Revenge of the Billionaire’s Ex-Lover

04. A Cross of Path

“AND THAT IS WHAT OUR proposal is all about. What do you think?”

I put on a big smile with my gaze locked on Mr. Concepcion, with his gaze fixed on the presentation behind me. Compared to what I expected he would have, he has a small smirk plastered on his lips as he leans his chin to his hand for support without saying a single word. If I evaluate how he looks right now, we probably might get a different result this time.

“Will you please tell me, Ms. Moreno?” I raised my brows, ready to answer whatever it is he was going to say. “Have you always been good at presenting proposals?”

My eyes blinked at the sudden question. “E-Excuse me?” I stuttered.

“I said, have you always been good at presenting proposals?” He repeated with not even a single sign of joking at all. With my confusion, he suddenly let out a small chuckle while fixing his sitting position. “Don’t get me wrong, Ms. Moreno. I just wanna know because someone told me that you have your own way of presenting your work and I am impressed to witness that you really do have one.”

An awkward laugh escaped my lips as I listened to his compliment. The last time I heard such a thing was when I was still in college, since most of our work needed presentations. However, this is the first time I have heard someone compliment me the same way, as if I am still in that phase of my college life. What could be more weird than being complimented by a businessman you are trying to convince to work with you?

“But set that aside, I actually have a question for you, Ms. Moreno… a serious one this time.” He went in all serious mode completely. I simply nodded in response, gulping down once to get myself ready for whatever it may be. “Why do you think we should accept this proposal?”

“Well, just like I have said earlier, your company has been known globally in terms of different kinds of fields. To accept this proposal means you can aim to be more well known in the country. Besides that, our hotel has been one of the top accommodations in the field. Such a partnership will be worth your time.” I tried to explain it as much as I could.

“If we are talking about being known more in the hospitality industry, shouldn’t our company have an advantage in that already? After all, we have our own chain of hotels across the globe. So if your proposal aims to expand our business in the hospitality industry with your existing business, don’t you think we already figured that out without needing to create a partnership or invest in your company?” He pointed out one by one, allowing me to realize how wrong my answer was.

Silence filled the room as I tried to come up with various excuses. I gaze at the employees who are with me as they try to answer his questions but, similar to me, they always contradict whatever explanation they say. It is as if there is a massive loophole in our proposal that he keeps contradicting our words, or maybe he was just trying to fool us.

“Ms. Moreno, why do you think I rejected your father’s proposal the first time? Don’t you think it's weird when the CEO himself was the one who presented the proposal to me himself but I didn’t accept it?” He suddenly questioned me, leaning into his chair. I shook my head in response, growing curious about the answer. “It is simply because your company is aiming for our company alone. Yes, your proposal has a good purpose. It will indeed benefit both companies, but what about its people?”

“When I asked your Mr. Moreno how this proposal would benefit his subordinates, he answered me with the most impossible answer to be given to me. He said that the aim of the proposal is to only give advantage to both companies, even if there will be opportunities opened for those under him. Nevertheless, his aim is still only to focus on us.” He continued his words with such firmness. “You see, Ms. Moreno, when we do business, we make sure that the ones we are teaming up for a partnership care for their subordinates like we do. However, your father’s way of proposing this deal is… not up to our standards at all. Besides the fact that we have been hearing several complaints about the way your father treats his subordinates.”

All I could do was keep my mouth shut as he pointed out each and each fault my father had in him, which is something that he never bothered checking himself. It has been an ongoing issue in our company since then about Dad because he has been such a rude boss to the employees. I never really understood what they meant until I started working in our company myself, where I witnessed how scared the employees are of Dad and there was not even a single hint of at least a close relationship with the boss and his subordinates.

From what I know, DTC Group has been overly caring to their employees. They have several incentives and always hold workshops and seminars almost every three months or annually. I know that well because some of the employees at the company I have worked with moved to DTC Group and they all admitted how they love the environment of the company. Hearing Mr. Concepcion talks more about it now, it only makes me realize more that Dad is indeed running the company wrong… and I am growing worried about it now.

