Chapter 7

"Now I understand the reason why you're mean to me earlier." My mouth fell open for what he said and from my reaction I knew he had already gotten an answer to what he said. He nodded even though I hadn't said anything.

I bent down and since he already caught me, I resumed what I was about to say.

"I get sad when I see you doing it with... with different girls." I said at the same time as my heart was beating fast which was causing my chest in pain, Here we go again, I can't control the fast beating of my heart because something is happening that involves Travis.

"Travis please I still want to stay and be with you." The woman in front of him said begging and was about to cry. I got curious about what was happening so I tipped my toe so I could see the woman's face and body.

Thick makeup. I nodded.

Got like a cup D size of breast. I nodded again.

The body shape is like a glass hour. I nodded again.

Long sexy legs. I nodded again.

A model like figure. Check again.

Beautiful? I asked myself as I stared at the woman's face. Uhh, I'm better because I'm young. I bit my lower lip to stop myself from laughing.

I woke up late because I also slept late last night and when I went down to the hall of the mansion I saw Travis's friends gathering there as well as Noah and Rush so I was curious what was going on.

I heard the woman say that she still wanted to stay and be with Travis. Okay, I'm pretty sure now that she's the woman Travis kissed in the bushes last night but what's going on? If they were kissing last night, why do they look like, in an LQ for today?

Based on what I am seeing now, the woman started crying. I nodded to answer my question, then I thought that apart from being a playboy, Travis seems like good at making women cry. Another red flag, then shake my head in disappointment.

This is the second summer that he wanted his woman out of their premises before the day of their thanksgiving party. Now, I wonder if this happens every summer even before I started going here.

"Rush, Noah please let me stay." Travis' girlfriend's voice cracked as she cried and pleaded with them.

"Travis has the decision," Noah said coldly. This is the first time I am seeing Noah this cold to someone. His aura is often sweet and friendly. I never thought he could be like this.

What if it got to the point that Travis would do the same thing to me? I shake my head one after another to remove that thought from my mind.

"The van outside is ready to take you to the port." That was Noah's answer to Travis' girlfriend's request.

"But--" Travis interrupted what he was going to say.

"Just go Bea... the travel time might take some time and I don't want you to spend more time on the road." And then Travis turned his back on him.

I was so focused on listening to their conversation that I didn't even notice that Travis was no longer in their group.

The woman also called the names of their other friends one by one, asking for help but most of them just looked at her and sight because I'm sure this is not their call to decide. The others just apologized to her so her crying got louder.

"Our helpers will help you with your luggage." That's the last thing I heard before my vision was blocked. My forehead frowned in confusion. What's happening? I even asked myself.

As far as I remember there was no curtain here! Then out of the blue, I started sniffing one after another as I smelled a familiar scent.

I creased my forehead and that's when I realized that the scent, I am selling right now is Travis' perfume! My heart started to race then as I looked up, my gaze immediately found Travis' eyes.

"What are you doing here?" He asked me using that baritone cold voice. He was still not satisfied and he even glared at me. So, I ended up pouting my lips. How the hell is he here right now? When I just saw him there, with his friend and his girlfriend talking.

"I just came here..." I answered him innocently and pretended I didn't know what happened. His thick eyebrows were sticking out and it was obvious that he didn't believe what I said.

I tried to peek again to see what was going on with his girlfriend and his brothers and friends but he blocked my view using his body even more. Now I'm feeling indignant but tried my best not to let him know or see it on my face.

"Come join me for breakfast." He said to me and before I could refuse, he grabbed one of my arms and I pulled away from the hall.

"Time flies fast like you've just been in grade school but today your teenage life will begin." Mom said passionately as she gently combed my hair.

Today is my thirteenth birthday and just like in the past when it comes to my birthdays, there is another party thrown for me, in one of my city's luxury hotels.

And this time the Forgers will be attending my birthday party, so I'm even more excited. My classmates, teachers and other schoolmates are also invited.

'I'll see the Forger brothers again, especially Travis.' I said to myself in my mind. And you know what this next school year I will be in my first year of high school while Travis has also been busy working, it's been more than two years since he graduated from college.

All the news about the Forgers I get from Mom and Dad; they still talk about them when we have our food together or I'm with them in the office. And aside from that, I still spend time with the Forger siblings every summer and as often happens, they are busy with their friends and girlfriends, which I am used to. I've lost count of how many times I've ever seen the Forgers siblings flirt, especially Travis.

We heard a series of knocks and then Mom replied that whoever that person outside my room could enter and when the door opened it was my birthday organizer.

