"OFFICE VISIT"

The next morning, before lunchtime, I was already at Marius' office. Getting there wasn't a struggle at all, as the security guards recognized me from the moment I entered the building. I simply told them my name, following the instructions Marius had given me.

"May I accompany you to Sir's office, Ma'am?" the kind lady guard there offered.

I nodded in agreement. I was led to the highest and sixth floor of the building, where Marius' office was located. In the lobby, I encountered a young man who appeared to be around twenty-one to twenty-two years old. At that moment, I thought it was fortunate to have a male assistant for Marius. Just in case, well. Back then, I couldn't help but smile as I remembered him referring to me as a jealous woman the first time he brought me to his unit.

"Hello, good morning," I greeted, trying to capture the young man's attention who seemed engrossed in front of his computer.

"Ah, good morning. Are you Miss Samantha Scott?" he asked, rising from his seat.

I nodded and smiled. I noticed a glint of admiration in his eyes, something quite familiar to me. "And you? What can I call you?" I inquired.

"Just call me Terence. Sir Marius has been waiting for you since earlier," he replied, gesturing towards Marius' office door, which bore the words President and CEO.

Three knocks, and after a response from inside, a familiar voice, Terence, pushed the door open. He entered first, and I followed suit, my heart pounding loudly, though I paid no attention to its rapid beats.

"Thank you, Terence," Marius said while his gaze remained fixed on me for a moment.

"Coffee, sir?" Terence asked.

"Sam?" Marius turned to me, inquiring if I wanted coffee.

I shook my head. "I've had too much earlier," I replied as I took a seat in front of his working table.

That was when I saw Marius signal to Terence. "Just one," he added.

Terence left promptly and returned shortly with a cup of coffee. Once he exited, I began with the purpose of my visit.

"What time can I talk to Patrick?" I inquired.

Patrick Tan was Marius' partner in the construction firm.

"I don't think that would be necessary," he replied, picking up his coffee cup and taking a sip.

Confusion furrowed my brows instantly, prompted by his words.

"What?" I exclaimed, feeling a mix of bewilderment and disbelief in those moments. I couldn't quite articulate whether I was perplexed or simply taken aback.

"Look," Marius began. "Patrick is currently in Japan with his girlfriend. So, I made this decision based on our prior agreement," he offered that simple explanation.

I just stared at Marius' face, finding it hard to believe that the project had been accepted so swiftly through such a brief conversation.

"Tell me the truth. This matter is purely business, right?" I asked him.

"Of course, Sam," he replied, leaning back against the high backrest of his office chair.

"Are you sure?" I questioned once again.

"Yeah. I personally chose this project not just because Lana is a friend, but also because I want to be with you in Baguio," Marius answered frankly, taking another sip of his coffee while giving me a playful wink.

I let out an audible gasp, caught off guard not only by what he did but even more by his confession.

"So, it's not business, it's personal?" I inquired.

I saw Marius' chest rise and fall due to what I had just said.

"Sam, of course, that goes without saying. I'm courting you, after all. Naturally, I want to look good in your eyes," he replied, his hand grazing his chin as if he wanted to emphasize how handsome he was.

"Well, you see---."

"I was just too embarrassed to tell you this last night, but when I heard your sibling say that you were in charge, I immediately approved the project," Marius continued, not letting me finish what I wanted to say. "That's how persuasive you are to me," he added.

I was left speechless about it. "If that's the case, why did you even ask me to come here?" I asked, my eyebrows furrowing.

"For the contract signing," he replied.

At that point, I understood what he meant and remained silent. Though I thought the process was moving rather swiftly in my mind, it wasn't really difficult or impossible for Marius, so I didn't say anything more.

"I'll take you back. Are you returning to your office?" he asked me after I had signed all the necessary documents.

"Yeah, I need to report to my brother," I answered.

Marius nodded. "I'll accompany you. It's better if both of us report to him together," he suggested.

"What? No! It's not necessary. You might still have a lot of work to finish here," I declined his suggestion.

"Tsk. Alright then. And your brother already knows I'm courting you, because I told Lana while they were still on their honeymoon," he said casually.

I stared at Marius in disbelief. I couldn't believe I was hearing all of this from him.

"You did that?" I asked.

"Why not? If that's one of the ways you can consider or I can prove to you that I'm serious," he said.

I didn't respond and simply allowed Marius to proceed with what he wanted. I had him dropped off while Mang Poldo followed us in my car.

"By the way, Sam, if ever, where would you prefer to stay in Baguio?" Marius asked me while we were on our way back to Scott's Café Head Office.

"I have a rest house in Baguio," I informed him.

"Really?"

"Yeah. Actually, it's not far from where our Scott's Café branch will be located."

"Oh, that's great," he replied.

I nodded. "Did you know that that house is the first property I acquired without the help of my parents and even my sibling?" I shared.

"So I guess it's special to you?" he asked me.

I nodded and smiled, glancing at Marius who was focused on the road. "It's incredibly special. And in case you're wondering, you'd be the first person I'd invite there," I told him.

Truth be told, I wanted to take back what I had just said, but there was no turning back now. So, I chose to convey it with a deep sigh.

"Yeah, I can't wait. Honestly, I'm also looking forward to starting this project as soon as possible. You know, to finish it quickly," he continued and then glanced at me for a moment.

I didn't respond to what Marius had just said. I knew what he meant, so I opted to remain silent. But even if I wouldn't admit it, deep inside, I knew that I couldn't wait to be with this handsome man in a cool and beautiful place like Baguio.