Chapter 8

Secretary

"I don't tolerate flirtation under my employment, La Rosa."

I stopped myself from raising my brows. Flirtation? Wow. Naghahaplusan at nagkikindatan ba kami rito ni Langston?

Hired na ba ako? Hired na? Under his employment, huh?

I had this urge to back out, to step outside this place and curse these brothers to hell. Pakiramdam ko ay pinagti-tripan lang nila akong dalawa.

At the very first place, why would you give someone a chance to enter inside your territory if that someone had a sort... well... a grudge on you?

Nag-umpisa lang naman ako ng pagwe-welga sa harap ng malaking negosyo nila. Keaton Samonte's not too dumb to just let me do what I want, he's playing fire!

The Samonte brothers were up to something! Maybe they're going to use me against their haters? That's not possible, kilala lang naman nila ako bilang lider ng mga nagwe-welga sa kanila.

And Keaton Samonte as being the wicked man, would never sit down while watching his enemy, of course he would to something to stop me, and giving me this opportunity would make him aware of my plans.

Hindi ko alam kung ilang segundo ba ako nakatitig nang mariin kay Keaton Samonte na nakakrus ang mga braso habang nakatanaw sa akin. Gusto ko na siyang sagutin at isabotahe ang dapat gagawin ko.

But I should play with this bait.

"Well?"

Mahulog ka sana sa hagdan.

"Very well, Sir." I smiled at him before glancing at Langston. "If you may excuse me, Sir."

Umirap ako kay Langston na umawang ang bibig sa akin, tumalikod naman si Keaton Samonte kaya nagmadali na akong umakyat sa hagdan para sundan siya.

Sa bawat hakbang ko sa mataas nilang hagdan, ilang mura na ang nausal ko sa isip ko. I was wearing killer heels! My damn sisters forcefully dressed me up na malayo sa gusto ko. I preferred slacks, but here I was suffering with this pencil cut skirt.

I tried to complain, but my father insisted. Kaya wala akong nagawa, dahil kung sa umpisa palang daw ay hindi na ako sumusunod sa tama, ano pa ang gagawin ko sa sandaling si Keaton Samonte na ang may ipagawa sa akin?

Shit.

Not like I would stay here for long...

I was in the middle of brainstorming my most possible struggles for the rest of my summer vacation, when I suddenly hit something... or should I say my future boss.

Shit again.

Lumingon siya sa akin na nakakunot ang noo.

"S-sorry." I awkwardly said.

But the audacity of this icy face! Pinagpagan lang naman niya sa mismong harapan ko ang balikat niya na nabangga ng mukha ko. Wow!

Kumuyom ang dalawa kong kamao, pero bago pa man naputol ang pisi ko tinalikuran niya akong muli para buksan ang pinto.

I hesitantly stepped inside his office, it's basically a close room with just the two of us. There's a lot of possibility that might happen inside, at wala akong pagkakataong tumakbo kung may ibang mangyari.

I hastily scanned the room for a protection if anything happens, no weapons found. Might ask the help of my killer heels.

Ingay ng pagsasarado ng pintuan ang namayani sa loob ng opisina.

"Sit."

Prenteng umupo si Keaton Samonte sa kanyang lamesa, hindi siya nakatingin sa akin kundi sa pamilyar na papel na parang tamad na tamad pang bigyan ng atensyon. My resume.

Kung kanina ay matinding inis at galit ang nararamdaman ko, ngayon ay purong kaba. His office felt like an ice age, and my damn legs were starting to get wobbly.

I gulped before I took more steps towards him. I sat on my given chair in front of him. My hands were shaking on my lap as I struggled to look confident in front of him.

Nasaan na ang tapang mo, Ashanti? This is just an interview!

"Tell me about yourself aside from being a gang leader." He bluntly said.

My fists balled on my lap as I calmed myself down. Did I expect him to be gentle? He was hit by a stone, I caused ruckus in his business, and I tried to seduce his brother for money.

"Before we go further with this interview, Sir, if you would still allow it, I'd like to apologize for all the trouble. It's a shame for my father, who you'd given an incomparable trust to have her daughter who--" I was cut off when he raised his right hand in dismissal.

