Chapter 1

Have you ever had “A Man Who Got Away?”

Sarah Kate Wright, a beautiful heiress to Wright Diamond Corporation, let Carlos Ronaldo slip through her fingers. He loved her, but she did not see him. He left Braeton City without saying goodbye.

After nine years, Carlos became widely known as “The Devil” on court. Hot, famous, and rich, he became every woman's desire. He returned to Braeton City and came face to face with… the girl he left behind.

***

"Why did you leave without a word?” Kate asked, looking straight into his grey eyes.

"You were my world, but you did not see me,” Carlos replied.

It was funny how the tables turned because after Carlos left, all Kate could see was him.

***

Book 4 of The Wright Family Series

Book 1: Mommy, Where Is Daddy? The Forsaken Daughter's Return

Book 2: Flash Marriage: A Billionaire For A Rebound

Book 3: I Kissed A CEO And He Liked It

Book 5: I Fell For The Boy His Daddy Was A Bonus

Each book can be read as a standalone.

Follow me on social media. Search Author_LiLhyz on IG & FB.

Chapter 1: The Man Who Got Away

‘Have you ever had a man who got away?’ Letting out a sigh of regret, Sarah Kate Wright admitted, ‘Well, I did. I lost that one person who probably thought of me as the best in the world. Yes, I hurt him. I overlooked his importance in my life, which was probably the reason he left. It was my fault, all my fault. Now, nine years and eighteen days later, all I can do is admire him on billboards, on TV, and over the internet.’

Kate’s tall and slender frame stood in the driveway of the Wright Diamond Corporation, the company belonging to her family. She could not move. Her blue eyes were glued to the digital advertisement across the building, utterly captivated by the sight of one, Carlos Ronaldo, a professional tennis player.

“Carlos,” Kate said the man’s name. She remained gawking at the image of his gorgeous grey eyes. She gulped at the outline of his muscular abdomen, his splendid tanned skin, and how his beard gave off that dangerous yet sexy vibe. On that billboard, Carlos modeled for a famous clothing company known for its denim jeans, Levi Strauss & Co, and he looked absolutely divine.

They say the most painful goodbyes were the ones that were left unsaid. In Carlos’ case, he never said goodbye to Kate. He just… left. He never looked back, and it caused Kate one of the most painful partings of her teenage life. Kate was eighteen when she last saw Carlos. Now, at twenty-seven, she couldn’t quite decide if she was still so hung up on him, or so she tried to convince herself.

After Carlos left, Kate learned from their high school how he took the offer from William Mckenzie. It was an investment William McKenzie had long presented to Carlos. William was one of the wealthiest men in Braeton City, and he was one of those who saw Carlos’ potential.

‘Was he always that sexy? Minus the beard,’ Kate thought, still scrutinizing the billboard. ‘Maybe he was. He was rarely shirtless in front of me, anyway.’

With a bitter expression, she muttered, “He takes off his shirt every so often in front of millions of girls, but he never did that for me.”

“What are you talking about, Kate? He was always half-naked swimming in our pool when we invited him too.” Kate turned toward her twin brother, Kaleb. He said, “When you watched him at practice, haven’t you seen him change his shirt?”

“Bull!” Kaleb remarked in a sarcastic tone. “Your eyes looked elsewhere when you had the right one standing before you.”

She pouted her lips and countered, “Well!” She pointed to the billboard, more specifically aiming at Carlos’ six-pack abs, and said, “He probably didn’t have that yet! And will you please stop reminding me how I made the biggest mistake of my life?”

“He had a little. We were young. He wasn’t that broad , of course,” Kaleb explained. “Will you stop looking at him? Let’s go inside? I have a lot of things to take care of.”

“But -”

“You know, Kate, if you can’t get over the man, why don’t you… go after him,” her brother suggested. “How long will you be like this? It’s been nine years, Kate. After all this time, just let it all out.”

“Go see him and tell him how you really feel!” Her brother went on and on, recounting the times when Kate felt like she was over Carlos, but as soon as reports of him were aired on TV or whenever she was exposed to news feeds of his achievements, she was back to sulking again.

“His birthday is tomorrow. It was announced on TV how the Mckenzies were throwing him this big party in New York - at the Four Seasons. You’ll definitely find him there. No second-guessing,” Kaleb added.

It made Kate think deeply. However, it took moments before she followed her brother’s advice.

“You are right! Kaleb.” Kate only gave her brother one glance before she chased the car she drove into. Then, she turned to Kaleb and revealed her sudden decision. “Tell our brother boss; I want to take a leave from work! I’ll go see Carlos!”

From standing in front of the company to gawking at Carlos Ronaldo, Kate hurriedly went to the airport and took the first flight out to the big apple, flying in business class.

While in the air, Kate thought about her previous efforts to connect with Carlos. They were all a fail. Carlos appeared to have changed his number.

Kate tried sending Carlos messages on social media, but she only got one reply from him, and even that, came weeks too late. Nine years ago, Carlos said to her on messenger, “Kate, I need to chase my dreams, even if it means leaving.”

No, there was no explanation whatsoever. Carlos' social media became inactive after her hundred replies. The following report that reached Kate came two years after, when Carlos was already joining the professional tour.

When Carlos played the Grand Slam for the first time, she attended two of his games. She wasn’t expecting to get an explanation from him. Kate simply wanted to see him. During the second instance of watching him play for the US Open, she brought Kaleb with her.

She met with Carlos when she purposely lost her way to the ladies’ room. She wound up sneaking into the locker rooms. Kate perfectly remembered the shocked expression on Carlos’ look. Sadly, all she got from him was the direction to the restroom. Back then, he said, “Kate, you can’t be here. Not now. Go back to Kaleb. Turn to the left and then right. You’ll find the common restrooms.”

