The queen is back! || 3

"..Why?" Seeing the notification on her phone screen, tears just fell down uncontrollably. She couldn't hold herself back. "Why is it you who says it.." She sobbed as she placed her face on her palm. "Was it going to be so hard to write that, Mom?.." Andrea clenched her phone. She was thinking out loud. She thought, wouldn't it be nice if her father once looked at her and said that he's proud? that she made a name for herself? That she wasn't a nuisance like those rich girls?

'What the hell am I think of? Of course I'm a nuisance..Heh..I made Cameron target us of course I'm a nuisance!' Andrea sniffed , looking again at the message as the salty river dripped on the screen. 'How ironic. A stranger cares more than family...What a weird life I'm living..' Ding..

@Damon_Gracia✓: ("Reply.")

Amongst the stream of sadness, Andrea finally let out a small chuckle as she sniffed. She opened their chat on IG. Marking his messages as seen. Staring intently at those two messages. ("Don't leave me on seen. That's annoying.")

"Pft..!" Andrea laughed, She took another look at the message to make sure she read right. "He sounds like a big kid..." She smiled helplessly. Tears were now running dry. ("What if I do? hm?") Andrea replied.

("Get out of the music room.")

Andrea rose her brow as she replied.

("What?! Are you kicking me out?? I'm your business partner! so rude! T—T This is why you're still single!")

. . .

"This is why I'm still single??" Damon repeated her message. He was confused. He wanted to know what she meant, in case it's something that could get him closer to her. ("What do you mean?")

("Your Roode. Hmp. No girl would like you.") Andrea replied.

("You're* Rude*")

. . .

"This guy is acting like a highschooler's mother fixing her son's spelling in their chatroom.." Andrea rolled her eyes. ("Bruh. your not my taecher :/ ")

("You don't only get knowledge from teachers. Also, You're* again and Teacher*") Damon sent the message, which made Andrea feel vexatious. 'Did this man spend his whole life locked in his office? did he ever text anyone?!'

("Old geezer.") Andrea texted. She really did wonder if he ever even used his social media at all.

("I'm only 4 years older than you.") Damon replied. 'Old geezer? Do I look like a 70 year old or something?!' Damon touched his face doubtfully.

("Yeah, yet you act like a freakin' English teacher correcting a 3rd grader's paragraph! >:p") Andrea wrote honestly. 'How funny would it be if he was actually a teacher? Kids will definitely hate him...I can clearly see him scolding kids for not spelling right!' She laughed softly. 'It's really enjoyable to chat with him.'

("I'm not an English teacher.") 'Yeah, I'm not an English teacher, I'm the man who can be suitable to her...' Damon smiled to himself.

...Andrea read the message. 'i take back what I said, This man doesn't understand sarcasm.'

("....You're never getting a girlfriend.") She answered.

("You do know that many girls are after me, right?") Damon was testing the waters, He really wondered how would she reply to that.

'What is this dude trying to prove?!" Andrea rose her brows and felt a rush of annoyance over her when he said that. ("Q stands for question, A stands for answer. Q1: Have you ever went to any social event with any woman? A1: No. Q2: Is all of them gold diggers that are after your money and stupidly handsome face? A2: Yes. Q3: Does any of those girls count? A3: NO!") 'Tsk..I wanna curse him..'

("Why are you asking me questions If you'll answer them yourself?") Damon texted back the same minute she sent the message.

Andrea's eye twitched unintentionally. ("Can I talk freely?") She didn't hesitate to write that.

Damon shrugged in his seat and just answered with ("Sure. Since when do you ask anyway?")

("Because..You suck! :D That's why I asked.") -Andrea

("That's not the way a young lady should talk.") -Damon

("STOP ACTING LIKE YOU'RE MY MOM!") -Andrea

("You can't tell people what to do.") -Damon

("YOU CAN'T TELL ME WHAT TK DO EITHER.") -Andrea

("To*") -Damon.

