THE SIGN OF LOVE

City P International Airport

Inside the black Mercedes-Benz, parked at the main entrance of the airport, is Lucas Saavedra. He is waiting for his sister Lucy Saavedra who just finished her master's degree in U Country.

He doesn't want to be late because of the traffic, which is typical in the city. He brought some documents to read to avoid wasting his time while waiting for his sister's arrival.

After reading the proposal for the land that their company is planning to acquire, he leaned back and closed his eyes.

A few minutes after, Lucas checked the time and decided to get some coffee nearby. He entered the coffee shop and sat by the window. Lucas then saw a reflection of a woman talking in sign language on the other side of the table in front of him. Although he can only see one side of her face through the glass window, he can tell from her side profile and her sexy back that she must be a beautiful lady.

Lucas shook his head in disbelief. He can't believe that he's acting like a pervert right now inside the coffee shop.

The waitress's greeting disrupted his thoughts. "Welcome to Hara's Coffee Shop Sir!" Said the waitress in front of him. "Are you ready to make an order?" She said politely with her pen and paper in her hands.

"Yes, a black coffee please," he replied. He then noticed a male waiter heading to the woman's side, signing something at her. She signed back at the waiter and then returned her attention to her laptop.

The video chat ended, but she became busy typing. The waiter came back, pushing a wheelchair towards the woman. She then held onto the table for support and sat in the wheelchair. Her movements were so graceful that Lucas was enchanted. He is like watching a short dance clip in the way she moves her body. Even though it seemed like she's been in the wheelchair forever, he can tell that she wasn't born that way.

She wheeled herself to the door for employees only, leaving her laptop on the table.

'Interesting,' he thought. He then looked at the laptop on the table and saw the screensaver. The woman forgot to shut it down. Out of curiosity, he peeked on the computer and saw the logo. He's trying to recall where he saw that logo. It seemed familiar, and he's trying to remember where he saw it.

His phone rings while he is busy thinking about the logo. Shaking his head, he picked up his phone nestling on the table and quickly answered it when he saw the caller's name.

"Where are you now?" He asked in a cold tone. He is sure that her plane had landed, that's why she called him.

"Hello to you too, brother!" She pouts. 'He didn't even greet her first before asking her location,' she thought annoyingly.

"Picking up my luggage!" She said in a sarcastic tone, then hung up the phone.

He shook his head and got up to return to his car. He knows that she'll be out pretty soon, and he doesn't want to waste another minute with her.

As soon as he was seated inside his Mercedes Benz, he saw her coming with her pink luggage shining brightly, almost blinding the people on the opposite side. He chuckled. He's only fifteen minutes older than her, but she seemed like she stopped growing after their eighteenth birthday.

The driver opened the door for her as she pouted, going inside the car.

"Hello there brother!" She said in an annoyed tone.

He did not reply and nodded to the driver. She looked at him with a crossed arm and asked, "So, how are you doing brother?" Lucy was annoyed that his brother didn't even seem like he missed her.

"Okay," he said, not elaborating anything, and did not bother to look at her either.

"Hmph!" She turned her back on him and decided to watch the scenery outside. It is more delightful than talking to her brother. 'If only you can choose a sibling,' she thought. They are like hot and cold water. Of course, the hot one is her, and the cold one is her brother.

The ride home was calm and quiet since none of them started a conversation again.

"Welcome back, Miss Lucy," the butler greeted her with a broad smile and slightly bowed his head.

"Oh! Santiago! I'm glad to be back! I missed you!" Lucy said happily, giving him a quick hug. Santiago shook his head and patted her back. 'She's still the childish Lucy,' he said to himself.

Lucas gave the butter a nod and gestured to his driver to go.

Lucy looked back and saw her brother's car leaving, 'seriously,' she mumbled. She doesn't know if she'll be happy that her brother is dedicated to their company, or she will pity him for losing a life outside. Lucy shrugged her shoulder and decided to go straight to her room to rest. She had a long flight, and a good rest is badly needed to refresh herself before starting her first day of work tomorrow.

LS Company

As soon as Ben Francisco saw his boss's car entering the parking lot, he immediately put aside the documents that he was organizing and went down to meet him at the reception.

