by Sharon Rose
She would do everything for the sake of her family. She wouldn’t hesitate to sacrifice for them. They were her life.
She swallowed the lump in her throat when her eyes caught the figure of the receptionist who was in her designated post. She was clad in a tidy executive suit that reminded her that it’s business as usual.
She stopped for a moment just to breathe some air. Then, she approached the receptionist with a pleasant smile on her face. “Good morning, Miss!” Her voice was polite and crisp when she spoke. It didn’t reflect a bit of nervousness that she was nursing inside her. Well and good.
“Good morning, Ma’am. How may I help you?” The woman smiled graciously at her.
She cleared her throat as muscles in her stomach tightened in tension. “Uhmmm… I’m here to see Mr. Xavier Yuchengco,” she managed to pull the right words from her mouth.
“Do you have an appointment?” she retorted back in a polite manner.
“No, but… yes,” she couldn’t help but stammer. And she groaned secretly at what she did. Confidence, girl. C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-CE. She reminded herself.
She instantly redeemed her poise, pushed her chest out, and sported an assured smile. “Oh, I don’t have an appointment, but I was told that I can go to his office anytime to see him. You know, this is an important matter.” She was really trying hard to remain calm and composed even if her knees were silently shaking.
“I’m sorry, Ma’am, but you have to have an appointment before we can entertain you. Mr. Yuchengco is busy with very important matters.”
That was a red flag that she needed to overcome. She knew that.
If she was a bit hesitant a moment ago, she was more persistent now to attain her goal – and that was to talk to Xavier Yuchengco. She had spent her precious money to fly all the way to Metro Manila just to see him. She wouldn’t go without talking to the man. He was her lifeline.
She widened her smile even more, unfazed by the obstacle that the receptionist waged against her. “Oh, by the way, I’m an attorney,” she lied just to intimidate the woman. She was still a law student, but she had to do something drastic just to pursue the reason why she was here in the first place. “Atty. Katrina de Leon,” she continued. And I’m here for a very important, legal matter. I want to talk to Mr. Yuchengco. We have something to discuss about.” She raised her face as if she really meant serious, legal business. “You know, just tell your boss about me, and we won’t have any problem at all. He’s expecting me today.” She was really thankful that she didn’t falter, that she delivered her lines as smooth as she could. She would punch herself in the face if she hadn’t. She wouldn’t disappoint her family.
“May I have your name again?” the woman reluctantly asked, but it seemed as if her trick worked on her.
“Katrina. Katrina De Leon. Atty. Katrina De Leon,” she emphasized the word attorney.
“Okay, Atty. De Leon, please have a seat while I go and talk to Mr. Yuchengco.” She pointed to the black, leather-enclosed couch in the corner.
She flashed the receptionist a grateful smile. “Thank you!”
The woman turned her back on her, and she walked to the couch. The moment that her ass sank in the couch, she sighed in relief.
Whew! That was close! Thank God, and the receptionist accommodated her request. She now had the chance to get close to the man who would bail her out of her financial woes. She really hoped that things would go in her favor. She really hoped so!
She held her quivering knees with her cold hands. She followed the receptionist with her eyes. The woman slid in a corridor and disappeared from her sight.
She raked her eyes around her surroundings. All she could see was modern architecture, from the granite floor tiles, to the still granite tiled walls, to the black leatherette furniture, and to the floor to ceiling glass windows. The place was indeed impeccable and organized.
A moment ago, when she arrived in the vicinity of the tall building of Unified National Bank, she couldn’t help but be amazed. It was an imposing, modern-looking skyscraper that was made of glass and steel. It represented immense wealth and power. Just like its owner. Certainly, Xavier Yuchengco was a very powerful and rich man. And she needed him. He was the answer to her mundane, financial problem.
She waited for the receptionist to come back. Her chest was heaving with apprehension. She had nothing to do in the reception area, but to rove her eyes around where she was at.
