A/N: Finally the end of this story. Thank you for reaching this far. At first, I really thought of giving second chances for Fate and Carlo, but sometimes, second chance isn't the best option at all. Sometimes, the new people you will meet are the people that will stay with you.
The third story will be posted soon! That will be spicy and scary at the same time :)
Enjoy reading and see you at my next story!
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Warning: R-18
EPILOGUE
Laugh
Mornings are not complete without her. My days are not complete without hearing her voice or seeing her face, she is literally the last piece of puzzle that will complete my day.
She is not the type of girl I will associate myself into, she's a journalist, she's loud, she's chaotic and she's a mess.
But here I am, loving the loud, chaotic and messiness of an environment that this journalist brought to my life. I am not even complaining about it anymore.
"Leon!" I heard her shout from the kitchen of my unit.
I am currently in the Philippines for her birthday and today is my family's arrival. Someone is excited and she is currently at the kitchen.
She better thank me because I can't resist her. I let her cook something, even if I knew she is not good with that. I knew she can still learn; I can teach her anytime she wants me to.
"Hmm?" I asked the moment I entered the kitchen and she's looking adorable while wearing my apron.
I remembered that the main reason she is cooking is that because she wants to cook something for my mom, she misses her that much. This girl can't even cook for me and she can do it for my mom.
"Can you taste it if it's already good?" she exhaustedly asked. She just cooked adobo, one of her favorite foods, but she already looks so tired.
"You wounded yourself?" I glared at her and held her left hand, there are cuts from knife.
From preparing and cutting the ingredients to cooking, she's did all of that.
"It's nothing, it's not even bleeding anymore" she answered while rolling her eyes at me. "Taste this" she then got a spoon for me to taste the adobo she cooked.
It's salty. Did she put salt instead of sugar?
"You probably use the salt instead of the sugar, crazy lady" I truthfully replied how her adobo is. "Sorry but I did it better, maybe you can let me help you now?"
She's pouting and looking at her adobo, she's too pre-occupied that she didn't notice me mending her cuts.
"This is my first-time cooking this complicated meal. Maalat pa." she whispered and I didn't understand the 'maalat' word, but she looks disappointed to herself from failing her first attempt to cook her favorite. Then she finally gave me her attention. "I'll deal with this. Go back to work or Lauris will really replace your position as a CEO"
"I'll help you here" I ignored her command, so she glared at me.
I shrugged and proceed on doing the necessary things to her adobo.
"Ang tigas ng ulo mo" I heard her nagged at me for being hardheaded. I chuckled at how adorable she is while complaining.
That's how adorable she is everyday because she's always nagging and complaining at me, every damn day.
She's already beside me while I am cooking her adobo now, she totally gave me the chance to help her because she knew I won't stop until she'll let me help her.
"This is the sugar" I spoke while showing her the sugar container and she looked at the salt.
"Don't blame me, they look the same" she defended while frowning.
"They don't. Salt is whiter than the sugar and if you will check it, they look different as salt looks like crystals" I explained and I caught her rolling her eyes, so I squinted mine. "It's a lesson, so listen well. If you want to make sure you can even taste it"
"Yes, boss." she just simply answered and I knew that if I am hardheaded, she is stubborn.
I knew she won't listen and give up her thoughts and opinions that easily.
"Tapos na?" she asked excitedly when I turned the stove off. She then tasted it before she frowned at me. "How can you cook this good?"
I felt the heat on my face and ears when she complimented me. She is the only one who can make me feel this.
This feeling that I want to cover my face because I am blushing like a girl, when I can't even make her blush. She made me feel things, that no one ever make me feel before.
It's crazy how can she do that to me, yet I can't do it to her.
"Namumula ka na naman" she started teasing me because I am blushing.
And if she is not the girl I love, I am sure I already reacted differently because she is making fun of my reaction. But she is Fate. My Fate...
She is the definition of my own fate.
I stared at her while she is having fun, and when she stopped, I am finally able to stare at her brown eyes.
