February 28, this day marked the day she had decided to change her life and wouldn't be subject to anyone's ridicule. Two years had gone in a blink of an eye. Her life made a turn for the better. She had reached her dream.

"My very own restaurant will have its opening today. Oh God, are all of these for real?" Looking at the new tables and chairs, curtains, and other things made her cry for she didn't think this would come true.

She closed her eyes and recalled that day which was the lowest point of her life that could have led her to depths of despair and might have ruined her future. "Without that incident, will I be able to reach all of these? Could my life had been better or worst? Should I be thanking him now instead of hating him? No one can fathom life at all."

"Beauty, what are you doing just standing there? Come, come! I told you to wear the one Claire gave you, not this dreary thing,” her mother instructed while waving one hand at the dress her daughter was wearing. “He is waiting for you in the office, so hurry!"

"Wait! He is in the office now?"

"Yes, he's been here for…almost two hours now, I believe."

"Two hours? You mean… " Beauty squeaked out with surprised eyes.

"Yes. He has had less than three hours of sleep for your sake. You had better thank him, child. I don’t care what troubles you two have been having lately. He's always been by your side, and you know that. Ah, there is no time for this. Just go and change!" Her mother shooed her away with her hand.

“Yes, mother!”

Beauty went into the office. There she saw this man busy putting things in proper order. He looked up as she went in. Their eyes met, that spoke in volumes but no word came out from their mouths.  

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. . . . .

At this moment, a woman was rush driving her Ferrari on the busy roads of Manila.

"You didn't choose me, now I'll make you and the woman you love to suffer. I'll make you feel the pain of losing someone you loved. I'll make sure the humiliation I got will return a hundredfold to the both of you."

. . . . .

Another car was racing with time.  An anxious man dressed in a white suit was driving it. The guy tapped a flat monitor in front and a blue screen lit up with numbers on it. He chose the number 3, 'Beauty' appeared, and he clicked the call button and ringing sounds reverberated in the car.

"Beauty please pick it up. Pick it up." Still, the ringing tone continued.

. . . . .

In a big office, a man sitting on a comfortable swivel chair was making a call.

"Claire, did your son answer your call?"

"No, he didn’t. Clyde, is anything wrong? What is it? Please tell me." Claire, the caller’s wife, sat at the back of a black car. A lady chauffeur was driving it. She watched the scenery outside the window while talking on the phone. Her forehead creased to hear the urgency in his voice.

"Where is he now?" Clyde avoided her questions as he waved his hand to a man beckoning the other guy to prepare to leave.

"Probably he's in Beauty's restaurant. He's been helping her even before it was renovated."

"Just try to be there now. Change road if needed to get there as soon as possible. I'll try my best as well to be there soon. Don't worry. I'm just concerned that he had not rested well in these past days. Okay, dear?" He stood up and wore his overcoat.

"That's all? You made me worried for nothing. He can take care of that. He's strong. See you there. Bye." Her face relaxed after hearing his reason.

That morning when he arrived in his office he received a call from a man named John Marinelli. He called saying that Beauty was in danger and the line ended. That was the only information he got.

"Paul, find me the fastest route we can get to reach Beauty's restaurant."

Paul, Clyde’s bodyguard, nodded in affirmation.

Clyde left the office while Paul, his bodyguard, went ahead clearing paths and opening doors for him.

These people were in a hurry to reach one destination, Beauty's restaurant, Beautiful Food.