When We Were Young

Chapter 1

A small jet landed at a small airport in Madrid, Spain. Stepping down on the tarmac, Rafael Ramirez removed his dark Ray Ban glasses and surveyed the lush mountains rolling in the distance. He closed his dark eyes and breathed in the humid air with appreciation.

After six long years, the city hadn't changed even for a little bit. How he had craved for his motherland but two reasons had delayed his return to Spain. The first reason being his business empire he was busy building across the globe and the second reason….He gritted his teeth in anger at the thought of it.

For years , he had tried not to think of her , tried not to think of her betrayal and how she had made a complete fool of him yet she was still stuck in his mind like some stubborn gum.

"Senhor , the car is ready," Santiago , his driver informed him , jolting him out of his unpleasant thoughts.

Rafael strode towards the sleek black Rolls- Royce limousine which stood purring next to the curb. Santiago scurried forward to open his car door and he slid into the back seat with lithe grace.

The limousine gently pulled into the busy traffic . The friction sound of the tyres against the tarred road smoothed him , urging him to lean back in his seat and close his eyes. He felt himself relaxing after a day of traveling across the globe in his private jet.

This was the life he didn't dare dream of six years ago. Back then, he had been nothing but a poor and timid teenager, striving to gain other people’s approval, striving to gain acceptance in a society which only knew how to scorn him. But now he knew better. He had grown much wiser and no one dared to look down on him any more. Even well-known business man trembled in his presence. That’s how successful, he had grown over the years.

Now at twenty-eight, he owned chains of hotels and restaurants all over the globe.

“You have lunch with Miss Camilla at Grand restaurant at two. There is a board meeting at nine the next morning and Mr Lobos has invited you to his daughter’s birthday party on Wednesday night at eight ,” his secretary's low voice penetrated his inner thoughts.

Rafael's eyelids fluttered open to stare at his secretary, Franco occupying the passenger's seat.

“Cancel the birthday party,” he spoke up and Franco opened his mouth about to argue but then decided against it.

“Yes sir,” he responded instead.

Rafael leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes again. He couldn’t believe the nerve of that old man , finding an excuse to invite him into his home only to throw his slutty daughter into his arms. The old man has been trying to trap him into marriage with his eldest daughter and Rafael had managed to escape every time.

"How is she?," Rafael asked his driver the question which had been bothering him throughout the entire flight to Spain.

Santiago stared hesitatingly at his boss through the rearview mirror before responding.

"She hasn't shown any signs of improvement , senhor," he answered in a careful voice nervous to spoil his boss's mood.

Rafael swallowed with difficult as pain ripped through him.

                                     ~****~

“Paula! Paula! Wake up! Hurry!”

She heard someone calling her , as if from a faraway place, frantically shaking her in the process. Paula groaned in her sleep before opening her sleepy eyelids only to encounter Isabella’s terrified eyes. She was her co-worker and they were considerably close. Paula wondered why the talkative and bubbly Isabella seemed terrified at that moment and she found the answer to her question when her dark eyes roamed around the room searching for the source of Isabella’s distress.