Unluckily Fated With the Billionaire

Encounter 6: Coincidence? I Think Not

“OHMYGOD, Zairiel, is that really you?” I heard someone squeal and saw a woman running towards me while waving her hand, wearing a very broad smile. Turns out, it was the president of our class in my last year here at the university and one of the people who organized our event for today, Jade Choi.

I have just arrived at my alma mater, the University of the Philippines, for a Grand Alumni Homecoming. I wasn’t really looking forward to it since the people I knew the most from here were Lucas and Charlotte, and I’ve always been with them. But, both of them had convinced me really hard to go, so who am I to say no?

“Jade! It’s been a long time!” I said and hugged her back after she threw herself at me. Ah, the same old cheerful Jade.

“Wow, it’s such an honor to have one of the country’s best psychologists here! Sign my autograph later, Dr. Mendez!” She joked, then excused herself to greet the newly arrived people.

“Zairiel? Come sit here with us!” I heard someone shout once again, and this time, a group of people sitting at a circular table was ushering me. Although I haven’t been really close with the people from my class, I still interact with them from time to time, so it’s not that bad, I guess.

“Hi! Long time no see, everyone!” I greeted them as I sat on one of the vacant chairs. The people around the table varied from each other, some were wearing formal attire, some were dressed extravagantly, and some people stayed the same way they looked when we were still in school.

“You didn’t come with Charlotte and Luc—I mean your boyfriend s***h fiancé, Lucas?” They teased. It’s become a habit of theirs to do that since the both of us were famous not only in our class but in the whole university as school sweethearts. Lucas being a heartthrob back then also contributed to that fact. “Ah, you guys already knew that he proposed? Words travel fast, huh? Anyway, both of them still had something come up for their respective jobs, but they’ll be coming here in a short while.” I assured them. The three of us were always together, even back then, since before I and Lucas had a relationship, the three of us were friends before. We then met Irene when we graduated at a hotel where we celebrated.

“Anyway, a friend of mine said that she saw someone very important here in our school! Said he wasn’t from here, but he came to visit a relative.” Kiara, dressed in an obviously branded dress and expensive pieces of jewelry (she looks good in it, no doubt) said in a way you’ll know a gossip talk is about to come. “Someone very important? Who?” They curiously asked.

“She said she didn’t know since it’s just been passed to her, but it’s someone who’s very handsome and well-sought in the country! Said he was someone with a very high position and net worth.”

Isn’t that description very familiar?

“Someone like that exists? Weren’t high-ranking rich people supposed to be old and wrinkly?” Someone said and all of us let out a laugh. As someone who doesn’t really care about the business world, that’s what I’ve thought as well. Until I met a certain someone.

Sucks that he had to be a total jerk, though.

Speaking of him, it’s been a week since that encounter in the restaurant. He never really bothered me in the clinic and on the hotline in that time span, and it was quite a relief. But I couldn’t get to relax since I knew that wasn’t going to be the last. I had a lot of debts to him, ranging from that uncommitted breakfast to the saving he did for me. Well, it’s not like I’m still going to avoid him if we really do meet again, I still have my dignity intact.

I mingled with them for a little while until I felt the urge to go to the comfort room. After excusing myself, I immediately searched for it while having a little difficulty remembering the building placements in the university. The ones I saw when I was still studying here were still present, even those very old ones which were said to be haunted. New and unfamiliar ones were also present. There were booths and people everywhere, some are current students, staff, and alumni like me.

After several minutes of searching, I finally found a comfort room. When I finished, I received a text from Lucas saying that he was on his way. Charlotte’s text saying the same thing came later on. I decided to tour myself around the campus to relieve some memories and nostalgia, until my feet brought me to a large old tree behind an old building, far from the joyous part of the campus.

The strange thing was, I don’t remember being in this place nor have I seen it during my stay here, but I felt very nostalgic. It seemed as if my feet had their own minds and decided on their own. Tired from walking, I decided to sit on the grass underneath a shady part and tried to ransack my brain for what I was feeling. Several moments passed, I decided to go back to where my old classmates were, but I felt a presence near me. Must be someone who knows this place.

