The Billionaires' Darkest Secret

Four

“Iris! I miss you!” Danaia’s energetic voice is still the same even if it’s just a phone call.

“I miss you too! Take care of yourself when I’m gone,” I said to her.

A couple of seconds and still she doesn’t react to what I said.

“Hey what’s wrong?” I asked her so worriedly.

“Uh! Nothing, I’m just doing something. By the way, how was your trip?” she segues the topic.

I am still worried about her but manage to smile at her even if she doesn’t see it right now.

“The trip was fine! We are staying in a fabulous hotel right now. I don’t know what to feel but, it’s extravagant,” I describe to her the place where I am right now.

“Tell Liam to take care of you for me,” she said and she giggled.

“Hey, no. Please tell granny that I am safe here, no need to worry about me and take care of myself for the week,” I asked her a favor.

Liam and I are staying in this elegant hotel for the week. Our contest is on Friday and I am feeling nervous right now. We are still reading books and practicing to debate one on one.

I walked through the pool area of the hotel. I am intimidated by the people who also stay here. They are wearing beautiful clothes while I am just wearing a shirt and pants.

I fixed my eyeglasses in place and told Danaia everything. We talked about many things until I didn’t know that time passed by.

“Iris, let’s talk again tomorrow. You need to study right now,” she told me.

“Okay! Talk to you tomorrow, goodnight Naia!” I said and turned down the call.

I walked through my suite and I will continue my study lesson earlier when I saw Liam walking in the hallway too.

“Where have you been?” he asked me.

This is the first time I saw him wearing a white shirt and shorts only. I am not used to it but I guess I need to.

“Uh, I just got a phone call,” I told her and raised my phone.

He went through the entrance of the hotel and I was just following him. Wait? Why am I following him?

“Uh, Liam. I don't know why I am following you. Sorry, I’ll go,” I said and turned away from him.

I stopped once but he got my wrist and I looked back at him.

“Let’s eat,” he stated after looking at me.

I look at myself, I am intimidated by how I dress right now. I look back at him and I think he knows what my thoughts are.

“It’s okay, we’ll eat in the garden,” he stated and he’s still holding my wrist and he started to walk.

I followed him and was embarrassed at the same time. He’s still holding it. Did he forget? I raise my hands and look at my wrist with his hand on there and he looks at it too.

He suddenly put down his hands and was shocked by what he did.

“I’m sorry,” he stated and I am still raising my arms and looking at him.

I smirked and continued to walk. He’s now the one who’s following me. I just want to eat some food in the convenience store. That’s what I afford.

“Where are you going?” he asked me.

I looked at him and walked backward and pointed out the nearest convenience store here in this place.

“Wow! I suddenly remember Danaia while eating these noodles,” I stated while looking at the stars in the sky.

“You’re that close to her?” he asked me.

“Yes, since when we were a child, I used to treat her as my sister,” I opened up to him.

After many days we’ve been together, he taught me to trust other people besides the people who surround me since then. I learn little by little to trust him and to open up my life to him.

He’s a good friend also, and I believe that because of him, all of my misconceptions are gone slowly.

"The stars are so beautiful," I said and smiled as I observed the sky.

The stars were twinkling so bright that it made me feel so overwhelmed. I closed my eyes and wished on the stars.

"Shining stars, let us win the debate contest!" I started so positively.

"You love the stars so much that you argued with me the first time I saw you," he reminisced and we both laughed at each other.

"That's why I am so obsessed with them. The fact that everyone who surrounds me doesn't want to believe that I wished upon the stars," I said and smirked.

"They say I'm crazy," I added.

We both finished our food and thought of different stuff. I wish on the stars that guide us upon the debate contest. I hope we will win that competition.

I am so positive! I know we can do this, we can make it! I am motivated to study hard right now. It's in the middle of the night where everyone is sleeping but here we are in the pool area practicing and debating one on one.

"You have to think fast about what you will say after your opponent's side," I told him.

"Yes, I was just confused. Sorry, let's do it again,"

That's how we consumed our time here in the hotel. We are so nervous to the point that we practice all day and night until we feel exhausted.

It's Wednesday now and time flies so fast. I call Danaia early in the morning to ask her if she's fine and doing well. She made me talk to my grandparents too before she went to school.

She seems fine right now and I can't feel anything weird about her or am I just nervous and also excited about the debate on Friday?

I walked through the hallway and exactly the time when Liam stepped out of his suite.

We reviewed the whole morning and did our stuff as well. We took a short break and reviewed it again. We Thought of a good debate topic and we argued about it. It feels exhausting as we do it each day but we feel relieved also as we are doing great. Each sentence was filled with power.

“Nice, we can do it Iris!” he said when we finished our time on our one on one debate.

I lay on the floor and relax. I closed my eyes and I didn’t know that I slept. I lose my consciousness and as I woke up I am in the bed now.

I look at the whole suite and it wasn’t my suite. I remembered everything that happened earlier and I slept on the floor.

I slap my face and stood out of the bed, the moment Liam entered the suit.

“You’re awake,” he stated and let his things be put on his table.

“Yeah, let’s debate again,” I said when I look what time is it.