Then I remembered the first time I saw those brown eyes. It might be a common color of eyes, but hers has an effect on me.
"Son, smile. You look like you're attending a funeral, instead of your father's birthday" Mom spoke while we are entering the event's place.
We are now in the Philippines, dad's hometown when he was a child. We annually visit this country, because my dad wants to celebrate it here and he knew a lot of people here, not just a family.
Good thing that Erienne distracted her or else she will continue forcing me to smile.
I mean, it's not my birthday, I don't need to smile to these people just because they knew my dad.
The party started and I just sit there, while using my phone. An adult's party like this bore me so much.
I would rather stay in my room, instead of faking smile with the guests I don't even know the names.
Then the line up started, I don't really know why the fuck do they need to line up just to greet my father and give their gifts. This isn't some children's party!
My eyes landed on the girl together with her family, they are at least three families away from where we were, but she caught my attention.
Because she fucking look so adorable while watching the waiters served the food to other family, while they are still on the line.
Am I going crazy? I never see anyone as adorable, not unless it's my sister.
Then in a blink of an eye, she's already in front of me with her family.
She looks lost in her champagne dress. Her red lips pouted a little while she's lost in her own thoughts. Her pointed nose looks cute while she is staring at my sister, the way her eyes moved up to my brother showed how she is observing them intently. My heart beats in a weird way when she slowly looked at me and we looked at each other's eyes.
My heart is beating wildly, because she's still looking so lost while staring at me. Damn woman, if you only knew how your stare made me feel like this, you might find me weird.
"Aww!" she looked away, but my heart is still beating the same way. So, it's not her eyes?
The introduction started and she apologized from what happened earlier.
Her name is Fate? Like the life's fate?
Sweet feminine voice entered my system when I heard her for the first time. I blinked and frowned. What is happening to me?
I have a girlfriend for fuck's sake!
She smiled to all of us, but I can't afford to smile back because I am so confused on how does she do that to me. I am still frowning until they left and went back to their table.
Time passed and I went to the garden just to peacefully think about my reaction, but then she suddenly entered the garden.
Looks like this lady has a boyfriend huh. I thought while I am listening to their call.
That's the first time I saw her, we went back to Greece and everything moved normally, except me.
"Why are you ending our relationship?" my girlfriend asked
It's been weeks since I saw that girl and until now, she still hunts me. Her eyes still visit me to my dreams. And I don't want what's happening, knowing that I am in a relationship.
Even if I am not really serious in this relationship, I still don't want to cheat. I don't want to prolong my girlfriend's pain, because if I won't end it now, I will end up seriously cheating on her.
If that woman won't leave my mind, then so be it. But I won't ever cheat, so I am ending my relationship now. It's not serious anyway.
"Because for a fact that this relationship isn't serious at all. I don't want to be stuck in this relationship, when I can be with someone else" I replied and I actually mean that, even if it surely hurts her.
It's either I bruised her ego or I bruised her heart. It's still painful.
"So, just go. Leave" I received a slap after I said that.
"Asshole!" she shouted and stormed out of the room.
I massaged my head with my eyes closed. I still need to study.
Days passed so quickly and look who's still thinking about the woman he just saw once. She's making my head ache! Why can't she just gave me a fucking break!?
"Warren" I opened my eyes when I heard my mom's voice. What is it now?
"Hmm?" I asked when she entered my room and I am back to studying.
"Are you alright?" she worriedly held my forehead, checking if I have a fever.
"I am fine, why wouldn't I be alright?" I frowned when she sighed and she's looking at me weirdly.
"I heard about the break-up, so I want to ask if you are alright?" she asked and I rolled my eyes, which made her smile a little.
"You knew I am not even serious to her; do you expect me to be in pain when I was the one who broke her heart or ego. I don't care already, so don't mind that" I replied and she glared at me.
What? What did I do? She was just worried a while ago.
Now she's mad at me. The fuck.
"I already told you not to hurt someone's heart, especially those who love you" she coldly lectured me once again. Her and her love lectures bores me so much.
