Chapter 4

The following day…

Roselle stood stiffly across the tall building that was named OLYMPUS with zero idea as to why she was being called in the first place. She was really confused. Questions after question began popping out from her mind na nagdadala lng ng sakit sa kanyang sentido.

Last night, when she arrived at home, she was all panicking and worried about her best friend but then she found her just bluffing to make her come back fast. She was pissed yet she couldn't help but ask Andrea about OLYMPUS. She recalled the latter once worked there before but she was dismissed after a year. She was hoping to hear something useful but all she could hear was Andrea's unending complaint about how bad the company's treatment was to their employees. Obviously, she was still nurturing a grudge for being fired. Sa huli, she got nothing but endless rants and curses from the latter while they watched their desired movie.

***

Marahan siyang tumawid sa pedestrian lane at tumayo sa mismong entrance ng building. Kinabahan man ng matindi, itinulak ang pinto at pumasok sabay banat ng kanyang mga labi forming into a friendly smile. She faced the receptionist at bumati.

"Good morning, po."

"Good morning, Miss. What can I do for you?" The female receptionist responded with a professional smile while looking at her.

"Ahm, I have an interview scheduled at 8. May I know which floor I should be going to?" Magalang na tanong ng dalaga.

"Ah, kayo po ba si Miss Roselle Ventura?"

"Yes, ako nga po."

"Sa 37th floor po kayo Miss Ventura." Magalang na saad ng receptionist sabay hugot sa drawer niya ng visitor's pass at inabot ito sa kausap. "Take this po para hindi po kayo maharang ng guard." Dagdag pa nito.

"Thank you." Kinuha ni Roselle ang pass ng walang pag-aalinlangan pagkatapos magpasalamat at umalis na ito papunta sa elevator. Isinuot niya sa leeg ito at nakisiksik sa mga empleyado. Akmang dudut-dutin niya sana and 37th button ngunit meron nang nauna sa kanya at isa rin itong babae. Nagkangitian na lamang sila na para bang matagal ng magkakilala.

Makaraan pa ang ilang minuto ay tumunog na ang elevator at tumigil sa 37th floor. Paglabas niya dito ay palinga-linga siya na para bang naliligaw na bata. Hindi niya alam kung saan pwedeng magtanong regarding sa kanyang interview. Buti na lamang at lumingon ang babae na nakasabay niya at nagtanong ito.

"Miss, are you lost?" She smiled at her politely.

"Ah, it's my first time to come here actually. Can you tell me where to…" Hindi na natapos ni Roselle ang kanyang sasabihin ng biglang may isang lalaki na bigla nalang lumitaw sa harapan nila at mukhang pamiliar pa ito sa paningin niya.

"Miss Ventura, good morning." Ang lalaki ay walang iba kundi ay si Emman Velasco. Ang siyang tumawag sa dalaga kahapon lamang.

"You know her, sir?" Tanong ng babaeng nakasabay ni Roselle sa elevator.

"Yes. I called her for an immediate interview. You may go ahead to your work. Ako nang bahala sa kanya, Secretary Lynn." Saad ni Emman sa empleyado.

"Okay po." Respond ni Lynn sabay tingen sa magandang dalaga. "You're in good hands, mabait 'yan si sir. Maiwan na kita ha?" She mumbled softly to Roselle before she turned around and went to the corner where she was stationed.

"Thank you." Roselle smiled at the lady before she faced the man that had called her. "Sir, may I know why I was called for an interview? I didn't submit any job application form in your company and I…" She was about to ask more but she was abruptly cut off by Emman's words.

"Miss Ventura, let's go to my office please." Emman suggested. "I'll explain everything to you in there."

Sumunod na lang ang dalaga sa lalaki at gusto niya marinig ang sasabihin nito. Gusto niya rin itong tanungin kung nakasalubong na ba sila by any chance before. Feeling niya nakita niya na ito noon ngunit hindi niya lang maalala. Ngunit malakas ang kutob niya na nagkaharap na sila noon sa kadahilanang kilala siya nito.

"Please come in." Emman demanded politely as he opened his door widely.

