Taming the Playboy CEO

Mariana goes home for vacation.

Los Angeles

Mariana has just landed and is about to get a taxi home when she hears her name from the other side of the car park. She turns immediately and sights choice waving frantically. Mariana laughs, grabs her suitcase and begins strolling towards her direction. They hug when Mariana gets to Choice and Choice comments that Mariana was looking a bit slimmer than when she left to which Mariana says that she had been working. Choice takes Mariana's luggage to the trunk before they both get in and begin their ride back home with Choice behind the steering wheel.

As they drive, catch up on events in both of their lives as they had not had time to talk since due to work stress. They get home and Choice let's Mariana freshen up and eat before bringing up the topic on her mind. She asks Mariana what was so important that she had to come home first.

Mariana then tells her about all the events that had happened during the week. She also adds the part that she had seen someone that looked like Alex at the grocery store but had just shrugged it off as she had thought he was a doppelganger.

Choice asks her what if it was really Alex's doppelganger. Mariana is dumbfounded and goes on to argue that she had a strong conviction in her heart that it was her Alex she had seen all this while. Choice tells her that her conviction does not still probe that it was Alex. Mariana still tries to argue but a part of her knew that what Choice was saying was true. If she were to go to a court to testify, her testimony would be invalid as she did not have any evidence to stake up her claim except the fact that she loved Alex and her heart yearned for him. She backs down and hangs her head low in thought.

Choice, seeing that she finally understood what she had been trying to say, goes on to speak. She asks Mariana what her plan had been all along. Mariana tells her that she had planned on telling both Choice and their mother when she returned and then going over to Alex's biological parents to tell them too then they would all go to get him back home by probably doing a DNA test or something. Choice tells her that what if she had done all this and they had gone through all that physical and emotional stress just to find out that it was not Alex but a doppelganger, what would her reaction be? Mariana is unable to speak. Choice tells her that it would shatter Alex's mother as the entire chase would have definitely reopened old wounds.

Mariana is weak and asks Choice for her opinion on what to do next. Choice advises her to go back to San Diego and get closer to Alex. She tells Mariana that if it is the real Alex, that there is a possibility that he had lost his memories in the accident. Mariana is then supposed to try to find out if it is the real Alex or his doppelganger. If she is successful enough and it is the real Alex, he could end up regaining his memory. Choice tells her to keep the news of her finding this person to herself until she is sure for certain that it was Alex as it would reduce the amount of emotional damage it would cause on others if they later found out it was not Alex. Mariana decides to keep to her sister's advice since there was ao element of truth in what she was saying. She admired her at how she had grown into such a sensible woman and hugs her to calm herself down. Choice urges Mariana to go back to her room and at least rest or take a nap to clear her head and mood before their mother returns because if she returns to find her in this mood she was definitely bound to question both of them and they could not lie as she would find out if they were too.

Mariana decides to enjoy the rest of her stay with her family and not let anything bother her as she was not sure when next she would have the opportunity to come back home again. And enjoy is exactly what she did.

That evening as their mom came back, they all began making plans and a full time table on how they would spend the time they had together. From strolls to park rides to dinner out to spa treatments to shopping sprees, they were all accounted for. They had a fantastic time together and soon it was time for Mariana to go back to San Diego.Both Choice and Mrs Beth are sad as Mariana leaves. They stay up together in her room to help her pack the night before she leaves.

On the day she is to leave, Choice and Mrs Beth drive her to the airport to board a flight, so as to spend a little more time with her. Few tears are spilled as they hug each other.

When Choice hugs Mariana, she reminds her of the plan and wishes her good luck. She says she would keep rooting for her as her big sis. Mariana chuckles and tells her to stop acting like she was the eldest. Choice laughs. Mrs Beth watches them as they bicker and smiles in admiration at how strong their bond was. She says a quick prayer that nothing may destroy their bond and for a safe trip for Mariana. As Mariana departs, she promises to call them as soon as she lands and gets settled at her apartment.

San Diego

Mariana's flight has landed and she is in a taxi going back home. As she gets home and settles down, she calls her mom and sister as she had promised before departing away from them. They talk for a while and hang up.

Mariana decides to call Yolanda, Gerald and Jake inform her of her safe arrival as they had spoken before the plane had departed from the airport.

She then invites Yolanda over to help her prepare for work the next day. She decides to begin kitchen duties. Mariana is in her kitchen trying to prepare food in bulk to store in her fridge. Just in case she is not able to cook during the week, she could easily scoop some of it into the microwave. She hears her doorbell ring signaling the arrival of Yolanda. Opening the door and expecting to come in face with Yolanda, she sees a familiar face at her doorstep instead. She wonders where she had met this person before but could not place it.

‘Afternoon, Can I come in?’, the person asks. ‘Yeah sure. You can come in Make yourself comfortable', she says as the person steps in.

'Nice place you have here' the stranger compliments as he looks around her apartment. She smiles in return and asks if he needs anything to which he replies negatively.

‘Let me go straight to the point, as I have many appointments and businesses to get back and I don't want to waste time here', the stranger says with an air of arrogance and pride, ‘I am Ethan Smith, the CEO of Smith's group of companies, which you must have heard about for sure. We have met before actually but it is very obvious you can't recall our meeting. We met at a clubhouse about a couple of months back where I saved you from an older man that was trying to have his way with you without your consent. He had torn your dress in the process and I had given you my coat, which you had returned, and taken you out of there. Do you recall now or I should explain some more?’. Ethan asks Marina, finally letting her speak.

‘Yes I recall. There is no need to expatiate further. What now brings you to my apartment and how did you find out where I stay? As you had mentioned earlier, I had returned your coat so what brings you here'. Ethan is speechless at her boldness and at the way she spoke to him. Even after hearing his title and position she still looked him straight in the eye without cowering back in fear as she spoke. He was getting annoyed as he was used to people bowing in fear anytime he spoke or stepped his foot into a gathering but this woman here was not letting him have any of that. She was facing him head on and looking him dead in the eye. In as much as he hated it, a tiny part of him still liked her feisty side but he was not ready to back down.

'Well you left in a haste without as much as a word, so I decided to do my own research on who you were and that's where I got your address but one thing I couldn't get from my research was your contact, so I came here to get it in person.’

As Mariana is about to reply to him, she gets another knock on her door and goes to open up.