And that’s where I was wrong.

When I turned my head in the direction of where the presence was, Liam Mirren was in there, giving me a very confused look while scrutinizing me at the same time. It turns out that my hunch earlier when they were talking about that important person visiting here was him, turned out right.

“Liam Mirren? What are you doing here? Did you follow m—wait, you’re not even from this university, aren’t you?” I asked. When I did a background check on him, he was originally studying here in the country but went to finish his education at Harvard Business School. “I-I came for someone. What are you doing here, Dr. Mendez?” He asked, and it seems as if he still was out of his consciousness.

“I’m an alumna here, Mr. Mirren,” I said in a matter-of-fact tone.

“I mean, in this exact place?” He asked once again, his tone doubting me. Was it really strange for me, who came from this university, to be in a place located at this university? Was he tripping me again?

“Huh, that I don’t even know. My feet brought me here on their own. Is that a bad thing for me?” I mocked. He should be the one suspicious for finding a secluded place like this when he didn’t even come from here, but did I even ask him? “Are you sure? You didn’t come here to reminisce or remember something?” Doubt was still very evident in his voice, as if he was investigating me. He’s been like this since we met at the restaurant. Don’t tell me he’s an undercover spy sent to me by a rival psychologist or anyone?

Okay, that’s too much imagination, Zairiel. How could a billionaire possibly become a spy, and for me?

“I really don’t know why I should be telling you this or be talking to you, but fine. I found it strange as well, alright? As I’ve mentioned earlier, my feet brought me here on their own, but I haven’t been to this place nor had seen it when I still was staying here. Happy?” Liam’s brows furrowed after I spoke, and it seemed like he still had so many things he wanted to say, but chose not to, so he proceeded to just sigh instead, then went to sit on the same spot I was sitting on earlier.

It seemed like both Charlotte and Lucas hadn’t arrived yet, and I was getting kinda bored staying for the homecoming, so I decided to just speak to Liam for a little while.

“You mentioned earlier that you came here for someone. Were you finished talking to them or somehow got lost? Why are you in such a secluded place?” I asked and went to sit beside him and crossed my arms. It wasn’t that I was very curious, it was just that I was trying to establish a conversation between us to pass time.

Or maybe both.

“My psychologist has got so many questions today. Are we supposed to be in a counseling session right now?” He chuckled. I was not eager to bicker with him, so I just glared at him. His chuckle died down after seeing my expression and he let out a cough afterward to ease the tension. “Alright, alright! I came here for my sister, okay? She’s an alumna like you. She…. t-told me to come here in her stead. It’s an important place for her.” He said, and for a moment, I caught so many emotions from him. He was kind of looking unsure at first, then sad, regretful, and then wistful. How was he even able to exchange emotions that fast?

“You seem to have so many questions running in your pretty head, Doctor. Shoot.” He said after staring at me after quite a long time. He must’ve noticed the curious look on my face or heard the gears running in my head― figuratively, of course.

“Yeah, I do. I’m curious as to why you called my hotline and am also curious about your sister. Mind picking a topic?” I tried asking carefully. The topics I’ve said may be quite sensitive for him, so I let him decide what to open up to me.

“Hmm. Actually, someone close to me knows you, so I decided to consult you…” He said, his words quite unsure. Was he referred to by a former patient of mine? His words halted for a little while, his face looking glum, and a second later, his face brightened up again. “So, are we really supposed to be in a counseling session now?” He smirked. So, for the love of God and my sanity, I let out a sigh and just nodded.

“Nah, I think this conversation can be saved for later. Don’t you have a debt to me that we need to discuss?” He said, obviously trying to divert the topic. It’s understandable since he might still not be ready to open up, and as a psychologist and as a person, that should be considered. But, remembering how I accumulated that debt, I wanted to just run away or be swallowed by the ground.

Come on, Zairiel! Where’s your dignity?!

“Ah, yeah.” I awkwardly said and laughed. “What breakfast would you want, and where?”

“I want a homemade meal to be brought to my office.”