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Isa shakes her head, embarrassed but also smiling at her family’s antics. “Please, sir, just drive,” she practically begs the driver, making me chuckle.
“They’re great. They really love you,” I point out, trying to make her feel a little better.
She can only let out a single chuckle, shaking her head and running a hand through her dark hair. “You’ll break Benji’s heart if you don’t show up at his birthday, you know,” Isa tells me, seemingly unsure if I’m going to keep my promise or not.
“I know, I know. I was a little boy once too, you know,” I assure her, giving her a small but genuine smile. “But when is his birthday? So, I can have someone make arrangements for my schedule.”
Isa scoffs, then it turns into full on laughter. “You mean me?” she asks, and I shrug, feigning innocence, making her laugh even more. “You’re not gonna believe this, but it’s at the end of the month as well. A day before your birthday,” she tells me, and my smile widens even more.
I’m pretty sure at this point my smile is as wide as it can get. “Well, isn’t that opportune?”
Isa lets out another laugh, shaking her head and glancing over the Manila skyline one last time as we drive through the city. I do the same as well, remembering everything so vividly, thinking how I haven’t really spent that long here, but it’s been an absolute blast. The sun still shines brightly over us, and I think I’m gonna miss that a lot. I love my California sunsets, but I’m forever entranced by the one I saw over Boracay Island.
“Man, this has been…” Isa is cut off by my ringing phone.
Almost instinctively, I pull out the device from my pocket, seeing who’s calling me at what’s probably the end of the day over in California. Once I see the caller ID, all of my elation is out of the window.“Dolores Langley”is displayed on my phone. I glance at Isa, and her eyes are filled with terror. I take a breath, calming myself down, before answering the call. “Hello?”
“Why, Mr. Camden, thank you for taking my call,” Dolores' authoritative and stone-cold voice breaks throughout the car, rendering Isa to hear her as well. This woman doesn’t speak in a hushed tone, that’s for sure.
“Is there anything I can assist you with, Ms. Langley?” I ask, getting straight to the point. “I’m sure it must be important since you seem to be calling me out of office hours.” It’s a trick, you see. Yes, the very notion of what she’s doing is frightening, but pointing it out presents me as someone she can’t intimidate. And she can’t. I know what I’m doing and what I need to do.
Dolores chuckles on the other end of the line, clearly amused and not sarcastic.
“You’re funny, Mr. Camden. An anonymous person sent a tip to my office a couple of days ago about how your inheritance from your father’s estate is having some issues, so to speak.”
I clench my jaw, looking up at the roof of the car in annoyance. “Peyton…” I mumble before inhaling and exhaling deeply, knowing deep down I can’t really escape this. I just have to fight through, especially when I see Isa’s terrified expression. I place my hand on top of hers, sending her a reassuring glance. She only nods back, knowing the same thing I do.
“Excuse me, Ms. Langley, I don’t see how this has anything to do with anything. Why is my inheritance a topic of interest to the immigration office?”
“Because both of you now have something to gain from this engagement of yours. I took it upon myself to check your father’s will since it is a public record, and it shows that you must marry before the age of thirty-six to retain ownership of yourverylucrative film studio,” Dolores wastes no time in not letting me twist and turn the narrative, and this woman is more cutthroat than I initially thought. “Time’s running short. I already have a present for you at the end of the month. Not to mention that this has been omitted during our first meeting, Mr. Camden. All I’m saying is: this isn’t looking good on your end.”
My lips tug up into a smile, feeling weirded out that I’m enjoying this more than I’m terrified by it. It’s a challenge, but I know I’ll always have the upper hand. I’ve thought all of this through. Is this the path I wanted to go down? Absolutely not, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t prepared.
“But this doesn’t change anything, does it? You still have to verify through your own judgment that this is indeed a legitimate relationship?” I remind her, acting unfazed about the interview that’s coming up.
“Yes, but don’t think this is something I can easily forget, Mr. Camden. You two are in a very hot seat right now,” Dolores warns us, but I remain unbothered.
“I’m looking forward to seeing you soon, Ms. Langley. If you have any further concerns, you can call this number anytime,” I say casually, maintaining my nonchalance. Without letting her say another word, I hang up.
I look at Isa, who seems to be deep in thought as she blankly stares at our hands interlaced together. I rub my thumb on top of her hand, getting her attention.
“Are you scared?” I ask her sincerely, voice dropping to a hush, trying not to overwhelm her.
Almost instantaneously, she shakes her head no, surprising me slightly. She doesn’t say anything, however, and she only grabs my hand tighter, like it’s a lifeline for her.
What a welcome home party we’re about to have back in California. I’m sure it’s going to be a blast since it’s being hosted by an immigration officer.
Chapter 21
Isa
BeingbackinHollywoodis so surreal because my life literally feels like a movie right now. Even as I walk through the studio lot that I've walked down perhaps a million times before, this is the first time everyone I cross paths with is either staring me down like I'm a sort of pariah or looking at me with admiration for “tying down” the cold-hearted CEO king. The one and only Leo Camden known as the most desired bachelor in the city, falling for his assistant like a 1960s romance cliché. It’s played out in the films, sure, but it’s still very much a hot topic in the new millennium. But I can’t focus on them right now. I have to prove to an immigration officer that I’m not marrying my boss to acquire a green card.
When this all started, that was definitely my intention. It may be shallow to hear that my job is important to me, but I have a family back home to provide for. I’m their best shot, and that hasn’t changed. My little sister is still studying, and my little brother’s just a kid. My parents, even through our differences, still deserve their dream house—and I’m definitely keeping track of things better this time. So, no, it isn’t shallow. I don’t think it’s shallow. Anyone who has come from a place of being financially unstable will understand how I feel. Anyone who’s been living in a house where you can get a sunburn while watching TVinside, will understand how money is important. Why, it’s the very key to survival.
Yes, when Leo asked me to marry him, that was really my main motivation. But weirdly, things have changed so quickly. I couldn’t even keep up with it until I just let myself go. All those feelings I set aside all while I worked for him just burst out, and I’m not sure how this affects everything.
Even after several sleepless nights, I’m no closer to knowing what any of this means.
