Lisa put the phone near her ear and said, “She’s gone.”

Augustus answered. “I know”

Both felt silent after that. The only heavy breathing of them can be heard by phone.

“Lisa” Augustus called her name after a while.

“Yes,” she replied.

“I’m glad you called me,” Augustus said that sentence and hung up the call.

She looked at her mobile absently for a while. Just then Anna came back to her desk. Upon seeing Lisa, she said hurriedly, “My mother called ... I forgot to give her my brother’s prescription so she called asking for it. I am sorry it was urgent. It won’t happen again. Please don’t deduct my salary.” She said in a pleading tone with watery eyes.

Lisa glanced at her and said in a straight tone, “it should never happen again.” She then took her bag and left the hotel.

...

At home, Lisa felt very restless in her heart. Somehow she had started getting attracted to Augustus. After tossing and turning for a while, Lisa switched on her laptop and searched for Augustus Carlos.

A picture of Augustus Carlos appeared on the screen. He was wearing a black cashmere coat. His light brown hair was neatly styled. His blue eyes were deep and cold. His features were really sharp.

Augustus Carlos is the only son of Rheena Carlos and Alberto Carlos. His father, Alberto Carlos is the one who started this hotel business. He owns a chain of five luxury hotels, which are situated in palazzos in Italy’s main cities: (Milan, Venice, Florence, Punta Ala, and Rome)

However, when he died, his wife took over the business. At the age of 22, Augustus took his place in business and got engaged to her cousin, Giovanna. After that, Augustus built 4 more hotels, two in France, one in London, and one in the Maldives.

The Grand Carlos Hotels were elected during the World Travel Awards as Italy’s leading hotel and nominated in the Travel+Leisure 500. Recently, The Grand Hotel Carlos won second place in the Luxury24.

After strolling down, she finally saw the picture she was looking for. A young man wearing a tuxedo looked calm and noble, beside him was a beautiful and elegant young girl, smiling shyly. She was wearing an off-shoulder peach color gown looking like a royal princess. They both looked like a perfect match.

The more she looked at the picture, the more she felt distressed. She closed her laptop annoyingly. She knew she wasn't any match for him but still she felt a bit jealous looking at him with another woman. She shook her head to remove his memory and tried to sleep.

...

The next day, she worked at the hotel peacefully. She didn’t see Augustus all day nor did he call.

On Saturday, she was extremely excited to meet her son, Simon. The whole week she looked up to this one day to finally meet her son.

After breakfast, she took a taxi and went straight to St. Stephen School. She never wanted to send her son to boarding school. But after her husband died, her brother-in-law, Ted Smith started forcing her to marry him. And slowly, things turned to get ugly. She didn’t want her son to see this ugly side of his uncle. So one night, after thinking for a long time with a heavy heart, she made a decision to send him to boarding school for time being.

Her son, Simon is very understanding and an obedient son. When Lisa told him her decision, he agreed obediently and didn’t make any fuss. Lisa felt relieved after sending him away from this dirt.

After some time, when things gradually started to settle down Lisa went straight to take back her son but to her surprise, she found out that She is not his son’s legal guardian anymore. She felt frustrated and tried to take her son back but The Warden refused her strictly. She felt defeated and went back to her home disappointedly.

Soon after, she found out that Ted was behind all of this in order to force her to marry him. Or otherwise, she had to fight legally in court against him to win his son’s custody. Ted knew her financial status very well. She couldn’t afford to hire a lawyer, winning the case it’s just a dream for her.

But Lisa was stubborn. She still refused to marry him and go for a legal fight. Ted was really pissed by her decision. The more she rejected him, the more he wanted to conquer her. After that, Ted kept pestering her, but she kept turning him down.

It was a bright sunny day. The taxi driver pulled the car over at the gate of St. Stephen School. For the last six months, every Saturday Lisa came here to meet her son.

As soon as she entered, a guard greeted her, some Teachers also greeted her while walking past her. She entered the Hostel Building and greeted the Warden. “Hello, Linda Madam.”

“Hello, Miss Lisa Mathew.” The Warden replied back. The Warden was a middle-aged woman with white hair and a curvy body. Her smile is always warm and gentle.

“Can you call Simon?” Lisa requested politely.

“Of course. I’ll go and bring him myself. Just wait a moment.” The Warden excused herself and went up through the stairs.

As this is a high-profile hostel. The rooms in it are furnished, quite spacious. Each has internet access. In common use, there is a laundry, a lounge, and a kitchen. The hostel is guarded around the clock. To promptly solve the organization and everyday issues that students face in the building, there are curators.

