Hindi mapakali si Diego habang hinihintay niya ang tawag ng bago niyang boss na si Joshua Sandejas, ang bagong CEO ng Sandejas Shipping Lines. Today will be the first time that his new boss will be meeting the board. At hindi niya alam kung ano ang dapat niyang asahan. He had met Sir Joshua a few times before. Maayos naman ito, mukhang friendly. Subalit alam niyang nag-iiba ang ugali ng magkakapatid na Sandejas pagdating sa trabaho. They all looked serious and would accept no non-sense when it comes to work.
“Ready na ba ang board room?” tanong ni Ms. Viviane sa kanya.
“Ayos na, Ma’am. I checked it out myself,” sabi niya, kampante.
“’Yong mga reports ng bawat departments, handa na rin ba?” anito.
“Handa na po. Nakalagay na sa folders, ready for distribution.”
Tumango-tango ang matandang babae. “Good,” sabi nito bago tumayo mula sa swivel chair nito. “I have
Pigil na pigil ni Samantha ang kaba habang pababa siya sa hagdan kasama si Charlie. The time has come when she'd get to introduce her daughter to the rest of Aaron’s family. At kahit na mainit naman ang pagtanggap ng ina at mga kapatid ni Aaron sa kanya kanina nang dumating ang mga ito sa beach house, hindi pa rin maalis sa dibdib niya ang kaba. Hindi para sa kanya kundi para sa anak niya.What if they are expecting something from her child at hindi nito magawa iyon? Paano kung magka-iba pala ang pagpapalaki niya kay Charlie sa nakagawian ng mga Sandejas? Siya ba ang sisisihin ng mga ito? Would that be a reason for them to dislike her for Aaron?“Mommy, my hand is ouchie,” reklamo ni Charlie. Agad siyang napabaling sa anak niya. Lukot na ang mukha nito, nakalabi na rin. That’s when she realized that she’s holding her hand too tight.Agad niyang binitiwan ang kamay nito at binuhat na lang. “I’m so sorry, swe
Muling nagpumiglas si Samantha. If this person holding her right now was really there to hurt her, she needs to fight back in every possible way she could. She will not let this person win. She will not—“Babe, stop moving. You might hurt yourself,” anang pamilyar na tinig ni Aaron sa likuran niya.She instantly relaxed and turned to him. She saw his familiar eyes that takes away her breath every time. Noon pa lang siya tuluyang nakahinga nang maluwag.“Are you trying to kill me?” gigil niyang tanong rito sa pagitan ng malalim na paghinga. Hindi pa rin humuhupa ang kaba sa dibdib niya.Aaron chuckled and snaked his hand around her waist. “Nagulat ka?” naaliw na tanong nito. She rolled her eyes in annoyance.“Anong klaseng tanong ‘yan? Would I squirm so badly if I wasn’t scared?” she replied just above whisper. “At saka anong ginagawa mo rito, lurking in the dark?&
“Kumain ka lang nang kumain,Gael. H’wag kang mahihiya,” ani Samantha sa bata na ngayon ay kasama nila ni Charlie na nag-aagahan sa front porch ng beach house.Kahit anong pilit niya kasi kanina, ayaw pumasok ng bata sa loob ng bahay nila. Nagdahilan ito na ayaw nitong pumasok dahil marumi ito. Nagpaalam na nga ito na uuwi na subalit pinigilan niya. Something in her heart was telling her that she has to at least let the kid eat before she allowed him to go.Kaya naisipan niyang magpahanda sa katulong ng agahan sa front porch. Mabuti na lang at pumayag ito. And now, there they are, silently eating breakfast at the front porch.The boy shyly glanced at her before he returned his eyes on his plate. Marahan ang bawat kilos nito, tila nag-iingat. Bakas din ang takot sa mga mata nito and that doesn’t settle well with her.Maybe she could talk to him to keep relax and enjoy his food or at least know a little bit about h
Masayang pinagmamasdan ni Samantha sina Gael at Charlie habang naliligo ang mga ito sa dagat. She was by the shore sitting on the sand under a big umbrella. It’s just 9 in the morning subalit masakit na sa balat ang init ng araw. And while a tan skin still looks good on her, she doesn’t want to get sun burned hence the umbrella.Tinanggal niya ang shades niya upang mapagmasdang mabuti ang anak niya na naglalaro sa tubig, ilang metro ang layo mula sa puwesto niya. Charlie was on her floaters while Gael expertly dives around her little girl. And every time Gael would resurface from the water, Charlie would giggle. Her daughter’s laughter was ringing in her ears and she can’t help but smile too. It has been a while since Charlie have had fun like that. Iyon na ang ikatlong araw mula nang makilala niya ang batang si Gael. And her daughter couldn’t get enough if her newfound friend.Kung sabagay, Charlie doesn’t