("Sincerely, Damon. You suck. <3") -Andrea

("Don't say that to me.") -Damon

("You gave me permission to.") -Andrea

("Swe? since you asked for my permission to talk then I can act like a mother.") -Damon

("See*") -Andrea

("Shut up.") -Damon

("WTF? YOU TEXTED FIRST!!! YOU SHUT UP!") -Andrea

'Ah, yes. I wanted to take her out for dinner...' Damon thought. That's why he texted her in the first place, he was almost Infront of the music room she chose. He wanted to take her out for food and since she's still doing her song, he thought she might be busy so he chose to text her just to be safe and don't interrupt her.

("Oh yeah, right. I texted first. get out of the room.") Damon replied.

("Why are you kicking me out?! T–T so unfair!") Andrea pouted. 'This guy is power abusing me since he's the CEO! not fair...' Andrea huffed.

'Kick her out? What is she talking about?' Damon was confused. He walked past his employees with Lawrence as his right aid behind him. ("..? Who said I'm kicking you out? it's time for dinner...") He answered.

'Huh.' Andrea was dumbfounded. She made such a stupid face..she checked the phone's clock and saw that it's already 5pm. ("You texted me for food..?")

("What else? I'm waiting outside the room. Why would I kick you out???")

Andrea blinked. ("I thought you were using your power as the CEO because I said 'What will you do if I don't reply' "...)

("...Whwt? why would I kick a business partner out?") -Damon

("What*...") -Andrea

("Just come here....") Damon's lips curled upwards when he watched her through the room's transparent glass, She was walking her way to him in her heels with her bag on her shoulder. Leaving the laptop behind. "Lawrence, take Miss Lian's laptop to my office. Make sure nobody touches it." He said, a very slight gentle smile was drawn on his face as he looked at Andrea. "Eh? Who'll dri-"

"I will." Damon cut Lawrence's words short. He escorted Andrea out and Lawrence was left behind in the company. "Boss had changed so much after knowing Miss Lian.."

The whole way to the car, Andrea was silent. She couldn't face Damon after her stupid chat. 'Did I dig my coffin with my own hands???' Andrea gulped, not that she was afraid of Damon, but ashamed of her IQ. Damon gave her a glance, keeping a low chuckle. Andrea snapped out of her bubble "What are you laughing about?" She asked suspiciously. "Nothing, Nothing at all."

"So.. you're just some crazy guy who laughs about nothing?" Andrea said mockingly. Smirking to herself.

Damon got caught up in her side smile. She's just too beautiful for god's sake.

"Perhaps.." He smiled. Andrea, for some reason, felt her heartbeat quickening. Her lips were curling up to a sincere smile looking up at him. They stood there for a second drowning in eachother's eyes as they smiled. They eventually laughed. "Weirdo!" "Queen of questions."

Their heartbeats got quicker with each passing minute they spent together. The awkward feeling Andrea was having faded. She was carefree now. Listening to songs and whatsoever as they talked in the car.

—Aigre-doux Restaurant.

The pair were having a nice lunch, enjoying eachother's company. "Oh yes, I forgot to mention. The party is a week from now." Damon said casually, before filling his mouth with a spoonful of rice. "Really? I'm excited! What's your plans?" Andrea cheerfully asked, her eyes lit up. 'It's been so long since I went to a social event..I can't wait.' Many thoughts occupied her mind with a sweet yet more mature smile plastered on her face. "The partying manager was thinking of having a music opening for the event, since the programme is mostly about music after all." Damon replied. Looking at her beautiful eyes. "But he has no one in mind to sing." He shrugged. "So I was thinking..." Before Damon said what's on his mind, Andrea flatly said "No. I'm not doing it." Damon's relaxed face turned tense, he tilted his head to the side doubtfully. "But why? That's a good opportunity for you to—"

"I already had my opportunity, I cleared my name and relationship with Damon. Besides, there's a song I'm working on already. Also, I became a trend with my online statement. I'd rather give this chance to someone who needs it." Andrea answered him. She truly wanted to give this to someone more skillful than her. "How about...Doing a Collab?" Damon suggested. "A Collab?"

"Yes. You can do a Collab with whoever you have in mind, anyone you want to give this opportunity to. With..Hmm, a known artist. Wouldn't that be a good idea? I think that would leave quite the impression on the guests."