Meals in the hostel are organized according to the boarding principles. The cafeteria serves mainly Italian dishes. Sports infrastructure includes a gym, volleyball, basketball courts, and a tennis court. The St. Stephen School also leases halls and fields in several major sports centers in Rome, Italy.

While looking around, Lisa heard the footsteps rushing towards her. Lisa turned around and saw her son Simon rushing towards her with a smile on his face. While the Warden is worried and keeps telling him to slow down and watch his steps on stairs.

Lisa crouched down and hugged her son tightly. “Mommy .. I missed you.” Simon said while pouting his face.

“Mommy misses you too .. Simon,” Lisa said while touching his face.

Simon looked very much like his father, Tom Smith. He was almost carved out of the same mold as him, especially his eyes with extremely long eyelashes.

He was wearing short jeans and a red t-shirt. “Mommy, I want to live with you and uncle Ted. Why don’t you accept his offer.?” Simon asked innocently.

Lisa was shocked by his words and asked, “Who told you about this offer.?”

“Uncle Ted told me, he wants me and you to live with him like a family,” Simon answered honestly.

Since Simon came here, Ted always came to visit him so he took this opportunity to use Simon to make her surrender. No matter how Ted is, he had always treated Simon as his own son and Simon also loved him too much.

“Uncle Ted already has a family. Auntie Mary, Iris, and Victoria. We are not his family. We are his brother’s family. Now that your dad is gone, we both are each other's family.” Lisa tried to explain to her son calmly and felt sad remembering her husband.

Simon felt disappointed and lowered his head. Lisa saw her son’s actions and felt pity for him in her heart. After all, he is just a child, How would he know his uncle’s evil intentions?

“You know what, I have been promoted. I am the new General Manager now. I will earn a lot of money and take you with me as soon as possible.” Lisa said this to cheer her son on.

As expected, her son looked up surprised and asked, “Really? Mommy?” Lisa nodded.

Simon's smile widened and then he said excitedly. “When I’ll go home. I will invite my friends to a party.. Yay..!” He jumped excitedly.

Lisa frowned and asked, “Did you make any friends this time.?”

Simon is a quiet child. He didn’t make any friends. It's very rare to be a friend of Simon. In the last six months, he had never mentioned any friends.

“Yes Mommy, I made 2 friends,” Simon said proudly raising his two fingers.

“Wow Simon.. that’s great. What’re their names.?” Lisa asked.

“Maria and Tony,” Simon said.

“Maria? Isn’t she a girl.?” Lisa asked confusingly.

“Yes.! She is the new monitor of our class. Some kids were trying to bully me and Tony but Maria complained about them to the principal. Her father is very rich so the principal always listens to her words.” Simon explained to her mom.

“Ohh,, it looks like she is a super-rich kid wearing a cape and flying in school.” Lisa teased Simon jokingly. Simon laughed and stretched his arm and ran around her mom.

“Slow down, little fellow,” Lisa said laughingly.

“What about your other friend.?” Lisa sat on the bench and pulled Simon over to sit on her lap.

“Tony helps me in the study, a lot and now he is my roommate too,” Simon said excitedly.

“Wow..! That’s good news.” Lisa raised her hand for a high-five and Simon gave her high-five gladly. She spent the whole day with Simon until it got dark. She then returned home happily and felt very light. After her husband died, Simon is the only true blessing left behind.

At the Hotel.

The construction work had already started And very few staff members were working in the hotel.

After lunchtime, someone knocked at Lisa’s office door. “Come in,” Lisa said without looking up.

The door opened and she smelled a strong scent of roses. She looked up and froze looking at the man in front of her.

The man was wearing black jeans, a shirt and a coat with a hat on his head. His figure looked different. His bulgy stomach was not there anymore. There was no chubbiness on his face either. Looked like he had joined the gym. The man was looking at her shocked face and a smile appeared on his face.

“Heard you have been promoted. Just wanted to Congratulate you.” The man said, putting the bouquet on the table and sitting on the chair in front of her.

“Thank you for your kindness, now leave,” Lisa said indifferently.

Looking at her cold attitude. The man became furious and said angrily, “It’s been a month since I saw you last time. Why are you so cold to me? I have joined a gym to work on my body so that you can get attracted to me but you.. you didn’t say anything at all. Can’t you see my efforts for you? Am I that bad? Huh..?”

Lisa frowned and said calmly, "Ted it's not like that. You are a good person I don't know but I just can't get attracted to you. I and Tom have always treated you like our child. How could I be able to think of you that way and besides what about Mary, huh..? Think about your wife and daughters..."

