The Encounter of Rafael and Kanna

Friday morning, it was a very light day, less work, less stress; Marie was serving food and drinks at the meeting room where the Marino siblings are having a meeting. Arianna, being the eldest sat in the center while the rest sat down in order of their birth.

"This garden is amazing, yet you call this a garden when in fact this is a park," said Kyoko staring at the garden.

"You know how Dad loves doing this one before," Jasmine replied

"It's really been a while since we had a cup of tea," Kyoko said

"Well, speaking of Dad, how was he?" Arianna asked

"He is awake, the wounds weren't serious," Marla answered, "He just overreacted,"

"Our old man never changed," Rafael murmured

"The same old man you cursed to die," Arianna uttered, straight right at her brother's eyes

"Onee, are we going to play another blame game again?" an fuming Rafael asked.

Arianna took a can of beer and drank from it staring at her younger brother, "No, but since you have raised this issue of blaming, who was assigned to look after dad, isn't it the five of you?"

"We lost track of him," Muro responded in a low tone, Megan glared and turned silent when suddenly a woman in her thirties entered the room.

"Hi Onee-sama!" The lady greeted to which Arianna only responded with a cold stare.

That moment, Amy also arrived and sat down with Marie, listening to the meeting.

"Who is that lady?" Marie asked.

"She is Karen, uncle Rafael's girlfriend," Amy answered, "Aunt Arianna and the rest never adored her."

"This meeting is intended for family members, why are you here?" Arianna asked.

"I am a family member, I am your brother's girlfriend," Karen replied, "And besides why is Eugene here?"

"Eugene is family," Kyoko answered "He is a brother to us and beside, her daughter and Ryoma are engaged."

"Not yet," Eugene interrupted when Gabo rushed into the meeting room, panting.

"President Marino has gone missing!" Gabo told the siblings.

That moment, the Marino siblings sat down in silence, staring blankly at each other.

"Dad is dad," Arianna uttered

"He and his escape artist tactics," Rafael murmured

Arianna glanced at Jasmine and smirked, "How about you looking for dad?" she asked her younger sister.

"Right now?" Jasmine asked.

"Yes, he is in danger," Arianna answered

"But I have a ball to attend later," Jasmine tried to reason out, giving her sister a childish attitude.

"Kyoko and Rafael can do it," Arianna responded, "Dad must be located immediately."

Despite being disappointed with the decision, Jasmine nodded heeding to her eldest sister's advice.

"Can I join?" Karen happlily inquired.

"No," Jasmine answered "The invitation was for me and the kids supposedly."

Karen unable to bear the bullying that Arianna and Jasmine were doing, walked out of the meeting room to which the sisters smirked.

"I'll bring your secretary," Kyoko told Jasmine

"Eh?" Marie cleared her throat, visibly surprised.

"Yes, you'll be coming with us because I don't know what will happen," Kyoko answered.

"Yes, you better go with them," Jasmine agreed, leaving Marie with no choice.

Later that night at a posh hotel in the suburbs, Kyoko, Amy and Marie arrived, serving as substitutes to Jasmine. Kyoko was a minimalist, opting to look like an opera queen, while dressing up Marie like she was going to an awards night.

"Ms. Kyoko, It's so embarrassing," Marie whispered

"It's your time to shine Marie, so relax and be confident," Kyoko replied when one of the tycoons approached her

"Ms. Kyoko Sugimoto, it's been a while since I've seen you, you're still beautiful and youthful as ever," the tycoon complimented Kyoko

"I'm so flattered by the compliment, you too, you look young," Kyoko replied "I regret that my sister couldn't come to this awarding, she has other errands to attend to,"

"We heard the news; we hope that she gets well very soon" the tycoon said, but suddenly everyone turned their heads to the entrance when a goddess came in, like Kyoko she was also ageless and walked towards the aisle.

"Kanna Fontierra-Almeida," Kyoko uttered

"Kyoko Marino-Sugimoto," Kanna remarked "It's nice to see you here after all these years"

"It's a good thing to know that you're still alive," Kyoko answered back

"I heard your father went missing and your sister is going after him?"

"It's family matters which you don't have any business,"

"But everyone knows how all of you strained your relationships with your father,"

"Don't you have something more to tell me than seeking vengeance against my family," Kyoko queried again

"What do you want me to tell you?" Kanna asked.

