The celebration continued well into the night.
I ate quietly at the table with Francis and a few others, taking in the atmosphere around me. The mood was light—until suddenly, a man appeared. He was older, with an aura that demanded attention. The energy he radiated was almost overwhelming.
"My nieces and nephews… it's been a long time, eh?" he greeted.
Everyone froze mid-bite, and I could see the spark of enthusiasm vanish from their faces. Sir Asher was the first to stand, extending his hand.
"It's good to see you, Tito Jim. Welcome back," Sir Asher greeted warmly.
Ah, so this must be the Mr. Jim everyone had been talking about. He was nothing like I had imagined—no bald head, no mafia-like seriousness, and definitely not a foreign accent. The man in front of me had hair with streaks of gray, carried a cane, and wore a constant, welcoming smile.
I couldn't understand why everyone seemed so intimidated by him.
"Thank you. Oh! My Francis, my favorite!"
He extended a hand to Francis, who hesitated a few seconds before shaking it, offering only a tight-lipped smile.
"How are you, Tito?" Francis asked before returning to his seat.
Mr. Jim took a vacant chair beside Ms. Akeshia. "I'm fine, hijo. Life's been dull lately, so I thought I'd come back to the Philippines for a while. But look at everyone—nothing's changed after all," he said, smiling as his gaze swept across the room.
"We're really happy to see you here, Tito Jim," Carl spoke up, his smile strained.
"Oh really?" Mr. Jim asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes. In fact, we knew you were coming, so we prepared something special just for you," Carl replied, signaling the waiter and whispering instructions.
Moments later, several staff members arrived carrying trays of food—seafood dishes: a large crab, two whole fish, and three side dishes—placing them in front of Mr. Jim.
"Enjoy yourself," Carl said.
I watched Mr. Jim's expression shift; he didn't look pleased. He loosened his tie and faced Carl with a polite, forced smile.
"Thank you so much, Carl. But I don't eat seafood. I do appreciate the gesture, though, thank you."
"You're always welcome, Tito," Carl replied.
"Anyway, since you took the time to prepare this for me, would you like to see the surprise I have for all of you?" Mr. Jim asked.
The room fell silent.
"I'm sure you'll love it. I prepared something special for each of you—especially for you." He looked at Francis. Francis nodded, forcing a smile.
"Can't wait," Francis replied playfully.
The conversation came to a halt when a woman arrived— the same one I had met in the restroom earlier.
"Dad, we have to go," she said, looking at Mr. Jim. Dad? So she was his daughter… that would make her related to Francis somehow?
"Nayumi," Sir Asher suddenly said.
The girl turned to Sir Asher and immediately smiled.
"Oh, Mr. Asher! It's good to see you again," Nayumi greeted.
Sir Asher returned the smile. So her name was Nayumi.
"Dad, hurry up," Nayumi said again.
Mr. Jim stood and faced us. "Well, I have to go. Thank you so much, everyone, for the warm welcome. Until next time," he said, following his daughter out.
"And who invited that girl here, huh?" Rachelle snapped, irritated. I suddenly remembered she was here with us.
"I can't believe she actually showed up in person. You know what, L, I think you should—" Rachelle began, but her words were cut short as Francis stood up and walked away without a word.
I didn't know if I should follow him, but my feet moved on their own.
I followed him to the rooftop. The moment I stepped onto the concrete, the cold night air greeted me. My outfit wasn't thick enough to block the chill, and I rubbed my hands together as I walked, searching for Francis, who had seemingly vanished from sight.
I froze when I saw a figure at the far end. The light was dim, so I couldn't immediately recognize him. As I approached, it became clear—it was Francis.
I quietly walked up and stood beside him. He didn't flinch at my arrival. Seconds passed in silence before I stole a glance at him.
He held a glass of wine, his head bowed, lost in thought. I returned my gaze to the city lights below—the houses sparkling like stars.
A gust of wind blew, and I wrapped my arms around myself. I rubbed my hands together to warm them, only to be startled when he suddenly hugged me from behind.
"I didn't bring my jacket, so let me hug you," he whispered, his tone gentle.
I didn't resist. I just turned my gaze back to the view.
Moments later, he held my left hand, placing it over his warm one. His other hand still held the glass. I felt the heat of his palm against the cold night. He rested his head on my shoulder and exhaled deeply.
"Is something wrong?" I asked softly.
He didn't answer, only held my hand tighter.
"Are you okay?" I tried again. "Francis, please, tell me if something's wrong."
Still no answer. I let go of his hand and faced him.
"Francis… I'm worried," I said. He remained silent for a few moments before taking a deep breath and facing the empty skyline. He rested his elbow on the glass wall.
"I'm okay," he said softly.
"Are you sure?"
"I'm okay. I just… don't want you involved in this, Gianna. I can handle it."
I lowered my gaze. A pang of pain struck my heart at his words. It was as if he were telling me I couldn't help him.
Noticing the change in my expression, he turned to me and held my hands.
"My family… they're no joke, Gianna. I don't want you dragged into this mess. Trust me, please. Just this once. I promise I'll be okay."
I nodded. I trusted him. Even though I wanted to know what the problem really was, I decided to let him handle it. I had to trust him—that's what he asked.
---
GAEL'S POV
I frowned when I saw Mr. Jim leaving Sir Locan's office. As far as I knew, he was Sir Locan's uncle—but why was he here?
I was even more confused when Ms. Akeshia followed him out. Weren't they supposed to be at odds? Why were they together?
I didn't care.
I continued walking, only realizing I'd forgotten something upstairs. On my way back, I noticed the fire exit door was ajar.
I approached it and saw someone leaning against the wall, looking up, lost in thought.
"What are you up to now, Sir?" I asked.
He was startled and immediately straightened.
"You again?" he said.
I smiled. "Yes, me again. No one else."
"Please… I'm not in the mood to talk to you right now," he sighed.
"Why are you so grumpy today, huh?" I teased, not backing down.
"You really want to know?" He stepped closer, his gaze serious. I didn't move. Arms crossed, eyebrows raised.
"Yes, I do," I replied, slightly teasing back.
"Three words for you." He stepped even closer—so close I could barely breathe.
"Leave. Me. Alone," he ordered, pushing me gently before walking away.
I blinked several times, then looked in the direction he had gone.
"Even when you're grumpy, you're still handsome, Sir Carl!" I shouted, hoping he'd hear me.