"Mom we are not serious in our relationship, if she is then it's not my fault. And if I didn't end our relationship this early, I will still hurt her in the future" I explained and she's still glaring at me. "The pain will be too much if I let her stay in my life for long, when I can't even love her"
"You're her boyfriend and it is your responsibility to love her genuinely"
"There is no love here. I can't do that. I can't force myself. Would you rather see me stuck in a loveless relationship?" I asked her, wanting her to listen on my point as well.
"Son, stop playing around with someone's heart, karma won't be nice to you" she said with her favorite word 'karma'. She's always using that word whenever she's lecturing me about so many things.
Karma. Tsk, is there such a thing. I don't think so.
I knew how to play my game well, that karma thing better knew how to play as well.
But I guess it's really true huh.
"Son" dad entered the library while I am doing some of my school works. "Do you have time for a quick talk?"
"About?"
"The business. I knew you're still not taking any courses to handle our business. That's our deal. But I have to orient you on some stuff, because once you graduate, you will join all my business meetings" he explained and I frowned.
I am a graduating this year, I am already preparing for my exams before entering med school. And I am aware that I have to handle our business, I am not complaining about that.
"Are you really sure about this dad? Remembered the issue I have before because of the fucking journalist faking my answers on our school paper? So, are you sure you want me to attend your business meetings this early?"
And I don't want those people to fucking judge my family just because of an issue I had, they don't even fucking know if that's true or not.
Our old business partners fucking pulled out their investment, as if that will ruin our company tsk.
"Trust me son, after that issue. One of the things I made sure is to find an investor who won't give a fuck about our personal lives, as they should just care about the business" he assured me and I guessed there is nothing wrong in trying to join his business meetings.
I will be the CEO soon and I should be used to it, even if I want to be a doctor first.
My parents never forced me to take any business courses, they let me have my own decision on what I want to study. What I want to pursue, but dad made sure that even if I took a medical related course, I will still be the one to handle our business.
Our deal is they will let me have my own decision since I turned on my legal age, but I will also study everything about our business. They will support me if I want to be a doctor, but they also let me accept the idea that no one will handle our business in the future... but me.
I don't mind it. I am not complaining, my brother is still young and my father is getting older. And I knew our business, I knew where I should take risk and not lose at the end. I can be a doctor and a businessman at the same time. I am confident that I can do it.
So, I took the risk.
It's not easy to survive med school, no matter how genius I am. Because I also started doing some tasks for our business. Attending business meetings instead of sleeping peacefully or reading, that's draining. But I am enjoying it because I knew I am a big help to our company; I can see my progress in both worlds.
"Are you still getting some sleep, Warren?" mom asked when she saw me studying in our garden.
"Yup, don't worry about me mom. I can take care of myself" I smiled to assure her and so she won't worry about me at all.
"Son, you looked sleepless" she softly stated while holding both off my cheeks, checking my face.
"I am, but that doesn't mean I don't sleep. So, don't worry about me, okay? I knew if my body needs a break already"
I continuously assured her until she gave up.
"You are so hardheaded, so stubborn. I really don't know where you got those qualities" she shook her head while sighing.
I chuckled and she slowly smiled at me.
"How about any woman you are dating right now? Do you even have time to date someone?" she asked curiously and looks like she doesn't have any intention on letting me read alone.
An image of a young lady with a brown eyes and bright smile entered my mind.
Despite of my busy schedule, my on-going internship and those businesses meetings, that woman somehow knew how to still occupy her own space in my mind.
Is this what my mom told me about karma? Is this my karma? Liking someone who is far from me, someone who I just saw once and someone who I might never see again. What a fucking karma!
Because I am acting like a loyal soldier to a queen I will never see again.
She has this specific space in my mind and nothing will occupy that space, but her. It's her own territory no one and nothing will ever try to cross.
And I hate it, because I am invested to her when she surely enjoying living her life with another man.
"I am busy mom, I don't have time for that yet" I answered and her eyes squinted suspiciously.
