Chapter 280 - Home in Molave 26

Jane froze at the woman's sudden soured expression while she stood still for a moment, staring at her necklace. Before any of the two of them could get back to their senses, Hayri stepped in.

"Rona?' Hayri's voice drew her out from her statued position.

"I'm sorry," Rona's eyes widened abruptly, guilty for her reaction, but she was quick to smile again, "I just remember something in the past."

Jane was sure there was something in the smile as Rona pulled up a deep breath afterward, followed by a quick close of her eyes. Rona caught them staring at her in a bewildered looks, and she laughed. "Where did I stop? Oh," she paused and tapped her forehead with her two fingers, "Jane, I'm happy to see you. This friend of mine got me worried, really."

"Rona, please sit down. You're confusing Jane." Hayri then passed a look at Jane and when he saw it that she indeed wore a puzzled expression, he released her hand and wrapped her close to him in one arm.

Jane stiffened as she stole a glance at Rona but to her embarrassment, Hayri chuckled.

"Jane, I bring you here because I want to stop a misunderstanding right from the beginning. Rona is Allie and mine's good friend while we were in Turkey and we first knew each other when she had one of her vessels docked in for repair. She knows about all of me and she knows about us."

"That's right, Jane. He knew that you came here yesterday morning and got crazy when he still couldn't find you in the evening."

Jane felt like melting in shame. How did Hayri found out about her feelings? And how could he expose her to Rona? She felt her color left her face and Hayri hugged her closer and pressed his lips on her temple. Jane knew such sweetness was beyond the bounds of mere friendship but she willingly submitted to it.

"How did you find me?" she blurted, too ashamed to look up. She realized she should have chosen a different question.

"Zheen-Ah...Allie helped me."

"You still have not used in calling her by her real name?" Rona interrupted, laughing, and Hayri glared at her.

Jane saw their exchanges and she butted in to change the topic. Though she completely understood, somehow, it pricked her heart. Just as how it affected her when she saw Ajie's sweetness towards Allie before.  "How?"

"If there's a will, there's a way-"

"But the way only comes after getting scared to death," Rona finished it for him.

Jane understood now that there was nothing between Rona and Hayri and she understood why he invited her here.

"Jane, I'm so jealous that you bring those diamond earrings with you, but in your drunken state, you gave it as payment for the wine you bought."

Jane and Rona gasped together in shock; she, at her foolishness, while Rona, at her another set of velvet diamond.

"How did you get-" Rona and Hayri asked in unison, making them look at each other with a questioning look.

"You, first," Hayri gave way, but Rona also urged him to speak first.

"Mine is a long story."

"I'm afraid Jane doesn't want to talk about it," said Hayri as he looked into Jane's eyes.

Rona nodded and let out a thin smile. "I really want to share it with both of you but before that, let us not those gentlemen keep us waiting."

Rona pointed out the purchasing and the marketing officers who were waiting outside for them. These gentlemen were the ones to discuss with her the types of materials she wanted to use for her enhancement. Their discussion started right away and soon, they went into the details of the designs. Jane was greatly amazed at the designs created by Allie. The three of them were giving in. Allie specialized in the yacht designs while Ajie focused on cruise sh.i.p.s. Hayri gave up designing and focused on construction and the rest of the processes.

As soon as the meeting adjourned, the three went out to talk without any work-related interruptions. Hayri brought them to a restaurant at the hilltop where even lunchbreak would not be too crowded. They choose a private room where the glass wall overlooked a spectacular view of the lush greeneries and of the city's outline below.

Throughout the lunch, Rona had already started getting emotional. She didn't each much, though she always managed to laugh and smile at the various irrelevant topics they brought up. When she saw them placing down their forks and spoon, she started to tell her story right away...

________

"Dr. Madani, someone came over here to see Kristian just a few minutes after you left. He forced me to submit Kyle for a DNA paternity  test."

"What? Why didn't you tell me?" came Dr. Madani's series of questions. The truth was that he was already expecting that Madame Theresa would inform him right away. As for what held her back, that was what he needed to know.

"I waited first for the findings of the investigator."

"And what about it?" Dr. Charles couldn't understand but his heartbeats pounded against his chest, though he had seen no reason for it. He was never interested to know who the biological parents of Kristian were

"The caretaker said that a woman left a note and addressed it to the director of the orphanage."

The more Dr. Madani found himself getting nervous at her pieces of information. He was almost tempted to shout into the earpiece and scold her for speaking too slowly.

"For a while, doc, I'll get the note."

Dr. Charles stood up from his seat and pounded his fist on the table. Damn it, Madame!

"Doc, doc?"

"Yes, madame. I'm here."

"Doc," her quivering voice floated into the line, "I'll read it to you, huh?"

Dr. Madani greeted his teeth and snarled, "For eternity's sake, madame, please speak fast!"

Madame Theresa jumped up in fear, dropping the piece of paper into the ground. She hurriedly bent down to pick the note but the sudden gush of wind littered the paper away.

"Madame, where are you?" Dr. Charles was already shouting but madame put down the phone away as she chased the rolling piece of paper in the ground.

Too impatient to wait, Dr, Madani climbed into his chopper and after a few minutes, the roaring sound of the craft send the children out of their classrooms to watch the descending chopper on the school's helipad. 

Dr. Madani hurried his steps towards the office of the directress but when the kids saw him, they ran and gathered around, hugging him.

Madame Theresa's knees started to shake when finally, Dr. Charles appeared at the door frame. She hurriedly stood up and handed the letter to him.

"Dear sir,

Please find a way to have him adopted by Charles Madani. If you can do this favor for me and see that my son is doing well, someday, I will come back and return you the favor. As an advance gift, I place two bracelets on my son's feet. Take one and use it for the school's treasury."