Elle's POV
It's been a week ng magpunta ako sa Jala-jala Rizal. And it's been a week ng di matahimik ang isip ko. I've been thinking of Kris, but I don't have any connection of him. Sinubsob ko na lang ang sarili ko sa pagtatrabaho para mawala sya sa isip ko, it's not like me, it's my first time na maging ganito ako sa isang lalaki and worst kakakilala ko lang sa kanya and I don't know anything about him except that he works for Lola Flora.
"Elle, I just want to remind you na may lunch meeting ka today with Mr. Lee from KAL Corp." sabi ni Candice, ang bestfriend ko and my assistant. I mean her position is Assistant's assistant. Basta ganun haha dahil nasa Malaki kaming company kaya may sariling assistant din ang Executive Assistant.
"Oh right, I forgot. Thank you for reminding me girl" then I smiled at her
"You seem to have a lot of things in your mind lately?" curious na tanong nya
"Nah, don't mind me girl, it's nothing serious" pangungumbinsi ko sa kanya "By the way, are you done with the presentation I will use today for Mr. Lee?" pag iiba ko ng tanong
"I emailed that already to you yesterday, c'mon girl, what happened in Jala-jala? You're not like that when you left here" geez, kahit kailan talaga tong babaeng to
"Just like what I said, nothing serious. I'm just thinking about my parents. You know their death anniversary was last week" malungkot kong sabi
"Oh right, sorry I forgot. But I'm still not convinced na that's all. But I won't force you anymore if you don't want to tell me. But I will always here, I will listen to your problems anytime, ok?"
"Yes, thank you Candice. I'm really lucky to have a bestfriend like you" at kunwaring naiiyak ako
"Geez, too much drama. And bakit ba English tayo ng English hahaha. Sakit na ng ilong ko huh haha"
"Aba girl, ikaw nagsimula eh, sinakyan lang kita haha. San nga ba ang lunch meeting ko with Mr. Lee?"
"Sa Kai Dining, isa sa pag-aari ni Mr. Lee"
"Ok, thanks. I'll just check first the presentation then alis na ako, ikaw na bahala dito Candice."
"No worries girl, ako na bahala dito. Goodluck on your meeting. The board will be happy if we able to have a partnership project with the KAL Corp. kahit na #3 lang sila at tayo ay #1, magandang may alliance pa rin among the top 5."
"Yeah, I know. Pero di ka ba nagtataka, sa ilang taon na wala silang pakialam sa atin ay sila pa mismo ang nag offer?"
"Baka need na nila ng alliance? Haha"
"Maybe? As far as I know, the KAL Corp.'s owner is a ruthless businessman, for sure maraming kaaway yun, baka nga need nila alliance from Mirabelles para hindi magtangkang kalabanin pa sila ng mga kaaway. But anyway, malalaman ko rin mamaya kung bakit. I gotta go now. Thanks again for reminding me girl"
"No worries, that's my job girl. Goodluck!" she smiled, and I nod to her.
Well, are you wondering bakit ako ang makikipag meet sa CEO ng KAL Corp.? Well, as the Mirabelles Company's CEO is an aloof person, hindi sya nakikipag meet, kahit mga board members ay hindi sya nakikita, ako lagi ang nakikipagkita sa kanila at kumakausap.
The board members can't do anything to her as even she doesn't show herself, the company is doing great and becoming more stronger and higher than before. Walang kalaban lalo na ang bumaliktad sa kumpanya ang nakakaligtas. She has eyes everywhere in her companies. If Mr. Lee is a ruthless businessman, she's more than that, she's a demon businesswoman.
.
.
.
Nandito na ako sa Kai Dining kung saan kami magmemeet ni Mr. Lee for the partnership sa isang project. Wala ako masyado kilala sa mga CEO kahit isa akong Executive Assistant, dahil na sa busy ko sa work, I just know them in their last name as it is the common name we are using when calling someone. And that's it, kahit mga faces nila ay di ko alam, kung nakita ko man ay nakakalimutan ko agad.
Pagpasok ko sa entrance ay sinalubong naman ako ng isang employee na naka assign for sure sa front desk.
"Good afternoon ma'am, do you have reservation?" magalang na pagtatanong nya
"I have a meeting with Mr. Lee, he's the one who booked a reservation" I said while smiling at her
"I see, please follow me" at nagsimula na sya maglakad patungo sa VIP rooms
Malalaman kasi agad kung regular or VIP, dahil nasa itaas ang VIP rooms, kaya naman paakyat kami ngayon sa hagdanan.
