chapter 5

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"I've sent the remaining chapters to your email. Thank you so much for being with me, oh please. Sige, thank you again."

I turned my phone off and looked at the mirror. Today, I'll come back to Vaselco as the CIO of IT department in their company. Well, that's my position in the very beginning.

I called Phareign. Nakailang ring pa ito bago sumagot.

"Soletta. Make sure you come back here, your probationary period is done." Mahina akong natawa sa kanyang sinabi.

"Probationary period? Akala ko bakasyon 'yon."

Rinig ko ang pag-ingos nito sa kabilang linya. "It's not funny, dapat si Mr. Delgado 'yung nasa probation period at hindi ikaw."

I clicked my tongue. "Nangyari na, Phareign. Isa pa, ngayon ako babalik. I miss my job you know?"

"You better be, parang napilayan ang IT department ng company no'ng nawala ka. I can tell that because my father notice how loosy the security systems turned." She sighed.

I heard someone speaking to her and she responded in a professional manner.

"Your office is clean and ready, so get your ass in here Soletta."

"Yeah, yeah, papunta na ako." Mahinang tumawa ako bago pinatay ang tawag.

Napatingin ako kay Keegan nang makitang nakasuot ito ng corporate attire at dala ang kanyang briefcase. He looked so dashing in his formal attire at halatang nangangain ito ng buhay.

"You're eyeing me like I'm a bad person." I smiled at him.

"Hindi ah, ang pogi mo kase." He scoffed at my statement.

Kinuha ko ang pursue ko at ang cellphone. "Ihahatid mo ako?"

Tumango siya. "Sino ba dapat ang maghahatid sa'yo?"

I rolled my eyes at him and tapped his shoulder. "My husband, of course."

Lumabas na kami sa kwarto at nakita si Emily sa hallway. Yumuko ito at binati kaming dalawa ni Keegan.

"Oh, by the way Emily. . ." Tumingin ito sa akin.

"Yes, Ma'am?"

"Kapag naggrocery kayo, can you buy fresh tuna? I'll be the one to cook it later so just buy it. Do you know 'kinilaw'? Buy the ingredients of that." Tumango ito sa akin.

"Noted, Ma'am."

"Thanks."

Naglakad na kami palabas ni Keegan at ramdam ko ang tingin nito sa akin.

"What?" Tinaasan ko ito ng kilay.

"What's that?" Kuryusong tinignan ako nito.

"What do you mean? The 'kinilaw'?" He nodded.

"It's my favorite dish. Pero kumakain lang ako kapag ako o si papa 'yung gumagawa."

Pinagbuksan ako nito at pumasok na ako sa sasakyan. Umikot ito at sumakay na sa driver's seat at nagsimula ng magdrive.

"You live in province?" I nodded.

"Preferred kong tumira do'n. . ." I looked outside the window.

"Pero mas malaki ang sahod dito. Well, I got a rich husband now, should I stop working?"

Mahina itong natawa sa sinabi ko. Totoo naman ah? He is rich and handsome. Siguro kung bibisita ito sa probinsya, magkakandarapa ang mga kababaihan doon.

"Well, indeed you got a 'rich husband' now." He emphasizes the words rich husband making me roll my eyes.

His phone rang kaya naman ay natahimik ako at pinakinggan ito habang nakikipag-usap. He got a cold authoritative voice kapag trabaho ang pinaguusapan.

"I already sent the files to you, Atty. Rosales. Don't you dare tell me that you lost it, it's in your jurisdiction." Mahigpit ang pagkakahawak nito sa manibela.

His forehead furrowed and his jaw was defining due to him gritting his teeth.

"I won't accept your lame excuses. If you don't want to be kick out from this collaboration, do your job properly. Hindi ako nakikipaglaro lang dito, Rosales." He turned of the call and sighed.

"Who's that?" Tinignan ko ito.

"Attorney from H.K Corporation. I'm the head attorney of my father's company." Aniya. "I also own a law firm."

Napatingin ako sakanya. "Wow, can you handle that?"

Tumango ito sa akin. "I've been doing that for years. I mean, I became attorney by the age of 23."

"12 years?" Napanganga ako. "That's a lot of experience!"

"Well, you also got an 'experienced and monster husband' in the court, not just a 'rich husband'." I snorted at him.

Mahina itong tumawa at nawawala na ang kunot sa kanyang noo.

"Stop frowning, nawawala yung kapogian mo. Ayoko pa naman na pumanget ka." I playfully acted. I glanced at him and saw him smile.

Smile na kita yung mga ngipin niya, parang endorser lang nang Close Up eh.

"You don't want an ugly husband? Tatandaan ko yan."

Inirapan ko ito at hindi na siya pinansin pa. Nasa labas ng bintana ang tingin ko, pinagmamasdan ang mga building na nadadaanan namin.

Nang makarating kami sa harapan ng Vaselco ay tinanggal ko na ang seat belt ko at binuksan ang pintuan.

"Anong oras ka matatapos?"

