Essi doesn’t know if it is just her impatience or her headache kicking again when she set herself to go home. Pressure was pumping through her heart by the sneaky expectation that Marika must be there again to wreak another issue. Earning another driver who keeps on blabbering why Bayanihan has to be this far, although it wasn’t, is already enough to hit her unnerving meter. When she found a store a few more meters away from her house, she opted to stop there. She gave the payment without words and didn’t bother to give a tip. She hated herself until she reached the front of the store. Minerva was also sitting on the side and Essi must have missed her greeting. Minerva didn’t earn a response. She only observed Essi until the lady could recognize her.“Can you give me medicine for a headache?” Essi asked. She waited until the store owner gave her a familiar pill for headache. Minerva was startled by that and went next to her to buy similar pills only of different brands. She frantica
Most of our worries decide in themselves to fade away. But just for one reason, they return without notice. For a few days, the intrigue about the counterfeit product subsided in Essi’s subconscious. But while she was analyzing the market to see the trend of the resources being invested, she saw the news of Dolto Pharmaceuticals planning to have its IPO in the next quarter. Julia was working by her side and noticed how she gazed with scrutiny at the reports. “My colleagues were also talking about their IPO,” Julia said. “But seeing the trends and how they are not yet moving about the issues of counterfeit products, it would be advisable to not invest in their stocks for the next two years.”“Well, if changes would apply, why not?” Essi was somehow trying to harbor all the bits remaining to have a benefit of the doubt for this company. She has personal issues with Corrine but that doesn't mean that she has to settle in it to forfeit further relations with its parent company that has
There is a need for endurance in bearing a knowledge of a thing that was supposed to be a secret. But while Essi has to wait for Oneil, she can't deny the pressure rising against her chest by noticing that it has been days since the last time that Onel told her that he would come to her. Back then, it was her subtle jealousy that made her impatient for his calls. But now, it is her worry for him. It feels like somewhere in the manor, Oneil was talking with the other Mercators, painstakingly making the best solution on how they should deal with the issue of the Doltos if worse case scenarios might come tapping the fragile popularity of the Mercator Group.She was staring at her phone, estimating when it would be the best time to call him again since he missed the first one for this day. She was holding back in trying to ensure that she was not disturbing him in her meeting. But is it a good choice to not insist?She glanced around and found Julia outside her office excitedly bringing a
If ever there was a right thing that Oneil did, that is to take the chance of believing in Essi after many times that he would refuse to listen. It could barely cover up what he did back when Essi was pursuing him. Somehow, it helped him to prevent the Mercator Group from further cohesion with the Doltos subsidiary group. The Mercator Shareholders managed to cancel such a move by taking their veto right into action. Oneil looks at Essi lovingly for showing her care to them. He held her hand while saying thank you.“How did they confirm this?”“Well, although Grant was somehow convinced about what I was saying, Victor spearheaded the new due diligence team to find this out. The issue about the fraudulent ingredients is confirmed.”It was indeed to not get involved with them. Because in the first place, no one among the Mercator Group knew about this stunt. They never thought that Dolto Pharmaceuticals would do something just to destroy themselves. “We were quick to do something bef
How does it feel to have dinner with the potential in-laws? Back then, Oneil was confident. There was never an inch of thrill and trouble in his mind on how he should deal or interact with them. But now, he could feel his heart rival the milliseconds in beating. Cold wind was embracing his skin. For it seems like a first time to meet them with Essi. Indeed, he was only confident back then because of the arrangement. He knew that the Paulssons would receive him right away and his parents are his wingmen. But now, he got nothing. He cannot stick on the arranged marriage agreement as his sole basis to have a right on entering the chateau as Essi’s beloved. “Oneil?” Essi called him as she looked back. She smiled an ever gentle one. It soothed his nervousness. This scene has only made Oneil realize that if he had his confidence back then just because of the arrangement, this time, his confidence is Essi’s affection for him and his to her. This is stronger than the arrangement that can be
While Oneil has enjoyed the goodness of life in bonding with Essi’s family, he cannot deny that some parts of this gladness somehow fell out when Jacques kept calling him. When he answered the phone, it was Dahlia who talked. “Sir Oneil? I’m sorry to bother you. But Jacques is so drunk here. Please help me to bring him home,” Dahlia said. Oneil had to excuse himself from Essi’s family before the late midnight strikes. “It was a fun night. But I have to go home now. My cousin Jacques is calling me.” “Cousin?” one of Essi’s aunts noticed. “But I heard that the voice was of a girl.” “It was Dahlia. His cousin’s coworker,” Essi explained while Oneil was heading towards the gate. She noticed her man’s coat was on the couch, so she hurriedly went to him. “You almost forgot.” “Right, thanks Essi. I just needed to hurry up because Jacques got drunk.” “Just call me then if you arrive home, okay?” Essi reminded him. Oneil went to a wine shop where Jacques spent his early night. Even the
Dahlia just found out that Oneil went with Jacques to get Corrine. Today was supposed to be Jacques’ turn to deliver some bulk supplies of cotton tops to their partner merchant. Essi was also there to find a good present for her cousin who is graduating. Since Dahlia has an hour of break, she took it as a good time to talk with Essi. Essi lets her sit next to her as they have their coffee.“So Jacques went for her. Surely, Jacques still cares for Corrine,” Dahlia uttered with a bittersweet smile. “Corrine is his first love after all. He cannot quickly give up when he sees that Corrine needs his help.”Essi only stared at Dahlia, suddenly understanding that she must have cared for Jacques as well. She understands Jacques because that’s what she has been with Oneil. It was hard to let go because she refuses to do it. She keeps on believing that at some point, Oneil would look at her and hear her heart. The wishful thinking that Jacques must be having now is also of the same kind that k
In the teamwork of Essi and Victor, it was a twist of fate to find out that there is something going on in the distribution of the shareholders. The minority rights holders became so many. In the Mercator Group policy, although this does not account for a turn of power yet, it was quite unconventional to see a turn of event within a short time. Victor has no role yet in the Mercator Group. Even if he could communicate these findings to his parents, they couldn’t do much about it. They believed that it is not like this will cause some systems change in the Mercator Group. Somehow, Victor was a little disheartened that although he knew that he is also a Mercator, it feels like his findings do not do that much. His family indeed considered it. But the information remained confined within their household.When he was looking back and forth on the lists of the shareholders which does not just include persons but also entities, Oneil called him for help. “Victor, we are already in the air