Kabanata 1

I parked my black Bugatti Veyron at the parking lot of our company. It was still 6 o'clock in the morning and I need to be at my office at exactly 7. I still have an hour but I was never a fan of late comers. Early bird catches the worm, that's what they said and I personally believe in that. Wala namang mangyayaring maganda sa pagiging late kundi ang pagsisisi sa opportunity na lumampas sayo just because you don't have a sense of timeliness.

 I took one last classy look on myself in the rear view mirror before I gracefully stepped outside my car. 

I looked at my phone when I felt that it suddenly vibrated. It was a message from my sister.

Theania Faye:

Ate sabi ni mama agahan mo daw umuwi at ihahanda mo pa ang mga gamit mo para bukas. I am really excited, oh my ghad.

I shook my head when I read her message and slid my phone back to my shoulder bag as I continued walking. How I wish I can feel the same intense excitement.

I confidently walked inside the construction company where I am working, wearing my red turtle neck sweater partnered with black formal pants and a coat. It was already in the mid of November and the Christmas season is coming ahead, the chilling breeze is a living warning of it. I also wore a black 4 inches stilleto to complete my outfit. I let my jet black hair fall freely as my lips stays in its usual bloody red shade matte lipstick. 

Sunod sunod akong binati ng mga emplayado sa loob ng building na iyon hanggang sa makasakay ako ng elevator. I remain walking ahead, not even paying a glance to anyone.

There were employees in the elevator when I stepped inside. All of them greeted me with a smile. Ang iba rito ay kusang lumabas ng elevator para bigyan ako ng maluwang na espasyo. Halos wala ng matira pa sa loob. My eyebrow mentally rose up.

It’s still surprising that someone has the courage to share the elevator with me today.

Tinanguan ko lamang ng tipid ang mga taong naiwan sa loob. Alam kong hindi ko na kailangan pang pindutin ang floor na pupuntahan ko dahil ginawa na nila ito para sa akin, everyone here knows where I am heading.

"Good Morning, Ms. Blythe," bati sakin ng isang babaeng nakasuot ng puting long sleeve polo at black pencil skirt, my secretary. She is standing beside the door of my office. 

Tumabi ito para bigyan ako ng daan papasok sa opisina. Agad din naman itong sumunod sa pagpasok ko. 

I put my classic     Louis Vuitton bag at my table as I sat comfortably at my swivel chair. Inangat ko ang tingin sa aking sekretarya na nakatayo sa tapat ng mesa ko. 

I saw the glimpse of nervousness in her eyes the moment I looked at her.

I secretly smirked.

That’s right. Fear me.

“Get ready for the morning meeting. I want everything to be settled at exactly seven,” I commanded as I pulled one of the documents in my desk.

“Y-yes, Miss Blythe. Do you still need anything more?”

Umiling ako at hindi na siya muling pinagtuunan ng pansin hanggang sa makalabas siya ng opisina ko.

“YOU have the guts to flaunt in front of me that you’re all professionals after giving me this crap? Are you all kidding me?”

I gasped in annoyance as I threw the portfolio containing the proposed design for our company’s new project in the middle of the long table.

The five employees that are here with me fell silent immediately, refusing to do anything that may fuel up the anger I have.

“I hired you for this project because I thought you have something behind those sleeves yet you’re giving me this? “ Hinilot ko ang sintido ko. I thought I’d be getting a progress for this project today. Damn.

“We’re so sorry not to meet your expectations, M-Miss Blythe,” one of the architects said.

Inilipat ko ang tingin sa kanya kaya naman napatigil siya at napalunok.

“Your sorry won’t help this company so stop playing amateurs,” puno ng diin kong sabi at tinignan sila isa-isa. “You are all professional architects and not a highschooler to send me those kinds of designs. It’s such a disgrace for your degrees!”

“If you can’t revise those things before leaving to work today, then, the first thing that I am expecting tomorrow is your resignation letter.” 

I can hear some whispers and complaint from some of them as I walked outside the conference room sassily but as a woman with class, there’s no way that I’ll be paying attention to those unharmful words.

“What’s my next appointment, Anastacia?” Tanong ko sa sekretarya ko ng halos malapit na kami sa opisina ko.

"Ms. Blythe you have a meeting schedule with Alcantaras later at nine o'clock—"

Napatigil ito nang biglang akong humarap. She gulped as she stared back at me. 

"Alcantaras? Bakit ako ang makikipagmeeting? Hindi ba at ang COO ang dapat na haharap sa kanila? Where the hell is she again?"

"M-Ms. Blythe may emergency daw po si Ms. Helga kaya po hindi sya makakapasok," kinakabahang saad ng secretary ko habang nakayuko.

I sighed and closed my eyes in irritation. Dumagdag pa ang bruhang ito sa inis ko.

I grabbed my phone and dialed that woman's number as I entered my office.

 "Leave and get me some coffee," I told to my secretary before turning my back at her.

Nakailang ring pa ito bago sumagot ang nasa kabilang linya. 

"Nasaan ka nanaman? Saang bar ka nanaman nagpunta kagabi at sino nanamang lalaki ang kasama mo? Don't give me an 'emergency' excuse as if I'll buy that, Helga. Where the hell are you?" Sunod-sunod na litanya ko rito nang sagutin niya ang tawag

"Oh, yes. Good morning din sayo, bitch. I know you won't buy my excuse, I just want to pissed the hell out of you and guess what, I did," sinabayan nya pa ng nakakainis na tawa iyon kaya naman lalong uminit ang ulo ko. 

