79. She was his dream
Braun couldn't sit still at his current location. He had been keeping an eye on the yacht where Briella and her female companions had been sailing for a while now.
'The moment I see that woman, she's going to get an earful from me!" he exclaimed with frustration, recalling Janice snatching Briella's phone while she was talking to her. He had been trying to call it since then, but his wife wasn't answering; he suspected Janice had taken it.
He sighed heavily. It had been days since he last saw his wife, but it felt like years. He missed her so severely that if his two friends weren't keeping a close watch on him, he might have swum across to her.
'Hey, it's your party, dude. What are you doing here?" Travis commented, noticing his unease.
'I'm not in the mood; go and enjoy yourself," he replied coldly.
Travis chuckled. 'Can't wait to see your wife, huh?"
'Shut the fck up, Travis. Go away, or else I'll throw you out," he snapped irritably.
Travis raised his hands in surrender but still had a smirk on his face.
'You know what, dude? In all the years we've been friends, this is the first time I've seen you like this. Who would have thought that the one feared and admired by many would be brought down by just a woman?" Travis remarked.
He raised an eyebrow at Travis's comment, giving him a sharp look. 'She's not just a woman, jackass!"
'Oh! Should I kill myself now?" Travis jokingly asked.
He chuckled and playfully slapped Travis on the shoulder. 'You know that, jerk."
Travis took a deep breath and shook his head, tapping him on the shoulder. 'Congrats, dude. You deserve it. Your dream finally came true. They're waiting for you inside."
He smiled at Travis and watched him until he disappeared from view before turning his gaze back to the yacht where Briella was. He didn't believe in superstitions, but he didn't want to upset his parents, especially his Mommy.
He took a deep breath and looked at the yacht again, along with their friends.
Damn, I want to see her!
He didn't believe in superstitions, but he felt the need to respect the elders because it had become a tradition among Filipinos. It had been a week since he last saw Briella, and they weren't even allowed to video call. Luckily, he could still hear her voice and talk to her because if not, he might not endure the intense longing and would have already jumped into that yacht and swum back to her.
He couldn't help but smile at the memory of his conversation with Travis.
She's not just a woman. She was his dream, his goal, and most importantly, the only woman he wanted to be with for the rest of his life. Since the first time he saw her, he hadn't forgotten her. She was always in his dreams, the sole reason why he strived for success in that field.
Although it hadn't been easy for him, he persevered and made his wife his motivation. It was because of her that he was at the top now.
He was only sixteen when he first saw Briella; she might have been fourteen. Their meeting was accidental, but he felt like it was destined because even though they were together for only a short time, he knew she was the woman he wanted to be with for the rest of his life...
Braun was on his way home from the mall, waiting in the basement parking for their driver. He had some errands to attend to as instructed by his parents, so he was left at the mall for a while. He needed materials for his school project, which was due next week, so he went shopping.
He had been hanging around for a few minutes when he noticed a girl sitting on the curb, lost in thought. He observed her closely and was taken aback to see her crying, seemingly lost in her world. The girl was beautiful, but she would look even more stunning if she were smiling instead of crying.
He mustered up the courage to approach her, suddenly worried about her safety. What if someone with ill intentions stumbled upon her in that place and decided to harass her? He'd feel guilty if anything happened.
'Are you okay, Miss?" he asked as he approached her. She glanced at him, but he didn't receive any response. He hesitated to sit beside her but eventually chose to sit about half an arm's length away from her.
He noticed her furrowed brows and her gaze returning to him as if she didn't appreciate his actions.
'I-I just want to be here with you, if you don't mind?" he offered. In his mind, he hoped she would agree to let him sit there with her and not ask him to leave.
Seeing her hazelnut-colored eyes filled with sadness, he felt a strong desire to comfort her and calm her down.
'Are you waiting for someone, too?" she softly asked him while embracing her knees.
He was slightly taken aback but quickly responded, 'I'm waiting for our driver. Mommy asked him to buy something quickly."
