C6 - New Chairman.

“Mommy, can we go out now?” ungot ni Maliah pagkagising na pagkagising pa lang nito.

Arianna was back in their hotel. Kaya naman sinusulit niyang makasama ulit ang anak na ilang araw niyang tiniis na hindi makita nang personal.

“You can always go out with Tita Daisy, Maliah,” sagot niyang hinahaplos ang ulo nito. 

Maliah will be okay as long as she was not seen with her by either Dominic or Bianca. Hindi naman kasi niya kamukha ang anak. Pero syempre kapag nakita ito na kasama niya, it would easily be guessed na anak niya ito. Lalo na nga at limang taon siyang nawala. 

“But I want to be with you,” ngumuso ang anak niya.

“We can’t be seen together yet, anak. But I promise you, once Mommy is done with the bad guys, we’ll go around together before we go back to the States.”

“You are not changing your mind?” malungkot nitong tanong.

“I’m sorry, Maliah. Babawi si mommy, okay? It’s just that now, it’s dangerous for you to be seen with me.”

There was really no threat to her life for now. 

But her dad’s lawyer specifically told her to take care of herself when she comes back. Bilin daw iyon ng kanyang ama. Kaya hindi niya maisantabi ang kahit na anong maliit na bagay. Lalo na ngayon na hindi siya kumbinsido sa iniwang kasulatan ni Samuel.

She should keep her guards up no matter what. 

—

There was a scheduled shareholder’s meeting at AL Jewel’s headquarters the next day. Arianna should go. 

Hindi pa niya nakakausap si Alistair Miller and thought that the meeting was a good chance. 

“Did Mr. Miller confirm his attendance?” Ariana asked Robert, Samuel’s assistant. 

Arianna wouldn’t replace her father as the Chairman because Dominic held more shares than she did. At mas pabor din sa lalaki ang ibang shareholders gawa ng naniniwala ang mga ito na pinili ito ng kanyang ama. At siya na wala sa bansa at hindi nakialam sa pagpapatakbo ng kompanya ay walang boses para magdesisyon kahit pa siya ang dapat na tagapagmana. 

But because she was the daughter of the previous Chairman and she was supposed to be the current’s fiancee, she still had their respect. 

“His secretary would represent him,” sagot naman ni Robert. Dahil dadalhin ni Dominic ang sarili nitong assistant sa bago nitong posisyon, maiiwan sa kanya si Robert.

Well, Arianna wanted it that way. And Robert, who initially worried about reporting to Dominic, preferred working for her instead.

Willing ito na turuan siya bilang pagpapatuloy ng serbisyo nito sa kanyang ama na labis nitong ikinalungkot ang biglaang pagkawala. 

“Find a way to talk to the secretary later. Or whenever you get the chance. But do it secretly. I want a meeting with Mr. Miller.”

“Got it, Ms. Lucero.”

For now, ang pag-asa niya ay nakadepende sa lalaki.

“Get me files about him as well.”

Saglit siyang pinangunutan ng noo ni Robert na wari ba’y nagtataka ito. Pero mabilis din itong tumango bago nagpaalam na aayusin ang kailangan niya. 

At the meeting, hindi masyadong nagsalita si Arianna. Of course, who would want her opinion on anything? Wala. But that was fine, she just watched as Dominic was formally named as the new Chairman of AL Jewels. 

Masama ang loob niya. But she held back her true feelings. Even if she was surprised that Bianca held a seven percent share in the company. She worried that even if she was successful in buying off Mr. Miller’s shares, if Bianca would give hers to Dominic, they would simply be three percent apart. Dominic can easily come close or even surpass the total percentage by buying the others’ shares.

Pero saka na niya iintindihin iyon. Mas importante sa kanya ngayon na makausap muna si Alistair Miller. As a backup plan though, she thought she should create a good impression with the other shareholders. Especifically, those who held a significant number of shares.

“Your father passed away so suddenly,” a middle-aged man who seemed to be a few years younger than Samuel approached her by the end of the meeting. 

Arianna remembered him as Mr. Hermoso. Five percent ang hawak nitong company shares. 

“It must have been hard for you,” patuloy nito. 

“It’s the way of life, Mr. Hermoso,” sagot niya. “We will all go. It’s just a matter of how and when.” 

Ngumiti ito. “I apologize for not being able to come during his wake. I was out of the country with my family the whole time.”

“My dad surely understood why you were not able to come.” 

“I bet he did. Mr. Lucero was the kindest. Samuel always talked about you even when you are not here. Come to me when you need anything in the future,” he gently patted her arm before saying goodbye. 

She surely would. However, hindi siya sigurado kung pagbibigyan siya nito sakaling sabihin niyang gusto niyang bilhin ang shares nito sa kompanya. 

“Mentor ang turing ni Mr. Hermoso kay Tito Samuel,” sabi ni Bianca na nilapitan siya. “He really wanted to be a part of the company so he bought shares.”

Pakiwari ni Arianna ay indirect nitong sinasabi sa kanya that Mr. Hermoso wouldn't give up his shares. Mind reader na ba ang ex-bff niya?

“Hindi ko alam na interesado ka rin sa kompanya, Bi. Your seven percent surprised me.” Truth be told, wala ito sa listahan na una niyang nabasa. Did she just recently acquire her shares?

“Narealize ko na may hilig ako sa mga alahas. So nacurious ako kung paano patakbuhin ang ganitong negosyo.”

“Sadly, your seven percent won’t allow you to manage the company.”

“I know. I just wanted to be a part of it. Just like Mr. Hermoso.” Tapos ay kinuha nito’t hinawakan ang mga kamay niya. “Arianna, come back home. Even if I own the house now, I can’t bear to make you leave for good. It’s also your house. Remember when you made me live there? You said I should consider it as my house too. Let me return the favor now, hmn?”

‘What a joke!’ Arianna thought. Besides, babawiin niya ang bahay. Hahayaan niya lang munang isipin nito na gini-give up na niya iyon.

“It’s fine, Bi. I might go back to the States soon.”

“Can’t we go back to being best friends, Arianna? I missed the old times when you treat me like your sister. I feel like we’re so far apart now,” kunwa’y tila maiiyak pa si Bianca.

“I don’t remember saying you are no longer my best friend, Bi,” she mustered her fakest smile. “Just now, I wanted to be on my own. Watch Dom for me, okay?”

Tumango ito at yumakap pa sa kanya. Hindi niya kailangang makita ang mukha nito para sabihing may ngiti ng tagumpay na nakapaskil sa mga labi nito.

Well, she was no longer the naive girl back then. Kaya na rin niyang magpanggap at sabayan ang pagbabait-baitan nito.