Author's Note:
Hi another long chapter again for you guys. I hope this could make up for the days I was not able to upload any update for you guys.
I hope you guys can enjoy this. Happy reading 😊!
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Everyone can feel the heavy atmosphere inside the room. They are all wondering why they were called in such a short noticed. All eyes went to the entrance when they saw Lance came in.
Lance went straight to the front seat of the board table. "Good morning everyone, I know this meeting is called in such a short notice but I want to address the problems building up to the project we have just launched four months ago. In front of you is the folder containing the information of our financial losses which we acquired in our project and some business ventures which we have." Lance point them the folder and signal them to read it.
"As you can see the figures starts falling 3 months ago due to bad publicity. The image of the newest project we have just launched is greatly affected by the negative issues being tied up to the endorser of the Resort." Lance looked at Ms. Jones.
"Ms. Jones did you bring with you the contract of Ms. Salvacion?"
"Yes Sir."
Lance looked at everyone in the room. "The reason why I called you all here is because I want to revised all the marketing strategies and plans that we have. All promotional adds and materials will be replaced."
"W-what do you mean Sir?" Ms. Jones cut Lance with her question.
"What I mean Ms. Jones is that effective immediately we will terminate Ms. Salvacion's contract with us. All legal matter and penalties of it with regards to the sudden termination of the contract will be handled by my attorney." Lance got up from his seat and start walking slowly around, behind the chairs of each of his employees.
"We hired Ms. Salvacion to entice people and to endorse the said project but what she's doing and bringing actually defeats the original purpose of the reason we hired her." Lance stopped behind Ms. Jones. Denise felt petrified to where she's seated.
"I'm sorry to bring this up Sir but terminating her contract can cause an uproar to her fans. We know just how influential she is to the people. It won't helped our image if we suddenly break from our contract. They will question us for the reason of sudden termination." It was the production head who asked the question.
"Mr. Rodriguez, how long have you been working here in my company?" Lance asked. The man can feel the pheromones of the Alpha leaking, cold sweat start appearing on his forehead.
"T-ten years."
"Ten years. That is long enough for you to know the other reason why I'm doing this, right?" Ms. Jones could not understand what her boss is saying. *So there's another reason for the termination of the contract. It must have been because of Bea's interview. It might be true that the two are dating.* Ms. Jones thought.
The man remain in silent. Lance continued to walk slowly around the board table. Everyone in the room can feel the tension. "Ms. Salvacion's interview has been broadcasted whole over the country and the issue spread like a wild fire."
Lance blows a loud breath before continuing. "It didn't do good to our project. A lot of people got angry with the thought that their idol is being toyed by me, some are just too desperate that they don't want her to be in a relationship that fast after being divorced recently. She's been doing a left and right interviews talking about how pitiful she is. You know how media works. People just say what they want to say."
Lance stopped behind Mr. Rodriguez and placed his hands on both of his shoulders. "I stayed silent cause I'm dealing with my own issue. Now Mr. Rodriguez since you have been working long enough here, what do you think is that personal issue that I'm pertaining to?" Lance asked.
"Wife..." Mr. Rodriguez said in a whisper.
"What I can't hear? Say it out loud for everyone to hear." Lance commanded gripping the shoulder of the man a little tightly. "Your wife Sir. It must have something to do with your relationship to your wife Sir."
Ms. Jones could not believe what she's hearing. Since she's new in the company she didn't know that the CEO is married.
"Yes that's right. The issue has something to do with my personal life and precisely it is about my relationship with my wife. I won't risk my relationship with my wife for this, I rather loose billions than to loose him again." Lance seated on his chair. "This is no longer just business." Lance added.
"This move is a double edge sword it will severe the weights that is pulling us down but it will also cut and wound us, but the thing is I won't let our project sink without putting up a fight." Lance smirked.
