Chapter 4 “Damage has been done, there’s no reset button”

>>> To: daddy

Boss the hotel is finally opening next week, be with me…

A week passed, I had more burdens and work as the hotel's opening is approaching. Then another week went by…

"We're releasing the Ad on TV today and the billboard has been set yesterday. The invitations for the VIPs were sent a week ago and all of them have confirmed to come" my secretary reported

"Make sure that all the employees will be at the launching tomorrow"

"Yes miss"

*knock *knock

"Yes!"

"Mr. Mendez…"

"Miss Ivy, I am here to show you the ad before we air it on TV… here's the USB"

I opened the file and played the ad on my laptop

"The elements of the ad were smoothly done, I like it… you've brought good contribution to my company Mr. Mendez, thank you"

Well I couldn't deny that he's a good employee of my company. Even though my hate is still here, he's an asset of this company.

"Pleasure to be working under you Miss Ivy."

I don't know if he meant it, but who cares…

"You may leave"

I went home early today to get ready for our opening tomorrow.

"Miss Ivy…"

"Lady Min…"

"You're finally opening the hotel tomorrow are you happy?"

"well… I am…" I smiled and took a sip of my wine

"you are?"

I couldn't answer her

"You're already 29, how about looking for a boyfriend? Maybe a guy will bring you happiness…"

"I'm too preoccupied with work I don't have time… besides all Filipino Chinese bachelors are off the market" I jokingly said

"Hahahaha!! Silly girl…"

"Lady Min I'll head upstairs"

"Sleep well miss…" she tapped my back and I smiled back at her

Miraculously I slept well last night.

"Ivy!!"

"Loren…"

"I'm with the stylist we met each other outside."

"Miss Ivy!! Congratulations on your new accomplishment! No one can really beat you in running a business"

"Thank you, anyway please come to the opening of the hotel later I reserved a room for you there…"

"Oooohhhh!! That would be pretty, shall we begin dolling you up?"

"Oh… please do my friend first…"

"Sure… Miss Loren? Dear come here…"

I sat beside Loren and watch her getting dolled up…

"Ivy! Will he be there too?"

"Who?"

"Yuan"

"Yeah… he's the MD after all…"

"Does he know what really happened 5 years ago?"

"No…"

We became silent for a while until I got my make-up done

"Miss Ivy please get yourself dressed"

I'm wearing a turtlenech emerald, backless fitting gown, designed with golden beads formed into a dragon at the lower part.

"Dear, you look so perfect!! The dragon shows how strong you are as a person your night will be perfect!!"

"Ivy you really look stunning!"

"So as you, Loren..."

After preparing and got dressed we went to the Hotel and there was a red-carpet-walk prepared. I walked alone and I can feel the hot stares of the people that were there, colleagues and competitors and business partners. In just a moment we had the ribbon cutting and the program began.

"Miss Ivy it's time for your speech"

"okay…"

I stood up on the center of the stage and held a mic

"Good evening our beloved guests!! I am very pleased to see you here in the launching of our new Hotel… The Lotus group of companies have wide business venture, from malls, commercial buildings, and resorts, but this is our first in the 50 years history of our still growing company to build a 60 floored Hotel."

I paused and smiled bitterly and continued…

"This project has been a dream of my dad, to build a hotel with full amenities and I am very happy to have finally accomplished what my father dreamt off, but this is not the end of our journey, please look out for more project we will be launching in the future. Please enjoy yourselves for the rest of the night, I welcome everyone to Lotus Hotel! Thank you!"

After I ended my speech I talked to some important guests such as investors and business partners. After I've seen everyone I went to the rooftop with a bottle of wine in hand. I stood there looking at the city lights and thought of several things.

"Daddy!! Cheers for the success of our project!!"

Yuan Mendez's POV

The staffs were busy perfecting the event just as Miss Yin's orders. I've been standing with the organizers to ensure that everything's going to be fine.

"Sir Yuan the guests have already arrived."

"Okay, how about Miss Ivy?"

"She hasn't yet…"

"okay we still have 15 minutes to go anyway, she'll never be late on her own event, right?"

"She's never late" miss Clair said appearing out of nowhere

"Did you come with her?"

"Yes, she's making her grand entrance" she gestured to look at the one who's walking down the red carpet

When I looked at her, she was so stunning and she had a different glow that out shone anyone from the crowd. When she's at the office she hardly wears a thick make up maybe just a lipstick? Today when she dolled up, she's completely a different person, it's like watching an enchantress walking towards her kingdom. Deep inside me when I thought of what I did to her 5 years ago I felt guilty for hurting this person and I feel ashamed for judging her. Never thought I'd be the one who seemed opportunistic. I really felt ashamed. At this moment I regret hurting her 5 years ago. I hope she'll accept my apology.

