THE PAYMENT

CHAPTER 2: Meeting Again

May 27, 2016. Friday. It was Quen's 30th birthday. He did not go to his office in the IGC Headquarters that day. He just asked Louie to bring the documents he needed to sign and review, both for IGC and i Industries.

Over breakfast, his damaged car had been the topic of the family conversation.

Daddy Enrique asked, "So who bumped your car? Have you settled this concern already, son?"

He just answered, "Everything is settled already, Dad. The restaurant manager had acted on my complaint immediately and the culprit had already been pinpointed. I already had an agreement with the driver."

Lola Elinia said, "Myrrh's employees are really known for their efficiency and reliability. Myrrh only aims the best service for her customers."

He curiously asked, "How did you know her, Lola?"

"Antonia, her grandmother, is my best friend. When she died four years ago, Myrrh decided to stay for good and establish her own restaurant on that vacant parcel of land she inherited from Antonia. She's Augusto Javier's daughter by Antonia's only daughter, Helena Roces, who is my goddaughter. Myrrh is a very sweet and hardworking young lady. After the restaurant, she had the Antonia's Inn built, and then Antonia's Events Place along with her events planning and catering services. She was just twenty-one years old, when she started establishing her own business here at Davou."

Mommy Letizia added, "The constructions of her second restaurant and second inn at Nogut City are already ongoing. She was faced with a very tough situation just a few months ago – juggling the managing of all her business endeavors, looking after her sick mother, and finishing up her MBA. I really wonder how she did everything without getting sick. She always seems to be full of energy."

He asked further, "How about her relationship with his father?"

His grandmother answered, "She grew up with Helena at Missi. Myrrh just visited Antonia and meet up with Augusto during Christmas Break and school break."

His mother added, "Amalia detests Myrrh's very existence because Myrrh is the living proof of her husband's infidelity."

His grandfather commented, "You seem to be interested with her. Have you met her already? She isn't just sweet and hardworking. She's also very pretty and intelligent, hijo."

"Yes, we met already. I just did not know much about her so I asked. When I left for my sabbatical leave five years ago, Antonia's Restaurant is still nonexistent. I also didn't know that Don Augusto has a daughter by Helena Roces," he expounded not letting his folks know that he was indeed very interested with Myrrh.

His grandmother narrated, "Well, Helena went to Missi after giving birth to Myrrh and then had her luck in showbiz. But three months ago while on the set of a soap opera, she had a heart attack so Myrrh had to bring her mother home here and look after her well-being. Helena just had another heart attack last Wednesday, hijo."

Louie just arrived at Ibañez Mansion almost at the same time the staff of Antonia's Events Planning and Catering Services arrived. Louie had brought all the documents that Quen requested, along with the file forwarded by Silas containing more information about Reina Myrrh Javier.

Although Quen had his own bachelor's pad, he opted to come home to Ibañez Mansion the previous night upon the request of his grandparents and parents.

The staff of the events planning and catering services had started setting up at the vast grand hall of the mansion as well as the spacious garden at 8 AM.

He used the study room in the mansion to do some work with Louie until early in the afternoon. He gave Louie last minute instructions before his efficient and very trustworthy chief-of-staff left. He then read the file containing the comprehensive background check results from his intelligence personnel.

He found at that Reina Myrrh Roces Javier was born on December 8, 1990. From preschool to high school, she studied in an expensive exclusive school for girls in Missi paid for by her father. She was accelerated several times, thus she graduated from her five-year degree in business administration and accountancy at the age of twenty. She attended review classes for CPA board exams, left for Paris to study culinary arts, went back again to take the board exam, left again to finish culinary arts, went back for good, settled in Davou, accessed the funds from his father's company provided for her since birth, and established her own restaurant. After a restaurant, came the inn, then the events place, and then the events' planning and catering services. Her multi-million business expansion was ongoing in which the construction of a new inn and a new restaurant in a big parcel of land in Nogut City was already to be finished and then the full furnishing was to follow.

On a much personal information, her grandmother Antonia Cruz had a relationship with a very rich Spanish businessman. They lived together, had Helena, and then got separated. Her grandfather married someone else in Spain and died after a year. Her grandmother Antonia, who belonged to the middle class like his grandmother Elinia, raised her mother Helena alone with the help of her folks. Her grandfather Miguel Roces had left behind some properties and large amount of money in Antonia's name.

As for her mother, Helena Roces fell in love with Augusto Javier when she was still in college, got pregnant at the age of nineteen, had a daughter by twenty and still managed to graduate from her bachelor degree in psychology. Helena moved with her daughter to Missi a few months after giving birth, landed a human resource management office job in a film and TV productions company, discovered for her acting talents, became an internationally acclaimed multi-awarded actress, the forcibly retired a few months ago due to hear attack.