"Sir Lucas," he called and waited for him to reply before he continued to say something. It's been his habit of getting his attention before moving on to what he needs to say or do. Ben learned his lesson the hard way, and that's enough.

"Mmm," his reply is enough for him to know if he is in a bad mood or not.

"Mrs. Saavedra wanted you to accompany her to a charity gala tonight," he swallowed his saliva after saying it all. He knows that his boss hates it when people don't give him enough notice or invitation to attend an event. But this invitation comes from his grandmother, so he needs to tell him even if it will upset him or his job will be in jeopardy.

Lucas's face turned gloomy. His grandma knows how to irritate him, but he loves her so much that he can't get angry with her for long. He wondered what this charity gala is all about this time. The last time he accompanied her to a charity, she was like selling him to the highest bidders.

With a deep sigh, he said, "Okay, you know what to do." He went into his office to start his day. Lucas wasted half of his day already. He thought of working overtime tonight to catch up with his work, but apparently, his grandma has a plan for him tonight.

"Yes, boss!" He was relieved with his reply. Ben Francisco hurriedly reached for his phone in his pocket and called Mrs. Saavedra.

"Madam," he said respectfully. "Sir Lucas will pick you up at seven tonight," he said nervously.

"Hmm..." Mrs. Saavedra knows that Lucas cannot say 'no' to her, so his

assistant's call is only for confirmation.

Lucas's Mercedes-Benz entered Saavedra's mansion. Wearing his black suit, Lucas got out of the car and was greeted by her grandparents' long-time butler, James.

He gave him a nod and strutted to the living room. He sat on the two-seater leather couch and grabbed a magazine to read while waiting for his grandma to come down. He just barely opened the magazine when he heard some noise on the staircase. It was his grandma talking to someone on the phone.

Lucas stood up, walked to the staircase, and waited for his grandma patiently until she reached the bottom.

"Lucas, my dear grandson. You're so handsome today!" She said with a sweet smile.

"Thank you, grandma! You look amazing yourself tonight," he replied and gave her a quick hug.

Mrs. Saavedra gave him a deeper look and saw that everything was perfect, as always. She grinned and gestured to Lucas to go.

He opened the back door of his car to let his grandma in and went around to open the other door for himself. He gave his driver a nod when they were seated comfortably. The drive is not far from the hotel where the charity gala will take place.

When they reached the hotel, there's a purple Cayenne Porsche in front of them by the entrance. The driver opened the trunk and took a purple wheelchair out. It piqued his interest to see who's going to be sitting on that wheelchair. It reminds him of the woman he saw at the coffee shop. The design and color are the same as hers.

He waited patiently and watched as he wanted to know if it's going to be her or not. The passenger doors in the front and back lift up, and a purple cane landed on the ground along with beautiful legs. He then saw a woman's hand reaching the armrest for support and smoothly transferring herself from the car to the wheelchair. She then folded the cane, put it in the back pocket of her wheelchair and pushed a button, and left.

He smirked and muttered to himself, 'I will see you woman.' Many women hover around him wherever he goes, but no one piqued his interest until he saw that woman in the coffee shop. He thought he would have a boring night and would waste his time accompanying his grandma. But he is glad he came.

They entered the hotel's ballroom and found their seat near the stage. Lucas was about to go directly to their table when his grandma stopped him. He looked confused and noticed a man in his fifties with a woman behind him looking down. His face became gloomy when Lucas realized what's going on. He almost forgot that he was with his grandma, and when his grandma brings him to any event, she will match him with any single woman in her circle.

"Lucas," called her grandma trying to get his full attention.

"This is Mr. David Chavez of CH group and his daughter Rica Chavez." She winked at him and gestured to greet them, to which he complied.

"Nice to meet you Mr. and Ms. Chavez," he said politely.

"Same here, Mr. Saavedra. We heard only good things about you," Mr. Chavez smiled widely, trying to make him feel comfortable with him. Rica Chavez shyly offered her hand to shake his, but Lucas ignored her.

Rica Chavez was embarrassed, but she did not let it get on her and instead smiled at him.

His phone rings, and he motions that he needs to answer the phone. He turned around and found a quieter place to take the call. He stood beside the sculpture pedestal and caught a glimpse of a wheel.