“Sorry to say this, Ms. Moreno, but I have to reject your proposal as well. Maybe you can come back to us once the CEO in charge has changed and your proposal aims to provide more opportunities for your subordinates.” Mr. Concepcion exclaimed with nothing but an apologetic smile.

That only means one thing: I am so dead to my father once again.

“I understand. But still, thank you for allowing us to present our proposal to you again.” I forced a smile in return as the employees with me immediately showed a worried look.

We shook each other's hands before Mr. Concepcion left the room with his secretary. The room is filled with silence as we pack up our things with heavy sighs. I couldn’t even lift my head up and look at the employees who are with me because of the guilt inside me. Now, they had to come back to the company once again with nothing good to deliver as news. It is because of me, they could be in trouble as well.

They each bid goodbye to me since they came here in a separate car. All I could do was say sorry to them as they each headed out of the meeting room while trying to show me that they were just fine and not affected at all, even if I knew well that they were. I took a deep breath then gathered the last of my things before heading out of the room as well, only to stop when I saw Mr. Concepcion was outside, leaning his back to the wall with arms crossed.

“Mr. Concepcion,” I called.

He stood up straight, his eyes looking up at me before a smile formed his lips. “I thought I said you could call me Mateo.” He pointed out as he approached me with a sweet smile.

“I’m sorry. I had to keep my professionalism in me while I was in front of the other employees. May I ask, why are you still here? Didn’t you leave a while ago already?” I asked, raising my brows in curiosity.

“I did. I just came back to say sorry about the other rejection. It is a good proposal, but we can’t really accept such a partnership if it is against our standards.” He explained more, making me smile. It does look like he is trying to comfort me… and somehow it also feels like something else.

“It’s okay! What you said was indeed right anyway. It’s not like you lied at all.” I forced a smile before letting out a deep sigh.

Suddenly, he stared at me for no reason while keeping his silence still. I tried not to show it, but I do feel uncomfortable with his gaze on me like that, as if he is planning to do something, especially when no one is around in this silent hall. However, the moment a small laugh escaped his lips as he shook his head, it made me feel relieved.

“That person is indeed right. You really have something in you that makes you eye-catching.” He exclaimed, nodding his head slowly as if he was agreeing with some thoughts in his mind.

“That person?” I repeated as he nodded.

“Don’t mind me. Kaylie. You should go. I also have to go to the firm to do something.” He stood properly before extending his hand out for a handshake, which I accepted. “It is nice meeting you, Ms. Kaylie Moreno, and I am sure that we will meet each other more after this.”

Those were the only words he said before he passed by me and left me alone in the lonely hall. I can only stare at his back as he walks further away. I wanted to go after him and ask him about the ongoing rumors regarding his position in this company, but I didn’t want to be rude to ask such a question. However, when he speaks earlier, it feels like he is just following someone’s order as well.

Until the very moment I got myself out of the building and drove myself back to the office, my thoughts still drifted to Mateo still. How can he just sound like he is not deciding on his own when he is the declared CEO? I mean, even the thought that he really might not be the actual CEO of DTC Group is just unimaginable enough. If he isn’t, how can the actual CEO even let someone take the role and, worse, pretend to be one when it is such an important role in the very first place?

However, all those thoughts drifted away when I found myself in front of our company’s building. My heart beats like crazy at the thought of whatever Dad’s reaction will be like upon seeing me. At this point, I am sure that he had heard of the result already, which made me walk like I was on fire. I couldn’t even dare to look around with my thoughts bothered all along.

“Is he inside?” I softly asked Randy, who immediately showed me a worried look.

He gave me a nod as he sighed. I tried forcing a smile to reassure him, but I guess it wasn’t enough. “Try to keep your emotions straight, Ms. Moreno. It will help cool down the whole matter,” he suggested, as I nodded.

However, it wasn’t the case after I entered my father’s office.