Pumasok naman si Roselle at lumingon-lingon sa paligid ng opisina nito. Doon niya napagtanto na kaya pala siya kilala nito dahil sa isang tao na kasama nito sa kanyang picture frame na nakapatong sa kanyang mesa. They indeed met by chance. "Now I know why you look so familiar to me. You're Mrs. Velasco's son…" Bulalas niya na para bang amused siya sa sarili dahil sa pagiging makakalimutin.

"Thank goodness at naalala mo din ako." Emman muttered in an exaggerated voice. "Please take a seat Miss Ventura. I'll get a cup of coffee for you." Having said that, tumalikod na siya at nagpunta sa kanyang pantry sa bandang sulok ng kanyang office.

She nodded and took the empty seat elegantly while taking out her phone from her purse. She was about to send a message and check on her best friend if she had awakened when someone lured her attention.

"Emman?" A man's deep and cold voice resonated.

Natigilan ang dalaga at napatingala. Nanlaki ang mga mata niya ng makita ang lalaking naging customer niya sa PIXIE Coffee shop kahapon lamang at nagbalik ang inis niya rito. Naalala niya ang sinabi nito sa kanya at dali-dali niyang niyuko ang ulo. She ignored him as if she hadn't noticed him.

Oliver squinted his eyes when he appeared on Emman's door. He found a woman who seemed to be familiar while calling for his assistant. The woman was fast to lower her head and ignore him. "Miss, nanjan ba si Emman?" Tanong niya rito.

Saka lamang uli tumingala ang dalaga at tumango. "Yes, sir. He's currently in his pantry." She promptly replied. She never stared at him again to prevent herself from being ridiculed the second time and resumed tapping on her phone screen.

"You look familiar. Have we met by chance?" Now Oliver was walking towards Roselle's current position while staring at her.

She was dressed formally today and he failed to recognize the woman from yesterday at the coffee shop. Bukod pa doon, she applied light makeup and braided her hair nicely which made her look strikingly elegant and attractive.

She nodded and evoked a slight smile. "Yesterday, PIXIE Coffee shop." She curtly responded.

"Oh, so it's you?" Oliver started to grimace but his heart skipped a beat as he caught sight of her appearance. Simple yet elegant. She doesn't look disgusting in his eyes just like how his girlfriend appeared to be in his mind. 'She looks different from yesterday.' He thought.

"Oliver, you're just right in time. Shall we start the interview here or in your office?" Emman suddenly appeared in their sight.

Roselle was confused. She cleared her throat and asked, "Mr. Velasco, may I beg your pardon? Can you tell me why I am going to be interviewed? I'm not applying for any job position here."

Oliver clenched his jaws. He looked at the woman and said, "Excuse me for a short while, Miss. I think I need to talk to my assistant for a few seconds." Kinaladkad niya ito papunta sa maliit na kanto at kinompronta.

"Are you sure she's the professional therapist that you called yesterday?" Singhal niya sa kaibigan na para bang gusto niya itong sakalin sa inis.

"Oo naman. Bkit? Magkakilala ba kayo?" Emman looked at his friend suspiciously and accused.

"Don't tell me that you once hooked up with her?"

Malakas ang boses nito at hindi maiwasang marinig ni Roselle ang sinabi. "Ahem!" She suddenly choked in her coffee buti nalang at may tissue na nakaabang sa mesa nito at siyang nagsalba sa possible nitong mantsa sa damit niya.

"Don't talk nonsense, Emman!" Oliver warned his friend as he heard the woman's cough. "She's not a therapist! She's a coffee barista!" Paliwanag niya.

"Dude, are you sure?" Emman sounds dubious at his friend's explanation.

"Oo, sigurado ako! Siya gumawa ng kape natin kahapon iyong dala ko!" Atungal pa nito.

Roselle heard every word that Oliver had said and obviously, he was criticizing her without mercy. Kumulo ang kanyang dugo at biglang dinampot ang kanyang chanel purse sabay tayo. "Excuse me, Mr. Velasco. I have clients to attend to. I have to go." Mariin niyang sabi.

It was then that the two men snapped their heads towards her direction.

"We haven't started the interview, Miss Ventura. Please stay for a short while." Emman hurriedly went to her side.

