The Royalties

Dei could not relax. She will be meeting Dwayne in less than 30 minutes and this will be the first time they will talk to each other after almost seventeen years.

Richard asked her to resign, and he offered her to work at their company instead. She declined his offer which made him very upset. She may not receive a cold treatment from him, and this gives her a huge guilt feeling. Since the beginning, Richard never has meddled at her decisions when it has come to Dwayne and he has been doing it still.

She makes herself busy before her meeting with Dwayne. She does not want to over think. Besides, she made herself clear that the meeting should only be work related. Any topic without relation to their work should never be discussed in their workplace.

"Ms Dei, Mr. Rivera's secretary called, she said her boss is already on his way to the Mini-conference room. He will just meet you there." She heard her secretary said.

"He is early. I am still preparing for the documents for the meeting." Dei commented. "Anyway, are the documents that I need ready?" She asked.

"Yes ma'am. It's all in this folder." Her secretary replied.

Dei took the folder from her secretary and proceeds to the Mini Conference room. There she found Dwayne occupying a seat at the round table.

"Good afternoon sir. I'm Nicomaine Dei Capili, Head of the Project Management Division." She introduced herself and offered her hand for a hand shake.

Dwayne stood up and accepted the gesture "Hello Nicomaine, nice to see you again." He said. "Have a seat." He added. "So, how are you?" He asked when they are finally seated across each other.

Dei successfully maintains her professionalism and sticks to her plan to only talk about work. "Your secretary told me to prepare a status report of the current projects that we have. Here is the list of the projects that we are working on now." Dei said and handed the folder to Dwayne. He accepted the folder but only took a glance on it, he then closed it and look at her straight in the eyes. "I did not ask about how's your work. I want to know, how are you now?" He asked.

"I'm fine sir, thank you for asking." Dei politely replied.

"Your surname is still Capili. Does this mean you are still single?" Dwayne asked.

"I am now engaged with the same man I divorced two years ago. His name is Richard Reyes, Jr." Dei replied.

"Really? So you are still single." Dwayne said.

"Technically, yes, but I am already taken." Dei replied.

"Where are you staying now? I heard you just transferred from our Cebu Office." Dwayne continued asking.

"Just near the office vicinity." She briefly replied to avoid their conversation to go to something more personal. She prefers telling him the truth, in another place. "I'm sorry sir, but that's all I could share. I don't talk about my personal stuff in my workplace. I hope you understand. Also, I was informed that HRD set this meeting only as a courtesy call to you." She said and Dwayne nods but beaming. "The status report that you need is in that folder. Is there anything else about my work you would like to discuss?" Dei said.

"None for now, I guess this report is fine. I'll just go through this first but can I meet you again if there are issues that I would like to discuss about this report?" Dwayne asked smiling.

"Certainly, Sir." Dei replied. Dwayne again opened the folder. After scanning some of the pages he closed it again and looked at Dei but she was quick to ask before he could throw her another question. "Would that be all Sir?" Dei said.

"Yes, that would be all for now. I'll just see you around." Dwayne replied, smiling.

Dei stood up to leave the room first when Dwayne called her. She turned around and asked "Yes sir?"

"I'm so happy to see you again Nicomaine, really I am." He said. Dei nodded and leaves the room. She was able to release a huge sigh when she finally stepped out and closed the door of the mini conference room.

As soon as Dei reaches her room, she quickly sends a message to Richard. "The meeting only lasted less than 10 minutes. I just handed him the status report of the projects which we are working now. So you may relax now, my king. I love you."

In two minutes his majesty replied, "I love you more my queen, can you please go out on a date with me after work?"

"I'll be at the lobby at exactly 6 pm waiting for you." She replied.

///

Richard is already at Dei's office before 6 pm. "Hey, what are you doing here? I am still wrapping up. Do you really miss me that much as you could not wait for me at the lobby?" Dei said while widely smiling and eyes glowing upon seeing her fiancée.

"You can say that again, your highness." Richard replied and gave Dei a peck on her cheeks.

"That was sweet." Dei said but suddenly notices that Richard was looking outside. "Your highness, are you really here for me or you are just spying on the queen?" Dei asked crossed arms and eye brows lifted.

Richard shrugged off his shoulder and replied "Both" which made Dei chuckled.

"Are you ready to go? I have a surprise for you." Richard said bragging.

"Let's go then, I'm excited for your surprise." She said then got her bag and laptop and they both headed out of her room.

On their way to the elevator Dei saw Richard looks around. "He does not hold office here. He is a group head so his office is in the Executive Offices at the 45th floor." She told Richard

"You are almost twenty floors apart, not bad. Also, he is in the executive offices only? My office shared the floor only with the Chairman and the board of directors." Richard brags again

"Will you stop those insecurities? You are the one I love more." Dei declared.

"'Love more? Are you saying you still love him?" Richard asked.

"What is into you, your highness? Can we just go? I want that surprise right now. Let's go please." Dei said and pulls him inside the elevator.

Dei knows how Richard got affected with what she just said but she decided to talk about it when they get home as she does not want to spoil this moment. "This is not the proper place to deal with his tantrums." she told herself.

When they reach the parking lot Dei saw the princesses inside the car. She immediately runs to it and gets in the car "Oh my babies. I miss you both so much." She said while alternately kissing Charmaine and Athena.

"I know, that is why, I decided to bring the queen on a date with the princesses. Will it be alright if we spend the weekend in Subic?" Richard said

"We are going to Subic? That can't be Dad. We did not bring anything with us. I thought we would just pick-up Mom. You did not tell us about the Subic road trip." Athena reacted.

"That's supposed to be a surprise sweetie, I already asked Ms. Fely to pack your stuff. It's in the compartment." Richard explained.

"But Dad, how certain are we that Ms. Fely knows what clothes to pack." Athena replied in dismay.

"And Dad, I have Saturday classes." Charmaine seconded.

"How about, we have dinner tonight. Then go home and pack according to what we want to pack and leave tomorrow after Charmaine's class." Dei suggested.

"That is fine with me." Athena said before putting back her earphones.

"It's alright if we leave tomorrow afternoon Dad." Charmaine agreed.

Richard beams as he hears his princesses agree on the queen's suggestion. "Oh, I love you my dear queen. What will I do without you?" He said and kisses Dei on her forehead.

"You'll die." Dei brags.

"Yes, I will." Richard confirmed and gave Dei a pinch on her nose.

"Dad, Mom we have a thirteen year old in the car and might get a wrong impression that loving can kill." Charmaine said.

"Sweetheart, I don't think she hears us. Look, she's on earphones and yet we could hear on what she's listening." Dei defended.

"Should we have Athena's eardrum checked? Did you hear how high her volume is?" Richard worriedly asked.

Charmaine pulls the right side of the earphone from Athena's ear "Athena, earphones are for the people around you not to hear on what you are listening. Lower down your volume." Charmaine commanded. Athena quickly lower down her volume and put back her earphones. "Can we now go Dad? I'm hungry." Charmaine said.

"Yes sweetheart." Richard replied. "The first princess is in command now, scary huh. I wonder whom does she takes it from?" He whispered to Dei.

"You are always in command as well, my king. Therefore, Charmaine take that behavior from you. You are her father?" Dei replied and saw a huge smile on Richard. She is certain her statement puts back the glow in his eyes, the glow which vanishes before they rode the elevator earlier.

"I hope this will not be as tough as I expect it." she says to herself.