Chapter 2: Rejected

"You have another meeting in a financial firm, it's more on like a seminar. Your father put that event in priority, it must be important," pagsasalita ni Hector sa harap ko. "I'll be required to go with you. Kaya lang ay sa gilid lang ako."

"You'll be the company's representative. Your father is busy."

Tumango ako at sinara ang laptop, tumingin ako sa wrist watch ko at napanguso. Tinangala ko ang secretary ko. "By the way, is Zillanide attending the event as well?"

"Puro ka Zillanide, may crush ka ba doon?"

Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin. Zillanide is a great company to be in partnership, isn't it? Although, the net worth of the company isn't that big, our company's net worth is twice as much to be honest. Hindi ko alam kung bakit naging ganun kalaki ang kompanya na iyon. Mahina ang kita nila kahit malago ang negosyo nila, doon ako naguguluhan.

"I heard my father just offered them a partnership. That's why I'm quite excited. Diba, ang saya? Isa pa, doon nagtatrabaho ang isang kaibigan ko. Kapag nag-merge kami ng business... ayon!" Napangisi ako. "I can't wait to see the President of Zillanide."

"The President isn't the one attending for today, attending seminars isn't their style." Umupo sa upuan sa harap ng desk ko si Hector. "The CEO will be their representative, of course."

I crossed my arms and rested my back on my chair, I'm disappointed. "I don't like their CEO."

I encountered him few times, tuwing may mga meeting na nagtatagpo ang kumpanya namin. It's just, para siyang matapobre. The way he looks will eventually make you conscious, he has a deafening tenacity.

Dinampot ni Hector ang cellphone niya at tinitigan iyon nang matagal bago pumindot ng ilang beses. "May trabaho pa pala akong gagawin sa isang department. I'll get your lunch this afternoon after the meeting. Magkita na lang tayo sa department, Miss Levi."

"Alright," walang ganang sagot ko. "Do I really need you to be there? It's not that necessary."

He shrugged his shoulders. "In case you'll do or say something unpleasant that could cause cat fights, I'll be your defense and back-up."

I glared at him. "Do you think I'm that type? I'm not immature."

Ngumisi siya. "You caused a silent fight between two businessmen once. Hindi iyon nagustuhan ng president. For the first time in a long time after that incident happened, you'll be the company's representative again."

"I need to go. Magkita na lang tayo sa department."

Nagpaalam na si Hector sa akin at lumabas na ng office. He's my male secretary. Simula noong nagsimula ako rito ay siya na ang itinalaga ni daddy. Siya rin ang unang nagtatrabaho rito na highschool lang ang natapos. He's my dad's favorite so I also treated him like a younger brother since I'm older than him. Hindi naman sa lahat na oras ay knowledge lang ang importante.

The reality of the business industry is far from anyone's expectation. It's not just about knowledge. Yes, knowledge is important to enter this industry, but hardwork and determination, consistency and faithfulness.

Ang iba ay nagsisimula lang sa maliit na puhunan at kakaibang produkto na siyang nagpapakilala sa negosyo. Lumalago hanggang sa maging ganap na. Iyon ang totoo, mas pabor dito ang mga taong madiskarte sa buhay. 

Lumipas ang ilang oras na nagtitipa lang ako sa laptop hanggang sa di ko na namalayan ang oras. Maaga pa naman pero ayoko talaga sa nale-late.

Maaga kaming nakarating sa conference. Umupo ako sa isang upuan at tahimik na naghintay. Higher positions from different companies will be here, and the CEO of this big financial firm. At that age, he's powerful. I wonder why those big and popular companies have lower net worth than us.

Sunod-sunod na dumating ang mga representative ng iba't-ibang companies. Tumayo ako para batiin ang mga kakilala. Halos lahat ay kilala ako dahil kay daddy. Both of my parents are good at socializing, siguro ay iyon ang namana ko sa kanila.

"The President's daughter. You look elegant as always."

Ngumisi ako sa isang kakilala na mas nakakatanda sa akin. "Thank you. Ikaw rin, ma'am. You look expensive. "

Mahina kaming nagtatawanan. Nakikipag-kwentuhan pa ako sa kanya nang biglang nagsi-tahimik ang lahat, natahimik rin ang kausap ko. Bahagya akong napanguso at ibinaling ang atensyon sa main door ng conference. My lips parted.

"He loves dramatic entrance. What's with him?" Narinig kong bulong ng nakaupo sa gitna ng long table. If I'm not mistaken, he's Dehan Aragon, the CEO of this financial firm.

Danillo Zillan, even his steps are calculated. Matalim at tila walang gana ang mga mata niya. His whole existence screams competence and intelligence. He's that CEO I'm talking about. He's the CEO of Zillanide.

Pinilit kong mag-iwas ng tingin pero hindi ko magawa. I just found myself staring at him for too long, watching his every move. No wonder why even some elders are scared of him. He's powerful, he's beyond anyone's expectation. More of it, I think he's ethereally handsome. Should I be scared of him?

Umiling ako sa utak. I don't think so.

