What : BOOKSIGNING

When : September 15, 2018 (Saturday), 3PM - 5pm

Where : Summit Media booth at MIBF (Manila International Book Fair)

Come and see me in person guys! Bring your copies of my books THE GIRL HE NEVER NOTICED and MY POSSESSIVE BILLIONAIRE.

Looking forward to see you there!

Two billion dollars!

I had a feeling that Athena would pay Mr. Murphy at any amount. If I would mark my stake to three billion, she would not hesitate to get the estate at a higher amount. She'd fight tooth and nail to win, especially against me.

I knew Mr. Murphy. He was a stubborn grumpy old man and his sudden changed of attitude was kind of strange. He had been known as being a crook, swindler and import smuggled goods when he was younger. I doubt that he had changed his ways.

After showing us almost everything - and that happened within an hour, Mr. Murphy named his price. "I'll close the deal to whoever could pay me more than two billion dollars."

"I'm willing to pay you more than that amount, Mr. Murphy." Athena statement made my eyes grow bigger. What the hell! Then she continued. "But you must allow me to get another professional art appraisers.

"You don't need to, Miss Niarchos. That professional appraiser I recommended is the best in New York." Mr. Murphy insisted. "That other appraisers are not experts, they are just pretending to be professionals to get money from these rare collections."

"I'll pay you five billion dollars Mr. Murphy."

Both Athena and the old man's eyes opened wide.

"Five billion dollars? You jerk, I thought..." Athena bursted at me immediately.

"Yeah." I held my hand up, stopping Athena from talking. I faced Mr. Murphy who looked so dazzled at the amount I mentioned. The dollar signs were showing on his eyes. "But in one condition... I will have the International Society of Art Appraisers come here and see if your collections including the whole property are really worth two billion dollars."

"No... no. That is not necessary young man." Mr. Murphy's expression changed instantly to annoyance. "I won't allow them to come near my collections!"

I chuckled and shook my head. "What are you afraid of, Mr. Murphy? All of your collections are genuine, right?"

Mixed emotions played on the old man's face. He was in a panic.

"She can't wait for another two years. She's marrying Zion as soon as possible to get her trust fund so she could buy the museum." My sister Kimberly informed me when I took her home after our twice a month family dinner at the Petrakis side - mom's immediate family.

It was mandatory to attend the family dinner if you were in town or else you have to explain to everyone. In case you were absent, there should be a valid reason-- and that valid reason should involve emergencies only. The dinner usually rotated - from my grandparents house Markos and Nina Petrakis - to my uncle Eros and aunt Jade's house - and to my parents' house. Sometimes, it would be held in a summer house, or out of town, or out of the country - especially when someone has a birthday, anniversary or during Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year.

That evening, the dinner was held at my uncle Eros Petrakis' mansion. Eros Petrakis was my mom's older brother - her only sibling. Zion was his son, whom I treated like my older brother.

But dammit, Zion also happened to be the boyfriend of my nemesis, Athena Niarchos. And hearing that they got engaged kind of took me off guard. It upset the hell out of me.

Of all women, I could not have her as my cousin's wife! I cared about Zion's happiness. He would not be happy with that selfish, self-centered bitch.

Curses fell off my mouth as I thought of Athena's plan. "What the hell! That girl is really desperate to get the museum. I don't understand why Zion allowed himself to be used by her."

"Why not? She's his girlfriend."

"Ha! Who are they kidding." I chuckled and continued. "They're not in a loving romantic kind of a relationship."

"It may not, but Athena doesn't think so. You know how she adores Zion ever since she was young. She had this great crush on him and tried her best to get his attention. But sadly, he only treated her as a younger sister."

"A nuisance, noisy and annoying..." I said remembering Zion's complains before.

"Just like Emerald." Kimberly laughed and I let out a nasty grin. "But everything changed now that they're older. I think Zion genuinely cares for her. He won't marry her if he doesn't."

"Zion has no feelings. He's thinking only of what's best for the business. He's driven to surpass all their business competitors and to remain on top. Having Athena as a wife, he would have control part of the Niarchos money too."

"What is wrong with him? He's not the same Zion I knew anymore. Money is not everything." Kimberly was talking but my mind was drifting somewhere else.

I need to talk to Zion, to help him see more sense. He'll end up unhappy for the rest of his life if he'll marry Athena. He's miserable already after his experience with his first love, why would he allow to torture himself?

"What do you think?" Kimberly laughed, made my mind bring back to the present.

"What did you say?"

"I said Athena should find someone like you, who would put her on her place. You contradict her in every possible way and you're not afraid to tell her whenever she's wrong. I think both of you would complement each other."

"Are you kidding me?" I chuckled. "It would be a disaster if you put us together inside a room for two minutes. We'd be killing each other."

"I don't think so." Kimberly shook her head. "Haven't you heard of the quote opposites attract?"

"It won't apply to us. Our personalities clash since we were kids."

Kimberly laughed aloud. "That's really too bad, and to think that we shipped you two when you were kids."

"That's impossible. It's like wishing for a snow in the middle of Sahara desert." I chuckled.

"I don't know what to do anymore, Zion. That arrogant cousin of yours said that he'll hire the International Society of Arts Appraiser to inspect the items. But Mr. Murphy doesn't like the idea... "

He's not listening. His eyes are outside the window staring at the dark blankly. His fingers rested on his chin and his forefinger rubbing his lower lip.

It hurt so badly, it was hard to breathe. My heart crushed like being chopped into tiny pieces. I knew this day would come.

It was crazy, how I was still holding on. I loved him so much and all I could do was to be patient with him. Waiting... and waiting for years.

We were at the back of his car while his driver drove his car. I knew Zion was the one who drove his car to the restaurant but after dinner, he called one of his company drivers -- instructed him to take a taxi to the restaurant just to drive us to our respective homes.

Zion was not drunk, or sick or tired --- but very upset.

I recalled what happened earlier. I was in a meeting with a fashion company that commissioned me for another modelling job when Zion called and asked me to meet him in the restaurant. He said he was meeting a client and wanted me to be with him. I had a prior dinner engagement so I told him that I would come for dessert.

Pain instantly penetrated inside my chest. If only I've known who he was having a meeting with, I should have come sooner.

I looked at the engagement ring on my hand. I picked it up myself at Tiffany's the other day. He said I could choose whatever engagement ring I wanted and charge it to him. I felt more saddened. He could not even pick an engagement ring for me.

"You did not tell me that you're doing business with Claire." I interrupted Zion's thoughts.

Zion turned to me at the mention of Claire's name. Claire Olsen was Zion's first love. I knew they've been together for two years, but something happened that both parted ways.

I witnessed their love. The kind of love that I would envy - very romantic. It was like in the movies, but sadly, it had a bad ending. What bothered me more was that, Zion did not have a girlfriend after Claire. He must be very affected by their breakup.

"It's not something important that I should tell you." Zion answered with a sigh.

"Really? Then why did you ask me to join you for dinner? Do you have to prove to her that you already moved on?"

"For heaven's sake Athena, that was eight years ago. We were kids back then." He reasoned out.

"Do you still love her?" I could not control myself from asking.

"What kind of question is that? I'm going to marry you, remember?"

"Please, just answer me, Zion. Yes or no. Do you still love Claire?"

He paused and I waited. The tension was killing me. I had to know the truth.

"No. Of course not. Past is past, nothing can change that." He answered firmly. But before he looked away, I did not miss the sadness in his eyes.

Much as you would deny it Zion, I knew you were not over her.