"That's why I called you here people to redo everything, the plan, the strategies, publicity stunts and our promotions. I need the best minds and fresh ideas of you people. We're are going to pull this project out of the red."
******************
It was the opening of the door that caught Lance attention. He stopped what he was typing on his laptop and looked at the person who is walking towards him.
" You coul have just called me. So what brings you here?" Lance asked.
"I was surprised to received a call from your secretary telling me that you will be needing my service. She already gave me the brief details of what you want me to do since I'm already on to it I decided to check on you. So how are you doing buddy?"
Lance smiled at the person who is sitting just across his table in front of him. "It's about Bea's contract. I want to terminate it immediately, I want it to be as less messy as we could that's why I want to ask for legal advice." Lance got up from his seat and looked at the view outside his glass wall.
"I want to severe all my ties with her. I will be holding a press conference a day after tomorrow." Lance looked at Terrence who is listening to him silently.
"I'll break my silence and clean up the mess I made. I already talked to the board they all agreed to it."
"I see. At least you are Manning up now." Terrence got up from his sit.
"I'm glad to know that you are finally getting back on your feet. Leave Ms. Salvacion's termination of contract to me. I'll seen to it that it will be legally clean. I have to go, my wife and kids are waiting." Terrence was already walking towards the door when Lance spoke.
"He is back Terrence. He came back and I don't want to mess up again."
"Then don't waste your chance." The only thing that Terrence said as he completely walk out of Lance office.
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"Kitten I'm home!" Terrence found his wife in the kitchen part of the apartment preparing for their dinner. He went behind his wife.
"Terry you're here, welcome home." Chester turn his head and pointed his lips waiting for a kiss from his Husband while cooking their dinner. Terrence peck a kiss on his wife's soft pinkish lips before peeking at what his wife's been cooking.
"Go change you clothes, I'll be done in a minute." Chester said.
"Where are my smoochy phoos kitten?" Terrence asked he was wondering where are his sons.
"Ow they are with Theo at auntie's. I asked auntie to have dinner with us so Theo fetch her." Chester already got used to his Husband's weird names that he calls their sons. He sometimes wonders how will the kids react once all of them are grown ups but their dad would still going to call them by that weird names.
"Kitten I was just thinking. Well if it's alright with you. Can we, I mean. Can we?" Chester turned off the stove and looked at Terrence.
"What is it Terry? I'm all ears." Terrence take a breath. "Well since you want to stay here. Which I'm fine with it by the way. I was thinking of buying the apartment next to us. We will have the walls dividing it removed so that we could have more space. Our family is getting bigger and I don't want us to cram in this small apartment but I don't want to take you away from here either when I know that you are still not ready." Terrence said in one go which made him catch his breath as soon as he's done, seconds late after catching his breath he looked at Chester who is still silent.
"Don't worry we will renovate the place to your liking. So what's your answer?"
"Yeah I'm fine with it. I just couldn't figured out why are you so tensed in asking me this?" Chester chuckled.
"Well cause I know you don't like big spaces." Terrence blurted out.
"I didn't say I don't like it, I just don't like living in a luxurious life. But if it's like this then I don't mind as long as I have you and the kids then I'm happy." Terrence hug Chester lightly not pressing hard cause of his buldging stomach.
"How did I manage to get such a lovely wife, I'm so lucky." Terrence said as he gently swing their body a little while hugging each other.
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Everyone in the room are waiting for the person who called for the press conference. Different media and news stations reporters can be seen inside sitting patiently as they wait for a big scoop they are anticipating for the press conference.
With all the speculations and rumors amidst Bea's statement finally the man involved is breaking his silent. All eyes landed on the entrance when a group of man in a suit open the door for the powerful man who everyone hardly see. He quickly went straight to his designated sit and looked at everyone with a calm face.
"Good day everyone, I stand before you to make a statement about the issues circulating about me and Ms. Salvacion. I will answer it one by one and the corresponding steps which the Montero Empire will take in addressing such issues till then no questions will be taken unless otherwise told or instructed so." Lance looked everyone in the room who are busy readying their phones, recorders, camera and gadgets that will capture clearly his statements.
