Chapter One: Serena, The Career Woman

Sydney,Australia.

Caldwell Publishing Office.

“Mornin’,Serena!” 

Nakangiting nag-angat ng tingin si Serena mula sa kanyang laptop nang marinig niya ang pagbati sa kanya ng katrabaho sa Publishing House...Hindi maalis ang pagkakangiti nito sa kanya.

“Morning,Nicky...Wait,what’s with that smile?” ang nagtataka at nagingiti rin na tanong ni Serena sa kaopisina.

Nicky averted her blue eyes away from Serena’s gaze na para bang bigla itong na-guilty...

“Is there something that I need to know?” ang pagpipilit ni Serena sa kaibigan.

Muling ibinalik ni Nicky ang tingin kay Serena.Pero mukha pa rin itong nag-aalinlangan...

“You see-----!” hindi na natapos ni Nicky ang sasabihin nang may marinig silang boses mula sa likuran nito.

“I believe it’s too early to have a breaktime,Miss Hughman...” ang sabi ng kanilang Boss na si Miss Rosie Cadwell.Ito ang COE ng Cadwell Publishing House.

Gulat na napalingon si Nicky.

“O-Oh,I’m sorry,Boss...I-I was just-----!” hindi nanaman makuhang matapos ni Nicky ang sasabihin nang mapagpasiyahan ni Serena na pagtakpan ang kaibigan.

“Nicky was just asking for some opinions regarding her article,Boss...” ang pagtatakip niya kay Nicky.

Nakita ni Serena ang lihim na pagkindat sa kanya ni Nicky,hudyat ng pasasalamat nito.

“Well,I’ll just talk to you later about it,Serena...Our Boss might need something from you.” ang sagot naman nito,at pagkatapos noon ay saka na ito tumalilis pabalik sa kanyang lamesa.

Serena suppress a smile as she watch Nicky’s perfect blond hair danced in the air habang tumatakbo ito palayo sa kanila...She will have a talk with her bestfriend later.It’s obvious that Nicky got some juicy news for her,iyon nga lang ay bigla namang dumating si Mrs.Caldwell.

“This is just a perfect timing.Come to my office,Miss Montana.I need to talk to you about something important.” Mrs.Cladwell said it all in one breath,and Serena knew that it was something serious since her boss called her by her last name.

Kilala ang kanilang Boss sa pagiging malapit sa kanyang nga empleyado,at gusto nito ng light atmosphere sa opisina kaya naman tinatawag sila nito sa una nilang pangalan...

“Yes,Boss...” ang ninenerbiyos na sagot naman ni Serena.

Mrs.Caldwell gave her a clipped nod at pagkatapos noon ay tumalikod na ito at naglakad papunta sa COE room.

Isinara ni Serena ang kanyang latop at kinuha ang kanyang pen and paper para isulat doon ang lahat ng agenda  ng Boss nila para sa closed meeting na iyon.Pero ang nakakapagtaka ay madalang lang kung magpatawag ng individual meeting si Mrs.Caldwell.Pilit na inaalala ni Serena kung palpak ba ang ipinasa niyang manuscript ditto noong nakaraang araw or maybe her own novel bored her boss...

Tumayo na siya at naglakad papunta sa COE room.Nadaanan niya ang lamesa ni Nicky.Binigyan niya ito ng nagtatakang tingin nang makita niya itong nakangiti sa kanya at mukha pang excited...

Sa wakas ay nakatayo na siya sa harap ng pintuan ng COE Room.Humugot muna ng malalim na hininga si Serena bago ito kumatok ng dalawang beses.

“Come in.” narinig niya ang boses ni Mrs.Caldwell.

“Well,this is it.” ang bulong ni Dana sa sarili.Binuksan nito ang pinto at pumasok sa silid. 

Seryoso ang mukha na sinalubong siya ng tingin ni Mrs.Caldwell.

“Please take a seat...Believe me,you’ll need it after you hear the news.” ang walang emosyon na paanyaya nito.

Mas lalong lumakas ang kabog sa dibdib ni Serena matapos marinig ang sinabi ng kanyang Boss.

There’s no doubt about it.She will be fired.She loved every minute and every day of her time in this Publishing House.She loves all the people here...She thinks of them as her second family...Her Boss is so dear to her and she looks up to her as mother and mentor...And Nicky...She has been with her almost like half of her life...Pero ngayon ay matatapos na ang kanyang kaligayahan...

“Miss Montana?” 

Natigil sa pag-iisip si Serena nang marinig muli ang boses ni Mrs.Caldwell.

“O-Oh,I’m sorry...” ang hinging-paumanhin ni Serena.Dahan-dahan niyang inihakbang ang mga nanginginig na binti papunta sa upuan.She sat there in silence.

“Let’s start with the meeting,then.Miss Montana,how long have you been working with us?” ang panimula ni Mrs.Caldwell,habang may binuklat ito na isang folder.

Nasulyapan ni Serena na hawak ng Boss nila ang kanyang file.Napalunok siya bago sumagot...

“A-Almost six years,now,Boss...” ang nauutal niyang sagot.

