"Get that flower away from me!"
I quickly stand up and run out of the house. It can't be.
A Petunia again. I thought pagbalik ko dito ay mawawala na iyon. My anxiety got the best of me and I run outside like it was following me.
"Astrid!"
Shane grabbed me.
"Why? What's the problem? Sinong nagpapadala sayo non." His eyes are blank.
"I d-don't know. Those flowers are following me everywhere. Akala- akala ko some stalker from spain lang ang nagpapadala sakin. It always august the 10th those flowers always arrived on my doorstep." I explained fast.
"Astrid its not a rare flower, baka may nagpadala lang talaga sayo. Calm the fck down." He tried to calm me down but my anxiety wont stop.
"No... No shane its been 6 years.. 6 long years and it still sending me flowers."
"Sino ba nagpapadala sayo?"
"I dont know." Nakuha kong pakalmahin ang sarili ko ay yumakap kay Shane.
"What is August 10?" Takang tanong nya.
Agad akong napaisip. Noon kasi para saakin ay every year August 10th that particular flower ay parang sinasadya lang pero ngayon it adds up to a new meaning.
"Mom's death?" I thought.
"No, Mommy's death Anniversary is August 25."
Inalalayan nya ko makabalik sa loob Dad was there but Gabrielle left. Dad is in our living room sitting.
"What the hell is that Astrid? Takot kana ngayon sa bulaklak?" He watched me sat down.
I looked at him in his eyes. I don't look down to anyone lalo na kung siya ang pag uusapan.
"Dad she said na may nagpapadala sakanya nyan every year on this particular day with the same specific flower. Do you know any life events that happen in August 10?"
Napaisip naman si Dad.
"No. Except for that day na dapat ay mapupunta na kay Shane ang Empire. Yun lang ang alam kong event nang August 10."
Napatingin ako kay Shane at sinamaan siya nang tingin.
"Are you really doing this joke on me ?!" Agad na singhal ko sakanya.
"Hoy! Grabe ka naman hindi ah. Di ko nga alam na may creepy stalker ka na nagpapadala nang ganyan. Wag ka nga!" Depensa niya sakin.
I looked at my phone and saw Alfer's name pop up.
-We can hang out here in my office.-
I really don't wanna do something kung sino ba yang stalker na yan. Bahala siya magpadala nang pamatay nyang bulaklak.
"Sa susunod na makatanggap ako non ibabato ko talaga sayo." Pagbabanta ko sakanya.
"Nye nye nye bato kita." He imitated kaya hinampas ko ang throw pillow sakanya.
"Shane I think we have some business to talk about." Dad interrupted.
I walk out and saw our driver parked my BMW in-front of me. Sumakay na ako at tsaka pumunta sa office ni Alfer. Apparently the rich guy has a Company in the middle of the city. Medyo ilang kanto lang malapit sa LGE.
"Good Morning Madam." Bati saakin nang guard.
Hindi ko na iyon pinansin at dumeretso nasa information desk.
"Anong floor ba ang amo nyo?" Mataray kong sabi.
"Excuse me Ma'am—"
"Dadaan ka?" Pagputol ko sakanya.
"Hindi po, May appointment po ba kayo ngayon kay Mr. De Castro?" Tanong niya pa saakin.
"Just tell me her floor or call him or I call him. What's your choice?"
"Ma'am pasensya na po, following protocols lang kailangan nyo pong mag fill up dito?" Sabay abot nya saakin nang ballpen.
Pampatagal naman ito.
"Never mind. Hahanapin ko nalang."
Nilampasan ko siya pero tawag pa din nang tawag saakin kaya sinara ko agad ang pinto. If only Alfer told me what floor is he. Edi sana di na ako nastuck doon sa information desk grrrr.
If Im not mistaken lahat naman ata nang CEO ay top floor so with all my luck i went up to the top floor and it looks so empty buti nalang may isang pintuan doon kaya dumeretso ako doon tsaka ko nakita ang lalaking ito.
"Ang tagal mo naman." Angal nya pa.
He look so uneasy or i dont know. Mukha siyang may tinatago na something e.
"E kung hindi lang ako chinika nang receptionist doon sa baba di ako matatagalan. So what did you find?"
Nakatingin siya sa salamit na nasa gilid lang namin. Umupo na ako sa harap nya and slammed his desk.
"Are fucking listening to me?" Agaw atensyon ko sakanya.
"Oh, syempre naman tumitingin lang ako sa salamin kung gwapo na ba ako ngayon." Sabay ayos nya pa nang buhok nya.
"Gwapo kana. Wag ka na magpagwapo pa baka pumangit ka bigla sa paningin ko."
Napatawa nalang siya at tsaka binuksan ang iilang folder sa harap nya at nagsimulang magbasa.
"He is your father's employee, came from the province of Pangasinan and moved in here 7 years ago. She has a colorful school year."
Napairap ako habang nakikinig kay Alfer. Pagkatapos nya mag basa nang information ay hinaharap nya saakin ito.
