Life is full of surprises, some good, some not so good."- Pablo Escobar
Leandro's POV
It's our big day today. Operation stealing the spotlight is officially on.
It's Raymond and Tara's engagement party tonight and we're going to surprise the crowd by announcing our own engagement, so it will be a double engagement.
This night will be full of surprises and that starts as the crazy woman opens her door.
She made me speechless again not because she kissed me without warning like she always does which I'm getting use to and starting to like by the way.
It's solely because she looked stunning on that black lace gown with short front showing her flow less legs and long see-through back reaching the floor. It's hugging her body perfectly showing her perfect curves.
If the sole intention of wearing that tube dress is to attract attention, then I have no doubt she'll accomplish that with flying colors. Not only she'll draw attention but also knock off all the women in the party and steal all the rakes' hearts. Even Raymond will realize what gem he just decided to throw.
Good thing that gem landed on my hands and I have no intention of throwing it let alone drop it like what he did. I intend to keep it no matter what!
"Mr. Valderama, close your mouth before I do something about it." She teased, which made me crook a smile. She's stealing my line and it's simply amusing.There's no doubt, we're getting comfortable with each other as the day passes by.
"Go ahead Ms. Garcia, you're very much welcome to do as you please. It would be my pleasure." I teased back, which made her blush and smile at me sheepishly.
"You look stunning by the way." I complemented her as I offered my arm to escort her outside. "Please make sure to stay close to me at all times because there are so many vultures in that party ready to attack."
"Thank you. You're not so bad yourself." She gazed at me adoringly and I can't help myself not to be pleased with her action. "And speaking of vultures, the most dangerous one is right here beside me." She muttered to herself.
We both chuckled with that. She's really a good person to be with. You'll never get bored when she's around. That's one of the many reasons why I intend to keep her with or without the bargain.
"I didn't know it runs in the family." She whispered in my ear as we approached the car.
I crinkled my forehead in confusion. "Look at Kenshin, that's what you looked like when you saw me a while ago." She laughed softly with tinge of amusement in her eyes.
He looked like an idiot with his mouth hanged open looking at my date as if the sun shines and sets on her. Do I look like that a while ago? I can't imagine it. Now I'm a bit embarrassed.
"Hey Kenneth Shin, close your mouth before flies enters in it."
"Oh, I'm sorry bro, I just saw a notorious criminal just now." He said seriously that made me alarmed.
"What?" He's not only looking stupid, he's acting like one.
"That beautiful woman by your side just stole the air I breathe and left me breathless." He said with amusement faking a gasp catching his breath and winked at Dominique afterwards.
She burst out laughing enjoying the cheesy line. What so funny about that?
So one of the vultures is here with his sweet tongue and flowery words, I guess I need to prepare myself to deal with different kind of vultures tonight who will try to get this pretty woman's attention. It's a good warm up for me. At least that's what I thought until he just decided to throw his cheesy lines again.
"I guess the air condition is too low, do you want me to adjust it?" He asked as we settled on the backseat. I can tell it's almost at its maximum so why the need to adjust? The coolness is just fine with me besides its middle of December so naturally the weather is cold as it is.
"No need, the coolness is just enough for me." Dominique answered politely before I even opened my mouth to respond to him.
"Pardon me mademoiselle but I don't think so." He shook his head in disagreement that made us confused and look at him questioningly.
What is it this time?
"You're so damn hot that the aircondition felt totally ashamed and useless."
She laughed heartily with that.
Give it to Kenshin to throw such hilarious lines like that. I strained so hard not to laugh or even smile. That would only give the man pleasure. I kept my blank expression giving out nothing.
It's so nice to see her so full of life with that laughter, sad truth though is that, I'm not the one who made that happen.
How I wish I can make her laugh like that.
Maybe I should start learning some punch lines.
I cringed at the thought. That's not so me!
But why do I have this feeling that I can even cross a river full of hungry crocodiles just to be with her on the other side?
That morbid thought made me want to laugh. This feeling is crazy, utterly crazy!
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"Give me your hand." I commanded her after I closed the car divider to give us privacy or much more so avoid Kenshin's hilarious remarks.
She gave me a hesitant look but consented afterwards.
"No, the left one," again she was hesitant but obeyed nonetheless without saying a word.
"God, why are you this cold?" I can't help myself but comment as I held her hand on mine.
"No I'm not. I'm so damn hot according to Kenshin that even the aircon felt ashamed." She gave me her rakish grin, which made me chuckle.
She's nervous. I don't have to be a genius to know that. It's pretty obvious with her eyes avoiding my intense gaze. She's trying to hide it by acting playful with me. I don't want her to think more about what lies ahead of us an hour from now so I just played along.
"Okay, Ms. So-damn-hot," I fished for the ring in my pocket without letting go of her hand. "Thanks God we're in a car as of the moment because I' don't want to kneel." I grinned at her appalled face. She's speechless, which is new to me because from the first time I met her, she has always been the crazy woman who has something to say about everything.
"Hey, don't look as if you're in front of a judge waiting for your sentence." I strained not to laugh at her reaction. "I'm not offering you marriage, so you can breathe now."
She sighed deeply after hearing that. Relief was apparent on her face rather than disappointment.
"God, you scared me for a brief moment there!" She laughed softly while looking at me a little confused.
"I'm not offering you marriage but I need you to promise me something." I studied her reaction before continuing. She looked really confused now with her eyebrows almost forming a line.
"Will you promise me to never beat the red light ever again?"
She laughed heartily with that. "Are you serious?"
"I'm deadly serious and I'm joking!" I snapped giving emphasis to the last word.
"Okay, so you're serious." That did not come out as a question but rather a statement. I'm glad she knows what I mean.
I slid the black diamond ring on her finger not waiting for her reply, which made her frustrated.
