CHAPTER 42

CHAPTER 42
After two weeks, Michael returned to the company he owned. He made sure that his company was okay before he showed up again. This time, Brent didn't leave him. Even Jia joined them just to make sure he was okay.
So far, everything has been going well. Nothing happened to him like before. Jam is back to his old self. But this time, he could feel his anger towards him, though he didn't say anything bad to him. He is now the new CEO of the company.
Of course, those who didn't see him before mistook him for Michael, especially since they didn't attend his supposed funeral. But he clarified all the matters to them.
And so that his small employees would not be affected by the new management, he made sure that he would do all the things that Michael used to do to protect their livelihoods. Some are doubtful about him. Anyway, who wouldn't be? He just suddenly appeared from nowhere.
If he had only said that he had a relative from afar, he would not have had a hard time explaining now, especially to the stockholders of the company.
But as he said, everything is okay now. There are no more problems, especially since he went through everything legally. Now he owns the company... again.
Now he is here in the office. He looked around inside. Somehow, the office has returned to its former state. Even before it was finished, he made sure that no trace of Jam was left in that office.
Speaking of Jam. That bastard was nowhere to be found. The last news he heard was that he was on vacation. He couldn't help but wonder how he and Daisy were doing, especially since the last news he had about the woman was when he himself saw her in the hospital.
Michael shook his head. He kept thinking about everything now. He remembered everyone.
Michael closed his eyes and leaned back in the swivel chair. He massaged his temples. He felt that if he could only see himself now, he might see himself aged a few years.
In truth, this was the only time he had rested properly. Even though he stayed in the mansion for two weeks, he had papers that he needed to take care of. What he wanted was to relax when he had the chance. He would take Brent and Jia to the island he owned.
I wonder what Jia is doing right now? he asked himself and opened his eyes. He was about to get his cell phone to call the woman when the door opened. And the woman who was on his mind came out.
"Wow, feeling CEO. Good thing you're okay now? Have you eaten yet?"
He smiled at the talkativeness of her mouth. It just meant that she was comfortable with his presence. Unlike before, when it was as if he had done something wrong to her, so she avoided him.
He stood up to greet the girl. "Not yet, eh. I'm already hungry. Why, are you going to treat me?" he asked her.
The girl raised the large paper bag she was carrying. "I brought our food. And since my kind brother isn't here, the two of us will have to finish what I brought."
"What is that?" In truth, he could smell the seafood boil inside the paper bag. He also smelled sinigang, and since he knew that Jia liked beef, it was probably beef sinigang that she brought.
"As usual, my favourite food. I'm the one treating, so it's only natural that I choose the food I want to eat. You're so lucky." She even smirked, but after a while, she grinned.
He took the paper bag she was holding and put it on the table inside his office. He also helped Jia sit down before calling the nearby restaurant to have different kinds of dishes delivered.
"You ordered so much? You're even better than someone having a fiesta, ah. What's the occasion?" Jia took out the food she brought, and he wasn't mistaken about what he smelled.
"Well, I am celebrating right now," he answered before getting the utensils they would use for the meal.
"Celebrating you said? What for?"
He faced her, he saw that the girl's eyebrow was raised again as if he had done something wrong to her. So he thought of something foolish to answer her.
"Well, you only visit me here in my office once in a while, so it's only right that I celebrate this kind of occasion, isn't it?"
"So, what do you mean by that?"
That I like you, Jia, he answered in his mind. He didn't have the courage to say that to the girl.
"Well, you only treat me once in a while, eh. Your brother told me that you're stingy. So I can consider this treat as once in a blue moon?"
"Psh! Nonsense. I can’t believe that the two of you are talking about me. And he even managed to slander me to you?"
He winked at her and finally put down the plates and spoons he was carrying on the table. He also helped Jia take out the food she brought.
"Where is my good brother, by the way?"
"He needs to talk to a client. I was supposed to leave, but he insisted, especially since he will be meeting his former friend."
"Ah, Amir? That arrogant one? Psh! Good thing I'm not with him."
"Why?" He looked at the door when someone knocked. "Wait here. That must be what I ordered." He stood up to open the door, but the door opened on its own and D came out with what he ordered.
"Oh, D, you’re here. Come, join us," Jia cheerfully invited him, but he smiled and politely refused the woman.
"I'm done eating, Miss Jia. You can joy eating the food. I came here just to deliver these." He put the large plastic bag he was carrying on the table where they were positioned.
