Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Ma'am, you still have an appointment—I'm sorry! I-I'm sorry!"

My eyes widened when I heard that. Mabilis kong tinulak ng bahagya ang dibdib ni Zale at kapwa kaming nanigas dahil doon. Nagkatinginan kami at kapwang gulat-gulat pero mabilis akong nakabawi kaya ako ang naunang tumayo.

I made sure that I look stiff and cool when I turned to my secretary. Namumutla siya at pabalik-balik ang tingin sa akin at sa kasama ko ngayon na dahan-dahang tumatayo at bahagyang tinataktak ang suit niya.

"What is it?" I seriously asked my secretary like she didn't see anything.

Napalunok siya saka tumango.

"You still have an appointment po. Iyong isa sa restaurant ay ini-automatic cancel ko po. But you still have an important meeting," aligagang tanong niya kaya mabilis akong tumango saka naglakad patungo sa lamesa ko na tila walang nangyari.

My heart is beating so fast right now but I chose to ignore it.

"I'll go," I said before glancing at my gold wrist watch.

Kita ko sa gilid ng mga mata ko na sandaling tumitig ang sekretarya ko kay Zale bago ito tumango at tuluyang lumabas. I swallowed before sitting on my swivel chair. Bahagya ko ring sinulyapan si Zale na nagpupunas ng suit niyang medyo basa dahil sa tubig na natapon.

Nakatingin siya sa akin na tila naninimbing pero inignora ko iyon. Inilabas ko ang lipstick ko sa bag ko saka ako naglagay sa labi ko dahil simot na simot ang lipstick ko. Zale watched me do that but I did not say anything.

I don't have to say anything.

"Do you have a tissue?" biglang sambit niya kaya bahagya ko siyang nilingon at tinanguan.

"Here," I said before pointing the tissue on my table.

Dahan-dahan naman siyang lumapit sa lamesa ko habang ako ay nagpatuloy lang sa ginagawa. Pero ramdam na ramdam ko ang mga titig niya kaya kalaunan ay bahagya ko siyang tininghala. Our eyes met. Pero ilang segundo pa ay dahan-dahang bumaba ang mga mata niya sa mga labi ko.

"I'll revise our contract. I'll just update you," I said before raising my brow.

Tanging tango lang ang ginawa niya kaya tumayo na ako.

"You can leave now. Or be comfortable here, I don't care. I need to go. Thank you for your lies, Mr. Villanueva," I said before walking towards my office door.

Tuloy-tuloy akong lumabas at nang makalabas ako ay unang nakapansin sa akin ang secretary ko kaya mabilis siyang tumayo at yumuko ng bahagya.

"I'll go. Call Mr. Lee that I'll see him in the restaurant," habilin ko na tinanguan niya pero bigla siyang napatingin sa likuran ko.

I know Zale went out. Napatingin rin sa gawi namin ang mga empleyado sa malapit. I remained my straight face.

"I'll call Mr. Lee's secretary, Ma'am," my secretary said before walking towards the elevator.

Our building has two elevators. I added one exclusive for me and for the VIP's but it's still under construction. Nang bumukas ang elevator ay marami na ang sakay sa loob. Kaagad silang nagsitabi kaya walang reaksyon lang akong pumasok sa loob.

This day could have been good if Dad did not visit.

And d*mn.

I can't forget about the kiss.

It's fine, right.

I'll revise our contract. We can kiss if it's needed since we are really acting as a couple. It's his conscience not mine. I am not the one who's committed.

After an hour of driving I arrived at the restaurant where my important meeting will be. I did five meetings in that same restaurant and I spent how many hours for those. Gabi na ng matapos ang huling meeting ko. I decided not to report in the office because it's already eight and I badly want to sleep.

Nang makalabas ako sa restaurant ay namataan ko ang isang designer's store a hindi kalayuan. I sighed before walking towards that store even though I badly want to rest.

"Miss Navrus, welcome, Ma'am," the sales lady said so I nodded at her.

She immediately guided me towards their new stocks.

"Love, ang ganda nito," a girly voice said.

Bahagya akong bumagal sa paglalakad kung sino ang nasa harap. The Zale Villanueva and a woman who might be his fiancee.

"Ma'am, these are our new stocks. They just arrived today," the sales lady presented so I nodded before looking at the bag. Lumabas na rin ang manager ng store saka bumati sa akin.