Every time we are visiting Philippines for my father's birthday, she's not there anymore. The first time I saw her, seems like it's going to be the last time as well.
"Well, I hope that the next time you try on dating a woman, it will be a serious relationship. There will be love, respect, trust and understanding in your relationship" mom spoke and looks like she's going to lecture me again, but this time it's about love.
I rather listen to some business presentation instead of listening to love lectures from her.
"And you should patiently wait for that. I am still young. So, please, don't worry about me"
"I am your mom, I will always be worried to you even if you grow up, even if you found a woman who will take care of you" she replied and I thanked dad when he interrupted us, because he's looking for my mother who still wants to lecture me.
Years passed and all I do is to spend my time mastering everything about the business world until my dad assigned me as the CEO and he finally retire, but he's still my back up. He will always be there.
And as the years passed, I have my own hospital now. My father was just an investor on this hospital before, but I managed to buy the 80% of the hospital's share so it's already mine. I risked my money to have this hospital, so I will make sure to make this even more successful.
After taking all the risks, I can see all the results now. I am the CEO of our company, we handled few hotels, malls, wineries, and more. I am the CEO of my own hospital and I am now a doctor.
I realized that before I took all those risks, I made sure that I won't end up losing what I will risk, even if I might really lose it no matter how confident I am.
But this is one of the risks I will never regret at all.
That is confessing in front of her, when I knew that she isn't ready for any romantic relationship.
Of course she rejected me, I expected it and I accepted it with no remorse. I was never rejected before; I was judged but never rejected to someone I want. It's just her who dares to reject me.
Imagine how nervous and scared I am when I confessed, but she rejected me.
But I am not mad at all.
Her ex-fucking-boyfriend cheated on her, she cried a lot because of that fucker, she lost a part of herself, she lost her capability to trust a man who wants to love her again.
But now she's slowly doing better than the woman her ex-fucking-boyfriend broke. I can wait for her, because I knew she's not ready to be in a relationship because she is busy loving herself more.
She can love herself, while I am busy dealing with my feelings for her.
I still remembered when I saw her crying inside my hospital, not minding everyone. She's just crying her heart out.
"Why is this woman sitting on the floor of my fucking hospital!?"
She is crying, not looking at anyone. Who is this woman anyway? Does she lose any family relative today?
"Deal with her. Make sure she's okay before she leaves the hospital, I don't want to have a freaking issue and bad reputation in this hospital" I told the nurses before I left because I have some patients I need to attend to.
I am in my office when my father called.
"How's the doctor I recommended?"
"The one from the Philippines?" I asked while looking at the brain illustration on my screen.
"Yes, my friend recommended him. I scanned all his records from the previous hospitals he worked with and I knew you did the same by now. So, is he doing fine? I heard he is really a great doctor" he replied and I frowned.
"I haven't work with him, but so far there is no bad feedback from anyone. I will judge him once I worked with him. You knew me dad, he won't last in this hospital if he isn't a good doctor at all"
Days passed so quickly because I am so fucking busy.
And I still have some meetings I need to attend to and reports I need to read.
I glared at my reflection on my mirror when I heard someone entered my room and I am inside my restroom. Who is that? No one can enter this private room, aside from me and my family.
"Who are you?" I asked the fucking woman who is leaning on my door. Who is she to enter my room?
"Shit!" she whispered.
"I am asking you woman, who are you?" I asked again.
She didn't answer my question and she just told me that she didn't do anything bad in my room. How does she expect me to believe that when she can't even fucking face me?
"Sneaking inside someone's room without their permission is a bad fucking thing" I replied and she faced me with storms in her eyes.
I frowned when I felt like her eyes are so familiar to me.
"Fine! I am here for an interview"
I stared at her eyes intently, trying to remember when and where I saw those familiar eyes. Interview? A journalist huh.
"I don't entertain a fucking stupid interviewer. Leave" I coldly replied to her. Not looking away on her eyes.