"Send me the data and I'll check it later," he said in a shallow voice and hung up. He sneaks, trying not to get anyone's attention. Seeing the purple color, he is sure that it must be that woman. Lucas stopped in his tracks when he heard a sweet voice talking on the phone.

"Charlie, I told you I'll be there before you even know it," she said in an annoying tone. She already told her that this Charity gala is very important to her, so she can't miss it.

"Your flight will be at midnight," she reminded her again. "The girls won't leave if you won't take the flight this time with them," she said pleadingly. These girls are so stubborn sometimes.

"Promise, tell them I'll go with them this time," she said, trying to convince her agent so she can let her go.

"Okay, see you then."

"See you later, Char," she hung up and looked at her watch. "It's early," she murmured. She looked around, and when she thought that she was alone, she stretched her legs and massaged them.

Lucas heard and saw everything. He was amused at what he discovered. The woman is not mute, and by the way, she can move her legs! That means there's a possibility that she's not cripple! But why? He asked himself.

He looked at her reflection on the window and was hypnotized. She is the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. He leaned on the wall while keeping his eyes on her watching her every move. 'Woman, what's your story?' he said to himself. There might be a reason why she's pretending to be mute and disabled. And that, he would like to know and watch the show.

Sarah rechecked the time, and when the clock turned at exactly eight, she returned to her original position, and a woman approached her from the other side.

"Ms. Sarah, Mr. Chavez has been looking for you," the woman said politely while signing the words she said to her as well.

She signed back, and by her look, you can tell that she's irritated.

"Mr. Chavez brought Ms. Rica," the woman stuttered at the mention of Rica.

She signed and wheeled away.

"Ms. Sarah, your Dad will be upset if you won't join them on the table," she said in a pleading voice.

Sarah ignored her and entered the ballroom without looking back.

Lucas stayed for a few more minutes before he followed her. He was surprised that she was the daughter of Mr. Chavez, whom he had just met earlier. This woman is fascinating, he thought.

The gala had already started when he entered the ballroom. He looked around to find her table. He saw Mr. Chavez two tables away from their table, but Sarah was not sitting with them. He continued to search and finally saw her communicating with a man standing in front of her. He looked like one of the organizers of tonight's event.

After the emcee called his name, the man pushed the wheelchair up to the stage.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Welcome to Angel's Hands Charity Gala!" He chirped. While he was speaking, Sarah was signing whatever he said beside him.

"Please enjoy the night and your donations won't go to waste because it will go straight to Angel's Hands Foundation. You may not know the name yet, because it was founded last year. At present, we have twenty children and ten adults with disabilities that need your help. And they are here to perform to you all," he paused and glanced at Sarah. Sarah looked up and gave him a nod.

He nodded back, then continued, "Angels!"

The light on the stage turned off, and the three-point lighting lit the podium in three different positions.

Lucas only paid attention to Sarah. The man signed something to Sarah, and she nodded. Lucas squinted his eyes and was in deep thought. He can tell that they don't have a romantic relationship, but he can see that the man likes her as a man. He doesn't know why but he was jealous. The urge to push the man and replace him to maneuver her wheelchair is powerful. But wait! She didn't even know him! An idea popped into his head. He leaned closer to his right and whispered to his grandma's ear.

Mrs. Saavedra was shocked and delighted when Lucas took the initiative to ask her to arrange a meeting with David Chavez's daughter. She called her butler slashed assistant to relay the message to David Chavez.

Santiago nodded and sauntered into the lounge where David Chavez was resting. He was watching the Chavez's when Mrs. Saavedra introduced him and his daughter to Lucas Saavedra. He's not a nosy person, but he doesn't have a good feeling about them, and Saavedra's best interest is his top priority.

"Mr. Chavez, can you spare me a minute?" He asked courteously.

David Chavez was surprised to see Saavedra's trusted butler in front of him and asking for a minute to chat. He tried to suppress his excitement, but it only made his face look awkward.

"Yes! Yes! Of course, Mr. Santiago!" He replied with a wide smile. But wondering what this is all about.

Santiago gave him a quick nod and said, "Madam would like to invite your daughter for lunch tomorrow." He said while observing Mr. Chavez's every move.

