P/s: Sorry for the delay in their first meeting. Finally, they will meet in this chapter, and let's dive in to see their first impression towards each other ;)
SAM'S POV
She checked the time on her watch. 9 PM.
No wonder my grandmother is worried about me. Every day seems repeated to me. Nothing interesting, and nothing to make me feel alive. I'm just simply living.
Entering the mansion, I went straight to my office to print the document for the project with St Claire. This time, I will just sign it without the meeting. It is really against my work ethic to sign the deal without meeting the representative of the company. But, this time, I will just go against it to make up for my own mistakes.
I feel guilty. It's not once but twice already that I ditched the meeting.
'She must hate me now.'
But, I really couldn't help it when I suddenly got a call from the representative in Europe that one of the investors was already in Bangkok and wanted to experience our services on their own. That's sudden.
Luckily, most of my employees are still in the office, and I can get them ready for the rooms and buffet for lunch. For me, of course, I need to prepare to be their guide and present our best product to them since it is my dream to open one of the branches in Europe.
After I finished reading and signing the document, I emailed it to Yha so that she could personally hand in the document to St Claire or just fax it. I find it kinda rude to just simply email it to St Claire after what I have done to their CEO. I want to personally apologize to her, but I don't know how to get her number.
'It's gonna be weird if I called the office and asked for her number, right? They might think I'm a pervert. Please, I don't need more labels after my name.'
I just shrugged off the thought and turned off the computer. I'm so tired, yet I still need to prepare for the trip to Chiang Mai tomorrow since the investors want to visit the place and our branch there.
Going out of the room, I bump into my grandmother.
"Sam, you just came back from the office yet you entered another office?" Grandmother scolded.
"I just need to finish up something before my trip to Chiang Mai tomorrow."
"How long is the trip?"
"I will come back tomorrow night from Chiang Mai since the investors just want a visit. I don't have to stay overnight." She answered her grandmother.
"Good, then. This Saturday, we have a lunch date with the Armstrongs, and you have to be there! No excuse and don't ever think to ditch the date because their whole family going to be there don't try to embarrass me by not showing up during the date."
"Okay, sure I'll be there." I let out a tinted smile before I left and headed to my room.
If Mrs Pohn said there's a lot on Sam's plate. It does mean a LOT!
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Don't forget the lunch date tomorrow, Sam. Don't be late! - Grandma
I read the text sent by my grandmother.
'Hmmm...I really should make up something and stay in Chiang Mai.'
But, it's too late. I arrived in Bangkok an hour ago and am currently at my penthouse. I need a rest right now. She doesn't have to remind me now, ughh. It spoiled my mood.
I don't remember when I fell asleep, but it was already 10 AM when I woke up.
'Shit, I sleep almost 12 hours! I'm really tired, I guess.'
I jumped out from my round king-size bed and went straight to the bathroom, filling the bathtub and lighting up some scented candles. I need it to pamper my tired body and mind.
It's 11:30 AM shown on the clock when I left my penthouse to pick up my grandmother first before heading to the promised restaurant. I just dress up with black loose pants with a white tank top inside my black button-up shirt and finish up with white sneakers. I don't think I need to impress anybody by making an effort into my outfit today since I'm already familiar with Armstrong.
"Are you sure you just want to dress like that for the date?" That's the first thing my grandma greeted me with after I arrived at the mansion.
'What's wrong with my outfit, though?' I checked myself thoroughly by looking up and down at my outfit.
"Yes? What's wrong with it?" I asked her back.
"Sam, you're meeting your possible in-laws. I thought you were going to make a little effort for their first impression."
"I thought we were meeting Armstrongs?" I asked, still confused.
Grandma almost facepalms her forehead, listening to her granddaughter's stupidity. She can be somehow dense when it comes to these things.
"The Armstrong is your possible in-laws, Sam, and we are going to meet them today together with your possible future wife! I thought we already had a deal on this?"
"Well, I thought today just gonna be our usual lunch date. You never said that they are going to be my possible in-laws!"
"I thought you already got it when I told you before. Enough with that. Let's go. We don't want them to wait for us."
'Okay, now I really should stay in Chiang Mai yesterday. What the heck, I'm not ready and with this outfit, of course, it's not suitable for a first meeting. Okay, now I start to feel insecure with my appearance.'
Not until she remembered something.
'Wait, wait..shit! shit, I wish I could be invisible right now. Is Armstrong mean...is she going to be the one? Am I finally meeting her today? Oh my god! Why must it be me?'
"SAM!" Grandma shouted from the door when she saw I was still frozen in the same place.
"Faster! We are going to be late."
"Yes- I'm coming!" I grabbed the key and rushed to the door.
I drove my grandma's Bentley since she said that my super car is not suitable for the people around her age anymore. I just chuckled, listening to her excuses when the real reason was she was just afraid of the speed.
My mind travelled a lot while I was driving. I'm quite nervous. Nervous thinking about her possible reaction to finally meeting me. Who already ditched her twice? My palms start to sweat thinking about that.
MON'S POV.
I think it runs in our family to always be early in everything. We arrived at the restaurant 15 minutes earlier than the promised time. My parents teach us well I guess they even be an example themselves.
Meanwhile, for me, I want to see whether she's going to be late again. So, I unexpectedly looked forward to this lunch date just to prove to my parents how irresponsible Sam is if she happens to be late again.
But luck is not on Mon's side when not long after that, her parents stand from their seats and greet the person behind her.
'It's them, I guess.'
I brought myself up from the seat and turned around. That's when my gaze met the brown orbs. It left me speechless...
'She's stunning!'
Her eyes. It's stunning. It's so deep that I felt like drowning and absorbed into it. I can't even bring myself to look away from it. So, does she.
