An Ageless Love From An Elderly Billionaire

EpisodeThree

Unwanted Interruptions

Meanwhile, back at the exclusive, 5-star luxury yacht…

“This is quite a spread for only two people, Alex!” stated Hailey as she watched two smartly dressed waiters arranging their meal on the large circular dining table inside the tour tycoon’s presidential suite. “You’d think your chef was feeding a whole soccer team with what he sent us.”

The good-looking servers were taking several large covered dishes from a couple of antique looking three-tiered lazy waiters which they wheeled inside their employer’s suite just a few moments ago. They also set up the proper cutlery on two opposite spots on the table, which was covered with a silken hand-embroidered white table cloth.

Alexander scooped a cupful of Gazpacho from the punch bowl that was laid out in a narrow side table by the wall and paused before explaning with an amused smirk, “He probably thought I was going to eat with a male guest,” With that, he sipped the engraved glass cup of the chilled, tomato-based drink and began chewing the tiny chopped veggies mixed in with the white wine..

Hailey’s blue eyes slowly roamed the massive elegant suite. She took in the beauty of the chandeliers, the marble floors, and the red velvet curtains. Her gaze then settled on the various dishes before her.

A feast of Spanish meals was all set out on the round table. The dishes included blistered padrón peppers, tosta de boquerones, albóndigas, chicken croquetas, gambas al ajillo, tortilla española, paella with chorizo and seafood, and patatas bravas.

“You really have exquisite taste,” Hailey remarked as she selected a fork from the table to spear a tosta de boquerones from a gold-lined porcelain plate.

This spread showcases nearly every Spanish dish I could imagine. It seemed fitting for a billionaire businessman like Alexander to possess such notable choices. The lovely blue-eyed passenger said to herself.

“So, Hailey…” Alexander continued, as he helped himself to some of the paella. “Do you mind if I ask why you decided to get a divorce?”

Hailey tossed her long unruly red hair back so she could stare deeply at her curious lunch companion as she replied, “No, I certainly don’t mind. My husband cheated on me and he did it so easily. I couldn’t find any valid reason to stay with someone who had decided to be unfaithful for whatever reason that may be. So, I opted for a divorce.” She took a piece of chicken croqueta and added. “Besides, the option I requested will be quite beneficial for me.”

“You opted for properties?” Alexander inquired with one raised thick eyebrow.

“No,” Hailey replied. “I prefer cash. And with the amount my lawyer suggested I would certainly be able to put up my own business.”

“And what would that be?”

“I actually took tourism back in college since I wanted to be a flight attendant,” Hailey timidly divulged as she took two more pieces of gambas. “Actually, that’s how I met my ex-husband. He was searching for stewardesses for his private jet and I applied.”

“So, would you consider investing instead of putting up the business yourself?” Alexander charmingly asked with a shrewd undertone and a wide meaningful smile.

“Oh wow, no wonder you’re such a successful executive,” Hailey stated with an exceedingly impressed tone. “But what I find really strange is how come you choose to be a passenger in your own own cruise.”

True, Hailey had just gone through a messy divorce, but she wasn’t scared to meet someone new, particularly someone like Alexander, who seemed to have a genuine interest in her and is in the same industry that she planned to be in soon. Yet, she was careful about appearing as a potential homewrecker, social climber or money-grabber.

Alexander took a few pieces of padrón peppers before continuing, “I regularly join my cruises to conduct my own personal survey. I prefer to experience my own services as an anonymous passenger to ensure the quality remains exceptional and competitive,” the brown-haired male explained as he motioned one of the waiters to refill his wineglass.

Hailey’s thoughts: This clearly explains why he still remains at the top of his chosen trade. He isn’t the typical billionaire tycoon who sits back and allows his employees to handle everything unsupervised. He ensures that his customers always receives top-notch service by using himself as a guinea pig to test his own offers himself.

The inquisitive divorcee was about to ask another question connected to his enterprise, having just placed her half-filled champagne glass back on the table, when a commotion outside cut into her thoughts. It sounded like a heated argument was happening near the presidential suite’s door.

