His Untold Lies

Chapter 25 Friend

Kia

Once more, rain was descending upon the city as I sat beside Miaree behind the wishing fountain. Our respite followed a wearisome stroll through the mall.

"Miaree, do you have any plans after this? My husband agreed to entertain some guests at our place since we've finished decorating. You mentioned wanting to meet him, didn't you? Today would be the ideal opportunity!" I suggested, grinning.

"Apologies, but something urgent has come up," she replied. "My uncle just messaged me, so I must go see him. Perhaps next time. Tell him he owes me a nice meal when we do meet, okay?" With that, she departed, leaving me to ponder her recent change in demeanor and perpetual busyness. Maybe her uncle genuinely needed her assistance; I'd heard he was a businessman.

I stood, adjusted my pants, and gathered my modest haul of school supplies. As I approached the exit, the rain showed no sign of letting up. I must confess, I found solace in rainy weather. During a downpour, the city appeared simultaneously vibrant and desolate, a paradox of beauty and melancholy.

The cacophony of raindrops mingled with the ferocious wind, masking the sounds of passing cars and water flowing into drains. Vehicles glided through the streets, their headlights illuminating the way before vanishing into the shadows.

In this nocturnal cityscape, only streetlights shone like diamonds, and the headlights of passing vehicles cast reflections on the glistening pavement. The distant city lights resembled distant stars, while the wet surfaces mirrored a faint gleam from the golden streetlamps. The constant hum of car horns and city noises resonated through the numerous apartments, ensuring that sleep remained elusive. Glancing at my phone, I noted the time: 8:24 p.m.

"Darn, it's late!" I muttered to myself, contemplating calling Ares when a sudden tap on my shoulder made me turn. Standing before me was Nate, clad entirely in black.

"Are you waiting for someone?" he inquired.

"No, actually, I'm just waiting for the rain to subside. How about you?" I replied.

"I just had my hair cut this evening and was on my way home when I spotted you here," he explained.

Speech seemed to elude me at that moment, leaving me in a wordless stupor. I offered a nod and shifted my focus to the passing cars in front of me, noticing him discreetly reaching into his hoodie.

"Um, would you like a ride? It seems like the rain won't let up anytime soon, so you might end up waiting here for an hour or two," he suggested.

I glanced at him, but his gaze had shifted away. He had a point; the rain showed no sign of stopping in the near future, and my hand was starting to feel numb from lugging around the heavy shopping bags. Maybe there was nothing wrong with accepting his offer?

"Really? That's very kind of you..."

"I can assist you with those," he offered, eyeing my purchases. "My car is just over there. Hold on a moment..." With that, he removed his hoodie and handed it to me. "Wear this to stay dry, and give me your bags. I'll carry them for you." He swiftly collected all my items and made a dash for his car.

I put on his hoodie and followed him. He held the door open for me, explaining why his hoodie remained relatively dry.

"So, where do you live?" he inquired.

"Luisita Village," I replied, removing his hoodie that shielded me from the rain. I handed it back to him, and he casually tossed it onto the back seat. He started the car, and we began our journey to my home.

It was the most awkward silence I'd ever experienced in my life-

"I saw you talking to Vincent Rivera the other day," he remarked, his eyes fixed on the road. "I didn't realize you were his ex-fiancée. I know he has a girlfriend now, but I'd never seen you before, so I had no idea it was you," he added.

"Yeah... He's my ex-fiancé because things ended in a messy way. It is what it is."

He stole a quick glance at me and said, "I overheard what he said that day... about your company facing some kind of crisis?"

"Yes, and he offered to help, but with one condition... I had to marry him. Something I would never consider!"

He chuckled for a brief moment. "That's smart, using your head. But a piece of advice from someone who's known Vince for a short while: don't fall for his tricks. You won't always be able to discern what's real and what's not, so be extra cautious."

"You've known him for a long time?"

"Yeah, we used to play basketball together. We were on the same team, so we became buddies for a while," he explained.

I knew Vince had played basketball in high school, and I had always been there to support him. How had he not noticed me before?

"We're here," he announced, bringing the car to a stop in front of the village gate. He rolled down the window, and the guard began questioning him.

"Ma'am Kianna! I didn't see you there. Is this gentleman giving you a ride home?" the guard inquired.

"Good evening! Yes, he's taking me home."

"All right, you may enter now," the guard granted, allowing Nate's car into the village. I directed him to my house, and we finally arrived.

"Thank you, Nate! I owe you one!" I expressed my gratitude for the ride as I stepped out of the car. He drove off promptly.

"Hon, what happened? I was so worried about you. I kept calling your phone, but it was unreachable."

I quickly checked my phone and realized that I had accidentally muted it. "I'm sorry, hon. I didn't realize my phone was on mute."

He took a deep breath and hugged me tightly. "Don't scare me like that again... Come on, let's have dinner."

...

ARES

I found myself engrossed in preparing our dinner when my phone suddenly buzzed. Retrieving it, I noticed a message from my secretary displayed in the notification bar. I opened the message and silently absorbed its contents.

[Boss, we've nearly acquired the Saavedra's shares. What would you like me to do with them?]

My gaze drifted to my secretary, who had slouched on the couch with her eyes closed. Those shares should eventually find their way to Kianna.

I composed a response, [Hold on to them. Let's not act against the Saavedra's Group for the time being. I'll handle it later.] and sent the message.

I intended to present these shares to her as a pleasant surprise in the future. Hopefully, she would appreciate the gesture.

...

KIA

* Buzz * Buzz * Buzz *

I woke up, immediately reaching for my phone when I saw my dad calling. I wondered what he wanted this time.

"Hello?"

[Kianna, hija, thank you! If it weren't for you, the company would have been in real trouble...]

What? This sounded strange. Had the Saavedra's crisis been resolved? How did I fit into all of this?

"What do you mean, Dad? It has nothing to do with me. You can thank whoever you want. I've got to run."

[Wait a moment. Your friend said it's because of you!]

Friend? Who could that be? How did I manage to befriend someone so influential and wealthy?

[Kianna, make sure to express your gratitude to your friend.]

"Okay, Dad, I'll talk to you later."

*Call ended*

Who is this friend exactly? Nonetheless, it seemed that the crisis at Saavedra's company had been resolved. It brought some relief to my mind, finally granting me some peace...