Billionaire's Last Kiss

Chapter Ten

Khione’s POV:

It’s another busy day again at work but the face of that Yvan I saw at the restaurant a week ago didn’t escape my mind. 

His face is still clear as new. 

I wonder what he’s doing right now?

While I’m busy doing a project presentation for the Virgil Groups, I received a call from Kennedy.

“Yes?” 

Yup. Hello is not in my vocabulary if my CEO best friend is on the call.

“You busy?” He asked.

“Kinda. Why?” 

“I’ll pick you up. I’m at your parking place already… elevator now, moving up to the 30th floor now.”

“WHAT? WHY?” I exclaimed. I stopped doing my design to give my whole focus to him. “WHAT’S WITH THE SUDDEN VISIT?”

It’s very unusual of him to visit me at work so to know that he’s at the company right now is a big surprise to me! I’m usually the one who gives him surprise visits. 

“We’ll be having a meeting. Someone wants to see you.” I’m still in a state of shock and had the difficulty to process what he just said. “I’m at your floor now. Bye.”

He ended the call and my secretary entered my office followed by the emperor of the Arizona Empire.

“Miss Iris, Mr. Arizona is here.”

“I’m busy. I cannot just leave the company. This is my biggest project, Ken.” I said with a roll in my eyes. “And, by the way, who are we going to meet? Where’s the meeting for?”

“I’m sure you would want to file a leave if you know who we are going to meet.” He smirked which made me confused even more.

“Aren’t you going to tell me?” I said I was losing my patience but half of me is curiously dead!

“Why not come with me and know it by yourself?” He tested my patience.

“Argh! I hate you Ken!” I said and started to fix my things. I get my compact mirror and check my make up. My curious dumbass fell for this CEO’s trap. D*mn.

I heard him laugh and I rolled my eyes at him.

“It’s more important than the Virgil’s. I promise.” He chuckled. “ You would want to not finish this project and just spend your time with…” He stopped his sentence in a cliffhanger! 

“I’m sure you would want to file a leave if you know who we are going to meet.” He smirked which made me confused even more.

“Aren’t you going to tell me?” I said I was losing my patience but half of me is curiously dead!

“Why not come with me and know it by yourself?” He tested my patience.

“Argh! I hate you Ken!” I said and started to fix my things. I get my compact mirror and check my make up. My curious dumbass fell for this CEO’s trap. D*mn.

I heard him laugh and I rolled my eyes at him.

“It’s more important than the Virgil’s. I promise.” He chuckled. “ You would want to not finish this project and just spend your time with…” He stopped his sentence in a cliffhanger! 

“Make sure it’s worthier than this effin’ Virgil or else…” I gave him a deadpan look.

“Or else?” He licked his lower lip while staring at me. He’s looking at me amusingly. “Don’t think about it. I’ll buy you an island if you’ll not love what you’ll see.” 

I don’t have an idea but his bet gave me a hopeful heart! D*mn! What is he up to? 

While we drove off to the place that according to him is the meeting place, I’m thinking about too many things and scenarios. The possible ones! Because this person must be so important to me for him to go to my company and leave his work at this hour! We’re in the busy season.

“Don’t think too much. You’ll spoil yourself… You’ll miss the fun.” 

He laughed.

“I’m not expecting much… I want the island.” 

“Nah-ah. You’ll not have it because you’ll be at cloud 9 once you see.” He gave me again an another f*cking grin! D*mn it.

“You’re too full of yourself. You’re so confident, we’ll see.” I rolled my eyes again.

“Of course, Khione... I know you more than anybody else.” He winked and then drove faster until we reached the fanciest hotel in the city.

“This way, Mr. Arizona.” The attendant said and led the way to us. I held on to his arm as we walked to the grand entrance.

This is what I love about this hotel. It is worth the money you pay. It will give you the best services, ambiance, and feeling according to how much you pay. They don’t disappoint their guests.

“This is my rule for you Khione. Don’t shout or cry. Act prim and proper. There are media around. Behave, if you don’t want to see your paper in the newspaper tomorrow with the headline: Chan Builders Enterprise’s princess, scandalous in a hotel.” He kid so I pinched his arm.

“Why the hell will I do that?! I’m not losing my mind!” I said. “I have never been scandalous.”

“I’m just stating a possible scenario, okay?” He smirked. “But you’ve been scandalous, once.. Don’t deny.”

“Huh? When?” 

“Everytime we’re with our friends.” He smirked and stared into my eyes.

And I noticed the people in front of us.

After years without fine communication…

After years of busy schedules and busy on achieving everyone’s dream… 

Or busy impressing their families at their companies…

Busy chasing their freedoms…

Finally…

They got the chance to meet again. 

We’ve met again.

“Long time no see, Ris.” Blake smiled and he was the first one who gave me a hug!

“You’ve grown prettier, baby!” Riva and Sunshine followed.

My tears fell because I longed for them for years. The last time I saw them was at my college graduation which I think, five years ago. I missed them so much.

Tanner and Roy hugged me as well and they announced that they are getting married. 

“Oh my gosh! I’m so excited for the both of you! I’m so happy!” I hugged them again.

“We’re expecting you to be there.” Roy said and I happily nodded.

Irene was the last one who gave me a hug before we sat on our table. 

“You’re now prettier than me.” She said which made me laugh. “Well, I’m a product of your beauty clinic.” I smiled. 

She owns a lot of dermatological clinics all over Asia and America but she also branched out to some countries in Europe last year. She studied cosmetology in Korea after taking business management here in the country.

I noticed that we are incomplete. I moved my eyes on the table to find out that someone was missing.

