Lynette was still browsing her i********: account when an unexpected guest knocked by her door just as she arrived at her apartment. As she looked at the peephole of her door, she saw her rescuer.
It was Gabriel Altamonte. She let him in.
They sat down by the living room. Gabriel couldn’t help but admire her beauty and tidiness.
Without any cosmetics on her face, her fair skin was glowing. She also looked so chic on her thin denim long sleeves classic shirt loosely tucked into her white skinny jeans with her cute house slippers which was also one of her newly revived products in her online store, as well as her actual stores. Her humble abode, despite her very busy schedule, was also very clean and organized.
Because of Lynette’s workshops assistants, she was able to reproduce her other sewn products like pillow cases, bed sheets, blankets and curtains all with her patented textile pattern and print designs. Others included: canvas tote bags, canvas drawstring pouches, and canvas makeup zipped pouches, all with her patented artistic print designs; linen table clothes, linen table napkins, and linen chair covers all with her patented artistic design prints and; and cute house slippers.
She asked respectfully, “What can I do for you, Dr. Altamonte? May I know why you suddenly visited me?”
He answered, “Well, as a major investor of SPC, it reached my knowledge that there had been huge demands for the puppets, teapots and teacups you used for your storytelling session during your book launch as well as requests for private storytelling sessions but SPC wouldn’t want to act on such because the copyright of your book and any other things related to it are in your jurisdiction.”
She cut him in, “Can I offer you something to drink first before we continue with this conversation, sir? Tea, juice, coffee?”
He responded, “Brewed coffee or organic tea will do.”
She answered, “Organic tea, then.”
Then a delivery man knocked on her door.
Lynette was able to receive the delivery which included a potted poinsettia that came with a small gift box and envelope.
Gabriel was able to witness how Lynette happily received them and carefully set them aside at the kitchen island counter. Such scene had warmed his heart.
When she returned to the living room, she already have steeped the organic tea on her teapot. She put down the tray with the teapot, two teacups and a plate with a selection of tea biscuits.
She reopened their conversation, as she gently poured tea on the teacups, “Going back to our conversation, sir. Such things has also reached my knowledge just on my way back here. The hand puppets, and the teapot/teacups set are all my personal creations. I got plans to reproduce them but it won’t be that easy for the time being because I still have a teaching contract. As for the private storytelling session, it wasn’t the first time I was asked for a booking. I only did it once for the birthday celebration of Arnold and Lyz’ twins. Most of the time I just do my storytelling to my siblings’ children and my students. It had been a marketing strategy for my book, but with my very busy schedule I'm afraid that I wouldn’t be able to accept those private bookings.”
Gabriel then responded, “It’s the reason why I came here.” He handed her the business card of Archangel Business Investments.
She accepted and looked at it. Cheryl had already mentioned once that he was indeed an investor.
He continued, “I own ABI. We're providing startup capital for entrepreneurs with feasible business proposals as well as expansion capital for emerging business enterprises. I had advised SPC to consider mass reproducing merchandises related to your book but they could not. I also advised them to consider audiobook and videobook versions of your storybook but they declined as well. You have the copyright of your book and they need to seek your permission should they do things outside the contract. So, I directly advise you now to consider them. You should strike while the iron is hot, Miss Lyn.
She agreed with him, “I do agree with such, sir. The hand puppets, and teapot and teacups sets are patented products of LT Atelier. I already got plans for future expansion. It just didn’t occur to me that I had to do it very soon due to the success of my storybook. I already requested my parents to uproot themselves from their retirement to help me out with the expansion of my business and the management of my writing career. I don’t easily trust people so they would have to help me out in hiring my personal staff and new employees for my business expansion.”
Gabriel then asked her, “Will you also trust me to help you out?”
She was speechless.
Then he added, “Consider it as a business proposition. I don’t normally approach a promising entrepreneur for an investment.”
She managed to react, “Yes, because they normally approach you to invest on them.”
He humbly agreed, “Yeah, you may put it that way. But what I'm saying is that we should do the mass production of the merchandise as well as the audiobook and videobooks versions of your storybook through LT Atelier. ABI can provide you with expansion capital and business consultancy service. We cannot pass the chance with your current book sales already way more than a million copies. Honestly, I supported the immediate mass publication of your storybook. ABI also searched for an electronics company to mass reproduce that IC chip of your lullaby for the best quality yet reasonable cost. So let us be business partners.”
She told him, “As I said, an expansion had already been on my business development plan for LT Atelier but I never expected that I need to do it immediately. LT Atelier products were just fruits of my many hobbies. I started selling them online with just a simple business webpage. I just opened up the actual store last December 1. I also never expected that I'll win the writing contest and my storybook will get published immediately.” She got her tablet from her bag, set it up on the gallery of all her products, and handed it over to Gabriel.