Now that Kate thought about it, she had always wondered how he knew she came with Kaleb.

Nonetheless, that was Kate’s last attempt to seek Carlos. Her pride got in the way, and ever since, she was just one of the million people who secretly cheered for him as he rose to the top ranks of professional tennis players.

***

Heartbeats later, Kate made it past the tight security of the Four Seasons Hotel. Her elegant looks gave her an easy pass. She packed lightly for that trip, bringing her most glistening golden gown to show off her stature. Kate was, after all, an heiress to the Wright Diamond Corporation, one of the biggest companies in the country. She could not be seen dressing down during such a significant event.

Kate did not have to ask where the main affair was going to be. Instead, her eyes followed the celebrities, and she graciously paraded with them.

Walking into the hotel was one thing, but entering the grand ballroom was another story. Kate tried to explain to the security how she had left her invitation, but it was of no use. They denied Kate entry until she noticed one security personnel received a phone call.

“Yes, ma'am. I understand,” said the man in a black suit. He turned to Kate, saying, “I’m sorry for the misunderstanding, Miss Wright. We will escort you to your table.”

Kate was taken aback. How was it that everything changed just like that? Still, she was happy about it. Certainly, she could at least see Carlos.

Kate was assigned to the near back. Unfortunately, it was too far from the stage that it was impossible to find Carlos.

Eventually, the program began, and since the Mckenzies hosted the party, their gorgeous daughter, Hailey Mckenzie, took the stage and welcomed all the guests.

“Welcome, everybody. Thank you for coming to Carlos’ birthday party. This person is so dear to me, someone close to my heart, and I am very proud of what he has achieved.” Hailey began, highlighting Carlos’ triumphs over the years, and at the end of her speech, she said, “So let us welcome our birthday celebrant, Carlos Ronaldo.”

Finally, it was the moment Kate had been waiting for. She felt a lump in her throat when she saw Carlos walking up the stage in his suit, his athletic face looking more handsome than the last she remembered.

Kate’s eyes remained on Carlos, not wanting to lose him for a second. She intended to walk up to him after he greeted his visitors.

“Before Carlos takes the microphone,” Hailey spoke. “We have a special announcement to make.”

Kate saw as Carlos stood next to Hailey, his brows meeting. Everyone could see how they were whispering, but Hailey quickly spoke. “Oh, well. Actions speak louder than words, so here it goes-”

Hailey kissed Carlos outright on that same stage and in front of the guests. It encouraged hoots and applause. Everyone was cheering for them. All the people in the room seemed to be happy for them, except for Kate.

While Hailey’s face flushed like a tomato, Kate’s face paled like a ghost. While Hailey was giggling and smacking Carlos’ arm, Kate’s body was tensed in jealousy.

“We knew it!”

“You look good together!”

“Hailey and her family have supported Carlos through thick and thin! She is the best woman for Carlos!”

“Finally!”

“You deserve each other!”

The crowd's cheers repeatedly echoed in Kate’s head, and being surrounded by the truth stung her eyes. ‘Why did I even come here? I feel so stupid!’

Kate stood up, wiping the tear that fell on her cheek, and left. She wound up chartering a flight back to Braeton. Returning home, the first thing she did was go to her room and open her diary.

She flipped through several pages where she had written her cries about Carlos, and finally, after reaching a blank page, she wrote:

[Dear Carlos,

I saw you today. It was the craziest thing I have ever done; to see a man who had forgotten me for nine years. I know it was my fault, but I never thought my punishment would be this heartbreaking.

How come you never gave me a chance? Did you not at least want to speak to me? I had hoped that one day you would come to see me and tell me everything, but that day never came.

Today, I am not writing to tell you about how my day went, or how I saw your last game, or how I saw you on TV. This will be different, and this will be the last that I will write in this journal.

I saw you were happy with Hailey. I saw you kiss a woman in public for the first time. I heard stories about the two of you, but seeing it firsthand made me realize that I had lost you forever.

It is time for me to close this diary permanently. You had long moved on, and I must move on, too.

Maybe in the next lifetime, Kate Wright will be with Carlos Ronaldo. I hope in the next lifetime, Kate Wright will not make the same mistakes that I did.

In my last entry, I will tell you the words I failed to show and let you know.

I LOVE YOU. I did not see it then and was wrong to have missed it. Sadly, I know how it is too late.

Finally, this is goodbye.

Love,

Kate]

Chapter 2: Mister Jade

“Hello,” Kate answered the call in her bedroom voice. Her eyes were still shut and puffed from all her crying last night. Her chest felt so heavy, and her heart seemed to be broken.

Kate was unwilling to get up that weekend. She had the craziest Friday, going to New York, hoping to speak to Carlos Ronaldo once and for all.

Sadly, her goal never materialized. She witnessed Carlos and Hailey Mckenzie briefly kissing on stage, and that was it for her. Her hopes were crushed altogether. Kate left without getting the answers she had longed to hear.

“Miss Wright, this is Frederick of JetSuite charter flights. Good noon. I am calling to make sure your flight went smoothly, and we were hoping that you could give us feedback on the service we provided you last night,” the man said on the other line. “We sent you a survey through the email.”

‘What? It’s noon already?’ Kate sat up and rubbed her eyes. Then, after clearing her throat, she weakly replied, “Yes, Frederick. All went well. Thank you very much for arranging the flight at the very last minute. And yes, I will give my feedback. You helped me so much last night.”

After fleeing The Four Seasons Hotel, New York, Kate remembered how she went straight to the airport, hoping to get a combined flight to Braeton, but there was none.