Miss Yin finally cut the ribbon and later she gave her speech…

"Good evening our beloved guests!! I am very pleased to see you here in the launching of our new Hotel… The Lotus group of companies have wide business venture, from malls, commercial buildings, and resorts, but this is our first in the 50 years history of our still growing company to build a 60 floored Hotel."

Oh?! She smiled… ahhhh… her smile is so beautiful… but her eyes are different, her eyes were rather sad…

"This project has been a dream of my dad…."

This was her dad's dream? has it been 10 years then? Since he's in a coma? It's all I know. Has he woken up yet? It must have been hard for her…

"Mr. Mendez?" someone called from behind

"Yes? And you are?"

"Loren, Loren Dy, Ivy's best friend…"

"Ahhh I see"

"We were batchmates… We graduated from the same college…"

"Ahhh really?! nice to meet you…"

"I can't possibly say the same…"

"Pardon?" I said

"Can we talk privately?" she requested

So, we went outside the banquet and talked somewhere quiet

"So, I'm curious as to why you applied in her company? after what happened 5 years ago…"

"You know what happened between us 5 years ago?" I asked

"Yeah you dumped her and stole her very first kiss! I thought you'll be nice to her but I was completely wrong, she liked you for 6 years for goodness sake!! I don't know how on earth she kept up!! Only to have her heart broken all at once. What a jerk of a man you are!!"

"Wait… Miss I think you've gone overboard"

"I'm not!! I'm going to tell you this just off the record. Do you know what really happened to her that night? After you left her in the rain?"

"What do you mean?"

"It was the night her father died."

"What?! But I thought her father is still in a coma up until now…"

"She stood in the rain for a few more hours because she was trembling in fear and shocked from what you did! You forced a kiss, you threw money at her face like she's some pick-up girls, yelled at her!!! Who on Earth won't be scared after what happened?!?"

"I already asked for forgiveness but she didn't accept."

"Of course, she wouldn't…"

"What do you mean she wouldn't?"

"On the same night she got a call from the hospital asking her to come because her father was on code blue. She drove while raining hard. She was dizzy when she was driving to the hospital, maybe she had a fever for standing too long out in the rain, then she probably lost consciousness. She hit a 10 wheeler truck head-on on the opposite side of the road, her car spun a few times, she was fighting death when she was rushed into the hospital. On the same hospital she was rushed into, her father was also fighting for his own life. What we thought on that night was that we'll lose them both. But miraculously her flat line had a beat after 10 minutes of revival, but her father didn't make it. We thought that Mr. Lee must've saved Ivy from death and went to the after-life instead of his daughter, they must've have met in the middle while fighting for their own lives."

"But the news says she had an accident but it wasn't that of a big deal and there was never a news about her father's death!"

"It was a news block out. Ivy couldn't wake up and was in a coma for a month, the legal department of the company thought that it may affect the shareholders, investors, and the business partners if they'll announce what really happened. What they did was, they told those people she was on leave to rest because of her injuries. But soon it was found out by the media. As for the death of her father, Mr. Lee was buried immediately with only few trusted people to send him off, everyone was kept a blind eye. After a month of waiting, there was still no sign of her waking up and we're running out of time, so we decided to bring her to South Korea and there she spent another month until one day she woke up and learned about her father's death, she was shattered into pieces and attempted to take her own life, it was hard watching her broke down into pieces. She came to her father's grave 3 months after he was buried, she couldn't see his final moments, she couldn't come earlier because she had difficulty in speaking and walking so, she has to stay longer to recuperate. She was a total wreck from inside and out. From that day she blamed herself and from that day she seemed like a different person."

I was shocked by what Loren told me. If only I knew that would happen to her, I shouldn't have let my anger reached her, I should've come early, I shouldn't have hurt her… It was my fault. That's why she was that mad when she saw me and that's why she couldn't forgive me… What have I done?

"When she got back on track, no one could stop her, she spent her days and night without rest, working hard for the company her dad left her. She became successful but her personality changed. As she got fixed and started her race to success, she became colder to people around her, she cared less. Her smile was the same but her eyes were full of sadness and hate, yeah! she hated you, she said if only you came earlier and didn't treat her that way, she could have seen her dad on his last moments. Can I stop her from hating you?!? No because I think it was just right!!!"

"I didn't know she went through those horrible things I really want to apologize. I'll do anything so she could forgive me…"

"I don't know if she'll ever…"

I saw Miss Yin went out of the function hall and entered the elevator, I want to go to her to apologize over and over…

I ran to catch the elevator but I couldn't make it. I rode the other elevator and pressed all the button because I don't know which floor she went.

I reached the last floor but she's not here, wait I haven't checked the helipad…

"Rooftop!!"

I climbed to the rooftop and there I saw her standing with a bottle of wine in her hands. I stared at her from a far as she drank directly from the bottle of wine. It's so unlike her…

"Daddy!! Cheers for the success of our project!!"