He seemed to have become a stump because he couldn't move. He remembered something. That delivery boy who went to his office and disappeared like a bubble.
So when D said goodbye, he followed him outside. He made sure that no one could hear their conversation.
"You have something to ask, Young Master?"
Young Master...
His voice, the way he called him. Why did he only pay attention now? Why did he only think now about the possibility that the two voices in his dream were different.
"It wasn't you." That words was more on a confirmation than a question.
"What?" He was back to being serious again. When Jia is in front of him, he can smile and his face can soften, so he can't help but experience a calm environment when he smiles.
"I know now. You're the one who always helps me in my dream. Maybe if you didn't wake me up, I would have died a long time ago because of the nightmare. And I know you're not the delivery boy who caused my secretary's death before."
D nodded at what he said. "You're right. So be careful of the people you associate with. If you can trust anyone, it's just the siblings. I'm leaving now." He turned his back on him and never looked back again.
He smiled unintentionally. That's why he doesn't feel the fear that surrounds him in his dream when he's facing him because they are different creatures.
He remained standing until D, his butler, disappeared.
His butler who looks only 25 years old. A good looking butler that the most handsome actor in the country can't compare to. He is also tall and his body is not too big and not too thin. His skin is pale and his face is serious that you would think he has never even smiled once.
"You look like an idiot." He came to his senses at Jia's voice. He turned to her while cringing.
"What?"
"You're smiling there like you've lost your mind. If you weren't so manly in my opinion, I would say you have a crush on D."
He frowned at what she said. "What? What? Unsa? Whatever, Mr. Sunshine. Let's go inside, please? I'm already hungry. My intestines want to pack their bags because of too much hung—" She stopped talking while looking ahead of them.
Even he stopped when he saw who she was looking at.
And what the hell are you doing here right now, Veronica?
“Now I lost my appetite. I'm just going to leave—” He grabbed Jia's hand because she looked serious about leaving.
"You’re not going anywhere, Sweetheart. We're going to eat together. You came here to be with me, so you're not leaving no matter who Poncho Pilato arrives."
He helped Jia enter the office again. But before they could fully enter, Veronica had approached them.
"Oh my gosh! All the rumors were true. You really look like my fiancé.”
This one is really good at drama. If he didn't know the nonsense she did to him, he might have believed her.
He smiled at the woman. A smile that was enough to make her panties fall. And he wasn't wrong because she was almost gaping. Even he himself, he would admit that his appearance has improved more than before. Maybe that's because of his clothes and posture. He also gained muscles because of his constant gym with the siblings.
"Excuse me, Miss. We’re having our lunch. If you need anything, you better tell my secretary. Have a good day." He didn't let her speak anymore. He turned his back on her and finally went inside and closed the door.
"Psh! I still could not believe that those are Michael's type of women. He has no taste."
"Why? That one is beautiful, eh? And sexy." He wanted to tease her because it was obvious that she was still jealous.
"Yeah, right. Because she's so sexy, that woman's brain has become a boob. All boobs, no brain. If I were a man, I wouldn't choose that kind of woman. I prefer decent ones."
"Me too." Because of what he said, Jia turned to him. "I prefer decent ones like you. I don't like women who show their bodies just to get attention."
For the first time, he saw her blush. But she immediately turned her back on him.
"It's just hunger, Mr. Sandoval. Eat now. Let's eat," she invited him and went to the table.
They started eating while continuing to talk.
"Good thing you thought of coming here today," he said.
"Yeah. I thought Brent was here. Besides, I also want to thank you."
"For what?"
"For helping us. For letting us stay in your mansion. You have no obligation to us siblings, but you still helped us, so I'm thankful to you. I really don't know what to do, especially since our house was blown up by those animal criminals."
"And another thing, you did a big favor to my brother when you made him the President of this company. No one will look down on him now. Those bastards!"
He saw her clenching her fists, so he knew she was angry.
"Don’t worry, if something bad happens to me, I will leave all my assets to you and Brent."
"What? Are you stupid? Don't think badly, okay? You need to fight so you can find out what happened to your brother. And please, I don't want to talk about that mischief. Let's just eat. I'm also leaving because I still have things to take care of."
After she said that, she didn't speak anymore, so the only thing they could hear was the clanging of their spoons and forks.
After she finished eating, she stayed in his office for a while. He wanted to put her to sleep so he could watch her gentle face, but it seemed like she had something important to do.