"Master!" A young lady, who's wearing eyeglasses and seems to be a student, called out inside the shop.

"And you are?" An old man creased his forehead as he looked at the girl who just barged inside his safe space.

"Natalia Zimmer, master." The girl uttered panting. She couldn't believed that she finally saw the fabled master jeweler--Flint. She's been stalking outside The Flint shop for a while now.

Flint cringed at the word. "I don't take stude---"

The girl gently threw a folder, which contains various sketches, on the wooden table where Flint makes his jewelries.

The old man snorted at the papers but saw an exquisite design which caught his attention.

"These are yours?" His lips curved a little. The more he scanned the sketches, the more he realized that each design has its own distinction and was carefully thought out.

"Yes, master." The young lady said.

"What do you really want?" Flint inquired directly ignoring the pet name that was given by the young woman.

"Take me in as your student. I want to learn more. I want to refine what I've already had." Natalia explained hoping that her reason will be enough.

"Give me this, then." Flint said in return while holding a particular design that he had noticed.

"Of course." Natalia nodded happily at the old man.

"Be here after your school tomorrow." The old man instructed and stared back at the paper on his hands.

Natalia was literally clapping with so much joy. Learning from a master jeweler is such an honor.

Being an art student, nothing can beat handcrafted masterpieces. Her excitement was evident throughout her body. She happily skipped towards the main door.

"Careful." A man suddenly uttered when a woman bumped into him.

"I'm very sorry." Natalia replied and took a glimpse at the tall person whom she collided with but quickly bowed down her head because of shame.

"Mmm." The man just hummed in response and went inside the shop.

The woman went on her way and continued prancing at the road.

"Natty! Where have you been?" Luna, her bubbly friend, asked as they met near the university.

"You wouldn't believe if I told you." Natalia said still in a discreet shock but was very happy.

"Oh well. Come on. Let's meet up with Ariel. She's already waiting at the cafeteria!" Luna said excitedly.

--------------

"Boy, how's your master's class?" Flint asked the handsome man who has just arrived at the shop.

"Going well but still boring." Alexander replied as he lazily looked at the paper over the old man's working table. He's on a school break that's why he decided to visit his grandfather back home.

"Hahaha. Just like your father, I see. Don't worry, you're going to graduate soon."

The young man just shrugged his shoulders.

"What's that? You're sketching now?" Alexander asked curiously.

"This...is my student's." Flint proudly declared and stared at the document again.

"You have a what now?" His grandson furrowed his brows.

Flint snorted and just waved his hands to dismissed the topic.

Alexander casually reached for the paper and looked at the sketch.

'Not bad...'

*****

Natalia became Flint's student for half a year now. She learned a lot about designing and integrating gemstones into her drawings.

"Master Flint, is there something wrong?" The young woman noticed that the old man is somewhat pale.

"Don't mind me. I'm an old man already. I get tired easily." Flint said as he finished another handmade jewelry.

"Master, can you teach me how to make an ornamental piece?" Natalia uttered as she observed her master.

"You're now interested on making them?"

"Uhmm..well I guess." The young woman replied. She just wanted to help the old man so that he could rest a little.

"Alright. I can teach you the basics for the meantime. Be ready. Do you have classes tomorrow?" Flint stated as he cleaned the jewelry and put it in a special tray.

"Thanks Master Flint. I don't have a class. See you tomorrow!" The young woman beamed.

*****

Flint started to train his student on handcrafting jewelries. He saw a lot of potential on Natalia that's why he's happy to pass the knowledge to the pretty girl.

"I wanted to mold 'this' and feature it here at the shop for our tenth year anniversary." The old man waved the paper in front of Natalia.

It's her design!

"But...this is just a simple design." The young woman shyly replied as she reached for the document. It's true that her designs are unique but matching it up with her master's, her idea is way simpler.

"If you're afraid of something that you didn't even try doing, how can you grow? I will promote this. Then let's see." Flint uttered with finality.