After reading all other details about Reina Myrrh, he went up to his bedroom to get ready for the party.

The guests, invited for his welcome/birthday party, started to arrive at around 6 PM.

Before Quen came out of the venue at grand hall that evening, he went to the kitchen to drink a glass of water and to observe so as to relax himself. Then he suddenly saw Myrrh wearing a chef's uniform busy giving instructions to her staff at the kitchen of the mansion.

His comment caught her attention, "So you're not only the owner of Reina Myrrh Enterprises, you're also a chef." He already knew based from the comprehensive background information he received that morning that she studied and finished culinary arts in Le Cordon Bleu in Paris.

"Good evening, sir. Yes, I'm also a chef. My three sous chefs are in other events, so I need to step in," she responded.

He commented, "You're a hands-on business owner then!"

"Yes, you may put it that way, sir," she confirmed.

He asked a question, which the answer he already knew, just to pass time, “Where did you study culinary arts?”

She tried to answer while still working, “My father had sent me to study culinary arts in Le Cordon Bleu in Paris as a college graduation gift, sir.”

He asked another question, “What did you finish in college?”

Her response was, “I finish a degree in business administration and accountancy, sir.”

He had a follow up question, “May I know from what school?”

She responded, “From University of Filipinas in Vienburg, sir.”

He commented, “Then you're a brainy lady.”

She modestly said, “I'm just hardworking, sir. My father had supported my studies so I studied very hard so as not to disappoint him. It's the only way I can think of to make all his efforts not to be in vain.”   

And so the emcee had called upon his name. He said, "I think that's already my cue to come out."

"Yes indeed. Happy birthday, sir. Enjoy your party," she replied with a beautiful smile on her face. 

"Thanks," and then he went out to the grand hall already.

When all the dishes Myrrh needed to prepare were all done, she left the kitchen to one of her staff and changed to a black off-shoulder cocktail dress to play the role of maître d' at the grand hall among her food service staff.

As she performed her functions efficiently, she saw her father and his family. She saw her twin half-sisters Amaya and Aliya flirting with the Ibañez Heir as he roamed around from one table to another.

Nevertheless, the Ibañez Heir seemed not interested being very casual with any bachelorette in the party.

At one point in the party, her father approached her.

Her father thoughtfully asked, "How's your Mom? I heard she had another heart attack?"

She answered politely, "She's fine now, Dad. She still needs to stay at the hospital for a week or two for observation. Then she can go home and just continue on with her maintenance meds."

Her father secretly handed her a check, "This might help with the hospital bills."

She graciously declined it, "We can still manage, Dad. I don't want you to have problems with your wife."

But her father insisted, "I'll be upset with you if you don't accept it."

She hugged her father warmly and whispered softly, "Thanks, Dad."

At one point, her father's wife also approached her.

Doña Amalia Santiago-Javier, owner of several hotels in key cities of Davou, told her in a not so good tone, "You ask my husband again for financial help! Isn't it enough that you're getting annual dividends from the company shares?"

She politely replied with the truth, "I've never asked for help from him since I stayed here , madam."

The wife of her father even grabbed her armed and held it tightly, "You should haven't returned. You and your filthy mother should have just stayed hidden from us for the rest of your damn lives!"

Doña Amalia was still about to say something but they were approached by the birthday celebrant. She released the already reddish arm of Myrrh.

Quen had asked respectfully, "Can I excuse Miss Javier for a while, Doña Amalia?"

Doña Amalia smiled graciously and said, "Yes, by all means, Quen."

Quen had led her to the open bar then asked, "What do you want to drink?"

She politely declined, "I don't drink while at work, sir."

Quen was a force to be reckoned with, "But I insist," he told the bar tender, "Neat whiskey for me and..." he gazed at her.

She replied, "Orange juice for me."

He looked at her reddish arm, "Why do you just allow her to bully you?"

"If you'll allow me, I'd rather not talk about it, sir," she responded meekly. She could sense his genuine concern for her.

Their drinks were given by the bartender. Quen led her to the kitchen away from the prying eyes of everyone.

He asked her again, “Why do you just allow Doña Amalia to bully you? I want an honest answer."

She answered then, “I'm just an illegitimate child. I don’t like fighting with her.”

He told her, “Even if you're an illegitimate, it doesn't give her the right to bully and physically hurt you.”

He suddenly reached for her arm gently and led her to the refrigerator to get some ice cubes. He used his handkerchief, which he got from his trousers’ side pocket, in enclosing the ice cubes before applying cold compress on her reddish arm.

