CHAPTER 3

"Can't I stay up for a little while longer please mommy,I don't have school tomorrow."

"Okay.Five more minutes."

"Thanks mom you the best."Abby smiled,her daughter is the only good thing in her life the only person who keeps her motivated,who makes her day good or bad with a smile on her face she was grateful for Ally.Later that night when Alejandra was asleep she went over to her closet and took out the journal she writes in everyday about Ally's life.She had made it not long after she had almost had a miscarriage,instead of bottling up her feelings she had written it in here.

Alejandra's whole life is in this book,from when she had been pregnant till giving birth and throughout her whole five years.Abby had thought she'll give this book to Alejandro when Ally turns five but she couldn't Ally's fifth birthday had been last month still Abby couldn't bring herself to look for him and tell him about his daughter,clearly the pain and hurt was still there.Not a day goes by without her writing in the journal about Ally's life,at times she feels guilty for keeping them a part especially when Ally wants to know who her father is...maybe someday she'll be strong enough to tell her daughter the truth.

Until then it will be her little secret,and this journal should never be found so far Abby has managed to keep it away from her mother and she should continue to do so if she doesn't want her mother to know Alejandro's name.She knows her mother very well she'll hunt him down and demand he take responsibility for her granddaughter,Kate Garner might look fragile up close but her mother was far from it.Especially if she's worked up or angry then she doesn't tolerate anyone's nonsense smiling Abby went to bed.

Alejandro was gazing out the window of his office,he's exhausted he also knows in his line of work there was no rest.Ever since his father had suffered a heart attack six years ago he has been hands on at the company he had started Àlvarez Jewelers & Co with his dad when he had been twenty.They also own diamond and gold mines which is known as Àlvarez Groups,he's never at home he was too busy running this multi-billionaire business,it was a success and has been for the last few years,he's opened up his new headquarters for Àlvarez jewelry hence he moved to San Francisco a few months ago.

His brother was helping in the business but he recently took time off because his wife is in her last month of pregnancy leaving Alejandro with thrice as much work not that he complained it's not like he has anyone who's waiting for him at home.His mother is always pestering him to get married since he is the oldest of the three siblings his sister is engage her wedding will take place in two months,at thirty-one he's been around the world,his life is all about having a good time not settling down.He's had countless of women in his bed all of them tried to get him to marry but he refused.

There had only been one woman who he had wanted to marry,one woman who he would've given up everything for,one woman he had thought he loved but clearly he had fooled himself because for her it had meant nothing.Meeting Abigail had changed his life her smile used to light up his world in her presence he would forget everything except to touch her,hold her and make love to her.He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her,so he had tested her throughout their one year relationship to see what kind of person she was,if she was only after money or something else.He had told her his name was Alejandro Pérez instead of Alejandro Àlvarez,Pérez had been his mother's maiden name.

As soon as women heard who he was they made sure to stick around that's why with her he had tried a different approach,to see her true nature so he had posed as a struggling guy who doesn't have much who's family had nothing and it had been the totally opposite at the time when he had met Abigail he had already been wealthy.She had stuck by him even though he had pretended to have nothing,she used to make light of every situation no matter how bad,encouraging him never to give up.He had fallen for her,because of the selfless person she had been caring for others before herself.He had fell for her...him who hadn't believed in love had actually fallen in love,without wasting time he knew he had to marry her,start a family with her so no man can make a claim on her.

His family had wanted him to marry another woman for business reasons but he had said no he was gonna marry someone else,of course they hadn't taken the news well Alejandro had even fought with his dad that day it had resulted in his father getting a heart attack. Since then his father is confined in a wheelchair and taking heart medication, he had been prepared to give up everything in order to build a life with her even go against his own family just to be with her,for what...for nothing. Whatever they had and shared hadn't matter to her that's why she could slip a letter under the door of the tiny apartment they shared,telling him she's moved on and found someone else and he shouldn't try to find her.