"Forgiven."

Pinigil ko ang sarili kong hindi siya sigawan. Sinungaling! He's really up to something.

I was about to at least tell him my qualities, but the jerk just looked straight into my eyes. "You're hired."

He stood up and formally fixed his unrumpled suit. Niloloko niya ba ako? Ano ang sense ng interview niyang ito?

"S-seriously? Gano'n na lang? I can tell you my qualities and--" hindi ko napigilan ang sarili ko. If he's really up to something could he just a bit discreet for me not to notice?

"No need. I've seen enough. You will start today, and I have a meeting. You'll be my new secretary."

My mouth hung open. His secretary! That means... lagi ko siyang makakasama. Shit.

He looked at his wristwatch. "Let's go."

Hindi na ako nakapagsalita nang magsimula na naman siyang maglakad nang mabilis palabas ng kanyang opisina. I quickly followed his steps, we were on the foot of the stairs when Langston showed his innocent yet annoying face.

"So...?" he titled his head to look at me from his brother's back.

"I'll be late tonight. Ms La Rosa is my new secretary."

"K-kuya!" Langston's voice was almost complaining. Too bad, I won't fall again. Pag-umpugin ko lang silang dalawang magkapatid.

Hindi sumagot si Keaton dahil naglakad na ulit siya. Susunod na sana ako nang biglang may humawak sa kamay ko.

"Ashanti... can we talk? I'm really---"

"Ms La Rosa!" my boss called.

I pulled my hands away from Langston. "Don't bother me, ex..."

His face was expressionless, not that I care.

May naghihintay ng driver sa itim nilang Lancer, sumakay si Keaton sa likuran kaya bilang secretary dapat umupo ako sa unahan? And I don't really want to sit with him.

Nasa biyahe na kami nang magsalita si Keaton sa mga gagawin ko.

"You will read all my emails and reply to them, fix my schedules, remind me of my important meetings, familiarize my files, receive my calls, and other basic secretarial tasks."

I tried to look enthusiastic. Kahit nagsisimula na akong tanungin ang sarili ko kung ano ba 'tong pinasok ko.

"Sometimes I'll need you on weekends, don't worry I'll double your pay."

May iba pang pinaliwanag sa akin si Mr Samonte at pinilit ko ang sarili kong intindihin ang lahat.

"Questions?"

"Nothing, Sir."

Isa lang ang inaasahan kong meeting pero halos sumuko na ako nang apat na sunod-sunod pala iyon.

I wanted to resign immediately after that exhausting meetings.

"Sit at the back." Muntik na akong mapatalon kahit sobrang sumasakit na ang paa ko nang marinig ko ang sinabi ng boss ko.

Because I've been trying to be a very effective employee, sumunod na lang ako. Isa pa, baka sa unahan siya uupo. But then, he sat beside me.

He mentioned a certain restaurant.

"A-another meeting, Sir?"

"We will eat."

Muntik ko nang maalala na hindi man lang kami nagtanghalian, ano ba ang oras na? May plano yata siyang patayin ako sa gutom.

Isinandal ko na ang sarili ko sa upuan habang nakatanaw ako sa bintana. I was tired and lost, kung titingnan maganda na ang katayuan niya, bakit kailangan niya pang panindigan ang sabungan na iyon?

He has a good image, a young bachelor with an empire. Hindi niya ba naisip na nakakasira sa imahe niya ang sabungang iyon?

I had this feeling na hindi rin ako tatagal sa trabahong ito. Keaton Samonte is too workaholic, kaya hindi na ako nagtataka kung bakit wala siyang secretary ngayon. He could kill his secretary, isa araw palang ako parang bibigay na ang katawan ko.

Yes, I was just sitting and listening in the entire time, but it was still exhausting.

I should stop this childish plan, and get straight to the point.

"I know that you're not dumb, Mr Samonte." Hindi siya sumagot.

"I came here with the same reason."

"My brother."

Marahas akong lumingon sa kanya. "It's not your brother! Your business! Wala na akong pake sa kapatid mo! Gusto kong ipasara mo iyon. Maraming pamilya sa loob ng Enamel at sa karatig bayan ang nagkakaproblema dahil sa negosyo mo!"