"That.. doesn't sound like a bad idea. I'll give it a thought. The artists must be under the Bloss entertainment, Right?" Andrea asked, before taking another bite of her mashed potatoes. "Strictly, yes. I give you the permission to plan for this However you like and choose whoever you like, but preferably, choose someone who's known to make it unexpected."

Andrea thought about it for a while, Then nodded. "Alright,I won't let ya down— I mean, uh.. I won't let you down Mr. Gracia." Andrea blushed and looked away, Her comfiness with him took the way she deals with him south, she forgot that this is her business partner. Not some classmate she had in college. However, Damon didn't seem to mind it and just nodded in response.

"Excuse me, I need to use the bathroom." Damon said, standing up. "Don't let the damsel in distress lonely for too long~" Andrea joked pretending to be pitiful as she wiped a non existent tear from her eye. Damon looked at her and rose his brow. "Damsel in distress? Please, You don't need to be protected, you need to be protected from."

"Lemme live the act!"

"No."

"Tsk.."

Damon chuckled and went to the bathroom, leaving the little annoyed kitty alone. watching his departing back till he was no longer in sight, Andrea smiled helplessly. "It feels easy talking to him.."

"Andrea!" The smile on Andrea's face disappeared. She knew that voice too damn well. Her face reddening in anger as she clenched her teeth. Slowly facing the direction of the voice. "Ann and Evan..." Andrea's lit up eyes turned dark and empty in a matter of seconds. ("Why are they here. Why are they ALWAYS there to disturb my happiness. WHY?! OUT OF ALL TIMES,HERE!") She suddenly felt suffocated and unable to breath properly. She felt uncomfortable all over as she stood up, digging her nails into her palms. She was aware that she'll have to face her parents soon enough. However she didn't expect it to be so soon, Nor did she expect that it's when she wouldn't be alone..but with Damon of all people! ("I've had enough showing weakness to myself, let alone Damon!!!")

"My dear I—!" Evan extending his hand to hold his only daughter, whom he hadn't seen in so long..He was so eager to hug her and take her home, Whereas Ann wanted to desperately beg her daughter for forgiveness as she was too blind to see that her daughter was fighting all alone, injuring her feelings and mental health as a result when she was in a battle to get the person she loved most in her life.

But...

SLAP!

Andrea slapped Evan's hand away. Looking at him with a furious and filled with hate eyes. "Don't fucking touch me." Andrea's tone was cold and unforgiving. Ann and Evan's relieved faces turned so tense. "My daughter.. we're so sorry... P-please come home.." Ann managed to blurt those words out. Her eyes teary, forehead having cold sweat all over...Andrea was certain from her mother's call that Ann was so worried about her and tired. She was also sure that the Ann Infront of her now, didn't have any decent sleep at all. Considering the extremely dark circles that she had under her eyes, that even her makeup couldn't conceal.

But did Andrea care?

("Hell NO.")

An extremely raged grunt escaped Andrea's lips As she heard her mother's words. "Stop calling me your daughter, Oh my god! if I could change the birth certificates so I wouldn't be your daughter I would've done it long before I went to America." Andrea held her forehead in her hand as if she was having a headache. "Andrea...Honey, please.. I'm sorry.." Ann once more, said. Tears escaping from her eyes as she did so. Evan standing by her side looking depressed. He also wanted his daughter back home after all. "Andrea,come back home..we miss you.."

Andrea's heart broke as she heard their words. Her raged face turned gloomy and shocked. ("Warmth..") The nails digging her palms released, just so she could dig them deeper.

("Honey? We miss you? Haha...Now you miss me?!") Andrea thought. Biting down her bottom lip. "Miss me? Honey? You both do know that this is the first time you've EVER said that to me, right?" She derisively asked. "If you've never treated me like your child to begin with, why am I obligated to treat you like my parents now?" She added, looking away. Her gaze seemed unfocussed and sad.

"We've..learnt our mistake Andrea, We really did...We'll be better parents.." Evan replied. He was holding into the last string of hope to get her back home.

