Episode 05

Fernando's POV

Few Days Later

Hanging out with my buddy Antonio has become part of me that I've find it difficult to hangout alone when he's not around. Not that I don't have male friends but I trust Antonio more than anyone else, I just don't want history to repeat itself again. Speaking of Antonio he's meant to be back yesterday but I doubt if he was back because if he was he would have giving me a call. So instead of going out alone I decided to stay indoors and chill with myself.

My stomach was grumbling badly because I haven't fed it anything since today, I woke up late because I'd stayed the whole night working out some paperwork. I'm planning on opening another branch of my hotel in the city of Valencia in Spain where my mom lives. I stood up and went to the dinning room to see what my male chef had prepared down for me. Different kind of delicacies was covered on the dining table like I was expecting someone to join me for lunch.

I took a seat and dished out the portion of meal I could finish up. While I was eating the doorbell rang and I gazed up at the CCTV footage to see who it was, I gaped at the footage in disbelief. "Antonio and his family?" I mumbled and drop my fork on the plate and picked up the door remote and pressed a button that got the door open widely. I stood up and made my way out of the dining room.

Antonio and his family walked in and my two years old godson came running towards me. I opened my arms wide to receive him and when he got to me I lift him up and carried him in my arms.

"Fernando, it's good to see you" his wife greeted and hugged me briefly. She was carrying my goddaughter on her hands, the baby looks so adorable and at that instant something in me felt like it was my child I was looking at.

"Hey buddy, I decided to give you a surprise visit with my family" Antonio laughed interrupting my thoughts. I chuckled and immediately erased the stupid thought that was crawling it way into my mind.

"I love surprises like this one. Your wife and kids are welcome but you're not" I joked and they laughed. "You guys should join me in the dining room" I said and led them to there.

"Wow, were you expecting someone?" Barbara Antonio's wife asked as she saw the delicacies on the table.

"Right question" my buddy agreed and took a sit next to where I'd sat earlier. I laughed and gestured Barbara to sit while I took a sit as well with little Antonio on my laps.

"Not at all, that's how my chef always prepare my meals. He feels I'm too picky so he ends up preparing different meals so that I can get to choose my desired meal" I explained.

"That's the best thing to do if I were him" my buddy replied and we laughed.

My gaze fell on my goddaughter again. "By the way, your baby looks so adorable, she's as beautiful as you are" I said and a wide smile spread on her face.

"Thank you" she replied.

"Are you sure she looks like her mom or myself?" my buddy asked and I groaned and rolled my eyes. "What?" he shrugged with open arms.

"You wish you were good-looking. Barbara is just trying to cope with your ugly self so don't make her disown you" I laughed and Barbara joined me.

"C'mon you're just being jealous" he retorted and I chuckled.

"You guys should serve yourself with something and after that we can have some fun in my pool".

"I saw that coming so we came prepared" my buddy said and I smiled.

"So how was your trip?" I asked and fed little Antonio some matched potatoes.

"It was fine, we enjoyed every moment spent there" he answered. "Infact they never wanted us to leave".

"Wow, that sounds interesting" I said and filled water in the glass cup and gave it to him.

"Thanks Fernando for allowing my husband to take us there".

"Did Antonio told you I gave him permission to leave for a short vacation?".

"Yes he did".

"He lied to you! Because I told him not to open his big mouth and tell you stuffs like that whenever I did something for him" I shot him a glare when I said that and he shook his head while his wife giggled at us.

"My love pay no attention to him. He doesn't like accepting my wholehearted appreciation when he does something good for me and that is why I hate him" he scowled playfully at me and I chuckled.

"Crazy asshole" I cussed and ate out of my meal while they both laughed.

"Language please" his wife gestured to her son on my laps and I snorted and fake zipped my lips.

We ate in silence afterwards and when we were done we relaxed for couple of minutes before we all changed to our pool wears. Antonio was already familiar with my mansion so he led us to the swimming pool located at the back of the building.

"Would you like to get into the water, Diego?" I asked my godson on my arms and he nodded giggling while we climbed the staircase to the pool. "I got you little buddy" I pecked him all over and he giggled. I gently went into the pool with him and he screamed when the cold water touched him. His dad and I burst out laughing at his reaction to the water.

"Don't be scared I'm right here" I said hugging him to my chest while still inside the pool. Antonio got in with me and we both swim and played with Diego causing the fear of water to disappear and replaced with laughter.

"Come join us mi amor" Antonio yelled out to his wife and she shook her head.

"I can't leave our baby all by herself!" She yelled back to his hearing.

"C'mon babe, you can just leave her in her cozy bed and come join us" he said trying to persuade her to join us.

"Don't worry I'm fine right here. I'm enjoying the lovely view" she smiled and beckons us to continue having fun. Antonio shrugged and dived back into the water and swam like a shark.

I didn't wanted to get deeper into the pool because of my little buddy so we just swam a little and played more. Antonio swam back to us grinning widely, I raised a brow at what he finds amusing.

"I just remembered something" he said staring at me.

"What did you forget?" I asked.

"Have you read that book while I was away?".