“Let’s eat first, you’re exhausted earlier that’s why you slept on the floor,” he stated while bringing out the food.

“Did you-,” I stated and he cut my words.

“Yeah, I put you there, sorry,” he said and looked at me with his serious eyes.

I shook my head and we ate the food and after that, we continued to study until midnight came.

On the next day, we study so hard that we’ve been through the past three days. It’s Thursday now and tomorrow is the day.

“What time is it?” I asked him while still scanning some books.

“It’s already 5 in the afternoon, why?” he asked me back.

I look at him and grabbed my phone. Danaia promised me to call after school hours and it’s already five in the afternoon. She must be home.

I dialed her number and it’s busy. I repeat it several times but it’s still the same. Liam was looking at me so confused about what I am doing right now.

“Is she out of coverage?” he asked me.

“Yeah, I can’t contact her,” I replied.

I tried to focus on the other books and tried to call Danaia when the night came but it was still the same. Her number is always out of the coverage area. The last time we talk is when she's laughing and happy talking to me.

It’s impossible to turn her phone off. I tried to reach her every 2 hours but it was still the same.

“Don’t worry too much, maybe she’s just sleeping or her phone was out of battery earlier and now she’s asleep,” Liam assured me.

I let out a deep sigh and put aside my phone and focus on reading the book. We only have eight hours left before the debate competition will start.

“Let’s bring home the bacon!” he positively stated and we did a fist bump.

Only the stars know what will happen.

We are currently here backstage. We are done with our first debate competition and we lead first but we are not that happy because we are going to compete with the other two teams.

“Mr. Acosta and Ms. Saavedra, it’s your turn now,” the staff teacher said to us.

The nervousness that I am feeling rises up again but I will be brave fighting hard for it.

“Let’s do this Liam,” I said so seriously to him and stood up.

We compete and we compete until the awarding comes. I can’t breathe properly because I am still feeling nervous. I sigh for a moment and observe all the opponents here backstage.

I am intimidated by how they are acting normal right now like they did their best. I hope that the stars heard my wishes on them.

“Don’t be so nervous, Iris,” Liam told me when he saw that my hands were shaking.

“We can’t lose,” were the only words I uttered to him and shut my mouth.

I am thinking of the possible recognition we may have if we won this competition. I may get a full scholarship for the whole year of my last year in the university.

I look up when staff enter the backstage and utter important things to us.

“The judges are computing all the scores the partners get. The competitors will have a break of at least 2 hours and once you’re done you can get her back,” the staff informed us.

The other competitors walked away confidently. Liam stood up and I looked at him.

“Where are you going?” I asked him and he looked at me.

“Let’s eat first, you need to recover before the Awarding starts,” he stated and he held my wrist again to stand up.

“Why let’s wait here,” I rejected what he suggested.

“No, Iris. You didn’t eat the whole morning we are competing here. You need some energy, and also we need to relax,” he stated and I sigh heavily and follow him.

He’s right, I need to relax, and no matter what the judges' decision is, all I know is I did everything I can do.

I thought it would be just a simple meal but he brought me here to the fast-food chain.

“Don’t think of anything, just eat and relax. We will win,” he assured me.

“The stars heard your wishes,” he added.

I smiled at him and we enjoyed the afternoon relaxing before the time came.

“Okay, all of the competitors, you may now enter the stage,” the staff said as we walked through the big stage.

I can’t even be used to the beauty of this stadium. My heart beats faster and I can’t even stop my hand from shaking. I look at Liam and he’s confident enough to manage the situation.

I was shocked that he held my hand and I flinched for a moment.

“This is the only way to see the judge that you are confident enough for what you’ve done earlier,” he whispered to me.

“Out of 20 schools who compete in the Debate competition right now. Only 3 groups stand out but all of you did a great job. Now let’s not make this long, the third placer goes to,” the head judge started to announce the winners.

I look at Liam and his eyes full of desire to win and he’s too confident with it.

“Thomas University! Mr. Alcos and Ms. Grozon, congratulations!” the judge uttered and the crowd began to clap for them.

I look at how Liam holds my hands so tight and smiles a bit. I will motivate myself because I work hard and aim for our goals for today.

“2nd placer goes to,”

I am not that nervous, I know we will get it!

“Siline Academy! Mr. Kazuyi and Ms. Williams,”

I clap my hands and smile so wide.

“Who will be our champion for this year's debate competition?” the emcee stated and the crowd began to state who they wanted.

“It’s none other than!”

I know.

I know the stars will never disappoint me.

“None other than!” The emcee started to hype the audience.

I held on to Liam’s hand so tight and let out a deep sigh for the last moment.

This is it!

I have faith in the stars.

“Louisiana University! Mr. Acosta and Ms. Saavedra, congratulations!”

The judge stated an I buffer for a second when Liam finally looks at me with the victory in his eyes. I know this is true.

I hugged him so tight and giggled. He froze for a moment and was shocked at what I did.

“We won!” I look at his eyes directly and I can see how his eyes twinkle for a moment.

“I won too,” he said and hugged me back.

“The stars have favoritism, and it’s not you,” he whispered in my ears while he’s still hugging me.

“It’s me,”