She raised the bottle.

"aghhhh!!! I should've have been there with you daddy!!" she was shouting and clearly she still feels the pain she had 5 years ago…

But suddenly…

"Dad!! I'm coming with you!!!" she took her heels off and started walking towards the open space…

I ran at full speed to stop her I was able to grab her arm.

"Yin!!" I was so shocked that I just called her by her name…

"Don't call me that name!! you have no rights to call me that name!! Only daddy can call me on that name!!!" she was crying, furious, and hysterical…

"M-miss Ivy… You shouldn't kill yourself!!!"

"Right… I shouldn't… no, I couldn't die for the second time… there's nothing left anymore to kill…" she knelt on the ground and cried more…

"In the first place I should have just died right there at that time… I should've have come with my father…" she crawled towards the open space again

I hugged her to stop her from doing so, she pushed me away while crying and shouting for her father, I should've have come earlier that day, I shouldn't have hurt her… I am very sorry towards this woman I'm holding…

"Let go of me!!" I lost my grip

She stood up and so I did

"I hated myself… I hate myself!! Because of you!!!"

I looked at her

"I'm too afraid to drive every time it rains, even when I'm just riding it feels like a torture for me, it was like taking myself back 5 years ago!!"

So that's why when it rained, she just waited for it to stop even it took her hours.

"I couldn't sleep well at night without getting drunk or taking some pills, because I always dreamt of what happened that night!! It keeps on replaying like a broken movie in my memory!!!" she continued

She went through a lot, I deserve her hate, I'll gladly accept it…

"Everyone's going around saying I've changed and I turned away from the world… How can I not change? When I have to run a whole company?! I need to change so I won't disappoint my father again… how can I not change when I have to face my enemies head on?! How can I not turn away from the world when it was the world which turned away from me in the first place?!?! Taking my only family in this world it's so unfair!!���

"Ivy… I'm really sorry" it's all I could mutter I know it will never be enough

"Sorry?! It's 5 years late!! And you know what I hate the most? That is when people are late for something…"

She stopped and laughed absurdly as her tears continuously roll down her cheeks

"hahahaha!! Right!! I must hate myself then… I couldn't come to my father right on time, I was 3 months late!!! I haven't seen him leave!! I haven't held his hands!! I haven't whispered to his ears how much I love him!!! He might have hated me for being away… I was his only family but I wasn't there… I'm a horrible daughter!!"

Her pain can't be compared to what I was feeling when my ex ran off with the money I hardly earned. If only I had been gentle towards her. She's probably a whole lot better than she is now. Only if she made it to her father that night…

"Dumping me would be totally fine!!! You could have just told me I wasn't your type at all!! I would just stop then, right there!!! But you forced a kiss!! You humiliated me and looked at me like a trash!! Your hurtful words resound in my ears… I felt small… I was too shocked to move!!! You're not a human… If you were!! you shouldn't have treated a girl that way…"

I knelt down to show that I sincerely regret what I have done that day.

"Kneeling won't bring back what I've lost… I regret liking someone so despicable. I couldn't even forgive myself… so how could I possibly forgive you?"

She hated herself… that's how much pain and hate she has… she walked away from me and I was left there regretting what I have done to such a fragile woman.

Yin Ivy Lee's POV

I remember everything. I guess he'll hand me his resignation after knowing what really happened.

He'll probably tell me it's my fault because I called him that day. He'll probably tell me that I shouldn't be blaming him for my pain… Well, I'm not hundred percent blaming him for all the pain I have, he's just a part of the reason why I hate myself and for the pain I feel for having regrets in life.

*knock *knock

"Come in!"

"Miss Ivy…"

He's finally here to give his resignation letter…

"These are the report regarding the new investors for the company"

He's here to give his final work? So, where's the resignation letter?

Oh?! he's leaving?

"Wait!"

"Yes miss?"

"Is this all you're going to give me?"

"Do you want anything else?"

"ummm y-you're not going to--"

"Resign?" he cuts me off

I stared at him…

"Miss Ivy, can I speak to you honestly?"

I was just looking at him…

"After knowing the reason why, you hate me, I felt responsible and sorry I know, for you, it's too late, but I want to believe that you'll be able to forgive me someday. I want to pay for all the mistakes I've done, I want to compensate for the hurt and pain I've caused you, I'll keep on working for you until the time that you'll be able to fix yourself, I want to see you the way you are before everything happened, please let me help you."

I was taken aback by what he said. He wanted to help me… To fix myself and heal the pain I'm feeling… How will he help me when I, myself don't know how to do that?

After saying those words, he left my office.

I couldn't think of anything else aside from what he told me.

"See me the way I was before…"

What kind of person was I before? I can't remember now.

"Miss Ivy…"

I turned my chair around

"I was knocking but you didn't answer so I entered"

"What do you want?"

