★★★
Lily's apartment...
"WHAT THE..." Lily boomed, burning with fury. "This person knows who I am yet posted my purse with its content on MY website...TO SELL?!"
She stared blankly at the screen for a while, thinking of who it could be. She thought of Antonio but doubted he'd have any time to play games like this. It had been posted about an hour ago. 'Maybe someone else found it and wanted to play with me. Maybe it's a fan?' she desperately hoped.
Suddenly, a message was posted in the comment section of that post. 'I will buy it.' Lily panicked. "What if the person sells it?" She immediately picked up her phone and placed a call to the seller's contact provided under the post.
"Who are you?" Lily asked the moment the call was answered.
"For someone who gave a lecture about Mr Manners, you seem to be slacking," Antonio responded nonchalantly.
"Oh God! What wrong have I done to deserve this? Of all the people who could have ended up with my purse, why did it have to be him?" she said out loud, thinking it was only but a thought in her head.
"You have such a sharp mouth for someone who really wants her purse back. Oh well, since it looks like you have no need for it, I don't see why I should bother listening to your boring lectures or insults. I'll just get rid of it."
"I-I'll report you to the authorities," she stuttered.
"Ha! I see you really don't know who I am. Oh well, be my guest. What happens after? Court??" He didn't bother hiding his amusement when hearing her sound cornered.
"I'll take to social media and announce..."
"Announce what?? That I stole your purse? Oh c'mon, you're so naive. Who on Earth would believe that a multi billionaire would steal a purse worth a few cents. You can do better than that," he teased.
"What do you want?" she asked with a low calm tone for the first time.
"Woah! Didn't think you could speak so sweetly," he chuckled.
"Don't push it," she said through gritted teeth, "Get to the freaking point already."
"The stray kitten is back." He sighed. "Now, for what I want is an apolog..."
"An apology?! Dream on."
"Then you can forget about your purse. It's either that or your purse. Can you give up your bloody ego for that? Hm?"
"Sorry. You have your 'apology'," she rattled, stating the quoted word with a funny tone, "Now, my purse."
"Where's the rush? I barely heard a word of what you said."
"Well I guess you really are an old man after all." Immediately, he hung up.
Lily was about to breakdown. She had received that purse as the last birthday gift her older brother got her before his passing. It also contained the only picture she had of herself and her late father. It was a picture of her sitting on his lap while he sat on a green grass field. She was just about two years old and they seemed super excited in that photo. She couldn't afford to let that narcissistic sociopath destroy it. She had to control herself, at least until she got her purse back.
After calling and being declined several times, Antonio finally picked up. "Why are you such a pest? What do you want?" he asked sounding like he was being bothered.
"My purse you jer..." she was about to blurt out furiously but remembered to control herself. She couldn't afford to get him so angry that he'd destroy her things.
"Sorry, were you saying something?" he asked, knowing very well that she was about to insult him.
"I said I want my purse," she said failing to hide the anger in her voice.
"That's not a very nice way to make a reques..."
"Could you cut to the chase and tell me what you really want?" she asked, getting fed up of his game. She took a deep breath and calmed herself. "I'm sorry. Sorry I got carried away and reacted so poorly towards you earlier and..."
"What're you doing? I didn't ask you to apologize. What are you? Deaf or aged?"
"What?!" she asked through gritted teeth. Her anger couldn't be hidden anymore.
"I said I wanted an apology and asked a simple question, 'Can you give up your bloody ego for that?' I never asked you to apologize now."
"Huh?!" she exclaimed in a calm but intimidating tone. "Well I already did..."
"Well you'll have to do it again, when I say so. Remember what I told you at the airpor..."
"Yeah yeah yeah..." she interrupted tiredly, ".... I'll regret today, blah, blah, blah. If it makes you feel any better, trust me, I already do. You're the cause of all the stress I feel right now when all I intended to do was relax and watch the season go by. Now..."
"You really don't know how to control yourself Liliana Cabrera," he said sounding somewhat amused yet irritated.
"I just really can't stand narcissistic rich brats. Don't take it personal and give yourself some worth in my life," she said bluntly.
"Well, I really don't care were you put me in your clearly miserable life but at least I know that as we speak, I am important because of what I possess. I know of your sentimental attachment to this purse and it's content. I know it was the last gift from your brother, may his soul rest in perfect peace, and the picture in it is the only one you have of yourself with your late father, may his soul rest in peace as well. Correct me if I'm wrong."
