Chapter 39

Dale Daniel's POV 
"Aren't we just wasting our time here?" I complained, impatient. "It's been 2 days already but we still haven't found that Little Author."
"Calm down, sir," Trish spoke. "The HQ told us that her IP address is just around Paris."
"But Paris is the biggest city here in France!" I argued. 
"Her website!" he exclaimed. "Let's see if she has a new update."
With Trish's idea, I went back to my chair and opened my laptop. After a minute, I am now on her page. Again, I felt a strange excitement when I clicked on that website. I just wanted to sit down with a cup of coffee while reading her words. Sometimes, I felt a sense of relief while going over to her works. This author really reminds me of someone. Yeah, it reminds me of her. I could feel warmth just from their words.
I wonder how Zyah is doing now.
"Appreciating little things requires a big heart." 
"No new," I announced. "It's still the same thing as yesterday."
"Her new pens?" he asked. Appreciating little things requires a big heart?" he recited the caption Little Author used yesterday.
"Oh." I shook my head. "Memorized, huh?"
"Of course, sir! We need to find even the smallest possibility to meet her." He glanced at his wristwatch. "It's already 5 in the afternoon local time! Try to refresh the page!"
"What?"
"Didn't you notice, sir? That's her routine. She published her works every 5 in the afternoon wherever she was. " 
I obeyed what he said and refreshed the website. I wasn't disappointed when there was a new published article on her page. It contains 2 photos, a chocolate box and an image of dusk with the Eiffel.
"Montmartre hill?" I mumbled, analyzing the place on the photo.
"Oh?" Trish looked astounded. "This looked familiar," he said, still focused on his phone.
"What?"
"Sir?" He looked at me. "How many times have you asked me what?"
I gave him a puzzled look. "What?"
"See? What again!" He laughed. "Are you floating, sir?"
"Floating, my foot. Watch your language!"
"Isn't that lutang ka ba in Filipino?" He tried hard to speak that word. 
"Oh. So what looks familiar to you?" I opened up again.
"The photos are familiar!"
"Malamang. Nasa Paris din tayo," I said without throwing a gaze on him.
(Obviously. We are in Paris)
"Sir, stop using your language. I couldn't understand a thing!" he complained. "What I am saying is that I met somebody and bought that chocolate!"
"Did you see someone who bought chocolate exactly the same as in this photo?" I asked, switching my eyes from him to the laptop's monitor. 
"Yeah."
I tightened my lips, calming myself. "Trish, thousands of people may have bought that chocolate."
"You have the point, sir. But. . . " he paused and acted like he was imagining something, "the lady I met, even though it was merely a few seconds, my heart was moved. She's pretty!"
I threw the first thing I grabbed, a pen, towards him. "You already have a wife, Scott!"
He catched the thing I threw. "Yeah. I know. It's just that lady holds an undeniable beauty! She carries an Asian vibe!"
"You talked a lot!" I stood up and fixed my shirt. "Let's go."
"Where?"
"Montmartre!"
The hill is not that far from where we are staying. We reached the place without struggles.
There are a lot of people who are wandering around, mostly hand-in-hand, watching the sunset and taking photos. 
"Sir? We are here together. What if others suspects us being-"
"You're putting your salary at risk, man," I warned him. 
When I roamed around my gaze, I saw that all of the people were smiling. There's a visible golden hue on their faces. Their happiness and love were reflected in those gentle touches and smiles, genuinely curved. No wonder why the author chose this place for her February release, perfect choice for the love of the month.
Being here personally, I realize how lucky are these people who can freely love each other and have a quality time here in the city of love. Perhaps they also went through some trials, still, they survived.
I smiled bitterly and looked down. My what-ifs started to invade my head again.
"What if both of our fathers' didn't involved in that accident?"
"Maybe, until now I could still feel her warm embrace and hear her giggles every now and then."
"What are you thinking, Dale?" I halted myself. "You can't even bring yourself to look for her."
Yeah, I went through a lot. After torturing myself, my grandma decided to let me see an experienced advisor. My grandma didn't offer a reasonable choice for me. It's more like, "you'll go or I'll disown you". By taking that challenge, I gradually emptied my heart. Maybe, therapy played a role in that process. But I know within me that it's the love I received that made me through. When I learned to accept my dad's death, that's when I expressed my forgiveness to Zyah's father. I couldn't forget the day I whispered to myself these words, "Sir Clavey, I forgive you." I felt light-hearted that day. And that's one of the best things that happened in my life. Above all, I thank God for waking me up and renewing my heart. 