"First of all, I am older than you. So, how could you still think of me as a child? Second, I have already talked to Mary, she has no problem with our marriage." Ted said in a serious tone.

"Whatever you say. I am never going to marry you. Forget about it." Lisa sneered, her hands folded on her chest.

Ted saw her strong appearance and knew that she is doing this because she has promoted to, Silly woman. No matter How much money she earns, she is never going to win against his power. Ted stood up and said arrogantly, "Don't think by being a Manager you can win your son's custody. You can't win against me. Lisa."

"Let the judge decide it, Ted." With that saying, Lisa stood up and opened the door for Ted to leave. Just when Ted was walking out Lisa called him and said, "And uh... next time don't use my son to force me. It would be better if you keep him away from this."

Ted looked at her up and down with a deep gaze and said, "You're beautiful Lisa. I will wait for you to accept my offer." And then he left.

Lisa rolled her eyes and closed the door. She thought to herself. How did he know about my promotion? Then only one person came to her mind "Simon”

I really need an assistant manager to inform me before people's arrival in my office. With that thought, she picked up the telephone and called the HR Department. Soon a lady answered the call, "Hello HR Department."

"Hello, Mia..! It's me Lisa Mathew, General Manager. Can you please ask Emma to give an advertisement for the assistant manager's post?" Lisa said.

“Okay, Ms. Mathew," Mia replied politely.

"Thank you, Mia, that's all."

"Have a good day then."

"You too."

Before Lisa left the hotel she handed the big bouquet of roses to Anna. Anna asked surprisingly, "Who sent you this?"

Lisa didn't want anyone to misunderstand her relationship with Ted so she lied, "It was sent by my dad."

Anna frowned and said disappointedly, "I thought, it's your boyfriend."

Lisa rolled her eyes and said while walking out "You think too much."

"Thanks by the way", Anna said from behind.

Anna put the bouquet on the front desk. After a while, Augustus came out of the elevator, Lester following him behind. Augustus saw the big red roses bouquet and stopped in front of the desk.

"Who put this bouquet here?" He asked angrily.

Anna looked up frightened and explained, "It was sent to Miss Lisa from her father."

Augustus frowned looking at the bouquet and left without saying anything.

...

The next day, as Lisa came to the office. Someone was already waiting for her inside the office. She looked at the figure sitting on the chair and asked surprisingly. "Am I in the wrong office?"

The man turned around and looked at Lisa. "Umm... No, you're not." He replied standing up embarrassingly.

Lisa looked at his embarrassed look and said, "Gotcha..!" Both then chuckled together. Lisa sat in her seat and asked, "So, what's the matter? Why are you here Cristian.?"

Cristian looked tense and kept rubbing his fingers, "Well, I need a favor." He finally said those words.

"Okay. Go on" Lisa said.

"One friend of mine needed a job. I heard you're looking for an Assistant Manager. Umm... So .. actually .." he hesitated and ran his fingers into his hair.

"So you want me to hire her. Right?" Lisa saw his hesitation and interrupted him.

"Yup,, yes like if you feel like you know after interviewing her. It's totally up to you. I am just suggesting her as a friend." He explained.

"Okay then." Lisa smiled and said.

"Okay. Really? Huh.... Well, she is outside. Should I send her now?" Cristian asked surprisingly.

Lisa nodded. Cristian got up happily and went outside. After a while, there was a knock on the door. Lisa said, "come in"

A beautiful young lady entered the office, greeting her politely. After interviewing her for 20 minutes, Lisa got satisfied and hired her immediately.

After sending her, Lisa felt relieved and again felt grateful to Cristian. Hence she is new here, only Cristian had treated her nicely just like a friend. She didn't make any friends before except Sasha but now she feels she can count Cristian as a friend, too. Well, now she and her son both have two friends. What a coincidence.!

At this thought, she remembered the day she spent with her son and laughed wholeheartedly at his cute actions.

...

The next day, Lisa was jogging at the park. Just then her phone rang. She stopped and looked at her phone and a flash of worry and panic appeared on her face.

She answered the phone with shaking hands, "Hello."

"Miss Lisa Mathew." A lady asked.

"Yes," Lisa answered.

"Your father again tried to commit suicide, we have admitted him to Holy Spirit Hospital please come immediately."

"Yes," Lisa said. Her voice was hoarse and then she fell to the ground and tears started falling down from her eyes.

Augustus was as usual, following Lisa while jogging. When she suddenly stopped and answered the call with shaking hands. He was thinking why her behavior suddenly changed by this call just then she fell on the ground holding her phone tightly.

Augustus rushed towards her and crouched down opposite her. She seemed to be numb all of a sudden, and her eyes were empty, blankly looking at her phone. There was even no sound when she cried, but only tears kept falling from her eyes.