"I see you've been digging. What do you really plan to do with my purse?" Lily asked calmly.
"I'll hand it over to you so don't worry. Although, we'll have to meet fir..."
"Meet?! You actually want to meet up? What for? So you can have me kidnapped and 'punished' for teaching you some manners?" she asked furiously.
"You seem to really have a habit of interrupting people when they're talking. There are so many ways I could punish you for your insolence without budding an eye. I wouldn't bother to stain my hands with your blood. You're not that important so don't give yourself so much worth in my life..."
"I don't..."
"Stop interrupting me. I've already wasted too much time on a midget like you. If you want your purse, text me after the call indicating the place you'd be comfortable with us meeting. Time, 8:30am, non-negotiable. Unlike you, I actually work so if you don't show up on time, you can forget about your purse. Don't be late."
"I never am. However, why don't you have it deliv..." She couldn't complete her statement since he hung up. "Bloody Jerk!!" She cursed. 'Well, at least I stand a chance of getting back my purse,' she thought with a sigh of relief. 'Take it down,' she texted into the comment section of Antonio's post. 'Please' she added, knowing he'd probably refuse if she didn't. In less than a minute, the post was down.
She picked a café restaurant called Royal Blossom, not too far from her apartment, as the location for their meeting.
'Huh! I bet she doesn't even know I own it. Is she really that ignorant of who I am?' he thought.
Shortly after, Lily heard a knock on her door. To her surprise, it was a delivery man with a little gift box. A grand smile appeared on her face as she received it, causing the man to chuckle at her excitement. She shut the door without taking her eyes of the package. "My purse? Could it be my purse? Was he kidding when he said we should meet? He had to. Gosh! He's not such a bad person after all," she said to herself, smiling and giggling excitedly at her unopened package.
Upon opening it, "What?!" she whispered and let herself go, dropping like a log, into the sofa, dejectedly.
Meanwhile...Bronx Estate...The Perkins residence..."But I don't understand...""Mum calm down. We have to respect her decision. When she's ready, she'll surely come around," Lana assured her mother, Veronica, as they unpacked her stuff."Tell me what really happened the last time she was here. What really happened with her mum?" Veronica insisted on knowing. She really loved Andrea like she was her very own daughter. She and her husband adopted her at age 12 and has ever since, lived under their protection and in the comfort of their arms. Never did they make Andrea feel like a stranger, at least on purpose. However, it wasn't easy getting her to open up or feel at ease. She was always scared to walk outside at all. At day, she feared meeting her mother and at night, she feared robbers and other bad people.11 years ago...One night, Lana's dad, Martin Perkins, decided to take a walk with his two children, Lana, 13 years of age, and Jake, 6 years. On their way, they saw a woman scr
Two days had gone by but Andrea still refused to say anything about her home. After countless times of trying to convince her to give them information and assuring her that she'll be fine, she finally spoke up but her words were a shock to their very souls."I can't go back home. Everyone who ever cared about me is dead," she sobbed. "Mummy said it's my fault and that I'm bad luck. She sent me away from her before she dies too. She always hated me and now she hates me even more."Veronica immediately rushed out of the room. Martin knew what a softhearted woman his wife was but even he understood her. What on earth could cause a mother to say such hateful words to her daughter? Regardless of whatever it is, how could she say such a thing to a child? He got closer to Lily and tried to calm her down. Seeing that she let him close, he slowly and gently wrapped his arms around her little body. To his surprise she hugged him back."I'm tired sir," she cried," I'm tired of crying and of all
Fortunately, he was right. His sister was there....but unfortunately....she was being dragged away by a drunk man. In the act of saving Andrea, although he wounded the bad man by stabbing his leg from behind with a sharp piece of wood, he was stabbed twice from the back. Andrea screamed for help over and over again, but to no avail. She tried to go get help but he held her hand and said, "Don't go. Stay...stay with me," he said and coughed out blood."Y-You need help. I won't be long, okay?""For someone aspiring to (cough, cough) be a doctor, I know it's over," he said and coughed again. Andrea's mind went blank as though she couldn't comprehend what was happening. Her mind had suddenly refused to register what was going on. "I know what you're doing. I can tell from (cough, cough) from your eyes," he struggled to speak and groaned, as tears started to run out. "Listen carefully to me Lily. You need (groans) to find Uncle Paulo. Ask mum..." He couldn't complete his sentence as he st