Luck would have it. Frederick, the ground manager for JetSuite, approached her, offering a charter flight. The more surprising thing was, he provided the service for half the price! She was fortunate. Regardless of how the elderly man found her and seemed to have understood her needs, she did not care. Last night, she badly wanted to get home, and fast. There was no safer place to cry it all out but in the four corners of her bedroom.

Frederick told her it was because her father, Ethan Wright, often availed their services, and that was how he quickly remembered her.

Truth be told, Kate recognized Frederick as well. She had recently traveled with her older brother on two business trips to New York. Kate was confident Frederick was the same man who received them on one occasion. Still, the warm welcome and the huge discount were unexpected.

“Thank you, Miss Wright,” said Frederick. “I will be expecting your email. And, of course, if you could put in a good word for us to your father and brother, that would be a great help for JetSuite.”

“Definitely, Frederick, and thank you for checking on me. It was very nice of you,” Kate admitted.

After the call, Kate groaned as she rested her back on the bed. She clenched her jaws at the picture of Carlos locking lips with Hailey. Then, she reminded herself, “Stop it, Kate. Stop it! You have already decided to give up.”

She took her bath and ate her late breakfast. When she was done, she opened her laptop and checked the charter flight company’s email survey. Before she went through the survey, she noticed an email from a company called CSK Apparel. The said email arrived in her inbox minutes before JetSuite’s survey request. Kate was curious about how the subject line suggested they had a job offer for her.

She read the email, “Dear Miss Wright. We saw your profile from Corporate.com, and your qualifications impressed us -”

“Oh, my god. I can’t believe I still had my profile on there,” Kate muttered, recalling how Corporate.com was an employment website The Wright Diamond Corporation had invested in. Everyone in the company was encouraged to enter their work profile just to bring traffic to the website, but Kate honestly thought she had already deleted her information.

Kate shrugged, saying, “Oh, well.”

She took her time reviewing the company. The more she read about it, the more she became interested. Kate loved fashion, and she especially liked how CSK Apparel was a start-up company. It will bring in challenges, but most of all, it was open to many new ideas that she has so many to offer.

To her surprise, the said company had a very substantial financial backup. It occurred to her that the company had big dreams with big investors. Thus, she went ahead and responded to the job offer.

***

For the rest of the day, Kate decided to do some online shopping. It was her best bet to getting Carlos out of her head. She searched for new pieces of jadeite jewelry on auction and found one to her liking.

Kate was the third child in their family. Her older brother, Kyle, was the CEO of The Wright Diamond Corporation, the company belonging to their family and that of her father’s forefathers. Her older sister, Kenzie, was in the UK. Kenzie married a London boy. Then, there was Kaleb, her twin brother.

Kenzie, her sister, was into diamonds. Kate, on the other hand, was into jades, both nephrites and jadeites. She was obsessed with collecting such pieces even when she was fifteen.

She was about to buy a pair of earrings when someone knocked on her door. “Kate, there is a delivery for you.”

“Um. Okay, have the guards checked it?” She asked whoever was the maid behind the door.

“Yes, they are checking the package, but the item is inside a velvet box. They think it’s jewelry,” the maid replied.

Kate did not particularly recall if she had ordered anything recently, but she went down to receive her package.

In the living room, Kate gawked at the velvet box with a note that said, “I’m sorry.” She wondered what that meant because, as far as she was concerned, no one had offended her in the last months.

She opened the box cautiously, and her eyes widened at the view of a pair of jadeite earrings, the same one that she bid for at an online auction site over a week ago. Kate’s lips could not help but form into a circle. She exclaimed, “Oh, my god!”

Being a jade collector, Kate had all the tools needed to test the authenticity of such jewelry. Thus, after putting the pair of earrings to the test, she wore them proudly, flaunting her new jadeite jewelry at dinner.

“Oh, is that new?” Samantha Wright, a woman with golden hair, said. She had the same pair of blue eyes as Kate.

Kate smiled, answering, “Yes, mom, and it is a real jadeite.”

“I’m happy for you, sweetie,” said her mother.

“Did that come from your Mister Jade again?” Kate’s father, Ethan Wright, walked in. He stood tall, authoritative as usual. His chin was up while his brown eyes were precisely studying the studs on her ears.

Kate smirked and replied, “There was no name on the card. It might be him.” As she replied, Kate silently reflected, ‘But then again, why would he say sorry?’

“Hmmm.” Ethan pulled a chair in front of the table and said, “Well, usually, Mister Jade sends you these gifts on your birthday. But today is not your birthday.”

Four years ago, Kate started receiving gifts from Mister Jade on birthdays. Mister Jade never missed greeting and gifting her a piece of valuable jade. May it be jewelry or a piece of handcraft. Unfortunately, her family never found out who Mister Jade was, nor did Kate’s father put much effort into knowing his name. In Ethan’s view, as long as the jades were harmless, he did not mind that his daughter was receiving admiration gifts.

It was expected. Kate was beautiful, after all. Even Kate’s older sister had lots of gifts during her birthdays. Heck, even his sons received admiration gifts.

“It’s a beautiful piece, Kate,” Samantha remarked.

Kate could not help but smile from ear to ear. While she was heartbroken again because of the same man, she at least had a new pair of her favorite gemstone dangling over her ears.

“Whoever gave you those earrings… seem to know you well, Kate,” her father suggested. “Do you want me to trace whoever this Jade Admirer is?”

“Why not?” Samantha suggested. “Who knows, he might actually be a nice person.”

Kate contemplated, but soon she nodded in agreement, saying, “Okay, dad. Why not? You would be able to find out who is… Mister Jade.”

***

Meanwhile, miles away, a man with striking features was walking onto the runway, ready to board his private jet. When he reached the foot of the aircraft’s boarding stairs, he turned to the ground manager and asked, “Did she get home safely?”