"I never heard anything from the local government."

"Of course, binibigyan mo sila ng katas!"

His mouth twitched with amusement. "Ano'ng katas?"

Suminghap ako sa sagot niya sa akin. I even saw how the driver glanced at the rearview mirror.

Ito na naman siya! He's taking my words differently, the way he did with my word palay.

"Convince me, then. Do something that will make me stop the operation of that business."

"H-how?" he shrugged his shoulders.

"That's your problem, Miss La Rosa."

Nakarating kami sa isa sa kilalang restaurant dito sa Enamel. Mas lalo akong nakaramdam ng gutom nang maamoy ko ang masasarap na luto nila.

Keaton Samonte ordered for us, hindi ko alam kung saan ako titingin kasi magkaharapan kami at hindi man lang siya nagsasalita. Tama ang iniisip ko umpisa pa lamang, he's aware of my plan but he let me.

The annoying part? He looked overly confident, and he's not even threatened na baka bigla ko siyang isabotahe habang sekretarya niya ako. It was like his hands were ready on my neck if I did something wrong.

Parang hinahayaan niya lang akong mag-isip na ikasasakit ng ulo ko, habang siya pa-chill lang. Habang naghihintay kami ng pagkain, the waiter went on our table to give us our wine.

Nang inalok ako, umiling agad ako. "Juice na lang."

Ramdam ko ang titig sa akin ni Keaton Samonte habang sumisipsip ako ng orange juice. How should I start a conversation with him?

"So... what happened to your previous secretary? Pang ilan na ako?" I secretly praised myself for starting a good question.

Sinumulan ko ulit sumipsip ng juice nang marinig ko ang sagot niya na muntik nang makapagpasamid sa akin.

"Pregnant. You're the fifth secretary."

"Oh..."

Hindi naman siya ang nakabuntis kaya nakipag-break sa kanya si Autumn Olbes?

"How about the others? The first, second and third?"

"They got pregnant."

"Oh..."

"I am not the father, if you're thinking of anything else."

"No way." Mariin akong umiling sa kanya.

"Good."

Namatay ulit ang usapan, gusto ko na lang gamitin ang phone ko habang naghihintay ng pagkain pero hindi naman yata tama iyon.

It's too hard to make a conversation with the person you once assaulted. Hindi man ako ang bumato sa kanya, isa pa rin ako sa malaking rason kung bakit nangyari iyon.

Besides, hindi naman basta mawawala iyong inis ko sa kanya at sa ginawa ng kapatid niya sa akin. But just what I've told him, it wasn't all about the hatred they inflicted on me that moment they made me fool of myself.

Mas mahalaga ngayon ang pangako ko sa kapwa ko kabataan na hindi maganda ang tingin sa kanilang sabungan. I should do something about it.

Keaton Samonte proposed a fair deal instead of my initial plan (infiltrate and sabotage). Ang kailangan ko lang gawin ay kumbinsihin siyang ipasara ang sabungan.

But how could I possibly do that?

Nang dumating na ang pagkain, bigla kong nakalimutan ang lahat ng naiisip ko at hinayaan ang sarili kong mas bigyan ng atensyon ang kumakalam kong sikmura.

We ate silently, hanggang sa mapansin kong tapos nang kumain si Keaton Samonte. He staring at me again.

"Y-yes?" I asked him awkwardly.

"Nothing."

I don't have time to entertain his thoughts, ibinalik ko ang atensyon ko sa pagkain hanggang sa mabusog ko.

Malawak na ang ngiti ko sa labi nang mabura ang gutom ko. While Keaton Samonte's still watching me with his cold emotionless eyes.

Huminga ako nang malalim, kanina ko pa itong gustong itanong sa kanya at hindi ako makakatulog mamaya kung hindi ko ito magagawang sabihin sa kanya.

"Tell me... why? You could have hire someone better, hindi katulad kong... well... you know what I mean."

Hindi muna siya sumagot sa akin. He called the waiter and asked for the bill. Nang maiwan na lang kaming dalawa, muli siyang humarap sa akin.

"Hmm... I find you amusing, Miss La Rosa."