Friday. It's been two days pero wala pa rin siyang naririnig na balita mula kay Vico. Regina knew that he won't dare call if it's not good news. That's what she instructed. Pero mamayang hapon na ang meeting ng stockholders.

She didn't want to attend that droning event. Baka maurat lang siya sa sobrang antok!

With a grunt, she took out her phone from her bag and dialed Vico's number. Isang ring pa lang ay sumagot na ito.

"Yes, Red?"

"What the hell is taking so long?!" iritado niyang tanong.

"Busy pa raw kasi si Troy e..."

"Sabihin mo sa kanyang ayaw kong pinaghihintay ako, Vico!"

"I can't. I can't get through his secretary kasi. Baka raw next, next week pa siya free."

"Damn." Napasapo siya. Maybe she needs to take this matter to her own hands. "Bumalik ka na rito."

"But—"

"Pupunta na 'ko sa office ni Troy. Kapag naabutan pa kita riyan, humanda ka sa 'kin."

She heard him sigh. "Okay. If you say so."

Gamit ang sariling kotse ay pumunta siya sa opisina ni Troy. Malaki rin ang building na pag-aari ng mga Aragonza. Worthy to be their rivals. Pero sa opinyon niya ay mas maganda ang building nila kaysa sa mga ito.

Tuloy-tuloy siyang pumasok without being blocked by the guards. Kapag kasi babaeng mukhang intrimidida na nakapula, alam na nilang siya iyon. Hawing-hawi ang entrance nang pumasok siya.

Saktong may kakabukas na elevator nang malapit na siya rito. Nag-unahan ang mga tao sa pagsakay habang siya naman ay naiwan sa labas. May nag-press ng open button. Tumingin ang lahat sa kanya, hinihintay syang pumasok.

Hindi siya gumalaw. Nakatayo lamang siya doon. Yung maintenance guy na nakaupo sa tabi ng mga buttons, mukhang namukhaan din siya sa wakas. Pati na yung ibang empleyado, mukhang na-realize din kung sino sya.

"Labas po muna kayo," sabi ni kuyang maintenance sa mga nakasakay.

"Ha? Bakit po?" tanong ng isang pasahero.

The maintenance guy glanced at her and then back to them again. Nakikiusap ang mga mata nito. May ilang umunang lumabas. Ang iba naman ay walang nagawa kundi lumabas na rin. When the car was finally empty, saka sya sumakay dito.

"Anong floor ma'am?" magalang na tanong sa kanya ng maintenance guy.

"Twenty-sixth," she replied curtly.

Tumango ito saka pinindot ang number 26.

When the elevator door opened, tuloy-tuloy siya sa lobby ng opisina ni Troy. Tumayo yung gwardiyang nakabantay saka siya pinagbuksan ng pintuan. Dire-diretso naman siyang pumasok. Nakatingin ang lahat sa kanya. Napahinto ang mga naglalakad. Napalingon ang mga nagtatrabaho. Natahimik ang mga nagti-tsismisan.

Even without the sound of her heels, people seemed to be well aware of her presence.

"Saan ang office ni Troy?" she asked loudly.

Halos sabay-sabay silang napaturo sa isang direksyon.

Taas-noo siyang naglakad patungo roon. Nang makita siyang paparating ng sekretarya ni Troy ay agad itong tumayo.

"Ma'am—"

She lifted one finger at her and continued walking.

"Ma'am, you need to have an appointment first!" habol nito sa kanya nang malampasan niya ito. She turned the doorknob but it was locked.

Nilingon niya ang sekretarya ni Troy.

"Open it," utos niya.

"Ma'am kasi—"

Pinangkitan niya ito ng mata.

"I said... open it." Kalmado pero awtoritado ang pagkakasabi niya. Kahit hindi sya ang boss nito ay napilitan itong sumunod. The door can only be opened from inside. So the secretary had to call him.

"Sir—"

Hindi nito naituloy ang sasabihin nang kunin niya ang telepono sa kamay nito.