“I believe so, sir. She answered the email survey from her home,” the ground manager replied.

Getting on the plane, the same towering man received an update from his assistant, “She replied to the job offer, sir. She would like to know more.”

“And the kiss incident?” The man with grey eyes sought.

“All taken care of, sir,” his assistant said. “No word nor photo will leak to the public.”

“Good. The house?” The man asked.

“Paid for, sir. Renovations are on the way,” his assistant replied.

Looking distantly through the airport porthole, the same striking man faintly said, “Two more Grand Slam, Kate. Two more. It will all be over soon.”

Chapter 3: Carlos Ronaldo, The Devil

“After a two-hour finale at The Australian Open, The Devil on court, Carlos Ronaldo achieved his eighteenth Grand Slam win,” reported Roman, a news anchor of BNC Media.

“Exactly, Roman,” said the other news anchor, Denis, “And we could not be more proud, knowing that Carlos was born and raised in Braeton City!”

“Yes, that’s right.” Roman acknowledged. “Carlos Ronaldo is the son of the former veteran tennis player, Manuel Ronaldo. What happened to his father was a shock to everyone. His father died in a car accident, and his family lost everything. His mother, Agnes Ronaldo, became ill, and out of depression from Manuel’s death, she also passed away.”

“Despite how tough life was for him, that did not stop Carlos Ronaldo from rising into fame, giving his father the honor he deserves, and using tennis, a sport his father loved the most!” Announced Denis. “I’m sure his father would be proud.”

“For years, Carlos fought against odds, starting at the lowest ranks playing tennis. In his first year, he played feature tournaments to challenger tournaments. In his second year of playing, Carlos finally reached ATPs, the Association of Tennis Professionals, ranking at around two hundred. And it was six years ago that he entered the most prestigious tennis events in the world, the Grand Slam tournaments. Finally, after three years of playing the Grand Slam, he won the US Open and remained undefeated on his home court to this day! Then, he became widely known as The Devil on court.”

BNC Media aired a video of Carlos’ old matches in that program. It was Roman who reported, “He is one of the most fierce. He had such powerful, fastest serves -”

“And let’s not forget about the backhand, Roman. Carlos Ronaldo’s backhand stroke earned him the title; The Devil!” Denis pointed out. He shook his head and added, “They are unrelenting.”

“You know, Denis. It’s funny how it started when his opponent called his backhand as The Devil,” the news anchor revealed. “And since then, Carlos Ronaldo had been named The Devil on the tennis court!”

“And now, at twenty-eight, Carlos Ronaldo has achieved his first-ever number one rank in the world!”

Both Dennis and Roman, the news anchors, cheered for Carlos, proud of a Braeton local.

“Although, in the world of tennis, we don’t know for certain how long this ranking will last, but we will keep applauding Carlos for his achievements! Besides, there are three more Grand Slam tournaments this year, and so far, he had had his winning streak,” Roman added. “We are proud of you, Carlos Ronaldo!”

“On another news, still about The Devil on court, our favorite tennis superstar announced his separation from William Mckenzie’s management,” reported Dennis. “This came about after his birthday party.”

Kate was at her twin brother’s penthouse, watching the news. She agreed to watch over her nephew while Kaleb attended an evening meeting.

It wasn't long ago when Kate swore not to listen to anything about Carlos. She closed that part of her life and no longer wrote in her “Carlos” journal, but it was so hard to switch off the television when the news about him was so interesting.

She may still be hurting because Carlos was in a relationship with Hailey Mckenzie, but she was still proud of his accomplishments. Hearing how he would no longer be managed by William Mckenzie, Kate’s eyes widened. She could not believe her ears. ‘Why would he want to separate from Mister Mckenzie’s management?’

“Papapapa! Papapapa!”

Kate became distracted, following her nephew’s blabbing. She turned to Liam, hushing him, “Liam, baby. Be quiet. Auntie is going to listen to something important -”

“Papapapa - Hwah! Huuwah!” With her nephew crying, Kate sighed in surrender and took the baby in her arms. She called his nanny. It was only after giving his nephew to the nanny that she searched online about Carlos’ decision to separate from William Mckenzie.

She first found the press release coming from William Mckenzie. It read:

[I am saddened by Carlos’ decision to have control of his career, but it is understandable. He is someone who can already stand on his own two feet. Everyone, at some point, wants independence. Carlos is like a son to me. My family and I will always be grateful for sharing his success with us. He does not owe us anything. He has paid me back in waves unimaginable.

I managed Carlos for nine years, even at the start of his rigorous training. We had nine years of relationship, but sadly, all good things end, and I am also getting too old to travel with Carlos in his matches. I wish Carlos all the best, and he knows he can always come to me. He has a home in my family.]

Browsing through the internet, Kate read about the possibility that Hailey Mckenzie and Carlos were in a relationship. Still, she could not find any statement coming from Carlos confirming this. She found it strange that such an eventful public display of affection did not reach the internet. She speculated, 'Are they really a couple?'

Kate groaned, contradicting her thoughts, “Of course they are, Kate! They kissed!”

The following article Kate saw was about Carlos, expressing his thanks to William Mckenzie. In that article, it read:

[I cannot thank William enough for all the help. When my father and mother died, I lost everything. Our neighbor became my shelter and my second family, and while my second family supported me with my dreams, I pursued them with Mister Mckenzie.

William brought me to places I never thought were possible. He introduced me to the best tennis training facilities, further enhancing my skills. Without him, I would be nothing today. For that, he and his family will always have a special place in my heart. However, the time has come for me to move on with the next chapter in my life. I have ventured into business and have a new team to handle the more considerable pressure of my daily routine.]

Kate stopped reading at that point. All that lingered in her thoughts was how Carlos mentioned his second family. Her jaws clenched, thinking, ‘He could not even say our names.’