“Sorry, I’m late.” Tim popped out from nowhere. “Were you looking for me?” He asked which made us laugh.

“Yeah, I missed you!” I said and stood up to give him a hug.

“Oh! Finally! You got the courage to tell me that!” He kid. 

We sat and started catching up. Kendy leaned to me.

“No island.” He whispered.

“I don’t care. I can buy one.” I laughed which made him laugh too.

I knew that Blake had a girlfriend for so long now and they started talking about marriage. Well, we are wondering when he will propose. He wanted to make it in some creative way because his girlfriend loves surprises.

I forgot to mention, Blake isn’t as rich as we are. He’s the most ordinary person who lives in an ordinary life. He wasn't born with a silver spoon in his mouth. The only thing that made him enter our school was because he was chosen as a scholar of Riva’s company because his mom works there. That scenario didn’t set boundaries for him to be our friend. It didn’t change the fact that he is a good man who is hardworking and smart. He succeeded and now, he had well-known fast foods all over Asia. He works hard for everything he has and he deserves the recognition.

Riva didn’t accept her father’s offer to be the heiress of their car company but rather chose to be her mom’s lost dream which was to be an artist too. It has been her dream even before we met… and now… She has been living in France for years, pursuing her dreams, having her own art gallery, building her own art school, being the hope for the young artist’s hearts, and being an inspiration. I love her tattoos on both of her wrists that’s written on French which means… Chase and Fly.

Sunshine had broken up with her boyfriend before but she’s the only one who’s married in our group with her loving husband. She announced that she’s having a baby and we showered her with congratulations. She's the successor of one of my favorite clothing brands. Imagine to be friends with the owner of your favorite designer clothes and sometimes receive clothes for free. Her husband was a popular model who has men's clothing lines that’s very popular to men all over the world. Imagine, they are living the life that I really don’t like. I still want to go shopping and they don’t know the fulfillment it gives.

Tim didn’t talk much about his life. He didn’t tell us about his experiences, all he did was to laugh and comment about ours. He just said that he’s the CEO of his own hotel lines. But, more than that, none. He remained silent about his life and I am so curious.

“How about you Iris? When will you get yourself a boyfriend?” Blake asked. Kennedy laughed because of that.

“I’m not sure. It depends on Kendy.” I shook my shoulders and smiled sheepishly.

Their jaws dropped. 

“Woah! What’s up between you too?” 

“Stop your malicious mind, bro. We’re best friends.” Kendy said which made my heart hurt a little. “What she meant was, she’s eyeing for someone and I’m the bridge for the both of them.” 

“Really, Iris? What does he look like?” Irene curiously asked.

“Why don’t you just date Tim? You’ll make a great couple.” Riva suggested. I laughed with her vast mind. She and her creative ideas, oh gosh!

I just shook my shoulders as an answer.

He’s a drop-dead gorgeous man, smart, rich, and skillful but I cannot lose another good friend. I don’t want to bet my friendship with Kendy so I remained silent about my feelings for him. I don’t want to ruin the memories and stories we made just for this stupid feelings that I developed for  him. Tim is a good friend, and will remain my friend.

We planned a trip to Asia specifically in the Philippines while we’re busy catching up. Irene, Riva, and Tim are ones who are living in other countries and the remaining stayed here but from different cities. Because the three only have a couple of weeks to spend, I decided to file a leave so I will have time for them.

After we ate our early dinner, the girls decided to roam around and go shopping at the hotel’s mall. This is one of the luxurious malls here in the country. 

“Your designs.” I pointed it out to Sunshine which made them laugh. 

“It’s pretty. I love your designs.” Irene said.

“Yeah, it’s astonishing. Don’t you want to collaborate with me? Let’s put our masterpieces together.” Riva said with a smirk on her face.

“It’s a good idea! It will create an impact on your clients.” I seconded. “What do you think, Sunshine? Like you’ll name the collection, Freedom.” 

Sunshine smiled genuinely. “We’ll work on that. Thank you for this idea. Let’s talk about this some time while we’re still here.” 

“Congratulations to the new partners, then.” Irene said and we laughed.

The guys just followed us. They seem like the boys next door, the reason why the staff are looking at them. Men and women are showing their admiration to our male friends which made me smile. Their impacts to the crowd is nothing to be shocked about. They are like hot-living models who landed here on Earth to steal women's hearts.

Kendy and I went home together after that fantastic night with our good friends. We decided to go home a little bit early because Sunshine is pregnant and it’s bad for her baby to stay late so much.

“Thank you for this. This is worth more than an island.” I said with tired eyes. 

“I told you. Since when did I disappoint you?” He playfully asked. I just shook my head.

“Never…”

I am so happy. I have a happy heart when I get into my house. This day is one of the fantastic days I had in my life. After years of longing for them… I get to see them again.

But.. happy moments have sad moments in return. 

But… I didn’t know the sad part would come this fast.

As I opened the door, I was welcome by my parents’ presence in my living room. Mom’s eyes are worried and I see in dad’s eyes the expression of conviction and determination which made me tremble in fear. That’s the expression that I always feared to him because it tells power and I cannot say no. It means, he made his mind up and I cannot get away with this but just to follow whatever he’ll say.

“Mom… Dad…” I uttered. “What’s the matter?”

But I don’t want to hear whatever the reason would be. Because I know, that will control me… It will ruin me… It will totally destroy my dreams and freedom.

And as Dad laid his words… I crumbled into pieces.  It feels like his words are daggers that stabbed me to death.

“You’re getting married soon, Ris.”