"It's already 11 pm are you not leaving the office yet?"

I crossed my arms

"Mr. Mendez, for your information I'm used to sleeping in the office for quite some time now, so if you want to go home, just go! Besides your working hour has already ended, even if you stay in the office you won't receive an overtime pay"

"Miss Ivy, I don't care about the overtime pay, what I'm worried is you're staying in the office alone."

"I've been alone for the past five years while working in this office, it's not a part of your concern, besides I have work to do, so will you please just go home?!"

"If you won't go home then I'll just stay here…"

He sat on the couch

"Why on Earth are you doing this?!?"

"Because I want you to feel the sincerity of my apology"

"ha!! As if!!"

"I'll just sit here"

"agh! Do whatever you like!!!"

I read all the financial statement and reviewed the recent expenses of the company.

I felt tired, I need to freshen up. I went to the bathroom inside my office to wash my face but there's no water coming out…

I went outside to use the public bathroom. But when I opened the faucet the handle was broken and the water began to spurt…

"Oh damn!! What should I do?"

I was trying to prevent the water from splashing more. I saw a mop on the side…

"Maybe it can help…"

"Agh!!!" damn the floor was slippery!!

"Ahhh…" I tried to stand but my right ankle hurts…

"Aissshh!! Tsk!!!" the water kept on splashing I'm really wet!!!

"Miss Ivy!!"

Oh right! Yuan fell asleep on the couch... I forgot there's someone else on the office

"Are you alright??"

"Can't you see I can't stand!!"

He's also getting wet…

"Try to stop the water first" I said

He was looking for the water switch…

I was trying to stand, but I couldn't, my ankle hurts so bad…

"Wait… I'll carry you…" he said as soon as he turned off the water

"N-no I'm fine…"

"You're not…"

"I said I'm fine!!" I said as I shrug off his hands, I tried to stand again by holding on the sink, but my grip slipped and fell again…

"Ivy!! See!! I told you I'll help you!!" he shouted at me

I stared at him and raised my left brow

"I-I'm sorry… I'll carry you Miss Ivy…"

"Fine…��

He carried me back to my office.

"Agh!!" my ankle really hurts

"I'll call the plumber tomorrow miss… here's the towel from your bathroom"

I took the towel and dried myself up. He also got wet from helping me…

"There's another towel on the drawer on the right side of the bathroom, take it and dry yourself…"

My hair is dry, but my clothes are wet. My ankle hurts more and it's swelling and became red. I want to go to the hospital but I can't drive…

"Miss Ivy your ankle is swelling a lot let's go to the hospital?"

"Can you drive me to the nearest one?" I could no longer bear the pain to the point I could feel it all over my body…

"I'll carry you at my back, hold on…"

He carried me on his back to my car…

"These are the car keys…" I'm crouching in pain…

"Endure the pain for a while…"

He drove to the nearest hospital and acted as my guardian. I was quite relieved there was someone who took me to the hospital it would have been bad if someone wasn't with me at the office, I would have endured the pain until morning.

"Miss Ivy the doctor said this cast will be there for a month, you have to rest your leg for that duration…"

"A month?!?"

"Yes…"

"Tsk!! Argghh!! so annoying!! Anyway, I can be discharged now, right?"

"You'll be discharged tomorrow according to the doctor"

"So annoying!!!"

"Anyway, you can go home…"

"I'll stay with you. You might need something…"

"I'm fine…"

"I'll stay…" he said as he sat comfortably at the couch…

"Mr. Mendez!!"

"Just call me Yuan… anyway we're of the same age… can I just call you Ivy?"

"Excuse me?!! I'm your boss, if you forgot!!"

"We're outside the office… let's not be too formal, can we treat each other as friends outside the office?"

"we're not friends to begin with…"

"Fine I won't push you to treat me as a friend… but, just call me Yuan, Mr. Mendez is too formal I don't like it that much…"

"You're annoying just go home…"

"I'll stay here…"

"ugh!!" I turned around so that I couldn't see his face…

"Miss Ivy…" I hear someone talking subtly

"Miss Ivy…"

I opened my eyes I didn't notice I fell asleep…

"Did you sleep well?"

I slept very well I feel refreshed…

"What time is it?"

"It's 11 am"

"What?! I was asleep for 10 hours?"

He nodded…

"Anyway, your release papers are done you can go home…"

"Call my driver so he can pick me up…"

"I'll just send you home…"

"Just call my driver…"

"I insist…"

"I said call my driver!!"

"Fine…"

He called my driver

"So?" I asked

"I'm afraid I'll be the one sending you home, your driver went to his province because his wife is sick…"

"Just grab me a taxi…"

"I'll just send you home, besides we brought your car to the hospital…"

"Fine…" I rolled my eyes

He insisted on driving me home…