Kate's forehead creased at the thought of Carlos naming the Mckenzies as the family with a special place in his heart. She felt her chest congesting, just utterly upset. “Did he never think about us? About me? Was all that for nothing?"

She threw her head back, asking, “Why did you go to the Mckenzies, Carlos? Why?”

Filled with these questions, Kate left and merely called his brother, telling him that she could no longer wait for him. Then, Kate went home and sought her father.

Kate quickly found him having tea with her mother. When Kate's father turned to her, giving her his attention, she asked, “Dad, why did you never offer to sponsor Carlos’ training? Why did you let him go to the Mckenzies? He would still be with us and not with them. Why Dad? I don’t understand!”

Her parents, Ethan and Samantha, looked at each other. Then, urging her daughter to sit with them, Ethan suggested, “Kate, it’s not what you think.”

Kate remained standing there, waiting. When she could no longer contain the heaviness in her heart, she cried, asking again, “You are rich enough to give him what he needed. Why did you never give him that chance back then, dad? Why?”

“Kate, I did,” Ethan revealed. “I offered to send him to the best tennis schools.”

“What?” Kate asked, her brows knitting.

“Your father did, Kate. I was there when he offered Carlos,” Samantha reported.

“The first time I offered it to him, he was still sixteen. He said he would think about it. When he was seventeen, I asked him again,” Ethan divulged. “He said… he did not want to be away from you. He said he would rather work for me at the company and not pursue tennis if it meant being away from you, Kate.”

Somehow, that did not surprise Kate. The Carlos she knew in the past would do anything for her. However, learning of this further crushed her heart.

“So when he took that offer from William Mckenzie, trust me, Kate, I was equally hurt,” Ethan admitted. He paused briefly before asking, “I don’t mean to bring this up, Kate, but I think… the better question is… What did you and Carlos talk about that made him go to the Mckenzies?”

“Knowing Carlos, he would never leave you, Kate. What exactly happened?”

After listening to her father’s words, Kate sucked in a breath. She wiped the wetness on her face and replied, “I - I hurt him, dad. I hurt him.”

Kate’s mouth opened, ready to tell.

Chapter 4: Nine Years Ago

*** FLASHBACK: Around Nine Years Ago.***

"Kate, coach is taking me to a junior tennis tournament tomorrow. It's sponsored by the school. Do you want to come with me?" Carlos walked into Kate's room while she was trying on a new dress. He whistled at the sight of her, and he flushed, knowing what the dress was for. "Is that for the year-end dance?"

Kate and Carlos were still eighteen at the end of their high school days. They had always gone out together for the year-end school dance as friends throughout high school. Carlos was Kate's male best friend, and she also had a girl best friend named Lyla.

Carlos was sixteen years old when he became part of the Wright family. This happened after his father and mother died. Because of his father's debts, Manuel Ronaldo's house was sold to the highest bidder. Social service was supposed to take Carlos’ custody, but Kate's parents opened their home for him.

The Wright family was not a stranger to Carlos. After all, they were neighbors. Carlos' old home was three blocks away from the Wrights. Kate and her siblings had been friends with Carlos since they were kids.

Hearing Carlos ask about the dance, Kate bit her lip, and her eyes tightened. She awkwardly replied, "Carlos, about the dance -"

Before Kate could resume, Carlos' eyes landed on the new bracelet around her wrist. He asked, "You bought another jade?"

Kate gulped. She looked down at her beaded bracelet and reluctantly replied to Carlos, "This - this was a gift from Tyler."

Noticing how Carlos fell silent, Kate reminded him, "You know I like jades. I can never say no to Tyler!"

"By the way, he asked me to the year-end dance and." She pursed her lips before admitting, "I said yes." With a shrug, she added, "For a change? We will still go home together."

She tried her best to be careful with her words. When they were seventeen, Carlos had admitted to Kate how he liked her. However, to Kate, she saw him as her best friend and nothing more.

Kate saw how Carlos gulped. His chest heaved, and he folded his arms across his chest. Carlos looked down, appearing to be hurt by her decision. Stuttering, he said, "You've always liked Tyler… You like him because he ranked number two in junior tennis tournaments."

"Hey, you introduced me to him at your practices," Kate said, trying to put the blame on him. "And you would have won tournaments if you had gone to them."

"I don't have the money, Kate. It's not like they pay for the plane tickets or the hotel stay for the tournaments," Carlos reminded her. "The school only sponsored nearby matches."

"Dad can help you -"

"Uncle Ethan has done enough for me. He let me stay here, and he paid for my tuition. I don't want to bother him with my tennis," Carlos cut her off.

"I can talk to dad, and I'm sure -"

"No, don't, Kate. Don't," Carlos replied weakly. "I'll… I'll find my own way."

An awkward silence stretched between them, but soon Carlos asked, "Kate, will you ever… see me more than just a friend?"

Kate felt goosebumps all over. She earnestly cared for Carlos, but she did not know the answer to that. Kate loved being around Carlos. She loved him as a friend. He made her smile and was her constant companion from school to home. Kate felt attached to Carlos, but she did not feel that spark, that tingle in her stomach when their hands touched.

She found herself attracted to Tyler, Carlos' tennis rival at school. Tyler had the looks. He had a well-defined body. He was tall and with dirty-blond hair. Plus, he was really charming and confident.

To Kate, Carlos was just Carlos. He was not a charmer. Carlos did not talk to others the way he did with Kate. He did not dress to impress, and he followed a strict routine. He went to school, to tennis practice, and then he went home. Carlos rarely socialized, and this was because he would instead serve his uncle Ethan and aunt Samantha with whatever they needed at home.

To Kate, Carlos was one of her best friends, and she did not see anything more to it.

