LUNCH WITH STRANGER.

I TOOK A sip of coffee on my desk before turning my gaze back to the laptop screen. I'm sending an email to a buyer about their mango deliveries tomorrow morning.

While typing a reply, my brows furrowed when I received a message from a dummy account. Out of curiosity, I opened the message, making my brows furrowed even more.

unknown user: "We need to talk. Are you free tonight?"

I typed a reply, "And who are you?"

unknown user: "Kade."

I arched an eyebrow. "Talk for what?"

I'm about to send him a reply but he suddenly disappeared. I sighed and leaned back on the swivel chair. I reached for the mug and took a sip on my coffee again. I had this feeling that Kade wanted to talk to me about their "date" last night.

I shook my head lightly and focused on the other emails piled up on the screen. Interrupting me, there was a knock on the office door.

"Come in." I glanced at the slightly opened door before returning my eyes to the laptop.

An instant later, I heard the clicking of heels following the voice of my personal secretary.

"Ms. Clari, here are the lists of plants that have been delivered."

Janna immediately handed me the reports as she reached my desk. "These are all the deliveries we have finished, Ma'am. There's just one that we have to get back since one of our buyers asked to reschedule the delivery."

I raised my eyes to her. "It's okay. Just make sure you submit the reports immediately so I can track our sales."

"Copy, Ms. Clari. Aling Marcia and I will take care of the deliveries."

I nodded while scanning the reports one by one. "Thanks, Janna...by the way, don't forget to tell everyone about our assembly lunch on the veranda. I'll meet you all at 12:00 then, okay?"

"Yes, I will tell them. I will go first, Ms. Clari."

"Okay...you can go."

Janna excused herself. She walked out of the office but before she could get out, I called her. I forgot to tell her something.

Stopping at the doorway, Janna turned to me. "Is there anything else you need, Ms. Clari?" she asked politely.

"By the way, please tell my trainees that I won't be able to visit them today. I have a sudden appointment today."

"I will, Ma'am."

I followed my gaze to Janna until she completely left.

* * *

I ENDED my conversation with the buyer and turned off the laptop. I stretched both my arms and massaged my neck before I arranged my things on my desk table.

I got interrupted from what I'm doing when the intercom on my desk beeped. I immediately went to it and answered. "Yes?"

"Ms. Clari, I'm sorry for bothering you, but there's a man looking for you. He wants to talk to you."

My brows knitted with Janna's voice. "Who is it?"

"Kade Montalvo, Ma'am. He said he's your friend."

My jaw dropped, "W-Where is he?"

I was just chatting with him recently. It's surprising that he's here right away in my office.

"He's here outside your office. Shall I let him in?"

"Yes. Just let him in." I commanded before hanging up.

A few minutes later, the office door opened. Kade's masculine figure peeped out from there with his one hand plunged in his pocket.

Standing at the entrance, his lips twitched. "Can't wait until evening, I just want to ask you something."

I stood up straight and walked towards him. "What are you doing here, Kade?"

He didn't answer. He just roamed his eyes around my dim office.

"You have a nice office. Simple and a nice place to work with." His eyes darted in every corner of my office —from the gray curtain that hung over the double-glazed window, next to it is my office desk; a cream and gray wooden desk where Kade is looking at.

"So...you're Calleiah Clarity Gallego, the General Manager of the famous Casa de Gallego?" His silver eyes showed a blank expression when he turned to me for a very brief moment.

I pursed my lips. I couldn't figure out whether I should answer his question or not.

"You obviously love the combination of silver gray and white." Kade's eyes gleamed as he looked at the cream-colored walls of my office. He seemed fascinated.

Kade finally turned back to me. Luckily, I recovered from spacing out from watching him while he's roaming his eyes around.

"May I know the reason why you're here, Mr. Montalvo?" I stared at him straightly with a blank expression.

Kade settled his eyes on me and slyly smirked, "I guess you know why I'm here, Ms. Gallego?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Montalvo but I really don't have any idea why you're here unless that is for business matters."

