Chapter Seven

Chapter 7

Based on what I am seeing now, the woman started crying. I nodded to answer my question, then I thought that apart from being a playboy, Travis seems like good at making women cry. Another red flag, then shake my head in disappointment.

This is the second summer that he wanted his woman out of their premises before the day of their thanksgiving party. Now, I wonder if this happens every summer even before I started going here.

"Rush, Noah please let me stay." Travis' girlfriend's voice cracked as she cried and pleaded with them.

"Travis has the decision," Noah said coldly. This is the first time I am seeing Noah this cold to someone. His aura is often sweet and friendly. I never thought he could be like this.

What if it got to the point that Travis would do the same thing to me? I shake my head one after another to remove that thought from my mind.

"The van outside is ready to take you to the port." That was Noah's answer to Travis' girlfriend's request.

"But--" Travis interrupted what he was going to say.

"Just go Bea... the travel time might take some time and I don't want you to spend more time on the road." And then Travis turned his back on him.

I was so focused on listening to their conversation that I didn't even notice that Travis was no longer in their group.

The woman also called the names of their other friends one by one, asking for help but most of them just looked at her and sight because I'm sure this is not their call to decide. The others just apologized to her so her crying got louder.

"Our helpers will help you with your luggage." That's the last thing I heard before my vision was blocked. My forehead frowned in confusion. What's happening? I even asked myself.

As far as I remember there was no curtain here! Then out of the blue, I started sniffing one after another as I smelled a familiar scent.

I creased my forehead and that's when I realized that the scent, I am selling right now is Travis' perfume! My heart started to race then as I looked up, my gaze immediately found Travis' eyes.

"What are you doing here?" He asked me using that baritone cold voice. He was still not satisfied and he even glared at me. So, I ended up pouting my lips. How the hell is he here right now? When I just saw him there, with his friend and his girlfriend talking.

"I just came here..." I answered him innocently and pretended I didn't know what happened. His thick eyebrows were sticking out and it was obvious that he didn't believe what I said.

I tried to peek again to see what was going on with his girlfriend and his brothers and friends but he blocked my view using his body even more. Now I'm feeling indignant but tried my best not to let him know or see it on my face.

"Come join me for breakfast." He said to me and before I could refuse, he grabbed one of my arms and I pulled away from the hall.

"Time flies fast like you've just been in grade school but today your teenage life will begin." Mom said passionately as she gently combed my hair.

Today is my thirteenth birthday and just like in the past when it comes to my birthdays, there is another party thrown for me, in one of my city's luxury hotels.

And this time the Forgers will be attending my birthday party, so I'm even more excited. My classmates, teachers and other schoolmates are also invited.

'I'll see the Forger brothers again, especially Travis.' I said to myself in my mind. And you know what this next school year I will be in my first year of high school while Travis has also been busy working, it's been more than two years since he graduated from college.

All the news about the Forgers I get from Mom and Dad; they still talk about them when we have our food together or I'm with them in the office. And aside from that, I still spend time with the Forger siblings every summer and as often happens, they are busy with their friends and girlfriends, which I am used to. I've lost count of how many times I've ever seen the Forgers siblings flirt, especially Travis.

We heard a series of knocks and then Mom replied that whoever that person outside my room could enter and when the door opened it was my birthday organizer.

"In ten minutes, the party will start." She reminds us. Mom nodded and said we are ready; the organizer came out first before Mom and I.

"Thank you for this party, Mom. I love you and Dad so much." And then I kissed Mom on the cheek.

"I love you too honey." Speaking of Dad, I haven't seen him yet. So, I asked Mom.

"He's downstairs honey, with the Forgers. You know..." Of course, I know the reason why so I nod. Even though a few years had passed, my family is still close to the Forgers' family, however Dad is still not yet part of their board members or one of their regular engineers.

And also everything I got a chance, I always ask Dad why he is still not part of Forgers business, and I always, always got the same answer from Dad that,

'We'll be there soon, just wait hon.' I'm not very convinced by Dad's frequent answer but I also think I'm too young for the jobs of those who are older than me, so what often happens is I just nod and then change what Dad and I are talking about or he's the one who will lead the conversation into a different one.

When Mom and I made it to the backstage, Dad immediately appeared from nowhere so I just smiled and then hugged Dad.

"Dad!" I greet him warmly.

"Happy birthday, honey." And then Dad kissed me on the forehead.

"I love you, hon." He added. Once again, I hugged Dad, this time with a tighter embrace.

"I love you more Dad. Thank you for everything." And just like what the organizer said, after ten minutes, we heard the emcee talk about my birthday and then we were called on stage.

"Let's welcome Miss Kourtney Martinez, our birthday celebrant, along with her parents."

I heard the loud applause of our guests as we slowly walked to the stage.

I sat on a large single sofa chair with a design the same for the theme of my birthday party. While Mom and Dad were on either side of me.

While I was sitting in my birthday chair, I simply checked the crowd and I'm sure you already knew who I was looking for, while I was looking for him, my heartbeat became faster and faster, here is this feeling again as if your rib cage was about to break because of my fast heartbeat.

I didn't look for the Forger couple anymore because they were at the VIP table next to the table where Mom and Dad and I would sit later.

