Taming A Billionaire

The third point of view :

At the same reception

"Neon!" Ailee called the little boy who tactically hid at the corner of the kitchen with his back turned to her. Neon turned to look at her, a flicker of alarm crossing his face. 

"What are you doing here? Do you know how long Allen and I have been searching for you," Ailee chided, walking over to him.

Allen who followed his sister chuckled mockingly, "Here we thought someone couldn't find his way back to the reception,"

The kids were in the kitchen where chefs were busy preparing and serving food. None of them said a word to the kids since they recognized them as Niklaus' kids nor do they have the time to chase them off anyway. They were already way behind schedule.

"What are you doing?" Ailee was vexed when the boy didn't answer her, instead, he seemed to be hiding something, "What is it you're hiding?"

Neon quickly said innocently, "Nothing," 

Allen and Ailee shared a look, a smirk on their faces. Neon was the worst liar they had ever seen and they knew that. Immediately, both went after the boy and snatched whatever he was hiding. 

"Mr fluff," Both said in unison, shock on their faces.

Mr. Fluff was no other than a white mouse Neon had taken a liking to recently. Last week when they had been shopping for their wedding outfits, the kids happened to pass a pet shop, and then, their mother - who had been treating Neon partially- asked if they needed any pets.

As usual, Allen waved it away, claiming he wasn't a kid and didn't need such unnecessary obligation. Ailee chose a cute white Persian cat while Neon had settled on the albino white mouse to everyone's surprise. 

They had been expecting him to get a dog or something and not that little fluffy rodent that could get into their clothes or bed while asleep if left uncontrolled. Allen, in particular, was against it but Reina as usual, stood for her current favorite person and the case was closed. 

"Why did you bring a mouse here?" Ailee hissed out, " And a kitchen of all places? Why don't you understand that rodents are the chefs worst enemy," 

Allen was amused, " I guess he hadn't watched Ratatouille," he chortled, "I wonder how mouse meat would taste,"

"I'm sorry but I couldn't bear to leave Mr. fluff at home because he looked so lonely," Neon had a pitiful look on his face that Ailee's anger melted instantly.

"And Allen, stop bullying Mr. Fluff," Neon warned the boy who had the mouse dangling in the air by the tail.

The mouse squeaked in protest and he tried to snatch it away from that devil's grasp but Allen swiftly slipped past him. 

There was a trace of panic in Neon's eyes, he couldn't make a scene here else the chef finds out what's going on.

"Allen, give him back," He said through gritted teeth and was about to rush at him once more when a voice hollered behind them.

"So this is where you kids were hiding?"

Panic crossed the kids' features

"Hide it quickly!" Ailee and Neon pressured Allen.

"Where?" The boy was confused. There was no way on earth he was putting that in his pocket, the mouse was so damn squeamish and would make him uncomfortable. Mr. Fluff was mobile hence the reason Neon couldn't hide him any longer.

Then Allen did the next thing that came to mind. He turned with lightning speed, opened the food on the serving trolley beside him, put the mouse in there, and closed it shut with its cover immediately. 

"What are you three mischievous kids up to now?" Anabelle walked over to them, hands akimbo. 

"Nothing?" they all answered in a chorus. 

"Do you how long Isabella has been searching for you guys? You should thank your God that I'm the one that found you else you would have incurred her wrath already," she told them honestly. 

Yes, thank their God, indeed. The kids breathed a sigh of relief. If Isabella had been the one who found them, she would have ripped the truth from them. 

Though Allen and Ailee were sure of lasting under her interrogation and might even deceive her successfully, but not Neon. The boy was a dead weight and wouldn't withstand Isabella's pressure - even for a minute. Their elder sister was a demoness. But the universe was on their side today and sent Anabelle who didn't even suspect a thing at all. 

Such cute kids, what could they have possibly done? Anabelle thought. She waved the suspicious thought from her mind, Isabella was just overreacting. 

"Alright, follow me back to the reception, immediately," Anabelle ordered and led the way, expecting them to obey. 

"Where's Mr. Fluff?" Ailee asked her brother, as soon as Anabelle left. 

Allen smiled at them reassuringly, "Don't worry about him, I hid him in the - Uh-oh," He blinked twice at the space beside him. 

"Uh-oh, what?" Ailee was confused. 

Allen pointed at the spot where the trolley had been moments ago, " I hid it in the dish that had been -" 

Neon didn't even wait for Allen to fully narrate his story and shrieked, "MR. FLUFF!" 

The boy who grasped what happened, ran out to the reception hall to save his mouse with Allen and Ailee after him. 

Meanwhile, back at the party. 

Cecil couldn't stand the sight of her miserable son any longer. In fact, she couldn't stand the both of them! 

Since the brides and grooms were receiving gifts from family, friends, and well-wishers. Some of the guests had lined up on the dance floor with their partners, waltzing to a soft, romantic number the orchestra was now playing while the others entertained themselves with the food being served. 

It was obvious that most people on the dance floor were young people with their companions unlike her son and Isabella brooding at different corners. That was quite an eyesore to her and she couldn't take it any longer. 

"Your mood is a huge contrast to this special occasion," She made her presence known beside Pedro who was typing away on his phone. 

Pedro sighed, readjusting himself on his seat, he already had a faint premonition of what she was about to bother him with. 

"What do you want?" he asked, grumpily.

"You know why I'm here,"

"And I don't want to hear it," Pedro hoped to dismiss her as he did earlier but Cecil was adamant.

