where I usually found peace some time ago. Archie, the man with no balls that I trusted to manage the bank, has been stealing millions from foundations built under Fuentebella Empire. In one large sweep, he collected all the money and patched up the holes using the names of the other foundations, thinking he could get away with it by scheduling a flight to Singapore. We have no choice but to pull out those funds. I don't know how it fvcking slipped through my observant eyes. But since the money from all three of the businesses I own, and all my family's firms, partnerships, and establishments is all under Fuentebella Empire, it's very unlikely that we will notice the missing value. It's just like only a pinch was taken out and we barely even felt that damage.

Though millions are still millions and we're not going to be rich for long if we keep people like Archie. Leaning my head back against the backrest of my swivel chair, I let out a long exasperated sigh, closing my eyes. Tama si Ariel. Trust is the hardest thing to build but the easiest to break. I trusted Archie for several years and this is how he repays me. Well, at least I saw guilt in his eyes when he left.

"Boss, a Princess Aurora Mariano is here to see you," Pamela says, jerking her head into my office.

I don't know if I can be any more frustrated now than ever. What does this B need now? "I'm not taking any visitors."

"Too late. I'm here."

I jolt, sitting up, as I hear that voice. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Don't act like you're the only one who's pissed off here, Fuentebella." She walks closer to my desk, rests a thick folder in front of me for a good look, and growls inwardly. "You pulled out millions of funds from Star-Crossed Foundation just today. Would you mind explaining?"

My brows automatically rise up. "What the hell does that have to do with you?"

"I am the external partner and representative of your biggest foundation for years," she says through gritted teeth.

WHAT?! I stare, open-mouthed, at her. It has come to my knowledge that it's the Star-Crossed Foundation who took the hardest impact of Archie's doing. I know I'm too kind to not have him arrested but I'll make sure this will be his last decent job. Thinking about it, the foundation losing its savings is not the most surprising part.

"Oh, merde," I unconsciously breathe out. If there's an award for the most dumbfounded, it goes to moi. Aurora, being the representative and external partner of our bank's largest foundation for orphans is the most unbelievable twist.

"Surprise," she mocks excitement and turns back to that pissed off face. "I'm not leaving until I hear an explanation."

I quickly compose myself. I am never the man who gets silenced by a lady except when it's Ariel and I have to prove this now. My demon throws his trident at my face. "Is the account under your name?" This is unbelievable. How come I didn't know?

"Yes," she almost hisses. Oh, that makes sense. Snakes do hiss.

"Please wait outside. Let me settle this on our end, Ms. Mariano," I say as professional as I can manage.

She exhales a lungful of frustrated air before walking out.

Really? Aurora has a thing for orphans? How ironic.

Out of curiosity, I conduct a quick background check on her... only to find out that she really is the external partner for Star-Crossed Foundation and a few more, supporting orphans. Standing up, I grope my pockets and fish out my phone, dialing Ariel's number. Just in time when I reach the door of our bunker, she picks up.

Yes, we have a bunker in the bank where we keep hardcopies of important files. Old school my ass. I know technology but that doesn't make me a hater of the classical way.

"Hello! Nag-lunch ka na ba?" I gently ask. For some reasons, after having a hell of a day, I feel the need to hear her voice.

"Hindi pa. May dadaanan ako saglit tapos lunch na. Ikaw?" she sweetly answers.

"Ah... Ano..." I'm about to tell her of Aurora's sudden visit but my mind contradicts. My gut is never wrong, I feel like it's not gonna be a good subject to bring up right now over the phone where miscommunication is most likely to happen. But later, I'll tell her, of course. "Lunch ka na after diyan, ha? May inaayos pa kasi ako dito." She's really not gonna be happy once I tell her I'm conducting an investigation on her sister. I have to prepare myself for another argument later when we talk about it. "See you later," I follow up as I type in the combination to the bunker's pad and open the security door. I need to access the hardcopy of that foundation's record.

It takes long before she answers... "Okay."

"Take care," I reply, walking in. "I love you. Sunduin kita mamaya, okay?"

When she doesn't answer, I check on the screen of my phone only to see that I lost my signal bars. Darn. Nawala sa isip kong nawawalan nga pala ng signal kapag nasa loob nito. I'll just call her back as soon as I find that file.

After about thirty minutes of searching, I finally have the file in my hands. I walk back into my office and scan the record. Aurora was telling the truth, everything here is under her signature. Fortunately for me, most of her transactions happened less than a year ago when I was hospitalized due to an accident in a train station. Thinking about it, I finally find a good reason to smile. That was the time when destiny lead me to Ariel.

I absentmindedly place the thick folder on my desk and dial Ariel's number on my phone. I can't take off this stupid grin, thinking about her. It feels like it's always new to me— our encounter. And the urge to hear her voice again cannot wait that I have to hear it here and now.

"The number you have dialed is either unattended or out of coverage area. Please try your call later."

I gape at my phone after hearing the operator. After three redials, that's when I decide to call the office instead. I know she doesn't want me to call her through our business phone for personal matters but I suddenly feel this familiar churn in my stomach. That something is not right.

