Chapter 35 Rosebud Martinez “Shame. She didn't stay for dessert.” He chuckled softly. “Why'd you do that? Megan probably had something to discuss with you.” I glared at him, and he scoffed. “Nothing. I thought we could all hang out together.” His eyes said otherwise. He did that deliberately, but I didn't press on. “Enough of Megan. Why don't we talk about you, hmm? You don't look fine. Is everything alright?” It amazes me how Bruce could always read through me like I was a book. Even when I try to hide my emotions, he could always tell. “I'm fine.” “No, you're not… Come on, talk to me.” He propped his chin with his elbows on the table, eyes on me. I bit my lip hard. “Don't worry about it. It's nothing serious. I can handle it.” Not that he could do anything about it if I told him anyway, so what was the point? And I didn't want to look pathetic. I mean, this is about my work, so I should be able to handle it without his help. He smirked. “You know I'm not giving up jus
Chapter 34 Megan Martinez “Hello, Mr. Collins. I am calling regarding your warehouse construction. I was wondering if we can work together.” I spoke on the phone, barely confident. “Who is this?” I frowned as Mr. Collins' annoying raspy voice sounded through the phone. Seriously? We'd spoken before. I even helped him land a property once. Mr. Collins and I have worked together on a project before. I had helped him secure a property before, so it was surprising he didn't know it was me. “It's me, Megan… Megan Martinez or Meg realty.” He went silent for a moment. Like he was trying to process my words, or he still couldn't recognise me. “Mr. Collins…” “I'm already talking to a realtor about it, ms. Martinez. Thanks for reaching out. I'll let you know in the future if I need your help.” “Mr. Collins…” The call ended with a beep. He didn't wait for me to say a word. I sighed, dragging my nails through my hair. I was going to strike a deal with Bruce last time, when he
Chapter 33 Rosebud Martinez For the first time in years since my dad passed away, I felt better. Mathew had been there with me a few times, but the peace… the comfort I felt today had never been there with Mathew around me. Not for once. Heat crept up my chest as I glanced at Bruce. “Thank you for today.” He nodded and flashed a smile. “Don't mention it.” I closed my eyes, the sound of cars engines brushing over my ears as I rested on the seat. A smile touched my lips. Somehow, thinking about Bruce gave me inner peace. “Do you want to have lunch with me? You've not had lunch yet, right?” I opened my eyes and looked at him. My stomach grumbled hungrily, as if it had been waiting for him to ask. “Sure. Sounds good.” “Seafood? How about that?” “Hmm… Let's have seafood.” I nodded, looking away. Back then whenever I left my dad's grave, I would always be moody for the whole day and even the next. I could never move on no matter how hard I tried, and Mathew never tried hard en
Chapter 32Rosebud Martinez For the first time in years since my dad passed away, I felt better. Mathew had been there with me a few times, but the peace… the comfort I felt today had never been there with Mathew around me. Not for once.Heat crept up my chest as I glanced at Bruce. “Thank you for today.”He nodded and flashed a smile. “Don't mention it.”I closed my eyes, the sound of cars engines brushing over my ears as I rested on the seat. A smile touched my lips. Somehow, thinking about Bruce gave me inner peace.“Do you want to have lunch with me? You've not had lunch yet, right?”I opened my eyes and looked at him. My stomach grumbled hungrily, as if it had been waiting for him to ask. “Sure. Sounds good.”“Seafood? How about that?”“Hmm… Let's have seafood.”I nodded, looking away.Back then whenever I left my dad's grave, I would always be moody for the whole day and even the next. I could never move on no matter how hard I tried, and Mathew never tried hard enough to help
Chapter 31Bruce Hawkins A notification popped on my phone on my way to a magazine shoot.‘Rose’s dad's death anniversary’.Damn… I almost forgot.“Turn the car, Lucas.” I said to my personal assistant, and he looked at me through the rearview mirror.“Huh?”“I need to go somewhere.”“But, boss… You are late for your shoot.”“Cancel the shoot, Lucas. I have something more important to handle.”This was an important day in Rose's life. I need to be there for her, just like every other year.“Yes, boss.” Lucas muttered before reversing the car, and the ride to the cemetery began.No single year had passed ever since the passing of Mr. Martinez, that I never went to his grave. Even though in those years I couldn't go close to Rose, I always stayed around. Watching her cry her eyes out while sitting beside her father's grave, all alone.No… she wasn't alone. Though she never knew, I always kept her company. I was always around her.I could finally stay around her this year. To comfort he
Chapter 30Megan Martinez “Hello, Mr. Collins. I am calling regarding your warehouse construction. I was wondering if we can work together.”I spoke on the phone, barely confident.“Who is this?”I frowned as Mr. Collins' annoying raspy voice sounded through the phone. Seriously? We'd spoken before. I even helped him land a property once.Mr. Collins and I have worked together on a project before. I had helped him secure a property before, so it was surprising he didn't know it was me. “It's me, Megan… Megan Martinez or Meg realty.”He went silent for a moment. Like he was trying to process my words, or he still couldn't recognise me.“Mr. Collins…”“I'm already talking to a realtor about it, ms. Martinez. Thanks for reaching out. I'll let you know in the future if I need your help.” “Mr. Collins…” The call ended with a beep. He didn't wait for me to say a word.I sighed, dragging my nails through my hair.I was going to strike a deal with Bruce last time, when he messed things u