And Then It Rained (Sequel to Rain Again; Stand Alone Book) (Completed)

Chapter Twenty-five: The Event

She was beginning to call it home.

"That's right. I want maximum security for my mother and sister. Yours is not just a random security company, Neil. It's because Kate always highly recommends you that I've faith in you to provide my family proper protection."

Victor's serious tone as he talked on the phone with this Neil guy made Victoria slowly stir awake. Unlike the night of their wedding, Victor walked around the car and opened the door for her upon realizing she was awake. 

Neil! Ah. 

As sleep dropped from her eyes and she brainstormed, gradually, she recalled meeting him one time in the past. Of course, Kate was the reason for their meeting, but that was a long story.

On their journey up to the apartment, Victor explained how he was hiring a couple of bodyguards for his mother and sister and setting up a high-tech security system for his family home. He was surprised to know Victoria had already met Neil in the past. 

"Do you believe Kate so much," Victoria asked, "to make decisions regarding your family's security according to her preferences?"

One of his eyebrows rose. He nodded. "I can trust her with my eyes close. She is an extraordinary person and my best friend, you can say."

Something nasty began from that moment deep within Victoria's heart. A gloomy feeling roused and continued to give her discomfort like they were needles underneath her skin.

--

The next day, after the first shoot of an advertisement for a leading car manufacturing company, Victoria returned to the office to get done with her remaining hours at work. It was good that she didn't have to do much except for sorting out the reports of her jobs done in the past week. 

The afternoon sun had begun to dim its glare, preparing to rest for the night.

Orland came up to Victoria's cubicle with a friendly smile. "You look better than the past couple of days, Victoria."

"Well, thanks," Victoria looked up from her laptop. 

"Try not to get injured anymore, alright?"

Victoria smiled back at him and kidded, "I don't go to injuries, Orland. Injuries come to me."

Orland raised a brow and smirked. "Why don't you start doing overtime in the scriptwriting department?"

From another cubicle, Antelmo protested, yelling, "Are you guys planning to lay me off?!"

"Don't worry, Ante," she laughed and said, craning up her neck, "I will die from exhaustion if I do so many jobs at once. So, you're safe."

"Hey, listen," Orland said, resting his hip at the side of her desk. "I'm heading over to the event at your husband's—"

"My husband!" Victoria sat straight in shock.

Orland gave her a look. Antelmo peeked up from the partition surrounding his cubicle.

And after a second, while looking back and forth at both of them, it clicked into her mind. Ah, yes, she was married now! Of course, she had a husband.

She just forgot it. How embarrassing!

"Ah," she broke out in a laugh to pretend it was a joke. "I just got married but don't quite feel like it yet." It was true, by the way. She and Victor didn't have a usual married relationship, although they were beginning to form some kind of a rapport—an understanding.

"Right," Orland frowned, but then he smiled. "So, would you like to accompany me there? You can complete these reports tomorrow," he said, glancing at her laptop screen. "Let's go and observe how it's going down and how Natsuko, Ben, and Julie are working as a team. "