She noticed a huge canvass that hung in the center of a tinted glass wall. It was an impressive work of art of one of the most famous painters in the world - Picasso. It took her attention, and with admiration in her eyes, she stood up, and walked closer to the magnificent painting.
She was an art lover, and she couldn’t resist adoring the splendid painting that was now in front of her. She wouldn’t miss a Picasso creation, especially when it looked authentic. That was for sure.
Chapter 8
“Come in,” Xavier answered as he heard knocks at the door. He raised his head, and he saw the door of his private office swung open. Chona, his assistant, popped in his line of vision.
“Sir, a certain Atty. Katrina De Leon is outside, and she wants to talk to you,” she informed him.
His eyebrows cocked. He tried to rake his brain for the mentioned name, but it was not familiar. “Atty. Katrina De Leon, who?” He covered the mouthpiece of the telephone as he spoke. He was talking to an important client on the other line. “Do I have an appointment with her?” he asked, quite uninterested.
“No, sir, but she was told to come here to see you. That’s what the receptionist said.”
The lines on his forehead burrowed deeper as he tried harder to remember a certain Atty. Katrina de Leon, but it really didn’t ring a bell. He didn’t know her, he was sure of that now. “I don’t know her, Chona. If she has no appointment with me, I don’t feel the need to talk to her.”
Then, he silently cringed when a thought passed in his mind. What if she was one of the girls who wanted to apply to his ad? Well, the more he had the reason not to see her. He had already terminated his ad two weeks ago, and he wasn't accepting applicants anymore. He already lost his interest on it, and he was eyeing for a new plan on how to fucking save his life from being doomed.
Xavier pressed his black, leather shoes against the soft-carpeted floor and pivoted his swivel chair, dismissing his assistant. He was about to resume his conversation over the phone when his stare landed on the one way mirror that served as a partition between his spacious office and the visitor’s receiving area. And from where he was at, he saw an unforgettable face, something that made a huge impact on him.
“Who is she?” he couldn’t help but mumble. Dang, but he felt as if he saw Venus descended to Earth and stunned his eyes. The woman was apparently very pretty with a sexy, guitar-like figure. She was sure to give J.Lo a run for her money in a body beautiful competition. And he would bet on her, of course!
He could see her fully as she was facing his direction. With keen interest, he studied her features without the woman’s knowledge. Her attention was focused on scrutinizing the Picasso painting that hung on the one way reflective glass partition of his office.
Her beauty was the kind that could make heads turn. His head actually snapped when he caught a glimpse of her. Clad in a booty-revealing skinny jeans and body-hugging baby tee, the woman looked breathtaking. He could say that she wasn’t one of the usual hot chicks who walk in his orbit. Despite looking like a sex goddess, she still maintained an aura of class and refreshing innocence. And that separated her from the rest.
His stare riveted at her oval-shaped, pretty face sans make-up. Her sleek, one-sided, flowing tresses that draped around her shoulders emphasized her high cheekbones. She had thick, but well-shaped eyebrows Ala Audrey Hepburn, almond eyes rimmed with heavy lashes, an upturned nose that was quite pointed at the end, and oh, she had full, luscious lips, too!
He had to admit that her facial features were quite smashing. It
made a great impact on him, but as facially appealing as she was, her body, too, required immediate attention. And he assessed her further. His eyes traveled down to her swan-like neck, and settled for some time at the exciting swell of her breasts.
Xavier swallowed hard as his eyes stopped at her chest. He could picture out how round and firm her sweet peaks were as they strain against the fabric of her tee. The swell of her breasts elicited a violent reaction deep within him. It was a strange feeling, but something that he was hoping to feel for the last few months now. And damn! How he missed the feeling!
Her breasts were already an aphrodisiac, but when his eyes traveled down some more and landed at the junction of her wasp waist and wide hips, the killer curves were too hot to handle. And her booty, ah... but the mound of the flesh that filled her skinny jeans was insane!
He wanted to grab her right there and then and run his hands all over her body. Just the thought of him touching her instantly put him afire. It was as if an involuntary reaction to a carnal stimulus.
