CHAPTER (XII)

He spent the following six weeks traversing the Asian continent, moving from country to country, meeting with the big names in the Asian tech industry. The tour started in the dynamic city of Singapore, sitting in boardrooms that overlooked the city's skyline. He presented his company's vision, highlighting innovative projects and impressive growth.

He then jetted to the vibrant city of Hong Kong, a thriving business metropolis, renowned for its robust financial sector and ease of doing business. He shared sleek conference rooms with spectacular views of the harbor with Chinese investors, discussing current market trends alongside global expansion ideas. After Hong Kong, he went to the city of Beijing.

Next, he flew to Tokyo, the heart of Japan, followed by Mumbai, India. Here he met great men and women who fueled India's tech world. He got to enjoy the world-renowned Indian cuisine. He visited Istanbul, Turkey, for a week.

In his last two weeks, he visited Manila, the bustling city in the Philippines. Here he engaged in strategic business meetings, explored local markets, and discussed potential partnerships with key players in the Philippines' business landscape.

He concluded his tour in Seoul, South Korea. Long conversations with tech-savvy investors centered on cutting-edge technological innovation and the future of industry advancements. The vibrant city's K-pop culture blended seamlessly with discussions of AI, robotics, and software development, leaving him inspired by all the new possibilities.

At 2300hrs, Kian landed at John F. Kennedy International airport. His emotions were a mixture of relief, joy, and a sense of familiarity. He sighed deeply as he stepped onto the airport tarmac; how nice it felt being back home after being away for such a long time.

"Welcome back!" Johnathan greeted with a grin.

Johnathan picked up Kian's bags and suitcases that were being offloaded from the private jet and meticulously arranged them in the trunk of the Benz. After the last bag found its place, he shut the trunk with a satisfying click.

Seated comfortably, Kian gazed out at the passing urban landscape, his eyes catching the familiar sights of iconic landmarks and twinkling lights that formed the heart and soul of the city that never slept. A contented smile graced Kian's lips as he took in the scenes that had become like old friends to him.

"Thank you," Kian said to Johnathan once all his luggage was inside his house. "Do have yourself a good night."

"Office tomorrow?" Johnathan asked as the elevator doors opened.

"No, I'm taking the rest of the week off."

With a gentle nod, Johnathan stepped into the elevator and took his leave.

After a long and refreshing shower, Kian settled into the lounge chair positioned at the corner of his room and dialed Kaida.

"Hey you," came her voice, carrying the weight of exhaustion and sleepiness.

"Did I wake you?" He asked as his gaze shifted to the clock on his nightstand, 1:08 am.

"Yeah, you did. But it's okay." She replied with a chuckle.

"I thought you'd be awake. I'll ring you—"

"Don't worry about it. I'm actually really happy that you called." She admitted. "How are you?"

"A little jet-lagged, but I am well. You?"

"I'm really exhausted. Work has been really crazy. I was foolish to think working with Quinn would be a ride downhill." She teased, and they both laughed.

While in Asia, he had called her every once in a while; she had told him that they were working on her first book release, scheduled for the coming Friday.

"How is your book coming along?"

"So far so good. It's actually a huge contributing factor to all the craziness at work. You know Quinn demands more than the best."

"Yeah, he is well known for that." He agreed.

"I have to go back to sleep, busy day ahead. I hope I will be seeing you at the book release on Friday."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world." He answered with a smile. "Goodnight Kaida. Sleep well."

"You too, and thanks for calling."

During her time as a ghost-writer, Kaida had written a number of books for her private collection. She didn't have any plans to publish them majorly because she thought she would be a ghost-writer forever. From a very early age, she had known that the chances of female writers making it to the big leagues were very slim.

She had shared some of those books with Quinn Inglewood. "It would be a waste of massive talent if these went unpublished," he had told her. She was shocked by that. Anyone in her shoes would have been.

They started working on the publishing of one of the books. She had a team around her to help her from every angle, from editing and proofreading to cover design and layout. Another team was in charge of marketing and promotion. They all made the process look very seamless.

On the eve of the release, she had confessed to Kian that she was very nervous about the whole thing. "Everything will work out perfectly," he promised.

Kian's car stopped at the entrance of The Soho Grand hotel, and a valet opened the door.

At the entrance, he bumped into Quinn. "Mister Inglewood," he called, and Quinn turned.