"1. My relationship with Ms. Salvacion is purely an employee and employer relationship. Me and her have no intimate relationship nor engage in any of it.
2. We were in a five years relationship which was ended 12 years ago that I intended to keeping that way.
3. I clearly stated to Ms. Salvacion that our relationship will be strictly professional thus there will be no intimacy involved that she fully agreed to.
Because she violated such agreement and directly affect the company's name with the scandal and issues being tied up to her the Montero Empire will immediately terminate her contract with us. Starting today effective immediately Ms. Salvacion will no longer be connected to us. All legality of the termination of contract will handle by our company's lawyer." Lance went silent and swallow for a while before continuing.
"For the past two months I stayed silent with regards to the issue which is being tied up to my name but this time it was not just the new project and the company were affected by the issue but also my marriage to my wonderful wife." Everyone in the room gasped in surprised with the simple word that the Alpha just uttered.
"I hurt my wife with the ghost of my past. I didn't know my past will caught up to my present and eventually will hurt him this much."
Lance looked at the camera."Love if you are listening I'm sorry for everything. I will make it up to you I promise. I know I have wronged you in so many ways, lied straight to your face, hurt you emotional and mentally. I know sorry is never enough to make up for all that I've done but I will work hard for your forgiveness. I will work hard for your love again. I'm sorry and I love you. That's all that I want to say. On my behalf the vice president can answer to your questions with regards to the Company. Thank you and have a pleasant day." Lance stand up from his seat as soon as his done. Every reporter in the rooms tried to asked him for more information regarding his marriage revelation.
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"What do you mean married Denise? That's impossible!" Bea couldn't believe what her friend just told her over the phone.
(Bea I'm not kidding. It came straight from the CEO's mouth during yesterday's meeting that he is already married and it seems that everyone in the office knows about it only the new comers are the ones who has no idea.)
"That would be impossible I mean he loves me back then. The Lance that I know will beg just to have me. I know he's just been trying to get back on me with what I have done to him 12 years ago." Bea sip to her glass.
(So you two really have something going on? Or is it just you assuming thing's? It was really different yesterday when he was talking about his wife. It appears that the two are having a marital problem because of you.) Denise said.
"Ow really? Then if he's really indeed married then I'll just break their marriage off."
(Hey Bea, what are you planning to do?) Bea turned up the volume of her television when she saw who's in the news. She couldn't believe what she's hearing.
"No, no, no. They can't do this to me. No!" She looked at the phone and quickly asked the other person on the line.
"Do you know any of this? Answer me!" Bea shouted.
(What do you mean by that?)
"My contract termination. Do you know something about it?" The other line went silent. "Answer me Damn IT!"
(Yeah, the CEO asked for you contract. He wants to redo everything not including you in it. He is quite livid yesterday that he is already taking it personally. I can't do anything about it Bea I'm so sorry.) Bea end the call without letting Ms. Jones to finish.
She was in the midst of thinking when she heard Lance confession of his marriage to the public. She throw her glass to the screen of her television out of anger. She couldn't stand loosing, never in her life that she didn't get what she wants.
*****************
"Is it really alright for you to be here?" Dexter asked Liam who is peeling an apple for him.
"Yeah, why not?" Dexter looked at him
"What happened? I thought you said you will try to fix things with him?" Liam placed the apple and the knife on the table and smiled at Dexter.
"I thought it will be simple but after hearing it from him it still hurts. I'm not closing all the possibilities, we are trying to work things out but I guess what I need is a little space from him."
"So how long do you plan in doing this. If there's really no chance for the both of you I think it's best for you two get on your own separate ways." Dexter suggested. He can see that the Omega is not ready to open his heart fully to his husband and he will understand if Liam will decide to never come back to Lance again.
