ARRANGEMENT

CHAPTER 5: A Favor

As soon as Andrew finished chatting with Katherine, he called up his older brother using the hands-free wireless Bluetooth single business ear bud specifically made to be used when driving. He was already leaving the designated parking space of his mamba black Audi A8.

Alaric responded – Good morning, Drew. Why did you call?

Andrew replied to his brother’s question – I had just seen Kat being visited by her mother. They seemed to be arguing. When I messaged Kat and asked her if everything is okay, she just said that her mother was asking her to date this multimillionaire who might have been found by the high-class matchmaker that her mother hired. I don’t get it. Why did they want to marry their daughter off considering that she just came from a failed engagement? I believe that there must be something wrong with the Melendez Publishing Company. Can you ask your men to look into this? I just feel worried about her. She had already decided to leave the family home. They had already cut her off financially when she did not give in to her parents’ demands to work for their company and go on matchmaking dates, but here her mother again, bugging her.

Alaric’s reply was – Yeah that is very much possible. So what do you intend to do if they really have a problem with their publishing company?

Andrew then said – If they had debts, I can pay for it, buy their company and then just sell it afterwards.

Alaric then agreed, saying – Okay, I will ask my men to look into it.

Unbeknownst to Andrew, Alaric had put the speakers on when he called up. His parents, his wife and Ashley heard everything they had talked about.

Manang Elma and Manong Edo were not around at that time. Their grandparents had already decided to go back to Howu City. Whereas, Nanay Maia had already left early for work.

Daddy Antonio shared with everyone, “I already had their company investigated months ago. I even asked for a comprehensive investigation regarding Katherine’s life in Toronto. But I only received the reports late in the evening and I read them all this morning. When Katherine was sent off to Canada to Julio’s parents, because they wanted to be able to control her. She behaved well there, but she opted to take a scholarship to the University of Toronto and take art history and visual culture because she truly liked the program, unlike the business degree that they all wanted her to take. She passed the scholarship, lived in the dormitory, and worked as a staff assistant in an art gallery while studying. So, basically, she did not accept any financial support from her parents. After two years, she had a boyfriend, who is a rich Filipino-Canadian.”

Ashley stated, “That must be Henry.”

“Yes,” and Daddy Antonio continued, “Julio’s parents highly approved of the guy because he is from a rich family. The guy also treats Katherine very well. Katherine just continued studying because she really liked her degree program and excelled at it. After finishing the bachelor’s degree, she continued pursuing the master's degree program. After she finished the master’s degree program, her boyfriend proposed marriage and so they also moved in together. After a time, they had an argument. Katherine discovered that her fiancé was a gambling addict. The argument had been witnessed by so many neighbors. Katherine was insisting on her fiancé to consider undergoing therapy but the boyfriend didn’t like to until he lost his temper and then slapped Katherine hard on her face, making her lose her footing and fall from three-step stairs. Then she started bleeding. She and her fiancé were either not aware that she was already pregnant. Because of the incident, Katherine called off the wedding and broke up with her fiancé, even returning all the material gifts that she received. Then she returned here in early December to attend her brother's wedding. By the time she was here on Drew’s 30th birthday, the family was already finding ways how to save their company from the brink of bankruptcy due to mismanagement. Katherine had no idea about the status of their family business. Julio then gave her an ultimatum that if she didn’t do such and such then she would be cut off financially. So Kathesrine decided to just leave, use up her own savings to lease Ashley’s studio unit, and just work like she used to. She only brought all the things she had as she arrived from Toronto. Nothing more, nothing less. As for the high-class matchmaker, who was non-existent, it had just been made up by her parents because a multimillionaire in his 40s was interested in Katherine. This man is willing to do anything for Julio if Katherine agrees to marry him. And the most exciting news of all which is not included in that report... Drew spent the night in Katherine’s unit and just left early this morning. I think those two have already been affected by the seafood that they ate last night. But knowing both of them have been hurt by love, I think it will be best that we just let them be. We could still continue on with our plan just to make them even closer. As for the company of Katherine’s family, I will handle the situation myself. I will appeal to Julio as a father to a father.”

Alaric then asked, “So what will I tell Andrew then?”

Daddy Antonio said, “I will talk to him this morning. I will tell him about the status of the Melendez Publishing Company and then use Ashley as an excuse for that. She asked for my help to secretly help her best friend. I will also show him the results of the investigation. I want to see his actual reaction once he reads the report. I believe that he must know everything so that he would have a full understanding why Ashley’s best friend is somehow reluctant already when it comes to love.”

