The Intertwined Fate (Serendipity Series #1) COMPLETED

39 - Again

May 2021

"And as you can see from the screen, our sales increased massively due to the high numbers of clients after the..." Summer hesitated and avoided my gaze. "After the recent controversy."

I nodded and pointed to the screen. "It wasn't that massive but there is an increase. The word of mouth from the controversy won't last long. We need to sustain or better, improve the sales," I said and brought down the pen that I used to point to the screen before facing my marketing department.

"I want you to develop a plan that would keep the fire burning. We should not take chances of letting it die down," I sighed with determination. "Try introducing our name in foreign countries, I think we have the best shot right now," I gambled without thinking it through.

"Foreign Countries, Miss? Isn't that too risky?" Summer interjected. "We are still hardening our ground and to jump that high... I don't think it is feasible."

I bit my lip and stared at the screen. Summer is right but I am desperate to become bigger. Should I play safe? I might ruin the company if I push through with my plan. But I couldn't wait any longer. I need to be known. I sighed and closed my eyes.

"The entry to foreign market will be further discussed in the next meeting. That's all for now," I said before moving to leave the room. I went straight to my office and opened the door, only to be surprised by Bea's presence.

"You're here," I greeted.

She stood up from the couch. "Hello there, Miss CEO. I see that you're too busy to even check your phone."

My brows furrowed before checking my phone. "I sent you messages, informing you of my arrival but you weren't replying so I went straight here."

"Sorry, I was too busy catching up on everything," I said and placed the papers I was holding on the center table before sitting on the couch.

I sighed and laid my back on the backrest. I closed my eyes and I felt Bea sitting beside me. "What is it?" I asked.

"Lucas is worried about you. I am, too. That's why I made a visit," Bea said. "You were not answering for days. Lucas wanted to come here but he knew you won't tell him anything and sent me here instead. Do you have anything to say, Ciandra Celestine?"

"I..." I sighed. "I don't have anything to say," I answered and opened my eyes. I stared at the ceiling and remembered the promise I made to Luke.

It's been a week already and I am getting desperate in claiming him back. I was never a patient kind of person and not seeing him is driving me to the edge. It feels like I am back to my younger self who was too focused on Luke.

Bea sighed. "Fine, let me ask you then. It's up to you if you want to answer or not. Just let me give you an opening."

I sat up straight and waited for her questions. She stared at me intently. "What did you and Luke talk about that day? You two suddenly went missing according to Levi, that's why I assumed you were together and talked."

"We didn't," I said. "It was Simoune whom he talked to."

"You didn't get a chance to talk? At all?"

"I can hardly call it a conversation," I sighed before averting my eyes from her.

Bea nodded. "If your conversation is private, we could skip and move on to my next question," she shrugged.

"I made a promise," I said and focused my sight on the papers on the table. "That I would come to him by the time I could save him."

"Save? Again? What is Luke? Some charity that needs to be saved by a woman?" Bea scoffed. I looked at her and she gave me a confused look. "What? Don't tell me you really thought of Luke as some charity. Cian, have you forgotten who we are talking about? It's Luke Augustus for goddess' sake! He could rise from hell if he wanted to."

"Their family business -"

"Will be okay, Cian. It was the marriage that was halted, but Simoune's family continued to invest. Hindi mo ba iyon alam?"

I shook my head, dazed. "Were you that busy?" Bea asked and I couldn't answer so she picked up the papers on the table. "There's a bag under your eyes and you lost some weight already," she said and dropped the papers again after staring at them. "To save Luke's family."

I stilled. "Tell me I'm wrong or overstepping my line. I thought I assumed wrong but seeing how busy you are and hearing the story from you, I stand corrected," Bea chuckled.

"It's not that."

"It is, Cian. And you know that. I just don't understand why would you go through this length. Infiltrating the foreign economy? That's a beaming red sign for starters like you," Bea sighed and held my hand. "You are risking your company for Luke's. For what? To save him? To finally be with him? Do you really think Luke would like this? Do you really think Luke wanted to be saved like this?"

"Bea..." I looked down. "I don't know what to do."

She sighed and I felt my hand being held softly by her. I looked at her and she smiled at me. "You don't need to save anyone, Cian. There's no count on the number of people you were saving. Luke could handle his problem. You should put your trust in him and remove the burden of saving him from your shoulders."

For a moment, I thought I was doing the right thing. In my mind, I am making the right decision. But it turns out, I was wrong the whole time. My head was clouded with the idea of saving Luke because it is what he needed from Simoune back then. But I have forgotten the fact that the saving Luke was talking about was from being dropped.

And I honestly, don't blame Luke for fearing me. Even I am scared that I would make a decision once again to drop him. Despite the fact that it was for him, it doesn't erase the fact that I was done who kept on leaving him hanging.

Except for this time. "I wanted to be with him, Bea," I muttered after gathering the courage to speak it out. "I don't want another day of wondering what would it feel like to be with him. I don't want another day without hearing his stories. I don't want another day of reminiscing our memories. I have been doing that for the past year and I have enough. Is this even possible?"

Bea smiled. "It is if you love the person."

"You see, people make irrational decisions when it comes to the person they love. And you are not an exception to that, Cian. It wasn't a grave mistake to have the desire to save that person and I understand why you wanted to save Luke. But saving him in the way you were doing right now is not the best idea."

Then her phone vibrated which made her pause. She looked at it and gasped. "And probably the best idea right now is making our way to the airport because he is about to board."