Prenteng nakaupo na ang Zillan na iyon at yumuko lang dahil walang pakialam sa mga tao sa paligid niya. Dehan Aragon chuckled, ako ang pinakamalapit sa inuupuan ni Aragon kaya nanatili akong tahimik, halos lahat kami ay tahimik.

Tumikhim ang CEO ng financial firm. "Start."

"To fill a stomach of thousands needs one."

"Good Morning, this is the co-founder of this Financial Firm. This story illustrates the cruel reality of business concerning finance. As a person standing in front of everyone carrying my own title and pride, I must say that corruption is a big burden. There's corruption in different fields particularly here in business. How can we say that we are corrupt? Who are those we are burdening already?"

Sumandal ako sa upuan at tumitig lang sa projection sa harap. Tahimik akong nakinig at medyo naiilang pa rin. I feel quite intimidated here, every people here in this table has their own titles. Hindi maipagkakaila na ako ang pinaka-hamak dito. This must be a very important event considering the attendees.

If I'm not mistaken, this event aims to promote new business strategy, quite far from normal. This financial firm of Aragons is known for breaking norms that made their company bigger and bigger, they made multiple partnerships even in our company. That's amazing.

Tinignan ko ang katapat kong babae na nakangalulumbaba lang at halos itaas pa ang isang binti sa upuan. Tumingin siya kay CEO Aragon at patagong inirapan iyon. I smirked, she has that amusing confidence.

Sa kalagitnaan ng proposal ay may isang matandang business man na nagtaas ng kamay. Nag-sitingin sila sa direksyon doon kaya nagkibit-balikat ako.

"This strategy is impossible, this is nonsense."

Napakurap ang lalaking nagsasalita sa harap at di kalaunan at ngumisi rin. That's it, confidence!

I don't think this is nonsense because in reality, wala talaga akong maintindihan.

"You're underestimating business men now, Aragon? How can you propose us to give 10% of our shares and profit back to the company we own?" kalmado na lintanya ng matanda. Ah, iyon pala ang proposal nila.

"This is not mandatory, sir. Just a proposal. Why don't we take a look at the living outcome of the strategy, the outcome our school didn't teach us. Our company risked our hopes for this one." The speaker smiled again. "And where are we now? Did we lose something?"

Napatingin ako sa isa naman na sumagot. "You lost a lot of money until now, we are not blind here," sabi nito. "You lost that 10% you are spitting about."

"How can we lose 10% when we put that in our company?" Sumagot na si Dehan Aragon, umangat ang gilid ng labi niya at nag-angat ng tingin. Lagot...

"What we are proposing is an investment without lost and rivals. We give our major shares to our employees since they earn it," dagdag niya at tumingin sa matandang nagsalita kanina. "You've been in business for three decades already. Hindi pa po ba sapat ang kinita sa pangangailangan niyong pera?"

"Like most of us here, employees have their own family to feed. Is it enough to pay them just 600 for eight working hours? With our salary twenty times more than them."

Palipat-lipat lang ang tingin ko sa mga nagsasalita. This meeting became a debate again, sana pala ay sumali na lang sila sa politika. Sa kalagitnaan ng pagbabangayan ay napatingin ako kay Zillan na tahimik lang sa gilid at walang ganang pinapanood ang nangyayari.

Napaawang ang bibig ko nang bigla siyang tumingin sa akin dahilan para magtagpo ang mga mata namin. Pinagdikit niya ang labi at hindi natinag. His relentless eyes remained on me for seconds and I could hardly stand it. Mabilis akong nag-iwas ng tingin at halos mapahawak sa dibdib dahil sa kaba. This is my first time meeting his eyes and obviously, I don't like it

Agad akong napaisip. My mind literally became chaotic. Did I do or said something wrong? I can't remember saying a wrong, I'm just silent here like him. Sinasabi ko na nga ba, matagal ko nang alam na ganito ang epekto ng tingin niya, kukwestyonin mo ang sarili mo kung may nagawa ka bang mali o hindi kaaya-aya.

I bit my lower lip once again. Baka nasagi lang ang tingin niya sa akin at nagandahan. There's nothing wrong about being beautiful. Confidence!

Natapos na ang meeting matapos ang mahigit isang oras. Tumayo ako at nakipagkamay sa mga kakilala. I'm hungry.

"You're mother's busy this sunday? We should go shopping," tanong sa akin ng business woman na kakilala ng mommy ko.

"I'm not sure but I'll ask her. But she's less busy on Sundays, so..."

Nagpaalam na siya sa akin. Inayos ko na ang sling bag ko, pag-angat na pag-angat ko ng tingin at napapitlag ako. Zillan nonchalantly breathe and extended his hands to me.

"Danillo Zillan."

Automatic ang paglipat ng atensyon ng lahat sa aming dalawa. Para silang nanonood ng palabas na hindi tiyak kung ano ang mangyayari. This Zillan doesn't usually talk to people he doesn't know so this is quite foreign. Mas lalo ang kinakabahan.

Napatingin ako sa kamay niya, I smiled and accepted it afterwards. "Levi Terrano."

I should be kind towards him. I need to be kind for the 'partnership' thing.

"Your company's proposal," he phrased. "I'm not accepting it."