Chapter 394 - Game Of Love (04)
DREAM CITY, Australia
At the Office of the President a few days before Hailee's wedding…
A knock on the door; was then pushed open by Laila, Hailey's secretary.
"President Davies, Miss Maria has arrived."
Hailee lifted her head from reading the reports in her hand, smiled, and nodded at her secretary. "Let her in."
Laila widened the door and invited the beautiful woman behind her to enter the room.
"Maria!"
"Hailee! Oh, gosh, beautiful Mumma!"
The two girls giggled and hugged each other.
"I'm happy you have a safe flight. Please, come and sit down."
"Thank you, Hail…." Maria followed Hailee to the sofa and sat down next to her. After they both seated comfortably, Maria spoke again. "So? Is it for real this time?"
Hailee smiled and nodded. "It is. There will be no more calling off the wedding. This time, whatever happens. I won't let go of my fiance, and I will fight for him to death."
Maria reached for Hailee's hands to hold them. "That's our girl! I'm happy for you, Hail."
"Thanks…" Hailee lowered her gaze, then bit the bottom of her lip. There were sparks in her eyes when she looked at Maria. "I am settling down with the man I am so in love with."
Maria smiled with sincerity. "I'm glad to hear that. It surprised me when Cassie called me and notified me about your breakup and that you called off the wedding, which it's just a few days away. And then, we haven't heard from you. But look at you now… So blooming and so proud of your baby bump."
"I am!" Hailee unconsciously reached for her bump and lovingly caressed her belly. "They gave me an inexplicable feeling, and like it made me complete and the happiest mom in the world."
"You will be a great mom," said Maria.
"I'm scared. But Vincent has shown so much thoughtfulness, and he never neglects me. With him, he made me feel so much security."
"Then he is the one!"
"Yes…" Hailee concurred with a huge, sweet smile on her face.
"I could really see how happier you are now than your first attempt to get married last year."
Hailee nodded at Maria as her response.
Maria is supposed to be one of her bridesmaids for her wedding with Bryan. But before she could fly to Dream City, Cassandra told her the heartbreaking news that there was no wedding to happen.
She was curious to know everything, but she chose not to ask Cassie and respect Hailee's privacy.
One year later, now she was seated next to Hailee, as she chose her to be her bridesmaid again, and this time, it was going to happen.
Anyway, it's not the only thing why she has to come many days before the wedding. She has a very important job to do soon.
"Have you met Cassie yet?" Hailee asked Maria afterward.
"I already did. She called me the moment my plane landed. It's been many years that we haven't seen each other."
Maria and Cassandra have been good friends since they were kids. Cassandra's father is a volunteer doctor, and her mother is a volunteer nurse in Africa. They were doing medical missions around the continent, and Cassie was born in Cape Town and grew up there.
Then she befriended Maria.
Maria received a scholarship from Young Foundation, and she got her master's degree at Oxford University. It was then she met Hailee and Kelly.
Since they both know Cassandra, they also become good friends until Maria represents South Africa in the Miss Universe pageant.
After her reign for one year, she continued her advocacy about Education, reaching those who couldn't afford to send their kids to primary school. Maria has become an Ambassador of Youth and Education funded by the Young Foundation and Davies Foundation.
She started the mission in the last two years, but her hard work is not enough. Until Cassandra told her about Hailee's plans, she was glad to be one of the volunteer teachers since it was her graduate course.
Hailee is building a special academy for girls who are excellent students but cannot afford to send them to prestigious schools. But she is also supporting isolated townships with a lack of schools and support, the reason she needed a lot of volunteer teachers to send out at different places.
It was a very ambitious vision, but she will do her hardest to realize this dream until many people will recognize their mission.
"Hail, thank you so much for opening your heart to us," said Maria after Hailee explained the things she wanted to happen to their projects.
"What are you saying? I am actually happy that you have the same advocacy as me, and I have someone I could trust to share my dream."
"You are an angel sent by heaven. I will do my best! And thank you for assigning me this job. I really love it!"
"I'm happy to hear that. Anyway, you will not be alone. I am actually assigning someone to do this project because I wanted to talk to you personally before my wedding. You are familiar with many places in Africa and speak many native languages. So, please accompany him and work with him. I know you guys can get along."
"Okay. No problem with me." Maria smiled confidently. For one year that she reigned as Miss Universe 2023, she has been around different people, either big shots or local leaders from other countries she visited, and many of them became her good friends.
"Alright! I'll call him now." Hailee stood on her feet and walked over to her desk to phone Laila and give her an order.
Not that long, the door pushed open, and an undoubtedly beautiful man walk-in.
"Hail? You wanted to talk to me?"
The guy was actually surprised to see that Hailee was not alone.
"Yes, Bryan. Do you remember Maria, right?"
Hailee is trying to help Bryan recall her university days with Maria, as he often visited England to see her and Kelly. Also, she once surprised Bryan when she flew to New York to support Maria competing for the crown of Miss Universe in New York City, where Maria really won.
"I guess I am…" said Bryan, trying to be polite despite uncertainty.
He remembered Maria, but he didn't much-put care about her, as he was only all over Hailee during those encounters. In his eyes, he only sees Hailee.
On the other hand, Maria only controls her brows not to knit together. 'How dare this cheater guy to be still here?'
She wanted to ask Hailee about it, but Maria restrained herself from doing it bluntly since Bryan was in the same room as her.
*
Maria came to her senses after a flashback passed through her head. She tried to maintain her not-so-friendly smile, as it was more likely a sarcastic one toward Bryan.
'At last…' She sighs with relief inwardly when finally the guy shakes her hand.
"I remember you, Miss Keita." Bryan only had a handshake with Maria for mere seconds, and he quickly withdrew his hand.
He was lost for a moment as he tried to process a few things into his head about why Hailee trusted this woman to work with him. He had no problem with it. But during their encounter at Hailee's office, this girl was too cold toward him, like she had hidden hatred towards him. They aren't really close but only have common friends.
"So? Can we now get on the truck, Mr. Anderson, so that I can take you to your destination?"
"Okay. I'm actually looking around and figuring out who my pickup is."
"You didn't expect that it was me?"
Maria's tone was a little sarcastic, and Bryan could sense it.
"Sort of…" Bryan honestly admitted it. 'It looks like she has an issue with me. Or to every man?' Bryan thought.
Maria shrugs her right shoulder, then turns around and walks toward the driver's seat and tells Bryan, "Be careful putting your luggage at the back. I have important things there."
Bryan was in a helpless state while looking at the back of the truck. It really made him wonder why Maria was too cold to him. It's not that she should be overly friendly. However, they will work side by side for at least two years.
Bryan had no choice but to follow Maria's instructions. He scanned his eyes to the things Maria mentioned that were important, and what he saw were blackboards, small plastic chairs, and tables. It intrigues him why Maria is carrying this stuff around.
"So, where do you want to head first? To your lodge or the headquarters?" asked Maria after he sat in the passenger seat.
"I think I better visit the office first," he replied.
"Great then! I will drop you off there since it was on my way."
"Are you in a hurry? Or you don't want to pick me up?" Bryan could notice her indifference toward him. He didn't understand, but Maria seemed irritated, and he wasn't sure if he was the reason.
Maria glanced in Bryan's direction, then returned her eyes to the road.
"Both…" she replied with honesty that stunned Bryan.
'What does it mean?' He could feel that this woman was starting to frustrate him.
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