Gabriel browse the comprehensive and well organized gallery of photos containing all of her sewn products, pottery products, hand painted decors, children costumes, and toys.
She said while he was browsing the photos, “Those are the range of merchandises that I can do for LT Atelier. I have secured patents for all my designs as advised by my father who's a lawyer. Such also included a folder exclusively for all the merchandise I can sell for my storybook. Some of them are not yet all available at the actual store and the online store. But for those items already available, the stocks will soon run out coz I hadn’t had much time recreating them. My four workshop assistants wouldn’t be able to handle more. I need to hire artisans. I need to buy heavy duty and larger equipment. I need to do lots of things.”
Then she got her laptop from her handbag and opened up a slide presentation of her business plan.
When Gabriel was already done browsing the gallery of photos, she started talking about her business plan after he had signaled her that he would record it. “I took up short-term business entrepreneurial trainings from Summit Business School before I opened up an actual physical store for LT Atelier as advised by my Mom. This is the long-term business development plan that I presented in one of my trainings. But it seems that I would have to do this ten-year development plan just within a few months-time. For such, I'll need a bigger store/office/workshop/stockroom. They could be all in just one building or at most two. I would also need to procure industrial equipment, and hire more artisans to recreate my patented products and new other ideas. I would also need more employees for the office and the store. I already got enough capital for my business expansion because of the sales of my book. But I would need the business expertise of ABI for all this business expansion to be realized as soon as possible. As for the audiobook and videobook versions of my storybook, I have really no idea how to go about them, sir. So ABI can also assist me regarding them.”
Gabriel expressed his satisfaction, “I’m really quite impressed with your development plan, Miss Lyn. You’re a true blue artist and an exceptional entrepreneur. My team at ABI will help you out in realizing this development plan as well as the audiobooks and videobook versions of your storybook. I'll ask my lawyer to draft our memorandum of agreement then you may also ask your father to review them. Hopefully we can already finalize the MOA before the year ends so we can start the work as the new year commences.”
She commented, “This is the third time that you've rescued me, sir. Are you some kind of an angel that God has sent to help me out whenever I need it the most?”
He smiled, “I was named after an archangel!”
She smiled back.
He spoke up, “Honestly, I think we're way too past the formalities. Since ABI will assist LT Atelier, feel free to call me Gabriel or Gab.”
She acknowledged it, “And you may just also call me Lynette or Lyn.”
He stood up, “I have to go now, Lyn. Don’t hesitate to contact the numbers there. Ivan Diaz, my executive assistant, will be the one working closely with you. He may ask for the soft copy of your development plan. I'll also provide him with the copy of the recording of what we have agreed upon. And Dennis Molina is my legal counsel. I think you know him. He once mentioned to me that his wife is one of your best friends when he saw my investment contract with SPC regarding your storybook.”
“Yes, I know him.” She had stood up also, handed him her business card, and extended her hand for a handshake which he accepted, “Thanks again, Gabriel.”
When Gabriel Altamonte left, she started googling him. She wasn’t able to do such in the past even if she had planned on doing it so many times.
His name was trending at such moment.
She read one of the news article about him –
The Elusive Billionaire Finally Revealed. Finally, a face has been put on the world’s most elusive billionaire, Dr. Gabriel W. Altamonte. He's the eldest grandson of the Chairman of Altamonte Group of Companies. He's the eldest son of AIC CEO-President from his first wife, Rachel Wilson, an American born millionaire supermodel with British ancestry who died when our elusive billionaire was just a month old baby. Our elusive billionaire was a child prodigy who, finished his first bachelor’s degree in management science and engineering at Stanford University at the age of 12. He finished medicine from Harvard Medical School at the age of 15 and had his surgical residency as a cardiothoracic surgeon from John Hopkins University. He was already a full pledge general surgeon, cardiothoracic surgeon and neurosurgeon by the age of 25. He returned to Filipinas for his surgical practice. Then he established Archangel Business Investments at the age of 25 to help out entrepreneurs with their business endeavors. He had just recently earned his MBA from Oxford University. The construction of his own state-of-the-art trauma center project is also currently ongoing. During the Annual Christmas Celebration of the Altamonte Group of Companies, his grandfather formally introduced him to the business community. He'll be the head of the management and strategic planning team of his grandfather as the new year commences. He has lived a very private life before finally joining the family business empire. Immediately, the stocks of Altamonte Group of Companies went up as the news about him joining the family business empire was confirmed.
She couldn’t believe what she read. The man, who had rescued her several times, is a billionaire and yet he is very down-to-earth. There's no air of arrogance in him.
She then googled Archangel Business Investments. She discovered that Gabriel Altamonte, the ABI owner, is a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) certified angel investor providing startup capital to aspiring entrepreneurs, and financial assistance to rising business enterprises. It's also involved in business incubation and business consulting.
