Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 220
Crying was considered an act of cowardice by many men. Society preached that tears were reserved only for the weak. Because of this stigma, most men rarely showed their vulnerable side, even to their closest loved ones.
But there were moments when a man's tears were unavoidable, when a pain cut so deeply that crying was the only way to ease the heartache.
And now, drowning his sorrow in alcohol, Domingo wept like a child as he poured out everything that had happened. His friends didn't mind the emotional outburst at all. None of them made fun of him, they had long passed that immature stage of adulthood.
They were men who had matured through the harsh realities of life. They understood firsthand that life wasn't easy, and that releasing tears was sometimes the only way to vent the crushing stress that could slowly destroy a man from the inside.
They had zero right to mock Domingo. His long-term girlfriend had just shattered his heart, and he was simply trying to pick up the broken pieces to keep himself together.
Jerry patted Domingo's back continuously to offer silent comfort while the others sat in empathetic silence... The next day, Domingo felt incredibly embarrassed about the breakdown, yet his mental state had visibly improved after letting all those bottled-up emotions out.
Meanwhile, Karlos returned home after wrapping up the drinking session with his crew. He was a bit tipsy, but his mind remained relatively clear.
He unlatched the front gate, stumbled inside, and locked it securely behind him. He then gave the front door a light knock, and Maya opened it almost instantly.
She stood there with her arms crossed, glaring at him while her foot tapped the floor impatiently.
"You're a whole hour late. Look at the clock, it's already 10:30 p.m. You have work tomorrow and you need your rest. Let's get inside. Before you go to sleep, I have something important to talk to you about."
"Babe, I missed you."
As Maya turned around to walk toward the dining table, Karlos wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. He buried his face in her hair, inhaling her sweet scent and kissing her head lovingly.
"Tch, don't cling to me like that. You smell like alcohol," Maya complained, though her stern expression softened.
"Mmm, I just want to hold you," Karlos mumbled, refusing to let go and pulling her tighter against him.
"Y-You brute!" Maya suddenly felt something hard pressing firmly against her lower back. She broke free from Karlos's grip, her face flushing crimson.
She spun around to confirm her suspicion... and sure enough, a very prominent bulge was rising in Karlos's pants.
She swallowed hard. The children were already fast asleep in their room, meaning they had the entire night ahead to enjoy each other's company.
However, Maya wanted Karlos to put some food in his stomach first to help him sober up.
"Let's sit down at the table first. We're going to eat, and then we'll have a financial meeting."
"Hehe, of course... a 'financial meeting,'" Karlos smirked, sliding quickly into a chair.
"No, this time it's an actual financial meeting." Despite the blush lingering on her cheeks, Maya was genuinely serious about going over their accounts tonight.
The couple ate together quietly, with Maya taking small bites to keep him company. By the time Karlos finished his meal, the haze of alcohol had cleared from his mind.
"Alright, let's talk about our savings." Maya laid out their bank passbook on the table alongside their cash records and the twins' college funds.
"Babe, we currently have 121 million pesos in total... It actually terrifies me, and I honestly don't know what we should be doing with this kind of money," she explained. She had been calculating their total net worth, completely floored by how much wealth they had generated over the past twelve months. They had netted over 80 million pesos in less than a year.
"...Wow. If we factor in the taxes we paid back in April, we technically earned around 150 million pesos total," Karlos remarked, equally amazed.
"Don't remind me about taxes... I'm still bitter about that cut," Maya sighed. She had occasionally thought about researching tax loopholes, but ultimately decided it wasn't worth playing games with the government.
"What really concerns me is how we manage this capital moving forward. Karlos, this is a massive fortune. We could deposit a portion into a high-yield savings account for better interest returns. Or we could invest in a new business venture, or buy up land and real estate for future appreciation."
"Alfred mentioned to me recently that Roman built a new apartment complex in the northern part of town. We could purchase one or two units there and let their value appreciate over time."
"That's a solid strategy," Maya agreed, nodding in approval. She remembered hearing that the northern district was booming as more infrastructure project developments took shape.
"Then let's reach out to Alfred tomorrow. Roman is currently away in Maynila, so contacting Alfred is our best bet to get an introduction to the apartment's general manager."
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Speaking of Roman, he had recently arrived at his grandparents' grand estate alongside his immediate family.
Roman, Alfonso, and Tonto bowed their heads respectfully to greet their grandparents. Standing right behind the three young men were their parents, Heneral and his wife, Allyson Alejandro.
Caesar and Lourdes were in high spirits as their second son's family came to visit. Unlike their previous meeting, where Lourdes was confined to a wheelchair, the matriarch stood up on her own two feet and warmly welcomed Allyson into an embrace.
Despite hailing from a powerful political dynasty, Allyson had an impeccable, grounded upbringing, which earned her Lourdes's deep affection. Allyson and Heneral's romance had bloomed years ago after surviving a dangerous incident in the sea together.
"Allyson, I am so delighted to see you."
"Mother, please let me assist you," Allyson said gently, worried her mother-in-law might be overexerting herself.
"Don't worry, my dear, I'm doing wonderfully. We truly owe a debt of gratitude to Roman for what he accomplished," Lourdes smiled brightly.
Roman stood tall with pride, earning approving nods from both Caesar and Heneral. Roman had managed to find a rare, ancient ginseng, which was subsequently refined by a Master Alchemist into a potent elixir that restored Lourdes's failing health.
Now, the matriarch was thriving and walking around comfortably. With her incredible recovery, the entire Alejandro family was filled with joy.
Lourdes invited her daughter-in-law to join her for afternoon tea in the garden, while the men retired to the study to handle family business.
"Roman, you did well. I am proud of you," Caesar stated with deep sincerity, looking at his grandson.
Roman smiled, gratefully accepting his grandfather's praise. Lourdes was a vital pillar of the Alejandro family, loved by everyone, and Roman had been determined to see her healed.
"I only wanted Grandma to recover," he replied smoothly.
"Hm." Caesar nodded in appreciation, and the five men proceeded to converse. Caesar spent most of the time asking about their daily affairs, and the men responded with updates regarding their respective business ventures, with the sole exception of Tonto.
[Author's Note:]
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