Chapter 6

Back home in Toronto, Heather lay on her bed, fumbling around with the pair of sunglasses in her hands. The thing was, they were Alejandro's. She must have accidentally grabbed them when she was hastily packing up her things that day when they were together at the hotel pool. She turned the sunglasses around and observed the logo - they were a designer brand. So he likes Prada too. She rolled her eyes.

Heather didn't get a chance to see Alejandro and give them back to him before she departed the hotel - she realized he must have caught an earlier flight back to Toronto.

She sighed, and opened her calendar on her laptop to check her schedule for the upcoming week. She then googled J&B Co's office address - it was only a 20 minute drive from her own office.

She bit her lip, conflicted. It was not like she had his number so she could just ask him to just grab them from wherever. But part of her also didn't know how to face him again after that day - she had felt something but would he even mention it? He's probably already forgotten about it. She rolled over and stared at the ceiling, wishing that words would appear telling her what to do.

Fine, I'll drive to his office sometime and give them back to him, she eventually decided. But I'm only doing this because I don't want him to think I'm a thief or that I stole them and plus, they are an expensive brand. It is definitely NOT because I'm looking for an excuse to see him again. Besides, if I still had a secretary I would just ask her to do it instead, but I don't because I fired Lindsay and I still haven't hired a new one yet.

Heather's long winded inner monologue was interrupted by a knock on her bedroom door. It was Courtney.

"Hey Heath, I'm going to play a movie in the living room. Want to join?"

"Oh, yeah count me in!"

"Great! I'll make some popcorn as well," Courtney smiled. She then noticed what Heather was holding in her hands. "Did you get a new pair of sunglasses? I don't think I've seen you wear those before."

"Oh, um," Heather nervously looked down and her eyes darted around. "Yeah I did!" she eventually said.

"But wait, Heath, they look like men's sunglasses," Courtney frowned, taking a step closer and staring intensely at them.

"Yeah, that's because, it's um, one of my employees, uhh, Cody ... yes Cody! Almost forgot his name!" Heather faked a laugh. "His birthday is coming up and I wanted to surprise him!" she smiled.

"Wow, that's very generous of you," Courtney smirked. "They look expensive."

"Well, I am the greatest boss after all!" Heather laughed again and tossed her hair. "Anyway, I'll come down soon for the movie ok?"

Courtney nodded and made her way downstairs.

Heather sighed and tossed on her bed. She hated lying to Courtney. But why was that her first instinct just then? Was she scared to admit the truth to her?

And most importantly, what was the truth anyway?

***

Alejandro was reviewing the latest financial statements for J&B Co at his office desk when his father walked in and dumped a stack of photos on his desk.

Alejandro picked up the photos and froze like a deer in the headlights as he looked through them - they were a series of images of him and Heather when they were at the hotel pool, including a few where they were smiling and laughing together.

"Where did you get these from?"

"I don't know, they were on my office desk," Javier grumbled. "And either way, it doesn't matter. The point is, and if I'm not mistaken, this is Heather Kasuga, founder of Illuminate."

Alejandro tightly clenched the photos in his hand. José must have done this. He must be trying to create drama between me and Papá, especially after all that talk about how he's determined to be the next CEO.

"Whilst you were at the program, did you get anything out of Chris McLean that could be useful for the company?" Javier pressed.

Alejandro lowered his head; he had completely forgotten about the assignment. "No, I'm afraid not, Papá."

"That is the only reason I sent you there, Alejandro. You have been dropping the ball lately. Not to mention getting close like that with a business rival?" Javier spat. "How do you know she's not just spending time with you to use you and eventually find out all of our company secrets?"

"Heather's not like that," Alejandro responded firmly and immediately.

Javier was taken aback by Alejandro's defensive tone. He raised a brow.

"You're right, son, I apologize for making assumptions," he said a moment later, in a softer voice. Alejandro stood there dumbfounded - his father rarely apologized to anyone.

"You know," Javier continued when Alejandro didn't say anything. "I must confess I have been doing a lot of thinking lately about who shall be my successor when I retire and step down from the company in a few years' time. Obviously, I'd like one of my children to take the reins." He paused for a moment, observing Alejandro's reaction.

"As you know, Carlos isn't in the company and he has no interest in business. And José...well, José's all talk and no action. You, on the other hand..." Javier put his hand on Alejandro's shoulder. "I think you have great potential, son."

Alejandro blinked, not sure if he'd heard correctly. "Do you really mean that, Papá?"

"Of course!" Javier let out a laugh. "When have I ever broken a promise to you boys?"

Alejandro stood there in silence, taking in what his father had said and not knowing what to say or think.

"But it would be such a shame if you allowed yourself to get distracted like that," Javier said. "You do understand what I'm talking about, sí?"

