Chapter 1

"What the fuck is wrong with you? I gave you one job and you can't even do it properly!" galit na galit na ani ni Gideon sa empleyado n'yang nanginginig na sa takot.

"I'm sorry, Si—"

"Will your sorry fix everything? WILL YOUR SORRY BRINGS BACK THE CLIENTS THAT WE LOSE? YOU'RE SO CARELESS! MY GOD, WHAT WERE YOU EVEN THINKING? ISANG TRABAHO NALANG GINAGAWA MO HINDI MO PA MAGAWA NG TAMA. YOU'RE FIRED!" he's so furious that if you'll say even one word, you will die.

"No, sir. I need this job, sir. Please don't fire me, ibabalik ko po yung mga client na nawala, sir." lumuluha pa habang umiiyak na ani ng kawawang empleyado n'ya pero Gideon is named as the ruthless one in business world, wala siyang kinakaawaan.

"You can't bring back those important clients. Isang simpleng trabaho nga hindi mo magawa, maibalik pa kaya yung mga importanteng kliyente ko? Get lost before I tell the guards to drag you out." umiyak lang ng umiyak ang dalaga at nauubusan na ng sobrang pasensya si Gideon.

"I SAID GET OUT!" dahil sa takot, dali-daling lumabas ang dalaga.

Napaupo naman si Gideon sa swivel chair nito at napahawak sa sentido. He lived in his own perfection and his father's validation so everything needs to be perfect, he can't stand failure, he actually hates the idea of failure.

Gideon was shutting his eyes closed, thinking of ways on how to get back those important clients that his careless employee lost when his phone rang. It was his dad.

Nag iisip pa si Gideon kung sasagutin nya ba yung tawag or hindi. Gideon is sure na nakarating na sa papa n'ya yung balita na he failed to win those clients. Napabuntong hininga nalang si Gideon at sinagot ang tawag.

"Hey, dad" walang emosyon ang boses nito pag sagot nito sa tawag.

"Son, what happened?" bungad agad nito na tanong sakanya na mas lalong nakapagpa stress kay Gideon.

"I don't want to talk about it, dad"

"No! That was so careless of you to lose a very important clients" and here we go.

"It was my employee who lost that clients, dad, not me." ani nito habang nagpipigil ng galit.

"I don't care. You're the boss so you should've taken care of it on your own since that client is a very big one. Is this your way of saying na you can be on your own because if this is, I'm so disappointed in you" at binaba na ng daddy n'ya yung tawag.

Napabuntong hininga nalang si Gideon para mapakalma ang sarili.

"When did I even make you proud?" usal n'ya habang nakatingin sa cellphone n'ya.

His father is the tough father. In order for you to be good in your choosen path, you should be perfect in everything. Since he was a child, he never experienced being told "I'm proud of you, son" by his father, it's always "I want something more, you can do more than that" so growing up he has this hobby of telling himself to be perfect in everything he'll do for his father.

"Hey, bud" napabalik sa sarili si Gideon ng may nagsalita sa harap n'ya, it's Anthony, his best friend since he was a child.

"Hey," matamlay na sagot naman nito. Anthony narrowed his eyebrow by the sound that Gideon gave him.

"What's with the sound of your voice? You have a problem?" he asked while staring directly to Gideon's eyes.

"It's your father again, isn't it? He's pressuring you again? Come on, Gideon. Stop living into your father's validation. You already started something on your own, you are a CEO of your own big company. You're a successful billionaire, everyone is proud of who you became and what you've reach" pagpapatuloy ni Anthony nang mabasa nito ang emosyon sa mata ni Gideon.

"But not my father." Gideon said na nakapagpa buntong hininga sa binata.

"I know pero you don't have to pressure yourself just for him, para maging perfect ka sa paningin niya. You're his son, kapag natutunan mong huwag pansinin ang sasabihin ng daddy mo and you'll start to do things for yourself, I'm sure makikita n'ya lahat ng paghihirap mo and one day magiging proud din yan sayo" seryoso pang usal nito. Medyo natawa si Gideon.

"You're so serious, bud. Bagay sayo maging psychology kesa maging medical doctor. Quit being a doctor and start learning about psychology, it suits you." Pang aasar pa nito sa gitna ng seryosong advice sakanya ni Anthony.

"You're making everything as a joke again but think about what I said. I care about you, bud, I've seen you suffer since we were a kid", napabuntong hininga nalang si Gideon.

"Anyway, I came here to say na nag aya si Christian mag bar mamaya." ani nito na medyo nagulat si Gideon.

"That's new. Christian rarely invites us to go clubbing. What's up with him? What's the occasion?" Gideon seriously ask.