"I love him Dexter. Just because I'm doing this doesn't mean I don't want me and him together, maybe it's just I'm still scared of hurting again. Maybe I'm still too hurt to open my heart again for him." Liam looked down playing with his fingers.
"I just don't want to rush things and forced myself to comeback to him when I clearly know that I'm not ready. It will be unfair to him, I want it when the time I decided to come back I will be able to say I love you without feeling hurt. I will be able to looked him in the eyes without doubting him and I will be able to kiss his lips without thinking that other woman kiss the lips that's claiming that he loves me." Liam looked up as if looking up will prevent the tears from coming down.
"But it's hard. No matter how much he hurt me I still love him that's why in my own little ways I'm trying. I miss him, I want to hug him, I want to kiss him but I know rushing forgiveness won't fix us. It will only going to cover the wounds that's there. That's why we need to heal our wounds first before we can be together again." Dexter tried to sit from his bed even though it's hard for him so that he can hug the crying Liam.
Dexter was still comforting Liam when they heard what's on the news. They couldn't believe what they are hearing. "I think your husband is taking a drastic moves in cleaning up his mess. He doesn't want to prolong the space you are asking."
"He is terminating the contract?" Liam asked in a whisper.
"Yeah, that will be bloody. The bitch has great influence and so as her family. I bet her family won't stay quiet with this. Your husband just shame slayed that bitch in front of the television by denying everything." Dexter added.
Liam stayed quiet till they heard Lance revealed that he is married. Liam could not believe it. "Oh someone's husband is pulling a publicity stunts. Using the media as his way to get to his wife's heart." Dexter tease. Liam ignore his friend and focus in listening to the rest of the news.
He looked at his Husband who seems to be looking straight from his eyes before saying. (Love if you are listening I'm sorry for everything. I will make it up to you I promise. I know I have wronged you in so many ways, lied straight to your face, hurt you emotional and mentally. I know sorry is never enough to make up for all that I've done but I will work hard for your forgiveness. I will work hard for your love again. I'm sorry and I love you. That's all that I want to say. On my behalf the vice president can answer to your questions with regards to the Company. Thank you and have a pleasant day.) Liam's tears starts to fall he can feel his Husband's pain and suffering just like what he is feeling right now but he must stay firm.
"Hey you're crying again. Let that man work for your love so that he will learn not to waste it again." Dexter said. He was till comforting Liam when he feels Liam's body stiffened and seconds later he pushed the Alpha and run towards the rest room. He can hear Liam's puking sounds from inside.
"Little brother, Liam are you ok?" Dexter asked shouting as he can't still stand to see how was the Omega is doing. Minutes later Liam came out of the rest room looking a little pale.
"You have been throwing up a lot these days and you don't look so good either. I think you better have yourself check. I'm starting to get worried about you."
"Maybe it's because of the stress. Don't worry about me. You should worry about yourself. You are the patient here not me." Liam said shaking of his thoughts away from the possibility of the cause why he sometimes feels sluggish, lethargic, dizzy and nauseous.
"There's no way that it could happen." He whispered to himself.
*******************
"Son come here, come here. Let the maids handle your luggage. I already asked them to prepare your rooms." Chester was greeted by his mother in-law. Since Terrence had the wall between two apartments remove and renovated they decided to stay in his mother's house for the mean while till the renovation is done.
"Thank you mother." Chester said shyly the woman really treat him like her own child. She always spoils him and his children that he doesn't feel so different from them.
"Ow this must be your auntie?" The woman went straight to the old woman that Chester calls auntie.
"I'm Tiana Harris, Terrence mother and Chester's mother in-law and you are?" The old woman wipe her hands clean from the side of her clothes before accepting the hands of the sophisticated woman in front of her.
"I'm Mrs. Tachibana Mina, you can just call me Auntie. I am the small apartment owner where Chester lives. Pleasure to meet you."
