CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Rafael's face flushed with annoyance. "What are you implying?" he asked sternly.
The CEO clarified, "We want Amy as the female lead, and we thought you could help persuade her to accept the contract."
Rafael's expression turned grave. "She's missing and are you mocking Amy's disappearance?"
The CEO and Manager exchanged uneasy glances.
Rafael's thoughts drifted back to the complicated circumstances surrounding his engagement to Amy.
Unbeknownst to the public, Amy had manipulated him into the arrangement.
She had been smitten with him but too proud to confess.
Instead, she exploited a twisted video – capturing Rafael's kindness to a homeless fan and spinning it into false assault allegations – to coerce him into the engagement, threatening to ruin his reputation if he refused.
Returning to the present, Rafael's voice remained stern. "I'd rather not discuss her. Let's focus on the contract."
The CEO's brow furrowed.
"Wait, missing? I thought she was found a month ago."
Rafael's expression turned from annoyance to shock.
"Found?" he repeated.
The CEO nodded.
"Yes, wasn't she located safely?"
Rafael's eyes widened.
"That's impossible," he whispered.
"Where? When?"
*
*
*
*
Gabriel chatted effortlessly with the receptionist, sharing stories of his early success.
"...and that's why I landed my first major role at 16."
As he spoke, his name echoed from behind.
"Riel!"
Gabriel's eyes sparkled, recognizing the familiar nickname only Rafael used.
"Yeah!" he replied, turning to face his friend.
Rafael's face was ablaze with urgency, his eyes burnt with intensity.
"Let's get out of here, now!" Rafael urged, striding swiftly.
Gabriel fell in step behind him.
As they left, Gabriel discreetly placed his hand on his ear, signaling a silent "call me" to the receptionist.
"Call me?" he mouthed, earning a subtle smile and nod from the intrigued woman.
The receptionist's smile lingered, her cheeks flushed from Gabriel's charming advances.
As they exited, Rafael hastened his pace, leaving Gabriel behind.
Gabriel's attention diverted to an unexpected threat: a swooping bird.
He ducked swiftly, dodging the bird's trajectory, and sprinted away.
"Not again, feathered foe!" Gabriel shouted, laughing.
Catching up to Rafael, Gabriel found him already seated in the car with a turmoiled face.
"Hey, Raf, what's eating at you? You look like you've lost your last marble," Gabriel asked, noting the tension on Rafael's face.
Rafael's eyes narrowed with a low and urgent voice.
"What do you know about Amy's return?"
Gabriel faked a puzzled expression.
"Return? I thought she was still missing. What's going on?"
Rafael's grip on the steering wheel tightened.
"Stop acting like you don't know and tell me."
Gabriel gave a sigh of surrender.
"Okay fine, I was told she was found a month ago. But I know nothing more about it."
*
*
*
*
Cherry returned home, exhausted, and quickly changed out of her clothes.
"Today was only half successful," she sighed, collapsing onto her bed.
"I hope I can finally find that elusive cat!"
She began to wonder.
"Where could that sly cat be hiding?" She pondered.
Suddenly, a thought struck her. "Could it be back in my hometown, where I first met it?"
Cherry's thoughts turned to Carlos, who had rescued her from that very place.
She knew he might hesitate to return there, especially since everyone was scared of Amy's disappearance at first.
"I hope Carlos will listen to me and agree to help," she thought.
_ _
"Are you sure you'd want to handle the steering this time? "I drove here, so it's better I drive back, you can't use your mood to drive." Gabriel said, turning to Rafael beside him.
"Stop diverting Riel, how come I am the only one who is not aware of it?"
Gabriel hesitated before responding, "This is exactly why I didn't tell you. I knew you'd react like this."
"I didn't want her back!"
Gabriel snorted. "I know, right? She was a constant thorn in your side." He chuckled, but Rafael's stern gaze made him swallow the rest of his amusement.
"Seriously though, maybe fate brought her back, maybe you two are meant to be stuck together."
"Drop it Riel. This isn't funny."
"Sorry, man. Didn't mean to poke fun."
"Did you finalize the deal with them?"
Rafael nodded.
"I sealed the contract, but that's when things took a turn for the worse."
Rafael rubbed his temples, warding off a headache.
"They dropped a bombshell after I signed – they wanted Amy as the female lead actress."
Gabriel's eyebrows shot up. "Amy?"
"Yeah, I committed to the project without knowing she was part of the package."
Gabriel whistled softly. "That's a tricky situation. What are you going to do?"
"Let's just go home."
_ _
Next morning, Juana burst into Amy's room door and pressed the doorbell.
Cherry opened up and let her in before she started.
"Miss Amy, Lady Yo called me this morning!" Juana announced.
"What did she say?"
"She discovered your therapy sessions were put on hold, and she instructed me to ensure you resume immediately."
Cherry let out a frustrated sigh, flopping back onto her pillows. "Ugh, can't you just tell her I'm fine?"
"You know Lady Yo, Miss Amy. She'll settle for nothing less than your full commitment to therapy so you'll need to handle this yourself, ma'am as Madam Yo will only listen to you. She also mentioned she'd be visiting today."
Cherry's eyes widened.
"Oh no, I thought she wouldn't be back for a while."
"You know she drops by occasionally, ma'am."
Still standing, Juana continued, "Secondly, your manager wants to see you ASAP. He's eager for your return to work, saying he's missed having you around."
Cherry's thought, "I thought I'd finally have broken free from all this... I must act quickly."
"Can you persuade him to grant me more time?"
"I'm afraid that's beyond my authority, ma'am. You'll need to negotiate with him directly."
Cherry nodded.
"I'll handle it, thanks for the update."
"I'll take my leave now, ma'am."
Moments after Juana left, Cherry came down to the kitchen to brew a cup of tea.
The bell above the entrance door rang out, signaling an arrival.
Lady Yo had arrived.
The maid ushered her in, and she came in with floods of greetings from side to side by the workers.
"Thank you, where's Amy?"
An awkward silence fell, with all eyes darting toward Cherry, who emerged from the kitchen, cradling a saucer and cup of steaming tea.
"Hey, Mom!" Cherry exclaimed with a bright smile spreading across her face as she approached Lady Yo.