Andrea's apartment... Andrea finally got up to fully read the note on the card accompanying the package once again. 'How on Earth could I think such a narcissistic rich brat would be so nice to me?' she thought with a dejected sigh, still staring at the note which said, 'Sweet dreams dearest Andrea. Hope you can join me for breakfast tomorrow. Time and place are at your discretion...if you do accept my invitation, of course. No pressure though....if you're not available tomorrow. There's the entire festive season ahead of us. Love, Austin.' 'Did Lana put him up to this? I mean he is sweet and all but isn't this weirdly extra for someone I've barely spoken to?' she thought, staring at the card and wrapped box on the table before her with a lifted brow. "Oh Lily Andrea, stop overthinking again," she said, face palming herself for being rude about a clearly thoughtful gesture. She placed the card down and opened up the box. "EEEEEE!" she squealed excitedly. "Chocolate!" she whisper-ye
Moments later..."Austin? What are you doing here today? Giving up your off day?" Nicole, a waitress at Royal Blossom cafe restaurant asked when Austin walked in."Hey Nicole," he greeted with a smile as he moved over to the counter. "So many people are here today, much more than usual. Are we giving out free food?""You haven't heard? The boss came here today," she said in a gossipy mood."Why? He was here for the regular inspection two months ago so..." he was saying when a mischievous thought crossed his mind and his expression couldn't hide it. He turned to Yvonne who was already suspicious of his mindset. "Did he come to...""Shut up knuckle head," Yvonne spat blushing as she attempted to smack him with a nearby napkin."It was our 'beloved' Manager of Blossom Chain," Nicole laughed her heart out and chipped in, "Ouuu but he already invited her to a Christmas event...as his date....""Shut up blabbermouth and get back to work. I'm still your boss.""Wait, so if it wasn't him, who
It had been a week since Antonio and Andrea's meetup in the cafe. Antonio had decided to put the proposal on hold until the festive season was over. He therefore hadn't contacted her ever since. Andrea made it up to Austin by spending the whole of the next day with him, playing games, watching movies and recording videos for their YouTube channels. They still had a pending date but that had to wait since Austin was summoned home by his parents for Christmas day. Andrea, on the other hand, planned a donation with her fans to gift to an orphanage in the city. She visited them occasionally to play with them and teach them handy stuff. At a point in her life, she felt like one of them and that broke her heart, the very thought of feeling alone despite being surrounded by multiple people, feeling like a burden and wondering the reason for existing. She hoped to make them enjoy the holidays, forgetting their problems, even if for a little bit, by showering them with gifts during the festive
"A-A-Antonio," Andrea stuttered, looking like the blood had drained out of her face, as though she was seeing a ghost.The little boy stared with admiration at the man before him and shouted alarmingly, "Santa's in Town!"He wiggled his little body out of her arms and offered to carry the hats in. Antonio chuckled and insisted that he'd do that himself but placed one on the little guy's head. John thanked him and rushed back in excitedly."W-What are you doing here?""Oh where are my manners not replying to your greeting. Merry Christmas to you too Miss Santa," he said sarcastically, causing her to roll her eyes with a chuckle."Merry Christmas to you too Santa Claus. But what are you doing her?""What do you think? I came to adopt. It is an orphanage after all," he said nonchalantly."Huh?" she asked stunned."Except that I'm hearing from sources it would be easier if I had a wife. But how would I get one who would actually like orphaned kids they barely know. Most of the women I kno
Andrea was backed against the wall with Antonio trapping her with both his hands blocking her from the sides. She was absolutely flushed and even cuter than usual. In no time, their faces were barely an inch away. Andrea's mind was a mess. She was being towered by a muscular dominating man. She could barely focus on anything other than the hazel brown eyes staring down at her so intensely with an expression she couldn't read. His hot pink sumptuous lips tensed her up even more as the slightest move could whined up in a kiss.Antonio, who only intended to tease Andrea, found himself unable to move away. He hoped this would ease whatever awkward feeling she might have had seeing him again after their previous encounter. Up close, Andrea was indeed truly breathtaking. Her glossy pouty lips only made it harder, working like a magnet pulling him closer. Just when their lips were sure to meet, Andrea snapped out of her daze. She shut her eyes and turned her face."I-I believe you were maki