Oneil gains his consciousness with a sudden twinge of his head. He kept his eyes closed. His hand could feel the bandage upon his crown. Nothing comes in his mind to at least give a hint on how did he arrive on having a wound and a terrible headache. Amid all of this case in his physic, he suddenly remembered his responsibility to plan for the preparations of the 50th anniversary of the Mercator Group. There is no chairman assigned yet to supervise the entire events committee —as far he knows it. Others always tell him that he shouldn’t tire himself off because the event is still far from approaching. But with the situation of the old man who is not yet recovered and the thin ice that the PGN Shipping is threading upon, his only hope to save the company is by maximizing the beneficial aspects of the anniversary. This can happen in terms of public relations, sales opportunities and investment directions.A sense of urgency kicked right within Oneil. He got startled
When Oneil finally got discharged from the hospital, the house that suddenly got strange though the same has welcomed him with all the warmth he seemed to miss for a long time. Jacques even met him at the door. His face is filled with surprise and relief. Oneil nodded at him as a greeting. This young man has been antagonizing Oneil in all of his pursuits within his career. But Oneil never took him seriously. He’s just a kid who’s bound to learn more. “How are you while I’m not around?” Oneil asked that surprised his cousin. “Not that great,” Jacques was careful in his answer. Is he talking about the incident in Forestier Village? But these familiar words and the way Oneil would show a knowing smirk after that question brings Jacques to compare it with Oneil’s past attitude. Oneil also got amused at Jacques’ response. Just like how he always do whether Jacques answered with fury, sarcasm or silence. “You have grown up. That’s good. You’re not s
Everything is relatively peaceful. And such state is more dangerous than the knowledge of an impending doom. Gwyneth doesn’t know what’s her reaction to make. It’s hard to take Oneil’s recovered yet selective memories as worth to celebrate for. He has just returned to the frightening and cold version of himself. The very character that Gwyneth always tried to get along although he would scold her from time to time. But Gwyneth pities her cousin. He doesn’t know Essi has been the best part of his life. She is his new but better reason to be more efficient in work. Admittedly, Gwyneth knows that sadness has won over her dislike on the old version of her cousin.Gwyneth stares at the gift that Oneil placed in her desk. She could only laugh at herself because it was her spoiled attitude that prompted Oneil to always give her gifts after his work. She has gotten used to no more receiving it that it felt strange.She went towards his office. One
Oneil has a little prejudice on the person that they have to meet. If it is not for his cousin, he wouldn’t be agreeing for a meet up. Jacques modified his schedule and intended it to be in line with the dinner in the house of the Doltos. Oneil has to cancel his prior appointment since the new one reminds him to commit in business.“Where is that person we’re going to meet?” Oneil has already set himself to be impatient. His priced watch, the only article in himself that would make everyone around understand what kind of economic status he has, tells him that there is only a minute left before the sharp time meant for the dinner.“Hello, Oneil.”The greeting itself made Oneil to secretly smirk. Doesn’t this person know how formal and solemn this meeting should be? Her voice is not even familiar to Oneil. What makes her to deal with him casually? He lift his head to meet a woman with the glimmer of her eyes. Oneil nodded
Jacques has a history of pulling pranks on people. If shock didn’t flee from her, Essi might not be able to realize about such an irrefutable reality. What if Jacques just stirred the dinner scene by his mischief? In any case, why would Oneil collude with him? Not unless it’s Oneil’s idea too to get things disturbed. Victor once mentioned that Oneil was probably displeased about them being together. He might have intended their meet to pour those feelings. Unfortunately, Essi got irritated on him as well. She should have been more understanding especially when she sensed some flares of anger coming from Oneil. Essi convinced herself that if she can have a heart-to-heart talk with Oneil right away, this problem will be cleared out.She tried calling on him. Thankfully, he answered.“Oneil, can I have some time to talk to you?” Essi asked gently. “I’m sorry for what I did last night. I was just irritated. Can I make it up to you?
It is always in the dark busy highways that Essi could meet her saddest moments. But she didn't care about this traffic towards St. Tropez. Her schedule was supposed to guide her thinking. She must be attuned on participating to the culmination of the econ-conference. But she has been trained under pressure and can still think quick amid emotional turmoil only if she is already within that situation. The culmination is still far. Her car is quiet. The music didn't help but only remind her of Oneil. Is the future where there is no home? Everything around leads her to the memories of him. There's the mascot still giving out fliers along the streets. Oneil cannot choose her now not because he cannot remember, but because it is hard for Oneil to believe in her. Upon closing her eyes, she let the silence fight her misery. When she arrived in St. Tropez, she dealt with the guests and corporate personalities as if she's not having any thorns in her flesh. The success she had in the
Oneil couldn’t believe that Essi would just dive to the waters for a mere ring that she declared to be thrown away. What has gotten into her? She successfully drew him to follow her. From the dock, where Essi has actually managed to run and dive from it's nearer side, he joined the waters too. Fortunately, the luminescence of the moon penetrates through the water and makes the white clothes of the woman distinct in his sight. He swam throughout and took her hand. But she was trying to get away from him to go down. “Essi, it’s dangerous!” Oneil told her when they got both of their heads above the water. “And no way can we still find that ring now.” He kept holding Essi closer to him just to stop her. But Essi pushed him to escape from his hold. “Did I tell you to find it for me? I’m searching it on my own,” she replied while walking back to the farther part of the seafloor. She’s hoping that the ring would wink with brightness at her. The moon is helping her. But the
Oneil has been swamped with the need to check the details of the foundation. He is near to accurate. But the lack of information on how the Mercator Group started hinders him from his goal. It would be a shame to ask Grant when Oneil is the one tasked to supervise the entire program. When he decides to take a break, someone is looking for him. It seems like he couldn’t get busier today. His mind is already filled with thoughts about what he has done back then. He’s a perfectionist. That same reason should at least make him relieved that he didn’t do anything wrong. But now, he’s doing otherwise. It’s because of Essi. He must have messed up big-time to get tangled with her. He doesn’t have enough confidence in himself anymore to believe that he didn’t fail at some point. It’s because of Essi that he finds himself strange these days. He’s been trying to find himself and that is the least of all the things that the Oneil Mercator would like to do. He discovered many thing