Chapter 5: The Lie

"Sure ka?" nagpapanic na tanong ko kay Hector, napaupo ako mula sa pagkakahiga. No way! That's impossible!

Para akong binuhusan ng malamig na tubig . Tama nga ako, siya nga 'yon. Siya ang kasama ko kagabi at... pagkatapos ng nangyari ay hinatid niya pa ako dito?!

"Buti nga nandito ako, eh. He called me using your phone number to ask for your address," my secretary explained. "He didn't say a word and left."

Napapikit ako at napahawak sa sintido. "What time did he brought me here?"

"Madaling araw, Miss Levi. Mag-uumaga na rin," he answered. "He put effort to bring you here that's why I didn't ask anything since you're fine and safe. He looked tired."

He's tired because of what happened. I don't remember but the excruciating pain in that part defines it. I'm drunk, he's also drunk and his scent was all over me. Ako ang kaunti lang ang nainom. Para akong dumaan sa panaginip na hindi ko na maalala. Why didn't I stop him? I don't know, I can't remember.

What did I do?

"You have a fever so you could freely skip this day. Ano bang nangyari?"

"I drank Freya's drink. That's why I got unconscious," sagot ko at napahawak sa tuhod. Dahan-dahan ang galaw ko dahil sa namimilipit na sakit sa parte ng tiyan. Muli kong tinignan si Hector. "Go to work. I'm fine here."

"Sige, Miss Levi. You could call me anytime if something happened. I'll be staying at the company."

Tinanguan ko lang siya, bumalik ako sa pagkakahiga at bumuntong hininga. It hurts, namimilipit ako sa sakit. Dumagdag pa ang matinding sakit ng ulo ko at lagnat. How will I suppose to face him again?

Malamang ay alam niya kung ano ang nangyari, ako ang hindi nakakaalam at binase na lang iyon sa sakit na nararamdaman na nararamdaman. He even dropped me here and that's what makes me embarrassed the most. I hope we'll never meet again, I hope not to see him again.

I can find a supplier other than that company. Kahit gaano pa namin kailangan na makatipid ay hahayaan ko na para hindi lang siya makita. How about the meeting in financial firm? Iba ang papupuntahin ko. This is complicated.

Ipinahinga ko ang buong araw na iyon at parang ayaw ko pa nga pumasok kinabukasan. Maraming ganap sa company namin, maraming kailangan gawin. Maliban sa linggo ay wala na akong araw ng pahinga. I thought company owner are living the best of their lives.

"Okay, do you have any suggestions. It's to enhance. Anyone?" Nag-angat ako ng tingin sa mga empleyadong nakaupo sa long table.

"How about not changing the product's appearance and quality but adding something on functions. Ganoon po kadalasan ang magandang imarket, lalo na sa gadgets at appliances."

Tumango-tango ako at ngumiti. "That's a good suggestion. We'll do something for it."

Ilang mga bagay pa ang pinag-usapan namin hanggang sa mapag-isipan kong i-dismiss na ang meeting. Our machineries are being fixed with new structural materials. We're planning to launch our upgraded product and we're adding ten more branches in the country.

Nagpaalam na ako sa kanya at inayos na ang mga gamit para lumabas ng meeting room. Minsan lang kami dito dahil mas gusto ko sa lobby ng company. Kaya lang ay narinig ko na may pupuntang international investors at sasalubungin sila ni daddy.

Sabay kaming naglakad ni Hector papunta sa office, mula sa nilalakaran namin ay nakikita ko ang iba pang mga empleyado na naglalakad din sa ibang palapag hanggang sa ground floor. Our company have that vibe of a mall, it's full of glasses. But Aragon's Financial Firm office, that's on another level. Napakaganda ng company na iyon at halos kapareho ng interior at architecture ng Zillanide.

Nangalumbaba ako sa desk at tumulala sa dalawang monitor. Halos kagatin ko na ang mga kuko sa kamay ko dahil sa sobrang pag-iisip. I need to give some paper in our Financial Firm since my father isn't there, he's meeting investors.

And I'll be in a meeting with the head of one department at that company. What if I meet him there? I know the probability of meeting him today is too small but I can't help but to overthink.

Hinilot ko ang sintido ko. Tapos nalaman ko pang hindi ko pala kotse 'yon, talagang kotse ni Zillan 'yon at ako ang nagkamali. Freya and Zoey used my car since they don't have me and thought that I left already in a taxi. Nakakahiya, nakakahiya talaga! Ni hindi ko matignan ang sarili ko sa sobrang kahihiyan.

Halos takpan ko na ang mukha gamit ang folder habang naglalakad kami sa lobby ng Financial Firm. Nawiwirduhan na sa akin si Hector na kasama kong naglalakad, he's frowning. Bahala na, basta hindi ko siya makita at hindi niya ako makita.

Nakahinga na ako nang maluwag, nasa loob na kami ng conference room. Tumayo ang head noon at binati kami. We only talk about few matters, they're actually planning a lot that's why the company's busy. Buti pa sila, kami ay busy dahil sa mga sunod-sunod na problema. Our company was under them that's why...

"We'll consult Mr. Aragon about the company's problem. Maybe, we could do something about it."

Nagpilit ako ng tawa at pasimpleng iwinasiwas ang kamay. "It's okay. We could handle it, we're actually finding our way to solve it. Tsaka, busy ang CEO niyo, nakakahiya naman."

There's no way I want to encounter that CEO Aragon, kay Zillan nga ay nai-intimidate na ako, doon pa kaya. It's not just they're both rich, both of them have rare brains and confidence I could hardly find on anyone.

"How about lunch meeting this wednesday next week, Miss Terrano?"

I smiled at her. "Sure!"

