A/N:
Hello!
This is the first chapter of the new book— A Glorious 2. I'm going with the character names I used in the paperback version of AGM (Mina and Chad) so I don't have to do as much editing when I decide to put this story on print as well.
For those who are not familiar with AGM, the Kindle version is available on Amazon and it will be free from March 20-24 so you can catch up.
Please watch out for the separate Wattpad book for AGM2 which I will publish very soon. Like in an hour. 😅
As usual, the Wattpad version is unbeta'ed and not proofread since I'm usually rushing to post updates daily. 😬
Thank you and hope you enjoy reading.
Deng
***
"Yes, Dad, we ate lunch na. How about you and Thirdy?" Mina asks over the phone as she waves at one of the CCTV cameras of the furniture shop. She knows I'm watching them from the security monitors in our home.
"Yes, Mommy. Medyo konti lang ang kinain ng panganay natin pero okay na yun kesa kahapon na puro milk lang talaga." I tell her about our 6-year old Richard Anderson III.
It's a slow day in the shop but she has a new table design for a very fussy costumer that she needs to supervise the creation of. Athena, our 3-year old is inside her office on her own drawing table, coloring some drawings with her nanny watching her. Mina is just outside by the huge glass window, standing where she can see the few costumers look around the room models where the furnitures are setup and check on Athena through the slots of the blinds covering the window. "How's his fever na?" She frowns a little and the worry in her voice is clear.
Our Thirdy would usually be in school at this time but he's been running a fever since yesterday. I volunteered to stay home to watch him since I know the restaurants are now in good hands with my sister Hannah's very effective management skills.
"Bumaba na, Ma, 37.8 last I checked. So please don't worry na. Kumusta na yung new design?"
"Okay naman. Konting detailing na lang then painting na. I can't wait to get this over with. I don't think I'll accept anymore orders from Mrs. Santos. Grabe! Ilang beses pinapalit yung design tapos ang ending yung una din ang pinili." She sighs and shakes her head.
"O! Wag na pa-stress, Ma. Sige. I-ban na natin yun. Marami ka namang ibang clients. Meron ngang isa na owner/manager ng chain of restaurants tapos gwapo na, mabait pa." I grin.
"Ikaw yun eh." She giggles. "I'm finishing the designs na for the tables and chairs sa new branch pati na din sa mga couches sa nook that Hannah wanted to setup for coffee and books. Nakaka-excite to see how that turns out." Mina says. It's not clear through the surveillance feed but I can just imagine her eyes dancing with excitement as she was talking.
It's amazing how much life has changed for us over the last 8 years. It seems only yesterday when I chanced upon a girl by the side of the road with her yellow Ducati then find out that she's a giant mob heiress which came as a shock but not as big as a shock to know that my Dad used to be a part of the gang she's in then we go on literally an explosive adventure with her— running away from her Dad, the mob boss, and taking down the biggest smuggling syndicate in the country that ended with me almost dying, her Dad actually dying and her putting the gangster life behind her. Now, all of that is like a very bad dream, almost forgotten.
Now, my wife and I live perfectly normal lives with my Dad, my siblings and our two beautiful children. Although, old habits must really be hard to break because Mina still keeps doing her martial arts training and firing in the shooting gallery "for stress relief" as she would say. I let her just as she lets me enjoy some of my own leisure activities like playing online games.