Next, she googled his profile. She found out that he was born on January 25, 1989 in New York City. His parents were indicated as well as his education, which she already read from the news article. He's a volunteer multi-specialist surgeon for Filipinas General Hospital and all other government hospitals under it. He's also an affiliate multi-specialist surgeon in some private hospitals all over Missi, and a member of American Red Cross and Filipinas Red Cross. His interests include sports, martial arts, fitness and poetry. There had been no significant others listed.
Then she suddenly recalled the envelope and the gift box that were delivered along with the potted poinsettia.
She read the note first.
Miss Lyn,
I hope that you receive my Christmas presents in a pleasant mood. Congratulations on surpassing the million copies book sales mark.
I'm still unsure about the right moment to reveal myself to you. But be assured that I'm not ugly and I'm also not a pervert. I'm just a man who truly and deeply adores you. I hope that I'll be able to win your heart when I start courting you formally.
Merry Christmas. Stay safe, healthy and pretty.
Your Secret Admirer.
As she opened the gift box, she saw matching jewelry – Tiffany & Co. gold puff heart lock and key gold necklace and bracelet. It came with a love poem, a Haiku –
Oh my dear Miss Lyn
You are the key to my heart
Hoping I’m yours too.
Such had really surprised her. All of those gifts previous and recent ones only pointed out that her secret admirer is really a very rich man like Gabriel Altamonte, a man way out of her league.
The realization sets in finally. She felt a little disappointed. She had never ever imagined dating a rich guy. Growing up, she had never been a fan of Cinderella stories because they gave a misguided notion that a helpless woman needs a man to rescue her to turn her life around.
But then she's no Cinderella. She has no evil stepmother and stepsisters because she has very loving parents, brothers, and sisters-in-law. She's also not poor. Gabriel might have had rescued her a few times but the first two were mere coincidences while the most recent one is business.
Her parents had raised her to take charge of her own life and to do what makes her happy.
Her smartphone then rang. It was a call from Cheryl.
She answered, “Yes, Cher.”
Cheryl asked, “Are you back in your apartment already?”
She answered, “Yes. Why? Any problem?”
Cheryl responded, “I’ll go there and stay over. I got something to tell you.”
She uttered, “Okay.”
When Cheryl arrived, she brought along tubs of ice cream, bottles of red wine, lots of chocolate bars, a box of pizza, and a bucket of fried chicken.
Lynette knew then that Cheryl has a problem or in some kind of dilemma.
Lynette just let Cheryl do her thing. When Cheryl already set the pizza, chicken and wine at the center table of the living room, she sat down by the carpeted floor and turned on her smart TV and put it on Netflix.
Cheryl was the closest to her parents among her three best friends. Perhaps because Cheryl grew up without a father while her mother was not present most of the time. Her mother was a former beauty-queen turned, film and TV actress turned business entrepreneur. Cheryl grew up without a father because her father died before she was even born. Her mother remarried to a widower politician when she was already in college.
When Cheryl’s mother was busy working just to provide for her, she was left to the care of a nanny. Cheryl kind of envied her happy family life. Cheryl didn’t bully her. Instead she befriended her and since then she would be a frequent visitor in their house. They did their assignments together and also played together after school hours. Then her mother along with their driver would just fetch Cheryl and her nanny at their house. Cheryl’s mother had appreciated her parents’ benevolence and they had also become good friends. Whatever Cheryl’s mother bought for Cheryl, Cheryl’s mother would also provide one for her. Her parents were even chosen as Cheryl’s godparents during their confirmation.
When Cheryl’s mother remarried, Cheryl just opted to live independently. Thus, her mother sold their former house and bought a two-bedroom condominium unit and a car for Cheryl before the wedding. Cheryl’s nanny continued as her housekeeper and house companion until she finished her collegiate education.
As for Alyzza and Karen, the two started as best friends before the four of them united as one inseparable group at AMS campus since kindergarten. Alyzza and Karen were neighbors and distant cousins with their great grandparents being cousins. When Alyzza and Karen got married, they had Lynette’s parents as a pair of principal sponsors (Ninong and Ninang).
Lynette then asked her, “So what will you tell me?”
Cheryl faced her and said, “Mark proposed marriage but I said no.”
She wasn’t surprised at all. Mark seemed to be very enamored with her best friend, “Don’t you love him?”
Cheryl’s answer was, “I just feel it’s too soon. Although I've known him for a long time, we have just been dating for five months.”
Lynette said, “Others marry after just dating shorter than five months. As Dad says, if it’s meant to be then everything will just fall to its right place at the right moment,” then she reminded her best friend, “I cannot give you much of relationship advice coz I got two failed relationships. But you can always borrow my parents just like the old times. If you'll need more time to think things over, I can call and ask them to accommodate you in my bedroom at the farm.”