One Roof

MASON Staurs had that sweet smile that can tame every woman. Iyon marahil ang ginagawa ng isang Mason Staurs para mambighani ng babae at iwan itong luhaan kapag nahulog na sa loob nito. And Violet wasn't going to fall for his smile because she knew better than that.

Hinding-hindi siya mahuhulog dito.

Kung ito na lamang ang matitirang lalaki sa mundo upang kanyang ibigin ay mas pipiliin niya na lamang mawala sa mundo kaysa ialay ang kanyang puso sa ang isang taong tulad ni Mason.

“You must be my new secretary. Nice to meet you, Miss...” he inquired and extended his hand for a handshake. When Mason smiled even sweeter, her heart skips a beat.

Nanlaki ang kanyang mga mata dahil sa naging reaksyon ng kanyang puso. Hindi! Hindi maari! Anong ba itong nangyayari sa kanya? Kakasabi niya pa lamang sa sarili na hindi siya mahuhulog dito, ngunit bakit ganoon na lamang ang reaksyon ng kanyang puso ngayong nasaksihan niya ang matamis nitong ngiti?

Violet snapped up and accepted his hand with a firm grip. “Guzman, Sir. Lila Guzman. Nice to meet you too.”

Binawi ni Violet ang kamay at nag-iwas ng tingin nang maramdaman niya ang pag-init ng kanyang mukha.

Why is she acting this way? It was supposed to be the other way around. No man had ever made her flustered before... until Mason, which was absurd because he wasn't supposed to.

Marahas na ipinilig ni Violet ang ulo at ibinalik ang tingin dito. Hindi dapat siya magpatalo rito. Kung inaakit siya nito ay dapat na maakit niya rin ito nang mas higit pa. At mas dapat na maari siyang mauna na magtagumpay sa bagay na iyon para sa kanyang paghihiganti.

This was a seducing game that we both want to win... and she wouldn't be the one to lose.

Violet smiled at Mason and saw him blinked thrice on his seat. Nakita niya ang pagkiling sa ulo nito bago nag-iwas ng tingin kasabay nang pag-igting ng panga nito.

He looked so speechless and was obviously caught off guard. Dahil sa reaksyon nito ay naging patas na silang dalawa.

She may not know something about making someone fall for her but she knew one thing for sure. She was pretty enough to make someone's heart flutter. Kung tinatangka nitong mabihag ang kanyang loob ay hinding-hindi niya ito uurungan.

Mason will be the first one to fall for her.

Itataga niya iyon sa bato.

“May I know what table I'm going to sit, Sir?” tanong ni Violet at iginala ang mata sa malinis na opisina. Nang makita ang mesa at silya sa hindi kalayuan mula kay Mason ay napangiti siya.

“There,” sagot ng CEO at itinuro ang gawi kung saan nahulaan niya na kung saan siya uupo.

Napangiti si Violet. It was an advantage for her to sit near him. Maakit niya ito nang mas madali. Kung suwertehin siya ay baka magawa niya iyon ng tatlong linggo at maari na siyang makabalik sa kanyang kompanya.

Tumungo siya sa malinis na mesa at maingat na umupo. Ilang minuto lamang ay pumasok ang babae na malapit kay Mason at ngumiti sa kanya. Umupo ito sa kanyang mesa at makabuluhan na ngumiti sa kanya.

“So, you have met the CEO,” wika nito at ngumisi. “How was he? I mean, what is your first impression of him?”

“He's...” panimula ni Violet sa sagot habang nakatingin kay Mason. Nang magtagpo ang kanilang mga mata ay agad na nag-iwas siya ng tingin. “He's busy.”

Tumango ang babae. “Yes, he is. In fact, too busy, he can’t even date a woman.”

Naguluhan si Violet sa sagot ng babae. Ang akala niya ay magkasintahan ang dalawa, bakit ganoon bagay ang mga ipinaparinig nito sa kanya? Well, maybe the two are just friends. At ngayon niya pa lamang napansin na maganda itong babae, subalit hatalang bata pa ito. Mas bata sa kanya ng ilang taon.

“This is the CEO's schedule for the week,” wika ng babae at inalahad sa kanya ang makapal na clipboard at isang mamahalin na tablet. “And this is the tablet you are going to use for work. If you want to transfer his schedule in tablet, you may.”

Tinanggap ni Violet ang makapal na clipboard at nagtaka kung bakit ganoon na lamang iyon kakapal. Hindi niya iyon inaakala sa isang babaerog boss na katulad ni Mason. His schedule was full, even twice than hers. Katunayan ay mas makapal pa ito sa schedule niya sa Lavender Line.

Tinapik ng babae ang kanyang balikat at natawa. “Yeah, it is indeed full. What do you expect? He's Mason Staurs after all. Well, good luck to you with that.”

Lumisan na ang babae matapos kumindat kay Mason habang siya naman ay binasa ang schedule nito. Mamayang alas-tres ng hapon ay may kikitain silang isang investors para sa kompanya.

“Sorry about that. Harper is kind of... annoyingly intimidating, isn't she?” tanong ni Mason habang kamot-kamot nito ang batok.

Violet looked at him and smiled as her response. She doesn't want to agree with Mason. She has to look meek in his eyes. All men like demure women and she was no way near that attribute. The least she could do was act.

“Well, on behalf of my sister, I would like to apologize for her behavior.”

“Sister?!” gulat na tanong ni Violet nang matuklasan ang totoo. Hindi niya na napanatili ang pagpapanggap sa impormasyon na iyon.

“Yes, Ms. Guzman. Harper is my sister,” sagot ni Mason.