"Are you sure you're asking me, because it's more like you're commanding me."
A playful smile sneaked in my lips, which turned into a wide grin as I got an idea to seal the deal.
God, please don't remind her it's her day today.
"Think whatever you'd like to think, but since the ring is in your finger now that means a YES."
She frowned hearing that.
"And to better seal that promise, raise your right hand and repeat after me." I cleared my throat trying my very best not to burst out laughing.
"Is that necessary? That sounds stupid."
"Would you rather seal it with a French kiss?" I teased her and that worked faster than lightning as she snapped and raised her right hand without further comment. A triumphant smile formed in my lips with that action.
"I, Dominique Red Gracia Garcia,"
She looked at me with her wondering cat eyes maybe because she never expected me to know her full name.
"I, Dominique Red Gracia Garcia,"
"Promise not to beat the red light ever again. So help me God."
"Promise not to beat the red light ever again." She paused for seconds and smiled cheekily before continuing. "So help me God."
"Do you intend to keep that promise?" I asked her seriously this time because that smile she just showed me a while ago tells me otherwise.
"I'm a crazy woman but I never back down on my words more so a promise." She looked at me reassuringly but there's that glint of amusement in her eyes.
"So what's with the private joke earlier? Care to tell?"
"What joke?" She asked playing innocent but I know better.
"You paused for a while and then smiled cheekily before saying so help me God, what's with that?"
"Wow, you're so observant. Are you sure you want to hear it?" She said with a twitch in her lips controlling a smile. "But I have to warn you, it's not a funny one, you'll probably be frustrated."
"Then, try me." I urged her totally ignoring her halfhearted warning.
"Don't tell me later you've not been warned."
I gave her a slight nod urging her to continue.
"Actually I silently added a phrase between promise not to beat the red light ever again and so help me God and the phrase is in front of Leandro Valderama's face." She paused for a while and looked at my frowning face.
"So basically if I repeat my promise, it will go this way, I, Dominique Red Gracia Garcia, promise not to beat the red light ever again, in front of Leandro Valderama's face. So help me God!"
She looked at me with a wide grin on her face almost mocking me silently as if telling me you have no chance of winning against me!
I turned my gaze outside the window hiding the smile that suddenly sneaked in my lips no matter how hard I restrained it.
She's really one hell of a crazy woman to deal with. Good thing I'm up to challenge and just like her, I never back down on my words more so on my promise.
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"Are you ready?" She just nodded in response without looking at me.
We're in front of one of the luxurious hotels owned by Wilson's, Tara Wilson's family to be specific. The reporters and cameramen are lined up waiting patiently for a good story to come their way.
We're giving you one heck of a story tonight, just wait and see.
I slide out of the car before she decided to back out. I can sense uncertainty in her when she saw the media that we're about to face any second now.
Not a fat chance I'll let her change her mind now. It's a high time she faces this nightmare head on and goes on with her life no matter what the outcome is.
When I got to the other side of the car to open the door for her, she already slid out and the flashes of lights from cameras almost blurred our vision.
"Look who's excited to show up." I teased her whispering in her ears to comfort her a little. With the flashes of lights everywhere, she looked really uncomfortable but managed to give a smile to everyone before gazing straight at me.
"I'm not, it just that I don't want someone opening the door for me when I can perfectly do it myself."
I strained really hard not to kiss her soft lips as I looked at her angelic face. Instead, I hugged her, kissed her on the forehead and smiled reassuringly. She smiled back not quite reaching her eyes but that's better. She's a little bit relaxed now.
We managed to enter the building despite the subtle ruckus around. Somehow, I also managed to evade dreadful questions by smiling. I just gave them my practiced smile as we passed. We're like stars in a show but for your eyes only as they never got a single word from us. They may think what they like to. I'm not going to supply it to them, the diamond ring in her finger fulfill that purpose.
I'm pretty sure we're going to be a headline tomorrow and even Kenshin can't do something about it. Not that I want him to. I'm perfectly happy if we made a hit in social media because that's exactly my plan.
Raymond Lee is not dumb. If he really loves her like she religiously believes, then he'll be alarmed. Who wouldn't be? When a rake billionaire who's known of sleeping and then slipping away for years just suddenly announced to the world he's going to be a married man soon with no other than the beautiful woman you love, that surely is a serious thing.
If he doesn't have a backbone to break his engagement after this, then he doesn't deserve Dominique.
We seriously talked about this the other day. I offered her this option and she hesitantly agreed. This is the last move to win him back and my bachelor life is at stake being the pawn. I told her if this desperate move doesn't work, then nothing will work after this no matter how hard she made fool of herself by following him around.
As we entered the reception area, almost all heads collectively turned in our direction. They looked at us in awe. That's not a surprise for me because we look sinfully good together like a real couple. I'm really feeling proud tonight, it's because the most beautiful woman in the party is in my arms.
I can see different vultures around ready to get her attention. Good thing about her is that she is really into focus. She never gazes at them back.
As for me, I gaze at them with my sharp one that could slash their throat.
Just when we're about to approach our table, someone suddenly appeared in front of us blocking our way.
"Dom?"
"Nique?"
"Nik-nik?"
Three different gorgeous men on their Armani suits called almost at the same time.
Dominique looked at them appalled and speechless.
The first one of them is a car racer and a businessman who's known to be easy-go-lucky.
The second one is a doctor who owns various hospitals, laboratories, and drug companies. He's known for his generosity but he's anti-social.
The third one is a businessman and haciendero known for his bad temper and tyrant ways in dealing with business.
Why do I know them? Well, it's because their billionaires like me. They don't usually show up in social events especially like this one. So the million peso question here now is why in the world they are present today?
And the billion peso question is why the heck they know my genie?