It was because Kate did not reply that Carlos answered for her. He said, "Your silence says it all - "

"Carlos-"

"It's okay, Kate. I understand." He turned away without saying more.

In the days that followed, Kate noticed how Carlos avoided her. Once, she saw him speaking with Hailey Mckenzie and her father at school, but when Kate asked about it, he suggested it was nothing.

On the day of the school dance, Kate was expecting him to come with her to school. They spoke in the living room when he snorted and replied, "I will not be your third wheel, Kate. Anyway, Kaleb will be there. Enjoy the dance."

Kate thought her best friend was still upset, but as soon as she turned her heel to the mansion's doorway, he felt Carlos embrace her. The hug was tight and warm. Something in his hold made Kate's heart skip a beat.

Carlos said, "Take care, Kate. I want you to be happy, always. Goodbye."

In the end, Kate attended the dance with Tyler but did not enjoy his company. His jokes weren't amusing, and just when she thought she could relate to Tyler more, he was so arrogant that she became irritated by his presence.

When Kate returned to the mansion, Carlos was gone. Since he was already eighteen, he was free to leave without the consent of Ethan and Samantha. He merely left a note, saying he wanted to pursue his career in tennis. He thanked the Wright family for their love and support. Carlos promised one day to return the favor.

Days later, Kate and her parents found out that Carlos left with the Mckenzies that same night at the dance. They fled to another state where he would train to be a professional tennis player.

At first, Kate was just angry, and her entire family was, but soon, Carlos' absence became so felt that Kate acknowledged how she missed him. The pain kicked in, and Kate went in and out of a state of woe. She regretted losing her best friend.

Over time, Kate conceded how much she felt for him and that perhaps her constant need for Carlos' presence was not merely because of friendship but love. Sadly, her realization arrived too late.

*** END OF FLASHBACK: Back To Present ***

After narrating it all to her parents, Kate sniffed her tears away. She softly said, "He loved me."

"We knew," her parents expressed in unison.

"We all knew, sweetie," Samantha stated while embracing Kate. "You also loved Carlos, but you were too young to recognize it."

"You thought so?" Kate asked, leaning back.

"Tell me, Kate. How can we correct this?" Kate's father spoke. He suggested, "I can rig his next match to catch his attention. I can have him kidnapped if you want to."

Kate's mouth fell open. She chuckled as she replied, "No, dad. Don't. That's terrible."

She took a deep breath and told them about her recent trip to the big apple. In the end, she said, "I think he is happy now." She rolled her eyes at the mention of the name. "With Hailey Mckenzie."

"After that trip to New York, I have decided to let it go," Kate said. "I'm done. After nine years, I am done."

Samantha embraced her tighter. Her mother suggested, "Don't worry, sweetie. There is a reason for everything. You'll find your one true love soon. When the time comes, we will just laugh about this part of your past."

At that moment, Kate told her father about her plans to leave the company. Ethan and Kate had a back-and-forth exchange, but she insisted on what she wanted in the end. Kate argued, "I need this. I need this change, and I really like fashion. The Wright Diamond Corporation had not invested in such a field, dad. This new job is more me."

“Then let’s start an apparel company,” Ethan suggested.

“But dad, I need experience.” Turning to her father, she pleaded, “Please, dad. Besides, we both know it takes time to start a new business. At least, through this company, I will gain the needed experience. And when I am ready, we can start a clothing company or maybe a jewelry company.”

With a sigh, Ethan surrendered. He responded, "I hope this will make you happy, Kate. You can give your brother your resignation. I'll tell him to approve it."

***

Continents away, a man was standing at the glass window of his hotel room, thinking of someone. He received word from his assistant, "Sir, she accepted the job offer. I shall draft the contract. For how long do you want the contract to be?"

The man smiled at the thought of this person. He answered, "The contract is forever."

"Eh, pardon, sir?"

Chapter 5: New Job

Two months passed.

Kate was driving herself. She took a left turn from their mansion and went past an estate dear to her. It stunned her to see workers around the property when she perfectly recalled how a family of four lived there.

A frown formed on her face. She found herself parking right in front of the gates. Rolling down her window, she asked, “Are the Smiths having a renovation?”

The two workers carrying materials to the gates looked at each other, puzzled. One replied, “We don’t know the Smiths, miss. We were employed by a certain.” The worker pondered and replied, “Someone named Donald. Yeah. Donald.”

“The house is empty. I think this Donald is the new owner,” said the worker before he and his colleague excused themselves.

Kate stared at the home that formerly belonged to Manuel Ronaldo, Carlos’ father. She sucked in a breath, recalling how Carlos had always wanted to buy the house back, but then again, maybe his plans had changed.

Giving the property one last look, Kate muttered, “I guess it was never meant to be.”

She drove away, heading to her new workplace, the CSK Apparel. It was her first day on the job.

***

Kate’s new office was humbling compared to the Wright Diamond Corporation, but she understood. It was a new company that was still at the stage of designing its products. The entire company occupied two building floors from one of Braeton’s highest skyrise buildings.

She settled in at her new desk, looking at the designation on the glass door. It read Kate Wright, Marketing Director.

Yes, her role was to put the products out there. Today, she was going to get a complete orientation of the different products that will soon be available in the market, and from there, she and her team would map out the marketing plan.

“Miss Wright?” A female attendant came knocking at her door, calling her attention. “You are needed in the main conference room. You, the directors, and the design team will be there to discuss the first line of products.”

“Certainly, lead the way,” Kate answered with a smile.

Kate was introduced to all directors, including the CEO of the company. The Human Resource Director, Arman, earlier explained that the company was shared by three owners. The lady, Catrina Ross, who introduced herself as a CEO, was only a stand-in.

