Her body tensed as she saw him. It was indeed Denmark. Their eyes met, and they stared at each other for a long moment. He hadn't changed a bit, still incredibly handsome.
"Hmm, Amiver, this is Denmark Marquez, the owner of Denzel Mall, which we will be working on, and the CEO of Marquez Corporation. And this is Amiver Moreno, our Vice President, recently promoted from the US," Frank introduced, breaking the silence.
Amiver was still speechless, still taken aback by the unexpected encounter.
"Nice to meet you, Amiver." Denmark managed to compose himself, offering a polite smile and extending her hand for a handshake.
Amiver glanced at Denmark's outstretched hand, choosing not to accept the handshake. She quickly turned away and took her seat without saying a word.
She noticed the questioning glances exchanged among her colleagues inside, especially from Frank, but she chose not to pay them any heed.
As her presentation began, she felt nervous at this moment and seemed to lose focus due to Denmark's presence. It was her fault for not finding out who the important client was, so she wouldn't have attended if it were only Denmark.
Amiver clicks a remote, and the presentation screen displays an architectural rendering of the proposed mall exterior.
During Amiver's presentation, as she passionately explains the design details of the proposed mall, Marcus, who had been sitting quietly in the side of the room, suddenly stands up and innocently raises his hand. The unexpected interruption catches the attention of everyone in the room, including Denmark.
Mommy, can I go to the restroom?". Marcus asked.
She couldn't speak as she looked at Denmark, who was staring intently at Marcus, intensifying the tension in her entire being.
Can you still hold on, sweetheart? I'll just finish this, and then I'll accompany you, okay?" Amiver reassured."
Marcus nodded, but he appeared to be squirming, as if enduring some discomfort.
"I'll be the one to accompany him," Denmark stated, standing up and moving towards Marcus."
She was immediately alerted by what she heard, hastily walking towards where Marcus was.
"No," she shouted at Denmark,
And she quickly took Marcus's hand,
"I'll do it, you go back to your seat," she firmly stated to Denmark."
When they were in the restroom with Marcus, she couldn't fathom her emotions. Her muscles trembled from the intensity of the tension she felt.
She cried. Would Denmark recognize Marcus? What if they confront him? His family wielded great power and they could easily take Marcus away from her."
Mommy, are you okay?" Marcus interjected, not realizing that he had already ended in the restroom."
Rather than returning to the meeting room, she went straight to her office. She promptly informed Maria that she was heading home, explaining that she couldn't continue the meeting due to feeling unwell.
Without hesitation, Maria fell silent as Amiver swiftly packed their things and left with her child.
While driving, she stole a quick glance at Marcus in the rearview mirror, his expression seemingly lost in thought.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart" Amiver said softly, breaking the silence inside the car. "Don't worry, Aunt Messie will be home soon. You don't have to come with me to work for now." Her words hung in the air, gently shattering the stillness within the vehicle."
Is the man in the meeting room earlier is my father?" Marcus asked seriously. He didn't look at Amiver and kept his gaze fixed outside.
She was almost choked up by Marcus' question.
Amiver remained silent in front of her child. She pulled over her car to the side. Marcus had never asked about his father before, something she was thankful for. Now, she didn't know what to say to her child, as she didn't want to confuse him."
She took a deep breath and turned to Marcus, her eyes filled with a mixture of emotions.
"Marcus," she began gently, "you know that you are very special to me. And your father... he's someone who was in our lives before, but things changed, and he's not around anymore."
Marcus looked at her with a thoughtful expression, absorbing her words. "But Mommy, why haven't you told me about him before?" he asked, his voice tinged with curiosity.
Amiver sighed softly. "I wanted to protect you, sweetheart. Sometimes, things happen that we can't control, and it's my job to make sure you're safe and happy. I promise, when the time is right, I'll tell you more. Just know that you are loved, and that's what truly matters."
Marcus nodded slowly, a hint of understanding in his eyes. Amiver reached out and gently squeezed his hand, a silent reassurance passing between them.
Before going home, he stopped by the registrar's office to check the status of his inquiry.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Moreno, but you are still married to Denmark Marquez," the woman at the registrar's office said.
Furthermore, there is no divorce in the Philippines as of now it's not legalized yet only annulment. Don't you know that?
She let out a sigh, as if implying that she's foolish and unaware of such matters. Being a summa cum laude in college and a topnotcher in exams, she should know the process of divorce in the Philippines.
If you really want a quicker way to be free, since you're a US citizen, you might consider going to the US where the process can be expedited. Annulment here can take a while, and it can incur additional costs for the woman.
She glanced at Marcus who was seated beside her, intentionally giving him a tablet and headset so he wouldn't hear anything around him, especially our conversation with the registrar.
She let out a sigh, realizing that she and Denmark are still married. She started wondering if he already has a family. She knew they needed to discuss this to sort out their status.
Later that evening, Messie had returned home and recounted her encounter with Denmark.
"The world is really small, huh, bumping into that jerk," Messie said angrily.
"Shh, lower your voice, Marcus might hear you," she reminded Messie.
So, what's your plan? Actually, what he did to you, especially the last part, is unacceptable. You should even consider pressing charges and have him jailed.
"I really don't want us to reach that point, you know. Besides, he became like family to me, and I also care about Mommy Carol and Daddy Carlos. It would hurt them so much if I were to have their only child jailed," she explained to Messie.
"Is that really the reason? Or do you still love Denmark, that's why you can't love someone else and can't be angry with him?" Messie asked, her eyes searching for an answer.
"It's just jetlag, you know, that's what it is. You need to rest, and I'll be heading to bed as well," she dismissed Messie's question, avoiding it as she didn't have an answer herself.
She should be feeling anger towards Denmark, that's what she should be experiencing. However, upon seeing him earlier, a different emotion surfaced – a feeling of missing him. Yet, she was fearful that history might repeat itself, and she dreaded the possibility of them taking Marcus away again. Her mind was filled with unanswered questions, known only to destiny.