Hindi mapakali si Kristine habang nagpaparoo’t parito siya sa condo unit nila ng boyfriend niya. She had been staying there for almost 2 weeks now dahil ayaw na siyang pauwiin nito sa town house niya. Ang sabi nito, delikado kung maiiwan siyang nang mag-isa sa bahay niya matapos ang ginawa niyang eskandalo. At naniniwala siya rito.She knew she angered the Sandjases with the stunt she made at Madam Liza’s birthday party and that they might come after her because of that. But that serves them right. Paminsan-minsan kailangan din nilang bumaba sa pedestal na kinaroroonan nila at itapak ang kanilang mga paa sa lupa. Those entitled elitists needs to be slapped with the reality that world ain’t just sunshines and rainbows even for them. They need to know suffering too. And she’s glad she caused them just that.Last she heard from her boyfriend, nagkakagulo sa SSL. Aaron resigned from his position but was replaced by his brother Joshua.
“Daddy, please do my hair like Mommy does,” ungot ni Charlie kay Aaron habang pinupuno nito ng buhangin ang kulay yellow na toy pail nito. Natatawang tumingin si Sam kay Aaron. The leaves of the coconut tree from above them was casting a soft shadow on his handsome face. They were by the shore again enjoying the morning sun. Aaron turned to her too with a horrified look on his face. He looked confused and worried. Sigurado siya na kung may choice lang ito, baka kanina pa ito tumakbo. But it was his idea that today would be a Daddy and Charlie day. Ibig sabihin, she cannot interfere to help Aaron with whatever Charlie wants and needed to do for that day. Mula kaninang magising silang mag-anak, si Aaron na ang nag-asikaso kay Charlie. He helped their daughter with her breakfast and her vitamins. He even patiently answered all of Charlie’s questions that are getting weirder by the day. At nang mag-aya si Charlie na gumawa ulit ng
“How is he?” tanong ni Ivan Sandoval kay Dr. Matthew Lavigne or Dr. Matt. Kaibigan niya ang doktor at kapatid ng isa sa mga katrabaho at pinakamalalapit niyang kaibigan na si Dax. Dr. Matt just finished checking on Arturo De Gracia, the man he had saved from a burning car weeks ago.The old man asked for help to hide him and keep him safe before he lost his consciousness. And what kind of a protector is he, if he will not heed the injured man’s request?He used to work for The Organization— a clandestine international security agency sanctioned by the CIA and was composed by elite protectors designed to guard world dignitaries and the ultra-rich. Sina Carlo, Will, Dax at Eric Samaniego ay mga dati rin niyang kasamahan sa The Orgnanization. They live through codes that they have to uphold all through their lives. At kahit pa matagal nang nabuwag ang The Organization, dala-dala pa rin nila ang isa sa mga code ng agency kahit saan sil
Masayang pinagmamasdan ni Samantha sina Charlie at Gael na naglalaro sa mababaw na parte ng beach habang nakaupo naman siya sa buhangin malapit sa pampang. Tila walang kasawa-sawa sa paglalaro ang mga bata sa tubig kahit na halos maghapon nang iyon lang ang ginagawa nila. Kung sabagay, nakakahalina naman kasi ang tubig sa beach. Maging sila ni Aaron, madalas din maligo doon lalo na sa umaga. The beach has its own magic, easing the worries and fears of this world for a while. She heard Charlie giggle as Gael handed her something. The scene was so poignant at nostalgic Sometimes she misses being a child—innocent to the cares of the world. It has been more than a week since they’ve been there. At aaminin niya, they have been living in bliss despite the threats still surrounding them. Their beach house has become their own paradise—a safe haven for her family. She wonders how long it would last when in just a week, birthday na ni Charlie. After that, tutu