Ashley affirmed, “I am fine with that, Dad. Kat has always wanted a laid back life, just enjoying the things she wants to do. I believe she is happy that she gets to do the jobs that she really likes doing even if she does not live in luxury. I do admire her courage. She does not share much about the difficulties she has experienced with her parents. I did not expect some parents could be that. So I still feel very lucky that I have parents like you and Mom. As for their relationship, yes, we should just let them sort things out on their own. You are right. They both have individual past issues that they need to sort out first on their own time. They had both been hurt by love. Thus, I think that they could understand each other’s pain more. At least, I am happy that Kuya Drew is taking the initiative to help Kat.”

Megan’s reaction was like, “How can her parents be like that? Why can they not just be supportive of what Kat really wants? Why do they have to sacrifice Kat’s happiness just to save their company? It is not even Kat’s fault that their company is in that kind of situation.”

Mommy Eloisa admitted, “We parents can somehow be unreasonable at times, Meg. Look at just what happened to Ric because we forced him with all those blind dates and matchmaking. Because we subjected Ric to all those dates and matchmaking to different heiresses, he secreted to us his relationship with you. We didn’t consider her feelings at that time.”

Megan then looked meaningfully to her husband with just the two of them understanding what that was all about. They even had that certain smile on their faces.

Ashley then asked, “Are the two of you keeping something from us?”

Alaric and Megan then decided to come clean.

Alaric said, “We were not real boyfriend and girlfriend when I first introduced her to the family. But somehow by then, we already had feelings for one another but we had not sorted them out yet. I just hired her to be my fake girlfriend. But I already admired back then her intelligence and work ethics when she worked as my intern. I also saw the nomination and all the supporting documents of Ninang Lou about her, and I was just so impressed. I have long been screening ladies to act as my fake girlfriend and upon reading all those documents, I believe she perfectly fit the bill. The only person who knows our secret is Donald. I was already on my way to that dinner with Madeline when I bumped into her that night. I broke her glasses and her smartphone but I also heard that her grandmother needed to be operated on. I made such an excuse not to meet Madeline. I helped her out and took advantage of her willingness to pay me back. So I asked her to pretend to be my fake girlfriend as my only compensation.”

Megan added, “But all the interactions you all have all seen between us were not fake. I had long admired him even when I was an intern. I have always felt his kindness towards me. So I know that behind that stern façade was a good man. So when he asked me to play the part of his girlfriend, of course, I was hesitant at first. But I also felt his inner troubles. He just wanted to stop all the blind dates and focus on his duties and responsibilities at work. We just fall in love in the course of everything. I was indeed able to melt his stone-cold heart. And in return, my admiration for him grew even more and I just felt falling hard for him.”

Alaric further divulged, “Her sunny personality indeed made me smile without me even knowing about it at first. So that second wedding proposal was the real one. We had already confessed our growing affection for one another before that proposal. Our feelings for one another have grown even more because you all connived to just let us live on our own in my penthouse.”

Ashley’s reaction was, “You are indeed so cunning, Kuya.”

Alaric said, “Love cannot be forced. But I think Drew and Kat are mutually physically attracted to each another. If they indeed meant to be together like me and Meg, then we should just let them find that on their own. But a little nudge won’t harm. Let us just love to take its course. Drew is willing to help her out. So that speaks volumes already.”

Mommy Eloisa voiced out her delayed reaction, “Well, we won’t even know the truth between the two of you if you didn’t tell us. The two of you were just so natural.”

Alaric stated, “Coz I told her to just be who she is in front of all of you, that the only lie would be that one year that we had been together prior to our coming out as a couple. The promise ring was actually her birthday present to me with her promise that she would do her best as my girlfriend. Then, in turn, I also made a promise to treat her very well as my girlfriend. There has already been that tacit understanding from both of us since then. She knows that she can always count on me and I also know that I can always count on her. But the truth about Lola Luisa, it was indeed a curve ball we both were not expecting. So I was truly caught unaware when all of a sudden we found that she was a secret heiress.”

Megan added, confessing, “I was so afraid back then for Lola and Nanay but Ric made me feel very assured, safe and protected. He lived up to all of his promises to me. He was able to protect me and my family from any harm. His daily presents, even up to now, are his way of courting me, because we didn’t get to have a proper courtship period. You just all decided to have us wed after just a little more than a month of coming out as a couple. But then love works in mysterious ways. He has given me that kind of protection I need. Then somehow, my ways of appreciating him for everything he has been doing for me and my family have softened his heart. I know that such kind of loving affection, he only has for me,” even looking lovingly at her husband as she was saying the last few sentences. They even kissed after that.

Ashley reacted, “Love, indeed!”