Dahil doon ay naliwanagan si Violet. That's why the two were close. At kung titingnan niya nang maigi ay hawig nga ang dalawa. She was too mad at Mason, she didn't notice their uncanny resemblance. In fact, Harper was Mason’s girl version.

Mali siyang nang inakala na isa ito sa mga babae nito. Magkapatid pala ang dalawa kaya pala maglapit ito sa isa't isa.

But for a CEO, he was surprisingly... kind. Not to mention humble since he had apologized for her sister's sake. Was this his tactic to capture someone's heart? Act kind and then when a woman fell in love with him and then beds them after, he will dump them like trash?

Unti-unti niya nang nababasa ang tumatakbo sa utak ni Mason. Kung pinaplano nitong paibigan siya para makasiping sa kama ay nagkakamali ito.

Hinding-hindi siya mahuhulog sa loob—

Nasupil ang pag-iisip ni Violet nang makita na naman ang matamis na pagngiti ni Mason. Sa pangalawang beses ay nagwala na naman ang kanyang puso. What's with his smile and her erratic heart? Bakit ba tila kapag nakikita niya ang perpektong nitong ngiti ay tumitibok na lamang ng ganoon kabilis ang puso niya?

Napapilig si Violet at inatupag na lamang ang paglilipat ng schedule ni Mason para sa araw na iyon. Hindi maaring bigyan niya iyon ng kahulugan kundi ay matatalo siya sa laro na kanyang sinimulan. She came her to win and take revenge, not to lose and be the next target.

It was lunch break when Violet stood up to take her lunch outside. But Harper insists to make her stay since they will order their meal for lunch. Hindi na nakatanggi si Violet nang si Mason na mismo ang namilit sa kanya. She accepted the offer with thanks and said she will use the bathroom.

Dali-daling pumunta si Violet lugar na walang makakarinig sa kanya at tinawagan ang kanyang sekretarya.

“Miss Violet, do you need my assistance for aid?” bungad ni Ava mula sa kabilang linya. “May nangyari po bang masama sa inyo? Kailangan ko na po bang tumawag ng police?”

Napangiwi si Violet sa mga eksaheradang tanong ni Ava. “Well, thank you for the concern but can I ask... if you're not busy.”

“I’m not busy, Miss Violet. What is it?” Ava asked. Somehow, she can imagine Ava clasping her hands whenever she requires her an important errand in their company.

“Is it hard being my secretary?” tanong niya para matahimik na lamang bigla si Ava.

“No, Miss Violet. I have been serving three companies now and assisting you here in Lavender Line is less difficult...” sagot ni Ava.

“So, it’s still hard...”

“Wala naman pong trabaho na hindi mahirap, Miss Violet...” Ava answered in a matter of fact tone. “Bakit ninyo po ba natanong? Does Mr. Staurs put you under strain?”

Violet sighed and then she leaned against the wall. “Well... he doesn't. Mason was rather... nice, honestly. Nicer than the information we sought. That’s why I’m wondering how come does a man so nice and gentle-looking is capable of breaking someone's heart?”

“Well, looks can be deceiving as much as one's mannerism,” wika ni Ava pagkatapos ang mahabang katahimikan. “He must be pretending. You can't trust him, Miss Violet, otherwise, your heart will be the next victim.”

“No need to worry, Ava. I've always reminded myself that,” she said with a sigh and then bade goodbye when she took almost twenty minutes away from the Staurs siblings.

She immediately went back to the office and saw the two already eating. Tinanggal niya ang pag-aatubli sa sistema at lumapit sa dalawa. When the two smiled in sync, Violet smiled back but this time with a cuss in silence.

She could have appreciated Harper’s sweet ones, but then she let herself get dazed by Mason's lopsided manly smile. And she had to admit that made her heart race again. Damn.

---

“THANK you, Sir! It would be an honor to work with you,” wika ni Mason at nakipagkamay sa bagong investor nito.

Gaya ng inaasahan niya ay nakuha nito ang loob ng ginoo nang walang kahirap-hirap. Pumayag itong maging investor ng Mason News Media na galing sa Cavanaugh Daily at napagpasyahan na lumipat sa kompanya nito. Mason has completely charmed that wealthy man to investing in his company just how much he could charmed any woman including her cousin. Kaya naman kung hindi niya iingatan ang puso ay maaring mahulog din siya sa loob nito. At iyon ang dapat niyang hindi hayaan.

Mason Staurs has everything. Power. Wealth. Looks and his unending charisma. Name a positive qualities that an ideal man should have and he got it. Ganoon ito ka-perpekto. Para itong mga aktor sa Hollywood movies na palaging tinatangkilik ng iba. No wonder Mason was one of the most sought bachelor in the country. Titigan pa lamang ito ay tiyak na nakakabighani na.

Nang makaalis na ang ginoo ay nakangiti na lumapit sa kanya si Mason. Habang palapit ito ay palakas nang palakas rin ang kabog ng kanyang puso.

Oh, God... what is happening to her?

“We did it!” masayang wika nito at tila mas matamis pa na ngumiti sa kanya.

Hindi agad nakatugon si Violet kay Mason dahil tila ba bilang nabibingi na naman siya sa tibok ng puso niya. She didn't know the reason why but it keeps reacting weird when it comes to Mason's smile. She had seen a lot of smiles but never did it catch her attention... not until she had a glimpse of his.

“Are you ready to go home and get your stuff in your apartment, Miss Guzman? We are going home now,” Mason said.

Kumunot ang noo ni Violet. “Pardon, Sir? I don't understand.”

“Didn't you know? I thought Harper told you before hiring you, Miss Guzman. You are going to live with me as my personal secretary,” simpleng sagot nito.

Tumango-tango si Violet nang sa wakas ay maliwanagan. “Okay, I'll ready my stuff—What?! I'm going to live with you?!”