Burning Passion

CHAPTER 219: HER THREE BIRTHDAY WISHES

* * *

It was the night of her 19th birthday. Nina was wearing a sleeveless plain white blouse and a floral skirt below her knee. Jessica makes a messy bun of her hair and puts a ruby hairpin on top of her hairdo. 

"You are so pretty, Miss!" 

"Thank you, Jessica." Nina placed a sweet smile; she picked up a Chanel Rouge Velvet lipstick from the dresser and applied it to her lips. 

Exactly Dona entered the bedroom. She couldn't stop being a proud mother seeing how gorgeous her daughter was. 

"Honey, you are so beautiful!" 

"Thank you, Mama! Just like you!" 

"Ah, but look at you! I couldn't stop you from growing being a lady." Dona was emotional, trembling her words upon praising her daughter.

Nina giggled and hugged her mother, she said, "Mama? I'm just going to celebrate my 19th birthday! I'm not going to my wedding yet."

"That's what I'm talking about! Soon, you are at the right age to get married. I couldn't imagine myself being a granny. You are my baby forever." 

"I am! But don't worry. I have no plan to make you a granny yet!" Nina blushed when her mother burst out about marriage and having children. How would that happen if she has no boyfriend yet? Besides, she has so many plans in her life before this marriage thing.

"Mama, I'm going to finish my college first, so I could help Papa run our company," Nina added.

"Aw, sweetie. Your father would be happy! But I want you to know that I am not against you having a boyfriend. And I trust you!" 

"Thank you, Mama!" One more time, she hugged her mother. 

"All right! The boys are waiting in the lobby of this hotel. They are anxious about our dinner." 

"Okay, Ma. I'll be coming down! Just a sec! Jessica, you can already go with Mama. I will be right there!" 

"Okay, Miss." Jessica bowed. She rushed to the door to open it for Dona. 

Now that they left her alone. Nina opens a drawer and takes out a folder where she keeps a letter for Harry. Steven is going back to New Jersey. She wants to give this letter to Harry and make things clear between them. Also, to explain about Steven.

It worries her, and she doesn't want Harry to misunderstand. She said in her letter that Steven courted her, but she turned him down as she thinks of Steven as a brother. 

She knows how crazy it was. She is the one who is chasing Harry. But she understood that he only gives way for Steven. Now she wants Harry to know that the person she loves is him. 

Maybe in this way, Harry has the confidence to admit his feelings for her. All she needs is to ask him if he also feels the same way. 

Nina tore an exciting smile on her lips. Nothing she wished but Harry to be her boyfriend. She could feel when they kissed, they shared a mutual understanding. 

Nina applied the lipstick on her lips once again and placed a kiss on the letter. She giggled at her craziness. Her heart is pounding loudly from the excitement that overwhelms her chest. She anticipates what would be Harry's reply to her confession. 'Soon!' 

Meanwhile, in the lobby. Steven and Albert cannot avert their eyes away from Nina walking toward them. 

"Honey, you are so beautiful! Don't marry yet, okay!" 

She laughs; Nina replies to her father. "I'm not looking for a husband yet, papa." 

"Great!" Nelson pushed a wide smile. He glanced at Albert and Steven like telling them, 'Heard that?' 

Albert and Steven understood the message Nelson is throwing at them. With this, they could not be persistent but behave.