She was even surprised by her own reaction - Why did I just allow him to touch me and lead me near the refrigerator? What if he has evil intentions on me? But he seems to be a good man as Pippa said.

As Quen was applying cold compress on her reddish arm, he tried to have a casual conversation with him, "You don't seem to be enjoying your party, sir. Why?"     

 He replied, "How will I enjoy when most of the single ladies out there are vying to get my attention?" He further shared, "My oldies want me to settle down already. They thought that by inviting lots of single ladies, I can already find someone to settle with for the rest of my life."

She reacted, "Well, there are a lot of suitable ladies there."

In her mind – Of course any rich lady who would want more luxury in life would want to be the wife of the Ibañez Heir. You're not only rich, but you're also very good looking.

Quen’s family owned: Ibañez Navigations, the biggest shipping line to date in the country operating cargo and passenger ships all over the country and all over Asia; Ibañez Liner, the biggest tourist bus line to date operating all over the country; and Air Davou, one of the biggest airlines in the country operating on key cities of the country as well as in key cities of the world. And if she wasn't mistaken, the Ibañez Heir also personally owned i Industries.

"I have my eyes on somebody already," he told her looking directly into her eyes.

She lowered her sight. His words were making her feel uneasy. She tried very hard to be as casual as possible to him and so she responded, “Then I wish you luck, sir.”

Quen stopped applying the cold compress. He got his other handkerchief from the front pocket of his suit and dried her arm. He then said, “I hope that it will not bruise.  Doña Amalia   had forcefully held on to your arm. I wasn’t able to stop her immediately from hurting you.”

The blowing of the birthday cake had been announced by the emcee. She told him, "You're being called in again, sir. It's time to blow your cake. Don't forget to make a wish," and then she added, “Anyway, thanks for rescuing me and for icing my arm.”

He smiled and then left her by the kitchen, “You're welcome.”

The live band started playing dance music. Bachelors and bachelorettes started partying while the oldies opted to sit, hang around and chat by the seating areas at the vast garden set up by Myrrh's staff. Some of her staff went there with trays of drinks and snacks upon her instruction as she returned to the grand hall.

Myrrh was also cornered by her twin sisters, who were almost of the same age as her. 

Aliya said pushing her a bit on her shoulder, "It seems like Quen is interested in you."

She rejected the idea and made up an excuse, "He's a business client."

Amaya held her left arm firmly, "Don't you dare steal his attention just like what you did with Dad's. You don't belong to our class. Know your stature!"

She answered, "I perfectly know where I should stand. So if you would excuse me, I have to make this party running." She left her twin half-sisters and continued directing her staff with the flow of drinks and snacks.

As the party drew to an end, guests started to leave one by one. As the last guest left, Myrrh's staff started to clean up. She stayed and helped out until her staff finished cleaning and packing up.

Just when Myrrh was about to go with the last service vehicle, Quen approached her, “Excuse me, Miss Javier. I want to talk to you, discuss something with you,” and told the waiting driver. “You may already go. Don’t wait for your boss anymore. I'll just drive your boss home.”

Myrrh had affirmed it, “Yes, you may already go, Manong.” She didn't want to be in his bad side.

When the service vehicle had already left, she formally asked him, “What do you want to discuss , sir?”

He answered, “I want to tell you the mode of payment I have in mind. Please join me inside my car first. It is already raining a little.”

Myrrh felt a little nervous – What payment will he want? Will he ask for my body? Impossible! Is he some kind of a pervert? I don' think so. I still cannot pay him. The check that Dad gave me should be spent on Mom’s hospital bills. What payment mode does he have in mind then? I should be more careful in driving next time. Why did I have to bump his expensive car? You are doomed, Reina Myrrh Javier. But I must try to relax. I shouldn't let him see that I am very nervous. Is it obvious to him that I'm attracted to his charm? Why does he have to be so handsome and enigmatic? Why can I not stop my heart from beating fast whenever he is around? He must not know that I'm physically attracted to him. Get hold of yourself, Reina Myrrh. Don't make it so obvious that you're nervous.  Why am I nervous?

On the other hand Quen was thinking – Why does she still very nervous around me? Was helping her a while ago not enough for me to earn her trust? But then she allowed the last shuttle to leave and there is no other unfamiliar car here. What is she thinking? Why can I not seem to read her mind? Why cannot she feel comfortable around me? I won't bite her. But I really like her…a lot. How can I win her heart? How can I earn her trust? Will she agree on the mode of payment I have in mind? She might probably say no. But I must convince her. She must say yes to the mode of payment I have in mind even if I have to resort in blackmailing her.