It's been a while since I last saw her. A year has already passed. During this year, she never left my mind. She was always there inside my heart. I was eager to let go of the hate buried in my chest because of her. That's because when I left her I realized how much I love her, long for her. Every night, when I shut my eyes, she appeared in my mind, smiling. She was the definition of my "sweet dreams" in my sleep. She's my sunshine after all.
But I don't have the guts to look for her. I felt guilty. She resigned from work and dropped her pen. I know that I was the reason for that. I hurt her. I understand that it would be uncomfortable for her to work at Dreammy Pen after what happened. But she just disappeared. She did not work in any media. Even Ryle and Johnny don't have the knowledge on what happened to her. Ryle once speculated that she planned on going back to her province. 
My thoughts were interrupted when my phone rang. It was Trish calling. I just realized that he already left me. I fear where he went this time. 
"Sir! I left you!" He laughed.
"Good thing, you know!" 
"Just remember your past there!" he said. "Have a date with yourself since she isn't around."
"100 dollars."
"That's what you called self-love, sir!"
"200 dollars."
"Sir that-"
"300 dollars."
"Fine. Fine. Defeat," he declared. Reducing his salary is the only way that can stop him. "I found her again!"
"Who?"
"The lady I met at the store!"
"Then what?"
"Gonna talk to her. I'll just go back on my own," he announced.
"Don't let me catch you."
"Oh. Hang up," he said and ended the call.
"Oh. Hang up?" I repeated his words. What an employee!
I returned my phone to my pocket and went strolling around.
I'll let myself longed for her this time. I badly miss her. 
Zy, my woman, wherever you are right now, you still own my heart. 
Clarriese Zyah's POV
"Oyy! You are getting prettier, Zyie!" Ellaine said after her face appeared on screen when I accepted her video call request. 
"Don't fool me. It's you who is getting pretty," I replied, smiling.
"No no." She giggled. "It's just that it's night time here in the Philippines."
"Yeah. I'm 7 hours ahead of you," I clarified. "Dwight isn't ringing. Is she asleep?"
"You bet, is she asleep?"
I nodded. "Yeah. You know she's doing a lot of work during the daytime."
"No. . . " 
Suddenly, Ellaine's line became chaotic. She's moving swiftly and the phone was with her.
"Laine, what are you doing?" I asked.
"Because we are together!" Both of them appeared on the screen.
"You two. . . " I smiled softly, shaking my head. 
"Where are you now?" Ellaine asked again after she steadied the camera.
"I'm now at Montmartre," I replied. 
"Zy, how are you doing there?" Dwight joined the chat, moving closer to Ellaine.
I let out a smile. "I am doing fine here. I am happy with what I am doing. You don't need to worry about me, really."
"When do you plan to go back?" she asked again. "We all missed you!"
"Maybe, if one of you is getting married!" I kidded.
"What if it's you who'll go back because you are going to tie the knot?" Ellaine teased back leaving me speechless.
"Eh? Are you kidding me?" I forced a smile. I caressed my hair because they were messed up by the wind.
"Don't keep us guessing. Did you win some French guy's heart there?" Ellaine added, grinning.
"What are you saying, Laine? Dwight laughed. "How could she find a new one when she hasn't moved on from that someone!" She burst out into laughter once again.
"Oh. I almost forgot that!" Ellaine joined the laughter.
"Stop teasing me already." 
Instead of listening to me, they teased me even more. Their laughter got even louder. I could only shake my head at what they were doing. Many years have passed but they really haven't changed. They are still the same as before, stubborn.
"If ever Zyah would get married first!" Dwight laughed first before going on with her phrase. "I'll wash all the dishes!"
Ellaine and Dwight made an up here gesture. They are really having fun teasing me. 
"Oh. I love that idea! You, washing plates!" Ellaine was unstoppable with her laughs too. 
Ellaine cleared her throat. "Zyie, among us three, if you'll get married first, I am telling you, your—"
"My what?"
"Your-" She couldn't go on with her words because she was laughing. "I couldn't stop laughing!"
"Your groom must be Dale!" she continued.
Her words threw me in silence. I suddenly felt nervous and my heart was beating fast.  
"Laine!" Dwight chided her. "You see that she haven't  forget about him. Why did you say that?"