"She went out about thirty minutes ago, boss. Wait, hey, Monica!" Regis calls out to someone and even when I know he's holding the mouthpiece, I can still hear them speaking in vernacular.

"Nakita mo si Madam?" —Regis

"Bibili daw siya saglit sa baba. Nasa pantry na siguro." —girl in the background

"Twinkles, galing kang pantry? Nakita mo si Madam?" —Regis

"Sa 7-eleven daw siya bibili. Ewan ko, check mo. Sinetch ba 'yan?" —a gay in the background

"Hello, boss, can you call back after five minutes? I'll check in the pantry."

"I'll wait here. Just put me on hold," I reply.

And I've never been this patient to wait for someone over the phone for eight freaking minutes hearing that annoying hold music repeatedly. This is exclusive only for Ariel. When the music stops, I let out a sigh of relief.

"Boss? Are you still there?"

"No. I'm almost dying. I thought you've completely forgotten about me," I say with an impassive tone.

"S-sorry, boss."

"Where is she?" I quickly ask.

"She's not in the pantry nor in any stores around. Her things are here. The receptionist said she hasn't returned yet since she went out."

Right when he says this, I drop the call and immediately shrug on my jacket to get the fvck out of the bank and see for myself what's happening in BGC.

"Boss! 'Yung client!" I hear Pamela calling out as she runs after me.

"Just ask Ms. Mariano to get back here tomorrow. I need to take care of something more important," I say as I make my way to the elevator and down to the parking floor.

The usual thirty-minute drive going to BGC becomes a fifteen-minute flight as adrenaline surges. "Where did you last see her?" I ask as soon as I approach Regis on AD production floor.

I can see them, worrying, too. I'm always known for hating employees who wouldn't do their duties during office hours but now, I can understand their concern. Indeed, they can't survive their job without Ariel's supervision. They like her more than they liked me and they feel more pressured when I'm around.

"Boss, permission to speak in vernacular," another lady employee says.

"Go," I say.

"E, kasi, boss, pagkatanong ni Regis kanina nag-alala din kami nito ni Monica. So bumaba kami. Chinika namin si kuya guard sa baba. Ayaw naman namin maghinala kaya lang ano..."

"What? What?!" I almost yell. Why can't they just say it?

"'Yung itim na sasakyan daw na laging naka-park sa gilid ng building, boss," says another lady. "Namataan daw ni kuya guard sa parehong oras na nawala si Madam. Usually daw, hanggang 9am lang 'yon pero nagtaka daw siya na nandito pa hanggang 2pm. Wala naman daw silang nakitang kahina-hinala sa paligid bukod do'n."

I knew it. I fvcking knew it. I don't need any proof, I just know that this damned suspicious car has something to do with it. "Call the old Mayor Fuentebella, Regis," I say as I walk out of the production floor, heading to my office.

"Boss, Mayor Fuentebella is on line one," Regis says as he lurks his head into my office door after a couple of minutes.

I pick the receiver. "Papa, do you know a Mr. Michael J. San Juan?"

"The businessman? Why?" father replies.

"I've got no time to explain. Please tell me what you know," I say in all calmness that I can muster.

"You should talk to Naomi. He's their family friend, I think. Is everything okay, James?"

I breathe in deeply. "No. Something is absolutely wrong." There's a long span of silence and I think my father knows I can't talk to him about it at the moment. My angel is crying its eyes out on my right shoulder, as if trying to push me into multiplying my effort in looking for my caramel. "Thanks, Papa. I'll call Naomi."

No. Anyone but Ariel. Please.

Naisip ko na rin na baka dahil sa'kin kaya nangyari 'to. That businessman must be a competitor, especially when one of his businesses in San Juan Group of Companies is in Real Estate, too, closest to the competition with my Fuentebella Domaines under Fuentebella Empire. At habang iniisip ko pa lang na nawawala si Ariel ngayon because I chose to make our relationship public which made her a target of these pea-brained idiots, gusto ko nang tumalon sa mataas na tower ng empire namin. This is all my effin' fault.

"Can you try getting in touch with the owner of SJGC?"

While the people are busy doing their part on finding Ariel, I on the other hand, personally conduct an ambush investigation regarding the San Juans.

"Boss, the owner is on a business trip in Europe. What's our next step?"

Shell-shocked of what I came up with in this puny investigation of mine, I look up at Regis who's jerking his head into my office with an impassive face. "Have you heard of the Fujiwara Corporation?"

"The largest supplier of drug and medicinal raw materials?"

"Exactly. How much do you know about them?"

"My sister works for the last Fujiwara descendant as a company Engineer, boss. Is... something up?"

"Is the owner a lady?"

Confused, Regis nods. "I think the owner is separated, by marriage, with a missing kid. Is everything okay, boss?"

I turn my swivel chair to face the wall-sized glass window of my office. "Thank you, Regis. I'll let you know if I need anything."

Shit. Is it possible? That Ariel is, not at all, blood-related to the Marianos but rather... to the San Juans? Why didn't I see that before? Does she know about this? Does it matter to me?

Of course, it doesn't matter to me, wherever Ariel came from. But what if it changes her perspective of everything? Holy s**t.

My whole life is messed up.