"In ten minutes, the party will start." She reminds us. Mom nodded and said we are ready; the organizer came out first before Mom and I.

"Thank you for this party, Mom. I love you and Dad so much." And then I kissed Mom on the cheek.

"I love you too honey." Speaking of Dad, I haven't seen him yet. So, I asked Mom.

"He's downstairs honey, with the Forgers. You know..." Of course, I know the reason why so I nod. Even though a few years had passed, my family is still close to the Forgers' family, however Dad is still not yet part of their board members or one of their regular engineers.

And also everything I got a chance, I always ask Dad why he is still not part of Forgers business, and I always, always got the same answer from Dad that,

'We'll be there soon, just wait hon.' I'm not very convinced by Dad's frequent answer but I also think I'm too young for the jobs of those who are older than me, so what often happens is I just nod and then change what Dad and I are talking about or he's the one who will lead the conversation into a different one.

When Mom and I made it to the backstage, Dad immediately appeared from nowhere so I just smiled and then hugged Dad.

"Dad!" I greet him warmly.

"Happy birthday, honey." And then Dad kissed me on the forehead.

"I love you, hon." He added. Once again, I hugged Dad, this time with a tighter embrace.

"I love you more Dad. Thank you for everything." And just like what the organizer said, after ten minutes, we heard the emcee talk about my birthday and then we were called on stage.

"Let's welcome Miss Kourtney Martinez, our birthday celebrant, along with her parents."

I heard the loud applause of our guests as we slowly walked to the stage.

I sat on a large single sofa chair with a design the same for the theme of my birthday party. While Mom and Dad were on either side of me.

While I was sitting in my birthday chair, I simply checked the crowd and I'm sure you already knew who I was looking for, while I was looking for him, my heartbeat became faster and faster, here is this feeling again as if your rib cage was about to break because of my fast heartbeat.

I didn't look for the Forger couple anymore because they were at the VIP table next to the table where Mom and Dad and I would sit later.

When I looked to my right there, I saw Noah, he was sitting and wearing a dark blue suit and tie. Like the usual, no matter what the Forger siblings are wearing, they are really handsome to look at so I'm not surprised that even at my birthday party it looks like there are really attentions that even if the Forgers don't ask, they still get it.

At the table where Noah was sitting, there were five women who looked close to his age or just a little younger talking to him. Noah was looking at the emcee and seemed to be trying to focus on the events of my party. However, it looks like he just can't focus one hundred percent because of those girls.

I'm sure whatever they're saying to Noah now, it's just all about flirting! I have memorized the movements of the Forger brothers' women since for the last few years I spent my entire summer vacation with them.

Are they not advised by their parents that they should have focused on what the emcee was saying? It looks like they are just here to flirt with the Forger siblings. How annoying! And before I got more annoyed at the girls at Noah's table trying to flirt with him, I diverted my gaze to another part of the event hall, to look for Travis in the crowd.

Maybe like Noah, Travis is in the same situation now. I couldn't help but feel the bitterness in my chest as I imagined Travis, at the same table with five women trying to flirt with him! Now my stomach feels sick just by the thought of it!

Just happy thoughts Kourtney! I chant in my mind, it's your birthday today! Until I saw Rush at a table, he was focused on what the emcee was saying and that's when I was pulled by a thorn in the side when I saw that the person with him at the table where he was sitting looked like Dad's business partners.

I'm not surprised though, in fact, Rush and I have an age gap of fifteen years so for sure he's getting tired of flirting and being a playboy so he has more time to talk about business since I heard he will inherit their business. For sure the wealth of the Forgers would be divided among the three of them, but since he is the eldest and his Dad is about to retire as CEO, he will be the one to take the bigger projects and job compared to his siblings. 

**

The emcee will finish speaking and the second part of the program will start. I still haven't seen Travis. Where did he go? I asked myself again.

Like an eighteenth birthday party, even if I am thirteen today I will have thirteen candles, thirteen gifts and thirteen roses. Since you know that I am the only child, Mommy really planned all this. This is because it was my first year as a teenager so he wanted  he will be super special, which I really appreciate.

I really thought my thirteenth birthday party would be super fun, I just thought that… before the three main parts of my party started, there was already a break. It's embarrassing that our guests are hungry. I escorted Dad for tonight so that's why when we got off the stage I clung to one of Dad's arms. While Mom was on the other side of me.

The other VIP guest near our table immediately greeted us, happy birthday and also praised me for being so beautiful. There are those who say that I look like Dad, or that Mom and the others mix Mom and Dad with my looks.

