"She needs to try extremely harder" Travis replied, his tone was neither harsh nor calm. In a swift, he turned off the phone's power button. Lila was bewildered at her son's behavior for some seconds. Her son isn't a gay or is he?
"Travis?" She called, angrily.
"The truth is bitter Mom. She need to try extremely harder and besides, she's not my type of girl, she look like those hopeless Indian women. You know my taste, Mom" Travis winked and at that point, Mrs Lila's words were superfluous. Some seconds passed before she finally found her voice. "What's you type of girl then?" She asked, feeling a little hopeful that her son is not gay.
Travis let out a smirk that covers a lot of emotions. If he wasn't Mrs Lila's son, she would have said her son looks like a deadly devil when he made that smirks.
"My type of girl......" Travis let out a playboy smile, at least he noticed his mother wasn't happy with his expression earlier.
"My type of girl lives in another nation called IMAGINATION" he replied.
Lila would say something but he quickly cuts in. "Mother, why are we having this conversation? You invited me over to dinner, we should be having dinner and not discussing about this right now" he raised a brow.
Lila was disappointed, she would say something to him but the maid interrupted.
"Dinner is set, Sir" the maid was so fluent, and at the same time sending seductive looks towards Travis. One look from Mrs Lila sent the maid away.
All through the dinner time with Travis, Lila wasn't happy. She felt helpless and extremely worried. She hoped one day, her son will have a perfect woman in his life.
*********************************************
"Uncle Damian, I promise my brother took the rent money. He left with the rent money to pay you! Why would I lie to you, we've never been late with the rent money" Annie said gently to the landlord who was knocking on their apartment. She looks so tired from yesterday's work. She did an extra shift for Hannah in the restaurant where she worked.
"It's warm now, should I get you some tea?" She asked.
"What tea?? I'm here for my rent money and you're talking about tea. Just because we are family doesn't mean...." The landlord was saying when Annie suddenly cuts in. "Are you making me to feel guilty now? I told you I'm sorry...my brother will...."
"Sorry?"
"Where does sorry gets me?" The landlord blew hot and cold that Anna jerked back in fear.
"Sorry?? Can I buy some bread with that? Didn't your brother tell you I've been calling about the rent everyday? Then I have to listen to excuse after excuses and you are ungrateful for the special rate I give you. It would be better if you moved!" The landlord threatened.
Annie went numb from the fear of being thrown out. "Hey, you will be blamed if my grandma die from her diabetes and if I break out from head to toe from this stress!" Annie shouted at the retreating figure of the landlord. She was close to tears..
She and her brother hasn't been able to raise the rest money for four months now.
"You're wasting my time, pack your things and get out now" her heart shivered at the last threat Damian gave her.
She wiped her face and rushed in to meet her grandma who was just recovering.
"Annie, my dear who was that?" Her grandma asked.
"Nothing...it's really nothing. I will get your food mother before I go to work" Annie rushed words.
"Our rent is due again?" Her grandma sighed.
"Simeon will sort it out granny." Annie hoped. She rushed into her room and quickly packed her bag for work. Her eyes trailed her almost empty make up kit. She was sad she might not be able to upload any video on her you tube channel till next week because of her inability to get some certain makeup.
Hmmm.
"Even if any money gets into my hand, I would use it to sort out rent" she sighed. She went to the kitchen and served her granny's food before leaving for the restaurant where she works.
*********
"Annie, where have you been? Everyone's been asking me where you are?" Hannah, her college at work and best friend asked.
"I have a problem. My brother hasn't paid rent in four months. I think we are being thrown out. I had to beg on hands and knees" Annie explained. She dropped her bag in the changing room.
"He hasn't paid the rent? You have to move out!" Hannah laments.
"I have to go, as will chat later" Annie sighed and when to the counter so she can start taking orders of the customers.
Someone tapped her shoulders and sge swiveled her head. It was Hannah again.
"Annie, did you see who's here?" Hannah asked.
"Hunh" Annie scoffed before looking.