"Thank you, master." The student sighed but smiled at the master's words.

A week after, Flint was able to shaped up Natalia's design.

"Is this really my..." The student gasped at the trinkets.

"Yes. Fascinating, right?" The master replied. The young lady nodded in awe.

"Alright. Alright. Stop staring. You should re-create this. It will serve as your training. Just a few pieces will do." The old man took the trinkets and put it inside a black box.

"Aspire." The student uttered out of nowhere.

"Huh?" Flint expressed curiously.

"I want to call it, Aspire. The name of my first jewelry." Natalia simply explained.

Flint's lips curved up and nodded in satisfaction.

*****

True to his word, the old man featured Natalia's creation at the shop's limited edition sale as part of it's tenth year anniversary.

"What's this?" Natalia asked while scanning a document that was handed by her master.

"The sales of ''." Flint simply replied.

The lady gasped at the result because her jewelries were sold out.

"Master, this----"

"And many patrons are requesting for more." The old man proudly stated.

Flint believes in Natalia's creation. He knows that she can achieve what he had attained and maybe surpassed him as time passes by.

The young woman sincerely thanked her master for the wonderful opportunity.

--------------

Natalia became busy with her studies on the coming months.

As part of their curriculum, they are required to do undergrad job-training and be deployed to different companies across the nearby states.

"Master, please allow me to spend the weekend here at the shop. I'll assist you on making jewelries as much as I can. My job-training will start by next week and I won't be here for two months." Natalia made known her request.

"Alright. Oh, what's this?" Flint responded looking at the stemmed-flower that his student was holding.

"This is my inspiration in designing 'Aspire'. You asked me about the story behind that idea." Natalia gave the white rose to the old man.

The master raised his brows at the little flower.

"I chose white because it means pure and loyal. As I was sketching the Aspire design, I wanted to be loyal to the idea of achieving my dreams." Natalia explained as she absent-mindedly stared at the white flower.

Her master also looked at the plant with a pleasant mood.

Flint realized that Natalia is a good-hearted child and a great student. He secretly glanced at the young lady and smiled in contentment.

After that weekend, Natalia already traveled to North Carolina.

*******

"Grandpa!" Alexander called out once he was inside the private room of the hospital where his grandfather was brought in. The Gates family immediately flew to New York right after they received the news.

The whole clan was shocked. They chose not to disclose the account to the public.

After weeks of lying on his bed at the Gates' ancestral mansion, Flint called for his grandson.

"I'm here Grandpa. Do you need anything? I will get it for you." Alexander responded as he observed the old man. It's evident that Flint's vigor is deteriorating.

The doctor's diagnosis concluded that the old man has an advanced kidney disease.

Unfortunately, the cure for that type of disease was not discovered yet. The experts advised that the whole family should think about caring for the patient from now on.

Flint pointed something to his grandson.

"A white rose?" Alexander furrowed his brows.

"Take care of it for me."

"Grandpa..."

"Also, promised me something..."

"Yes. Anything. I will fulfill it." Alexander's expression became gloomy. He held the slender hands of the old man.

"Marry the woman that I have chosen for you. Marry my student. That's all I ask of you." The old man stated with a weak voice. His eyes are hopeful and pleading.

Alexander couldn't believe the hideous request but he nodded and agreed with the old man. His grandfather smiled and was reassured by his decision.

Alexander then took care of the rose from that day onwards. As time passed by, he pressed the flower into one of his favorite books before it gets to fade.

'His student, huh? I don't even know that person.'

Alexander contemplated at the deafening silence inside his room. Suddenly, a memory of a timid girl with eyeglasses flashed inside his mind. He didn't really see the woman's face as her head was hanging down that time.

'Was it her?'

He just sighed and decided to hide the little flower.

'If destiny will bring us together and if such thing exists....I will marry you...'

********

Next book is about .

You can read it now under the title

HIS DECEITFUL WOMAN. ^_^

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