Skylar took a moment of silence, trying to weigh the things that Vincencio hadn't told her about yet and the things she had also been keeping from him that somehow felt the same.
"Wifey?" With a troubled heart, Vincencio wondered nervously, making Skylar snap and smile.
"I guess we're the same—hiding things we're not sure if one of us could take it." Skylar thought carefully before nodding and adding a warning, making Vincencio chuckle. "As long as I'm not bothered by it, we're good, but once it does, Hubby, I will grind you till I get the answers I need."
"Okay, that's fair enough. Thank you for understanding me." He pulled her into his arms and kissed her temple.
"I'm your wife, that's why," she proudly said.
"So, where exactly did you go last night?" Vincencio pulled away and directly met her eyes steadily. Skylar found it daring, and there's no point in denying it.
"Ahm, I was doing my online workload, then I took a break and strolled a little outside before finishing it." She simplified what she did last night by leaving her hunting stuff.
"Good." He nodded, making Skylar glad that it was enough alibi.
"How did you know?" With a scrutinizing gaze fixated on him, Skylar wondered, making him sigh.
"Instincts, perhaps." He shrugged his shoulders, but his wife was not buying it easily.
"Since when do you have it?" Again, with a curious tone, she wondered playfully so she wouldn't sound offensive.
"Since I'm married to you." With a mischievous grin, Vincencio honestly stated his possessiveness, making Skylar chuckle. "I don't want to share you; that's why I want to know everything you're doing."
But Skylar's amused chuckle went into a thin smile, and her aura shifted; that didn't escape Vincencio. He sensed immediately the sudden change in his wife's smile and took her hand to squeeze it for assurance as he waited for whatever she desired to say.
"I'll be honest with you, Vince," Skylar started as she felt courage over Vincencio's squeeze.
"Sounds heavy." Vincencio slightly chuckled, although his heart was drumming hard against his chest.
"Because it is, Hubby. You don't know everything about me or what I am doing aside from what you already knew," she sternly mentioned, catching Vincencio's interest.
"I felt them, Wifey, and I will wait, but can you tell me why you can't tell me about them?" With an understanding smile, he curiously wondered.
"Like you, there are things I could not easily share without being ready. And I'm still scared of what-ifs once you learn them. So, can you wait a little longer for that time, too?" With sincerity, Skylar briefed her reason.
"Of course, Wifey. Of course." Being the understanding husband that he is, Vincencio nodded and captured Skylar's lips like sealing a promise of patience before changing the subject. "I'm craving ice cream."
"Always have a sweet tooth." Skylar pinched his cheeks before they went to the dessert area of the resort's restaurant connected to the beach.
***
The couple's second meeting happened in a classy restaurant across the resort from where they were staying. The meeting was held in a restaurant's VIP area to discuss jewelry ideas for the SaiRus Corp.'s big prize at an upcoming gaming event. Vincencio's imagination shone through as he created an illustration design that Skylar outlined how it would work. Despite being married, they both piqued their clients' curiosity and astounded them with their performance.
"So what do you say to our design ideas for the upcoming gaming event?" With nervousness, Vincencio carefully asked their biggest client in front of them.
"Would it be only for the event, or would it be possible to be sold after the game?" The project event organizer of SaiRus Corp., named Anita Jones, wondered.
"Well, if you love one of these designs for your gaming event, it's yours. You can sell them under your name, but we're exclusively suggesting letting us manufacture them since we're the ones who came up with this design. Also, it will be much easier to adjust it if we're the ones who are creating it for your company," Skylar coldly explained. Their client attentively listened, and they all agreed.
"That's a fair reason and a good deal since we're not going to have a hard time looking for a manufacturer of this jewelry design. And budget-wise, it is unlimited," Anita amusingly agreed.
"So, are you agreeing to produce them for our company?" But Skylar wanted to be sure and hopefully to hear the response directly from the sophisticated man quietly listening to their meeting.
"Boss, what do you say?" Anita politely asked their boss.
"I have nothing to say since I like the idea and the concept of connecting the jewelry design to the trophy and the games we're hosting. But before we can settle everything, let me ask you something, Mrs. Saison-Monsour: Are you giving us your design for free in return for producing them?" Mr. Fredric Rusco, the CEO of the SaiRus Corp., sternly asked Skylar as the CEO of her company.
"It's not free, Mr. Rusco, since my design team is the one who created it, and to keep them designing for me, I have to sell them at a great price." With a cold smirk, Skylar briefly replied.
"And what price range would it be?" Amused, Mr. Rusco curiously wondered.
"I know you already see it, but I'll tell you, half a million or more." Without hesitation or joking around, Skylar named her price, making them shocked.
"Wifey, I don't think…" With a slight agitation, Vincencio softly whispered.
"I'm not done yet, hubby. So let me finish it first." With her sweetest smile, Skylar coldly stopped him before proceeding about the price range. "So as I was saying, half a million or more is the right price range for a huge package deal I'm offering now. The package includes not only the approved designs that will be yours, but I'm also going to form and assign a selected complete design team, which will handle all of your designs for your gaming event. My company will give one design mass production of your selected approved design. That explains the huge value of the price range, but it can be changeable depending on the design and the range of the production within the timeline. Is that clear now?"