Elaine thought twice and replied, "I forgot!"
They both stared at me and eventually switched their gaze to each other. 
"What now?" I asked. They are getting suspicious. They must be up to do something.
"Muling ibalik ang tamis ng pag-ibig. . . "They sang the lyrics of a song popular in the country. 
"Tone-deaf!" I teased them. "I'll hang up!"
"Don't forget what we talked about!" They managed to say before I could end the video call for real.
They are always like this. I couldn't talk with them with sense because they kept on teasing me. With both of them joining hands to come to me, I could only admit defeat. Besides, they are laughing at the top of their lungs. I am afraid they'll lose their breaths in no time.
Meanwhile, I am glad that they have a personality like that. They can make me smile even when I am far away from them. They kept on entertaining me, which freed me from loneliness. Even though they were thousands of miles away from me, they still keep me company. They are always there for me as if we were together. This made me longed for them even more, longed for their embrace.
I missed my mother too. I grew up with her by my side. I am not used to her not being around but when I found out about my father's past, no one could stop me from leaving our home. 
"Why did you think of him, Zy?" I shook my head when Dale occupied my head. "He despised you for being a daughter of the man he believed that killed his dad , didn't he?" 
I fixed myself and went back on wandering around my eyes. Having a look around, I could enjoy myself. In this way, longing won't consume my heart. I've been torturing my heart for so long, I want to break free and release all the pain consuming me. 
"Hey, lady!" I heard a man shout and wave his hand. 
I looked at my left and right to see if he was really referring to me. I would be embarrassed if I responded and he was not talking to me. 
"Yes! You!" He said once again and walked closer to me.
When he sat next to me, that's when I realized how handsome he is. A fair complexion, his hair was dyed blond, a pair of gunmetal blue eyes, he owned that not-so-fierce vibe. He carries a soft vibe as well.
"Mr. Scott?" I asked when I remembered that I saw him before. 
"Yeah. It's me," he replied. "We met again. I didn't expect that."
"Yeah," I agreed. "I wasn't expecting to see you again, either."
"Hey? Are you saying that you aren't glad to see me again?"
"Oh? Of course not!" I smiled. "I thought you were just passing by."
He smiled and looked above. "We are staying at one of the hotels here."
"Yeah. You're American, right?"
"Yes. From New York City."
"What brings you here?" I asked.
"We need to find someone."
"Find someone?" I asked before drinking water from my bottle.
He nodded. "Yeah. We are looking for her. The author of Drizzles of Yellow."
I almost choke with the water I just drank. "What?!" I exclaimed
"Why are they looking for me?" I wondered.
"Lady, are you alright?" he asked.
"Yeah. I am sorry about that," I replied, embarrassed.
"Our project rates are dropping," he started. "If we couldn't turn the table around by next month the shareholders would take down the project."
He looked so unhappy while stating their problem. Maybe, they are really having serious problems. 
"Ahmm. . . " I hesitated. "Would you mind if I ask what project is that?"
"It's our Inkwell Project," he immediately replied.
"Inkwell?" I asked. 
"Yeah. It's a project of Dreammy Pen."
I froze instantly. It's just what I am thinking about. I don't exactly know what to feel. All I knew was my heart almost skipped when I heard that project and company. I clenched my fist when I suddenly felt a shiver run down through my spine. 
"Then, why are you looking for Ms. Petit Auteur?" I managed to ask in an unsteady tone. I could feel my breathing become shaky. 
"You heard about her too?" He faced me with a smile.
"Uh-" I nodded. "Yeah."
"Honestly, sir Cuego doesn't want to seek help from her," he started.
That "Sir Cuego" pricked my heart.
"He said that we are taking advantage of her if we approach her. He knows that writers start from nothing too. But we don't have much time left. It's either to approach that writer or terminate the Inkwell."
I gazed at him with a pain in my heart. "I hope you'll find her sooner."

Book Comment (113)

  • avatar
    Gineyy14

    Nandito pala sina Zyah and Dale! 🤧 Basta, ang masasabi ko lang sa novel na ito is super galing ng characters and yung character development nila. Yung plot ng story and yung mga unexpected twists. Grabe, dami kong theories dito before. GALING NG AUTHORRRR!!!

    10/03/2022

      35
  • avatar
    AporadoChazilmae

    happy

    13/09

      0
  • avatar
    DitanCamilo

    nice story

    11/09

      0
  • View All

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