"He won his biggest case." ani ni Anthony habang may kinakalikut na naman sa cellphone nito.

"That explains. Sige, sasama ako, I need to freshen my mind from all the things that happened today." He said. Napatingin naman sakanya si Anthony.

"What?" Gideon curiously asked when Anthony gave him a malicious look.

"Girls tonight?" he knew it, Anthony being Anthony.

"No, you know I don't do that. Teka nga, why are you here? No patient at your hospital that needed your help?" That's Gideon's way of saying na umalis na si Anthony sa harapan n'ya.

"I wouldn't be here if I have. It's my day off, I deserve a day off, don't you think? I've been a hard working doctor since last month to the point that I don't have time to bang girls" sabi nito na para bang sobrang worst na pinagdadaanan na nya yun.

"It's your hospital, Anthony. You literally have the right to make your own schedule"

"That's not how it works, my friend. I'm a doctor, I save lives and I won't change my schedule just because I want to bang a girl. Duty first before anything else." Anthony loves his profession more than anything else, more than having sex with girls.

Napailing-iling naman si Gideon sa kaibigan n'ya, tarantado man si Anthony when it comes to girls but when it comes to saving lives, he's so good at it that he would sacrifice his life just to save his patients life.

Bago paman nila matuloy ang pag uusap nila, biglang nag ring ang telepono sa table ni Gideon.

"Sir, the clients gave us a chance. The Singapore airline and Japan airline, regarding with what happened earlier, they are giving us chance about our proposal. They set another meeting with you, and that would be tomorrow." ani ng secretary nito.

"That's good, Lyster. Thank you, I appreciate your hard work in convincing them to give us another chance." he said smiling about the news.

"No problem, sir. It's my job." ani nito at binaba na n'ya ang tawag.

Nakita naman n'yang nakatingin sakanya si Anthony na parang proud ito sakanya. Seryoso ang mukhang tinaasan n'ya ito ng kilay.

"Bud, the raising of eyebrows on me is so girlish" sabay tawa nito.

"Loko-loko ka talaga."

"I'm just so proud of you. You appreciate other people's hard work so much. I guess you're not as ruthless as they said you were" sabay ngiti nito sakanya.

"Bud, are you flirting with me? You're so gross." at tinawanan lang siya nito.

"HOW ABOUT I KISS YOU HERE?" and then he kissed her in her cheeks, "and here" in her nose, "and here" in her eyes, "and finally, here" her lips. His kissing her like it was the best lips he ever tasted and he holds her like sweet little glass that if he will let go of her, she will break.

"CHEF!" nagising si Matilda sa panaginip n'ya ng may tumawag sakanya. Naalimpungatan pa siya at medyo nainis kasi ginising siya kung saan malapit n'ya ng makilala kung sino yung lalaking palaging nasa panaginip n'ya.

"What is it Ava?" a bit irritated can be sense in her voice. Ava is her personal assistant and a waiter in her restaurant, if that makes sense.

"I'm sorry to wake you, Chef, but we need you in the kitchen, there's so many customers outside." sabi nito kaya naman dali-daling tumayo si Matilda at lumabas na and true to Ava's word, madami na nga'ng customers.

Matilda usually don't help around the kitchen but if her help is needed, she will gladly help her employees. She has the best chefs in her restaurant but if they need her, she wouldn't hesitate to help.

Habang nagluluto siya ng orders bigla na namang lumapit si Ava sakanya.

"Chef, it's your mom." tiningnan n'ya ito ng masama kasi ayaw ni Matilda na dini-distorbo siya kapag mas trabaho siya kaya nginitian nalang siya ng alanganin ni Ava.

"Yes, mom?" sagot n'ya rito sa kabilang linya.

"You're working?"

"Obviously, yes", one of Matilda's pet peeve is asking the obvious.

"You know you can't work yet" her mom's angry voice won't scare her.

"Mom, it's been five months since my accident. Cooking won't make me bleed. I'm fine, let me do my thing, I got this." assuring her mother but knowing her mom, she wouldn't stop until she convince her to stop working and just sit in her office.

"No—"

"Okay, mom. Bye, enjoy your trip with dad, have a great day in Spain" she said and hung up the phone. She gave the phone to Ava and instructed her to not answer the phone if it's her mom or dad.

Three hours later and it's finally their closing time. Nakita ni Matilda kung paano kapagod yung mga chefs and waiters n'ya kaya tumayo siya and clapped for them.

"You guys did a great job today, I'm so proud of you all." at pumalakpak pa siya ng mas malakas na sinabayan na rin nilang lahat. Matilda is very appreciative kind of a person, she sees the goodness and the positivity of everyone and everything so whenever she'll have a chance to clap for them for such a great work, she always do.

