Kabanata 1

[VINZON'S POV]

I couldn't help but close my eyes, feeling the warmth of deliciousness melting on my lips. It seemed to dissolve effortlessly in my tongue even in small bites. Hmm. I paused for a while to take a deep breath before continuing to devour the juiciness exploding inside my mouth. Pinahid ko saglit ang gilid ng bibig ko bago muling magpatuloy. My mouth was about to indulge again when a woman called.

"Vinzon?"

My brow arched. Who dared to disturb my peace?

"What are you doing here?" I asked without putting down the fork in my hand.

Mas lalo akong napakunot nang umupo siya kaharap ko, glancing at the sumptuous meal in front of me.

"Why are you eating alone?" she asked instead of answering me. "Why didn't you call me to join you?"

"You know that I prefer to eat alone." I didn't realize that the sauce of the steak is already dripping. I sighed before putting it down.

"I am your girlfriend." She emphasized each word. I'm starting to lose my appetite because of the oozing scent of her fragrance. "I-I just don't understand, we've been dating for three months pero never tayong kumain sa labas."

"So?"

"So?" ulit niya. She laughed sarcastically. "When you say that you prefer to eat me in bed, I'm starting to think that you're a psychopath." Nasulyapan ko na may mangilan-ngilang tumitingin sa aming dalawa.

"Stop acting like a child," sabi ko sabay punas ng napkin sa bibig ko. "I don't want to continue this conversation anymore."

Ang akala ko ay magpapatuloy pa rin siya sa pagmamaktol niya nang biglang lumambot ang kanyang mukha.

"L-Look, I'm sorry, I just couldn't help it, and I love you, Vinzon..." Love? "My family wants to meet you—"

"No. We're over." I said when I got up. Ang ayokong ayoko sa lahat ay inaabala ang pagkain ko.

"W-what? V-Vinz—" I never looked back when I left the VIP lounge. I already booked and paid in advance that's why I can walk out anytime somebody appears to disturb me.

Love? That's absurd. I'm only dating women from prestigious families so that I can use it as leverage for my business. Alam ko na ganoon lang din naman ang interes nila sa'kin. Who would reject a Tuazon's influence?

"Sir?" Ross, my driver, asked where I wanted to go and I told him to drop me to the main office. Alam kong kasalukuyan na silang nagmi-meeting doon.

Muli kong binuklat ang magazine kung saan naka-feature ang ungas kong kapatid sa front cover.

Tuazon Consortium International is a multinational conglomerate renowned for its extensive influence and diversified portfolio. With a rich heritage spanning generations, the corporation is deeply rooted in the entrepreneurial spirit of the Tuazon family. Its strategic investments and bold initiatives have propelled it to the forefront of various industries, including finance, real estate, technology...

I stopped reading when we arrived. Ilang minuto lang naman ang layo mula sa kinainan kong five-star restaurant kanina. Umibis ako ng sasakyan at tiningala ang gusali—the prestigious Tuazon Tower owned by my family.

"S-Sir Vinzon, h-hindi po kayo kasama sa list ng meeting—" the receptionist on the top floor called security to stop me but Ross held them back, he's a big guy who's also convenient at times like this.

Pagkabukas ko ng malaking pinto ay natigilan silang lahat nang makita ako.

"You are not allowed to be here," Pamela, as usual in her annoying hot pink fashion, immediately frowned at me. I quickly scanned the room and felt relieved that Benedict was also here, there was an obvious worry in his face.

"How could you forget your little brother to include me in this meeting," sabi ko sa kanila at umupo sa bakanteng swivel chair.

"That's ah ma's chair!" I ignored Suzy's childish remark.

"Ah ma's in the hospital and I have her blessing to be here."

"Exactly! She's sick and dying in the hospital at ang kapal ng mukha mo para mag magaling agad, porque sa'yo niya ipapamana ang Hacienda Monte Azul sa Samar—"

"Calm down, Pamela." Finally, my dick brother spoke up. Vernon stood up while remaining stoic. "While grandma is still out there battling cancer, let's acknowledge that she chose to trust this punk. We didn't include you in this lunch meeting because we know how much you hate to eat with others." I clenched my jaw when I heard that. "But you are welcome. Let's finally hear from you at baka may makabuluhan ka ng ambag sa pamilyang ito."

My siblings smirked and I remained emotionless. Saktong may kumatok at pumasok si Ross, dala-dala ang isang brief case. Lahat sila'y nakatutok sa'kin habang pinamimigay ni Ross sa kanila ang kopya ng proposal ko.

"What's this? Vernon asked.

"Marunong ka naman sigurong magbasa," pang-aasar ko pero sinamaan lang niya ako ng tingin. I heard the board member's murmurs when they read the papers.

"Wow." Hindi ko alam kung mangha ba o sarcastic ang boses ni Vernon at medyo napailing. "A project proposal to make the largest hotel in Asia? Using the land given by our grandmother, you are surely daring, Vinny."