I heard the glass shatter into pieces after he threw it to the ground, making me flinch to my spot. All I could do was keep my head down and my hands in front of me without even daring to answer back at all. The confidence that I have and the bravery I show in front of other people, it is all gone. It is all gone when it comes to him.

“YOU ARE USELESS!” He shouted so loud that I am sure that it would be in my mind for so long this time. “I was a fool for actually letting the board convince me to send you there knowing how you never really do your work properly. Is this your thing, Kaylie? Is this how you will act as the heir of all of this?!”

“Dad, I—”

“I only asked you for one damn thing. Just one damn thing, Kaylie! Make the partnership possible and get me what I want. How can you even be such a useless person when it comes to that?!” He raised his voice more.

As he kept shouting at me, I couldn’t even get my head straight anymore. My heart is pounding like crazy as if I was riding a damn rollercoaster countless times without even stopping for a second. I could feel it in my veins and throughout my whole body. The anger that is suppressed inside me and the disappointment in myself, all exist at once.

I have told myself several times that it is nothing new anymore that my very own father, whose own blood flows through my veins, calls me useless and someone who has never done anything right. I tried convincing myself all this time that it is something I am not offended by anymore whenever I hear of it. However, somehow, today felt so different.

If I set aside the anger inside me from hearing all those words and standing in front of my father right now as he shouts at me, I would admit how disappointed I am with myself. Back then, I had always been so confident about the things I do because I know well that I excel in those. But the moment I entered this world, I started to lose all of it, and today is just proof that I am a huge failure, not just for my father, but also for myself.

I was a fool for even thinking that I could do well and be something more when I am just nothing but my father’s successor. If I took my surname out and was not born to be a successor in our family business, what kind of person am I going to be when I am this useless to my present life now? It was foolish for me to think that I could actually follow in my father’s footsteps when I am not even an inch of what he could do and what he had done.

“I want you out of my face now, do you get that? Don’t you even bother showing your face in front of me until you do something right!” He shouted at me, all flushed and anger completely taking over him.

“D-Dad, a-are you abandoning me now?” I stutteringly asked, tears forming in my eyes unconsciously. “Just because I didn’t get you the partnership you wanted, you will abandon me just like that?”

“If I had the choice to actually abandon you since then, I would have done that a long time ago.” He honestly answered without even flinching.

It was then my world actually fell down. Never in my life have I expected to hear from one of the people who brought me out of this world to actually tell me how he wished he could abandon me. I do have a lot of flaws and I cannot impress him fully but… I didn’t expect that, despite all those times of hard work just to prove myself to him, he was already considering me as nothing related to him in his mind and probably in his heart now.

What a failure you are, Kaylie.

“Get out of my face, Kaylie. Don’t you dare show up here until I see it. Do you get that?” He pushes me away with his words without even caring if I am even an inch hurt by him already. I just simply nodded my head, biting my lower lip to prevent myself from crying. “You better get yourself ready as well. Because of this mess you have made, the marriage between you and Darryl will happen really soon.”

“But Dad, I don’t want to marry him!” I firmly exclaimed, trying not to raise my voice.

He squinted his eyes at me, his brows furrowed. “Do you really think you have a say in here? You have done enough to disappoint me, Kaylie. Marrying Darryl is the least you could do for this company and for your family. Now, get out of here! I still need to face some investors,” he said.

With a heavy heart, I left the room while trying my best not to burst out crying. Randy even tried approaching me, but I just gave him a hand sign to stop because of fear that I would really burst out if he even planned to comfort me. He probably heard all the shouting inside my father’s office, which makes it even horrible for my side.

I went straight to the parking lot by riding the elevator, lucky enough because the one I am in is barely used by the employees as it is usually used by Dad and our family alone. When I reached the parking lot, I walked faster to reach my car and sat on the driver's seat, and only then burst out crying. I let out all of my emotions inside a small space with no one around, with only a bit of brightness outside the car serving as the light in my dark life.

My chest feels so heavy and my head hurts from crying so much. I don’t even know how long I had been crying until I heard my phone ring from the passenger seat, only to see several calls from my friends, with the last one being from Kiana. Randy probably called her and asked her to check on me, then she spread the word afterwards. However, I didn’t answer any of their calls and just leaned on my seat in silence while staring into thin air.