"Like your husband is impotent," Kyoko uttered

"What do you want to imply," Kanna asked again "That Jude is not the father of my daughter?"

"Why would you ask me?" Kyoko responded "Do you want me to tell them?"

Everyone felt the tension between Kyoko and Kanna, it was reminiscent of the tension that the late-Riko Marino did with either Rizz Fontierra or Sophie Leone, fortunately the host went in loosened the tension.

"Come on, let's enjoy the night, this is for everyone, rivalries are not allowed here," the host uttered, Kyoko turned her back at Kanna and went into her table.

"Aunt Kyoko, what you did was fearsome," Amy said, drinking a glass of water

"Amy, your mother is more of the devil than I am," Kyoko responded "We Marino girls are born fighters, it runs in our family so you have to live with it."

"Is that uncle Rafael walking towards us?" Amy asked and her suspicions were real, it was Rafael after all.

"Where have you been?" Kyoko curiously asked her older brother.

"Car problems" Rafael answered when Kanna passed by.

"Oh Kanna, your ex-boyfriend is here," Kyoko called in Kanna's attention, much to her brother's shock "Bro, past is past so just make peace with her"

"Kyoko" Rafael scolded his sister.

"It's been a while Rafael" Kanna greeted her ex-boyfriend.

"It's nice to see you again Kanna" Rafael answered back, then Kanna just turn her back around her former lover.

"Nothing was lost in just a greeting," Kyoko frankly told her older brother "She has never forgotten what you did to her father and husband, much as what they did to Dad and Mom."

"It was aunt Marika's fault, not them," Rafael reminded her sister

"And who conspired to have Riho kidnapped in the first place?" Kyoko answered back.

"We vowed never to raise that matter again," Rafael scolded her sister.

"Look, Kanna's wallet," Kyoko diverted Rafael's attention, and the latter picked the wallet and rushed in to follow Kanna.

Meanwhile, Marie was standing near the door waiting for Amy when all of a sudden Vanessa came and stood in front of her, holding a glass of wine.

"Well, look who's here, the province girl," Vanessa uttered, behind here was her friends all of them were kids of the richest men in the Philippines "Are you here to serve food? Oh yeah, you're here as a chaperone to the Marino kids,"

"Vanessa, I'm not here to fight," Marie softly said.

"Well, let me tell you this one, Brian is mine and you better now your place girl," Vanessa uttered, spilling a glass of wine at Marie's cocktail dress.

"You're the one who should know where your place is" Kanna intervened; spilling a glass of wine at Vanessa's face, then grabbed Marie's arms and went somewhere.

----

Kanna guided Marie into one of the lavish hotel suites with an air of quiet command. The suite was extravagant, draped in luxurious fabrics and gleaming surfaces, yet the atmosphere felt surprisingly intimate. As the soft glow from the chandelier bathed the room in a warm, golden light, Kanna made her way to a large, ornate wardrobe, her heels clicking faintly on the marble floor. She glanced over her shoulder at Marie, who stood hesitantly by the door, clearly out of place amid such opulence.

"Sit," Kanna said, her voice smooth but carrying the weight of authority. She gestured toward the plush velvet sofa that dominated the center of the room.

Marie lowered herself slowly onto the couch, her hands resting awkwardly in her lap. The silk cushions beneath her felt almost too soft, like they belonged to a world she didn't fit into. The air between them was thick with an unspoken tension, not just from the unfamiliar surroundings, but because Kanna Fontierra was not just any woman. She was a powerful figure, feared and respected, with a past entangled with Marie's boss's family. To Marie, she was a mystery, an intimidating force who had lived a life far removed from her own.

Kanna's delicate fingers danced over the dresses hanging in the wardrobe, scrutinizing each piece as if it were a work of art. "Kids these days," Kanna murmured, her tone a mixture of amusement and disapproval. "They think they own the world." She pulled a crimson gown from the wardrobe, examining it briefly before setting it aside. "I heard Vanessa harassed my daughter. Can you believe that?"

Marie shifted uneasily on the sofa. She wasn't sure how to respond. "I'm not really sure what happened, Ma'am," she said cautiously, trying to remain neutral.

Kanna waved a hand dismissively. "It doesn't matter. I expect as much from these spoiled children of nouveau riche families. They don't know how to carry themselves with dignity."

