I went out of the elevator as I heard the synchronized sound coming from my stilletos as I walked.

Napangiwi ako nang nahuli ang nagmamadaling pagtayo ni Shea nang makita ako.

This is just my first day working for the company. Archer went out of the country for a few days. Sinabi niya na saka na ako magsimula kapag nakabalik na siya, aabisuhan na lang daw niya ako.

Last day, I was in front of my laptop, talking to Prestin and my son when Archer came in Prestin's condo.

He sent me home after we went to Dasher's wake that's why he knew where I'm staying. I don't know how he got Prestin's unit number but I remember he's Archer so it's really possible that he can.

Then he personally told me that I can start my work the next day.

"Good morning, ma'am," nakangiting bungad niya sa akin.

"Good morning," alanganing bati ko.

I saw the cubicle across Shea's table. Almost in the middle of the two cubicle is the door of Archer's office.

I glanced at Shea as I pointed the cubicle. "Is this..." I trailed off, hindi alam kung paano itutuloy ang sinasabi.

"Para raw po sa bagong secretary ni Sir."

I nodded as I slowly walked near it. I frowned when I saw an elegant bouquet of flowers on the table. Is this my cubicle?

Nasa ganoon akong sitwasyon nang bumukas ang pinto ng opisina ni Archer.

"Shea, is Aurie still-" he stopped when our eyes met. "There you are." A smile immediately crept in his face.

"Sir, kadarating lang po ni ma'am," Shea spoke and I almost gestured her to stop.

Arch nodded as Shea. "I expect you to guide her..." He trailed off as he glanced at me. "Though I know it'll be easy for you, you can do it, Aurie."

My lips parted at him. Seriously, Arch? The way he encourage me sounds like I'm a kid. I bit my lower lip when I felt like I am about to smile.

"Wait." Napabaling kami kay Shea dahil sa sinabi niya. "Sir, she's not your girlfriend?"

Archer tilted his head. "No, but soo-"

"I thought he's your boyfriend?" Nangaakusang bumaling sa akin ang sekretarya ni Arch.

Namimilog ang mga mata ko siyang tinignan. "Wala akong sinabi! Hindi ko naman alam na siya pala ang iniisip mo nang sabihin ko iyon."

Her jaw fell opened. "You're implying-"

"Hindi, huh!"

"Then who's your boyfriend?"

"Wala! Wala! Imagination mo lang!" I spat.

Itong Shea butter na 'to, balak pa 'kong ibuking!

"Alright. Are the both of you done?"

Sabay kaming natigilan, para bang nakalimutan na nandito si Arch at ngayon lang muling naalala.

Napatuwid ako ng tayo. "Is..." I cleared my throat. "Is this my cubicle?" I asked as I pointed the vacant cubicle beside me.

"Hmm," he hummed.

"The flowers-"

"That's from the management."
Marahan akong napatango sa agarang sagot niya habang ang aking mga mata ay nasa bulaklak.

"Welcome flowers..." tumatango tangong sambit niya bago nagpatuloy. "From the management, yeah."

"I'll go back inside," he said after convincing hisself that the flowers' from the management.

Tipid akong tumango. Nang tumalikod siya ay marahan kong inilapag ang aking bag sa table at kinuha ang bouquet.

I glanced at Archer who's now in front of the door before focusing on the bouquet.

"You like it?"

Napaangat ako ng tingin dahil sa tanong niyang iyon.

I gave him a smile. "Hmm, thank you."

He nodded and stilled for a moment. "That's from the management."

My lips parted. "To the management," sunod-sunod akong tumango. "Thank you to the management."

"Welcome," he smiled, matapos ay napatigil na para bang muling may naalala. "From the management."

"Y-yes."

I watched him entered his office. Akmang sasara iyon nang muling lumabas doon ang kanyang ulo.

"I have a lunch meeting later, you'll come with me," pahabol niya na agad kong tinanguan.

"Yes, Sir-"

"Sir, you don't have a lunch meeting scheduled today. Sa isang araw pa, Sir," Shea spoke from her cubicle, kaya naman napabaling sa kanya si Archer.

"Meron. Nakalimutan mo siguro," Archer muttered in a matter-of-fact tone.

Bahagya namang napakunot ang noo ng kanyang sekretarya, tila ba inaalala kung mayroon nga.

