CHAPTER 6

Lance

I looked at Lizzy, confused. My forehead was creasing. "It went? Is it walking? a walking present?" I asked her continuously.

How could a present walk on its own? Is it an animal?

But if it goes to the comfort room, an animal can not do that. There is no way it could pee on its own.

I hope it is not Bricx, for Pete's sake. Please, no. I am going to punch Bricx for real. I would not let them go if they were making fun of me right now.

Lizzy smiled at me. "Yes, it is a very special one. You can't find it everywhere―oh, there it is." she said excitedly.

I looked at the way where Lizzy was looking―is it her?

"Aera!" Lizzy called and ran to her.

T-that's her.

She is really here!

I do not know if she knew that we would meet here unexpectedly. She still does not know that I am here. She was busy rummaging through her bag, looking for something I could not see.

I quickly checked myself to see if I was presentable enough to face her. Dang, why did Lizzy not give me a heads up? I should have prepared something for her!

Why is this making me nervous? It is like I am at a nerve-racking conference where all of my important super VIP clients are here. Waiting for me to say something or what.

"Aera, I want you to meet my brother." Lizzy immediately introduced me to her when they got to where I was standing.

She slowly looked up. Her eyes widened at the sight of me. She moved her hands and gently touched my cheek using her forefinger, like what she used to do to me before. She had a habit of pointing her forefinger at my cheek to see if I was real or not.

I smiled at her. "I am real. Do you still remember me?" I asked her nervously. I could tell myself that I sounded like an idiot, almost stuttering, but managed to speak normally.

She nodded her head. I did not waste any time and went to embrace her.

I now feel relieved after knowing and seeing she is really safe. I am so glad to see her okay. After all those years of trying to find her, waiting for her was worth it. She is now in front of me, no shackles in her hands or her.

"I had been looking for you for years. I am happy to see you," I told her happily before letting go of the hug. I was shocked at the look on her face after I hugged her. "I am sorry for hugging you without your permission." I added, shyly.

I hugged her eagerly and did not even think if she was okay with it or not. What an idiot.

Aera turned to Lizzy. "He is my brother, who I am talking about. I know the past already. Sorry for not telling you this," Lizzy explained shyly, that Aera quickly shook her hands, signing it was okay. "I need to do my errands now. I will leave you to him, okay? Talk about everything." she added, went to her and hugging her before turning to me and giving me a quick hug too and whispering, "Tell me what will happen later when you get home, okay?" she reminded me.

I nodded. "Take care on your way home. I will see you later. Thank you very much for this." I reminded her and told her my gratitude.

When Lizzy went out of the company, I looked back at Aera, who was staring at me. "Why?" I asked, starting to get conscious because she was staring intently at me a while ago.

She stared at me for a few seconds before pointing her finger at my left cheek again.

"Do you still think that I am not real or that you are dreaming?" I asked. I cannot even help myself to laugh a bit at her actions; it's cute.

She got something in her bag and it was her notepad. She wrote something.

'Are you okay after what happened?'

That was the thing she wrote on her notepad, showing it to me.

I gently flicked her forehead. "Why are you still worried about me when I should be the one to worry about you because I left you that day?" I complained to her, and she just ended up giving me a smile.

Her smile did not change at all. It is still the same as before, but now it is prettier. I prefer her smile now more than before. It was more pretty, and I could really tell that she was happy.

I patted her head, "Did you eat your lunch already?" I inquired, to which she shyly replied by shaking her head. "Let's go to the canteen then. You were not able to eat a while ago because of Lizzy." I invited her.

She must have been dragged by Lizzy a while ago.

"Good afternoon, Sir." My employees greeted me when they saw me on the way to the canteen.

I can also tell that they were shocked to see me with someone. Not just someone who is a man, but a woman.

Aside from Mikaela and my sister, they did not see me with any other girl. I know what is going on in my company since Mikaela was sharing those rumors with me, which I do not really mind at all.

From now on, I do not need Bricx to prove to them that I am not the person they are thinking of. This scene they were seeing is enough already and it will stick in their minds. The rumor will change, and my problem is already solved.

We sat at a vacant table. "Sit here. I will get something we can eat. Any additional orders you want to eat?" I asked and she quickly nodded her head and waved her hands after. "Wait for me here." I told her after getting what she wanted to say and heading to the counter.

After all those years, I still understand her.