By looking at her like this, Augustus only felt that his heart had been ripped out of his chest. He touched her shoulder and asked in a low voice, "Are you ok.?"

Lisa, who was lost, looked up and saw deep blue eyes looking at her with concern and didn't say anything. When seeing that she didn't speak, Augustus called her name. "Lisa"

When Lisa heard her name. She immediately came back to her senses and realized she needed to reach the hospital as fast as possible. She stood up and rushed towards the road to take a taxi. Augustus followed her quietly. She was not in her senses and tried to cross the road on the green light.

Augustus saw her trying to cross the road impatiently. He pulled her back and said angrily, " Are you blind? It's a green light."

Lisa looked at him, tears still falling down.

Augustus held her face and asked softly, "What's wrong? Where are you going.?"

"Holy Spirit Hospital. Take me there please." Lisa said in a trembling tone.

"Okay," Augustus replied. Then, he called Lester and within a few minutes, Lester brought him a car. Lester handed him the key and left.

Augustus then opened the door to the passenger seat and let her get in. Lisa got in the car and sat down. He bent down, pulled out the seat belt, and buckled it for her. When he got up, his face brushed gently against her pink lips.

It was as if he had touched electricity. He could only feel the heat on his face, and his heartbeat as it would jump out of his throat. However, Lisa didn't change her expressions. She was still lost in her thoughts.

Augustus closed the door and sat on the driving seat. He started the car and set GPS for Holy Spirit Hospital.

He looked at Lisa from the corner of his eyes. She was wearing track pants and a sleeveless top. He thought of something and reached at the backseat and handed Lisa his hoodie.

"Wear it. Your clothes are not appropriate for the hospital." He said while looking straight on the road.

Lisa looked down at herself and realized he's right. She took a hoodie, wore it, and said, "Thank you."

Augustus parked the car at the Emergency Gate. Lisa looked at him nervously. "You go ahead, I'll wait for you." He said calmly.

Lisa immediately refused him and said, "You go first, I am fine. Thank you once again."

After that, she opened the door and rushed to the hospital without looking back. Augustus watched her disappear and couldn't help but think about what happened.

Lisa went straight to the front desk and asked, "Is there a patient named Frank Mathew.? He shifted to this hospital from Mental Asylum an hour ago."

The receptionist looked at her computer while typing and then said, "Yes, there is one patient. He tried to cut his wrist. Wait for some time, we are shifting him to room 39'a'."

Lisa asked, "Where is it.?"

"Go straight. Take the elevator on your right to the third floor. On your left, you will find the room." The receptionist instructed her.

Lisa followed her instruction. While she was heading to the door, a male doctor came out of the room. Lisa called him from a distance. "Doctor.. Wait..!"

Lisa ran to the doctor and asked, "How is my father, Doctor.?"

Doctor frowned. He looked at her and then the patient inside the room. He gently asked her, "Are you his daughter.?" Lisa nodded. "Come inside we need to talk." The doctor said while opening the door for her.

She went inside and looked at the man lying down on the bed. The man was skinny, pale, his beard had grown, his hairs were also long, white, and messy. His left hand and left leg were tied by a handcuff to the bed. Looking at him in this condition Lisa felt very pity for her father.

"I can't believe a heart surgeon like him would ever do that." The doctor said in disbelief standing behind Lisa.

Lisa turned in shock and asked, "Do you know.?"

The doctor shrugged and said, "Of course, I know. He once came to our university for a lecture, that's where I saw him first. He was such a good man full of life. No wonder what happened to him now."

"Love is cruel." Lisa sighed looking at his father.

"Anyway, it was very hard for us to stabilize him. So we gave him an overdose. He won't regain consciousness until tomorrow." Doctor explained. Lisa thanked the doctor and sent him off.

After the doctor left, Lisa looked at her father's pale face and kissed his forehead. She then held her father's hand and sat on a chair close to the bed.

"Pappa , why did you do this pappa.? Don't you love me? Do you only love your wife? .. not your children..?" Lisa complained while sobbing. "Please pappa don't...ever...leave..me, please.. Wu...Wu...Wu.."

Frank Mathew was a well-known surgeon of Italy. He got married to Stella Mathew after falling in love with her at his cousin's wedding. They both were the most lovely and perfect couple of that time. They had 3 kids together. Two daughters and one son.

When Lisa was 15 years old, Her father brought home his second wife named Betty. She was a nurse at the hospital. Stella Mathew couldn't believe it at all and soon after she died because of pain and grievances in her heart.

