Whispers of Hope ✓

CHAPTER 37

2 YEARS LATER.......

THIRD PERSON POV

"It's all sold out sir and the calendula production seemed to ran out steadfast—"

"We cannot leave the shelves empty and keep our consumers waiting for the product. Make everything possible by all means, and fast."

No one was able to refute as the young president then stood and walked to his next schedule. The board of directors were left prompting on the plans they plan they had to make and things to decide for the faster production of their production.

"I can't see any possible way to fasten the production when the raw materials itself for the production is very much unavailable as of the moment."

"Exactly my point, though the demand and the large sum we are bargaining right now; we can't just have it be done in such short time."

"What about the Indian base? Have you contacted our base?"

"Of course and their response didn't help especially that they are our main source of the calendula production. We've completely ran out of raw materials without realizing it. The steadfast sales of our products came in a flash that our main source even ran out."

"and even in this predicament, our company bases are still earning. I'm very much impressed with how big our bases have grown. And with a single brain source at that."

Two years have passed and with those two years, Cosmos Cosmetic Company has now broadened to much extent one can't even imagine. The steadfast growth made the company name widely known far and through even more so that the company long before has already written its name in the broad industry. The production of the calendula oil from two years ago has now grown to the peak of success upon the official promotion and launching of the product. The company was then planning to cancel the production because eof lack of researches and consumer feedback but the president pushed through with the idea. The board of directors even disagreed to much of the idea to push through because of the obvious failure but couldn't just refute more so that the president itself did all the work. From researches, laboratory, even the raw materials and through the procession, the president himself took part in it. The company and every staff was aware of the president's persistence to push through with the production and so was more than impressed at the same time confused of this sudden eagerness of the young president. They were very much aware that the Calendula oil was his wife's idea and so they thought that it could be the reason he eagerly wanted to continue with the production but this kind of eagerness was just leaving everyone confused at the same time amazed.

Two years ago, the company and even those few individuals, close relatives and friends who were knew about the married couple were shock upon the news of Ishita's disappearance. The family only said it to be as coming to some good end agreements of the married couple but no one never knew the real reason behind it. Much to Rosa's contempt on everything that has happened, she kept her silence even to Layad herself. Layad was more than pained upon hearing that news of Ishita leaving for "long-term work", so they told her, without even telling it to her. She cried for long and threw tantrums longing for her Ate Ishita but no one was able to comfort her because everyone was busy contemplating on their emotions themselves.

Joshua on the other hand was the most pained out of everyone. Pain struck him big deal; regret came surging and slowly ate his conscience and longing was his last resort for living through. He longed so much of Ishita that after receiving the text of Ishita that night, he went berserk and did everything in his power to find Ishita's where about there and then but to no avail, even after two long years of searching for the lady, he couldn't get anything back as a response of his painful longing.

And with those two short-yet-seemingly-long years, Joshua was left with nothing in him but guilt and longing. With those two things left in him, he dealt with it by overworking himself with everything. He participated in every given work of his company; even the minor ones and those things he was not necessarily needed to be involved. He was that much eager to overwork himself in hopes that with being busy all through the day, he could at least get a rest from the painful longing. But to no avail, at the end of the day, he'd still be in the darkest corner of his room, crouched-crying his heart out with pain and longing eating him wholly.

And Joshua Isabella completely shut his world out even more on the death of his mother Isabella. Yes, sadly, Isabella gave in to the pain herself plus the then, newly discovered heart disease she had, her heart gave up and was then announced dead just 2 days after her admittance on the hospital. Joshua was not even close to accepting Ishita's disappearance and now his mother? Joshua at that time, his world seemed to have crumbled completely; darkness grew on him and he didn't even have the guts to stop it from happening. The following days has gone by with Joshua just laid flat on his mother's bed, not even had the urge to sleep himself for rest. There were times he slept but the pain was so much alive that he couldn't help but cry his eyes out. He was drained physically and mentally leaving Rosa even more worried about the young man. he hasn't come out of Isabella's room after the burial of the then late Isabella. Even the little Layad was more than worried and cried with Joshua but just couldn't get into Joshua's circle because the man wouldn't just talk to anyone. He was just most of the time silently crying, sometimes would just staring out of nothing and there were times he'd lock himself in the room and shouting out all his pain, rage, guilt, longing and just everything. And those routines continued for three long months. He never goes out of the room and would even lock himself in. Rosa who stood and willingly fronted herself as a mother figure to Joshua; she'd everyday go and serve the young man meals and everything he needed. She'd sometimes go and tried talking to him even though she'd just receive nothing as a response. There are days also that Rosa would just go and sit there watching Joshua lay on the bed, silently hoping that her silent presence could at least give Joshua the slightest bit of comfort.

And after three long months, all of a sudden and with Rosa and Layad's, even the maids' shock, Joshua came out of his late mother's room and told them just then that he's go to work. Much to their shock, they didn't have the least bit of guts to refute the young man knowing all too well that he might change his mind for all they know. And so they let him. Upon that very day he decided to get out of his room, he devoted every inch of his time with his company, he'd never let himself just sit or rest and even hunger could not make him stop from working himself out. His physical health even changed obviously; though nothing changed of his charisma, everyone was but just worried of the young president. He overworked himself too much that he'd sometimes faint all of a sudden leaving all his employees especially Rosa and Layad all but worried of the young president. And though he'd always just waste all his time on work, he'd never forget to go home and spend the night on his mother's room; sometimes he'd sleep on his ad Ishita's room. And it never felt so painful on his part with the fact that he is longing for two important and special persons of his life. He even was left with the thought of just ending his life there and then but something was seemingly stopping him from doing so......

"I love you anak, and I forgive you. Set your heart in peace and seek for Ishita's forgiveness at all cost. She has been through enough of pain and I know you are suffering as much as of now but be strong my child. I love you; always will."

The night never felt so cold by the time Joshua came and laid on his mother's bed as he hugged himself tight remembering the last words of his mother; the painful guilt and longing creeping in.