ONE - Part 1

Exelle

"Hey, it's not that difficult to say, 'thank you, my dear friend.' Can't you see how grateful you should be to have me here, helping you out?" I playfully teased Samara, who was on the other end of the phone call, requesting that I design a dress for her.

I carefully added the final touch to her dress, drawing a large ribbon at the waistline, just as she had described. "Hey, Sam. My business revolves around constructing infrastructures and such, not designing dresses. Seriously? Asking me to create a dress for you? Oh well, here you go. I'll email you the pictures later since I'll be occupied with a board meeting," I spoke to her as if we were face-to-face. I could almost picture her smiling mischievously and letting out an eerie giggle.

I often wondered how I ended up with a friend like her. She seemed eccentric and wild when she was around her family and me, but she appeared composed and proper in front of others. At times like this, I couldn't help but wonder if she was just teasing me by making such requests.

Nevertheless, I wasn't offended, and her pranks didn't bother me.

"Ugh, you sissy monkey from the planet Pluto named Samara, who unfortunately happens to be my friend. Are you mocking me right now? Don't forget that I made time for you amidst my busy schedule," I pretended to be angry for a moment, throwing a small tantrum as I continued speaking to her, causing Samara to pause her laughter briefly before bursting into giggles again, as if she knew that I wasn't truly mad at her.

I let out an inward sigh and clicked my tongue.

"Today, you're being silly as always. Firstly, I'm not messing with you. Secondly, I need an outfit for the party at Jules and Jilles' place later. You know those twins, right? They have expensive taste. Haha. And thirdly, and lastly, I am not a monkey from Pluto. With my beauty, you might mistake me for an alien. Maybe it's because you haven't seen me in person for so long, so you're unaware of the new level of beauty possessed by the goddess known as Me," she exclaimed from the other end of the line, followed by laughter that contagiously made me chuckle too.

"Perhaps you should come back to the Philippines so that you can witness the beauty that I am so proud of and to prevent you from constantly critiquing my appearance. I miss you, my bestie."

I paused at her words. The truth was, I truly longed to return home, but I was apprehensive about what might happen if I did go back to the Philippines. Yet, deep down, I couldn't help but question what I was truly afraid of.

I must be quite crazy.

"Hey, bestie. Come home already. We miss you, you annoying person. You left us seven years ago and suddenly developed an allergy to the Philippines. What's that, SYA-AFPA?" She said to me again.

"Wait, what does SYA-AFPA mean?" I asked her, feeling confused.

"Well, it stands for Seven years ago-away from Philippines-allergy. Just kidding," she responded, laughing simultaneously. Her laughter had a hint of villainy to it.

"You're crazy," I jokingly replied, laughing along. Suddenly, the landline in my house rang. And if my guess was correct, it was probably my secretary. "Hey, Sammie, I'll get back to you later. I still have a meeting, right? I'll just send you the picture of the outfit. Later,

 bye-bye," I informed her before ending the call. I knew she would understand.

I swiftly picked up the telephone and answered the call.

"Miss Kim," Audrey began from the other end, my secretary, "the meeting will commence in thirty-five minutes." I nodded, even though she couldn't see me.

"Okay. I'll be there in twenty minutes. Inform the board members."

My eyes glanced at my wristwatch, checking the time. I scanned the room and let my gaze sweep across the curtains adorning the windowsill.

The weather outside was beautiful.

"Yes, Ma'am," Audrey replied robotically.

I hung up the phone and grabbed the black briefcase resting on top of my desk. Unexpectedly, something fell from the desk, likely nudged by the briefcase. It was a gleaming object. I picked it up, smiled at the fallen item, and held it in my palm, examining it closely. I maintained a smile on my lips, almost bursting into laughter. A bittersweet smile.

I placed it in my pocket and then left the room.

I drove my own car to EXiellene Royale, my very own hotel that I had built with my blood, sweat, and tears. It was the hotel and resort I had always dreamed of owning. It was the only thing I possessed and truly called mine after my heartbreak seven years ago.

As I quickly stepped out of my car, leaving it in the care of Williams, the hotel's security guard, I hurriedly made my way through the door, which automatically opened as I approached. The three other guards greeted me with warm "good mornings" and respectfully bowed their heads.

A smile spread across my face.

I had never explicitly instructed them to treat me with extra politeness whenever they saw me, but I suspected that Tita* Titania had instructed them to do so during their training days before officially becoming guards. Tita was responsible for handling applicant interviews and training newly hired employees for the hotel. However, she was only assigned here in New York.

Meanwhile, Tita Annabelle was in charge of a hotel branch in Las Vegas, while Tita Raxielle and Tito** Benji managed the exclusive EXiellene Royale resort located in San Francisco. Despite not being my actual relatives, I affectionately referred to them as Tito and Titas.

I walked past other employees who greeted me with cheerful "good mornings," which I returned with a warm smile, making my way to the conference room situated on the hotel's first floor.

As my eyes caught sight of the familiar pair of large, brown wooden doors, I also noticed Audrey standing nearby, holding a stack of folders.

I smiled at her, and she returned the gesture.

"You're just in time, Miss. Here are the papers you requested. They contain all the information regarding the ratings of EXiellene Royale in Jeju Island over the past three months since its opening. Additionally, you'll find ratings for the other branches of EX Royale here in America. Lastly, the last folder contains information about the upcoming construction project for the second branch of EX Royale in Asia," she began speaking, maintaining a smile at the end.

stack of folders.

I smiled at her, and she smiled back at me.

"You're just in time, Miss. Here are the papers you asked me to bring and give to you. They contain all the information about the ratings of EXiellene Royale in Jeju Island over the past three months since its opening. Additionally, there are also ratings for the other branches of EX Royale here in the land of America. Lastly, the last folder contains information about the upcoming construction project for the second branch of EX Royale in Asia," she began speaking while maintaining a smile at the end.

"The land of America? I actually like it, even though it sounds a bit strange," I said, squinting my eyes and forming a crescent shape while letting out a small laugh.

"Let's go, Miss," she said, placing her hand on the doorknob. "Wait." I stopped her and reached into my pocket, taking something out. I handed it to her with a smile. "Throw it away, keep it, or do whatever you want with it. Just keep it out of my sight," I said, smiling.

She peeked at what I had given her and then looked back at me, confusion evident in her eyes.

"A ring?"

I nodded and voluntarily opened the door, stepping inside and leaving her standing behind.

.........

NOTE:

*/** The terms "Tita" and "Tito" are Filipino honorifics that are commonly used to address individuals who are older than oneself or who hold a position of respect. These terms are often used as a sign of affection and familiarity, similar to how "Aunt" and "Uncle" are used in English. While they can refer to actual relatives, they are also used to show respect and close kinship with individuals who are not necessarily blood-related. It's a cultural practice in the Philippines to use these terms as a way of expressing warmth and familial connection, even if there is no direct family relationship.