Sumandal sa kanyang swivel chair si Mrs.Caldwell at matamang tinitigan si Serena.

“Hmm...That’s right.You were still a fresh graduate in College when you submitted your very first manuscript,right?” ang untag muli ng matandang babae.

“Y-yes,Boss.” ang responde muli ni Serena.

“Do you think in those six years...You consider yourself as a pro?” Mrs.Caldwell questioned her again.

Serena straightened from her seat.

“I still have so many things to learn,Mrs.Caldwell.I’m still not confident to call myself as a pro...I still have a long way to go.” Serena replied.

“I don’t think there’s any need for you to do that,Miss Montana.But,I’m a little disappointed to hear from you that you’re still not confident with that you do right now,since I’m going to...” sadyang ibinitin ni Mrs.Caldwell ang sasabihin nang muli itong umiling at malungkot na isinarado ang folder kung saan naroon ang file ni Serena.

Pigil ang hininga at nanlalaki ang mata na hinintay ni Serena ang sasabihin ng kanyang Boss.

“I’m going to be fired...I’m going to be fire...I’m going to be fired...” ang sunod-sunod na sabi ni Serena sa kanyang sarili.

“Unfortunately...You’ll be doing lots of overtime starting next week since you are going to be Assistant to the President!” ang natutuwang pahayag ni Mrs.Caldwell.Nakaguhit na sa bibig nito ang maluwang na ngiti.

Serena instantly froze on her seat once she heard Mrs.Caldwell.Malinaw niya na narinig ang sinabi nito,pero parang hindi pa rin siya makapaniwala.

“I-I apologize,Boss,but I don’t understand...” ang naiiling na tugon niya.

“Your reaction is to be expected...Just like what dear Nicky said!Okay,let me say it once again.Based on your performance for the passed six years,you’ve showed great dedication to our company and unbelievable passion to your work----You’ll br my assistant!” Mrs.Caldwell announced again.

It took Serena few minutes bago siya nakabawi sa pagkabigla.

“B-But why me?How about Nicky?” ang hindi pa rin makapaniwala na anas ni Serena.

“Nicky will be the Head of our Department.It means that all of the manuscripts and works will be assessed by her,and it will be her decision if it will be worth of my time to read it and approve it...And you,will be coming with me in every meeting and you’ll be my my representative when I’m gone...Like if I am on vacation,or I’m sick and all of that...” ang paliwanag ni Mrs.Caldwell.

Serena blinked twice.

“Well?Aren’t you going to say something?” ang ingit muli ni Mrs Caldwell.

“I-I just can’t believe that this is happening to me!” ang naiiyak na tugon ni Dana.

Mrs.Caldwell smiled at her.

“Then,better believe it dear.”

“T-Thank you very much for...trusting me.” ang nasisiyahang tugon ni Dana.

“But the good news doesn’t end there,Miss Montana,so you’d better brace yourself.”  muling nagsalita si Mrs.Caldwell.

Nagtatakang napatitig muli si Serena sa kanyang Boss.

“The big bosses from a certain TV Network actually had a chance to read your script...And they thought that they are still some little renovations needed to do with your novel.” ang panimulang muli ni Mrs Caldwell.

“Oh.” iyon lang ang nasabi ni Serena,pero bakas sa mukha nito ang disappointed matapos marinig ang kanyang Boss.

Mrs.Caldwell lets out a knowing smile again.

“Dear,if you would let me finish...I was about to say that they were still amazed with your manuscript,and they have decided to turn your novel into a big-budgeted soap drama!And they are going to produce it!” she happily announced.

May mga ilang minute na nakatulala lang si Serena sa Boss niya...

“I-I don’t know how to react,Mrs.Caldwell...I mean,my novel will be turned into a television soap!” sa wakas ay nakabawi na sa pagkabigla si Serena.

“You deserved it.So,you should be ready tomorrow at the ABZ TV Network Building,okay?” informed her boss.

Pagkarinig sa pangalang ng Television Network na iyon ay biglang napakunot-noo si Serena.May isang tao na pumasok sa isipan niya.

“Mrs.Caldwell did he has something to do about this?” Serena probed.

Umiling si Mrs.Caldwell bilang sagot.

“No,of course not.It’s the President of the company’s idea,not him.” ang siguradong sagot nito.

Dahil doon ay nakahinga ng maluwag si Serena.Plano niya na huwag tanggapin ang malaking break na iyon kung may kinalaman doon si Liam...

“You’d better get back to work,Serena...You need to get your presentation ready for tomorrow’s meeting.” ang paalala sa kanya ni Mrs.Caldwell.

“I’ll do it right away...And Boss?Thank you for the good news.” Serena sincerely replied.

Ginantihan naman siya ng ngiti ni Mrs.Caldwell.

Pagkatapos noon ay lumabas na ng private office si Serena at tuloy-tuloy na lumakad pabalik sa kanyang cubicle.Nang makarating na siya sa kanyang lamesa ay bigla siyang sinopresa ng kanyang mga katrabaho,especially her bestfriend Nicky.