"Kian!" He acknowledged. "Welcome to the party."

Quinn shook hands with a couple of guests before walking in with Kian.

"How come you aren't in there?" Kian inquired.

"I was; I just stepped out for a minute. Had some urgent things I had to take care of." He explained.

The venue was magnificently done. It was a vision of elegance and anticipation, inviting attendees into a world of literary wonder. Illuminated by a soft glow of ambient lighting, decorations adorned the space with a delicate touch, complementing the event's theme. A stage, resplendent with the book's captivating cover art, stood on one end of the room, drawing eyes toward the heart of the occasion. Circular four-seater tables stood neatly arranged before the stage. The atmosphere buzzed with conversations, a symphony of shared excitement and literary passion. The venue itself seemed to echo with the promise of stories yet untold, creating a space where imagination and reality seamlessly intertwined.

"Damn!" Kian exclaimed, shifting his eyes from one place to another. "This is really impressive!"

"Thank you, mate." Quinn took two champagne glasses from a tray held by a waiter and handed one to Kian.

"To Kaida," Quinn called the toast, raising his glass, and they clinked glasses.

"I know I already said this, but I'll say it again: I really appreciate what you have done for her," Kian spoke after a sip.

"You have nothing to thank me for. Kaida is an amazing writer; she is just getting what she deserves. All I do is map out the road for her." He explained.

Kian spotted her talking to a small group of strangers; he assumed they were other writers or editors. She turned and met his eyes; he gave a little wave with a smile attached. A minute later, she was walking to him.

"Hey," she drawled as they shared a warm embrace.

"You're shaking," he pointed out after they let go.

She laughed gently, a nervous laugh. "It's all a bit too much to process," she admitted. "Very overwhelming. I mean, less than two months ago, I was writing someone else a book, and now I'm launching my own book." She continued, speaking quite fast. "I'm sorry, I'm just really nervous."

He took her by the hands and looked into her eyes. "Hey, I need you to calm down, okay? Deep breaths. You got this…"

Before he could finish, a stranger joined them. "Hey, you are Kaida Hughes, right?" He wanted to know, and so did the next person, and the person after.

She led them to a balcony where they could be alone for a minute or two.

"You look stunning in that dress, by the way," he said to her and watched as her face turned warm with blush.

"Thank you," she mumbled, avoiding his eyes.

He moved closer to her, took her face into his palms, and made her look at him. "I am really proud of you, okay? This is really amazing." He gave her a small kiss on her forehead. She closed her eyes for a moment, savoring the sensation. The gesture spoke volumes without the need for words.

"None of this would be a reality without you. Thank you very much." She rested her arms around his neck and rose to meet his lips. Oh, how sweet they were!

"Anything for my beautiful lady," he whispered to her, making her blush even more.

"What do you say we go back inside before they miss you too much?" He suggested.

Inside, Quinn took the stage after everyone was seated. He gave a little speech, thanking everyone for coming. "'Estella' is an amazing book, written by someone with immense talent and great passion. I am privileged to have worked with Kaida on this. Without much more, I wanna welcome the author of 'Estella,' Kaida Hughes."

A very nervous Kaida got to her feet, desperately trying to hide her tension.

Up on stage, her eyes searched the crowd for Kian. She saw him; he smiled at her, and she immediately felt calm. She liked that he had that calming effect on her. With her book in hand, she started her well-rehearsed speech. During her speech, copies of the book were distributed to all the attendees.

After her speech, she took a seat behind a table as the guests queued to have their copies autographed.

Kian sat at a table at the other end of the room. His eyes on her; he found himself smiling. He loved seeing her happy. He loved her and everything about her. He loved how he would just smile whenever he thought of her, he loved how his mood would change whenever she called, he loved how he felt so at peace when he was around her, he loved how she made him laugh.

On the other side of the room, she looked in his direction and met his eyes. She saw his admiration for her in them. She smiled and continued with the signing. But even as she went on, she became fully aware that she was in love with this man. At the time they met, she didn't have any intentions of falling in love, but then fate had other plans. The universe sent her this kind man who was very gentle with her, who made her feel loved, who adored her, who made her feel wanted, who admired her, who made her feel like the most important girl in the world, who loved her with all her flaws and insecurities, who loved her in all the ways she craved to be loved. In that moment, in opposite sides of the room, their hearts warmed up to each other, dancing to the same symphony.

THE END!