The Miracle of You

Michael was uncharacteristically while he nervously waited for Monday to come.

He was a seasoned businessman who was trained to handle any kind of situation or crisis that might arise, especially during critical moments. So, he learned to put aside his emotions and focus on the current situation while thinking of a proper strategy.

His father had taught him back then that he needed to be at least two steps ahead of his opponents. That way, he would be able to achieve his goals with much more certainty.

With that, he also learned to keep calm even during tough times and not succumb to pressure. It took him a while to get used to it, but in the end, he succeeded. It was all so he could achieve this one goal.

His goal of reaching the top, just so he could find Hailey again.

A year later after Hailey graduated high school, Michael attended his own graduation. It had been bittersweet, especially after knowing that he could never see her again.

A year ago, his parents asked him if he preferred to study abroad. He had thought about it seriously, whether he should work in the company under his father or follow his dreams and become a chef.

He was completely uninterested in the business world, but it was his family’s company, so he knew he needed to weigh the pros and cons of every path. After all, a major decision like this might make or break his future even though he very much wanted to become a chef instead and live as peacefully as he could.

However, at that time, before he could come to a final decision, he heard the news about Hailey.

For no reason at all, or at least, one that was not made known to the public, Hailey van Gowen suddenly packed her bags and left the van Gowen family not long after turning eighteen. She took her hard-earned savings and disowned herself as their daughter, something that caused a major uproar.

Rumors spread instantly within the city, coming with all sorts of logical as well as ridiculous reasons as to why Hailey, the good and capable eldest daughter, would do such an unexpected thing. Some speculated that she wanted to follow her own dreams, some thought that she merely used the van Gowen family to fund her education and then leave to live independently, and some gossiped that she eloped with a commoner and got married in an obscure country.

It was chaos all around, and it didn’t help that the van Gowen family refused to be interviewed about the issue. They simply announced that Hailey was no longer a part of the family and that she didn’t wish to be found. That was all.

Van Gowen Hotels & Resorts, Inc. was plunged into the middle of the media chaos, and all the attention was placed on them at that time. They were known throughout the country to be good and altruistic people, and they always spoke highly of their children.

Not only that, but they were also accommodating and prioritized hospitality above all things. Their hotel chains all around the globe were doing well, so the news came as very unexpected to everyone.

Even Michael couldn’t wrap his head around it. Hailey had never hinted anything crucial like that to him during the time when they’d been friends. Hailey was, admittedly, the only friend that Michael had during those days, which was why he treasured her so much, and also the reason why he slowly and eventually fell in love with her.

When the news came out that day, the first thing he wanted to do was find Hailey as soon as possible. He wanted to know what happened and how she was doing.

However, not even the media knew where Hailey was.

Michael had been at a total loss on what to do.

Hailey was only a year older than he was, and she was freshly eighteen. She had lived happily with her family for eighteen long years, and although he knew that she was hardworking, independent, and responsible, he still couldn’t stamp down his concern.

After all, the world wasn’t as safe as some might think. Anything could happen. And she was a female too, which meant that some bad guys might take advantage of her being alone and without her family’s solid protection.

He couldn’t believe that her parents willingly let it happen. He thought that they loved Hailey so much, but it turned out that they were pretty much capable of abandoning her to fend for herself. It was ridiculous to the point where Michael was desperate for even just a piece of news, at least one sentence claiming that she was safe and sound with someone that she could rely on.

But nothing came up, no matter how long he waited. He felt so useless, so powerless.

He couldn’t even ask his family to find out where Hailey was. After all, the McGregors had some sort of apathetic distance from the Van Gowens, and his family did not like meddling in other people’s business.

In the end, he decided that, in order to gain enough power, trust, and influence, he needed to step forward and straighten himself out.

He accepted going to study abroad as well as training to become a part of the Haynes-McGregor Industries.

He studied hard during his college years and got the best grades in his class. He decided that cooking was going to have to be put aside as a hobby, and even learned how to manage his time properly.

Even though he was uninterested in the business world, he had a natural aptitude for it, something that surprised even himself. The lectures and strategies and economic studies came naturally to him, and because he had a sharp memory, he absorbed every piece of information with ease.

To reduce stress, he even made sure to balance his studies with leisure. During his free time, he would practice his cooking skills in his apartment, and he would also do some language learning courses, figuring that it might help him out in the long run.

And in the end, all of his efforts paid off. He graduated from university as summa cum laude, and even his parents were very proud of what he had achieved. He gained a lot of attention since then, and his reputation only grew and grew until he gained a high position in the company.

In truth, his older brother William was supposed to be the one on the road to becoming the head, but after seeing his younger brother’s efforts, he conceded the position without hesitation.

The entire time, Michael never stopped searching for Hailey in his own way. He entrusted Grady, who had become his most trusted assistant, with the task of keeping an eye on Hailey’s whereabouts.

Unfortunately, Grady couldn’t find anything. It was as though Hailey herself refused to be found, and hid somewhere nobody could ever think of.

Michael was frustrated, but he didn’t give up.

As his popularity and reputation spread throughout the country, he hoped that Hailey could see and notice him wherever she was. He hoped that she would see what kind of successful man he had become, and somehow find a way to meet him again.

He still wore her necklace around his neck and waited for the day when he could finally return it to its owner.

And now, they finally met again, after all these years. It was a surreal feeling, to be honest. He couldn’t quite believe it until now.

He was even afraid that this might all be just a dream.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

But it was real. It was very much real.

As he waited for Monday to come, he asked Grady to get whatever information he could find on Hailey, who was now Camille Parker. The name was a foreign taste on his tongue, but as long as this Camille was the Hailey that he knew years ago, then it didn’t matter.

At least now he knew that she was safe.

He wondered if she’d been waiting for him all this time, too.