While the ushers and usherettes were serving food I've been so busy looking for Travis in the crowd that I'm disgusted and all in all I still can't find him. Some people come to our table to give gifts and Mom and Dad talk a little about how successful our business is.

It's just a little bit and I'm going to ask Mom and Dad where Travis is. I don't care if they wonder why I'm looking for Travis.

Until I couldn't stand it anymore and I whispered to Mom that it was necessary to go to the powder room.

"Would you like to join one of our helpers?" And then she looked at the gown I was wearing. For as much as the eighteenth birthday gown I'm wearing, it's red with the tube design. Actually, we mimicked the design of the gown. Since one of my favorite singers is Taylor Swift, I asked the designer that Mom rented my gown for my thirteenth birthday. The half of my gown in the lower part has designs of roses, exactly like the design of Taylor Swift's gown in her music video.

Then the other half is just plain. 

Chapter 8

I shook my head one after the other, which was Mom's offer.

"It's okay Mom, I can handle it." And then I got up from my seat, Dad also listened to me.

"Powder room." Mom said immediately, Dad nodded and since there were a few other guests they were talking to at our table, I inexcuse myself as well. I don't really pee, I shook my head one after the other, which was Mom's offer.

"It's okay Mom, I can handle it." And then I got up from my seat, Dad also listened to me.

"Powder room." Mom said immediately, Dad nodded and since there were a few other guests they were talking to at our table, I excuse myself as well. I don't really urinate, I leave our table to look for Travis but as I walk I can't help but think that maybe that's why I can't find him because he didn't attend my party.

I immediately felt disappointment at the thought, he did not promise that he would come but his siblings are here as well as their parents. They were able to make time for my birthday so I can't understand in case he's not here because he's busy with work.

As I was walking down the hallway, a few guests greeted me. There are more of you I don't know but I'm still grateful I was still with them and then smiled and said goodbye. 

I simply looked around hoping to see Travis but I had a stronger feeling that he wasn't really here at my party.

"I saw Travis!" A woman beside me whispered. I immediately slowed down when I heard what the woman said but I didn't turn to their side and she might notice that I was listening to their conversation with her.

"Where?" Excited said his companion. I was stunned by what I heard. The trick really is!

"Of the Forger brothers, Travis is my best bet!" Said the third woman. Fortunately, my gown has a secret pocket so I pocketed my phone in my gown. 

Supposedly I was busy there on my phone so I stopped walking so they wouldn't notice that I was listening to their conversation.

"Me too! The handsome one is still strong! ”

"And then they are younger and don't look ready to settle down unlike their older brothers."

“But aren't the Forgers known for marriage for convenience. Maybe Travis has already promised the girl! ” Somewhat annoyed one of them said.

They got my attention even more from what I heard. I was still acting like he was going to call me and I answered immediately, I leaned against the wall not far from where they were talking. I was just the right distance from them so I could hear what they were talking about.

"I don't know if the news is true but Kim is the one who is promised to Travis." Who is Kim? I asked myself.

“I'm sure it's just gossip! If it's true that the Forgers have promised their sons then why Rush isn't married yet? What I know is that he's twenty-nine or twenty-eight! He should be married at that age!"

"What I heard is that he had an issue with his fiancée. The girl said she already has a boyfriend so she rejected Rush." Girl number 1

"Wow! Is she that pretty to say now to Rush for marriage? What the hell! She's f stupid for what she did!" One of them said again. Girl number 2

"Because she didn't know before that Rush was the one who was promised to her!"

These girls are full of gossip! They were talking about Travis and now it was easily shifted to Rush.

But only now did I find out that apart from the luxury life, the Forgers are also in favour of marriage for convenience.

Even though I'm only thirteen years old, I know what that marriage for convenience is. What I don't understand is why the Forgers are in favour of it, like they are rich. Rich af!

All I know is the main reason why some families agree to have an arranged marriage is that they are struggling and before they end up bank crap they will marry one of their children to the family who will help them run their business.

Forgers, on the other hand, do not seem to be losing money in their business based on the luxury parties that take place in their mansion and here in the city or at luxury hotels, where they are business partners of the hotel owner.

"And I heard Rush's ex fiancée wanted to continue the marriage, she said she wanted to marry him but Rush refused and I heard he is already in a private relationship with this unknown girl." I am amazed by the amount of news they have about the Forgers. Are the Forgers also business partners of their parents? Now, I wonder where they all got this news.

“Let’s go back to Travis. Rush is older than us so we have no chance anyway.” I saw in my peripheral vision how thick their make -up was. I couldn't help but make a face as my reaction to what I am seeing right now, while at the same time watching them nod at what one of them said.

