20 Karma Is A Bitch

Less than an hour after Ann and Sophia left, the whole place was in chaos. Phones were ringing off the hook, people canceling appointments that were booked a year in advance. 

The owner of the salon was about to have a heart attack. He couldn't understand why this was all happening—appointments that were hard to obtain at first were now being canceled for no apparent reason.

"Someone explain to me what's going on! Who, what, and why is this happening? Tell me!?"

He was screaming on top of his lungs, asking for an answer, but no one could give it to him.

Only a mighty person with influence in high society could put the Resort on the verge of bankruptcy in a blink of an eye. 'Could it be Ms. Sophia? However, combining her status as a celebrity with the power of her husband, it's not enough to topple my business.' The Owner was trying to figure it all out. 'Maybe, just maybe, it is the girl who has done this. But, on the other hand, she could have a powerful man behind her as a protector. I wonder who it could be?'

======

Meanwhile, at Gov Mansion, Jeff was home already when Ann and Lea arrived. 

As soon as he saw Ann, his face lit up, but suddenly changed to concern when she saw that she seemed upset, "What's wrong?" He asked his wife.

"Nothing!" Ann replied calmly but with an unreadable-looking face.

"What do you mean nothing? We were treated like street children a couple of minutes ago. That's nothing! Are you out of your mind or what?" Lea blurted out without hesitating.

That was all Jeff needed to hear. "Ronald! You know what to do. Take care of it right now!"

"Yes, Boss! Leave everything to me." Ronald pulled out his phone and made a call to God knows who. After a couple of minutes, he hung up with a sly smile written all over his face. "All done, Boss!"

"Good! Now let's have lunch and forget everything that just happened; it's all taken care of." Jeff informs Ann proudly.

Ann looks at her husband, unsure of what's going on. "What's taken care of? What did you do?" She gave Jeff an accusing look while asking earnestly.

"Nothing! Nothing at all, hahaha!" Jeff wrapped his arms around her and guided her toward the dining room. "Let's eat! I'm starving."

===

Jeff, Ann, Ronald, and Lea were having a wonderful lunch together. At first, Ronald and Lea wanted to leave them alone, but Ann insisted that they join them. And, after seeing the delicious spread they had at the table, Ronald and Lea decided to stay and enjoy the feast.

The lunch was terrific, they chatted while they were eating, or we could say that Lea was doing all the talking while the other three were listening. They were almost done eating when suddenly, Lea screamed and shocked everyone, "Oh... my gosh! Look at this news that's trending right now,

<A famous salon is going bankrupt in a blink of an eye> How can this happen? I can't believe this..."

"Ann, take a look at this. Isn't this the Resort we just left an hour ago? Hahaha!" Lea was thrilled about the news, and she was grinning from ear to ear. "Karma surely is a Bitch."

Jeff secretly looked at Ronald, winked, gestured with a thumbs-up, and continued happily eating without caring in the world. Ann saw what transpired between the two confidants but had no idea what it was about and decided just to let it go.

"The 'Diva' probably had something to do with it, good for her! I will make sure to thank her when we see her next time." Lea said nonchalantly to everyone at the table.

Ann: "hmmm..."

Jeff: " Huh...?"

Ronald: " Dah!"

==

After lunch, Jeff kissed his wife goodbye while Ronald and Lea were chit-chatting, waiting for the lovebirds to come out from the bedroom. 

Suddenly there was a knock on the door, "CEO Go, please, excuse me, but you have a phone call from overseas." The Butler announced.

"Alright, I'll answer it here," Jeff replied.

"Hello! Grandfather, how are you?... What did you say? You're arriving in an hour, and you want me to pick you up personally?" Jeff wanted to make sure he heard it right.

"Yes! To all your questions." Grandfather Go replied, then hung up without saying goodbye.

Jeff scratched his head while contemplating how to tell Ann about his Grandfather and Vice Versa.

How does a man like himself explain to his wife that he has had a fiancée since birth that his grandfather had arranged? But, on the other hand, how can he introduce his lawfully wedded wife to his Grandfather without giving him a heart attack? Jeff was in a dilemma...