“What should I do now?” I whispered to myself.

I look at my reflection in the mirror, and I look like a damn mess! My hair is sticking everywhere and my eyes are red and puffy from all the crying. My whole face is red and I definitely don’t look even close to being slightly okay. My life is a mess. My relationship with my father is a mess. Now, even my face is a mess. What can be worse than this?

With only one destination in mind, I drove away from the company without even a single thought or will to go back there like my father had told me earlier. I turned off my phone so neither my friends nor my sister and mother wouldn’t be able to track me, then come and find me later on. I just need some time alone even if coming to a bar with the sun still up is not even a great idea at all.

I stop the car at a parking lot with only two cars and some motorcycles parked in there. It looks so peaceful, as if they are not even ready for the arrival of any guests today. When I walked to the door with my sunglasses on, the guard only gave me a close look, as if he was identifying me, before letting me in without even a single question. It must be the effect of coming here so often now that probably everyone in here knows me so well.

“Welcome to Novan Palace! Is there something I can do for you, ma’am?” The bartender over the island counter asked the moment I approached him. Opposite to my stoic face, he puts on a polite, big smile that wasn’t even enough to cheer me up.

“Can you serve a bottle of Jack Daniel’s during this time?” I asked him.

I caught how his eyes widened a bit after my question, completely flustered. He is in complete argument with himself as hesitation fills his face. It is so obvious by the way he looks down with his brows furrowed like he is thinking so deeply. He told me that he would check first if it was available, even if I knew that it was, but I just let him go before occupying one of the tables next to the wall, almost hidden in the dark.

It took a couple of minutes before a waiter approached me with a bottle of Jack Daniel and some nuts placed in a bowl. During the whole time, I just sat there and kept drinking and drinking to forget my whole problem earlier. I didn’t even mind the stares and simple glances I was getting from the staff here. All I wanted was to keep myself drunk so that I wouldn’t be able to remember any of it.

And I actually did.

My gaze met with a white-colored tall ceiling as I opened my eyes slowly, immediately feeling that pain in my head. As I slowly got up into a sitting position, I felt my stomach turn upside down, making me run into a door which turned out to be the bathroom, then throw up there as if my whole liver could come out anytime soon now. I took advantage of my presence there and decided to wash my face as well and brush my teeth with the spare toothbrush there.

As I slowly stepped out of the bathroom, I wandered my eyes around only to see the familiar black walls and furniture of the room. “The same room as last time.” I whispered to myself, remembering the last time I had been in this bar, and ended up being in this room as well, naked under the sheet.

I held my head, massaging it, when I felt its throbbing pain once again. “I really need to take it easy with alcohol.” I scolded myself.

I sat on the bed once again, without caring who even owns this room. It is already dark outside as well, so I might as well just continue my sleep. However, I immediately stood up upon hearing a door open, making a loud noise from the outside to be heard inside the room for a few seconds.

But one thing that could be much worse than my throbbing right now is seeing the person standing just a few meters away from me. My eyes widened, as if I had seen a ghost. The memory of the last time I had been here suddenly flooded into my mind, almost making me stumble at my feet. It can’t be.

“Glad to see you are finally awake.” He speaks in such a deep manner, his beautiful voice like before remaining the same. As I look at him with shaky eyes, he puts his pockets into his pants. “Let me guess, I am the last person you expect to be here, don’t you?”

“W-What are you doing here?” I stutteringly asked.

He puts on a smirk then slowly strives towards me, making me back up until my back hits the wall. I gulped down hard as he stood in front of me with a gaze locked on me. He leaned to my side, almost making me hold my breath.

“What do you think… Kaye?”

I let out a gasp as I heard a familiar nickname again. He backed up then looked me straight in the eye, but all I could do was feel the fear inside me. There is only one person who calls me by that nickname. The only person who created that nickname and was never used by anyone else afterwards. That only person…

“Don,”