18. Father

Unfortunately, as I expected, I couldn't let Arik pursue what he wanted because I had to go and pick up Ariah. Thankfully, he understood even though I gave a different reason.

"So, you were making out in the conference room after your conference meeting?!" Kim harshly said to me, seeming excited about what she discovered.

I wanted to deny it, but Aurora didn't give me a chance.

"Girl! You won't believe what I saw!" She stopped and glanced back at me.

"They were being so promiscuous! They were on top of the table and barely had any clothes on! It was like watching a live show! They were like animals, desperately hungry for each other!"

"That's an exaggeration," I quickly commented. "It wasn't like that."

"What exaggeration? If I hadn't caught you, something surely would have happened. My God! That conference room is now dirty and disgusting!" She continued, so I slapped her arm.

After I fed and put Ariah to sleep, the two of them arrived, claiming they missed me. Maybe they missed teasing me.

As I suspected, Aurora immediately started telling Kim the whole story. It seemed like she added extra details just to support her claims.

"Are you two a thing now? Have you told him about Ariah?" Kim asked in the middle of our conversation about Aomori Resort.

I shook my head and took a sip of my wine. "Not yet..."

"Not yet what? Are you not a couple yet or you haven't told him?" Aurora asked.

"Both."

"But what's your status? Why is there already some making out happening?" Kim asked again.

My cheeks grew warm. "We're... dating."

"Just dating?" Aurora exclaimed.

"What do you want? Should they immediately make another Ariah? There hasn't been any formality yet. Everything has been too fast," Kim said neutrally, and I nodded in agreement.

"He told me to trust him this time. He said he and Isabella were never really together," I replied, recalling what Arik had said.

"Is that true? What about you? What do you feel for Arik? Do you like him? Tell me, did you have feelings for him before you left the country?" Aurora insisted once again, sounding very sure of herself.

That was a question I couldn't answer. It's true that everything has happened too quickly. It's all been so fast that I can't even comprehend it.

I was also asking myself the same question—do I have feelings for him before I even migrated to Spain? I don't even know.

Right now, all I want is for everything to be okay. Even if it's not happiness, as long as my daughter is in a good place and I can give her everything, I will do it.

Even if I have to ask her father to take us back. To take me back. Or even if it's just for Ariah to know him. Just to have him in her life.

"I don't know. What matters the most is... I want them to meet each other someday. Ariah knows him. I want Arik to know his daughter, too."

The next day, I said goodbye to Ariah, letting her know that she would be staying with her grandmother and grandfather for one or two weeks.

I had to stay at Aomori Resort for the upcoming bidding and the after-party that would follow. As much as I wanted to take her with me, it wasn't possible. She had to go to school, and I wouldn't be able to give her much attention due to my work.

"Mommy will make it up to you, okay? You understand mommy's work, right, dear?" I gently asked her while brushing her hair.

I smiled when I saw her doing the same to her doll.

"Yes, mommy. I will wait for you," she replied, briefly glancing up at me. "But who will be with you? Uncle Oliver said he won't be able to accompany you. Will you be okay there?"

Sometimes I forget that she's only turning six years old this year because of her questions. She's too mature for her age. I don't know if it's because of the way I raised her or something else.

"Aunt Aurora will be there with me, my dear. Some business partners and friends from work will also be there. I'll be fine, don't worry," I reassured her, finishing brushing her hair.

Her ginger curly hair swayed as she turned to face me.

"Mr. Rioflorida will be there with you too?"

Her question caught me off guard. How did she know about that?

"H-huh? Uh... Yes, my dear. He's one of my investors, so he needs to be there. His family used to own Aomori Resort, and he wants to take it back," I admitted to her. There was no need to lie. I didn't lie to her.

Ariah's eyes lit up with excitement. She let go of her doll and grabbed her unicorn teddy bear, then moved closer to me.

"Will I get to meet him someday, mommy?" Her voice was filled with excitement.

I couldn't answer immediately because I didn't know what to say. I didn't want to give her false hope. She understood our situation because I had told her some things about Arik before.

And I knew she was even more eager to meet her father now that she had seen him before. That encounter between him and her...

"Do you want to?" I asked her.

"Yes... But if it's not the right time yet, that's okay. I'll wait, mommy."

I smiled. I could feel my heart warming up. I hugged her tightly and kissed her head affectionately.

"Soon, my dear. Soon."

***

"The resort looks amazing with its new makeover. Madame Harper and Senior Henry really took care of everything. It looks completely different now," Aurora commented as we arrived in the lobby of Aomori Hotel.

"Yeah. Knowing Mom, she's very particular. She doesn't settle for anything less. Whoever gets it again will be lucky."

"Arik will take it back, right? How much is the maximum bidding price?"

We both sat down there, observing the few staff members bustling back and forth in front of us.

There were no tourists around as the entire resort was officially closed to the public. Only those interested in the resort were present, including Arik, who hadn't arrived yet.

"60 million dollars."

"Damn! That's a huge amount of money!" Aurora hissed. I nodded.

"They saved the whole resort. They didn't want it to become just a money-making venture because they didn't like it being under someone else's name. They wanted it to be truly theirs, the one they built and owned, so they decided to sell it." I explained to Aurora. Only a few people knew the real reason behind it.

Everyone believed that the Fuentebellas needed a large sum of money for the new tower under construction that was named after me.

They didn't know that the Fuentebellas didn't need more money. They could create their own money. They were old. They were rich. They were the Fuentebellas.

"But can they match the Yuchengcos? Armando Yuchengco is also interested, right? I heard it's for Isabella," she mentioned.