"Oh no, why are you telling me now? Do I look away?" Annie blurts out.
"He must be the most perfect man in this planet" Hannah said with pride.
"He can't be perfect. He probably has an awful personality" Annie argued.
"I don't think so. He is so good looking not to have a nice personality Annie" Hannah smiled, admiring the gorgeous smile of the handsome young man.
Annie scoffed. There is absolutely nothing gorgeous about that man.
"You have a boring life Annie" Hannah stuttered.
"I love my boring life" Annie smiled happily and walked away with the menu.
Hannah scoffed.
********************
"Hi, dad" Travis beamed lowly and stood from the sweiveing chair he sat on in his exquisitely furnished office. His father's face wasn't smiling at all and he knows what it is all about again.
It's about him getting a "wife"
"Your dad is worried about you dear Travis. I have an important matter to discuss. Do you remember your date with a certain lady?" Lila questioned.
"Yes, I remember" Travis replied.
"She's exactly your type" Lila said.
"I will have to see for myself, mother" Travis said lowly. If his father wasn't there, he won't have this conversation with his mother.
"Believe me, she is lovely, tall, slender, well known, studied in Italy, well groomed, lovely personality. Everything"Lila described.
"I will decided for myself" Travis bite his lower lip.
"Listen Travis, if it were up to you, you would never get married. You know it's because I care right? If everything goes well...you will get married in three months time"
"Whattttt!!!! Come on, I haven't even met anyone yet" Travis laments.
"You are meeting someone today. I think you are going to like her. I've arranged for you to meet someone every week but no one is ever good enough for you" Lila blew hot and cold.
******************
"How embarrassing I would have to eavesdrop on my son. I feel like I'm spying" Lila felt uneasy. She had forgotten to the restaurant she made reservations for Travis and Bridget to meet.
"Hello, what can I get you?" She heard an angelic voice bring back her mind.
"Anything....just ....a....salad or something.." Mrs Lila looked up. She was shocked to see the same lady she loves her YouTube channel is much.
She has to be sure but then it's really her.
"Allah be praised" Lila marvelled at Annie's beauty. Her long midnight black hair was pulled in a weave to the back, her edges were so curly and her brows were nearly shaped to feet her oval face. Her eyes were like the skies. Talking about her shape, she has gotten the best shape no man can refuse.
"Ahh calm down, just relax" Lila said to herself, her eyes trailed the tag on Annie's chest and it was really her. ANNIE.
Annie who didn't understand a thing just looked on.
"Okay ma'am, I will bring your order" Annie walked away when the looks the woman was giving her was getting too awkward for her liking.
Annie got back to the counter and still met Hannah smiling towards that mystery man direction.
"Mr Travis Santiago reservations was booked here. No mistake should be made. Etna,make sure everything is in order while Annie should take care of his order" the manager gave orders and left.
"Wowwwww. Mr Travis will be here. Girl you're so lucky to take his order. Awwwwnn" Hannah blushed towards Annie who didn't even see anything special in that.
"Here is he, ohh God!" Hannah melted, her looks were directed towards the entrance.
Annie didn't want to look, but then she has to see for herself who this Travis Santiago is. He's so popular, yet she has never cared to hear gists about him.
Annie looked, she didn't want to accept he is the most handsome man she have ever seen. His curly hair was packed to the back, his eyes were pure gold,his appearances and his face was everything. But not to her, maybe to people like Hannah who would fantasies about everything.
Well fantasies are for idiots and commoners like her have no place with the royals.
"You're lucky!! That's the almighty Travis Santiago" Hannah still whispered and Annie moved her eyes in one roll.
*************
Travis didn't like this at all, but then he had to come even though he is still going to reject the lady.
"Hi, Travis" the lady stood to greet him, she stretched out her hand for a handshake which he rejected.
He sat down. Bridget dropped her hands, embarrassed but she smiled and sat back. Being the most richest and handsome man will come with a lot of things so she has expected Travis to be arrogant.
"My name is Bridget" she started..