"She is a beauty queen. Won a lot of pageants." Pagpatuloy nya.
"Im a queen definitely don't need a pageant." Bulong ko sa sarili ko.
Alfer stood up at went in front of me.
"Well you are." Sabay ngiti nya.
I mean tons of guy in my 6 year term in Spain. I have friends there who are not actually friends "friends" but friends and treat me so special that made me a royalty feels. You know yung tipong kailangan mo lang makipagkaibigan for the sake of socializing. The only person I ever counted as true friend is Alfonso kahit na medyo jerk lang talaga siya.
"Puro sparkles at rainbows lang ba ang nakalap mo sa babaeng yun?" I said as if we're talking about something bored. Well bored naman talaga.
"Well I discover some dark secrets too, but sa tingin ko di mo kayang ihandle so I should keep it to myself." Kibit balikat nya at tsaka bumalik sa kinauupuan nya.
"Ano pang saysay nang imbestigasyon mo kung di mo din pala sasabihan sakin."
"Let's say she has an awful past that I think di nya din kayang ipagsabi." Pagdadahilan niya.
"That's what you're here for! Give me the info." I persisted.
"Okay fine. Here." He push forward a black folder.
Kinuha ko ito ang binasa. Merong information about sakanya at isang mugshot.
Gabrielle Perez
36
Cases:
Robbery
On February 12, 2017 Ms. Gabrielle Perez was caught on a robbery in Bank Center Global. Officer Diaz claimed that he caught Ms. Perez on a run away in Edsa.
On September 9, 2018 bailed by Mr. Gonzalves. Ms. Perez was released.
Merong mga picture sila nang tatay ko. This was 2 years ago paano ba sila nagkakilala nang tatay ko?
"Look at the last page." He pointed out.
I scrambled to some documents na sa pangasinan na nakaaddress.
Gabrielle Perez, 20 years old, Was arrested on August 10 2014 for being a suspect in killing Georgia Corazon Gonzalves.
A Gonzalves?! Tita Georgia?
"What is this?" Agad na tanong ko kay Alfer.
"6 years ago, A Gonzalves died. They said it's an accident but they also said it was a murder case. So your uncle Zett Gonzalves opened the case at that time Gabrielle is your aunty's secretary."
"But before I left Uncle Zett said it was just an accident." I though for myself.
"Ms. Perez was free, she met your father that day too."
My curiosity went on since August 10th was again mentioned. But since then I really dont know what the cause of death ni Tita because first, hindi sinabi saakin, second Dad said it's better kung wala akong alam. Weird at first but na-divert ang attention ko to him. That guy, kamusta na kaya siya...
"The party will be tomorrow. Do you wanna be my date?" Lingon ko sakanya at tsaka binalik sakanya ang mga files.
"Sure. Anything for Astrid." He smiled with that sentence.
Nanahimik kami sa ilang sandali. Napaisip tuloy ako, hindi pala madali itong pinapasok ko pero kailangan kong gawin ito para makuha ko ang Empire.
Im curious on how our LGE became an empire since my father became the owner of it. I guess madami pa talaga akong dapat malaman.
"Wala na akong business dito, I'll be going now. Magshoshopping pa ako. See me tomorrow at my condo." I stood up and fix myself ready to go.
Hinila ako ni Alfer pabalik kaya tumama ako sa mga dibdib nya .
"I never gotten a chance to taste you." He whispered in my ears.
"Yah, cause I don't want to."
I pushed him a little to give space between us.
"Why Astrid? Im doing this for you." bagsak ang balikat nya sa pagkadismaya.
"Ill be your prize if we are successful." I said, with that I left.
Umalis na ako at napagdesisyunan na pumunta muna sa Kompanya dahil malapit lang naman ito. Dere deretso ako sa office ni Daddy. As I enter his office ay masama na agad ang tingin nya saaking.
"What the hell, Astrid?!" Sigaw ni Dad saakin.
I felt the tingling feeling of fear when I heard his voice.
"What Dad?" I stay fierce.
"Really? Nagpapaka martir ka ba sakin ha?! What's up with the De Castro ha?! Bakit ka nakikipagkita sakanya?!"
I felt a little relief in my heart, I shouldn't be afraid. I should be brave because that's who I am.
"Why? we we're just talking." I manage to smile at him and making him more angerier.
Lumapit sya akin at nagulat nang bigla nya akong hawakan sa magkabilang balikat.
"Don't you dare go against me Shaznae. You will recieve my wrath if you'll try to. You. Will. Never. Have. What. You. Want." He threatened.
I looked at him, making myself more fiercer so I wont break. But the fear crept into me and I almost shake.
"Do you understand that?" He asked with full of hatred.
"Yes dad.."
Binitawan nya ako at umalis na. If there's one thing who will call my bluff that will be Dad. He knows my weakness of course he raised me. I was left with my heart pumping too much. The one thing that I should overcome is my fear for my Dad.
I wish I could...
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