"Wow, what a rude man. But to inform you, I am not on of your employees that is willing to obey you. It's either we do this interview or you will see more of me"
Her brown eyes really want my attention.
It took me days, few fights with her and even a pretend relationship with her, before I realized who is she. She's the girl on my memory. The lady who lives in my mind rent free. She's a daughter of my dad's friend from the Philippines.
She changed a lot, but she still managed to mesmerized me with those eyes. And who would have thought that the owner of that mesmerizing eyes is crazy?
I am reviewing the CCTV footages for the whole month when I saw her first ever footage in my hospital. She is looking at a man, one of the doctors in my hospital. Then another doctor came. They walked away from her and she suddenly cried.
It was her. She was also that girl who was crying that day.
"Boss" I frowned when I heard Lauris called me that way again.
That crazy lady was the first one who called me that. It was hers to say. Now my secretary is really having the best time of his life calling me that way as well.
"Are you really going to postpone most of your meetings and transferred your patients to other doctors?" he asked me what I just stated earlier.
"Do I need to repeat myself, Lauris?" I asked and he shook his head.
"But it made me curious. Why can you do these things just so you can fly to Philippines and visit someone who already left your life? You are not like this before, Sir. Something changed and I need a popcorn to enjoy watching what will happen now" he replied with a teasing smile that I hate the most.
I glared at him. What is he fucking saying?
"She isn't out of my life and what's wrong visiting a friend? And what the fuck are you saying about my changes?" I spoke and he chuckled before he gave me some of the documents I need to sign.
"Friend huh. You're such a thoughtful friend who is willing to work far from the country and transferred those patients you have. As far as I can remember you are not really friendly"
Seriously? Why can't he just stopped and let me finish working?
"You may leave now, Lauris"
He chuckled while shaking his head.
"Am I seeing a lovesick fool version of the well-known ruthless businessman of New York, City?" he asked while walking out of my office and I was about to throw him the vase, but he laughed and completely went out of the room.
Lovesick fool version of me? That won't ever happen.
I am just being a good friend and I own my time; I can take a long vacation anytime I want.
"I heard you're going to visit Philippines next week and you don't have a date on when are you going back"
Looks like the news finally reach my loving mother.
"Yes, mom. That's right, that's not some fake news" I replied and proceed on checking everything I need to check.
I need to make sure that everything is okay here before I leave the country.
"And why is my son going to visit a country where he doesn't have any business on that place at all?" he curiously asked me. "It's not like before when you visited it with some of your cousins and old friends. Now you will go there with Lauris. So, is it because of someone?"
"So curious, mom" I replied and she chuckled.
"All of us are curious. Especially me and your sister. You knew how much we adore that lovely lady" mom softly replied, probably missing that crazy lady once again.
"Yeah, I knew. You even missed her more than you miss me" I rolled my eyes and she laughed at me.
"Aww is my son complaining because of that?" she asked, having fun of what is happening to me.
I realized that crazy lady influenced everyone in my world. My employees knew her as my girlfriend, my family adored her so much and my secretary started teasing me now because he saw someone who can casually teased me. And that's her.
"Do you like her son?" she suddenly asked after a few minutes of talking about my planned trip to Philippines.
"No" I sighed and faced her. "She is just a friend mom and I also have some business meetings to attend in that country. Some business investors who want to meet me"
"And son, you never did that before when some investors want to meet you and they are from another country" she stated. "You changed, a good change."
"Don't overthink it, mom. She is my friend"
"And she is a journalist. A profession you hate and you never want to encounter at all. Is this enemies to lovers?" she asked while wiggling her eyebrows.
"Stop it mom, it won't happen"
And looks like I am a big clown.
When I saw her cry just because of a movie, I realized that I don't want to ever see her cry anymore. And if she does, I hope I am near her. I hope I can be there for her.
From that day, I knew that she really got me completely.
She made me a willing fool of love I never felt before. And I never thought being a fool and loving her will make me laugh, as if that's the easiest thing to do for someone like me.
I heard her loud laugh just near my ears when I lifted her up.