When I looked to my right there, I saw Noah, he was sitting and wearing a dark blue suit and tie. Like the usual, no matter what the Forger siblings are wearing, they are really handsome to look at so I'm not surprised that even at my birthday party it looks like there are really attentions that even if the Forgers don't ask, they still get it.

At the table where Noah was sitting, there were five women who looked close to his age or just a little younger talking to him. Noah was looking at the emcee and seemed to be trying to focus on the events of my party. However, it looks like he just can't focus one hundred percent because of those girls.

I'm sure whatever they're saying to Noah now, it's just all about flirting! I have memorized the movements of the Forger brothers' women since for the last few years I spent my entire summer vacation with them.

Are they not advised by their parents that they should have focused on what the emcee was saying? It looks like they are just here to flirt with the Forger siblings. How annoying! And before I got more annoyed at the girls at Noah's table trying to flirt with him, I diverted my gaze to another part of the event hall, to look for Travis in the crowd.

Maybe like Noah, Travis is in the same situation now. I couldn't help but feel the bitterness in my chest as I imagined Travis, at the same table with five women trying to flirt with him! Now my stomach feels sick just by the thought of it!

Just happy thoughts Kourtney! I chant in my mind, it's your birthday today! Until I saw Rush at a table, he was focused on what the emcee was saying and that's when I was pulled by a thorn in the side when I saw that the person with him at the table where he was sitting looked like Dad's business partners.

I'm not surprised though, in fact, Rush and I have an age gap of fifteen years so for sure he's getting tired of flirting and being a playboy so he has more time to talk about business since I heard he will inherit their business. For sure the wealth of the Forgers would be divided among the three of them, but since he is the eldest and his Dad is about to retire as CEO, he will be the one to take the bigger projects and job compared to his siblings.

**

The emcee will finish speaking and the second part of the program will start. I still haven't seen Travis. Where did he go? I asked myself again.

Like an eighteenth birthday party, even if I am thirteen today I will have thirteen candles, thirteen gifts and thirteen roses. Since you know that I am the only child, Mommy really planned all this. This is because it was my first year as a teenager so he wanted he will be super special, which I really appreciate.

I really thought my thirteenth birthday party would be super fun, I just thought that… before the three main parts of my party started, there was already a break. It's embarrassing that our guests are hungry. I escorted Dad for tonight so that's why when we got off the stage I clung to one of Dad's arms. While Mom was on the other side of me.

The other VIP guest near our table immediately greeted us, happy birthday and also praised me for being so beautiful. There are those who say that I look like Dad, or that Mom and the others mix Mom and Dad with my looks.

While the ushers and usherettes were serving food I've been so busy looking for Travis in the crowd that I'm disgusted and all in all I still can't find him. Some people come to our table to give gifts and Mom and Dad talk a little about how successful our business is.

It's just a little bit and I'm going to ask Mom and Dad where Travis is. I don't care if they wonder why I'm looking for Travis.

Until I couldn't stand it anymore and I whispered to Mom that it was necessary to go to the powder room.

"Would you like to join one of our helpers?" And then she looked at the gown I was wearing. For as much as the eighteenth birthday gown I'm wearing, it's red with the tube design. Actually, we mimicked the design of the gown. Since one of my favorite singers is Taylor Swift, I asked the designer that Mom rented my gown for my thirteenth birthday. The half of my gown in the lower part has designs of roses, exactly like the design of Taylor Swift's gown in her music video.

Then the other half is just plain.

I shook my head one after the other, which was Mom's offer.

"It's okay Mom, I can handle it." And then I got up from my seat, Dad also listened to me.

"Powder room." Mom said immediately, Dad nodded and since there were a few other guests they were talking to at our table, I inexcuse myself as well. I don't really pee, I shook my head one after the other, which was Mom's offer.

"It's okay Mom, I can handle it." And then I got up from my seat, Dad also listened to me.

"Powder room." Mom said immediately, Dad nodded and since there were a few other guests they were talking to at our table, I excuse myself as well. I don't really urinate, I leave our table to look for Travis but as I walk I can't help but think that maybe that's why I can't find him because he didn't attend my party.

I immediately felt disappointment at the thought, he did not promise that he would come but his siblings are here as well as their parents. They were able to make time for my birthday so I can't understand in case he's not here because he's busy with work.

As I was walking down the hallway, a few guests greeted me. There are more of you I don't know but I'm still grateful I was still with them and then smiled and said goodbye.

I simply looked around hoping to see Travis but I had a stronger feeling that he wasn't really here at my party.

"I saw Travis!" A woman beside me whispered. I immediately slowed down when I heard what the woman said but I didn't turn to their side and she might notice that I was listening to their conversation with her.

"Where?" Excited said his companion. I was stunned by what I heard. The trick really is!

"Of the Forger brothers, Travis is my best bet!" Said the third woman. Fortunately, my gown has a secret pocket so I pocketed my phone in my gown.

Supposedly I was busy there on my phone so I stopped walking so they wouldn't notice that I was listening to their conversation.

"Me too! The handsome one is still strong! ”

"And then they are younger and don't look ready to settle down unlike their older brothers."

“But aren't the Forgers known for marriage for convenience. Maybe Travis has already promised the girl! ” Somewhat annoyed one of them said.

They got my attention even more from what I heard. I was still acting like he was going to call me and I answered immediately, I leaned against the wall not far from where they were talking. I was just the right distance from them so I could hear what they were talking about.