I smiled at her.

Iyon ang dahilan kung bakit napalingon sa akin ang ibang tumitingin.

"We can give you a very good discount, Ma'am. Do you want to have tea first while you are choosing?" the manager asked so I shook my head.

"No thanks, hindi naman ako magtatagal," sabi ko saka tumingin sa nakahilerang bags.

Nahinto ang tingin ko sa pulang bag na nasa harapan ni Zale at nang kasama niya. Zale's eyes and mine met but I immediately look away before walking towards the red bag that I want.

"Love, ang mahal," I heard the woman say.

Akma kong kukunin ang bag pero nauna niya itong hawakan. Bahagyang napataas ang kilay saka napatingin sa babae na tila nanghihinayang at nahihiya. She hugged Zale's waist like that d*mn guy could help. I slightly check the woman's face.

She's not beautiful but she is not ugly, either. She's just tall. Too plain.

Pairap akong tumingin sa manager.

"Do you still have the same bag?" I asked before walking towards their jewelry collection.

"Yes, Ma'am. We will get it for you," she answered so I nodded.

Wala sa sariling napatingin ako sa gawi ni Zale. I saw him curiously eyeing me. Bahagyang naningkit ang mga mata ko saka bumaling ako sa kasama niya na abala sa kakatingin sa bag na pareho ng gusto kong bilhin. Mabilis rin akong nag-iwas ng tingin saka tinuon ko na lang ang pansin ko sa mga alahas.

"Wow, this is good. Can I try?" I said when I saw the beautiful necklace with a big red diamond pendant.

Kaagad iyong kinuha ng mga staff at inabot sa akin. Sinuot ko iyon at dahan-dshan akong lumapit sa full lenght mirror nila na nasa tabi lang nila Zale. Nasagi ko pa ang balikat niya nang maglakad ako palapit pero hindi ko siya tinapunan ng tingin.

"I'll get this and that bag, too," sabi ko saka mabilis na bumalik sa manager.

Kaagad nilang inayos ang bibilhin ko kaya komportable muna akong umupo sa sofa nila habang nagjhihintay.

"Buy that one, I'll pay," Napataas ang kilay ko ng marinig ang mga katagang iyon.

Really? He'll buy a bag worth half a million?

Napangisi ako saka napairap.

"Are you sure?"

I rolled my eyes once again. At ilang sandali lang ay may umupo sa harap ko. Hindi ko pa man din tinitingnan ay alam ko na kung sino iyon.

Why are you staring at me, Mister?

"Ma'am, it's all ready," the manager said before giving me the two yellow paper bags. I immediately nodded before giving her my black credit card. Saglit siyang nawaka at nang bumalik siya ay tumayo na kaagad ako.

"Thanks," I said before exiting the store.

Nang makarating ako sa penthouse ko ay kaagad akong nakatulog sa sobrang pagod. At hindi ko maiwasang hilingin na sana maging maayos ang araw kinabukasan tulad ng palagi ko hinihiling. If miracle is true then I hope miracle will happen.

But it didn't.

I woke up late. Nagising lang ako sa tawag ng secretary ko na pinaalala ang magiging meeting ko ngayon. A team will present and my presence is important. Yet the meeting will start in a minute and I just woke up.

I curse and I hurriedly fix myself.

Hindi na ako nakapag-breakfast sa sobrang pagmamadali. And my anger management was tested when I got stuck in traffic. So in the end, I was two hours late. And since they can't start without me, they all waited for me.

Sobrang tahimik ng lahat nang makapasok ako sa conference room. Bigla silang napaayos ng tayo kaya sinuyod ko ng tingin ang lahat ng nandito. Pero bahagyang nagtagal ang mga mata ko kay Zale na seryosong nagmamasid sa akin.

How could I forget that he's one of the finance heads so he must be really here today?

I acted cool. Umupo ako sa gitna saka tumango sa kanila.

"Please start," I said before sligtly motioned my hand for the hard copy of their presentation.

"Here," Zale suddenly said. Bahagya niyang nilapit ang folder sa akin. He's sitting beside me. Not really beside me since I am sitting in the middle. But he's close to me.

Kaagad kong inabot ang binigay niya saka binuklat iyon. The presenter started but I can't concentrate since I am really hungry.