She was dressed simply, but the effect that she created in his system was kinda like a hurricane. The gorgeous brunette, with dark as midnight eyes, blew him away in unimaginable proportions. His testosterone rose up to a higher level, surging in intoxicating speed that left him panting for more.
“Who the hell is she?!” he snapped, blood rushing all over him, flooding his senses with electrifying, overflowing excitement. Suddenly, he felt so alive and horny, and his body reacted just the way he wanted.
Thank God! At last, he successfully found THE ELUSIVE ONE whom he had painstakingly tried looking for in the last couple of months - the woman who would bail him out of his misery, save his goddamned future and continue his next generation. He could now execute his plans and pro-create! Well, it seemed as if his dreaded problem had come to an end. Finally!
“Oh, that’s Atty. Katrina De Leon, sir...” Chona mumbled as she took a step back.
His assistant was surprised to hear the sudden rise in his pitch. But he couldn’t blame himself. He was just so excited, and he just couldn’t hide it!
“Send her in…” he told Chona as he brushed his suit with his suddenly shaky fingers. He could feel his heartbeat gradually increasing in speed as he prepared himself for a face to face encounter with the chosen woman who would save his fucked up life.
Katrina… That was a beautiful name. He forgot about the other words that his assistant blurted. His mind only processed the word Katrina. His Katrina. He couldn’t help but smile as he pondered on the thought. He already branded her as his as early as now. Well, she would be his in due time. He would make sure of that.
He felt as if there was a burning ball of fire under his seat. And it was burning him in an uncontrollable madness.
He was talking to an important client on the phone, but he abruptly ended their conversation and rescheduled another call. Well, there was no other important matter to attend to now than Katrina. She was his future, and his only hope to live a normal life again.
He reached for his necktie and loosened it a bit. Something was going on inside him that was primitive and wild, something that he couldn’t contain. Instinctively, his hand groped at his crotch and he closed his eyes as he felt his pulsating maleness.
Oh fuck! But he had never been this hard, long and thick like this all his life until now. Thank heavens!
He heard her footsteps coming closer, and he froze in his seat, overwhelmed by brimming excitement. His manhood flexed, his blood flowed in his veins like volatile, liquid fire. And he grew even longer and thicker, much to his own amazement.
Oh my!
Chapter 9
She was told that she could now see Xavier Yuchengco, and was allowed to go to his private office. She was very happy when the receptionist told her the good news. A pleased smile was plastered on her lips while she was escorted to see his personal assistant. She prayed for it, and she couldn’t thank God enough that He had granted her fervent request.
And here she was now, standing in front of the boss’ door that was left slightly ajar, knees were quivering with apprehension. She, finally, would be seeing face to face the man who would answer her financial dilemma.
Katrina breathed deeply and composed herself. She raised her hand, and with shaky fingers, she gently knocked on the door.
“Please come in…”
She heard a full, authoritative voice, and butterflies in her stomach started to fly uncontrollably in different directions.
So this was it! There was no backing out now. She would never do that anyway. With her heart instantaneously beating harder, she pushed the wood-paneled door, and slowly walked inside the neat, spacious, modern office.
Her apprehension increased even more as she spotted a masculine figure that was comfortably lounging in a swivel chair. He was in a prime position, sitting behind a shiny, glass-topped desk that had only a cute pen holder sitting on it. The bright daylight that was shining radiantly at his back, coming from the floor to ceiling glass wall, cast a haunting shadow around his lounging figure. She could see him, but couldn’t clearly distinguish the details on his face.
“Mr. Yuchengco?” she asked in a tiny voice, blinking her eyes for a few times, while she grasped adjusting her vision to the glaring, bright light. But when his face became apparent, she silently sucked her breath.
What filled her sight was something she thoroughly didn’t expect. Not one bit. She saw a good looking man. No, not just a good looking man, but a drop dead gorgeous man. Probably the most handsome man she had ever seen on the surface of the planet. Give or take.