"What's the real problem here, tell me, Pedro. Talk to mommy - mama knows it all,"

Pedro snorted, but then it dawned on him that he needed to talk this out with someone.

"Well," He took a deep breath and began, " My ex-girlfriend is currently engaged to someone else," 

"What?!" Cecil was shocked. She didn't expect this, no one told her. 

So Pedro spent the next minutes narrating to her what happened. As expected, he saw the emotion he hoped for from his mother's face, which made him coerce his guilty conscience to admit that breaking up with Isabella was the right thing to do. 

"That's quite a big issue," 

"Yes, indeed it is," Pedro continued, "Isabella is spontaneous and all these wouldn't have happened if she had just listened to me in the first place. I just can't keep up with her space; she's so damn unpredictable," 

"But that's her charm," 

"Yes, that's her charm…" Pedro trailed off when he realized his mother just tricked him, "That is not funny, mother," 

"Pedro, it's so obvious that you both love each other strongly," 

"Yeah, but love is not everything. I don't want to be in a situation where my heart would have to be broken two years later," He complained. 

Cecil smiled. 

"What's funny?" it didn't seem funny to him. 

"Isabella told you the truth didn't she?"

"Yes, she did but how does that concern the issue at hand," 

"Pedro, have you ever wondered about your father?" The woman brought up suddenly. 

Pedro went silent. God damn him if he dares claims he hadn't been curious. Of course, he was and always has been. But then, his mother treated him so well he hadn't bothered bringing up that past for her. 

"You'd tell me when you're ready," was all he said. 

Cecil licked her lips, "Your dad and I were engaged to get married. But then, I was too young and made some pretty bad mistake, I had a one-night stand with a stranger and then months later, turned out pregnant. I told your father as a partner I trusted that I was carrying his baby - I was sure of it - but he never believed me, so I left," 

She took her son's hand," Isabella could have hidden the engagement till her two years of freedom was up but she chose to tell you because she trusted you. And trust, my son, is the core of a successful relationship. Who knows? With the two of you working hand in hand, you might be able to find a loophole to annul the engagement,"

"Look at that beautiful lady over there, Pedro," Cecil tilted her head in the direction of Isabella and his eyes followed her gesture. 

Behold, Isabella stood at a corner of the room looking so lonely and dejected yet was sipping her drink with a grace that could even put a queen to shame. 

His throat tightened when he saw a guy approach her, probably asking her for a dance. But Isabella's deadly glare sent the young man running with his tail between his legs. 

"She even curled her hair and made herself pretty," Cecil pressed, "And we both know Isabella hates spending time in the mirror," 

Pedro flexed his fist that had tightened when that jerk tried to ask his girlfriend, Urm, ex-girlfriend out. He was so damn uncomfortable with this swirling feeling in his chest. 

Cecil stood and patted him on the back, "Don't make a decision that you're going to regret for the rest of your life, kiddo," she ruffled his hair and left. 

Pedro spent some time contemplating his choices and then he stood, making one last decision. It was now or never. 

At the same time, Isabella leaned against one of the pillars watching the dancing couples with a tinge of sadness in her eyes. 

Why does she feel so lonely? She sighed, bored of this party. All she wanted to do now was to leave this party and go lock herself up in her room. She needed to be alone for a while.

"Can I have this dance with you?" Someone said from behind.

Isabella's eyes suddenly widened, her body trembling when she heard that voice. Could it be….? She turned around and it was as she thought. 

"Pedro," the name escaped her lips unconsciously. 

"Is the dance offer still available?" Pedro couldn't understand why he was nervous himself. 

"Of course," Isabella boomed a smile that made his heart go, "Ba-dum, Ba-dum," and only snapped out of his daze when she placed her hand in his. 

With his heart pounding in his throat, Pedro led her to the dance floor and they began to sway to the music alongside other couples. 

Pedro held her close, his hand traveling down her back till they grip the curve of her waist. He pressed his lips to her ear saying, " I think I might have made a mistake with my grammar the other day,"

"What?" Isabella was confused

"Isabella, I'm making up with you not breaking up with you," he declared.

Isabella was dazed by that confession but soon a smile that was enough to dazzle even the sun tilted her lips to the side. She said, "Since you don't have a Ph.D. in English, I can always look past some mistakes,"

And just like that, the both of them were good. But then, a certain person was green with envy at what was going on. 

"That is not going to happen, not in my watch!" Julie was determined to break both of them up and beelined to the dance floor. 

But just as he was about to destroy their romantic moment by introducing himself as the honorable fiancé, someone came out of nowhere and took his hand in a dance so quickly he was dumbfounded. 

"What do you think you are doing?" he glared fire at Anabelle who was forcing him to follow her dance steps. 

"If you think I'm going to let you disrupt them, keep dreaming!" Anabelle stated. She had just come out of the kitchen only to find the irritating Casanova trying to wreak another havoc and intercepted him promptly. 

However, almost immediately, a woman who was sitting closest to the dance floor shrieked so loudly that her screams were loud enough to wake the dead after she removed the cloche only to discover a live mouse in the meal served to her - the half-eaten dish. 

"Burrp!" Mr. Fluff burped, unable to move around with his large stomach. What a meal! 

"Ahh!!!!"

In her fit, the woman ran over to the dance floor and toppled a dancing couple, who in turn pushed down another couple, and just like a domino effect, everyone on the dance floor came tumbling down. 

"Uh-oh," the trio kids muttered, gaping at their mass destruction.