I motioned my secretary to come closer.

"Make me some coffee, please. And some croissant will do," I said and she immediately obliged.

Napahilot ako sa noo ko kalaunan at tuluyan nang lumagpas sa kabilang tainga ko ang pumapasok sa kabila. I just ate light dinner last night. And it doesn't help that I skipped breakfast today.

Nang buksan ko ang mga mata ko ay tinuon ko iyon sa slide. But I can't just concentrate.

"Here," Zale suddenly murmured. Rinig na rinig ko iyon dahil ang lapit namin kaya nilingon ko siya kaagad.

Naabutan ko siyang nagbubukas ang isang bottled water at matapos niyang buksan ay inilahad niya sa akin. Tiningnan ko iyon sandali bago kinuha. While I'm drinking that I noticed that the presenter stopped. At lahat sila ngayon ay napalingon sa amin na parang may inaabangan.

"Continue," I said after drinking and I cleared my throat.

Napalunok lahat nang napalingon sa amin at ang nagsasalita sa gitna ay tila natatarantang nagpatuloy.

Marahan kong nilahad kay Zale pabalik ang bote dahil nasa kanya ang takip. And I sarcastically glared at him when he drank on the same water.

"Seriously?" inis na bulong ko kaya umiling lang siya saka tinakpan ang tubig na nakalahati na niya.

Patago na lang akong umirap at mabuti na lang dahil dumating na si Ann dala ang mga hiningi ko kaya doon ako bumaling habang bahagyang nakikinig.

After the presentation I slowly shook my head in disagreement. Yes, I might not understand the presentation well but I still don't like it.

It's good but I want the best.

"Repeat everything," malamig na sambit ko kaya namutla ang presenter.

"We presented the report this whole month, Ma'am. And we also added some new—"

I cut the presenter off.

"I said repeat your reports. Hindi iyan ang gusto kong marinig," I coldly said.

Isa-isa kong tiningnan ang mga nandito. Working for Navrus Corporation isn't easy and I know they knew that.

"Let's end this meeting," I said so everyone stood up including me.

Pinauna ko silang lumabas kaya napatingin muna ako sa phone ko. At nang bahagya kong maamoy ang pamilyar na panlalaking bango ay wala sa sarili akong napatingin sa katabi ko. I saw Zale and I found him watching me. Maliban sa kanya ay nakatingin rin sa amin ang iba pa na hindi pa tuluyang nakakalabas ng conference room.

"Are you busy?" he casually asked so I smirked in amazement.

Pinapangatawanan niya ba na girlfriend na ako? Is this because some of my employees saw us holding hands yesterday?

"I am. I'll message you later," I said before keeping my phone.

Mas lalong nadagdagan ng mangha ang mga mata niya pero hindi ko na iyon pinuna pa at lumabas na nang conference room at tuloy-tuloy na dumiretso sa opisina ko. My clean office welcomed me. Wala sa sariling napatingin ako sa pwesto kung saan kami aksidenteng natumba kahapon.

I rolled my eyes because I could picture ourselves kissing inside my head.

Nang makaupo ako sa swivel chair ko ay muli kong nilabas ang phone ko. Hinanap ko ang hindi naka-save na number ni Zale sa phone ko. I saved his number and I immediately typed my message.

To Mr. Villanueva:

We'll meet tomorrow. I need to discuss something about our contract.

Nang ma-send ko iyon ay akma kong itatago muli ang cellphone ko pero bigla itong nag-vibrate. I scoffed when I saw his name on my notifications.

Mabilis kong binuksan ang reply niya.

Mr. Villanueva:

Where? Sunday bukas.

I smirked.

Me:

I'll just text the address. Do you know that I don't allow my employees to use their phones while working? Are you disobeying my company's rules, Mr. Villanueva?

I thought he wouldn't reply because of my message but after a couple of seconds he still did.

Mr. Villanueva:

Fine, I'm sorry, Ma'am. Your lipstick is uneven, by the way.

Napailing na lang ako at tuluyan nang binaba ang cellphone ko. Wala sa sarili akong kumuha ng salamin sa bag ko para tingnan ang labi ko. Napangiwi ako nang makita na hindi nga pantay ang paglalagay ko ng lipstick.

But why did he notice this?