"Okay…I understand," the receptionist said, nodding her head as she spoke to soone through the phone. She hung it up and then faced Mr. Tan and Carla.
"I'm sorry but the CEO of SolaraTech is busy with his schedule today. However, he can et you first thing tomorrow morning. Would that be acceptable?" the receptionist continued, maintaining a professional deanor despite the unexpected request from such high-profile visitors.
"No, I'll be flying out of the country tomorrow. I must et him right now. It's only going to take him ten minutes of his ti. Please, just tell him that I'm willing to wait just so I can speak to him."
When Mr. Tan said that, Carla flickered her gaze to her boss. Her boss never showed any signs of desperation or urgency like this before, especially not in a professional setting. It was clear to her that this eting was of great personal importance to him, not just a business matter.
The receptionist hesitated, clearly unsure how to proceed. She bit her lip, considering Mr. Tan's request. "Let see what I can do," she finally said, picking up the phone again. After a few monts of whispered conversation, she hung up and turned back to them. "Mr. Reyes will see you, but you'll have to wait until he finishes his current agenda. But, it's going to take until 5 o'clock in the afternoon. Would you be willing to wait?"
"Yes," Mr. Tan said without hesitation, his voice firm. The urgency in his tone was unmistakable, indicating the importance of this eting to him.
Carla looked at her boss with wide eyes, surprised by his willingness to wait for such a long ti. It was highly unusual for soone of Mr. Tan's stature to wait for anyone, let alone for hours. "Sir, are you sure? This seems...uncharacteristic of you."
Mr. Tan turned to Carla.
"Are you questioning my decision, Carla?" he asked sternly.
Carla felt a chill down her spine, realizing the depth of her boss's commitnt to this eting.
"No, sir. I apologize for my comnt," she quickly replied, her voice laced with respect and a hint of concern.
"Good. Let's find sowhere comfortable to wait. We have a long afternoon ahead of us," Mr. Tan said, his gaze shifting back to the receptionist as if to dismiss any further discussion on the matter.
They found a quiet corner in the lobby, and as the hours ticked by, Carla observed Mr. Tan in a new light. He was usually so composed, so driven by logic and strategy, but today he seed... different. It was as though the layers of the businessman were peeled back, revealing a man driven by sothing deeply personal.
At precisely 5:00 PM, the receptionist received a phone call. "Hello this is Servcorp, how may I be of service? Ahh…about Mr. Tan? They are still here, Mr. Reyes. Do you want to escort them to your office now? Yes, I understand. I'll let them know imdiately."
She quickly hung up the phone and approached Mr. Tan and Carla at a more urgent pace than before. "Mr. Tan, Mr. Reyes is ready to see you now. Please follow to his office."
The two rose to their feet, stretching their limbs after getting them stiffed from hours of sitting, and then followed the receptionist.
Upon reaching Michael's office, the receptionist gently knocked on the door before opening it. "Mr. Reyes, Mr. Tan, and his assistant are here to see you," she announced, stepping aside to allow them to enter.
Mr. Tan took a deep breath before crossing the threshold, his expression hard to read. Carla followed closely behind, her curiosity piqued about the interaction that was about to unfold between his boss and Mr. Reyes.
Inside, they found Michael standing by the window, his back turned to the door. He turned around slowly, his gaze locking with Mr. Tan's. The air in the room felt charged with unspoken words and emotions, a palpable tension that made Carla instinctively step back, giving them space.
Michael's voice broke the silence, his tone neutral yet carrying an undercurrent of reserved caution. "Mr. Tan, I wasn't expecting you to take the effort to visit personally. To what do I owe this... surprise?"
Mr. Tan, maintaining his composure, responded, "Michael, there are matters I believe we need to discuss." "Matters? What kind? I don't even know you in the first place," Michael retorted.
Before Mr. Tan could reply, he cast a side glance at Carla, signaling that the conversation to follow was ant to be private. "Carla, would you give us a mont alone, please?" His tone was gentle yet firm, leaving no room for argunt.
Carla, sensing the gravity of the situation, nodded in understanding.
"Of course, sir. I'll be outside if you need ," she said, excusing herself from the room. As she closed the door behind her.
Left alone with Michael, Mr. Tan took a mont to collect his thoughts. "Michael, I understand your confusion and perhaps even your anger towards ," he began. "There's much you don't know about our connection, about the reasons behind the decisions made years ago."
Michael crossed his arms, his posture defensive. "Connection? Are you implying there's sothing between us besides this unexpected visit?"
Taking a deep breath, Mr. Tan nodded. "Yes, Michael. I am your father."
"Father?" Michael scoffed. "According to the DNA test that you and my mother conducted, there was a 0.0001 percent chance of you being my father. So, what are you really after, Mr. Tan?"
"Co on, Michael—"
"Do not call by that na. Address in a respectable way, Mr. Reyes," Michael corrected sternly. "Okay…Mr. Reyes, we all know that the DNA test was false," Mr. Tan confessed.
"Of course I know, you even gave hush money to my mother just so she would keep quiet about the whole affair," Michael recalled bitterly.
"Yes, I did. It was a mistake driven by fear and a misguided attempt to protect my career and reputation at the ti. I've co to deeply regret that decision and the pain it caused both you and your mother."
"Yeah…because I'm going big right now, right father? Because if I had been just a pitiful student with no prospect in life, you wouldn't even make an effort to see , like what you just did right now?"
"You're not wrong to feel that way, Mr. Reyes. My actions, or lack thereof, over the years were inexcusable. I can't change the past, but I am here now, trying to do what I can to make things right."
"Yeah…I don't think so," Michael smiled derisively. "You run a pharmaceutical company, right? Well, I guess I know what enterprise I should start next."
After saying that, Michael browsed his technological system and searched for advanced dical technologies invented in the future. And there was a list that had lucrative prospects.
"Yeah…pharmaceutical it is,"
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