David Chavez was exhilarated with what he said. When he found out that Mrs. Saavedra will attend the Charity Gala with Lucas Saavedra, he knew that she was trying to match his grandson to whom she thinks will be a perfect partner for him. And now, the opportunity knocks on them, so they will not let others take it away from them.

"I accept the invitation on behalf of my daughter," he reached for Santiago's hand, trying to shake his hand. "Thank you, thank you for inviting my daughter, she will be there for sure." He said, promising his daughter's presence on that day. He would be a fool if his daughter won't go.

"I'll let Madam know of your answer," he slightly bowed his head and turned around to leave the room.

David Chavez immediately followed out and went straight to their table. He was eager to let Rica know about the lunch tomorrow, but he restrained himself from letting a single word out, knowing his daughter. He will wait until they reach home.

Lucas is not interested in auctions, but he saw the tanzanite gemstone, the sought-after gemstone in the modern world. The said gemstone can only be found in the mountain of Tanzania. The one showing on the screen is violet-dominant tanzanite. It has a good quality based on its deep color.

It is a silent auction, so he sent a message to his assistant, Ben Francisco, to buy the tanzanite no matter how much it cost him and find the best jewelry designer to polish the gemstone and a set of jewelry out of it.

He thought of Sarah's outfit today. Although Sarah is wearing a full-length black off-shoulder dress, her accessories are either purple or have a touch of purple from head to toe. So obviously, she has an obsession with the color purple.

He looked at the table where Sarah and the man were sitting. Sarah seemed to be busy texting on her phone. Lucas then remembered the phone call she had a while back. It's like she needs to be somewhere aside from the gala. He checks his watch and saw that it is half-past ten. His brows furrowed, and he contemplated on what he should do.

His thought was interrupted when the man pushed Sarah's wheelchair back to the stage. When Sarah smiled at that man and said "thank you" in sign language, his face became gloomy. In his perspective, it's like she's blowing him a kiss.

The silent auction was quite successful, and the event is about to end.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we greatly appreciate all your donations. Please be reassured that your hard-earned money will be used properly and on behalf of Angel's Hands, thank you so much!" The man bowed, and Sarah did the same.

Then a woman went up the stage and pushed Sarah's wheelchair down the ramp. He stood up on his chair and gave Santiago a nod. He nodded back and focused his attention on Mrs. Saavedra. He has a feeling that Lucas won't be back, so he has to take care of his grandma. Santiago willingly does it because he owed their family so much. He was grateful for the opportunity that they gave him.

The driver drove up, stopped in front of him, and opened the back door for him. When he was seated comfortably, he said, "Go around and park on that corner," he pointed at the corner by the main entrance. He wants to follow Sarah's car. He never thought he would be obsessed with knowing more about her when he accidentally saw her tonight and heard her talk. Her voice is mesmerizing. 'Why is she hiding that wonderful voice?' He is interested in everything related to her.

As soon as they parked in the corner, the purple Cayenne stopped in front. Sarah bowed to the woman that looks like one of the organizers. She pushed a button on the right side of the wheelchair's armrest, and she drove it down to the ramp and stopped at the driver's side.

He was astonished when she stopped on the driver's side, and the driver handed her the key. She pushed a button on her car door, and the chair slid out of the car. She then smoothly transferred herself from the wheelchair to the driver's seat. The chair automatically returned to its original position in front of the steering wheel. The driver then folds the wheelchair and puts it in the trunk.

She waved to the driver and drove away. Her car was customized according to her needs.

"Follow that car," he pointed at the purple Cayenne. "Don't lose it," he said with a stern voice.

"Yes, sir!" His driver answered. He wonders why his boss wants to follow that woman. When women typically following their boss is a daily sight. 'Well, it's not my business,' the driver thought to himself.

He was watching the car ahead of them intently. She was overspeeding! She's driving at the speed of a hundred mph on the speed limit of seventy-five mph! 'Interesting.' It never occurs to him that she can control the wheel and a good driver at that. He remembered that she was stretching her legs earlier. His eyes flickered. 'Hmm... you can talk and look at how well you drive, you sure can walk', he mumbled to himself while rubbing his chin with his thumb and pointer finger.

He looked outside the window and noticed that they were heading to the airport. 'Where are you going woman?' He looked intently at the vehicle in front of them, thinking.