Hindi ko na sila pinansin at nagsimulang ayusin ang aking cubicle.

Shea gave me a copy of Archer's schedule, both for the company and the law firm. Kung kailan may trial ang mga kasong hawak niya, na iilan lang naman. Alam kong kaya niyang ipanalo ang lahat ng iyon, maybe even if his client really committed the sin, he can make the judge believe that his client is not guilty. Though, I know he won't do that. He won't twist someone's fate despite of his nature of work in Cosmos.

Narinig kong pumipili lang siya ng kasong hahawakan at pinagaaralang mabuti bago tanggapin. That's why I was shocked when he appeared in the interrogation room. Una dahil siya ang napiling tawagan ni Prestin, they came from a different firm and as far as I remember they're not friends. Pangalawa ay agaran niyang tinanggap ang aking kaso.

Half an hour before lunch, I startled when Archer suddenly went out of his office.

"Let's go?" Diretsong sambit niya sa akin.

"Ngayon na?"

"Hmm, we're meeting a possible investor, mabuti na na tayo ang mauna."

I nodded as I collected my things. Matapos ay agad akong tumapat sa kanya dahil mukhang wala siyang balak na mauna.

Iginiya niya ako patungo sa elevator. Hindi ko man lingunin ay ramdam ko ang pagsunod ng tingin ni Shea sa aming dalawa.

Hindi ko alam kung matutuwa ako sa paraan ng pagtrato ni Archer sa akin. I don't know why he's acting like this.

Nang makarating sa parking lot ay agad niyang pinatunog ang sasakyan. I saw him playing the key fob on his hand. My eyes almost widened when I saw the continental gt Bentley in black. Naitikom ko ang aking bibig. What the hell?

He opened the passenger's door for me and gestured me to enter. Natulos ako sa aking kinatatayuan. I unconsciously glanced at my clothes as I swallowed. Hindi naman siguro ako magmumukhang alikabok dito.

Dito niya ba sinasakay ang mga babae niya? I mean, what the hell! This is too much. Ang swerte naman nila kung ganoon.

"I thought you want to be a lawyer?" Napalingon ako sa tanong niya ilang minuto matapos kaming makaalis sa kompanya nila.

Napalabi ako at maliit na ngumiti. I still want to be one but I already have my priorities right now. "Hmm, but things won't always go as planned," I shrugged.

Mabilis siyang sumulyap sa akin bago muling bumalik sa daan ang kanyang tingin. "Depends if you'll let it. In my case, I make sure everything go as I planned."

I turned to him and stare. Sa huli ay napailing at napabuntong hininga. "Let's just say, I had two plans at the same time, I need to choose one and let go of the other."

Marahan siyang napatango. "And you gave up on studying law? The other choice must be important."

A smile slowly formed in my lips. "Yes, kahit ilang beses pa, kahit anong kapalit, I'll give up everything for that choice."

He once again glanced at me, may tipid na ngiti sa kanyang mga labi. Hinintay ko ang sagot niya ngunit hindi na siya nagsalita tungkol sa usaping iyon.

"You're a Gallardo, right?" Muling baling niya sakin matapos ang ilang minuto.

"Yes, why-" Naputol ang sasabihin ko nang tumunog ang kanyang telepono.

"I'll just answer this," paalam niya.

"Sweetie," para bang nangaasar na sambit niya matapos sagutin ang tawag.

Naeeskandalo akong bumaling sa bintana at doon itinuon ang pansin.

"Hmm, dinner?"

"Alright, I'll go there, later."

My God! Why do I have to hear this? And what will happen after the dinner? Namilog ang aking mga mata at nanuyo ang lalamunan dahil sa naiisip.

We arrived at the restaurant, kasabay ng pagtatapos ng usapan nilang dalawa. Siguro ay kung hindi pa kami dumating ay hindi matatapos ang usapan nila.

Iginiya kami sa isang private room. Archer sat beside me. Kaming dalawa lamang ang nasa loob noon maliban sa dalawang waiter na naroon at naghihintay ng order namin.

I secretly glanced at the watch on my wrist. A few minutes before their meeting.

"What do you want? Let's order." Napamaang ako sa tanong niya.

I'm not here as your date, Attorney. Secretary mo 'ko. Gusto kong iyon ipaalala sa kanya ngunit hindi ko na ginawa.