Lauris told me before that I am cold, serious and always ruthless. Other people told me the same, even this woman. They said I am the one who doesn't want to hear anyone laughing or who doesn't care if someone is happy.
But I am not that man anymore.
Her laughs can make me laugh.
Her happiness is my happiness.
She is the change I will never regret in this lifetime.
I put her on my lap while she is laughing. The wind blew her hair, so I tucked it behind her ears. "I love you" I whispered together with the sound of winds and waves.
We are now in Palawan; she wants me to visit this place with her for our honeymoon.
Two months of dating and she officially promoted me as her boyfriend. That was unexpected because I don't mind dating her for a long time, as long as she is ready and she knew she can trust me her heart.
When we celebrated our first anniversary, I asked her to marry me and let me be her husband for the rest of our lives.
Handling a relationship is hard, but with her it's easier. When I asked her to marry me, I thought she won't say yes, because obviously she has trust issues when we met.
"I trust you. I knew you; I would never let myself fall to a man I didn't even trust, right?" that's her answer when she saw my shock face after she said yes to my wedding proposal.
A year after that, we are now here... We are now husband and wife. That sounded so nice to my ears.
"I love you too" she kissed my forehead and it calms my mind. "I love you so much" she then kissed my cheeks and it made me smile. "And thank you for being patiently in love to me" she then kissed my lips and it vanished all my worries.
I held her nape to kiss her deeper and better.
I thought that she will be my karma, but if she really does, then I love my karma.
She laughed when I lifted her up and I walked towards our private hut in this beach.
Damn, even her laugh can turn me on. It's still early in the morning, but I don't care. I rather be inside her, than be one with the waves.
I kissed her, so she stopped laughing. She kissed me back, so I almost stumbled while I am walking towards the bedroom.
She laughed again when I finally put her down.
"I will always love you" I whispered while staring at her. Her eyes twinkled as she held my cheeks, so I held her hand. Our wedding ring twinkled just like her eyes.
"Alam ko" she giggled and I intertwined our hands before I kissed her again.
She is so confident because she knew how she made me this fool for her. I am a damn happy fool.
"I" I kissed her jaw. "will" I then kiss the part in between her boobs. My lips go down same to my hand, but then my eyes looked up to her
"Hmm?" she asked when she saw me watching her. I slowly removed her red two piece.
She looks good wearing anything, but it's different when she is not wearing anything.
"Always" I kiss her flat stomach this time and she bit her lips, but she looks so lost with too much desire as she watched me kissing every part of her. "Love" I then held her thighs to put it on my shoulder. "Every" I kiss her inner thigh.
"Leon" she moaned my name.
"Part" my eyes closed as I inhaled her scent. "Of you" I added before I opened my eyes to kiss her on the most sensitive part of her body.
She moaned and that is one of the favorite sounds I want to hear for the rest of my life. Her moans because of the pleasure I can give to her.
"That felt good" she weakly said as I kiss her upwards this time.
She moaned once again as I put my dick inside her. I moaned while watching her so turned on. Her legs around my waist tightened as she reached her climax, few minutes passed and we both came together this time.
"Fuck" I accidentally bit a skin near her collarbone. "I want a child with your face but with my attitude"
She's breathing so hard after what we did but she managed to laugh. And because I am still inside her, it her laugh awakened the devil.
"I want a child with your face and my attitude" she replied and laughed, but she stopped when I moved inside her once again.
"We will have both" I chuckled when she just moaned for me.
Weeks passed and we just arrived in Greece. My hometown and the country that she was excited to visit, so she can meet some of my family relatives.
"I wonder if all of them will be nice to me. You knew on some drama I watched, there are some idiot family member" she spoke and rolled her eyes.
I kissed her, so it calmed her down.
"They will love you. And if they don't, I don't care. But I knew they will, because they will see how I am such a lovesick fool when it comes to you" I replied and she laughed once again.
"You're so funny now, far from the man I met before"
And that's because I fell in love to her...
She made me realized that it's good to be in love and to feel loved.
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