"—did I not tell you to not interrupt me?!" iritado nitong tanong.

"And did I not tell you to meet me?" pabalik niyang tanong.

"Who's this?"

"It's Red."

"Red?" Tumawa ito. Saka natigilan nang hindi siya nagsalita. "W-Wait... are you serious?"

"May narinig ka bang haha sa dulo?"

"Damn," he muttered. "Can you give the phone to my secretary please?"

Agad niyang iniabot ang telepono sa sekretarya nito. Ito ang nakipag-usap kay Troy. Puro tango at 'opo' ang narinig niya tapos ay biglang bumukas ang pintuan ng opisina ni Troy.

Lumabas ang isang matangkad na babae na nakaputing blouse at black pencil skirt. Nakka-unbutton ang tatlong butones ng blouse nito kaya kitang-kita ang cleavage nito. Napataas ang kilay niya kay Troy na nakaabang sa may pintuan.

He motioned for her to go inside.

Nang makapasok ay isinarado nito ang pintuan at ini-lock.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" nakangiti nitong tanong.

"Is that slut eating up your time?" taas-kilay niyang tanong.

Troy smirked. And for the normal women, that would mean ovary explosion. Not to her though. Nanatiling blangko ang mukha niya.

"We were just talking."

"Yeah, right," she scoffed. Obvious naman sa crumples shirt at disheveled hair nito that they did more than just talk. But she didn't argue. "Ano bang pwede kong upuan na hindi pa nababahiran ng kalandian nyo?"

Tumawa ito at kinuha ang coat saka ipinatong sa sarili nitong upuan. "Sit here."

She hesitated. Pero kinailangan din niyang sumunod. Sya nga pala ang hihingi ng pabor, not the other way around. She knew Troy. Kahit mukhang pa-easy-easy lang ito, he's cunning and smart... and quite manipulative.

Nang makaupo siya ay naupo ito sa gilid ng table nito.

Sumandal siya sa upuan at tiningnan ito sa mata.

"You've been hiding from me," she said.

"I wasn't, Red. Why would I hide from you?"

"My assistant's been trying to get an appointment since Wednesday. So far, he has no luck. So I had to come here myself. Alam mo bang sobrang hassle mag-drive?!"

"I'm sorry. I didn't think it was that important," pag-amin nito.

"If it came from me, it's important. You should remember that."

Tumango-tango ito. "I will. So, what brought you here?"

His lowered his gaze and lingered on her chest. She was wearing a tight-fitting red dress with silver straps. The dress has low neckline. Kitang-kita ang cleavage niya.

"I wasn't here for sex, if that's what you're trying to imply."

Kumurba ulit ang mga labi nito.

"You know how much I admire straightforward women." He touched her chin. Pinalis naman niya ang kamay nito. Ayaw nyang hinahawakan sya ng kahit sino, especially by a man who just did his employee.

"Let's not play games, Troy."

He sighed and stood up. "I thought you were here for that."

Bahagya syang natawa. "Of course not. I don't find you appealing enough."

He didn't look offended. In fact, mukhang hindi ito naniwala sa sinabi nya. He must have a lot of self-confidence in him. Baka kasi sya pa lang ang nakapagsabi dito noon. Lumapit ito sa kanya at itinuon ang tigkabilang kamay sa arm rests ng upuan.

He lowered his face to her. Safe distance but reachable enough, if he wants to claim her lips. Her stare did not falter. Lumaban siya ng titigan dito. She was not about to show him that he has any effect on her, kung meron man.

"Are you sure about that, Red?"

"Yes," mabilis niyang sagot.

"Baka mamaya, hinahalikan pa lang kita, umuungol ka na."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not here to feed your ego, Troy. Save your flirtations for someone else."

Naiiling itong lumayo sa kanya.

"You're really as tough as they say. Are you as frigid in bed?"