"Hahaha likewise. Come on we should get inside, Let me carry my." Mrs. Harris looked at the bracelet on the baby's wrist. " Oh Uno, Let me carry uno. He must have been heavy." The old woman gently transfer the baby carrier to Mrs. Harris.
****************
Everyone went inside and one by one the maid show them their rooms where they will stay till the renovation is done.
Theo was playing with the dog when he felt a presence of someone watching him from behind. "Mrs. Harris I'm just playing with your dog."
Tiana called the dog and carried it. "Yeah I remember you always love animals. You are the kind of person who loves to take care of any living things that moves. I bet the dog you have is as sweet as mint." She bend to released the dog and looked to Theo.
"Teakyun doesn't want any animals living with us. He just decided 4 years ago that he doesn't want any of it so I have no choice but to have them adopted." Theo said bitterly. "But that's ok I do understand him."
"I was happy when my son call and said that they will stay here with his family till the renovation is done but I was surprised when he told me about you. He explained to me what happened to you and the reason why you are hiding." Tiana went straight to the point changing their topic in to a more serious matter.
"I'm sorry for causing too much trouble. I don't plan to hide here forever, I'm planning to go back to my family and....."
"Die there?" Theo looked at her with surprised.
"I'm sorry but I ran an investigation to you. We are lawyers not businessman, we are unlike your husband. We may hold influence, power and money but we are still not as powerful as your husband. If it's Lance who is hiding you then he may not have a problem. Lance is much powerful and richer compare to your husband but we, we don't run in the same circle as the businessman. We use knowledge and information to know the weakness of the enemy and that's where we attack them. That's also the reason why others don't dare to push us around." Mrs. Harris looked at Theo.
"That's why I ran an investigation to you to know what there is to know. The reason why you ran away from him. Anything we can use against your husband if ever he decided to run habock towards us because my son decided in aiding you to your hiding. I have manage to get my hands to informations which we can use against your husband such as medical records showing all abusive actions and records for misbehaviors but in the middle of doing that I stumbled upon an information I think no one knows."
Theo looked on the ground.
"You are dying." Theo remain silent.
"You have a condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy which you just discover more than two years ago."
"Have you told Terrence?" Theo asked Tiana
"No."
"The doctor said my heart is already in distressed. We tried different medications and treatments but it doesn't seem to go well.... But I realized what's the point in trying when he no longer wants me?" Theo looked at the woman beside him.
"I stopped the treatments and medications for almost a year now. Five months ago I was rushed in the hospital, of course my husband didn't know about it he is busy playing house in one of his mistresses." Theo laugh bitterly.
"The Doctor said that it progress already because I was not doing anything to help my condition. My only option now is a heart transplant.... I decided to stay three more months by my husband's side though he still beats me that's ok, though he still sleeps with other people that's ok. I just want to spend even just a little time with him even though it hurts but I'm running out of time so I decided to leave. I don't want him to see me weak when that time comes.... I want to go back to my parents and spend my time with them. I want to make up for all the wrong things I've done. I want to say sorry for disobeying them. I want to tell them how much I love them even though I chose him over them." Theo squat as he continues to cry. He feels so helpless and weak after the longest time of carrying the burden of his true condition by himself finally there's someone who he can vent out what he's feeling.
Tiana couldn't helped but cry upon witnessing how the cheerful and happy Omega that she new ten years ago is now crying and breaking in front of her.
"I can help you with you parents. I can send them here. You are not fit to travel not in your condition no. But you have to promise me to seek medical help just so we can prolong your life. I'll try contacting person's I know who can help us finding a new heart for you. Theo don't give up. You may have lost your will to fight for the man that you love but at least fight to live for the people who still loves you." Theo looked at her.
"Tea will find me if I-I consulted someone here. My name."
"Sssshhhhhh... Don't worry about that. I know someone who can keep your information. I'll help you." Tiana hug the fragile and broken Omega.