"And I learnt my mistake too." Andrea said, smiling softly, fixing her hair behind her ear.

Ann and Evan's eyes lit up.

"I should've never listened to you." Andrea's face turned cold again. "Good girl? Bad parents...Hmm..we played that for Twenty four years before and it's getting so boring~! How about we play Bad girl and good parents for another Twenty four years? Haha." She smiled mockingly.

In other words, She was saying: ("Fuck off. I'm not coming back.")

Ann's tears ran more. Evan's last string of hope snapped. The couple was dejected. "Please." Andrea's voice cracked, talking slowly. "Please leave." She managed to say. She didn't want them to see her breaking down again. She wanted to keep the tough act till they can't see her. She refused to show them her most valuable side. Tears almost fell but she held back. ("Why..they don't even deserve it!!")

Andrea glanced at her mother, who was wretched in tears. Mascara ruining her face. She changed her heart to ice when she saw them. "There's no hope with me. Don't waste your time on me, Leave. If you won't leave, then I will." Andrea said, ready to grab her bag before Evan touched her shoulder. Her body stiffened, Her body didn't react to her when she wanted to push him off. "No, We're sorry for disturbing you. We'll leave...." Evan said gently, a tone Andrea never heard before, Her eyes snapped to him just to see an expression of a hopeless old man, broken and incomplete. She never saw her father like that.

And she wished she didn't look at him, Watching them leave, Ann begging Evan to

talk to Andrea again as they left. It was too much for Andrea. The lady fell back to her seat, gasping for air. She clutched her heart. Eyes reddening. But she shook her head and refused to cry. Holding her head in her hands as she fluttered her eyes shut.

But what she didn't know...is that there was someone watching from distance. Someone who was ready to interfere but held back.

Damon decided to confront of her.

He knew, Andrea needed a push forward.

"Andrea." Damon tapped her shoulder. Andrea snapped back to reality, looking at him with shocked eyes. "O-oh... you're back."

"I take back what I said." Damon sighed, Gently tugging on her hand. "Come on, we're leaving." Andrea quickly nodded and took her bag, following him silently.

. . . .

"Why are we here?" Andrea asked, confused. This was where they met for the first time in her memory...That bar she went to after the conflict she had with her parents.

"I figured you'd want to drink." Damon shrugged, taking her to a vip lounge. He sat on a seat and gestured her to sit beside him before he ordered a drink.. ("He's right about that..Ugh, to hell with it all!") Andrea sat beside him. She ordered a strong cocktail she loved to drink whenever she went to that place. "Cameron." Andrea flinched upon hearing the name. She immediately looked around with emptiness in her eyes. No emotions expect for hate and resentment. She was confused since she didn't find anyone, she shot Damon a glare. Damon let out a low chuckle. "What?!" Andrea asked furiously, receiving her drink. Damon took the cup of his whiskey in his long fingers and gulped it down as he let out a playful smile. "I just said Cameron, I didn't say he was here. Right?"

Andrea grunted as she wrapped her slander fingers around her cocktail. Taking a sip. Resting her head on her knuckle as she stared into distance. "I saw it." Andrea tensed up, she watched him having his refill. "Cameron isn't the reason you cry andrea." Damon said, swirling the liquid in the cup with a serious face before looking at her. "Cameron means nothing to you. Your sole reason to cry is your family."

"..." Andrea said nothing and sipped her cocktail, listening to him carefully. "You miss them, don't you?" He asked, making Andrea choke on her drink. Coughing violently. She wiped her mouth and faced him. "I know you'll probably hate me for this, But you're wrong Andrea. Your parents are worried about you." Damon added. "Don't fucking make me laugh, they never glanced at me. They never thought about me. Their relationship was wrong and will Remain wrong, I'm convinced. My mother is a homewrecker, She got in between my father and his ex's marriage. Therefore...." Andrea gulped down her drink before continuing "I took after her, I got in between Cameron and Rosie's happy life. Difference is,My mother was successful. I wasn't." Andrea tightened her grip around her glass, ordering another.

Damon's eyes narrowed in suspicion, he faced her. "Can you listen to me, without interruptions?"