Kanina pa siya kating-kating sampalin si Troy. He's usually serious around his associates pero kapag sa babaeng gusto nitong ikama, sasabihin nito ang lahat magawa lang iyon. Well, she's not about to be one of those women.

"I shouldn't have come here. Wala rin naman akong mapapala sa 'yo."

Akma siyang tatayo nang pigilan siya nito.

"Hey, hey, not so fast." His tone became lighter, friendlier. "Ano ba kasi ang kailangan mo?"

She sighed. Finally.

"I have a proposal for you."

"I'm all ears."

"I want you to marry me."

Hindi ito agad nakapag-react. Parang naghihintay pa na mag-sink in ang sinabi niya. And when it finally did, his head fell back in laughter.

Bumalik si Red sa opisina niya na mainit ang ulo. Troy just laughed at her! Nabibwisit siya rito. Sobrang conceited! Ilang minuto siyang nakakunot ang noo at nakasimangot bago yata ito makaramdam na seryoso siya sa sinabi.

"Seryoso ka?" tanong nito sa kanya kanina.

Bilang sagot ay sinimangutan lang nya ito.

"Why would I marry you?" takang-tanong nito.

That's when she told him about her father's proposal to her. Naging interesado ito nang mabanggit niya si Vincent. It's like there's this invisible challenge between the two na kailangang palaging magpapagalingan ang mga ito sa lahat ng bagay.

At that very moment, she was no longer Red. She became an enticing trophy. Someone na kapag napanalunan ay nakaka-proud i-display.

Pero nang akala niya'y napapayag na ito, saka naman ito yumuko at bumulong sa kanya.

"I'll think about it," he whispered.

What's there to think about? she asked herself. Isang Regina Domingo na nga ang nag-propose dito—though indirectly—choosy pa ba ito?

"Red!"

"What!" she spat.

"Ay, high blood ka, 'te? What happened?" Vico asked.

Inismiran nya lang ito. Kumukulo pa rin ang dugo niya kay Troy. When she wants something, gusto niyang nakukuha agad. Ayaw niyang pinaghihintay. Aba, sayang ang oras niya!

"Get lost, Vico. Kung ayaw mong sa 'yo ko maibunton ang galit ko!" she threatened.

"I will get myself lost later. First thing's first. There's already a new CEO."

Kunot na kunot pa rin ang noo niyang bumaling dito.

"Who?"

Ngumiti ito ng mapakla. "Vincent."

Pakiramdam niya'y may soda fountain sa loob niya na biglang binagsakan ng maraming mentos.

"How. The. Hell. Did. That. Happen?!"

"Err... well, it turned out na si Vincent na ang may hawak ng pinakamalaking stock ng kumpanya, so the board voted him as CEO, as per our company's laws."

"What?!"

What. The. Fuck. Saka lang nag-landslide sa kanya ang sinabi ng daddy niya noong huling family meeting nila. Hindi kasi niya inintindi yung sinabi nito tungkol sa stocks ni Vincent. She was just angry because he's there.

Hanggang ngayon, hindi pa rin niya tanggap na kasali ito sa family meeting nila. At dagdag pa roon, balak pa itong ipakasal sa kanya!

"Uncle Regi just transferred his stocks to him. Siya na rin mismo ang nagbitiw sa pwesto niya bilang CEO. Now, combined with uncle's 20%, Vincent easily got the largest share. He now holds the 38%, Red."

Gusto niyang manlumo. Fifteen percent pa lang ang stocks niya. Ang dating 5% stocks ng mommy niya ay napunta sa kanya ng mamatay ito. Combined with her own 5% and the 5% she bought from the other members, she was able to accumulate 15% while Vincent was sitting second highest with 18%. Daniel Dirham has 10%. Si Vico naman, as fourth, with 7%. The rest have 5% each.

Now, Vincent's got the upperhand. Pero bakit? Why did her dad give Vincent the stocks? Siya naman ang lehitimong anak. Siya ang nag-iisa nitong anak!

Why Vincent?!