That had been it from there he's never looked back,never tried to find her or look for her.After her he has created a playboy lifestyle for himself never staying with one woman for long only sating his needs as a man and not getting emotionally involved.It's worked so far all the woman he sleeps with was only looking for a good time and he gives them exactly that no strings attach Alejandro knows they love spending his money and all the gifts and jewelry he buys them,not that it bothered him at the end it was a win-win situation for everyone.He checked his wrist watch almost eleven Kiara his latest girlfriend must be waiting for him at his penthouse they were suppose to have dinner but he forgot,once he starts focusing on work everything else comes second.

He saw three missed calls from her on his cell,this afternoon when he had had lunch with Jack Garner he had put his cell on silent whenever he does business he hates being disturb.He's heard a lot of good things about the man, Alejandro knows he also owns jewelry stores but for the last year the business has been struggling financially and if they don't get an investor soon they'll file for bankruptcy that's why he has approach Alejandro with a proposal and he has to say it is good and worth the risk Jack is even prepared to sell him his fifty percent stake that had caught Alejandro off guard but it also showed the man is desperate and if he approached him than that means no one has that kind of money that he needs except for him he already has a few ideas as to what he'll do once he can own that company with his calculations and expertise he can have that business booming in six months.He's that confident. He's told Jack he'll get back to him in a few days.He knows he's gonna own half of that company once he does he'll turn it around make it better than it was there's nothing he enjoys more than a challenge,taking his jacket he left.

Abby woke late Monday morning she barely closed an eyelid thoughts of Alejandro kept on intruding her mind.She moved around the house on auto pilot fixing Ally's breakfast and preparing her lunch box.It was her turn to open the cafe today it's seven and she's still at home,at ten past seven she grabbed her car keys and handbag,ushering Ally out she locked and soon they were gone.When she arrived at the cafe there were already a few people standing and waiting outside,some of them just love their morning coffee with a doughnut or muffin,the second she opened the doors they all swarmed in thankfully Amanda arrived early and helped her serve everyone.

Abby wonders if they'll even make Mrs Àlvarez order in time,the way she was feeling a bed is all she needed at this moment.She ordered extra ingredients for everything they gonna bake if this order is to be ready by Wednesday they gonna have to start today and put in over time to get it done.The day flew by fast probably because she hasn't felt it,Mrs Àlvarez hasn't arrived yet and Abby wondered if she'll come at all it was almost time to pick up Ally from school so she asked Amanda if she doesn't mind."Of course not.Any word."

"No,but it's only two-thirty.I don't want to risk leaving only to find out she arrives and I'm not here,she did personally ask for me."

"Okay,let me get going is there anything I should get along the way."

"No.I already ordered extra for what we'll need."When Amanda left she kept herself busy by checking the cafe's financial records,the place has been doing good for the last five months the profits are up if things continue this way she'll be able to hire someone part time to help out on weekends.The stuff she ordered came she was glad the sooner they start the better not long after a woman about average height strolled into the cafe along with her was a young woman with honey gold hair olive skin tone complexion,the older woman had black hair.

Abby can see Amanda hadn't been exaggerating when she had said they have money.They were neatly dressed in designer clothes from head to toe their make up is perfectly applied,diamond earrings and necklaces are draped on their necks and ears.Mother and daughter duo Abby guessed they are beautiful and elegant they must be highly respected amongst their social circle and all those other wealthy people.It's clear they have money why ask her to cater,putting on her best smile she went over to greet them.

"Mrs Àlvarez."She said extending her hand.

"Miss Young."She replied in perfect English Abby can hear from her accent that she's spanish."Pleasure to meet you."

"Pleasure is all mine,please call me Abigail."

"As you wish.This is my daughter Sofia."

So I had been right Abby thought."Nice to meet you Sofia."She shook Abby's hand without saying anything.

"Can we talk privately."She asked looking around for an open space.