I felt a pang in my heart upon hearing that. I stared into nothingness. "Why? Is it an inheritance?"

"I'm not sure, but it seems like it."

While for me, he didn't give anything willingly and there had to be something in return.

"Anyway, I'm sure Arik, your baby daddy, will spend all his money just to reclaim this resort. This is his mom's first property," Aurora nudged me. "Where is he, by the way? Didn't you come together?"

"He didn't say why, but he said he'll be running late. I didn't ask further."

Right after I said that, everyone's eyes focused on the man who had just entered the hotel's entrance. Even I gasped at his appearance.

He was wearing his wayfarers. He had on black fitted pants and a white t-shirt. The dog tag around his neck danced as he walked in our direction with a bunch of flowers in his arm.

He even had a cup of coffee. The denim jacket hanging off his shoulder added to his irresistible sex appeal.

"Damn, girl. Your baby daddy looks so fucking hot. Anyone would want to have a baby with a man like that. Now I understand Isabella for being so delusional," Aurora commented from the side.

I didn't even notice because my gaze was fixed on Arik. My mouth dropped open as he removed his sunglasses and leaned down to reach my neck, planting a kiss on it.

"I'm sorry I'm late. Fucking traffic." He uttered. That curse of him will be the death of me.

"Did you arrive late because of this?" I asked him as he handed me a bunch of white tulips.

"Not really. I tried to convince Dad to come with me, but he refused. It would have been nice for you two to meet. Have you been waiting long?" He said, then turned to Aurora. "Hi, you must be Celeste's friend? I'm Arik."

"Idiot! We already know each other, right? From the meeting before? I'm with Oliver Fuentebella," Aurora quickly responded and accepted the coffee Arik offered.

"Ah, you're the girlfriend he introduced?" Arik asked.

I quickly shifted my gaze to Aurora. "You're Oliver's girlfriend?"

She gave a sassy smile. "Didn't I tell you?"

"Bitch, no! How?!" I exclaimed and playfully punched her arm.

I could hear Arik's hearty laughter next to me as I felt his arm wrap around my waist. He's too touchy... and I liked it.

"I missed you..." Arik whispered to me in the middle of Aurora's storytelling about her flirtation with my brother.

I pinched his arm and ignored him.

In that position, a few people entered, and in an instant, that area of the lobby became crowded. When I lifted my gaze, it met Isabella's. She was with her mom and dad, of course.

When she saw Arik next to me, her expression suddenly changed.

"Look who's here. The daughter of the owner of this resort. Are you the representative of your adopted parents, Celeste?" Isabella immediately asked, as if that was her way of greeting me.

"You mean my parents? Yes. They couldn't attend because they were busy overseeing the renovation of the entire resort. They needed to rest," I replied, completely ignoring her insult.

"And you're here too, Arik hijo. Is your dad with you?" Victoria Yuchengco greeted Arik and even gave him a kiss.

"He's here because he's one of the bidders like us, Mom," Isabella said and glanced at Arik before exchanging cheek kisses with him.

I stood there, observing them with my arms crossed.

"Nice to see you again, Mrs. Yuchengco. Dad isn't with me, but he sent his regards to Celeste and the Fuentebellas. I'm also here because I wanted to accompany Celeste to the entire event," Arik explained as if it was a normal thing for him.

Isabella's expression hardened, and she even rolled her eyes.

"I see. Good for you then."

"So, let's wait and see who will be the next owner of the resort. If it weren't for my daughter Isabella's strong desire for this resort as her first property, I wouldn't have shown much interest. I would have preferred to give her something new," Armando Yuchengco made his remarks and glanced at me.

"Isabella really likes Aomori Resort, Celeste—"

"Ms. Fuentebella," I firmly corrected him.

He seemed surprised by that, so I intensified my expression.

"Right, Ms. Fuentebella. My daughter Isabella really likes this resort, so I'm still hoping you'd reconsider our deal. The Precepta Group would also benefit from it if you think about it," he continued and even chuckled slightly to lighten the atmosphere.

I tightened my grip on the flowers I was holding. Something painful tugged at my heart, but I mCelesteged to keep it hidden in the darkness. I didn't want to feel anything when it came to them, especially him.

"Like my decision during dinner, Mr. Yuchengco, I don't settle for any outside deals with anyone here. Whoever wins tonight will be the rightful owner of the resort."

"Why, hija? Is it because you're having a romantic affair with Mr. Rioflorida here, which is why you can't even consider my offer?" I didn't know why, but his question felt filled with insults.

My heart grew heavier. I could feel Arik squeezing my waist, so I looked at him. His jaw was clenched, and so was his fist, which made me suddenly afraid.

It was accompanied by the insulting laughter of his wife and their daughter, the usurper.

Before Arik could speak and things escalated further, I intervened. I looked directly into Armando Yuchengco's eyes, allowing him to see the disgust I had for him as a person. The pain passed through his eyes, causing him to quickly avert his gaze.

Can't look me straight in the eye, Dad?

"Just to inform you, Mr. Yuchengco, as I've said, whoever wins tonight will be the rightful owner of the resort. Now, if you can outbid Florida INC when it comes to money and successfully acquire the resort, then it will be all yours. Furthermore, there are many other prominent names interested in this, not just you, and certainly not just the Riofloridas. My personal relationship with Arik should not be included in this because, first of all, we have had a connection for a long time." My anger was almost overwhelming as I stared at the three of them.

"Now, will you please excuse me? I'm too busy to argue with your entire family." I emphasized the word "family" and dismissed them from the scene.

Fucking poor mindset. Fucking toxic family. Maybe he deserves it. Maybe his illness deserves him.