He stepped forward, closing the door behind him by his leg. "I'm expecting Raquelyn Anjell Gallego to come, but she didn't. What happened to your sister, Clarity?"

I stared at him, pursing my lips.

"Do you know how long I waited for her yesterday?" He folded his arms and leaned against the closed door. "I've waited for your sister for damn six hours. She made me look like a fool. She just insulted my alpha male ego and I don't like that idea." His jaw tightened as his eyes darkened.

I avoided his gaze, concealing the sudden fear building in my system. "I-I'm really sorry for what happened. I-It was my fault. Her illness attacked her that day. I panicked so I forgot to tell you about it." I stammered. I'm not used to being closed with a man with this kind of scary expression.

Kade let out a tasteless laugh, "Liar. I just saw her recent picture posted. It's just 15 hours ago with a boy named Den. Would you mind explaining this? Why are you making up stories huh, Clarity?"

Kade stepped forward, reaching for me but I stepped back until I felt the hard wall against my back. I shut my eyes firmly when he cornered me with his hands leaning against the wall.

"Tell me why, Clarity...tell me..." He said under his breath.

I slowly opened my eyes just to stiffened when his warm breath hit my face then went down to my neck.

"W-What d-do you think you're doing?" My mind is getting cloudy as my whole body starts trembling.

"Teasing you..." he whispered in my left ear. "Anyway, you have a very sweet powdery scent, Ms. Gallego and it's so nice."

I immediately put my hand against his firm chest, ready to push him any moment when someone entered my office.

"Ms. Clari—"

I pushed Kade hardly that made him step back. I turned to Janna and an intern whose faces turned pale.

"We apologized, Ma'am. We knocked but— we're truly sorry!"

I gave them a warning look, making them rush out of my office. I let out a harsh breath and facepalmed when the two finally left.

I glared at Kade, who just shrugged at me. He wasn't satisfied yet, he even grinned at me. "You look pale."

I gritted my teeth.

"Leave my office right now, Kade!" I firmly said, holding back my tears of frustration from sliding down. I feel so embarrassed right now! Now, I don't have a face to show now to my two employees!

I swiftly walked away from Kade, not expecting a pathetic whimper to escape from my lips.

"Dammit!" I cursed internally.

I was about to return to my desk when a hand grabbed my arm.

"Are you crying?" There's a hint of concern in his voice.

"You don't care!" I hissed, trying to get off his hand on my arm but held me tighter.

He quickly pulled me closer and made me turn to him. He wrapped me in his arms, making my tears fall down even more.

"Shhh...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry." I felt his muscles flexed as he stroked my hair behind, hushing me. "Shhh, baby. I can't bear to see a woman crying and you're not an exemption."

I gradually calmed down with his gentle voice and his continuous stroking of my hair. When I made sure I couldn't let out any more tears, I immediately pulled myself away from him and stepped back. I had to move away from him, especially when I got a strange feeling that I couldn't understand right at that moment.

"Are you alright now?" Kade stared at me with brooding eyes. He even tried to get a little closer to me but I stepped back again.

"I'm okay. Sorry for being emotional, I'm just like that sometimes. Please don't try to do that again if you don't want me to sue you..." I cocked my head to the side, glancing at the window.

"From what I saw from you earlier, I could tell you're the type of person who isn't used to being embarrassed."

I glanced at Kade in my peripheral vision. I saw how his mouth curved into a smile. "You never fail to amaze me, Ms. Gallego. You never fail to show me your real self. If you'll continue being like this..."

With what I heard, I totally turned to Kade until the office door opened. I heard Manang's voice.

"Hija, aren't you going down yet? Everyone is waiting for you."

* * *

"DON'T go home yet, hijo. Come join us for lunch."

"Okay..."

I'm listening quietly to Manang and Kade's conversation behind me when my phone suddenly vibrated. I stopped walking to pull it from my blazer's pocket. When I checked who the caller was, the number was unregistered.

"Is there a problem, Ms. Clari?" Manang also stopped walking with a trace of worry on her face when she noticed my furrowed brows.