"Did you say earlier that the name of Travis' rumored fiancé is Kim?" One of them nodded again as an answer.

"Her full name is Kim Madrigal."

"The socialite who is always in Paris because all the luxury brands always invite her to watch the show and value her opinion about fashion?"

"Yeah!"

“Oh my God! I am feeling frustrated! I mean I love her, the way she dresses, how sophisticated she is, her angelic face, the way she speaks, she sounds so nice and her accent. I love her British accent! And now I will find out that she's into Travis Forger too! Now, I am starting to hate her!"

"Isn't her family the owners of one of the big fast food chains here in the Philippines?" One of them nodded again.

“No wonder the Forgers promised one of their children to the Madrigals! The latest news is that the net worth of the Madrigals is already at eight hundred million." My eyes widened from what I heard!

"But the Forger's network is already at $1.8 billion, and is still unbeaten." Travis' wealth is horrifying. I can't imagine how many zeros that 1.8 billion dollars this big sister Marites is saying!

But at the same time, my hands are itching to google who Kim Madrigal is. Socialite and daughter of the owner of one of the largest fast food chains in the Philippines and her family have 800 hundred million net worth.

Speaking of net worth, I have no idea how much we have in my family. We own a shipping line here in the Philippines but we only cater to the Visayas and Mindanao because large ships are not allowed in the highlands.

"I wonder as well, when will Noah get married?" Another question from one of them, I was losing my mind with their conversation so I walked away and went straight to the powder room like my original plan.

I went inside the cubicle to use google without any interruption. Fortunately, even though there were people in the powder room, I was not required to speak with them since I don't know them even though I am pretty sure they are my guests. I went straight to one of the cubicles and then I used my phone for real this time.

I opened google and then I searched for Kim Madrigal's name. I immediately got a result on google.

Below her name is written 'Philippines Socialite'. She and Travis are the same age, she is twenty-three years old and my eyes almost popped out of my eye socket when I saw that they also got the same birth date! Wow! Just wow! Is this a sign they are meant for each other? Or just a coincidence?

And speaking of Travis' birthdays I haven't tried attending even just one of their parties. What I remember is Travis and his other two older brothers don't throw parties for their birthdays. They treat that special day like a normal day. I have known them for years and I never got an invitation from them about their birthday. They are rich but they seem to be stingy when it comes to their birthday.

We were only invited to their thanksgiving party every summer and then to the engraving birthday party of the Forger couple.

I also asked Mom and Dad about that and they told me that the siblings don't celebrate their birthday because they are busy with work. They are the owners of the company, I'm sure they have the privilege to take a break from work anytime they want. That's weird!

The truth is I don't believe that reason, for sure they are celebrating but maybe the only ones invited are those close to their age, maybe they are having a party like the shows I watch on Netflix.

Suddenly I thought when I'm of legal age, can I be invited to their party? But I feel like before it will happen it will be too late for them because my age is far from the Forger sibling age. I'm sure they are already married when I am allowed to go to parties in the club. Sigh.

Okay, let’s get back to Kim Madrigal.

Here I am again overthinking things, but I just can't help thinking if Kim and Travis were together when they had their birthday? Did they have a party at the club and like what happens on Netflix shows? I shake my head one after another to remove unnecessary thoughts in my mind. Okay, this is annoying. My imagination is going wild.

Again, I went back to reading Kim Madrigal's information on google and there I found out that apart from being a socialite, sometimes she also models for luxury brands but more on clothes and lingerie. Talking about clothes, she's into Chanel! I wonder if Mrs Forger and her are close? Do they go out and talk about fashion? Or Chanel clothes? Does Mrs Forger send Chanel gifts too in her place? My stomach feels sick just by thinking about it!

I also looked at her pictures, her profile picture here on Wikipedia. She is wearing a white suit and there's a one while flower design on my left side of her suit, the flower is level on her left boob. I nodded, because she looks very professional here in her picture. When I read the description of her picture, it says it was taken in 2020, at the Élysée Palace.

I looked at the Élysée Palace location and found out it is still in Paris and the Élysée Palace is like our Malacañang here in the Philippines. Home of the Excellency of Paris. So, why did she visit the Excellency of Paris? To meet Paris' Excellency of course!

**

The amount of achievement he has in life while I am just happy with what I have now.

While they are busy proving each other to him his way here I am when I want a luxury brand, I will just soften Dad and Mom later you already have what you want whether it is a bag, clothes or shoes.