And my heart seems to beat frantically by her actions of not backing down from our starting battle.
Not until Grandma Tassawan stood in front of me and held my arms, forcing my attention swiftly to her.
"Mon, you've grown up so well into a beautiful lady." She praised me sincerely while rubbing my cheeks, which brought me into a smile.
"You too, grandma, how can you still be this pretty at your age? It's been a long time, and you're still stunning as always." Mon returned the praise which led Grandma to burst into a laugh.
Grandma embraces the young girl in a hug, which is later returned by the girl.
"I miss you!" Mon's said while swaying their embraced body slowly.
"And I miss you too, Mon," Grandma replied while breaking the hug.
"Ehemm!" Mr Robert clears his throat, trying to gain their attention.
"I think we need to continue this drama later if we don't want to be starving waiting for this episode to end." His statement gains a laugh from their family, and everyone brings themselves to sit on their respective seats.
She extended her hand to me. "Sam." That's the only word that came out from her luscious lips.
'Damn, Mon. What are you even thinking!'
I welcomed the extended hand and introduced myself. "Kornkarmon, Mon for short."
'Cold.'
Her hands were so cold, and so did her smile. That's the first impression I have of her. Remembering my previous 'not so good' experience working with her brings back the hatred in me. I took a breath and tried not to think about it. But I really can't help it. Not until I know the real reasons.
I'm stealing a glance towards her from time to time. It's easier as she is sitting in front of me.
'Huh, her pretty face really can't represent her attitude! What's the use of the pretty face if you can't even simply keep a promise.'
Throughout the lunch, there were only a few moments I heard her voice answering to my parents and Kirk. And mostly all about business!
'Boring..' And I can't help to roll my eyes from time to time judging them.
My conversation with Grandma Tassawan was more interesting than their talks. We're updating about each other, although mostly about me, and I can sense that she's stealing glances towards us from time to time. I know she is dying to join our conversation, but she doesn't know how to. She's too quiet, though.
"I think both families are fully aware of our real purpose of this lunch date other than our casual gatherings." Grandma suddenly spoke up, gaining the attention of all of us.
Kirk poked me teasing me about the real purpose of the lunch date. I'm throwing my death glare at him, annoyed by his action.
"Well, Mon. This is my youngest granddaughter, Samanun Anuntrakul, and as far as I know, you never met her before, right, Mon?"
Grandma directed the question to me. "Yeah, almost. But, never grandma." I teasingly answered her question, and later, I sensed an intense glare from the opposite side of me.
'I bet grandma doesn't know about what had happened between them. If not, she will already mention it. If I'm following my heart, I will just casually tell Grandma right now and right there what her granddaughter did. Let her get an earful of nagging from grandma.'
"Well, I hope from this meeting there's gonna be a start of the new beginning. We will let both of you decide on your own." Grandma continued.
'Well. I think I just want to end it more than I want to start it. Her pretty face is not gonna feed our relationship, though.'
"Yeah, no pressure from us. We just initiated it, but it will still be up to both of you on how you will lead this relationship. At least, you guys can befriend each other and maybe work together in the future. We don't know what the future will bring to us, right? So, just enjoy the moment." Mrs. Pohn added, which gained a nod from everyone.
'I think they are trying to manipulate us. I know they still expected something to happen between us despite trying to cover it with their words.'
But everything is up to us, right? I will just hold onto that for the moment.
That's when I step in. "Grandma, how you came here?" Everyone wondering because of my sudden question.
"Of course, Sam's driving me here, sweetheart."
"Well, Kirk, can you drive Grandma home later?" She turned to her brother.
"Well, of course, I can do that. But why?" He raised his eyebrow, looking at her sister weirdly.
"Because I want to borrow your driver for a while, Grandma. May I do that?" She gives her puppy eyes, which later brings Grandma to chuckle and everyone to laugh except for someone.
"Of course, you can do that. You don't have to borrow. I can simply give her to you permanently if you ask me to." Grandma winked.
'Hehe, no thank you, grandma...'
"I promise you, I won't do anything inappropriate to her.' She winked and raised one of her hands to her shoulder's level like someone making an oath.
"Well, in fact, I will let you do anything to her." Both of them laughed without realising someone was already burning listening to them making fun of her.
My family and grandma were preparing to leave after Sam paid the bills, which somewhat became a heated argument between her and my father before she could finally pay the bills.
"Mon, behave. Don't bring trouble to Sam." Mrs Pohn left a message to Mon before they entered the car.
"Yeah, I know you're excited, my daughter but, don't let your naughty thoughts control you, okay? Keep it for later." His statement gains him a slap from Mon.
"Sam, she can be too talkative sometimes, and I understand if you feel like you want to shut her mouth yourself. I hope you can bear with it. I'm rooting for you!" He raised his hand to Sam for encouragement.
"Kirk!" Mon started pushing her brother towards her car, asking him to leave already.
"Don't worry, I can at least do that. Thank you for the warning." Sam smirked while answering to Kirk.
'Not you too?!'
Mon squinted at Sam, which was ignored by the latter. They're standing side by side while sending off their family.
"Let's go." Mon leads the way when suddenly turns her back and almost bumps into Sam. "Where's the car?"
Sam looked at Mon for a while before she led the way to her grandma's car. They have to use Bentley since Mon came to the restaurant with her brother, and that's why she purposely mentioned borrowing the 'driver' which comes with the car.
Meanwhile, in Kirk's car.
"They look good together," Grandma stated while smiling, looking at the pair standing side by side in the parking lot.
"Yeah, I can't deny their chemistry. They complete each other." Kirk's statement gained a nod from their grandmother. She agreed with it.
To be continued...
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Pardon my English and grammar as English is not my first language. Sorry if it's hard to read 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
- Lxyhans