“Directors, today, marks the completion of our team of executives, ending with Kate Wright, and it is because of this that two of the company’s major shareholders would like to see everyone today. I believe their flight will arrive any minute now in Braeton City,” Catrina announced.

Learning that she would meet the owners of the company made Kate smile. She wanted transparency in her new workplace. Although she was told that the owners had planned to reveal themselves eventually, meeting them sooner boosted her decision to work for CSK Apparel.

Catrina continued to express how everyone was vital to the company’s success. After thanking everybody for their presence, the design team presented the first set of products.

“Today’s generation of wrist watches are different,” Raffa, the design director, said. “They are sporty, and for women, they spelled of luxury.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, introducing to you our first product line. We have jade wristwatches for men and women in various designs. They are made of combined stainless steel, pure nephrite jade, and some pieces with gold in it, too.”

Hearing her favorite gemstone, Kate’s eyes were already rounding. She may very well be her new company’s avid customer. She could not help but remark, “God, I love jade.”

“And the brand?” Raffa said, “will say much of one of the owners. Introducing, RonaldoPlus.”

Kate was drinking from her bottle of water when Raffa revealed the brand. She choked on her drink and repeatedly coughed, catching the attention of many. After clearing her throat, she asked, “ex - excuse me? The brand is RonaldoPlus?”

“Yes, Miss Wright. All the watches will have RonaldoPlus as the brand. We will also introduce men’s sports apparel, and it will have RonaldoPlus as a brand too,” confirmed Raffa.

“Ronaldo.” Kate coughed. “Sounds familiar.” She faked a chuckle and sought, “That would not be... the one we all know of, right?”

She caught the CEO and Raffa grinning. Raffa stated, “I guess Miss Wright is not yet aware of the company’s owners.”

“I believe only three of the directors are aware.” Catrina smiled at everyone before disclosing, “Well, as long as we can keep it inside these doors, we will reveal the company’s shareholders. And! No one must know that they will come to see us today. This was their specific request.”

“The first shareholder of the company is Alexander Jenkins. Yes, Mister Carlos Ronaldo’s practice partner,” Catrina revealed, and at that very moment, Kate was already feeling her heart race.

‘If Carlos’ practice partner is a shareholder of this company, then -’ Kate could not finish her train of thought, for Catrina gave away the answer.

“And the biggest shareholder of the company is none other than Carlos Ronaldo, also known as, The Devil on court,” Catrina grinned at every executive, suggesting, “Isn’t it exciting? It’s not every day that we get to work under superstars.”

“And Carlos and Alexander are coming here today to welcome everyone!”

While Catrina was pumping everyone’s excitement, Kate’s face paled. She was in her seat, repeatedly swallowing air down her throat. Kate had already given up on Carlos. How was it she got employed in a company that he started? What will she do now?

“An - and what about the third shareholder?” Kate unknowingly asked.

Catrina turned to Arman, the Human Resource Director, seeking the answer, but when he shook his head, the stand-in CEO said, “That name has yet to be revealed. I don’t know her yet, but from what I heard, she is Carlos’ girlfriend.”

Kate’s face turned white. She was this close to wanting to puke! If she would see Hailey Mckenzie soon, there was a need to cancel this employment ASAP!

She was planning in her head, deciding what to do. When her senses returned, Kate clarified, “Do - do they know us? The new directors?”

“Not yet, Kate. That is why they had made the rash decision to fly to Braeton and meet all the directors.” Catrina giggled. She suggested, “I can tell you are star-struck, but leave that kind of reaction for later, Kate. We still have work to do.”

“And... only Carlos and Alexander will be coming?” She sought. Kate was not ready to see Hailey at all. She probably could bear to see Carlos, but to see the two of them being lovey-dovey might make her lose her cool.

“Yes, Miss Wright.” Catrina’s acknowledgment gave her a bit of relief. Maybe, just maybe, she could pull through that day.

‘Maybe this was better. I could finally get my closure.’ Kate’s mind wandered to the thought of seeing Carlos for the rest of that afternoon’s meeting. Will her questions finally be answered? Was this even real? Or will this be another fail?

The following product line was sports apparel. Those did not come as a surprise to Kate anymore. Sportswears reflected so much of Alexander and Carlos, and with the latter marking it with his name, Kate was confident the products would hit it off. Everybody loved Carlos.

‘Especially Hailey Mckenzie,’ Kate reminded herself. It was her way of not getting her hopes up for the near meeting of Carlos Ronaldo.

Hours passed, and Catrina said, “Oh, I think they are finally here. I have a miss call from Mister Jenkins.”

Catrina’s assistant left the conference room with the task of receiving the two major shareholders of the company. While the assistant was gone, everyone in the same room waited impatiently. Kate, for one, was feeling her heart drumming against her ribcage. Her gaze remained fixed on the door, bracing herself.

The double doors of the conference room opened, and two tall and gorgeous men walked in, making everyone gasp. Kate was about ready to faint.

Chapter 6: In Front Of Carlos

Kate's hands turned cold and sweaty. Everyone was standing up, waiting for the doors to the conference room to open. Again and again, she swallowed her own spew. She did it so many times; that she felt her tongue become paper dry.

How the doors opened played in slow motion in Kate's view. The first person to enter was a tall man with pale skin. He had long and curly blond hair, and he had beautiful green eyes. Alexander smiled at everyone, greeting, "Hello, everybody. It's nice to see you."

The next thing Kate heard was the sound of another man's heels against the tiled floor. She gathered air into her lungs profusely as the door to the conference room further opened. Finally, Carlos walked in. He wore a business suit that stretched nicely against his broad shoulders and chest. He had one of his hands tucked inside his trouser pocket, and his grey eyes scanned the room.

