MY BILLIONAIRE RESCUER

CHAPTER 3: New Hope

Lynette felt even more irritated when the Ongs were seated with Dylan and his parents. Dylan didn’t even bother to make an effort to greet her since he arrived with his parents.

Alyzza noticed her uneasiness. She reached for Lynette’s right hand with her left hand and gently squeezed it.

Lynette then excused herself in a low voice, looking at her yellow gold wristwatch, “Lyz, I should better get going. I promised Dad and Mom that I'll attend the evening mass with them. They're probably on their way to my apartment already.”

Alyzza understood her best friend, “Okay. Thank you very much for coming then. Extend my love and regard to Ninong and Ninang,” gave her a very warm hug.”

Lynette uttered, “I will.”

Alyzza then asked, “Do you have your car with you?”

She said, “It’s still at the service center for maintenance.”

Alyzza offered, “Then I’ll ask the driver to drive you home?”

She responded, “Don’t bother the driver anymore. I’ll just take the cab.”

Arnold insisted, “The driver will be back in just a short while. I just asked him to run some errand. We do insist that you’ll be driven safely home, Lyn.”

Gabriel, who just returned from casually greeting the Ongs, had heard about her departure and so he volunteered, “I also have to go, Arn, Lyz. My driver and I can safely escort Miss Lyn home.”

Alyzza asked, “Would you be going home too? The apartment complex where she lives is along the way to your place.”

Gabriel acknowledged it, “Yes. I promised Mom that I’ll attend the family dinner at the manor. So I need to get home first and get ready for it.”

Arnold and Alyzza escorted Gabriel and Lynette outside.

Dylan was about to stand when they all stood up and walked away but he was stopped secretly under the table by his father.

At the car, Gabriel asked Lynette, “Are you really still trying to have your literary work get published, Miss Lyn?”

Lynette timidly answered, “Yes, I am.”

Gabriel got a business card from the secret pocket of his suit jacket and handed it to her, “A friend of mine owns that publishing company. They have a children storybook writing contest. Just visit their website which is indicated in the business card.”

She accepted the card and expressed her sincerest gratitude, “Thank you very much. I really appreciate it.”

When Lynette arrived at her apartment unit, she immediately browsed the website of the publishing company. She immediately saw the advertisement for the children storybook writing contest. She clicked the link and read the mechanics. Then she decided to take a shower and quickly dressed up with fresh cotton undergarments, sleeveless cotton top, and denim shorts.

Someone was knocking at her door. When she looked at the peephole, she saw Dylan and so she opened the door.

Dylan irritatingly asked, “What took you so long?!”

She answered thoughtlessly, “I just had a shower and I was dressing up. So, why are you here?”

Dylan answered seriously, “We need to talk.”

She knew about the arranged marriage and so she decided to initiate the breakup. “I already know about your impending wedding engagement with Mikaela Ong. I think it is best that we break up.”

Dylan flared up, “And who said that I will breakup with you?! We can elope and get married.”

Lynette didn’t expect such from Dylan. She wasn’t ready to get married yet. “I’m not yet ready to settle down, Dylan.”

Dylan then asked her, “Don’t you love me?”

Lynette answered, “That’s not the point here. I still want to do a lot of things before I get married. I want my literary work to get published yet. I also wanted to establish a physical store for LT Atelier. Plus, your parents do not approve of me.”

Dylan replied disappointedly, “So you’ll just give up on us.”

Lynette then responded impatiently, “Then what am I supposed to do? Your parents will never ever approve of me. I cannot force them to like me.”

Dylan went frustrated. He pinned her at the wall near the still slightly open door and told her, “Do you honestly think that I’ll just let you go that easily?! It took me almost two years before you agreed to be my girlfriend. I cannot just let you go.”

Lynette tried to break free but Dylan’s grasp on her lower arms were getting so tight and the weight of his body was too heavy for her, “Dylan, you’re already hurting me. Let me go! You have no right to act this way. I’m the one left clueless about your wedding engagement. If not for Lyz, I wouldn’t even know. Do you honestly think that I will still go on with our relationship knowing that you’re about to marry another lady. You’re so full of yourself! Release me now!”

Such had just made Dylan much angrier. He forcefully kissed her lips but she tried to evade it, turning her head sideways and firmly closing her mouth. She tried pushing him away using her own body weight but it was no use.

Dylan was too close and too heavy that she couldn’t even move her legs and try to knee him.  

She then begged, “Dylan, please let me go. You’re hurting me.”

Then suddenly she heard a quite familiar voice of a man firmly commanding, “Let her go, she's asking you nicely.”

Dylan didn’t even budge and even said, “Who do you think you are to tell me what to do?!”

Dylan was suddenly pulled away from her as her rescuer grabbed Dylan by his shoulders.

Dylan turned his back and fight back. He tried to jab her rescuer but his right fist was countered by her rescuer and then with a swift move, she just saw Dylan kneeling on the floor with is arm twisted by his back.

Her rescuer was wearing a light grey dinner suit over a white classic shirt with burgundy tie, matched with a burgundy brown leather oxfords shoes, which all seemed to be high-end brands.