Daddy Antonio said, “It is useless now even if you both confessed the truth. Matt is already one year old and your second baby is already on the way. What we saw back then was the genuine affection you have for one another. At least we got to witness the very start of your love for one another. Love has indeed found its way between the two of you. You are indeed destined to be together. The love you have for one another just grows each day even more because you are both each other’s first, only, and true love. But things were a tad different between Andrew and Katherine because they both had experienced the painful side of love. Your brother had felt so betrayed that he just didn’t want to try to be in another serious relationship. As for Katherine, I think she just wants to be in a kind of serious relationship, which would be her safe haven, not an oppressive prison to be caged in.”

That morning, Andrew was called in to the Office of the CEO.

He asked his father as he came in, “So why did you summon me, Dad?”

His father said, “Ashley has told me to investigate the real matter about Katherine and her parents since she moved in to her studio unit because she is very worried about her best friend. I received the results of the investigation last night and then just read them this morning. I was with Ric this morning when you called him up. So I will show you the results.”

Andrew was surprised at what he read, but it only made him admire Katherine even more.

He told his father then, “I want to help her, Dad.”

Daddy Antonio felt so happy deep inside but he told his son, “I will handle the matter with Katherine’s parents and their company. I don’t want you to get involved in it. The best way that you can help Katherine is to be there for her. She is under tremendous stress right now. According to Ashley, her best friend has always wanted to live a laid back life where she gets to do what she really likes. But as you might have read, her parents were not very supportive of her and so she somehow rebelled against them. At least check on her every now and then, since you just live next door. Anyway, your Mom also wants to make sure that you are well-fed every evening. Elma and Edo will be delivering dinner to your place every night at around 8 PM or 9 PM. You can choose between the two. Your Mom is also worried about Kat and so she would also send food for her. Just hand the food to her on our behalf. Kat needs our moral support more than anything in this world because her family cannot do it for her. They even wanted to sell her off to the highest bidder just to save their company without even considering her current emotional state. All the luxury in life is nothing to her. She just wants to enjoy her life where she can do everything she likes. But we should not let her know that we already know everything. Just let her open up to us when she is ready to talk about everything.”

Andrew perfectly understood what his father wanted, “I will then do as you say, Dad. She actually told me last night the gist of her relationship with that guy. She mentioned experiencing violence from him for the first time, so she called off the wedding and broke up with him totally. But she didn’t tell me about the miscarriage. She must still be hurting so much up to now regarding it. You are right. We must give her our moral support. I will call Mom and ask her to send the food around 9 PM. Kat’s work at the gallery finishes at 9 PM. I usually work until 8 PM. I don’t mind eating late, at least I can keep her company even while she eats. I even offered her a personal loan just so she could already have her own car, even if just the cheapest one, but she told me that she wants to do things at her own pace. I think she is considering taking a car loan from the bank, considering that she is earning more than enough from all of her three jobs.”

Daddy Antonio said, “I admire her courage and diligence. But with all the blows in her life, she can only turn to Ashley and our family,” and then dismissed his son already, “Well that is all. So just try to live up with your promise to your Lolo. You may now go back to your office.”

As soon as Andrew left the office, Daddy Antonio had already called up Katherine’s father.

At around 10 AM, Julio Melendez arrived at the Office of the CEO.

They talked in the sitting area.

Antonio started, “We might not be within the same business circle, but then our daughters are the best of friends. My wife and I treat your daughter like our own already because of her very close friendship with our daughter. If only Katherine and my second son will fall in love with one another, then I will really like her to be my daughter-in-law. But then love cannot be forced. We tried it with our eldest. The result, he kept his relationship with us. We should learn to respect the choices of our offspring, Julio. With my second son, we are not even forcing him to settle down anymore if he doesn’t like it. We just asked him to let go of his playboy ways because it is already affecting the image of RGC. Anyway, I have already looked into the situation of your company. I am willing to help you out because my daughter asks me to help her lessen the level of stress that her best friend is feeling. Your daughter has been losing weight, not because she doesn’t eat well, not because she is working hard. She eats well and she also loves all her jobs. We always check on her. So, as father, I am asking you to just let your daughter be. Katherine is happy with what she is doing. You should be very proud of her because she can manage to stand on her own two feet without even your financial backing. She is a well- respected lecturer in Athenaeum, and a well-regarded Deputy Curator at M + H Art Gallery. Even if Ashley recommended her in those two jobs, all of my daughter’s efforts would be futile if your daughter cannot perform well in her jobs. But she performs exceptionally. She is even a world-renown art critic. Now, going back to the problem with your company, it will all be up to you if you file for bankruptcy or if you sell it. But as a businessman myself, I suggest that you sell it and then start anew with a business that you can truly excel in. All your offspring are well-educated. It won’t be difficult for them to find high-paying jobs or perhaps establish their own businesses. I am willing to lend you money and then you can pay me back on flexible terms. So, will you accept my help or not?”