===

Flashback, Four years ago:

Jeff received a call from his grandfather's doctor telling him that it was an emergency, he needed to come back home asap. He was informed that his grandfather was dying and might not make it before he arrived. He didn't have a choice but to go back home in a hurry. Hence, leaving Ann's apartment early in the morning without saying a proper goodbye.

Jeff planned to rush home, find out what was going on first, take care of whatever needed to be taken care of, and then fly back to settle the matter with his new wife. Who would have thought that none of his plans would work out? 

He ended up staying away from his wife, only occasionally coming to visit to get a glimpse of how she was faring, but never being able to show his face for the next four years to come...

===

Jeff was still tired from the long flight and only cared about seeing his grandfather before he passed away. So he didn't waste any time and went straight to the Go family's private hospital, where his grandfather was supposedly dying anytime soon.

What unfolded in front of him didn't make sense whatsoever. First, a man was talking to his grandfather very seriously and listening to his orders. Then, after receiving his grandfather's request, the man bid his goodbye and left without saying a word to Jeff, who was standing by the door the whole time.

"What's going on, grandpa? Who was that man, and why was he here?" Asked Jeff angrily.

"If you must know, then I will tell you! He is a Private Investigator that I hired to find a person, or should I say, people. Why?- Do you have a problem with that?"

"My problem is you! If you must know. I rushed back, thinking I might never see you again, yet here you are ordering people around, healthy as an OX!" Jeff replied.  "What do you expect from me, huh!" Then he slumped down to the sofa, ready to pass out from exhaustion.

He flew seventeen hours nonstop to see this. "What a joke!" Jeff murmured to himself.

Jeff was in for a more shocking revelation when his grandfather told him happily that he might be able to reunite with his first love.

'His first love? Is he going senile or what? At his age? What good would it do even if they reunited? They're too old already. It's not like he can still get it up. So what are they going to do when they meet each other, have a staring competition?' Jeff thought to himself, not showing any reaction whatsoever as the old man continued speaking.

"Don't give me that look, alright! If you must know, it's not for me, but for you!" Grandfather Go shouted angrily to his grandson.

"What do you mean for me? Grandpa!!! Please, clarify what you mean by that. If you can't explain it in our language, try English, okay!" Jeff told his grandpa, half-joking and half angry.

Truth to be told, Jeff was just happy to see his grandpa still kicking and making a fuss rather than being six feet under. He didn't care if he was speaking to that person for him or himself. As long as he could still talk, that's what was important to Jeff, seeing his grandfather alive and breathing.

Grandpa Go continued giving Jeff detailed stories about his first love. But, unfortunately, by the time he finished, Jeff was already asleep on the couch without realizing that he had acquired a fiancée in the process.

The next thing he knew was that he was being ordered by his grandpa to help find and contact his first love. When Jeff was about to protest, his grandpa quickly said, "If you don't want to see me six feet under anytime soon, you better not disappoint me and give me a heart attack in the process. You hear me!"

Jeff loved his grandfather dearly; there was nothing he wouldn't do for him, even if that meant that he had to wait for a while to be with his newly acquired wife.

===

With all of Jeff's resources, he was able to locate her faster than the private investigator. In a matter of days, he knew precisely where his grandpa's first love was currently living, and if his source could locate her, it meant the P.I. that grandpa hired could too. So he quickly told Ronald to contact the P.I. That grandpa Go engaged and brought him in to speak with him.

Jeff needed time to settle Ann's situation overseas before bringing the people to meet with his grandfather. So he would play along with his grandfather's request and stall for time until his wife was ready to be introduced.

Jeff had a plan, and for it to work, he needed the P.I.'s cooperation in the matter. So, after careful negotiations with lots of money involved, the private investigator agreed to hold any information he obtained from his grandfather.

The P.I. also agreed to report all his findings to Jeff first before reporting to his grandfather. Then, if everything worked out soon, he could bring Ann home to meet his grandfather.

That was if Ann was willing to come and stay married to him?...