Chapter 193: The Qatari Prince
Bruno simply smiled, picked up the towel he had left on the beach, and dried himself off. He nodded at the middle-aged man before slipping on his flip-flops and heading back to the Burj Al Arab hotel.
The man followed him, clearly surprised. "Oh, so you're staying here too?" he asked as they walked side by side.
Bruno casually replied, "Yes, I'm here on vacation."
"That's great! I'm here on vacation as well. I guess we're neighbors. My name is Jassim, and it's a pleasure to meet you," the man said, extending his hand.
Bruno didn't know who he was, but given his enthusiasm, he couldn't refuse. He shook Jassim's hand and noticed how well-manicured and soft his hands were.
"What's your name, young man?" Jassim asked.
"Bruno Fernandes. You can call me Bruno," he replied casually.
Bruno found Jassim quite likable, partly because of his appearance and partly because of how he had behaved during their brief interaction.
"Bruno, I feel like we get along well. I'm bored being here alone; my daughter doesn't want to spend time with me and is out partying all night. How about joining me for a cup of coffee? It's the best Blue Mountain coffee, a gift from a friend. Come and try it," Jassim invited warmly.
Bruno hesitated for a moment, thinking it would be rude to decline such a heartfelt invitation. Moreover, he was curious about Jassim, who was clearly a successful man. Interacting with him could be beneficial. "I'm not much of a coffee drinker, but since you insist, I'd be happy to join you," Bruno replied.
"Excellent! I'll be waiting for you. By the way, I'm staying in room 2606," Jassim said with a broad smile.
Bruno was taken aback. "Room 2606? Isn't that the room of that annoying girl?" he thought. It was indeed a coincidence.
"Actually, let's go together. I'm staying in 2605, so we're neighbors," Bruno said.
Jassim was equally surprised. "What a coincidence! Such a large hotel, and we're neighbors."
When Bruno returned to his room, Vanessa was already up and had prepared breakfast.
"I didn't see you this morning. Were you swimming? Come have some breakfast," she greeted him with a smile.
"Sure, but let me shower and change first. I'm visiting someone soon," Bruno said.
"Visiting someone?" Vanessa asked, surprised.
"Yes, someone I met while swimming. He invited me over," Bruno explained.
After a quick shower, Bruno had breakfast with Vanessa, changed into more formal clothes, and headed to room 2606.
He rang the doorbell, and one of the bodyguards from earlier answered the door. "Mr. Fernandes, Mr. Al Thani is expecting you," the bodyguard said, inviting him inside.
"Al Thani," Bruno thought, realizing the man's identity.
The bodyguard led him into the suite, which was similar in layout to Vanessa's. Both suites were part of the Burj Al Arab's luxurious offerings, with each room exuding opulence.
The bodyguard showed Bruno to the living room and asked him to wait. A few moments later, Jassim entered with a warm smile, holding a tin of Blue Mountain coffee.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Bruno. I had some family matters to attend to," Jassim said, placing the coffee on the table.
"No problem at all. I just arrived," Bruno replied.
"Please, have a seat! This coffee is quite rare. I'm glad to have you share it with me," Jassim said.
They sat down, and a servant soon brought in the freshly brewed coffee. As they chatted, Jassim praised Bruno's swimming skills and asked if he was a professional swimmer. Bruno humbly denied it, saying it was just a hobby.
Their conversation flowed easily, with Jassim proving to be a charming and humorous host. Bruno enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere.
After a while, a young girl's voice called out from outside the living room, "Daddy, I'm going out!"
Jassim frowned slightly and apologized to Bruno before turning to the door. "Who's shouting? Don't you know I have a guest?" he scolded.
Bruno turned around and met the gaze of the girl from the previous days.
"It's you!" she exclaimed in surprise.
Jassim looked at Bruno with a questioning smile. "What's going on here, Mr. Fernandes?"
Bruno shrugged and recounted the events of the past couple of days. As he spoke, the girl's face turned from red to pale.
After listening to Bruno, Jassim sighed, "My daughter likes to cause trouble. I apologize for her behavior."
Turning to his daughter, he sternly said, "Alsha, apologize to Mr. Fernandes now!"
"Daddy, no..." the girl whined, grabbing her father's arm and trying to explain herself.
"Apologize!" Jassim insisted, his face darkening with anger.
Alsha, clearly upset, stomped her foot and glared at Bruno. "Apologize to him? Never! Absolutely not!" she screamed before running out of the room.
Jassim sighed, shaking his head. "I apologize again, Bruno. My daughter's behavior is inexcusable."
"Don't worry about it. She's young and will learn in time. Let's not dwell on it," Bruno said, trying to ease the tension.
They resumed their conversation, and Bruno's suspicion about Jassim's identity was confirmed. "Are you from Qatar, Mr. Al Thani?" he asked.
Jassim nodded, "Yes, my name is Sheikh Jassim Al Thani."
Bruno nodded, not showing much reaction. Seeing Bruno's nonchalance, Jassim was a bit surprised.
"What do you do, Bruno?" Jassim asked, curious.
"I'm just a football player. Nothing as impressive as your achievements," Bruno replied modestly.
Jassim smiled, appreciating Bruno's humility. They continued their conversation, discussing various topics. Before long, it was lunchtime, and Bruno decided to leave.
Jassim invited him to a beach BBQ that evening, and Bruno agreed, thinking it would be good to network with someone like Jassim.
(End of Chapter)
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Friends, if you like the novel you can subscribe to my patreon, if you use this code 0F167 you can get a 30% discount on any level.
If you like to read the chapters in advance, you can buy the books in advance with this code CORTEZ10 and get a 30% discount on each purchase.