Marie wasn't sure what to say, so she remained quiet. She looked down at her own dress, the dark fabric still faintly marked by the wine that had been spilled on her earlier in the evening. She opened her mouth to speak, but Kanna, already ahead of her, turned with a sharply raised eyebrow.

"You can't go back out there looking like that," Kanna stated with finality. She pulled a sleek, midnight-blue dress from the wardrobe and crossed the room in a few graceful strides, holding the dress out to Marie. "Here, wear this."

Marie's eyes widened. The dress Kanna held was undoubtedly expensive—tailored from shimmering satin, it looked like it had been made for royalty. She hesitated, shaking her head slightly. "Ma'am, really, this dress is fine. I don't need—"

Kanna's eyes hardened, and her lips pressed into a thin line. "It has wine stains," she said flatly. "You cannot go back out there in a stained dress. Trust me."

There was no arguing with Kanna. Marie took the dress, feeling the smooth fabric between her fingers, and stood to head toward the bathroom. Her hands were trembling slightly, both from the nerves and from the sheer absurdity of this situation. As she closed the door behind her, she could still feel Kanna's presence looming in her mind—commanding, intimidating, yet oddly maternal.

In the privacy of the bathroom, Marie slipped out of her old dress and into the one Kanna had given her. The fabric hugged her frame in all the right places, its color deep and rich, contrasting with her fair skin. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, almost not recognizing the woman standing before her. The elegant gown transformed her into someone else, someone who belonged in the glittering world she was only visiting.

When she stepped out of the bathroom, Kanna's eyes immediately swept over her, taking in every detail. Her lips curved into a small, approving smile. "Beautiful," she said quietly, her voice carrying a trace of something softer, more wistful. "You remind me of someone."

Marie blinked, startled by the sudden shift in Kanna's tone. "Who?"

Kanna's gaze grew distant, her smile fading as she stared at Marie. "If my other daughter were still alive," Kanna said, her voice barely above a whisper, "she'd be just like you. Beautiful, graceful, kind… but fierce when she needed to be."

Marie's heart ached at the unexpected vulnerability in Kanna's voice. Before she could say anything, Kanna stepped forward and, to Marie's surprise, wrapped her in a gentle embrace. For a brief moment, Kanna's strong, unyielding façade fell away, replaced by the tenderness of a mother who had loved and lost.

The moment didn't last long. There was a sudden knock on the door, breaking the silence.

"Madam," Kanna's secretary said, stepping into the room with a sense of urgency. "Rafael Marino is outside. He's looking for you."

Kanna straightened, her usual composure sliding back into place. "Of course he is," she muttered, rolling her eyes slightly but with a trace of affection. "What could he want this time?"

Without waiting for an answer, she turned toward the door. "Let him in."

Rafael entered the suite with his usual quiet confidence, his tall frame and calm presence commanding the room without effort. He glanced at Kanna with an easy familiarity, his eyes briefly flicking to Marie before returning to Kanna.

"You left this at the bar," Rafael said, holding up a small leather wallet. He handed it to Kanna, his expression neutral but with the slightest hint of a smile.

Kanna took the wallet with a gracious nod. "Thank you," she replied. Then, with a glance at the tea set on the low table, she added, "Why don't you stay for a cup of tea before you go? It's been a long night."

Rafael shrugged. "Sure, I could use a break."

Kanna's attention shifted back to Marie, her tone softening again. "Marie, go tell Kyoko and the others to head out without me. I'll be staying here for a bit longer."

Marie, glad for the opportunity to leave the tension-filled room, nodded quickly. "Of course, Ma'am," she said, giving a small bow before heading toward the door. As she walked through the hallway back to the ballroom, she couldn't shake the strangeness of the entire encounter. Kanna had been both intimidating and unexpectedly kind, while Rafael—well, Rafael was still an enigma.

When she finally reached the ballroom, the familiar sounds of laughter and music greeted her, grounding her back into reality. But her thoughts were still swirling around the odd intimacy of the conversation she'd just witnessed between Kanna and Rafael. She told Kyoko that Kanna would be staying behind and left quickly, her mind buzzing with unanswered questions.

Back in the suite, Kanna poured tea for herself and Rafael, the clinking of porcelain the only sound between them for a moment.

"You're still taking care of people," Rafael remarked, his voice low but teasing. "You haven't changed."