"Ohh you're that model that appeared with her ex in daily times magazine" Travis replied and Bridget narrowed her eyes, wondering how he knew about it.
"Listen, I don't know where to start but let me try. I don't think we are on the same page. Looks aren't that important to me. How many people that are following you online doesn't impress me. I want someone to come back home to at night. A real person" Travis uttered.
"But we can try at least. Maybe we will surprise each other, who knows" Bridget says.
"Hold on. Look Bridget, your clothes. Tell me you are someone who is ready to get married. It almost seems as if you are here for a job interview. It's unnatural, like a business transaction. Do you really think I'm buying this? Do I look stupid to you?" Travis asked Bridget who went mute. What he said was true. His mother, Lila is behind all this. She had paid her a huge amount just to impress her son.
"Hello, can I bring you the menu?" The sight of the very beautiful waitress irritates her.
-get away, you are disturbing us" Bridget sheathed.
Travis looked up, his eyes locked with Annie's own and then an idea popped into his head. He already saw her name in the tag.
He stood up and grabbed Annie's arm tenderly
"Annie honey, I didn't know you were working today" Travis said.
"What!! What is going on?" Bridget asked.
"It's not what it looks like, it's just business honestly" Travis pretended Annie was his girlfriend. Annie looked totally confused as Travis continue dragging her outside.
"What's happening?" Mrs Lila muttered from where she sat.
"Travis!!!" Bridget shouted in tears.
"What's happening? Why are you pretending we are couples. This is a filthy trick" Annie blurted out.
Mrs Lila was surprised. Her son has a girlfriend all this while and was hiding her. She thought.
"Travis!!" Bridget shouted, going after Travis who was dragging Annie and in other to make Bridget stop coming, Travis slammed his lips on Annie's lip.
Annie was shocked, a total stranger just stole her first kiss.
The first touch of his lips was so slow and drugging, Annie reacted immediately. Then the bite of his teeth against against her lips made her felt as if butterflies were singing in her tummy. She couldn't help but held tightly unto the mysterious handsome man that suddenly appeared in her world.She swallowed down salivatingly. His kiss turned completely fierce as the last whom she guess was his date approached them."Travis!! " Bridget shouted, almost close to tears but Travis just couldn't stop kissing Annie, he ignored the presence of Bridget. When she couldn't take it anymore, she walked away angrily and in tears.The moment the Bridget was out of sight, Travis unlocked from the kiss and pushed Annie away like she were some piece of trash. He dipped his left hand into his pocket and brought out a handkerchief which he used in cleaning his bottom lips."Get lost!!" He glared coldly at Annie.
"Then he kissed her right there,in front of the whole restaurant. This is just unbelievable. I can't believe Travis has a girlfriend" Lila blurted out while pacing around the living room."Calm down darling, I dint think Travis knows the girl. It might just be a prank to get away from the date set with Bridget. That girl he kissed is a way too low for him. I know my son, he will never settle for less" Thomas replied. His focus still remain fixed on the magazine he had at hand.It's already all over the internet that his son kissed a poor waiter."What a bad way to start a new day?" He thought.Lila disagreed. She refused to believe it was a trick from Travis to get away from his date. "Oh can't you just forget about that crossword and use your brain here? He french kissed her"Thomas dropped the magazine. "So he french kissed her and then?" He asked."Travis kissed the waitress in public in front of every eyes there as if his life depended on it
"What nonsense?" Damian shouted with all his might before passing out.Annie's eyes popped out, she rushed to her brother who lay as if thou he was lifeless. One of the guys held her back. She fought back tears, struggling herself away from his hard grip."Let her be" the devilish looking man who she assumed to be their leader commanded and the guy who held her let her be.She wanted to run to her brother who still lay still but Mr devil was quick to close the gap between them. He now had on a black mask on his face.Annie wondered why was that.She couldn't see through his face but she can feel the fact that those cold unfeeling eyes of his were piercing through her body. It was very obvious."Let my brother go, you beast" Annie yelled at him, she even spat at him.He let out an evil grin and held her chin, pressing her against the wall."Do you know what I did to the last person that spat at me?" He asked."Why should I care to know