Pagdating namin sa pinaka dulong room ay pinagbuksan nya lang ako ng pinto kaya naman pumasok na ako at umalis din agad sya. Pagpasok ko ay hindi ako agad nakatingin sa taong nakaupo kaya naman ng tumingin ako dito ay nagulat ako sa kung sino ang nakita ko dito.
"Kris?!" gulat na tanong ko
"So, you still remember me, Elle" nakangiting sabi nya, ako naman ay tulala pa rin na nakatingin sa kanya na hindi makapaniwala, how come?
"Have a seat first Elle, I'll explain" sabi nya at tumayo sa kinauupuan nya para ipaghila ako ng upuan kaya naman umupo na ako dito.
"What is this all about? Who really are you, Kris?" seryosong sabi ko
"Please, let's eat first before I explain everything to you" kalmadong sabi nya kaya naman nagsimula na kami kumain ng walang umiimik, hindi rin ako tumitingin sa kanya at seryoso lang na kumain habang sya ay ramdam ko ang tingin nya sakin na para bang binabasa ako
Pagkatapos naming kumain ay sya na ang unang nagsalita.
"I'm sorry Elle if di ko agad sinabi kung sino ako the day we introduced ourselves. My name is Kris Aiden Lee and Gradma Flora is my grandmother in my mother side. Don't be mad at her Elle, I'm the one who asked her not to tell you that I'm her grandson." Paliwanag nya, it makes sense now because I remember na dumating that time yung apo ni Lola Flora, but she hadn't introduced him to her.
Hindi tama itong nararamdaman ko, hindi dapat ako nagagalit dahil wala naman ako karapatan. Besides, hindi rin kami bagay. Malayo ang buhay ko sa buhay nya. We should get back to our business now.
"Don't worry Mr. Lee, I don't have a right to be mad at you. I understand" at ngumiti ako sa kanya "why don't we go to our real business here Mr. Lee? I will present to you now the project we will do as you want us to be the one to decide on anything" then kukunin ko na sana ang laptop sa bag ko ng hawakan nya ang kamay ko at malungkot na nakatingin sa akin
"Elle, please I'm sorry, I didn't mean to lie"
"C'mon Mr. Lee, like what I said, I don't have a right to be mad, so you don't need to be sorry. Please let's get straight to our real business because I know your busy with your company and so am I."
"Please Elle, don't be too formal. Para namang wala tayo pinagsamahan. If you keep on being formal, I will think that you're really mad at me" malungkot pa rin nyang sabi
"C'mon Kris, I'm being a professional here, dealing with a soon-to-be partner of our company. Please let's set-a-side our personal matters from business matters" seryosong sabi ko at natahimik naman sya
"Ok fine, Elle. But we will talk after this" seryosong sabi rin nya, di ko na sya pinansin at nagsimula ng ayusin ang laptop para maipresent ko sa kanya ang project na gagawin.
Buong presentation ko sa kanya ay seryoso lang syang nakikinig at nakatitig sa akin, hindi ko na lang iyon pinansin kahit naiilang na ako
"That's all, Mr. Lee. So, what can you say about the project?" tanong ko sa kanya pero hindi sya sumagot kaya naman tumingin ako sa kanya na nakatitig pa rin sakin na para bang malalim ang iniisip
"Mr. Lee?" tawag ko sa kanya at kumaway sa harap ng mukha nya na nagpabalik naman sa wisyo nya
"E-erhm, I like the idea for the project we will do for the partnership. Is the idea from Ms. Mirabelles?"