His question threw me off guard and my smiles faded to a scowl. How could he bring up a book topic when we're busy having fun here? Does he really had expected me to read a book that got me drunk after reading just the synopsis?

"Fernando Perez!" he yelled my name and I jolted and came back to reality. "Did you read the book or not?".

Should I tell him yes and explain the effect it had on me, or should I just say no and end the book discussion? I stared at him contemplating on the answer to give. "No, I did not have the time to read it" I replied and glanced down at Diego.

"Why not? How busy were you? Are you sure you're telling me the truth?" he asked and I glanced up at him.

"Why on Earth should I lie to you over a book someone wrote?".

"I don't know, I just don't believe you didn't have a glimpse of it. Well, if you insist you haven't read it then you will do that tonight. Infact I'll have Barbara read a chapter to your hearing since she's a perfect reader that reads with enthusiasm" he grinned at me and I frowned at him.

"What do you mean you'll have Barbara read to me? Am I a child that needs someone to read to his hearing or am I an illiterate?" I asked offensively. This is getting serious for him to suggest a thing like that.

"C'mon Buddy, I just want to trigger your interest in this book. Okay, why not we have a deal?".

"A deal?".

"Yes a deal".

"What deal, Antonio?" I asked feeling upset.

"I'll have Barbara read to you the first chapter of that book then if at the end of the chapter it doesn't intrigue your interest of wanting to know more, then we'll forget about the book but if it does then you'll have to read the complete book. Deal?".

"Deal" I answered without bothering to think it through because I know it won't catch my interest at the end of just a chapter.

"Great. Let's swim a little bit more before we call it a day here" he said and I nodded and swam more before we call it a day.

Couple of minutes later, we were back to my mansion and we were all dressed back to our clothes. I served them cookies and a non-alcoholic wine since Barbara doesn't take alcohol.

"My love, you're going to do me a little favor with reading. You know how lazy we men could be at times to read a book after so much work. Buddy and I have been so busy to read a book that was recommended to us by our investors and he said we've got to be familiar with it even if is just a chapter of it if not he won't bother doing any business with us".

I furrowed my brows at my best friend sweet lies and he winks at me.

"I understand. Just tell me what you want me to read to you guys so I can read it right away before we leave".

"Thanks my love. Buddy please get her your iPad pro and show her the book she'll be reading" he said and I stared up at him.

"My iPad pro?" I asked again to be sure.

"Yes please".

I glanced from him to his wife and back to him. My iPad pro has not been with me since the day I gave it to Mr. Pedro. I never wanted anything that would tempt me into reading that book. My decision on that haven't changed, I can't get back that iPad pro, what if after they were gone I feel the urge to read it? Then I'll start feeling bad again. No way, I wasn't going to get it back.

"If your iPad is not close by then she'll use my phone, I still have a softcopy of the book" he said and dig out his phone from his pocket and search through his phone before handing it to his wife. "We're all ears".

I glanced at the both of them and my gaze fell down on sleeping Diego in my arms. It's time to accept what I didn't wish to hear, anyways at least at the end of it all I'll get my best friend off my neck over this mystery book.

"Shattered Hearts, Chapter one. Let the story begins" she smiled and I relaxed my back and waited for her to read the story.

"Luciano was a nerd in highschool with brown hair and beautiful brown eyes. He..." she continued reading and the more she read the more I was picturing myself to be Luciano.

The description about him fits perfectly well to myself. I listened as she continued reading and then few minutes later she stopped. I gazed up at her and wondered why she stopped.

"Why did you stop?" I asked and she gazed up at me.

"That's how chapter one ends" she answered with a shrug and I frowned in confusion and glanced at my best friend.

"Did you hear that? That's the end of chapter one? How can chapter one end that way?" I asked in disbelief.

"Because that's how the author wrote it" he replied smiling.

"You can read the complete book to know the ending of the story" Barbara said.

"Great idea" he concurs and his grin widens. I know what that grin means, if I get to read the book it means he won the deal.

I don't think I care about who wins right now, the only thing I care about is to know the ending of this story.

"You're right, I'll read the remaining chapters of the book tonight" I said in a deep voice. My voice only gets deep when I say something and I'm determined to do it.

"Yes!" My best friend exclaimed excitedly and I shot him a cold glare which he shrugs off. "We can now leave my love, you need to rest and so also my little angel".

They both stood up with little Barbara on her arms and I stood up with my godson and handed him to his father. "It was a pleasure to have your family around. I'll be doing the next visiting I promise".

"We'll be expecting you. Coming with your girlfriend is allowed" Barbara winks at me and I snorted. Never! I replied inwardly.

"Thanks buddy for the warmth welcome".

"Anytime" I replied and walked them to Antonio's car. His wife and kids got in while Antonio came back to me.

"I won the deal, you owe me a beer. And....a review from that book. I'm glad you'll finally read it. Enjoy the rest of your evening Buddy" he hugged me briefly and went back to his car and entered the driver's seat.

They waved at me one more time before I watched my friend's car drove out of my premises. My mind was back to that book and what Barbara had read. I needed to know more and the only way is to read it. I need to get back my iPad pro from Mr. Pedro.