Travis eyelid opened to bright light of the day. He got off the bed and walked into the bathroom. He stood under the shower for long, different thoughts running through his mind. He thinks of nothing asides his chains of company. Now that Ran Yu, his strongest competitor is back in town, Travis has every reasons to double his efforts.He came out of the shower, in an expensive blue robe. He carefully removed the diamond earrings in his ears and place them on the table stand. He had forgotten to remove them before sleeping yesterday's night.Thinking of what to eat, he heard a knock at the door of his bedroom. He knew who it was, it was Mine. The only maid he has kept for years and the only reason he kept her was because she is an old woman, old enough to be his mother. If it were to be some young ladies, Travis was sure he wouldn't come. Before, he had always had young ladies around as maids but what they all did was to seduce him and he hat
Annie sat alone in front of a fountain, her mind flash back to the time at the restaurant. She remembered the moment the mysterious man kissed her. "I should have slapped him hard" she bit her lip in regret. She was in deep thought when she suddenly heard an unfamiliar voice call her name. "Good morning, Annie. I'm Lila, Lila Santiago. Would it be possible to talk to you? In private," the unfamiliar voice asked. She was a woman in her late fifty's. Annie nodded innocently and Lila sat beside her on the bench. She removed her sun shades and faced Annie with a smile. "Do you come to the bay often?" She asked. "Excuse me?," Annie pouted, wondering why the stranger woman picked interest in speaking with her without knowing her from nowhere. "We all have our secret spots. I also had a place like this in my youth,"Lila started a friendly conversation. "And then?," Annie smirks. "I realized
Annie couldn't sleep at night. Her brother's tormentor had called several times, threatening him that he had three more days to pay up his debt, else they would come to take Annie away.Annie needed someone to talk to and so she snuck out of window and rush off to see her best friend, Hana.Hannah was surprised after she narrated everything."Are you serious? That's not possible! What kind of a man is he? Handsome or ugly, tall or short, kind or cold?. What if he is some kind of a psycho?" Hannah asked.."Now you're scarring me. Maybe I should say no. Why do I always end up in situations like this?" Annie sobbed.Hannah rubbed her shoulders. "Annie listen to me. You're looking for work, take it. Say yes. How else will you survive if you don't take it?""What if something happens to me Hannah? The guy can abuse me or kidnap and sell me, what if he's some beast or drug lord?
"Speak up" Travis urged, his eyes staring back into hers only. He hoped she would say what he wanted to hear.Annie knew it was better to keep quiet and not remind him that she was the girl he kissed at the restaurant."Come on, speak up" his masculine voice vibrated in her ears. It was a ragged command. He approached her slowly."You're almost naked!" She shouted, her eyes glued to the tattoo on his right arm. His tattoo was beautiful.Travis scoffed. He knew he was no where close to nakedness, he had on his joggers and he was shirtless and that's because he just left the gym. "I will be right back. I will go get my shirt" he glanced at her once and left.Immediately he left, Annie slammed her forehead, wondering what she has really gotten herself into."Why him? Oh god!" She muttered, close to tears because she knows she knew she was into real trouble. She only hope he doesn't remember her.
"Rose? Which Rose?" Annie asked innocently."I see" Travis replied and walked out if the elevator.* * * * * * ** * * * * * ** * * * * * ** * * * * * *"Travis why did you change the models?" Shirley asked but Travis eyes was elsewhere. She traced his eyes and it turned out he was staring at Annie whose office was opposite to his. He was staring at her through the transparent demarcation.Shirley didn't know what to say or feel at that moment, she could only sheath inwardly."How.....is your new assistant doing?" She asked, anger in her mind.Travis looked away immediately. "Annie? I don't know. She is new. She just starred" he replied absent mindedly.Shirley let out a smile. "Where did she work before?""You will have to ask Luke. You know he is the one that hired Annie fir me and he is the one in charge of personnel" Travis replied."I know sweetie" she replied."Hmm Tr