"Yes, all the projects we propose to the investors or collaboration from other companies were all hers and all of them were successful and have good impression from everyone, so, I can assure you that this project partnership will be successful too"
"Well, that's good to hear. Ms. Mirabelles is really genius that makes her on top up to now"
"Well thank you for the compliment Mr. Lee, I'll make sure, our CEO will be informed of your generous compliment about her." Alintanang nakangiti kong sabi sa kanya
"You don't have to tell her, it's not necessary"
"Well, if that's what you want, Mr. Lee. So, I guest were all good now? The contract will be process tomorrow and I'll just send it to you the other day for your signature. I'll take my leave now, if you excuse me" at nagsimula na akong iligpit ang gamit ko, at ng tatayo na ako ay hinawakan nya ang kamay ko kaya naman napatingin ako sa kanya
"Now that we're done for the business matter, can we talk now Elle?" seryosong tanong nya
"Sorry Mr. Lee, but I still have many things to do in my office. Besides, there's nothing to talk about" seryosong sabi ko rin
"Argh" frustrated na sabi nya sabay gulo sa buhok nya then tumingin sakin
"Please naman Elle, I'm sorry, ok? I didn't mean to. Please believe me" frustrated na pagmamakaawa nya
"Mr. L --" di ko pa sya natatapos tawagin ay pinutol na nya agad ako
"Damn it, Elle. Stop calling me in a formal way" inis na sabi nya sa sobrang frustrate
"You know what, Kris? Magpalamig ka muna. Nagsosorry ka pero ikaw ang nagagalit dito" sabay tayo ko at nagsimula ng maglakad, di pa ako nakakalayo ay bigla nya akong niyakap mula sa likod
"I'm sorry, I'm really sorry. It's just that --" di ko na sya pinatapos sa sasabihin nya
"Ano ba Kris? Ilang beses ko ba sasabihin sayong wala kang dapat ika-sorry? Wala akong karapatang magalit kung di ka nagsabi ng totoo mong pagkatao. We're just stranger to each other. I'm nothing ok? And I don't understand why you're acting like that, like we're something else. We've only known each other for a damn whole day, and we don't know each other except for our first name. I gotta go, I have important things to do" seryosong sabi ko sa kanya at inalis ang kamay nyang nakayakap sakin at dali daling lumabas ng VIP Room at restaurant.
Pagkasakay ko sa kotse ko ay napahawak ako sa dibdib ko.
You did the right thing, Elle. Hindi ka dapat magtiwala basta basta sa ibang tao. Hanggat maaari kailangan pigilan ko ang nararamdaman ko kay Kris hanggang sa magawa ko na ang kailangan kong gawin.
Dahil hapon naman na ay di na ako bumalik sa office at dumeretso na lang ako sa cemetery para dalawin sina Mama at Papa
Pagdating ko dito ay nahiga ako sa katabi ng lapida nila, malinis naman dito at bermudagrass naman ang paligid kaya ayos lang na mahiga ako
"Ma, Pa. Miss ko na kayo. Nag iisa na lang tuloy ang maganda nyong anak, iniwan nyo kasi agad eh" mapait kong sabi habang nakatingin sa langit
"Konting tiis pa Ma, Pa. Malalaman din natin ang katotohan at makakamit ang hustisya para sa inyo. Pasensya po kasi natagalan ako, alam nyo naman ang iniwan nyo sakin ay hindi pwede pabayaan na lang basta. Pangako ko sa inyo mag iingat ako."
Natahimik ako saglit habang dinadama ang lamig ng hangin na para bang yinayakap ako nito. Napangiti namn ako dahil feeling ko ay nandyan lang sila sa tabi ko at di ako pinapabayaan
"Ma, Pa, sa tingin nyo ba kapag pumasok ako sa isang relasyon, makakamit ko pa rin ang hustisya para sa inyo?" at muli na naman humangin na para bang pinapahiwatig na nandyan lang sila sa tabi ko kahit anong desisyon ang gawin ko
"Ma, Pa. Natatakot ako, natatakot akong masaktan. Paano kung maging madali din matapos ang lahat dahil mabilis rin pagdating at pangyayari? I like him Ma, Pa. But I'm afraid that someday I will lose someone I love again."
"Can my love story be like yours? Full of love and trust"
Their relationship came so fast, both of them are their first on everything. First love, first relationship, first kiss, etc. But despite of that, they really loved each other, and they truly trust and understand each other, kaya naman nagtagal sila sa relasyon nila hanggang sa ikasal, and maybe if they're still alive, matibay pa rin ang relasyon nila.
"Ma, Pa. Uwi na na ako huh, thank you for listening to my drama today haha. And maybe I should give it a go, tulad ng sabi nyo, kung hindi ko susubukan, hindi ko malalaman. And walang masamang masaktan dahil part iyon ng trials sa buhay Thank you Ma, Pa for making me realize something. I love you, both. I'll visit you again next time"
Pagpapaalam ko sa kanila at tumayo na ako.