The CEO Who Hates Me

Something important came up unexpectedly so Ryu and Dean had to run for important meetings. Karl had to postpone the supposedly narration of the past of his father, Elder Master Ken to the boys and hopefully they could do it tonight after dinner.

Karl walked around the garden as he gave an awkward look directly to Butler Omni.

It was a look like he wanted to ask something but hesitating.

"Why are you still here? Don't you need to report at work too? And what's with that look?" Butler Omni asked.

"I'm not feeling well so I will stay at home for today." Karl replied plainly while he smelled some of the flowers in the garden. He actually wanted to ask Butler Omni for advice but he was embarrassed to do so.

Butler Omni laughed and said, "I thought we'll be livelier these past few days because of the additional girls. It turned out they need to go out too."

Rita was with Dean as his personal assistant so she was required to be with Dean wherever he was while Arya needed to go out to meet a friend after breakfast.

The only one left in the mansion was Cecile, him and Karl since the latter skipped work.

"Wait, I know that look. Something is bothering you. Tell me, what is it? I'm sure you need something from me that's why you've been staying here long…" Butler Omni uttered while he continued to water some plants.

Karl scratched his head then speaks, "Uhm, it's about what father said, about me being a snail. I really don't know how to say it to her and where to start…"

Butler Omni's lips twitched as he replied, "Why do you have to take an advice from a single person? Geez I don't know if I'll be proud and happy that you ask me or it's your way of mocking me…"

"Well I rather ask you than father. He's complicated and will scold me endlessly. I know I should have done this earlier but I really can't find the confidence to do so. I'm afraid that after all these years the one that still have her mind and heart is that man..." Karl opened up to Butler Omni all his sentiments.

Butler Omni sighed, "There are many opinions whether taking risks for love is a good or terrible idea, but in the end that doesn't even matter, we take risks anyway. It is a risk to love and as a single person, I believed in that. Let the world know you for who you really are and not who you want the world to think you are. Love, risk it all, take chances, get hurt, get back up and try it again and never ever let fear stop you from opening your heart to that person who is ready to make sacrifices for you. Love is a two way feeling, so if you take risks by opening your heart, remember that she is also taking the same risk by letting you know her as who she really is."

He stopped what he was doing and sat on a chair. Karl followed and sat too.

This was the first time Karl had opened up something like this to him.For those years, he maintained a good relationship with his wife. He could say that Karl has been a good husband in spite of everything.

"Yes I understand that but I'm afraid to hear…" Karl murmured but paused.

"Fear is the most powerful weapon on earth. Fear to be hurt, to be ridiculed, to make mistakes, to fail and not reach our goal. Fear can stop us from achieving or dreams, our goals, or even stop us from taking chances on people who we love the most. Do you want to stay in fear for that long?" Butler Omni asked while he looked intently to Karl who was like a little brother to him.

Karl did not respond but he heard him released a long deep sigh so he continued, "Risks are challenging and they're scaring, but the feeling of overcoming our fears and achieving our goals it's just indescribable, and when we overcome them for love, it's even better… because the greatest mistakein life is to risk nothing at all. To reach someone is to risk being involved, to expose your feelings is to expose your true self. To love is to risk not being loved in return."

Karl sighed once more and said, "I guess it's easier said than done. What if it doesn't work out?"

Butler Omni stared at him closely and said, "Ah, but what if it does..."

Then he added laughing, "You snail why are you like that? Thank goodness Ryu did not inherit that from you..."

Karl's face crumpled…

"It is a risk to love," he muttered as he walked-out from the garden still scratching his head.

He went up to look for Cecile and he found her at the mansion's main veranda doing her painting…

And he recalled the first time that he had seen her…

That time his father had him to take an art class for the summer. So he did since he wanted to know if he was good in art. That time, he and his father were both frustrated because they both did not know where he's good at. He did not excel at anything at all.

Though his father was not forcing him in to anything… He himself would also want to see on what other things he was good at.

That moment he entered the room, she was the first who had captured his attention. To put it simply she had him at "Hello".

With that simple greet from her saying "Hello" with her beautiful smile, he had fallen in love.

She was very reserved, the demure type – his ideal woman…

From that moment on, he kept his track on her, trying his best to be near her and reach out to her but circumstances did not allow him so all he did was watch her from afar…

He was contented and happy seeing her happy and smiling from a far… with another man… with the man that she loved…