Alejandro didn't respond. He could feel a knot in his stomach, tightening more with each passing moment.

"Have a close think about it, son," Javier patted Alejandro's shoulder and left his office without another word, leaving the photos on his desk.

***

José was leaning back in his office chair with his feet on the desk, taking selfies on his phone and sending them to the latest woman he was flirting with. A loud thud interrupted him, as Alejandro aggressively swung open his office door and stormed over to his desk.

"What the hell Al, you don't just barge in like that," José yelled, almost dropping his phone.

"Care to explain this?" Alejandro angrily tossed the photos on his desk.

José took a look at the images of Alejandro and Heather and then looked back up at Alejandro. "I don't know what you're talking about," he snickered. "You think I did this? No offence, Al, but I have better things to do than to spy on your pathetic and non-existent love life."

Alejandro gritted his teeth. There were three things that José excelled at: lying, pretending, and squirming his way out of a confrontation. The current situation involved all three.

"I don't believe you," Alejandro glared at him.

"Believe what you will," José sneered. "Now, if you excuse me, I have urgent matters I must attend to. Someone has to keep this company running and it's obviously not you."

He stood up to show Alejandro the door. "Don't let the door hit you on the way out, Al," he added with a smirk on his face.

Alejandro felt his blood boil and he tightly clenched his fists. "You think you know everything and are always a step ahead," Alejandro began. "But guess what, I know exactly what game you're playing and I will win this time." José rolled his eyes. Typical Al.

Once Alejandro left José's office, he made his way to one of the balconies at J&B Co. He needed the fresh air.

Alejandro's speciality was using his charms to take someone else's dirt and rocks and turn them into pretty, expensive diamonds. In other words, he would approach women from rival companies, pretend that he was someone else rather than the Co-Chief Operating Officer of J&B Co, and then flirt or make out with them to dig out insider information and pass it back to his father. With each new piece of information he dug out, he felt satisfaction and a tiny victory against José.

Yet for some reason, he was somehow losing his groove recently. Lately, his mind would float elsewhere whenever he tried to flirt with a business rival, which in turn meant that he ended up having not much information to report back to his father.

Truthfully, he had come to realize that although he had initially only approached Heather as another one of his targets, he ended up actually developing feelings for her. Not only that, but this was also the first time he had ever developed 'real feelings' for someone. He found himself thinking about her laugh, her smile, her face, her eyes, her hair, her...no...focus!

If his father really meant what he said, inheriting the CEO position would be the ultimate victory against José after all those years of how José had tormented him. He could already feel a shiver of excitement running through his body at imagining José's reaction to finding out that he, Alejandro, would be J&B Co's next CEO. Once he would be CEO, his first move would be to fire José immediately. Actually, no; he would keep José in the company and torture him slowly, make his life a living misery.

Maybe instead of flirting with women for work purposes, he needed to relax for a bit and just make out with them for his own fun and pleasure - at least until he got his groove back. He hesitated for a moment, before slowly opening the Tinder app on his phone. If that is what it will take for me to get over her. Remember who you are, Alejandro. You are a Burromuerto.

***

A few days later

Heather had finished a day of work and was about to leave her office when Nathan's voice echoed in the room. "Heather! Wait up, do you have a moment?"

Heather spun around and frowned. "Nathan, is something wrong? Oh my gosh, did I forget to send you the papers for our meeting with the suppliers tomorrow?"

"Oh no, everything's fine and yes, I have the papers for tomorrow," he replied with a sheepish grin. "But you know how before you left for the Chris McLean program I said there was something I wanted to tell you?"

"Uh, yeah," Heather looked at him blankly.

"So, I'm just going to say this straight-up, but I was wondering if you might like to go out on a date with me?"

Heather looked at him and laughed. "That's actually a good one, you almost had me fooled there!"

"No, Heather, I'm serious. I like you. In fact, I have for awhile but I've been too scared to tell you."

She stared at him in disbelief. "Seriously? I mean, we've literally known each other since college and you're asking me out now?"

"I would've asked you back in college but I didn't have the guts back then," Nathan smiled sweetly. "But I can't lie to you or myself about my feelings any longer."

Heather stared down at the floor. She did not see this coming. Well this was awkward. "I mean, I think you're great at your job and I like you and all as a friend, but we're technically business partners. Let's just keep things professional, ok?" Heather eventually said. At that moment, her phone lit up with a text from Courtney - she was here to pick up Heather.

"I have to go - Courtney's waiting for me, but I'll see you in the office tomorrow. Don't be late," Heather sarcastically added. She let out a light chuckle and dashed off.

"Oh you'll change your mind soon enough, Heather," Nathan muttered once Heather was out of sight. "I'll make sure of it."

---

A/N - do we believe José and Javier? The next chapter is going to be intense - stay tuned and thanks for reading!!