"You go first Manang, I'll follow."

"Okay. Just don't take too long. They're about to serve the food now."

"I'll make it quick." I nodded at Manang before she walked away.

After hesitating, I answered the call.

"Sister Clari, my friends and I had a sudden trip. I can't join the team lunch today." Raki's shrill voice greeted me.

"What?! Where are you? Why are you using a different number?"

"I'm calling from my friend's phone. My phone was drained." her voice croaked.

I narrowed my eyes, "Where are you and your friends going? Why didn't you tell me last night?"

"There's...just...we...will...do...in...Ver...les."

"Where? I don't understand you, your line is choppy." I didn't realize I'm already raising my voice. "Raki—"

I didn't finish what I'm going to say when the call was suddenly cut off. I suddenly received a text message from Raki.

unregistered number: "Sister Clari, we have an outreach program at La Versailles. Sorry, I forgot to tell you last night."

I breathed violently while I ran my fingers through the ends of my tied hair. "Anytime really, Raki—fuck!" I jolted when I felt someone's arm brushed against my shoulder.

"It's a big surprise that a woman like you knows how to curse." Kade grinned as I turned to him with my furrowed brows. "You looked pissed off, what happened?"

"Why are you still here? You didn't go with Manang?"

Kade's mouth twitched to one side. "What do you think, Ms. Gallego? Would I be here in front of you if I went with her? I didn't go here for Manang so why would I go with her? It doesn't make sense—"

"It also doesn't make sense if you'll stay here because there is no reason for you to come here to the resort." I stared at Kade coldly.

His expression hardened, but he quickly masked it with a grin. "It's okay...there's still next time. There's still a lot of days."

"Let's go downstairs, they're waiting for us." I put my phone back in my pocket and started walking, Kade followed behind me.

"You shouldn't wear high heels, if you're having blisters on your feet afterwards."

I ignored his comment. I continued walking even though I could feel his stares at the back of my foot where I put a band-aid on.

* * *

"What do you think? Could that be Ms. Clari's boyfriend?"

My brows knitted together when I heard my name as we walked down the hall to the veranda at the back of the hotel.

The fresh air from the surrounding trees welcomed us when we finally arrived. I briefly glanced at the sparkling water of the swimming pool opposite the veranda.

"Oh, there's Ma'am Clari!" Manong stood up when she saw me approaching the long table.

The staff greeted me one after the other. They are complete, I'm really the only one they're waiting for.

I bashfully smiled at them, "I'm sorry if I took so long. There's just something I had to finish upstairs."

I want to kick myself for being late. I'm a sort of woman who's always punctual but how ironic that I came late even in this simple gathering?

"That's totally fine with us, Ms. Clari. By the way, won't Ma'am Raki join us?" It's one of my staff.

"She had a sudden trip with her friends so..."

I had to stop from talking after I noticed that everyone seemed to be stunned when their attention was drawn behind me.

I turned at Kade and gaped when he lowered his head, meeting my gaze.

"What?" He mouthed in his sardonic smile, telling me he didn't mean to steal my employees' attention.

"It seems you have a visitor, Ms. Clari."

I stared at the speaker. My lips pursed at his malice look while staring at both me and Kade.

I cleared my throat to get everyone's attention. "It seems everyone is here. Let's eat."

Unintentionally, my eyes landed at Janna and the intern next to her. The two suddenly bowed when they met my stare.

I need to talk to them later. I don't want them to put malice to what they saw between Kade and me earlier. That could affect my work ethics and I don't want that to happen. I want to clear that misunderstanding before it creates something worse.

"Have a seat now, Ms. Clari." Manong approached me and offered me the wooden chair in front of the table before turning to the person beside me.

"You too, Sir... please sit next to Ms. Clari." Manong offered Kade the empty seat next to mine.

"Thank you very much." Kade politely nodded as we sat together.

I stealthily glanced at him from the corner of my eyes after we sat down. The way he bowed his head and smiled at Manong. I have no idea that Kade is too formal and respectful to elders until now.