After that Frank Mathew was completely cut off from his kids. He used to give them limited money and meet them once a month. As Lisa was the eldest so she has to take care of her two younger siblings.

After she got married to Tom. He took the responsibility of her siblings happily. And Frank didn't bother at all. He was so much in love with that woman, Betty. He couldn't see anything at all.

But as people say, what you sow you shall reap. It happened to him when he got his first fit, after four years of his marriage. And got addicted to drugs thanks to Betty and his boyfriend Johnson Reed. She took away all his money and proved him to be mentally ill. Soon, he was admitted to Mental Asylum.

After looking at his condition, Frank Mathew realized he had been betrayed by love just like Stella was betrayed by him.

Now, he has regrets but it's of no use. When Lisa got this news she went to see him alone. Her other siblings denied by saying, "He deserves it"

However, Lisa cared for her father. When she first met him, he cried like a baby and asked for her forgiveness. He felt very much ashamed of himself and after some of her visits, her father asked her to not come here anymore. He won't be able to face her in the future for what he did to her and his two more kids.

Lisa kept crying until her throat got dry, she looked in the ward for water but there was no water at all. She went out to get water and saw Augustus sitting outside the ward. Lisa frowned and thought why is he still here? Didn't she tell him to Go? She also noticed that he had changed his running shorts Into an ink-colored suit. Lisa walked over to him.

Augustus saw Lisa coming over to him. He stood up and asked her in worry. "Where were you? I had been looking for you. I asked a nurse about your appearance and she told me she saw you going on the third floor but I didn't know the ward number so I waited here."

Lisa looked into his deep blue eyes and felt warmth in her heart. She felt guilty too, he helped her too much and yet she didn’t tell him the reason for coming here.

Seeing her lost again, Augustus called her out in his deep voice “Lisa”

Lisa then said hesitantly, “My father... he tried to commit suicide this morning. He has been in Mental asylum for the last three years.” She didn’t look into his eyes while speaking.

After hearing her, Augustus was shocked and then in the next moment, he pulled her into his arms and hugged her.

Since Lisa’s mother died, she has been the one taking care of everyone nobody has taken care of her or comforted her till now even Tom was always busy with his brother and his work though he was a good husband he didn’t realize that she needed care too money can buy everything but not the care or love for someone.

This sudden hug from Augustus melted Lisa’s heart. She really needed this hug at this difficult time. Forgetting everything she held him tightly, sniffing his unique scent. Her heartfelt heavy, her eyes turned red and again she started crying. This time it wasn’t because of her father but it was Augustus’s genuine concern that made her lose her senses at an instant.

Augustus felt his shirt getting wet. He didn’t mind at all, instead, he rubbed her back gently and coaxed her like she was a baby.

After some time, Lisa regained her senses and shuddered in his embrace. He understood it and let her go. He then opened a water bottle and passed it to her to drink. She took some sips and said, “Thank you.”

Augustus handed her a sandwich and a glass of fresh juice and said in a commanding tone “eat”

Lisa then realized that she had not eaten anything yet. She was extremely hungry. She took a bite of the sandwich and it tasted really good. It doesn’t look like a cafeteria sandwich. Did he go back to his home to change his clothes and bring food for me?

Lisa looked at the man beside her from the corner of her eyes. He was eating so elegantly and there was not a single sound of chewing food at all.

Augustus saw her looking at her stupidly and shook his head. Lisa got nervous and pointed at his clothes, “When did you change?”

He didn’t answer her and kept eating. Lisa felt annoyed and turned her face away from him in anger. After a while, someone tapped her shoulder. She looked up and saw Augustus was smiling at her.

“Lester brought my clothes, I changed them in the washroom outside. After all, I can’t roam in running shorts in the hospital no matter how rich I am..!” He explained calmly.

Lisa nodded her head and continued eating, ignoring him. He sensed something and then he chuckled softly. Lisa narrowed her eyes and asked, “What are you laughing at? Huh..?”

“You should never talk while eating. Don’t you know about eating etiquette.?” He asked her in a mocking way.

Lisa felt insulted and turned her face away. She finished her food and threw wrappers in the dustbin. She looked at Augustus and politely thanked him again.

“Stop it.” Augustus said irritatedly.

Lisa frowned, “What?”

“Stop saying thank you. If you want to say something else. I am all ears. Okay?” He said.

Lisa heard him and understood what he meant.. what happened before he took it as something else this is not right she had to explain to him to clear this misunderstanding.

“Mr. President, you misunderstood me. What happened before was nothing. I just got a bit emotional. Don’t mind it please.” Lisa stood up and said it in a very gentle tone and before waiting for his reply she walked towards the exit.