"It's very well thought out." With an amused laugh, Fredric clapped his hands and stood up from his seat as he approached Skylar. Skylar stood up to meet the man halfway, making Fredric take her hand and shake it like he was making the right deal on connecting with Skylar's company. "It is the right call to make a partnership with you. You're not only after the money, but you're also thinking about expanding the growth of your men under your command, which I'm doing as well."
"So, do you agree with the package I'm offering for this gaming event?" With a careful but stern voice, Skylar ensured she was closing the deal with him.
"Pretty much, yes. You have my full deal. The only thing left is, can it meet the schedule?" Fredric chuckled before turning serious again as he wondered about the schedule of producing the product. "We need a prototype sample in person if the design works well for the event."
"How come he trusts me this much? But if he does, I will try not to fail him." Skylar was surprised in her thoughts but still managed to respond without changing her cold expression. "As soon as you're good with the designs we showed you, we could set another meeting to finalize the design. It will be the time we're going to show the prototype."
"Then we better come up with something today before having the sample at the next meeting." With a proud grin, Fredric looked at the rest, who agreed with him.
"Alright, let's continue discussing the design with some food since I know we won't leave this restaurant's VIP room until we settle." Anita chuckled and began checking the menu.
"I agree with you." Vincencio sighed and kissed his wife's cheek when she sat beside him before softly whispering. "You did great."
"Thanks." She reciprocated sweetly and began ordering food before proceeding to their meeting after they ate their late lunch.
***
"Argh, that's a tiring but fun meeting," Vincencio whined as he slumped his head on the table as soon as their meeting finally ended.
"Hahaha, you did have a great husband, Skylar." Fredric laughed amusingly and whispered to Skylar.
"I know, right?" Skylar chuckled proudly before asking while they watched their men have their little chat among themselves, "How about you? Are you married?"
"Yes, I am, and she's the queen of me," he proudly admitted.
"I couldn't imagine who married you." She joked, making Fredric chuckle.
"Hey, I might have weird antics, but I could charm the right woman, and that's my wife." He winked, and Skylar grinned.
"I thought it was someone else," she teased.
"Even if I do, nothing changes how my wife ruled over me when it's about the matter of the heart." With a soft smile, Fredric's firm CEO façade faded as he spoke about his relationship with his wife.
"What are you saying?" She curiously wondered.
"Skylar, once the heart truly beats for someone, don't hesitate or let fear eat you. Be the best version of yourself and let the person know how deserving you are to be the one they love the most." With a stern look, Fredric met Skylar's orbs as he gave that advice to her.
There was something in the way they looked at each other—a familiarity that Skylar could not put a name on. But one thing she was sure about: this man, this CEO of SaiRus Corp., Fredric Rusco, had a kind of effect on making her blood boil—not with anger or annoyance but with something that lies in her blurry memory.
"Who is this man before me? There was something familiar about his presence, like I'd known him for life—that I could trust him wholeheartedly," Skylar thought deeply, making Fredric ruffle her hair gently before joining the others.
"Wifey, remember you're mine and he's married too, so don't fall in love with him." Vincencio's teasing voice snapped her from her deep thought.
"Hubby!" Skylar frowned and whined at her husband's teases.
"Cute, but I'm serious. You're mine." He chuckled but admitted that he was serious about his reminder.
"I know, and so do you." She pouted but captured his lips for assurance and security.
"So when could I be a godfather?" Fredric suddenly interrupted their sweet moment, causing them to pull away.
"FREDRIC!" With a pair of blushing cheeks, Skylar shouted, and Vincencio just looked away, feeling embarrassed, making the others laugh at their adorable behavior despite being adults already.
"Alright, I was just saying. Anyway, since everything is settled, let's meet again for the prototype meeting." Fredric cut their teasing, chill moment with the couple and wrapped things up in their meeting.
"Sure. We'll inform you as soon as the prototype is ready." Skylar shook his hand, and Fredric gave her a hug that almost made her quiver in familiarity. "Damn, why do I feel connected with this man?"
"Penny for your thoughts?" Vincencio quickly asked as soon as they were left alone in the VIP room.
"Mr. Rusco felt familiar to me. Like I knew him from somewhere I couldn't put a name on." Without hesitation, Skylar shared with her husband what troubled her mind around their client and business partner's presence.
"Should I be worried about that?" With a hint of tease, he sternly asked, making Skylar frown, and he shrugged his shoulders.
"Hubby, I love you, and don't be jealous, but the familiarity I felt around him was like a family—a brother, perhaps; I don't know." She explained further, which was technically accurate to what she felt around Fredric.
"I see, as soon as he stays a brother and a family to you, then I won't be jealous." He chuckled, which earned a light slap over his arm.
"You're unbelievable." She rolled her eyes as she paid the bill for using the VIP room and their food.
"And charming too," he added with a teasing wink.
"Whatever." Skylar might have tried to hide it, but her blushing cheeks gave it away, and she changed the subject. "Let's head back; I need a shower."