"Ma'am! Listen to me first.  It's like this. I got worried because you went with that guy a while ago. And... I…" Tiny scratched his head and did not know whether he will continue or not?

"So, let me guess... You called Sir Jones and said that I went to eat with a guy?  Is that it?" Ashley asked with her eyebrows raised.

Tiny could not look at Ashley straight into the eyes while nodding.  "Yes, ma'am. Please forgive me. I know what I did was wrong, but if I do not let him know and he finds out, I'll be the one in trouble!" Tiny explained, hoping that Ashley will understand his situation.

He was right, and Ashley was the one who asked for forgiveness for her att.i.tude.  "I'm sorry, also!  I was not upset because you told him.  I was just worried that It's going to be in one h.e.l.l of a mess" Ashley can't sit still and doesn't know what to do.

"Tiny, can I ask you a favor to please watch to see when he would arrive, do something and make sure that they don't meet each other.  This guy is just someone I knew a long time ago, and we have not seen each other for a very long time.  Let me say goodbye to him and will leave.  Is that ok with you?" Ashley begged while concern was visible in her eyes

Tiny felt sorry and decided to help Ashley. " Of course!  Go ahead, make it quick, I'll take care of everything here.  I will make sure that they don't meet each other." He then quickly went out to stop Tanaga from coming in case he arrives.

What they didn't know was that Tanaga arrived already and ran across Alden previously.  Due to Tanaga rus.h.i.+ng to get in, he b.u.mped right into Alden, who was on the way to the restroom to check on Ashley.

"Excuse me!" Was all Tanaga said and kept on going inside the restaurant without looking back.

Once he was inside, he quickly scanned the whole restaurant.  However, when he didn't find Tiny or Ashley anywhere in the restaurant.  His brows raised, and the feature of his face changed to anger.

"Where the heck are they?  Tiny told me that he saw her come inside this restaurant.  Why I don't see her anywhere?" He mumbles to himself while all kinds of imaginative things going through his mind.

' Who was the guy that she was with?  Is it a boyfriend? Friend? Acquaintance? Ahhhh!' He exclaimed loudly in his mind.

Meanwhile, Ashley ran to Alden, who just arrived as he came looking for her.  He caught up on her before she was able to exit the restaurant.

"It's good that you are here!  I'm sorry! But my boss just called, and I need to go!" Ashley quickly made her excuse to Alden while she kept on looking towards the entrance to see anyone coming and going. 

She also looked at the direction of inside the restaurant, in case Tanaga was already inside looking for her.

"Really! It's alright!  However, do you mind if I asked for your number?  Only to keep in touch when I'm in the country. You know what I mean?" Alden simply put it that way, and he said it so kindly with a sweet smile plastered on his face.  

Ashley hesitated whether she should give him her number o not?  In which Alden saw and quickly thought of a way to have some contact with each other.  

"How about this, I'll give you my number. If you ever find a time and in need of a friend to speak with, call me anytime.  How's that? You don't need to give me your number, and I will give you mine." He then quickly left to go to the Host stand to borrow a pen to write down his number.

"Excuse me!  Miss, do you have a pen I could borrow?"  Alden kindly asked the Host.

"Yes, sir!  Just a moment and I will get one for you!" The host quickly found a pen and handed it to Alden.  He promptly accepted it and wrote down his number. "Thank you!" He then returned the pen to the host before turning around to go back where Ashley was.

However, Alden was shocked when he arrived where he had left Ashley… She was gone, and no one in sight. She just banished in the tin air, like she was never there.

"Where did she go?" He quickly turned around, went back towards the host stand to ask.

"Miss, did you see my companion that came in with me, stepped out?" Alden asked the same host that seated them.

"Oh' yes, sir!  I saw her while you busy writing. She walked right behind you and quickly left in a hurry." The host replied curiously as to why the girl didn't say goodbye to him.

"Ah!  Is that what happened?  Thank you! By the way, here's the payment for our juice, keep the changed!" He then quickly ran out of the restaurant to go and look for Ashley.

As soon as Alden stepped out of the restaurant, he stopped.  He wasn't sure which direction he should go to look for Ashley.  He didn't realize that someone was right behind him.  

When Tanaga couldn't find Tiny and Ashley's shadow inside the restaurant, he decided to call Tiny to find out where are they at the moment. Tiny was quick enough to make an excuse that they had left already and on the way to Grandma Hanada's mansion.

"What do you mean?!  Are you kidding me? Why didn't you let me know right away that you had left already… I swear if I ever get a hold of your a.s.s… Your dead man!" Tanaga was shouting from the top of his lungs while on the way out of the restaurant. 

He was pre-occupied speaking with Tiny that he didn't see that someone was blocking the way as he stepped out of the restaurant.  Suddenly...

"Boing!" Tanaga ran into Alden, and both were out of balanced.  Thus, their b.u.t.ts rammed right on the hard ground.  "Thud!"

Tanaga: "WTF!!!"

Alden: "WTH!"

All the bodyguards from both sides who were busy chit-chatting saw what happened and quickly ran towards their boss and tried to help them up. Once they were both up, they both apologize to each other.

 Tanaga:  "Sorry, man!  I didn't mean to b.u.mp-in to you!  I was speaking to someone and didn't see you.!"  

Alden: "Sorry, too!  I was looking for someone and unsure which direction she went and had to stop and think for a moment.  It my fault too!"

"Hahaha!  Hahaha!" Both began laughing out loud instead of getting p.i.s.sed at one another.  They both extended their hands to introduce each other. A couple of seconds later, both had exchanges business cards with one another.

'THJ Group, CEO Tanaga Jones' Was written on Tanaga, while for Alden it was… 'SM International Group. President Alden Sanches'  

Alden was about to ask what was the business group of Tanaga, but he was in a hurry.  Tanaga was likewise in a hurry, so he did not ask what Alden's business was. They were both thinkings of connecting some other time.

When they finished shaking hands, they went on their separate ways.  One was to look for Ashley and one to go to her while their bodyguards follow right behind them.

The two did not know that they have the same goal...  To find Ashley Gusman.