After I read Kim's info on Wikipedia, I went back to google to check in what else info about her, there I saw that there was news about Travis and Kim. My heartbeat immediately quickened in a painful way but that wasn't enough for me to stop reading what I was doing, I was aware that there was a chance that this news was not true but my curiosity really prevailed.

Kim Madrigal shares intimate pictures from the pool day with Travis Forger. Next I swallowed what I read. That was the first article I read and the date that the news was posted was just yesterday.

Maybe that's the reason why Travis isn't here for my birthday today! I feel like I'm getting softer from what I'm reading, it's really good and I'm sitting now because maybe if I was standing, I would have fallen down on my seat earlier.

Kim Madrigal asked Travis Forger to shower with her as he finally made his debut in the trailer for Season premier of her reality show. My eyes widened, so he had a reality show but it wasn't mentioned on Wikepedia.

See Travis Forger's 'bar code' tattoo dedicated to his first girlfriend with Kim Madrigal.

I didn't even notice that I would have cried, if my tears hadn't dripped on the screen of my phone.

Chapter 9

I'm sure I've been gone for a long time, I've missed a call from Mom and Dad a few times because I feel so bad.

I was a child when I first felt for Travis and now that I'm a teenager I know why I'm acting like this, it's not just that I've been teased by Travis or that I'm intimidated by his aura. deep reason so I can't accept Travis as big brother. I've never seen him be big brother like Rush and Noah.

"Why did you cry?" Mom asked me anxiously when she picked me up in the hallway, because Dad couldn't leave even though he wanted to go to me too, he was left at the venue because he was stuck talking to his business partners, I understood.

"My classmate Mom and I just cried ..." And then I told him that one of my male classmates talked to me and confessed to me that he liked something, I really just made up the story because I can't say that I'm too hurt to be linked or maybe I really promised that Travis for Kim and maybe a month or a year will be counted and the two will get married. I was even more hopeless. Once again I gasped for breath.

Mom immediately panicked and asked me who that classmate was, I couldn't say her name because that didn't really happen.

"She's home Mom so it's okay." He also called a make up artist to retouch the damaged make-up, it's good and good that the Gay that Mom found so I didn't notice the eye bags I got from crying.

"Are you sure you're okay, hon?" Mom asked sick again before we finally entered the venue. I nodded one after another.

"Yes Mom." And then I smile at him but deep inside, it feels heavy still.

The truth is that I don't want anything else to happen if this party isn't over, I want to go back to my suite and continue crying there and I'll look for more information about Kim Madrigal.

This is the second part of the event where I will have thirteen candles, for my thirteen candles, my close friends at the school of your choice. I sat there on my red coach again in the front, Dad was my escort so he took me there. He was also very worried when he found out from Mom what happened to me and my 'classmate' it was okay and I assured them that it was okay and I also clarified that that's why I cried because I rejected your classmate I do and I'm not used to what I do.

I feel guilty for what I do if I lie but I can't tell them the truth but I want to ask them in the next few days about that 'Marriage for convenience' that the Forgers enjoy!

One of my thirteen friends gave me a message, while they were holding candles on stage. Whether the message was happy or sad, I really cried, but I knew in myself the real reason why the speed when I cried.

That's why for the third time, before starting my thirteen gifts, I retouched my make up so that I'm still beautiful in my pictures. This day should be a happy and special day because it's my day, my birthday but I feel so sad and hallow inside me.

Next on the list of events for tonight is the thirteen gifts, Mom sent an invitation for my birthday and it was written on the invitation that my thirteen gifts will depend on who is the first thirteen person to volunteer, I have no idea who are those people because almost all of our guests have a gift for me.

I received a gift from my Grandpa and Grandma on the mother side. I was so happy because they handed me a big Chanel paper bag. So I really love them too, because they also know what I want. Uhhm, I can't even guess if they will give me shoes or clothes or a bag but whatever it is since Chanel is the brand I love is so, so much.

Dad's parents are gone but I have an Tito and Tita on his side just in case they are second level relatives of Dad, like he's my cousin Tito and Tita but I'm so grateful that they're here to greet me happily birthday, again I got them a small paper bag of Chanel, I thought maybe those earrings.

I received a lot of gifts from our business partners, but seriously, maybe because of my crying, I feel like my body is tired.

I also got a regular from the Forger siblings, Rush and then Noah who even promised me that we could celebrate at their mansion this weekend if Mom and Dad would agree. I felt excitement because you know my favorite is the sea but at the same time the sadness in my chest still doesn't go away because Travis's shadow doesn't really exist.