Kate could not deny how he looked breathtaking. Carlo's hair was fringed up. A few strands fell into his eyes. His skin had that tan, healthy glow that she always loved. After ogling at him, their eyes met. They remained to stare at each other a second longer, with Kate especially held captive by his grey eyes.

"Mister Ronaldo, this is our newest Marketing Director, Miss Kate Wright." Catrina turned to Kate, introducing the tennis superstars. "Kate, this is Carlos Ronaldo and Alexander Jenkins."

Half a second passed before Kate managed to speak. She said, "It's nice to meet you, Mister Jenkins and Mister Ronaldo."

Kate quickly averted Carlos' gaze while Catrina introduced the other new director. She did not know how Carlos would react, and she was not ready to see it, either. Aside from Arman and Raffa, there was Molly, the store director. Once the products were reproduced, it was Molly's job to operate the upcoming boutiques.

"And that completes the team of executives," Catrina said. "We also have the design team with us today because they were the ones who presented the first line of products."

"It's nice to meet everyone," Carlos spoke. "Starting an apparel company was part of my dream, and each of you will be a vessel for CSK Apparel's success..."

'Was it? Or was it mine?' Kate thought, but then again, if the products mostly catered to men, then perhaps, it was also his.

She listened attentively to Carlos welcoming all the executives while she maintained to look elsewhere. The following person to speak was Alexander. Whatever he was saying, it wasn't sinking into Kate's head. All she could hear was the wild beating of her heart.

After all the welcome talks were over, Carlos invited everyone to another gathering. "Shall we all have dinner as a team? Somewhere private?"

"Yes, we are just two blocks away from the First Diamond Hotel. They have the best restaurant in the city," Catrina suggested.

Kate noticed an awkward pause from Carlos. The said hotel belonged to her father's company, after all. However, ultimately, he replied, "That would be great. I expect everyone to be there. No exceptions and no excuses."

Just as Carlos said that, Kate swore she felt his burning gaze on her. She was about to confirm this when Catrina proposed, "Great! I'm sure Miss Wright can secure us the best space at the restaurant."

Raising her chin, Kate nodded and replied, "I'll arrange it."

Everybody was preparing to leave the room and prepare for their special dinner with Carlos and Alexander when the door suddenly swung open. A woman with long and wavy honey hair entered the conference room. It was Hailey Mckenzie. She was chasing her breath as she said, "Oh, good! I made it!"

At that very moment, Kate felt her chest tightening. At the sight of Hailey, she clenched her jaws. She thought, 'Of course, she would be here. She must really be Carlos' girlfriend.'

In that very few seconds, she connected the dots. Carlos' girlfriend was the third owner of the company, and she must have come to welcome everybody too.

"Hailey, what are you doing here?" She heard Carlos ask the woman next to him.

"Yeah, how did you get here?" Alexander also asked.

"Well, Kendra mentioned you would be here, so I came! I flew all the way from New York!" Hailey replied. "The security knows me, so they let me in. The other staff knows me too, so here I am."

As the three exchanged words, Kate looked away the entire time. She heard Carlos excusing himself, and he exited the room with Alexander, Hailey, and Catrina.

Knowing that they were gone, Kate slammed back into her seat. She exhaled deeply and covered her face with her palms. She knew she had to think this through, and thus, she shifted her gaze to the HR director, saying, "Arman, I'll arrange the dinner at the hotel, but I don't think I can come. I'm not feeling well."

"Ah, but Miss Wright. I think you should come with us. I don't-"

"Excuse me, Arman. I'm really not feeling well," Kate said, without waiting for another objection. She rose from her seat and went to her office.

After fetching all her belongings, she clocked out and left the building. While driving, she called the First Diamond Hotel and made reservations. She concluded the dinner would have to go on without her. Kate wasn't prepared to see Carlos and Hailey having sweet moments during that gathering. She would rather not get the chance to speak to Carlos at all.

For half an hour, Kate drove aimlessly around the city. She just wanted time to think. Eventually, she made it home, and as soon as she entered the living room of their mansion, Kate screamed, "Ahhh! I can't believe what I had gotten myself into!"

She regretted not letting her older brother dig deep about the company's owners. Kate was satisfied with the company profile, its financial statement, and all the legal documents. Not to mention, they had begun operation six months before her arrival. When she came for the formal interviews, she felt right at home. Arman, the HR manager, made her feel incredibly welcome.

"Ahhh!" She nearly pulled her hair out of frustration, but before letting out another scream, she saw her mother, Samantha, walking out from the direction of the library. Kate said, "Mom! You can't believe what just happened to me today. I met -"

"Carlos is here," her mother interrupted.

"What?" Kate froze in her stance.

"Carlos is here," Samantha repeated. "He is talking to your father inside his study. He arrived looking for you around twenty minutes ago. He seemed... very concerned for you."

"Say that again, mom," Kate requested.

"You know, Carlos Ronaldo? The man you have been trying to get over with? The same boy who used to be your best friend? The reason for your tears two months ago -"

"I get it, I get it, mom," Kate cut off her mother.

"Well, he is here, and it looks like you two will finally be able to talk," Samantha revealed. Her eyes shifted toward the stairs, and then she suggested, "Fix yourself. Dry those tears. Re-apply your make-up and wear something a little sexy."

"Mom!" Kate reacted.

Samantha shrugged and said, "It might help with the conversation later. Who knows! Go!"

Kate dashed to the stairs, but when she thought her mother was done, she heard Samantha say, "And when you talk? Show a little of your cleavage!"

"Mom!" Kate opposed.

"Just a suggestion!" Samantha said back.

Moments later, Kate was finally standing in front of Carlos Ronaldo. He was leaning against the frame of her bedroom door, his grey eyes looking straight into her blue orbs.