15 Happy Reunion

Surprisingly, the lift carried Riley and Draco all the way to the 5th floor without stopping. With a ding, the doors opened. Riley, excited, bounced out of the elevator. Draco followed after him.

They were nearly at the entrance of the resto-bar when the ring of Draco's phone had him fish it out from his pocket. Draco saw it was from his security team.

Riley slowed down after Draco stopped, but the other motioned him to go ahead. "I have to take this call, Little Riley. You should go ahead. I'll come to find you after this."

It must be important. Nodding in understanding, Riley went in first. An amiable staff immediately greeted him at the entrance and asked if he had any reservations. As Lark had instructed him, Riley gave his complete name and who he was meeting.

Upon hearing his information, the staff's smile widened. "Mr. Santillan, I'm Joe, the manager. Sir Keith is expecting you. I'll escort you to the private lounges upstairs." Then looking behind Riley, the older man asked, "Where is your companion? I was informed to expect two individuals. That you come with a friend."

"Ah, yes. He was just taking a call. He'll come after."

"Is that so? Then should I bring you in first?"

"Yes. I don't know how long the call would take." 

"Sure. Please follow me, Mr. Santillan."

The manager led Riley up the stairs on the right side of the entrance. Looking around, Riley noticed that the business was thriving. Practically almost all the tables were seated. Good for Keith.

Reaching the top of the stairs, the manager veered left and into a spacious corridor lined with doors on both sides. Riley assumed they were private rooms that guests could opt for in a more intimate setting.

"This way, please," Joe, the manager, said while looking back and making sure Riley was right behind him.

They continued on until the end of the passage and into an open circular common area. It was spacious, with a banquette on the walls for sitting. Right at the center was a glass showpiece. Riley followed Joe as he circled behind it and into a single door. After a series of a knock, he pushed it open.

Walking in, Riley didn't get to see anything else before a tight hug immediately engulfed him. His breath almost got knocked out of him. He heard Lark exclaim, "Riley! Damn, I missed you!"

Riley recovered a few moments later and soon began to laugh, hugging Lark back.

When Lark finally let go, Riley felt a tap on his back. He looked over his shoulder to find Keith standing beside them, smiling. Riley could not contain his happiness, and his own grin widened.

"Brother Keith…"

"I'm so happy to see you both!" His eyes shone with unconcealed emotions as he looked back and forth between the two brothers.

"Fuck! Don't go misty-eyed now! It'll make me cry! Now is a happy reunion, okay!" Lark declared, one of his arms still around Riley's shoulder.

Pulling Riley to sit on an L-shaped sofa in the corner, Lark continued to prattle. "Come on, let us start the celebration! And you have a lot to tell us. I've been dying for details since we talked this afternoon. Where were you the last two years? Mind you. I am still a little annoyed you never contacted me even once. And- Ouch!"

Keith standing beside the couch flicked Lark on the forehead. "Let him speak. If you keep on talking, how can he tell us? Give him a chance."

Rubbing the afflicted area, Lark complied. He realized he had been too eager, so he kept talking. "Oh, right! Right! Sorry…"

"But before that, let him eat… Riley must be hungry." Keith stated, looking pointedly at Lark. Then shifted his gaze to address Riley. "I've had the chef prepare our kitchen's specialties. Don't mind Lark. Anyway, we have a lot of time to talk later. And there's a menu if you want something else. We can order more."

"Yeah, don't be polite," interjected Lark, who dragged Riley to the buffet table laden with an assortment of dishes. He saw a seafood platter, steamed fish, Lechon de Leche, and P Country's famous adobo with a twist, to name a few.

Riley was overwhelmed with the selection of food. So, when Lark handed him the menu, Riley declined. "No need. I don't even think we can finish the food. There's only a few of us."

"Speak for yourself. But let me remind you, if you already forgot, that my dear brother here is a big glutton. Believe me when I say that half of the food on that table would sure end up inside his stomach." Keith announced from the mini bar on the other side of the room, pouring drinks into his glass.

Seeming unaffected by his brother's jab at his enormous appetite, Lark shrugged and continued to put food on his plate. 

"What can I do? My metabolism is very fast. I'm also active, so I don't really get fat." Then becoming aware of Riley's inaction to get food, he said, "Come on, Ry. What are you waiting for? Dig in…"

Riley was actually waiting for Draco. He was expecting him to arrive anytime soon. "Remember, I mentioned over the phone that I would bring a friend? The one who helped me?"

"Oh, yeah! That over-generous, super-rich friend who had been helping you and letting you live in his mansion in the Highlands?"

Smiling at Lark's unusual description of Draco, Riley replied in agreement. "Hmm. Yes, him. He was just caught up in a call before we could enter the place and should be here soon."

His interest piqued by their conversation, Keith joined in. "Who is this friend, by the way? Lark also told me about him. Seems a very good man. Just the fact that he helped you out of goodwill, a stranger. It is proof enough of the kind of man he is."

Riley agreed wholeheartedly with Keith. "Yes, Brother Keith. Draco is an exceptional man. I don't even know what would have happened to me if I had not met him and he did not help me two years ago. Fortunately for me, it was him who found me that night."

"Draco?" A frown creased Keith's forehead. There are only a few Draco he knows. If narrowed down based on the tidbits of clues he got from Lark about Riley's mysterious friend. He can only think of one. But it was impossible.

With the assumed person in mind, Keith ticked the boxes. One, super-rich? Yes, very. Second, he lives in A. City Highlands? He heard that person owns a mansion there. Alright, that is two out of three. But the third one, kind and generous…? Well, not unkind but also not generous enough to willingly help a boy in a dire situation. That person was famous for being cold and aloof. It can't be.

Keith was so convinced by his own opinions and views of that person. So, when a knock came, the door was pushed open from the outside. He almost swore out loud after the guest was revealed.

Fuck!

Because standing in the open doorway, in all his glory, was the very person he ruled out as Riley's savior. The devil himself, Draco Joaquin Sy.