Suppressing her boiling temper, she faced the man and tried to speak politely. "Mr. Velasco, I don't want to be rude. I'm a therapist and not suitable for any office post. I think you called the wrong person."

Oliver took a deep breath and went forward to face the woman. "Uhm, actually Miss, we called you for an interview not for the company's position. I am looking for someone professional to take care of my mother." Nagmamadaling paliwanag niya sa dalaga.

Roselle gives out a sigh. "But I'm a therapist not a caregiver, Sir." She reasoned.

"But Oliver's mother also needs a therapist, right Ollie?" Emman chimes in, aiming his friend a wink.

Oliver glared at him but nonetheless, he nodded reluctantly. "Yes. Please think about it, Miss. I just need someone professional to keep an eye on her 24/7."

The word '24/7' successfully made Roselle's head jerk harshly towards Oliver's direction. "I am open for an additional client but I can't be with her 24/7. I'm sorry to disappoint you, sir." She refused dismissively.

"Miss Ventura, baka naman pwede mo i-consider 'tong offer namin. Please… We badly needed your professional help right now." Emman pleaded helplessly.

Roselle's breath hitched. Emman's expression really broke her firm resolve but how about her interests? Paano niya gagawin ang mga gusto niya kung lahat ng oras ay itutuon niya sa isang tao lamang? Furthermore, my clients pa siya and there's the coffee shop. Paano na?

Oliver stared at the woman carefully. Pakiwari niya ay naguguluhan ito at hindi makasagot. "Miss Ventura, what was holding you from accepting my offer?" Tanong niya rito. Their encounter at the coffee shop flashed in his mind and his handsome brows suddenly knitted. He recalled the latter's boss flirting with her and he felt disgusted. His mood suddenly turned sour.

"I'm sorry. I really can't." She refused blatantly.

"Pero Miss Ventura…" Emman was about to say more but Oliver gripped his arm tightly.

"Emman, let Miss Ventura think it over." Saad niya ng marahan sa kaibigan. Binaling ang kanyang attention sa dalaga at nagsalita ng marahan.

"You may go on ahead Miss Ventura."

Roselle nodded. "Of course. Thank you Mr. Velasco and Mr…" she halted halfway as she wasn't aware what to call him.

"Mitchell. Call me Oliver Mitchell."

"Alright Mr. Mitchell, I better be going. Thank you." Having said so, tumalikod na siya at umalis.

***

Oliver glared at Roselle's slim back before he stormed out from Emman's office. He was terribly pissed with her immediate rejection but he wasn't the type to give up. His ego was bruised thus he wanted to prove one thing to her that he can get whatever he wanted and that she wasn't the first person to decline him. Fair or not fair, he was determined to get her services all by himself.

Emman ran after him in a hurry. "Dude, what's wrong with you? We almost got her sympathy." He protested.

"I want you to investigate everything about her. I want the results on my table within 30 minutes." Oliver demanded coldly.

"Bakit naman? I don't sense anything suspicious about her." Emman rolls his eyes in annoyance but still he fishes out his mobile phone and barks his orders to their men to investigate. He was obliged to do so as the guy was technically his boss.

30 minutes passed…

A man knocked on his door and dropped a thin folder over and went out.

Emman raised his eyebrows as Oliver immediately tore open the envelope seal and read the data submitted to him. The man didn't find anything suspicious about Roselle's background. It was simple and she was listed as an orphan with origins unknown. He also found out that her present two clients were both close to his family. The coffee shop owner was also easy to manipulate in his careful calculation. While reading the information, his lips slowly curved up forming a wicked smile.

"Call them." He ordered as he threw the file in Emman's front.

"And then what?" Emman frowned.

"Tell them to fire her. I don't care what tricks you are going to use but you must not waste another second. Do it right now!" He spat.

"Dude, what the hell are you trying to do?" Emman felt suspicious with his friend's behavior.

"Just do as I say. Then offer that woman a generous amount just to make her stay beside my mother until she eventually recovers." Oliver smirked deviously.

"You're making her feel like you seem to understand her but in fact you were planning something to snatch her completely. How cunning you are."

"I'm a businessman. I aim to earn profits rather than earning sympathy."