Mini Party

It's been a month since Victor found Esmeralda but he didn't yet show up to her parents. Out of eagerness to see their daughter's true love, they held a small party for them to invite him.

"Until now, I don't know how to tell them that I want to marry you." He told her while they were heading to Esmeralda's home. It amazed Victor to see the majestic gate of their mansion. He already knows her true identity, but he still cannot believe how wealthy they are. The magnificent view before his eyes is just something he cannot comprehend. This made him remember why he is here.

During the month he is with Esmeralda, he came to realize that every day, he is becoming more and more attracted to her. The feeling is new to him.

"Babe. We're here. I will introduce you to my parents." She said smiling while Victor assists her step down the car. He smiled at her too but he didn't reply as they walk hand in hand to the lawn where the party took place.

One of the many changes in Victor is that he is not bubbly anymore just like before. He is now aggressive too. But despite the changes she had observed, she still love him even more, thinking that he sacrificed a lot in order to find her.

Almost all prominent people in their country were invited. This is the first time that Mr. and Mrs. Martin hosted a so-called 'small' gathering.

"Mom, this is Victor Tan. He's my boyfriend." She admitted for the first time. When Christine Martin looked at him, she was amazed since this man is more handsome in person. No wonder, her daughter was attracted to him. He resembled his past lover, Alexander Tan.

"It's my pleasure to meet you, Madam. I'm so sorry for meeting you only now. I've been very busy during the past weeks ever since I arrived here." He apologized.

"Nah! It's alright Hijo. Our daughter always mentions you to us." Mr. Martin chimed in as he sighs. Their future son-in-law resembled someone in the past whom he had buried in his memories. He felt a sudden pang in his heart as he remembered his rival and best friend Alexander. Could it be that this man before them is the son of his best friend? too bad he never instructed his men to dig more about this man's family.

His wife Christine loved Alexander first without noticing him. So he did everything to separate them without their knowledge. Since his other friend Chastity also loved Alexander so much, they made a plan to set them up. He let his men do the work. They drugged Alexanders' drink so he slept with Chastity more than once. When Chastity conceived, Alexander was forced to marry her despite his intense love for Christine. This made Christine heartbroken for years. So he stayed by her side until she slowly fell in love with him, and forgot her love for Alexander. They got married after three years.

Christine on the other hand remembered her cheater boyfriend whom he loved so much. Thankfully, Matthew Martin is with her the whole time. She was grateful that she fell in love with the right man whom he loved until now. So she buried all the memories of him in the past. She had long forgotten Alexander Tan. But during their business trip in Las Vegas, she accidentally met him at an evening party they had attended. He hugged her so tight and has no plans to let her go.

"Alex, it's been 20 years. We already have our own family, so please let's just be friends. I already forgave you and Chastity." She told him while she tried to move out of his embrace.

"But you never gave me a chance to explain. You hid from me. I looked for you, but you are nowhere to be found. I should have married you instead of her. I don't love her until now Tintin. You're the only one in my heart." He said while tears escaped his tantalizing eyes. His embrace became even tighter, that her face is buried on the crook of his neck, her lips to his collar. Her brown lipstick was erased because of it.

"Okay okay, this will be our last hug. Please be considerate of our spouse. They might get hurt when they see us like this." She said as she hugged him back for the last time.

"Ehem!" Matthew cleared his throat as he approached them.

"It's good to see you, Alexander. Where's your wife?" he said while smiling at him, but deep in his heart is hatred. But he willingly let go of that feeling as he thinks that Christine is his wife now, and they have a lovely daughter back home.

"She is in the hotel with our son. She's not feeling well so Victor accompanied him there." He said while wiping his tears away, and shaking hands with Matthew.

"Please take care of Tintin for me," Alexander told him as he sighs with a heavy heart.

"Of course brother. We are deeply in love with each other now. Thanks to you." He said as he wanted to implant guiltiness in Alexander's heart. This made Alexander speechless. It's really his fault why they broke up.

"Dad, Mom, you are very serious!" Esmeralda exclaimed, which made them back to their senses. They both act casually.

"By the way Hijo, what's the name of your parents?" they both looked at each other as they uttered the same words, and they laughed. Matthew and Christine happily hugged each other in front of them.

"Even our minds are connected."

"Chastity and Alexander--" she answered but was immediately interrupted by Esmeralda.

"Mom, Dad. His parents are both deceased." Esmeralda was worried. Victor might be lonely remembering his parents.

"Deceased?" Matthew creased his forehead.

"Yes Sir, they died in a car accident". Victor replied while he lowered his head. They cannot see his expression. They assumed that he felt heartbroken again upon remembering his parents.

"In a car accident? Both of them?" Matthew repeated, and a sudden realization hit him.

"I'm so sorry for your loss Hijo. We can be your second parent." Matthew told him as he patted his shoulder, and then he turned to Esmeralda.

"You both make yourself busy, I will just attend to something. Christine my love, accompany them for a while. Introduce them to our friends." And he made his way out of their sight.

In their room, on the third floor.

Matthew Martin dialed a number, and it was immediately connected.

"Hey, bro! How are you now?"

"I'm good! What made you remember me all of a sudden?"

" Nothing! I just suddenly missed you, my brother."

" Really? So how's your family? How's... " He is reluctant in uttering the last word. "Christine?"

"Of course, she's becoming more and more beautiful." He told him feeling so proud. Talking to the man over the phone made him realize that there was really something wrong.

"By the way, how's your son?"

"Well, he turned into a beast after his girlfriend disappeared." He sighs as he narrates what happened back then.

"How I wish that we'll find the girl he is in love with. Maybe he could return to his original self." Alexander was disappointed since their search is not progressing.

"Let me know the name of the lucky girl?" Matthew asked while he was sending an email to one of his right hands. He ordered him to investigate and send complete details in 30 minutes.

"No progress at all. Maybe she is dead by now. I just don't like to tell it to Victor because he's still hoping to find Esmeralda Martin one of these days." He told him while going to Victor's restaurant. One of the employees told him that he fired an employee again because of a single mistake.

"Interesting! Do you know that the girl is my daughter?"

Alexander's car nearly bumped into the parked car at the side of the road so he just pulled over to avoid an accident.

"Oh, bro! You're kidding right!" what a coincidence. He can't believe it! If Esmeralda Martin is really the daughter of Christine and Matthew, he will meet Christine again. If possible, he doesn't like it to happen as it would open up the wounds that have already healed. He's hoping that Matthew is just joking.

"However, she is already engaged to a certain Victor Tan. In fact, they are in our house now."

"What?! How could that happen? My Victor is in the restaurant now. He never went out of the country since then."

"Really? Okay then. Let's just meet one of these days. I will call u again after the investigation."