She then asked herself – Could her rescuer be the twins’ Ninong Gabriel? Why is he here?

Her rescuer, spoke up again looking back at her, “You may call the police and report it, Miss Lyn”

It was his voice. She confirmed that her rescuer was indeed the twins’ godfather, and then she answered, “No need for such. It is all over between us. So all he needs to do is leave.”

Dylan gave up and said, “I'll leave so tell this man to let me go. I cannot afford to have an injured arm. I won’t be able to work properly.”

Lynette then spoke, “Please let him go.”

Dylan was then released. He stood up and told her, “I’m still not giving up on us, Lynette,” then immediately walked out of the door.

Lynette was then able to compose herself. “Thanks for saving me. I don’t know what might have happened to me if you didn’t arrive. Anyway, why are you here?”

Gabriel picked up the paper bag containing her hand puppets and other storytelling paraphernalia. “You left this at the car. I am already on my way to the family dinner so I decided to deliver it.”

Lynette accepted the paper bag, “Thanks. I’m sorry if I took some of your time due to my forgetfulness.”

Gabriel responded, “No worries. Good thing such happened or else something bad might have happened to you if I didn’t come.”

She agreed, “Yeah. Thanks again.”

Gabriel responded, “You’re welcome,” and then expressed his departure, “Well, I have to go now. Stay safe. Don’t let him in again.”

She smiled, “Yes, I will. Thanks again.”

Her rescuer had already left. She locked the door and dressed up for the evening mass. Her parents might come anytime soon. They should not see her slightly bruised lower arms.

She wore a bow accented soft thin long sleeve black top under a plaid slightly above-the-knee length jumper dress, paired with white sneakers.

After a few minutes, her parents arrived. The fresh produce they brought from the farm were stored properly and then they all left for the evening mass.

At the church, Lynette also saw her rescuer seated beside a beautiful much older lady along with other older individuals, who had striking similarity with the old lady beside her rescuer.

The beautiful older lady with her rescuer looked very familiar but she couldn’t recall when, where, or how she encountered her.

Lynette doesn’t usually attend the evening mass. She preferred attending an early morning mass. But because of her parents, she changed her schedule for that Sunday.

After the mass, Lynette and her parents already went back to her apartment. Daddy Leonardo cooked dinner for them.

While having dinner, Lynette decided to tell her parents about Dylan.

“Dad, Mom, I already broke up with Dylan,” she declared seriously.

Her mother immediately asked, “Did he cheat on you,” recalling that the reason she broke up with her college boyfriend was cheating.

She explained to her parents, “His parents don’t approve of me. They had long pre-arranged his marriage to the daughter of the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Absedaire Medical Center.”

Her father then haughtily declared, “Who are they not to approve of you?! You did the right thing breaking up with him. Honestly, I also don’t approve of that doctor but since you're happy, I didn’t say anything. You deserve someone better, sweetheart.”

Mommy Evangeline thoughtfully asked her, “Does it hurt, sweetheart?”

She responded, “Nope. I am much more disappointed because he left me ignorant about it. If not for Lyz, I won’t even know about it. He doesn’t want to breakup. He asked me to elope but I said no.”

Daddy Leonardo reacted, “That’s a smart decision, sweetheart. Focus for now on your career. Reach for your dreams. If love is meant to be then it will just happen at the right place, at the right moment.”

She also informed her parents, “I’m planning to send my story to a children storybook writing contest. Hopefully this would be my luck. I've been trying on other genres for so long. I wish this time, I'll already succeed.”

Mommy Evangeline reached for her right hand and pat it gently, “We'll all pray for that.”

Lynette then changed their topic, “By the way, how’s Kuya Leo, Kuya Ed and their families?”

Her father answered, “They’re all fine. Your nephew and your niece are already very excited to return to the farm because of that bedroom you had designed for them.”

Lynette stated, “I already sketched the new design for the tree house. I’ll give you the sketch later on, Dad. It should be ready for them when we all come for the Christmas Break. They should also play outdoors.”

Her father acknowledged such, “Okay. I already have so many reserved woods there. I'm just waiting for that beautiful idea you have for that three house.”

Her mother then imparted, “We already started to raise goats for milk. Next time, you’ll all have supply of goat milk and goat cheese.”

She commented, “It seems like you’re really enjoying your retirement. The farm just used to have fruits and vegetables. But since you retired you had added fish farming and poultry farming. Now you’re venturing into goat farming. What would be next, Dad, Mom?”

Daddy Leonardo shared, “Your Mom doesn’t like pig farming so we might not do it. So next, we might have a male cow and a female cow just for milk, breeding, and soil nutrient cycling enhancement. We still have some space anyway. We're really enjoying our retirement…clean air…fresh food…fresh water…”

Her mother then asked, “Where is your car by the way, sweetheart? We didn’t see it in your usual parking space so we parked the pickup truck there.”

Her parents’ light duty mid-size pickup truck was purchased upon their retirement. It was a black Toyota Hilux with hard canopy topper. The vehicle that they used to have that was turned over to her was a red Isuzu Crosswind.