She watched as Alexander picked up a napkin to dab at the corners of his mouth, “It must be some of my workers outside. Please excuse me; I need to see what’s happening,” he said as he rose from his seat.

“Of course,” Hailey replied at once. “It is your yacht, after all.”

Alexander approached the door and opened it. “What’s going on, Katya?” The green-eyed billionaire asked.

From where Hailey sat, she couldn’t hear the exact conversation, but she could tell that Katya was upset. With extreme concern, Hailey stood up and quietly moved towards the open threshold.

“Is there a problem, Alex?” She asked as she approached him.

She turned her inquisitive gaze towards Katya but saw no workers, only a middle-aged woman who stood not far from her. The elegantly dressed female, appearing to be in her early forties, had a slender figure, tanned skin, long black hair, and enormously large and expressive dark brown eyes. The woman wore Elizabeth Taylor Diamonds, a well-known feminine perfume to mask the her natural scent of ambrosia. This unknown lady was also coiffed and made up to within an inch of her life!

“She told me that you were having lunch with a business partner and that I couldn’t see you until you were done with your meeting,” the dark-haired dame complained, her large eyes scanning Hailey contemptuously then one drawn eyebrow rose to quite a considerable height as she cuttingly asked, “Is SHE your new business partner, Alexander?”

“I didn’t say you could only see him after lunch. I said you didn’t need to see him at all. It’s not like you came here for anything important, anyway,” Katya retorted with her version of a catty reply.

“I did come for something important, Alex. But your daughter wouldn’t let me in. She even pushed me away. I could have been hurt,” The older female countered dramatically while turning her full attention on the tall and well-built elderly travel magnate.

As Hailey noted the woman’s impressive acting skills, she suddenly recalled that it was the exact same tactic used by Eric’s mistress. It was clear to Hailey that the woman was putting on a performance to call the attention and sympathy of her very obvious but seemingly unaware target.

“I only pushed you because you refused to listen and tried to barrel through me. You tried to force your way into the suite even after I clearly told you that my father was busy,” Katya snapped back angrily.

“Well, does he look busy now?” The elderly actress haughtily challenged.

“Oh, you da~” Katya began in frustration, briskly moving towards her “foe”, but Alexander stepped in to hold his furious daughter back.

“Enough, Katya. We have a guest, and she shouldn’t be witnessing any of this,” Alexander declared firmly. Turning to Hailey, he added. “I apologize for this disturbance. Please continue with your lunch and I’ll join you shortly.” He then gestured towards the female intruder. “Let’s go to the main dining hall, Miss Linda.”

Once Alex and the rude lady had already left, Hailey turned to Katya. “Who the hell was that?”

“That’s Linda Veṅigas biuda de Victorio, a retired Spanish actress. She was once married to my father’s billionaire best friend,” Katya explained as she rolled her eyes in annoyance. “She’s always such a drama queen.”

“So where is her husband?” Hailey inquired in a stunned voice. “Did they get divorced?”

“No, he passed away, just like her previous husbands,” Katya commented with a shrug. “That’s why we suspect that she might be a black widow.”

“When you say ‘we’, do you mean you and Alexander?”.

“No, my siblings and I. Though we are eager to find a suitable partner for my father, we would prefer that she would NOT be Linda. Her husbands all have had mysterious deaths and her eagerness to remarry makes me question her true intentions,” the youngest Conall clarified.

“I’m genuinely worried for your father. He seems to be taken in by Linda’s dramatics. I hope he doesn’t fall for any of her manipulations.” the young redhead stated with concern.

“You seem to care a lot about my dad, and you’ve only just met him,” Katya remarked with a naughty gleam in her smoky blue eyes.

Hailey was taken aback. She did care about Katya’s father, more than she might have admitted, and was even attracted to him. But it was quite unexpected that this sharp-minded blond lass would figure this out on her own.

I wonder if it would be appropriate to tell her about my feelings for her dad. Katya wouldn't want someone around her age to feel this way for her father, would she?