I sighed unconsciously when we got out of the room. Nasa labas na naman kami, maraming mga taong palisaw-lisaw. Hindi ko na inabala ang sariling tumingin sa bawat sa tao sa paligid natin. Ganoon ba kaclose ang dalawa? Si Danillo Zillan at Dehan Aragon, gaano ba sila kalapit? Does he always go here?

"Saan mo gustong mag-tanghalian tayo, Miss Lev?"

Binaling ko ang atensyon kay Hector na naglalakad kasabay ko. He's younger than me but he's taller. Dapat nga ay nahuhuli siyang maglakad sa akin, eh. Secretary lang naman siya. But actually, he's way better than other secretary. He's a boy but I could easily deal with him.

"Kahit saan nalang. I really miss fast foods these days." Sinukbit ko nang mabuti ang sling bag at tumingin sa kanya. "You should learn to cook so you'll cook for me when I'm busy."

"I'm still a boy. I don't think I'm good at it."

I scoffed and looked away. Nawala ang ngiti ko nang may makita na pamilyar na lalaki. Agad na nataranta ang sistema ko. Sinasabi ko na nga ba!

I tried to act calm. He's here, is he real? Is this real? Nakapamulsa siyang naglalakad habang tumatawa at akbay siya ng CEO ng kompanya kung nasaan kami ngayon. Medyo malayo sila sa amin pero kinakabahan pa rin ako. Agad akong nagtago sa likod ni Hector. Ewan ko, bahala na!

"Huy, ano yun?"

"Don't talk, just stand firm!" pasigaw kong bulong kay Hector. Napapikit ako nang mariin. Ten seconds, they'll be gone in ten seconds. Napakagat ako sa ibabang labi at nagbilang sa utak. I must be crazy!

"You're the CEO of that company?"

Napakurap ako sa narinig, parang si Hector ang kinakausap. My secretary chuckled, he stepped away in my front to reveal me. Agad na kumabog ang dibdib ko. Ngumiti si Dehan Aragon sa akin.

"You're their CEO?" he asked in a soft way.

I cleared my throat. "Yes."

Wala akong nakitang kahit sino sa tabi niya kaya nakahinga ako nang maluwag. Tinignan ko pa ang gawing likod ni Aragon para makasigurado at baka katulad ko ay nagtatago rin siya. I know it's not his style. He must've go away, I don't even think he care at all. It's just a one night.

"Thank you for attending the meeting with one of my employee. Wala naman na akong ibang itatanong," nakangiti pa rin na sabi niya. "I just heard the problem. We'll try to do something it."

"It's okay."

"We're trying to help."

Nahihiyang napakamot ako sa ulo, tahimik lang ang secretary ko sa tabi ko. "Oo nga pala. Apektado rin pala kayo. We'll try our best to solve the problem, we want to ensure that our company we'll operate again smoothly."

Tumawa siya nang mahina. "I'm doing an act of concern, Miss Terrano. We're not like that."

Ay.

Halos bumagsak ako sa sahig matapos ang usapan namin na iyon. Now I know why I'm more nervous at that person. That person is much dangerous. The two of them should be part of the most harmful species in this world.

Why did he leave?

Hindi ko mapigilang mapaisip. Siguro ay wala lang sa kanya iyon. I know we're both in a legal age but I can't stop myself to overthink. He doesn't care at all, I think he found it funny when he saw how I hide from him. Doing it must be normal for him. Hindi ko alam, hindi ko rin maimagine na ganun nga siya sa iniisip ko.

Paano kung biglang magkaroon ng resulta? Paano akong maghahabol? I can't afford to reach him again and say I'm carrying his baby. That's all crazy! What I'm thinking is all crazy!

Napahilamos ako sa mukha dahil sa iritasyon. Tatlong supplier na ang nilapitan namin at lahat sila ay hindi pumayag, masyado raw kasing komplikado ang magiging proseso ng pagdadala sa iba't-ibang lugar ng supplies. Hindi ko na alam kung ano ang gagawin.

"He's nothing but a pure bastard!" galit na sabi ni Zoey. "That CEO is a terrible person. How could he ignore you like that."

"I think it's okay," malumanay na sabi ko. "I don't want to look stupid in front of him. Maybe he doesn't care at all. If I happen to be pregnant, I will never hesitate to talk to him about it."

Di-makapaniwala na tinignan ako ng kaibigan ko. "Levi, you're too innocent. Talk to him now, tell him that you're pregnant to test him. Paano kung hindi lang ikaw? Hayaan mo pa bang may mauna sayo? Levi, do you get what I'm saying."

"Zoey, I get it but I'm not pregnant. I didn't test myself and I'm not sure. Natatakot lang ako." Bumuntong hininga dahil sa iritasyon. "I don't know how to tell my parents about this."

"Then go to him and let him do his responsibility for what he has done to you!"

I bit my lower lip. He's also drunk at that time, I could smell the liquor in him. Ang ipinagtataka ko lang ay hindi man lang niya ako kinausap tungkol sa nangyari. We could sort anything out. Kaya lang ay hindi ko kayang humarap sa kanya.

"Even if you're sure or not, tell him! Levi, I thought you're a person who does everything before it's too late?"

Buong araw ko iyong pinag-isipan. Our company is in the midst of downfall and we're in chaos. We badly need them. And I badly need to talk to him about it. Before it's too late. I don't want regrets. May kasalanan din ako na dapat kong itama, ganoon rin siya.

I found myself standing in front of him with my lips parted and my head lifted down. I'll make an unsure lie, I'll take the risk. I can't ignore what happened, it's my dignity and my company's name I'm carrying as I stand in front of him.

"I'm carrying your child."