Jessica, who is keenly observing the scene, she is suppressing not to laugh as she could feel pity for these men. But maybe if they work hard and put in a lot of effort, they can finally win Nina's heart. But as watching her Miss closely, she knows who she is in love with... 

~~~~~ 

LE RELAIS PLAZA 

In an exclusive room, a server escorted them and took their orders. Jessica has been helpful to help give their orders. Although Dona also learns French, and Albert is fluent as well, she hasn't been in the city for almost two decades now. 

"I told you, Papa! Jessica should start working in the company and handle International business affairs!" Nina boasted her attendant to her father. Jessica is smart. She believes Jessica can be an advantage to their company and should start working now. 

"I could see that, honey. Indeed, Jessica is doing a great job!" Nelson agreed. 

"Thank you, Master Li." Jessica politely thanked her employer; she then turned to Nina with sadness in her eyes. "Miss, are you not happy anymore with my service?" 

"Jessica? Of course, not! But you should not just be an attendant. You should work in the office with what you finished!" 

"But I enjoy being your attendant." 

"Hm, are you planning to be my secretary someday?" 

"Yes, Miss!" 

"That's wonderful, honey!" Dona concurred. "Jessica can be your assistant. Since you two are already together and know each other better. We need not look for someone we could trust to work with you." 

Nina and Jessica are both delighted. They couldn't wait for that day to come, and they are working together in the company.

Nina is even motivated to finish her college in the soonest time. In three years, she will complete her course after she takes advanced lessons. And by then, she will take a Master's degree. 

"Honey, since it was your birthday. I prepared an excellent wine!" 

"Papa, are you letting me drink tonight?" 

"Yes! You must learn to do business. Tasting a potential product is one of the best parts!" 

"Okay, Papa." It makes her happy if she learns this early on how to run their company.

"Nina, as your 19th Birthday, I gave you ten percent shares of the company." 

"Papa? Isn't it too early?" 

"It should be on your 18th birthday. But I don't want to spoil your grand party. Now it's the best time to tell you this. Besides, all that I have is for you and your mama. But this share in the company is yours alone. That is separate from our total assets you could inherit. After you graduate, you can claim it and be part of the Board of Shareholders." 

"Thank you, papa!" Nina hugged her father. It surprises her. Having shares in the company means she has more than authority, not just as the heir. But she has the power to decide and vote for the best in the company.

After she graduated, she could claim these shares and be part of the company. It's not her being a daughter of the Chairman, but a co-owner of this Enterprise. 

To celebrate not only her birthday but also with the gift she receives from her parents, it allowed her to taste three different wines tonight. 

"Papa, I like this." 

"Is it the best?" 

"Um, at least for me. The other two are strong, and I could taste a lot more than taste sweet. But maybe I am not used to drinking any liquor," Nina commented to the wine they have to taste and critique. 

"Uncle, I like this one!" Steven chose the one Nina thinks is much stronger. 

"I like this too, sir! It could be for men's drink." 

"Great! It was my purpose why I brought you along with us." Nelson is referring to Albert and Steven. He went on, "The girls chose this wine, while we men enjoyed the strong liquor." 

"Men and women, both should enjoy such wine," Steven retorted. 

"That is correct!" It delights him that Steven understood. It looks like someone earned a point from him. 

However, Albert doesn't feel pleasant. He wants to show to Nina's father that he is competent too and understands this stuff. But he has assigned royal dukes and members of the parliament to work for him and take care of the business-related matters. But he learned something tonight. He has to understand not only the laws but also the economy of his country. 

And for Nina, she enjoyed the wine, which she drank more than a glass of the wine. Now she understood a lot more about their company. She has to learn not only about the financial data of their business. But also about excellent products that everyone would enjoy and sell out. 

"Alright. I need to call it a night. Tomorrow, I'm going to meet the representatives of the winery house to seal a contract." 

"Do you mean, Papa?" 

"I will bring this fine wine to China and make more business, honey. I call this Nina's Project!" 

"Papa? I feel embarrassed to name this project after my name!" 

Nelson laughs, but Dona elbowed him. 

"You old geezer. Stop joking to our daughter!" 

"I'm not! I dedicated it to our daughter! But, honey? Did you call me an old geezer?" 

"Why not?" 

"Hmm… I will show you later! I'm not that old yet!"

"What are you talking about! You should feel ashamed in front of the children!" 

Nina giggled watching her parents. She wished for herself that when she got married in the future, she would have a wonderful relationship like the one her parents had. That is her birthday wish. And hopefully, it was Harry she married.

"Honey, do you want to come to our meeting tomorrow?" 

"Can I?" 

"Yes, of course!" 

"Thank you, Papa!"

~ ~ ~

After a merry dinner. They all go back to their suite. Nina and Jessica were seated on the balcony of their bedroom, watching the Eiffel Tower. But they could not enjoy it much when their neighbor's room is too noisy. 

"I won again!" 

"Hey! You're cheating!" Albert complains. He and Steven were playing cards, and Albert often lost.

"Huh! I need not do that! I was a genius!" 

"Ugh!" 

One more, using a black color lipstick, Steven draws a fat line on Albert's face. Nina and Jessica, peeping from their balcony. They couldn't suppress their laughter, staring at Albert. His face was full of lipstick all over. 

"I'm going to take my revenge!" 

"You wish!" 

Nina returned her gaze to the tower. How she wishes to be with Harry on her birthday. 

'Harry… please respond to my letter.'

Is her third wish tonight....