Planned Baby

Chapter 28 QUEN AND ULIE’S FRIENDSHIP

“I heard that you had a meeting with Mr. Schulz?”

I smiled and nodded at uncle Laertes. “Yes, Uncle. They are planning to have Schulz Tech's first office building here in the Philippines.”

We are currently eating our dinner together as a family.

“I assume that you already close the deal.”

“I haven't closed the deal yet, but I will am confident that I will,” I said confidently.

I am confident to say this because I know my capability and my subordinates as well. We proved that already for the past years.

“What happened, Ellie? What's stopping them from giving you the deal?” Kaela curiously asks.

“Nothing happens, Kaela, don’t worry. It's just that they wanted to see our design first before signing a contract with us, which is the standard in this industry. The client has the right to look for another Architect if they are not happy with the building design.”

Kaela looks irritated, which made me confused. “That Quen is demanding! He always acts as if he was a king or something. Ugh!”

“Quen?”

“Quen is Enrique Schulz,” Ulie answered.

“Are you close with him, Kaela?” I curiously ask.

She rolled her eyes. “Of course not! He was my brother’s former best friend.”

I face Ulie. “Former best friend? You didn't tell me about him.”

Ulie never mentioned Enrique Schulz. He knew that I would have a meeting with him, and he said nothing.

“I did not tell you because it's not a big deal.”

I feel a bit hurt because he failed to tell me about his friendship with Mr. Schulz, though he is not obliged to say to me everything about him.

“Are you angry, Ellie? I'm sorry if I did not tell you about him.”

I smile at him to hide my disappointment. “I’m not angry, Ulie. Why will I? Don’t worry.”

“Don’t fight over that guy. It's worth a fight.” Kayla said, still irritated

“Do you like that guy, auntie?” My son Alistair asks.

My eyes widen. My son is brilliant; he noticed it right away.

“Is that true, Kaela? You like Mr. Schulz?” I said in a teasing tone.

The twins are murmuring with each other. Kayla, on the other hand, blushed.

“Of course not! Why will I like that arrogant guy?!” Kaela denied the accusation.

“Auntie, you are so obvious. You are flushing right now.” Amelia commented.

“I am not!”

The twins chuckled. “You are!” The twin said to tease their aunt more.

I just shook my head. The twins are starting their bullying stunt with their aunt again. They know Kaela well that is why they know how to bully her well.

But despite their bullying, I know that they love their aunt so much. I have seen them when they found out that someone wants to pursue Kaela. They ask for my permission to spend a night in the mansion because her aunt told them that the guy would visit her to court her formally.

The twins were on Kaela’s side the whole time when the guy visited her. They didn't leave those two alone.

They will ask him many things to torture the guy and then blatantly tell the guy’s face that they don't like him for their aunt. And that scheme didn't happen once; they do that every time a guy will try to court their aunt.

“Alistair, Amelia, stop bullying your aunt,” I warned them before they torture Kaela more.

Kayla mouthed, thank you to me. I smile at her. She is a very strong woman, but she can’t do anything when it comes to the twin.

***

“Mom, Dad, can you sleep with us tonight?” Amelia asks in her sweet voice.

I nodded. How can I say no to that? We went straight to Ulie’s bedroom. Whenever the twins ask us to sleep with them, we sleep in Ulie’s room here in the Escarrer mansion while we sleep in my bedroom when we are in the penthouse.

They usually request us to sleep together whenever Ulie and I became very busy with work.

“Mom, you also think that Aunt Kaela likes that guy, right?” Amelia ask.

We were already in bed. The twins are in the center while I sleep beside Amelia and Ulie sleeps beside Alistair.

“I am not sure. I never saw Kaela and Mr. Schulz together.”

Amelia looks at his father. “What about you, dad?”

“I don't think so. What I know is that they don't like each other. They often quarrel. They never agreed on anything. They are like oil and water.”

“But I think aunt Kaela likes him. She was just in denial.” Alistair murmur.

My forehead creased. “Alistair, how come you know these things? You are too young for this.”

“I am not. I'm already five years old, mommy. I'm a big boy now.” My son is starting to throw a tantrum.

I got up and kissed Alistair.

“You are still a baby. My baby. Don’t grow up too fast.” I said in a gentle voice.

“Don’t you like your aunt to have a boyfriend? You are constantly torturing her suitors. If you always do that, she will be an old maid.” I explained to them.

“That is okay, mommy. I will be with auntie when the time comes.” Alistair said.

I chuckled and gave him another kiss. My baby is so cute.

“Alistair, you are aware that you can’t have a crush on your aunt, right?” I tease him.

He blushed. “I don’t have a crush on Aunt Kaela.”

I just laughed and hugged him together with Amelia. I felt a warm arm around the twins and me. It was Ulie.

When the twins fell asleep, I called Ulie. I ask him if we could go out for a while and have a talk.

We went to his room’s veranda.

“Something is bothering you?”

I shake my head. “No, it's not that. I'm just curious what happened between you and Mr. Schulz? But it's OK if you don't want to tell me. I will understand.”

He went to me and put his coat on my shoulder. “It's cold here. You might catch a cold.”

He sighed. “Before I answer that, I would like to apologize to you because I did not tell you about Quen and me.”

“Quen was living in Spain when he was a kid. We met when we’re in middle school and became classmates. We got close because we have a lot of things in common.”

“When college came, he wanted to study in the US because he was interested in technology. While my parents want me to study here in the Philippines to know more about the culture here and around Asia because they are expanding the business here.”

“You grow apart. That is why you are not a best friend anymore?”

He shakes his head. “No, that is not the reason. We were still close even though we were eight thousand miles apart.”

“So what happens? Is it because of Nick?” Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

He chuckled then pinched my nose. “It’s not that, silly. It’s because of Hadley Adelson.”

My eyes widen. I remember now. Mr. Schulz likes Hadley Adelson. Everything makes sense now.