The yacht had stopped several kilometers away from the port. The water was calm and the breeze was nice and cool. The sun was just about to set and they had already set up their table for dinner."My family used to do this back when Liam and I were still young. Dad and mom would pick us from school and bring us here to enjoy the sunset." Daniel started as he handed a gla.s.s of champagne to Samantha.
She received it with her right hand and asked, "Why did you stop?"
"I guess we grew older and I left the country." Bring his own gla.s.s to his mouth, he took a sip from it. "Liam was really sad when I left, he said he wanted to come with me."
"So why didn"t he?"
"He was still in high school and that time he wanted to follow me to Country F. But then I moved to Country A after a couple of years."
"And you couldn"t bring him there?"
Carefully choosing his words, Daniel stared at his drink before he answered, "I… realized that it wasn"t a safe country."
"Huh?"
He lifted his head and looked at the sea in front of them, "There were crimes all the time. Mom also didn"t let him, so he just stayed here."
Daniel glanced at Samantha and wondered if he can ask her that question.
"Samantha… What would you do if you found out that I was not who you think I was?"
Looking up at him, she saw his curious stare. A crease formed on her forehead when she furrowed her brows, she was trying to read through him but it wasn"t easy.
She decided to answer him and not ask further questions. Turning around, she walked towards the railings and breathed. "I don"t know… I"d be surprised?"
"That"s it?"
"It depends on what I would learn then. I"ve already known you for a while Daniel and there"s not a single thing about you that I don"t like. Besides those little… annoying things that you do in the kitchen."
This time, it was Daniel"s brows that furrowed. "Uhh… what annoying things?"
She turned to face him and let out a sigh, "In the morning when you have just woken up and you would prepare our coffee."
"You don"t like me making coffee?"
"Daniel, I love that you are so thoughtful. You always make coffee and breakfast most of the time."
"So then what annoys you?"
"You leave every cupboard and drawer that you"ve opened… open! You don"t close it after taking something out. You open it, get something and then leave it. W-why do you do that?"
Daniel"s eyes wandered as he tried to recall his memories. "I do?"
"Yes!! And when I come downstairs, they"re all open! So I have to close them all the time."
"Hmmm… I guess I never really noticed it." He walked up to her and continued. "I will… take note of that." He chuckled.
It was quiet for some time until Samantha suddenly spoke, "I… I"d like to think that there are no good and bad people."
Daniel turned his head to her, "Hmm?"
"I mean… I don"t believe that it"s only black and white. At least from those whom I have encountered. I think they"re just people who did bad things."
Daniel"s heart throbbed when he thought of telling her everything. "Samantha… I did some… bad… no horrible things. I don"t think-"
"That doesn"t define who you are just because you did those things in the past. Whatever they were, Daniel. The person I met is the present you, although your past is a part of you… that"s just what it is, apart and not the whole "you"." Samantha tried to explain her thoughts, she had so many things to ask from him but at the same time she was also scared for what she might hear. But despite having these fears, she believes that when he"s ready, she will be ready.
Seeing the innocent woman in front of him, he clenched his teeth forcing himself to just stop from saying anything more. "What good would it do if you tell her? You"re just going to scare her away. Isn"t she right? The past is just a part of you, let it stay there." He talked to himself.
He formed a smile and then looked ahead, "You also do some annoying things, you know."
Samantha turned her head abruptly, "What?"
He nodded his head and took a sip on his drink.
"What is it?"
Facing her, he explained, "You set an alarm and then snooze it to go back to sleep. You repeatedly hit the snooze b.u.t.ton when you"re still sleeping and you snap at me when I try to wake you up because your alarm is going off."
A blush crept up her cheek when she realized it. She brought a hand up and covered her mouth, suddenly feeling shy. "Do you hate me for that?"
"I don"t hate you, silly. It"s just confusing why you would set up an alarm but you refuse to wake up anyway."
"But I really want to try waking up early… it"s just so hard." She pouted.
Daniel chuckled as he took their gla.s.ses and placed them on the table. When he returned to her side he gestured for her to go in front of him, "Look, the sun"s setting. Come here."
Moving closer, she complied. She placed her hands on the railing and Daniel enveloped her waist with his arms as they enjoyed the setting of the sun.
It"s the comfortable and warm feeling like this that they both love; just a simple Samantha and Daniel.
...
A phone conversation.
"Boss, we"ve got the pictures. What do you want us to do next?"
The man from the other end of the line scoffed, "Send it to that person. Make sure there will be copies everywhere. I want everyone in City M to know what kind of man Daniel Cho is."
"But are they not a normal couple only? Why do-"
"Shut up! I did not pay you to ask questions. And this is only the beginning for those two. You should not concern yourself with anything. You are getting paid, so make sure you do your job right!" He yelled over the phone before he ended the call.
Inside the CEO"s office of Qin Corporation, Melissa Qin"s uncle had a smug expression as he sat on his chair.
He was very thrilled to know that he was not the only one who dislikes the Cho Family"s business. And with Daniel being the next chairman, the compet.i.tion is going to get even fiercer. He doesn"t like that Daniel was more successful than him despite his age. The Qin"s and Cho"s business rivalry had been going on for years. But with Daniel"s leaders.h.i.+p and steady rising ever since he became the CEO, the Cho Corporation had been leading the industries causing The Qin"s to fall slightly behind them.
Thinking that what he was doing will cause Daniel Cho"s fall, he sneered in his thoughts. "You"re just a boy, how dare you play with the grown ups?"