A Third Chance In Love

CHAPTER 15 - A Rival

Lexandro Montaro’s attention was caught by the two men who approached the table of Aloida and her cousin. His eyes squinted when he noticed the unconcealed interest that one of the men was showing to Aloida, and the latter seemed to be enjoying the attention that the man was giving her.

With a sudden souring of his mood, Lexandro called the waiter and asked for their bill.

“Are we going out already?” Amara asked with a frown on her well-maid-up face.

“Yes. We are finished eating, right?” I am a busy man, Amara, and you know it. I cannot be idle dining here and there and neglecting some pressing matters to attend to,” Lexandro replied in his coldest tone. Being with Amara was a waste of time for him. If not for the acres of land under Amara's family's ownership that he was so interested in, he would not have dated her. Amara was beautiful and sexy, but he could not find himself attracted to her at all. There was no chemistry to speak of, and he felt having a relationship with her would be boring.

After paying the bill, Lexandro stood up and Amara had no other choice but to follow him. As they walked out of the restaurant, Lexandro made it a point to pass by the table where Aloida and her companions were sitting. He even stopped as he came near the table.

Aloida’s head automatically moved up and met the squinting eyes of her boss, who was towering near their table.

“Sir, you are leaving now?” Aloida asked. She could not think of any other words to speak of when she saw him standing majestically in front of them but with an expression like a tyrant king.

Lexandro did not respond, instead, his eyes glided toward Rey as if relaying a secret query to Aloida.

Aloida cleared her throat before speaking again. Based on her boss’ actions, she needed to introduce her companions to him. Aloida wanted to sigh in annoyance, but as a good Executive Assistant to a tyrant-looking boss now, she was forced to introduce Mariel, Ronel and Rey.

“Ahh, Mariel, Ronel and Rey, this is my boss, Mr. Lexandro Montaro and Sir, this is Mariel, my cousin, and our friends here are Ronel and Rey.” The moment Aloida introduced her boss to Mariel, the latter stood up and offered a handshake to him, while her eyes looked at him so deeply, as if trying to uncover every secret detail in him. Everyone was silent while Lexandro and Mariel shook hands.

Ronel followed by having a handshake with Lexandro and Rey stood last to offer a handshake. The look that Lexandro gave to Rey was quite domineering, which the latter took as a challenge. As a man, Rey was able to immediately detect a rival in Aloida’s boss.

“Nice meeting you. I got to go. Enjoy your meal,” Without any trace of a smile on his lips, Lexandro said after giving handshakes to Mariel, Ronel and Rey.

Aloida looked at Amara beside Lexandro. She snaked her hands around his right arm, but he did not even bother to introduce Amara to the group of Aloida. Amara felt embarrassed but she did not miss the chance to introduce herself as Lexandro’s fiancée.

“Ahh, by the way guys, I am Amara, Lexandro’s fiancee,” Amara was full of pride as she introduced herself but Lexandro looked at her with squinting eyes. He did not utter any word but that kind of look he gave at Amara, made Amara shiver.

The group of Aloida watched Lexandro and Amara as they walked out of the restaurant.

“Fiancée, huh!” Mariel expressed after a while. She was not convinced that the woman who introduced herself as Amara was indeed Lexandro’s fiancée, basing on the latter’s action and expression.

Aloida rolled her eyes, but nodded. “Yeah, she is my boss’ fiancée according to her, although he never confirmed it on any occasion, he did not deny it either. So, I guess, she is indeed his fiancée,” Aloida nonchalantly, explained.

Ronel and Rey just smiled and then Ronel suddenly said, “Aloida, your boss’ face is quite familiar to me, although I am still searching in my mind where and when I met him.”

Mariel and Aloida looked at each other after hearing what Ronel had said. An eerie silence reigned thereafter.

“Hmm, maybe you met him already. Ronel, I will be asking you something in a while, by the way.” It was Mariel who broke the silence between them.

“Whatever it is Mariel, I will be all ears,” Ronel replied with a broad smile.

“Thanks.” Mariel smiled back, which brightened the aura of Ronel more. Aloida could easily confirm that Ronel indeed liked her cousin.

As they finished dining, Rey offered to take Aloida home, but Mariel said that Aloida would be accompanying her in going back to her hotel.

“So, Rey, you can bring my cousin home next time. But, today, it will be Ronel who will bring us both back to the hotel where I am currently staying.” Mariel was smiling as usual and Rey nodded without any protest.

Mariel even invited Ronel to get inside the hotel room she booked and offered him a free coffee at the hotel, to which he agreed.

As they were sipping their cups of coffee already, Ronel remembered what Mariel had said while they were still in the Italian Restaurant.

“Mariel, what was that thing that you wanted to tell me?”

“Oh, good thing you remembered. Ronel, we have a big favor to ask of you. It is about that man that Aloida introduced to us as her boss,” Mariel replied, in a placid manner, but Ronel’s eyebrows suddenly curved up.

“Are you interested in him, Mariel?” Ronel asked with a furrowed forehead this time. His jealousy was obvious.

Mariel suppressed a smile before shaking her head. “Of course not.”

Ronel smiled this time. “Good!”

“You said his face seemed to be familiar to you, right?” It was Aloida who butted in this time.

“Yes. Why?”

“His face seemed familiar because he looked like Alexus. Remember Alexus, Aloida’s great, great love?” Mariel said, which made Aloida’s face grew red instantly.

As if a sudden mystery had been unlocked, Ronel flicked his fingers in the air. “Gotcha, now I can remember why he looked familiar to me.”

“Ronel, help us investigate if he is Alexus and is just portraying himself as Lexandro Montaro. Aloida could sense that he is Alexus,” Mariel followed through with what she had said a while ago.

Ronel looked at Aloida and then Mariel with a puzzled look. "Hmm, that would be a good project. Consider it done then," he then stated after a while.