Kanna's eyes flickered with amusement as she took a sip of her tea. "Neither have you. Still running around cleaning up after everyone."

Rafael chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "Occupational hazard."

Kanna studied him for a moment, her gaze thoughtful. "You always were too noble for your own good, Rafael. Even when we were younger, you had that annoying habit of wanting to fix everything."

"And you always had that annoying habit of thinking you didn't need help," Rafael countered, though his tone was light. He paused, then added more seriously, "She reminds you of her, doesn't she? The girl."

Kanna's expression darkened, her eyes drifting to the window as if lost in memories. "Yes," she admitted quietly. "She does."

Rafael nodded, understanding passing between them in the silence that followed. Though they rarely spoke of it, the loss of Kanna's other daughter had left a scar that neither time nor distance had healed.

For now, though, they left the past where it belonged—unspoken, but always present.

"I didn't expect this," Rafael said quietly, his voice almost a whisper. "Seeing you again, after all this time."

Kanna looked up at him, her gaze filled with a mixture of vulnerability and affection. "Neither did I," she admitted. "But here we are."

The distance between them closed slowly, each step deliberate and filled with the weight of their shared history. Rafael's hand lingered on Kanna's cheek, his thumb softly caressing her skin. The gesture was both intimate and comforting, a silent acknowledgment of their past and the emotions still present.

Kanna's breath hitched slightly as Rafael leaned in, his forehead gently resting against hers. The closeness was both electrifying and soothing, their shared warmth creating a cocoon of intimacy. Kanna closed her eyes, losing herself in the moment, feeling the familiar yet bittersweet connection rekindle.

When their lips finally met, it was a kiss that spoke of years gone by and the deep-seated feelings that had never truly faded. It was slow and tender, a melding of their past and present. Rafael's kiss was gentle but insistent, conveying a depth of emotion that words could not capture.

Kanna responded with equal tenderness, her hands moving to rest on Rafael's shoulders. The kiss deepened, their bodies drawing closer as if trying to bridge the gap of time that had separated them. There was an urgency in their embrace, a need to reconnect and feel the closeness they had once shared.

As the kiss broke, they looked into each other's eyes, their breaths mingling in the small space between them. Rafael's hands traveled to Kanna's waist, pulling her closer, while Kanna's fingers traced the lines of his jaw, feeling the strength and familiarity of his presence.

They moved towards the plush velvet sofa, their actions fluid and natural, as if guided by a rhythm they both remembered. They sank into the cushions, their bodies intertwining with a grace that belied the intensity of their feelings.

The moments that followed were filled with quiet, intimate gestures—a gentle touch here, a soft whisper there. They took their time, savoring each caress and the intimacy of their shared space. The night was a blend of tenderness and longing, with each touch and kiss a reminder of the deep connection they once had.

As the evening wore on, the world outside seemed to fade away, leaving just the two of them in their secluded sanctuary. They spoke little, letting their actions convey the emotions that words could not. In the soft glow of the room, they rediscovered a part of themselves in each other, finding solace and passion in the warmth of their reunion.

Eventually, as the night deepened, they lay together in the quiet of the suite, their bodies entwined, their breaths synchronizing in a peaceful rhythm. It was a moment of calm and contentment, a beautiful interlude in the midst of their complex lives.

In each other's arms, Kanna and Rafael found a fleeting escape from their responsibilities and the chaos of their world, a night to cherish and remember.

---

Kyoko and Amy were just sitting in front of the table, seemingly tired of the ball, though many were talking to them about business and fashion, but most of the time they were talking if Mako is interested in running for a higher position, not to mention Jiena who is eyeing for the presidency.hallelujah

"Jeez, I'm tired of answering questions that I don't know how to answer," Kyoko murmured visibly irritated by the political question

"Yeah, are they running for a higher position?" Amy asked, further irking her aunt.

"God knows, they're all complaining," Kyoko frankly answered "Now, I don't want to hear those questions against, so irritating"

"Ma'am, Sir Rafael said that we should go ahead, he is on a meeting with Kanna Almeida" Marie informed Kyoko, however the latter wasn't shock of the note but of the dress "I'm sorry, someone spilled a wine on me at the hallway"

"We know and let's go" Kyoko ordered and they left the hotel, leaving Rafael and Kanna behind.