Since she still couldn’t afford to buy her own, the old vehicle of her parents, which was still in very good condition was perfect for her busy lifestyle. Its back area has been an ideal storage for all her arts and crafts supplies whenever she bought supplies. She could also use the vehicle with her nearby deliveries.  

She responded, “It is on the service center for maintenance, Mom. I’ll get it tomorrow after my classes.”

Her father then asked, “So which children story are you planning to submit on the contest, sweetheart?”

She said, “The one with mommy and baby cat. My pupils love them.”

Her mother added, “Even Liam and Ella love it too the most among your children’s stories,” referring to her nephew and niece, “Plus, the lullaby song you composed for such story is just very endearing. Those illustrations you painted for it were also vivid, colorful, and stunning. You even made lots of paraphernalia for that story so you will be able to tell them effectually. At times.  I really wonder why I get to have a very artistic daughter!”

Liam is Lynette’s nephew who is the inspiration to the baby cat in her story book. He is also a kindergarten level pupil under a different teacher at AMS. On the other hand, Ella is her niece who is a nursery level pupil under a different teacher at AMS. Their parents preferred Lynette not to be their teacher so as to avoid the issue of nepotism.

Her father agreed, “I’m also wondering at times, sweetheart. Your Mom and I are both logical and analytical thinkers,” and then teased her, “Perhaps you were switched at the nursery with another baby.”

It had been an ongoing joke in their family since she were young. She is a real daughter of her parents. She had the combined looks of her father and her mother. But as for her artistic talents, some members of both the families of her father and her mother have artistic talents too, but not as many as hers.

She then asked her parents, “What time will you be leaving back to the farm tomorrow, Dad, Mom?”

Her mother answered, “We'll leave early in the morning to avoid the traffic. But we will prepare breakfast for you first, cook your favorite chicken adobo, and prep your other favorites like chicken siomai, fish lumpia, and home-made beef patties. We also brought you home-made atchara, vinegar and garlic marinated boneless bangus, home-made chicken sausage, tilapia fillet, Spanish style bangus in olive oil, and lots of fruits and vegetables.”

She sweetly expressed, “Thank you very much, Mom, Dad,” even giving them each a warm hug and a peck on the cheek, “How could I be so lucky?”

Her father said, “So focus on that writing contest. This might be your lucky break.”

She affirmed, “I will, Dad. I love you both so much.”

Her mother stated, “We just wanted you to reach your dreams. Both your brothers have their dream jobs. We know that you’ll just be completely happy once your literary work get published.”

She assured her parents, “I’m happy with my job now but you said it right, Mom. I’ll be happiest if even one of my literary works get published. It will be an ultimate dream come true even for just one time. Then I could just go on with teaching young children, and enriching my arts and crafts business.”

After dinner, she had freshened up and changed into her matching long sleeve pajama top and pajama pants. Her parents shouldn’t see her bruised arms. Her Dad might just make the issue bigger. She already broke up with Dylan. That was it! She didn’t want to have any further dealings with him. 

That evening, Lynette’s parents slept on her bedroom while she stayed at the living room to further browse the website of Sunshine Publishing Company (SPC), which is based in Vienburg City. She already had her mental notes organized. She already know what to do with her existing children story that she intended to submit.

After such, Lynette recalled her rescuer, the one who gave her the business card of SPC. He seemed to be a very nice person. Plus he was so drop-dead handsome. He seemed to have a foreign blood even if his companions at the church were all Filipinos.

She just had a messy breakup and she was already thinking of another man. Why couldn’t she get her rescuer out of her mind?

Lynette tried to reprimand herself – That man is rich so don’t fantasize over him. Fantasize?! His car as well as his outfits are all very expensive. So don’t involve yourself with the likes of him. Do you actually like that man! Yeah, he is handsome, even more handsome than Dylan. He encourages you to go on reaching for your dreams unlike Dylan who had been more skeptic than supportive. Are you already comparing your ex with than gorgeous man? Lyn, you’ve got to snap out of it. You’re not a teenager anymore to be so giddy about a guy. Be more realistic. He might even be in a serious relationship already. A man that handsome and rich looking definitely has lots of ladies vying for his affection and attention. Are you actually wishing he is single and available? Just focus for now on your dream to be a published author. Don’t mind about guys for the time being. Also don’t ever be convinced again by the likes of Dylan. You were clearly not attracted to him at the beginning. He was so much into you but you were not. But you still agreed on a relationship with him just because he was persistent. You don’t even have any similar preferences or interests. Your differences didn’t even complement each other. You have a very energetic personality while he has this dull and serious personality. He didn’t even know how to do romantic surprises for you. You had settled for less. Don’t ever do that again.  He even tried to physically hurt you. He might have even dishonored you if your rescuer didn’t arrive. You’re going back again to your rescuer. Try to get some sleep now. You still have classes in the morning.   

Despite her second failed relationship, she had a renewed hope. If she couldn’t be successful in her love life then perhaps she could be successful in reaching for her dreams.

She fell asleep at the couch, smiling.