I hummed. "Around 7 pm. I'm doing overtime, why?"

"Do you need to? You already got a ric-"

"I get it, okay?" He chuckled on me.

"Okay, why 7pm?"

"Madami pa akong naiwan na trabaho no'ng magbakasyon ako. Kaya naman. . ." I smiled at him. "Magoover time ako kahit ayaw ko."

"That sucks. I'll fetch you later." Lumabas na ako sa sasakyan nito.

"Okay, good luck attorney." He smiled and I closed the door.

Hinintay ko pa na makaalis ang sasakyan nito bago ako naglakad papasok sa company. I can see the employee's eyes on me at hindi ko nalang ito pinansin.

Pumasok na ako sa elevator at nagbigay ng space sa akin ang ibang empleyado. I smiled at them at nasa harapan lang ang tingin ko.

May bumaba pa sa ibang floor at paunti ng paunti ang mga nasa loob. Nang tumuntong kami sa 9th floor ay lumabas na ako at sinalubong ako ng mga kasamahan ko.

"Welcome back, Ms. Salveja!" May pa-cake pa ang mga ito at confetti na nakawrap sa kanilang mga kamay.

I chuckled at them. "Wow, I'm surprised."

"Ma'am, namiss ka namin!" Sabi ni Ashley, isa sa mga kasamahan ko.

Isa-isang lumapit ang mga ito sa akin, nangangamusta at nakikiusisa kung anong ginawa ko habang nasa 'bakasyon' ako.

I chuckled on how curious they are, kulang nalang ay maging journalist sila at gawan nila ako ng biography.

"Teka, teka, teka!" Napatingin kami kay Hilario a.k.a Hillary, my assistant.

"Madam, kumikinang- teka, mahal ba yan?" Napatingin silang lahat sa singsing na nasa kamay ko.

"Oh, this?" I raised my hand.

"Oo, Madam. Hindi ka naman siguro nagwaldas para lang idisplay yan, ano?" Natawa ako sa sinabi nito.

"Uh, my husband gave this to me."

Shock is evident on their faces. I exposed my ring more and looked at them slyly.

"Ibig sabihin, wala na kayo ni ano-"

"Perfect!" Pumalakpak si Hillary. "Mabuhay ang bagong kasal!"

"Mas masaya ka pa sa akin, Hillary." I looked at him with my cunning look.

"Madam, ano ka ba?" Lumapit ito sa akin. "Kung alam namin na kayo pa nung hipokritong lalaki na yon? Ay nako, magp-protesta kami. Kahit do'n pa sa EDSA."

"Tama si Hillary, Ma'am." Pagsingit ni Ashley.

"Sayang ka do'n, Ma'am! I mean, ikaw na successful, matalino? Tapos yon?" I laughed at their sentiments.

"Gets ko na kayo." Ngiti ko sa kanila. "Isa pa, sakto na ah? Baka ginagawa niyo lang na excuse ang pagbalik ko. Go back to your stations, madami pa akong namiss na gawain."

"Yes ma'am!"

They worked diligently. Pinagmasdan ko ang mga ito at nakita kung gaano sila kagana na magtrabaho.

Pumasok na ako sa opisina ko, it was clean at walang alikabok ang makikita dito. I smiled and sat on my swivel chair, it feels so nostalgic.

May kumatok sa pintuan. I looked at the door and leaned comfortably on my swivel chair.

"Come in."

Bumukas ang pintuan at bumungad sa akin si Hillary. "Madam, may mga papers po dito from the temporary CIO, ito po ang mga gagawin mo for today."

Tumango ako at tinignan ang mga papers. "These reports. . . Simula ba ito no'ng probationary period ko?"

He nodded. "Yes, Madam."

"The system. . . This is ridiculous, hindi ba kayo hinahandle ng maayos no'ng pumalit sa akin?"

He sat on the chair in front of my desk and leaned against it. Bumuga siya ng malalim at tumingin sa akin, halata sa kanyang mukha ang pagod.

"Honestly speaking, Madam? Grabe, gusto kong magresign no'ng nagsimula 'yung probationary period mo. Eh kase naman. . . Imbes na maging pulido yung system ng VGC, naging joke lang."

"Did the company do something to solve this?" He nodded.

"Si Ms. Phareign, siya ang nagroroaming dito at nagchecheck sa amin. Sa totoo lang Madam, tsaka palang umaayos sa trabaho yung temporary kapag nandito si Ms. Phareign." Stress nitong sabi.

"Well, I'm already here. Ibalik natin sa dati ang department natin. You know me well, aren't you?" Tumango ito sa akin.

"Madam, for sure possible ang gusto mo. Isa pa, gusto na rin ulit namin ng malaking sweldo!" Natawa ako sa kanyang sinabi.

"Then tell them to work hard from now on. I will work for us to be the most efficient department in VGC." I grinned at him.

He also smiled at me and then left my office. Napatingin ulit ako sa mga papers na nasa lamesa ko.

This will become a very tiring day.