“I was just in a high class bar somewhere in Metro last night and woke up in a hotel with some random guy. Kakauwi ko lang at balak kong matulog buong umaga."

Napairap na lang ako dahil sa pinagsasabi nito. "Helga, you have to meet the Alcantaras, they are a big catch. Hindi mahalaga ang tulog mo sa mga oras na ito. You need to close this deal," matigas na asik ko rito.

“That is why you're there, Blythe. Pwede namang ikaw na ang umattend doon tutal ikaw naman ang CEO," tumawa itong muli na parang sinasadya nya talagang inisin ako. "Huwag ka na mainis, Ms. Blythe, bawal sa iyo ‘yan."

Alam naman niyang bawal sakin pero halos araw araw nya akong iniinis. 

What slutty annoying lunatic.

"Helga, you need to be here today. You know that I'll be leaving," seryosong pahayag ko pa dito.

I heard her chuckled, "I know that. I'll be there in the afternoon. Wag kang masyadong mag-alala. Bye," she said as she hung up.

Bumuga ako ng hangin habang tinitignan ang cellphone ko. 

She is the Chief Operating Officer of Demi Lune Construction Company, the company we built together. She’s also a good friend of mine pero madalas din na sumasakit ang ulo ko dahil sa kanya. She is a party-whore. Maasahan sya sa trabaho at paghahandle pero mas madalas pa talaga siyang pumasok sa bar kaysa pumasok sa trabaho. Sanay naman na ako sa kanya pero minsan hindi ko mapigilang mainis lalo na kapag sinasadya niyang gumawa ng ikakainit ng ulo ko. But then, despite of her absence, I know that she is always there when I need her hand in this company.

Hinayaan ko na lang siya at ibinaling ang buong atensyon ko sa mga bagay na kailangang asikasuhin sa kumpanya. I checked some project proposals together with the budget that is needed to be sign for this month. I also attended the meeting with Alcantaras, it happens to end smoothly after almost two hours. 

I was massaging my temple as I went back to my office to have some rest.

 It is undeniably a tiring job but its fine with me. I am just too grateful that this job can make me lure my mind to think something else than to remember how miserable my life had become because of my own stupid decisions. Mabuti pa sa trabaho, tama ang mga desisyong nagagawa ko.

Inangat ko ang paningin ko nang marinig ko ang pagbukas nito. I saw Helga walking toward me while holding a paper bag on her right hand. Nakita ko ang tatak ng sikat na restaurant doon kaya naman alam kong pagkain ang laman ng kanyang dala.

"Alam mo ikaw, masyado kang workaholic. Aalis ka na nga at lahat lahat hindi ka pa magpahinga. Sumasakit ang ulo ko sayo. Oh ayan," she lend me the paper bag.

"Kumain ka na. Baka sabihin ng mama mo kinawawa ka dito sa trabaho."

I smiled as I grabbed the bag and prepared my food. It was all vegetarian foods. I annoyingly looked at her. "Anong tingin mo sa akin? Kambing?" 

She smiled sweetly at me, "Live a healthy life, Blythe." Alam ko namang seryoso siya doon pero parang pang-aasar pa din ang dating sa akin. Neverthless, I still ate it ‘cause I know she’s right.

Tinignan niya ang mga papeles na nasa desk ko habang kinakain ko ang mga dala nya. She’s scanning it thoroughly. Looking at her right now, you could see a real business woman aura.

"Okay ka lang ba dito kapag wala ako?" I asked her out of no where. I know she can handle it but I just want to ask.

She looked at me. “Graduate din ako ng business degree, Blythe. Do you really need to ask that?" She asked back. I saw how a gost of grin appeared on her lips.

"Ikaw dapat ang tanungin niyan. Okay ka na bang bumalik doon? Are you ready to face them now?"

Natahimik ako sa tanong niya kaya naman mataman niya akong tinitignan. No trace of humor reflects her eyes. It’s not surprising since she knew what I’ve been through before I got where I am today.

“Ano bang ikinakatakot mo? All you need do is to close that chapter of your life, Blythe. Wala ka ng ibang dapat gawin sa pagbabalik mo bukod doon.”

THOSE words from Helga lingered in my mind until I went home. Nandito na ako sa tapat ng bahay namin pero hindi ko magawang bumaba ng sasakyan. I am still asking myself if I am ready to see that place again and I just couldn't find any answer from myself. It is frustrating the hell out of me.

I irritatedly grabbed my bag on the passenger's seat and pulled a tissue and a make up remover. I quickly removed my makeup especially my bloody red lipstick. I don't want to enter the house wearing those makeups ‘cause I'll be going home and that means I should be home while being myself and the real me doesn't include this bitchy things. 

I slipped outside my car and walked toward our house. We're not living inside a mansion, even though I liked to move my parents into that kind of house, they just couldn't take leaving this. Our house is just a simple two-storey house inside an average subdivision but it really felt home. Madalang na lang ako umuwi dito, kahit kasi gaano ko kagusto ay hindi ko magawa dahil na rin sa dami ng trabaho sa opisina. 

Pagpasok ko pa lang ay amoy na amoy ko na ang nilulutong pagkain ni mama. I saw my father and my sister playing chess in the living room. I kissed them both and went to my mother to hug her before I made my way upstairs.

Umupo ako sa kama ko at inisip ang mga bagay na mangyayari kinabukasan. Iniisip ko kung para saan ba ang takot na nararamdaman ko. I am Blythe Mnemosyne and I have everything I dreamt before. No one can shake the ground I am standing. No one can bring me down easily, so, I just couldn’t accept the fact why am I afraid to face those people especially that person I am longing to see for almost a decade now.