I asked her two times, and she answered me twice as well.

She nodded at first, answering my first question, followed by a wave of her hands as an answer to my second question.

She is mute. When I met her, she was not able to talk, and we only communicated with each other by signing some gestures, because back then she still did not know how to read and write.

And now she can write and has good penmanship. It makes me proud somehow, making me smile from the memories that are surging into my mind.

I ordered some food for us to eat. I looked back at her to see if she was fine, but it ended up making me startled. When I looked back at her, she was staring at me. When she saw me looking at her, she smiled and waved her hands excitedly.

After getting our food, I went back to our seat and put her food in front of her and mine before finally taking a bite.

"Here, if you want more, just tell me. I will get you more, okay? Do not be shy." I told her. "You're welcome." I answered when she showed me her notepad with the word 'Thank you'.

After we had our lunch, I asked her to come with me to my office. I decided to take her on a tour of my office and show her where I work.

"She is Mikaela, my secretary. Mikaela, this is Aera" I introduced her to Mikaela when we got in front of my office.

"Nice to meet you, Ma'am." Mikaela said, and bowed a little.

Aera quickly returned the bow and quickly wrote something on her notepad. After a few seconds, she showed it to Mikaela.

'It's nice to meet you, too. You are pretty :)'

"Please cancel my schedule for today," I told Mikaela. "I want to tour her around and talk to her for a while. Please help me cancel them. Thank you." I added.

Mikaela nodded her head and smiled. "No problem, Sir. I will do it for you." she answered.

I guided Aera to enter my office. "This is my office. I am now a business man after 4 years." I said as we sat on the couch. "I managed to achieve this and worked hard for it."

She quickly turned to her pad and began to write something before showing it to me.

'I am happy that you have a good life'

"How about you?" I asked and paused. "A-are you still with y-your mother?" I added, stuttering from asking about her mother.

She immediately shook her head, signaling that she was not with her mom anymore.

I felt relieved after learning that she is not living with her mother anymore.

"So where are you staying now?" I asked afterward.

She returned to her notepad and began writing again.

'Next time, I will introduce you to them'

She said, as I read her answer.

"I am happy to know that you are safe and now you are studying. What is the course you are taking?" I asked her.

She immediately wrote on her pad.

I do not know, but I am too happy to see her writing on her own. I never thought that this day would happen.

'HRM. I want to build my own restaurant someday, like what I always see on television. It looks good and cool at the same time. I want to be like that too'

"You will definitely be a good cook. Do you have any difficulties with your school?" I asked and received an okay sign from her. "I have been searching for you for years. I thought I would not see you again. I am mad at myself for leaving you just to make sure of my safety. I am very sorry about that. I regret leaving you that day." I added, lowering my head in shame.

Guilt was consuming me. I was remembering what I did that day, which made me lower my head.

She held my hands, making me startled and look at her surprised. My eyes were wide. I received a smile before turning to her notepad again.

'I tried to find you too before. I thought I would be able to see you, but I did not know that the words were too big for me.'

'Please do not blame yourself for what happened before. It was not your fault at all. If it were for you, I would not be able to go out of that house. I would not be here and be able to experience many things and have a dream'

'I promised myself that I would do everything to find you, but God made a way for us to meet. Maybe it was the right time that God wanted us to see each other doing fine. I am thankful for that.'

I pulled her into a hug again. This is my second time hugging her this tight. I could not even hug her before because I might have scared her with my sudden actions.

She never forgot to smile at me as if nothing had happened to her before. If I did not know her, I may have thought that she was too bubbly or that she was living a good life.

A smile can really be deceiving.

I am beginning to regret not following Lizzy's advice to find her and learn about her condition. I should have done that the first time I saw her on Lizzy's phone that day.

I should have done my best to find her.

I had been trying to find her for years. Now that she was here, I should have grabbed the chance and searched for her. But instead of doing that, I did my best to avoid her. I even avoid hearing her name.

What an idiot, really. Lizzy helped me despite my trashy attitude, which is best for shooing away opportunities.

Aera is now in front of me, sharing stories about how well her day is going today. Sharing what she had learned from school.

I can sense her happiness as she writes on her notepad. She smiles all the time while writing her stories.

How could I miss this?

I stopped her from writing and embraced her for the last time. "I am really happy to see you, Aera." I told her.

"Did I enter at the wrong time, F*cker?"