Andrea just shrugged as she listened.

"You haven't seen your father cheating on your mother, right? Did he ever mention any woman after he got married to your mother?" Damon asked, Earning a silent reply..he shook his head. "No. That's why it wasn't meant to be. I would've said your mother was a woman who slept around and your father is a cheating untrustworthy man if they cheated after getting married." Damon said, he was sure that's her point of view. Seeing her drinking her cocktail fast, He knew he was right.

"But they didn't, right? Andrea, that just means your father and his ex-wife wouldn't have lasted, even if your mother didn't come in between. They're innocent. I hate to oppose your mind, but they belong together. Are you sure your mother just wanted to live a comfortable life? Are you sure your father just wanted to play around? You never asked, Andrea. You only believed what you thought." Damon saw right through her, he was right. Andrea's expression slowly turned to that of sadness as her cheeks flushed red from the alcohol. Her eyes were gloomy. So gloomy...

"That still... doesn't change the fact that.." Andrea sniffed, holding herself from crying.

"In everyone's eyes, I'm just a tool..In my parent's eyes, too..."

"Perhaps they once thought of you that way...But people could change. Also, think again. Not everyone thinks of you that way." Damon sighed, then continued.

"In my eyes, you're different. you're very valuable, Andrea. You're like an angel that got her heart ripped off..or an extremely calm ocean." Damon's voice echoed in Andrea's ears like a sweet melody. Andrea looked at the man's handsome face in confusion, raising her eyebrow..she asked: "Angel? Calm ocean?" The man nodded, he took a sip from his whiskey. Looking at the glass in his veiny hand he started to elaborate.."Well, You have been silent for years, I don't suppose you ever said what you thought for real and only kept a fake smile..To avoid hurting others you isolated yourself from people because of the envy and jealousy you had for everyone that had happiness, completely ignoring yourself."

Damon took a deep breath, placing his whiskey glass on the bar table, he slowly looked at her with his rainy day grey-like eyes; Leading both their hearts to pound loudly as they made eye contact. "That's why..You're an angel and you got your heart ripped off by that bastard..You were just fine without him but he changed something big in you." He said while looking at her, thinking of Cameron angered him so much. He sighed, quietly resting his hand on her cheek. He didn't know how he was acting so naturally..He didn't have control over his hand when He started to stroke her eye with his thumb as he continued. "You're a calm ocean, you don't talk, you tell no one your opinion, you let your parents control you because you fear living alone. And whenever you couldn't take it anymore, you cried rivers. Like a calm ocean's waves when there's a storm..your storm of unspoken emotions." He said and smiled lovingly at the girl Infront of him.

Andrea felt her eyes sting as she stared deeply into his gentle eyes. Tears ran down her face like rain. The man hugged her tightly letting her stain his shirt with her tears. He patted her back; "It's okay, cry as much as you want, I'm here for you." The man comforted her. "Why...." Andrea gripped his shirt with her small hands the choked and sniffed "Why are you so good to me..? Everyone sees me as a tool to get to their benefits- I..I'm of no value for you! I cannot help you to make your lover jealous or..help you with anything..Why!?" Andrea grabbed The man by his collar. She wanted to continue screaming and scolding him for thinking of her but.. "I-...Mm.." just in the same second she opened her mouth, her lips was covered with his. He held the back of her head as he deepened the kiss, holding her small waist with his other hand. Andrea closed her eyes under the effect of alcohol, loving the moment.

After a kiss that lasted for a few minutes, The man pulled back and kissed Andrea's forehead. "Shut up. If you INSIST of thinking of yourself that way then..Listen here, you dumbass. You're my tool!" The man said as he stroked her lower lip. "..." Andrea stared at him, she knew there was still more for him to say. "You're the one who could fix me, the one who could bring the smile to my face again, The tool of my happiness. Not only that, you helped me when I was falling although you had no reason to at that time. And I know for a fact that I'll find no one like you..I know that you're not ready for this...But I, desperately need you. I didn't choose to love you." Damon buried his face in her neck and hugged her tightly. "So..give me a chance...is everything I ask."

"Damon.."