I smirked. "Yeah. My architectural firm will design it. I went here to show you the most important part, the last page." Lahat sila'y hinagilap ang pinakahuling pahina at hindi maipinta ang mga reaksyon nila.

"An authorization letter from ah ma? To help you build your project? Unbelievable," Pamela commented, kulang na lang ay punitin niya ang sulat.

I waited for Vernon to speak but he just stared at me. Ayoko nang magtagal pa kaya tumayo na ako.

"This is something that I and my brother, Vernon, should discuss privately." I turned my back from them and silence accompanied me until I got out of that meeting room. Ross opened the door for me.

I was about to ride the elevator when somebody called me.

"Kuya Vinny, wait!" It was Benedict. "Talagang gusto mo lagi ng eksena, ano?"

"When did I made a scene, Benny?" tanong ko sa kanya at tinawanan ba naman ako ng loko.

Nabigla ako ng yakapin niya ako nang mabilis at tinapik sa balikat. "Ang tagal mong hindi nagpakita sa amin and when you did, you just did it with a bang. I'm happy that ah ma finally entrusted you what you deserve."

I don't deserve it yet not until I finish the project.

A slightly smiled at him, tinapik ko rin siya pabalik.

"Vernon has to comply."

"You know that he would never allow you to have a position here," biglang sumeryoso ang itsura niya. "None of them will help you even with ah ma's letter. But don't worry, I'm here. I can talk to Kuya Vernon."

"Hindi mo kailangang gawin 'yon."

Umiling siya. "I'm your only ally here. Trust me." Bigla siyang may nilabas na susi at inabot 'yon sa akin.

****

SINABI sa'kin ni Benny na matagal ng walang gumagamit ng opisina sa basement. Pero pagpasok ko roon ay napakunot ako nang makitang bukas ang mga ilaw. It's spacious enough to start again my firm, but the lights are kind of dark. Naka-cover pa rin ang mga table at upuan, ayon pa sa kapatid ko ay ito raw ang dating mailing office kung saan siya unang nag-training noong pa-graduate siya ng college. Eventually, the department closed down at ginawa na lang storage ang opisina.

Benny's right though. Walang kasiguraduhan na tutulungan ako ng mga kapatid ko sa hotel project proposal ko. But my agenda today is just to scare them off, to make them know that I'm not afraid anymore to fight for what's mine. And I think I did it when Vernon didn't say anything when he saw our grandmother's letter.

The next thing that I should do is to assemble a great design team na tutulong sa aking matapos ang design ng project. I don't need many people; I just needed the best ones. Mukhang kailangan ko rin ang tulong ni Benny dito dahil siya ang Chief Human Resources Officer.

Ilalabas ko pa lang ang phone ko para tumawag sa kanya nang may marinig akong tugtog na nagmumula sa isang kwarto.

Somebody's here. Pinuntahan ko ang pinanggagalingan ng tugtog, bago ko buksan ang pinto ay napansin ko ang isang cleaning cart sa gilid. Perhaps it's a janitor?

Pagkabukas ko ng pinto ay tumambad sa'kin ang isang babaeng gumigiling habang sinasabayan ang isang tugtog, sa harapan niya'y may cell phone na nakatutok sa kanya.

"Make me sweat, make me hotter. Make me lose my breath, make me water..." kumakanta pa ang babae at biglang huminto. "Isa pa nga." She pressed the phone again and repeated the steps and the song. "Make me sweat, make me hotter. Make me lose my breath, make me water—" bigla siyang tumili. Nakikita pala ako sa camera. "S-sino ka?"

The audacity of this woman to ask me who I am, siya nga itong naka-uniporme ng naglilinis at siya pa ang magtatanong?

"Do you want to get fired?" kunot-noo kong tanong sa kanya. "Bakit ka naglalaro habang oras ng trabaho?"

Parang natauhan bigla ang babae at kinuha ang mop sa gilid. She's soaking in her sweat, from head to her neck down to her... kaagad siyang na-conscious nang mapansing nakatitig pala ako. She buttoned up her blouse.

"S-sorry po sir." Napahiya. Kinuha niya ang phone at mga gamit, akmang aalis nang biglang pumasok si Ross.

"Sir Vinzon, hinahanap po kayo ni Sir Vernon."

"Alright—"

"Ikaw si Vinzon?" sa isang iglap ay nasa harapan ko bigla ang babae,

Her face was really close to me, and despite her sweat and her messy bun, I just noticed that she got some looks. I quickly shrugged it off, hinawakan ako ng pawisan niyang kamay sa magkabilang balikat na ikinainis ko.

"Vinzon Tuazon?!"

"Don't touch me!" napaatras siya. 

"Huy, ang arte mo."

Ross' jaw almost dropped. Where are the manners of this generation?

"You're fired."

-xxx-

Author's Note: Thank you for reading chapter one! Dedicating this chapter to my friend, Lara aka eatmore2behappy, because she encouraged me to join this writing challenge. Maraming salamat ulit sa inyo, see you next chapter! And thoughts? :) 

#MyBiringanGirlWP