He was looking at her straight in the eyes, like a smooth predator who was carefully checking his prey. Her cheeks tinged at the intense way he was looking at her. It even made the muscles around her throat tighten with tension. She wanted to tear her eyes away from him, but she just couldn’t do so. It was as if he held her stare hostage.
“Yes,” his crisp voice echoed in the four walls of his office, answering her question. His eyes became even more intense.
Her heartbeat was erratic, with knees slowly turning into a soft puddle of jelly. She tried to look for someone else in the room, but she couldn’t find anyone aside from the drop dead gorgeous man, who was now staring at her intimidatingly.
“I’m Xavier Yuchengco,” he continued as if he sensed her hesitation.
And she sucked her breath again in surprise. So Xavier Yuchengco wasn’t the middle-aged man with a pudgy body and diminishing hairline, just like how she painted him on her mind? Instead, he was young and fit, and totally the opposite of her expectations.
He looked so captivating and intimidatingly powerful inside his luxurious office that was fit for a king. Everything about him screamed luxury and power - from his sleek, black tuxedo, to his diamond studied Cartier wristwatch. His one hand was holding an expensive brand of a smart phone that looked custom built. And he did exude menacing authority and power. Those were the only things that matched her expectations. She had never pictured a young, good looking billionaire who was in dire need of a wife. He looked as if he was a man with a generous supply of women at his disposal.
Why was she here again?
She pursed her lips. She was here to be the wife of a filthy, rich billionaire. She was here to find the solution to her family’s financial predicament. She reminded herself. That was enough to put her back on track.
“Good morning, Mr. Yuchengco,” she greeted him in a surprisingly steady voice. She didn’t know how she pulled it off, as she was really shaking inside, every bit of her. She wasn’t just anxious, she was also melting under his intense gaze.
One corner of his lips twisted. “I’m sure you do have a lot of good stuff with you to make my morning really good, right, Katrina?”
The way how he spoke her name made her heart beat even faster. It was like a sweet endearment. It was the first time that he dug someone speaking her name. Or was it because of his full, manly voice?
He was lo
oking at her with his intimidating chinky eyes, with a mysterious smirk on his lips. She took a second-long look at his eyes. She could distinguish every little detail on his face now.
Were his eyes gray? Goodness, but yes, his eyes were really gray! She could clearly see that now, and she couldn’t help but be amazed. He had the most breathtaking pair of eyes she had ever seen. It was so unique and captivating. He had chinky, but intense, gray eyes. Not the usual stuff among people with mixed Filipino-Chinese bloodlines. It was like the East meets the West, in a really eye candy way. She was quite sure that he had Caucasian blood, too. He looked very mestizo with his gray eyes and pronounced aquiline nose, but maintained his Oriental touch courtesy of his cute, chinky eyes.
She studied him further. His square-shaped face and angular jaw line gave him a striking personality. He looked authoritative, arresting and dangerous, too. He had an unforgettable face that would surely linger in her mind. That was a no brainer, considering how he had impacted her now, in their first encounter.
Her stare dropped to his broad shoulders. Despite wearing a three-piece suit, she could see how he was endowed with a bulky, but very lean, muscular body. The cut of his suit gave a hint of what lies beneath.
It was easy to tell that he was a tall, big man, even if he was sitting in a chair. His arms were long, his frame was wider than the average joe. He must be over six feet tall.
He put his phone on the table, and she saw his big hand. It seemed rough, but experienced.
“So what can you say about my good stuff, huh, Katrina?” he asked with a subtle hint of tease in his voice. He ran his pinkie over his lower lip as if thinking, his eyes were roaming all over her, assessing her in a manner she did to him, but in a more sinister way.
She almost jumped to her feet when he spoke. His question made her stomach lurch. “Uhhmmm… Mr. Yuchengco…” The words at the tip of her tongue retreated inside her mouth.
Shame on her! She was embarrassed at how he caught her red handed checking his goods.