'What about you? Are you waiting for someone, too?" he inquired.
The girl took a long time to answer. He sensed her sadness and the heaviness in her heart, so he didn't press her for an answer.
'I ran away from my home," she finally confessed after a few minutes.
'Huh?" he was surprised by her revelation. Judging by her appearance, he knew her family was well-off, and her way of speaking indicated she wasn't just anyone.
'They say it's better to confide in a stranger because you'll get a fair judgment compared to people you know who will immediately judge you based on your family's situation. Can I trust you, then?" she asked, looking deeply into his eyes.
He swallowed hard, feeling his heart pounding in his chest. Slowly, he nodded, and the girl smiled, although it didn't reach her eyes.
She took a deep breath. 'I left home because I couldn't bear to see my father anymore. I know I'm too young to do this, but I just couldn't stand to see him."
He wanted to hug and console her, but he didn't want her to think he was taking advantage of the situation. So, he remained silent and listened. At least this way, she would feel like she had someone to lean on, even if they didn't know each other yet.
'I'm waiting for someone who can help me with my dream," she changed the topic.
'Are you sure this person can help you achieve your dream?" he asked her.
She smiled and nodded. 'He's wanted to take me in for a long time, but Daddy didn't allow it because he wanted me to focus on my studies. Now that I've run away, he no longer controls my life, so I can do what I want."
'C-Can I know what dream you're talking about?" he hesitantly asked her.
'I want to be a Supermodel! Ever since I was a child, that's what I wanted to be. I know I can do it! Someday, I'm going to be a successful Supermodel! I'll be known worldwide and admired by many people."
He smiled, feeling a surge of warmth in his heart as he saw the determination in her eyes.
'Then, I'll help you achieve your goal," he said with a smile.
'Huh? What do you mean?" she asked, puzzled.
He chuckled softly. 'I'll pray for you. I know God will listen to your prayers."
Her smile widened, enhancing her beauty even more.
Even though Braun wanted to stay and talk to the girl more, he couldn't. Their driver arrived and approached him. At that moment, he wished to push their driver away and stay by the girl's side.
'Thank you for your time; you made me feel better," she said with a smile. 'Someday, when our paths cross again, I'll already be a Supermodel."
She stood up and approached him, giving him a tight hug and a kiss on the cheek. He felt rooted to the spot, unable to move. He could feel his cheeks heating up from what the girl did. He couldn't move immediately, especially when she was already boarding a black Mercedes-Benz. By the time he could move, it was too late. They were already far away, and he couldn't catch up.
He wanted to scold himself for his foolishness because he didn't even get her name.
Since then, he cherished her in his memory, etching her beautiful heart-shaped face, almond-shaped eyes, hazelnut-colored eyes, and flowing chocolate-colored hair deeply into his heart and mind.
He believed that their encounter during those times held a deeper meaning, but until he entered college, he never saw the girl again. He met Janice, and because they got along well, he courted her and tried to redirect his feelings for the girl who captured his young heart back then. However, his relationship with Janice didn't last long either, as her attitude changed over time.
Because of Janice, he saw the girl again, not in person but only through Janice's phone. He couldn't contain his joy because she had reached her dream of becoming a famous model.
He couldn't see her because she was staying in another country. Janice convinced him to start his own business in the world where the woman who stole his heart lived. At first, he felt discouraged because he did not know what he was getting into, so while he was still studying, he studied the world she belonged to.
When he graduated from college, he declined his Dad's offer to manage their company and instead started his own. Luigi agreed to be his Assistant and Consultant while he was still starting. There were times when he wanted to give up because nothing was easy for him, especially since his knowledge in that field was limited. But because he saw the continuous rise of the young woman he loved, he persevered even more and worked harder.
He made the woman his motivation and dedicated his life to reaching the peak. He planted in his mind that there would come a day when their paths would cross again, and he wanted to be able to be proud of himself when that day came. He was ready to marry her and offer her the kingdom he had worked so hard to build and lead.
And that woman was none other than Briella Montañez.