the Unexpected Heir

Long Awaited

Chapter Four: Long Awaited

Maria looked to her left and right and inclined her ears towards the entrance of the kitchen to be sure no one was within earshot.

She then faced her daughter with a concerned expression.

"You get me sacked, Bambi, you make me lose job" she said apprehensively, pointing at Lima with the knife in her hand.

"Mr. Cruz, married man... Your boss. This thing, not good" Maria continued.

Lima pouted her lips in a frown again. "I know, mami. No flirting mamito..I, I just like him, nothing more. I'm not sure he even sees me, ma"

Her last statement left a painful strain on her face. Maria saw her daughter's despair and lightened up a bit. She smiled softly.

"Mr. Cruz, handsome man, good man like your papito." Maria did the sign of the cross and sighed.

Then a conspicuous frown appeared on her face. "But no no no... No flirt, stay far far. Mrs. Margaret and Mrs. Lesley see you close, problemo." She shot her daughter a warning look.

"Si mamito... No flirting." Lima assured Maria, lifting her hands up in resignation. She quickly grabbed a knife to join her mother in dicing the veggies.

——

Cruz walked down the hallway into the living room with a backpack across his back. Decked in a V-shaped T-shirt, a tight denim and a sneakers, he appeared smart and casual as his muscle popped sexily in the attire.

He decided to take that part of the house on his way out to chat briefly with Lesley and also to notify the Pipers of his absence. He would have used a different exit if he intended to evade them.

Bill was sitting on a Versace sofa at a corner of the massive living room. His gave was fixed on his iPad when Cruz crossed the room.

"Hey pop" Cruz saluted.

"Hmm..." Bill responded with a mild grunt, his gaze still fixed on the device.

He momentarily pulled his glasses down to the top of his nose to take a quick glance at Cruz. He had always been indifferent about the young man, so he resumed his activity on the pad without a word.

He wasn't really concerned about Cruz's affairs around the house, as far as he wasn't instigating any trouble within and outside the family, then he cared less how the young man fared.

He had his children, wife and stepdaughter to worry about. His stepson-in-law or whatever adjective their relationship carried didn't matter much to him, especially as he wasn't exactly important.

So seeing him heading out with a backpack on a Saturday afternoon wasn't something to draw a conversation.

Cruz smiled to the old man's nonchalance and stepped into the anteroom. He was only relieved he hadn't encountered Margaret.

Once in the anteroom, his gaze fell on Lesley. Seeing how her crop top and bumshot hugged her body, made his groin shift in his jean. His longing for her touch intensified.

He wished he could stay back and have the very important conversation with her, but he was pressed for time. There was an urgent matter that needed his attention.

Lesley turned to the familiar cologne that suddenly pervaded the room.

For a moment her gaze stayed on Cruz. There was a longing in her eyes that flickered. It was almost as if she forced it way.

It was a moment that gave Cruz a glimmer of hope.

As the silence lingered with their gazes fixed on each other, Lesley flashed him a familiar look. It was a look that enquired without the words forming.

"I'm heading to my yoga retreat. Your mother informed me of the Mayor's visit. About that, I wanted us to talk, but I guess now is not a good time. We should talk when I get back."

Cruz uttered with pain lacing his tone. As he brushed past her to step out, he added.

"I'll be back by Monday."

"Cool." Lesley replied curtly.

Cruz could feel the disconnection between them through the coldness of her response. He bowed his head as he exited the house solemnly.

Lesley looked on as he walked away. A combination of different emotions surge through her.

A part of her wanted to grab him and let go of herself in his arms but a more resolute will had stopped her.

She was at the verge of making a decision that would elevate her status to higher realms and levels and she needed to be as steel-willed as her mother to make the leap. She wasn't going to allow emotions and sentiment stop her now.

She shook her head sadly and resumed her activities with the decorators.

Outside the mansion, Cruz entered the taxi he had booked.

The taxi pulled over in front of a mall about five minutes later.

Cruz entered the mall.

After a few minutes of crisscrossing the maze of shops and elevators, he soon appeared at the basement car park.

He walked towards a section dotted with luxury cars and pressed a car remote in his hand. Immediately, the engine of a Ferrari 12Cilindri roared.

He entered the automobile, engaged the ignition and zoomed off with absolute finesse.

After some few minutes of driving, he was out of the urban traffic and had joined a country road.

He looked at the timer on the smartwatch on his left wrist, it showed '9:57.' He removed his gaze from the watch when it had counted down to '9:55.'

He engaged his throttle suddenly and brought the speed of the vehicle to 290 km/h.

Moving in that blinding speed for another five minutes, he suddenly diverted sharply into an airfield that spanned a vast expanse of land.

A chopper was preparing for take off at one section of the airfield. Cruz screeched to a stop a safe distance from the chopper and alighted the vehicle briskly.

He had 2 minutes to spare on his watch.

The pilot of the chopper smiled broadly and bowed to Cruz as he approached. And then immediately mounted the cockpit.

Two burly men dressed in suit bowed and ushered Cruz into the aircraft.

The moment he was belted in, the chopper elevated from the ground and began the flight.

One of the men in suit handed him an iPad. There was an incoming video call. He received the call and an elderly man and woman who looked exceptionally regal appeared on the screen. They were seated in an elegant and throne-like sofas.

Cruz's eyes went moist with tears the moment they appeared on the screen. This was a moment he had awaited for the past eight years.

The couple had tears in their eyes too. Cruz struggled to speak but the words could not form.

He felt embarrassed by the overwhelming emotions especially in the presence of the two burly men. But they didn't mind his emotional display. Instead, from the looks on their faces, it was clear they felt honored to be in his presence.

"Son. We can't wait to see you" the woman finally spoke. While the man just beamed with tears in his eyes.

"Mom... Dad..." Cruz broke his silence with a teary voice