"L-let's just wait for the investor first."

"We can order while waiting."

I shifted on my seat as I faced him. "'Wag na. But if you want you can order for... yourself."

"Ikaw ang tinatanong ko, Aurie."

"Let's wait-" hindi ko na naituloy ang sasabihin nang bumukas ang pinto ng private room. A woman in an early thirties came. I must say she's the secretary. Gumilid siya at pinaunang pumasok ang nasa likod.

I almost fell on my seat as I saw the man in mid fifties. Archer rose from his seat. Napakurap ako sa aking kinauupuan. Sa huli ay napatayo gaya ni Arch.

"Mr. Gallardo," Archer greeted as he walked near them.

Natulos ako sa aking kinatatayuan habang nakatitig sa kanila. What is he doing here?

"Atty. Fonacier," Daddy greeted back as he shook Archer's hand.

Bahagya silang nagusap bago binalingan ni Daddy ang kanyang sekretarya. "By the way, this is my secretary, Eleina."

Archer offered his hand on Dad's secretary and slightly shook it.

"My secretary's also with me," sambit ni Archer matapos makipagkamay sa sekretarya ni Daddy at bumaling sa akin. Dahil doon ay natuon ang pansin ng lahat sa akin.

Archer gave me a smile. "Come here, Aurie."

I saw Dad's eyes darted at me. Kaagad na namilog ang kanyang mga mata.

I lowered my head as I walked beside Archer. Bago pa ako pormal na maipakilala ni Archer ay nagsalita na si Daddy.

"Auriese," he called. Akmang aabutin niya ako ngunit agad akong umatras. "H-how are you? How's my grandso-"

"Nice meeting you, Mr. Gallardo," I cutted his words as I felt my heart raced. Ngayon ay kukumustahin niya ako? Pati ang anak ko?

"Auriese-"

"We're here for business, that's it. Let's be professional, Mr. Gallardo. Besides, my boss still have his meeting after this, let's not waste time," pormal na sambit ko.

I saw Archer from the side of my eyes turned to me. Kaya naman napabaling din ako sa kanya. I met his eyes giving me a 'meron ba? Bakit hindi ko alam?' kind of look.

Hindi ko iyon pinansin at sinenyas na ang table.

"My secretary is right, Mr. Gallardo. Let's settle down."

Muntik na akong mapapalakpak nang tuluyang pumormal ang aking boss. The way he looked at my father feels like the way he looked at me when we met in the interrogation room. 'Yung tipong lawyer na lawyer ang datingan.

We ordered our foods before we finally started the meeting. Hindi lang pala investment ang sadya ni Daddy, balak pa yatang mag-alok ng partnership kay Arch.

"How about we talk about that next meeting, Mr. Gallardo."

Napaangat ako ng tingin nang hindi sumagot si Daddy. I met his eyes and caught him looking at me.

Napalabi ako at muling nagbaba ng tingin. Marahan kong kinagat ang aking pangibabang nang maalala kung paano niya ako tinitigan nang palayasin ako ni Salvia sa sarili naming pamamahay. And he supported Salvia. Kahit kaming dalawa ni Prestin ang kapalit noon.

When Mom's still alive, I felt like our father loves us. He never let me feel unloved, kami ni Prestin, pati na rin si Mommy.

I don't know what happened, after Mommy went missing for a year ay hindi na namin siya nakita. Salvia suddenly came in our house with my father. Days after, they declared my Mom's death, kahit na wala naman kaming nakita na katawan niya. Simula noon, nagbago si Daddy. He changed to the point that I'm questioning if he's really concerned to us back then, if he loved us.

Despite their announcement that Mom died, I didn't stopped searching for her, kami ni Prestin. Few months after, we got a tip that they found a burned body. Sa liblib na lugar sa Bulacan iyon natagpuan. We tried to conduct a DNA test and I can't imagine how devastated I am when it came out positive. Hindi namin alam ni Prestin kung paano babangon matapos malaman ang balitang iyon.

"Sir, Atty. Fonacier's asking you," I heard my Dad's secretary.

Muli akong nagangat ng tingin at mukhang noon lang natauhan si Daddy.

"Yes, Attorney. I'm looking forward to another meeting with you."

__________