Papasok na siya sa office n'ya to get ready to go home when her phone rang, it was Mary.

"Hey Maria" pang aasar nya dito. Ayaw ni Mary na tinatawag siyang Maria kasi feeling nya mas lalo siyang bumabanal.

"Don't call me, Maria. Napaka makasalanan kong tao na may banal na pangalan. Anyway, we'll pick you up tonight. We're gonna go party." excited pang ani nito.

"What? I can't—" hindi n'ya pa natutuloy yung sasabihin nya, sumapaw na si Mary.

"Oh no, Mati girl. We won't accept no this time. You deserve to have fun so let's go. We'll be there in 20 minutes so you better be dressed and all, I know you have some spare clothes in your car or locker so bye, see you" sabat nito at binaba na agad ang tawag. Wala nang nagawa si Matilda.

At exactly 20 minutes dumating na sila Mary at Emily. Ang laki ng ngiti nila habang si Matilda naman ay nagkukunwaring wala sa mood.

"Oh come on, Mati. You deserve to have a break and do some party. It's my birthday" ani naman ni Mary na alam ni Matilda na nagsisinungaling ito.

"I know your birthday and it's not today." Natawa nalang silang tatlo.

"I'm just kidding, my love." Mary became suddenly sweet and hugged her from the side para paamuhin. That's their way of saying na 'we missed you and just want to hang out with you'.

"Fine, just make sure I'll enjoy this" and that makes the both of them cheered.

GIDEON is drinking his scotch whiskey when a girl approach him.

"Hi handsome, wanna dance?" the girl seductively ask him.

"No, now get off me." He rudely said pero the girl, as being attracted to Gideon, she refused to accept that and continues to flirt with Gideon.

"Woman, I said get off. I don't want your filthy hands on me" saad ni Gideon at siya na ang tumayo ng ayaw talaga paawat ng dalaga.

Bumalik na si Gideon sa table nilang magbabarkada at lahat ng barkada n'ya may kasamang babae.

"Come on, Gideon. Get some girl." Pang aaya ni Mark sakanya, isa sa mga barkada n'yang uhaw din sa babae.

Tiningnan n'ya lang ito ng masama para ipahiwatig na ayaw n'ya.

"Fine, sabi ko nga huwag" sabi nito habang nakataaas pa ang dalawang kamay na parang sumusuko na.

Gideon was peacefully drinking and having a fun talk with his friends when he spotted someone from the crowd.

Napansin ng mga kaibigan n'ya ang pagtahimik nya at sinundan ng mga ito kung saan siya nakatingin and when they saw who's Gideon was looking at, they smiled.

"She's pretty, buddy. Why don't you approach her?" Anthony said while still looking at the woman.

"No, cr lang ako" hindi na nagsalita pa sila at hinayaan nalang si Gideon na umalis.

Matilda was having and fun and already drunk when she decided go to women's comfort room.

"Girls, cr lang ako" paalam nya sa mga ito na mga lasing na rin. Pasuray-suray si Matilda habang naglalakad papuntang cr. Kung sino-sino nalang ang kinakawayan n'ya at nginingitian.

"Hi, beautiful, wanna make out?" flirty na tanong pa ng lalaking nadaanan n'ya.

"You're cute" ngiti n'ya pa rito sabay lapit para sana hawakan ito pero may bumunggo sakanya.

Muntikan nang matumba ang dalaga buti nalang at nahawakan siya nung lalaking kausap nito. Sinamaan n'ya ng tingin ang bumangga sakanila pero nang tingnan n'ya ito, napatulala nalang siya at hindi makapag salita. Ang dating lasing na lasing na Matilda ay parang nabuhusan ng malamig na tubig at nabalik sa huwesyo, biglang sumakit ang ulo ni Matilda.

"I'm sorry," walang emosyon nitong ani sakanila, "paharang-harang kasi kayo sa daan" pagpapatuloy pa nito na parang galit na.

"Y-you look familiar" sabi niya sa binata na nasa harapan niya. Hindi naman makatingin ng maayos sakanya ito.

"I do?" tanong nito na parang nagulat pa at tumango naman si Matilda.

"Gideon! Ba't ang tagal mo naman atang nag banyo?" napatingin naman si Matilda sa dumating at lalo pang sumakit ang ulo n'ya ng makakita ng pamilyar ulit na mukha, para nang nahihilo sa Matilda sa mga pamilyar na mukha na nakikita n'ya.

"Gideon?" utal ni Matilda sa sarili habang hawak ang ulo dahil sa sakit nito, bago pa siya makapag handa at maka-kapit, nawalan na siya ng malay.