CHAPTER 7.2

Sapo nito ang dibdib na para bang sobrang nasasaktan. Sumisinghot rin ito kahit wala namang luha.

Angel tsked. Ang arte naman ng lalakeng 'to.

Kapagkuwan ay umayos ito ng tindig at matamis na ngumiti sa kaniya. He offered her his hand. "Hi, I'm Wrath Staurt, Luscious friend," magiliw na pagpapakilala nito ng sarili.

Nakatingin lang siya sa kamay nitong nakalahad sa kaniya. She's hesitant to accept his hand. Pero naisip niya rin naman na walang masama kung tatanggapin niya ito.

Angel smiled  sheepishly, and was about to accept his hand when someone slapped Wrath's. Then she heard a deep and baritone voice, growled a bit from her side, "F*ck off, Wrath."

Kitang-kita niya ang pagtatagis ng bagang nito habang mapanganib na nakatingin sa huli. He looked so dangerous, but hot at the same time. Tila mas naging gwapo pa ito sa paningin niya. Pero hindi!

Angel shook her head to dismiss her thoughts. Mali atang nagdesisyon siyang ituloy ang pagtatrabaho rito. Ngayon pa lang ay ganito na ang epekto sa kaniya ng binata. Paano pa kaya kung magtagal siya?

Wrath chuckled. "Chill, Might. I was just introducing myself to the beautiful engineer here."

Her eyes narrowed at the man. Nakatingin rin ito sa kaniya. Kilala siya nito?

Nagbaba naman ng tingin sa kaniya si Luscious at tila nagsitayuan ang lahat ng balahibo niya sa katawan dahil sa paraan ng pagkakatitig nito. She blinked enumerable times, and even gulped. Ito lang talaga ang lalakeng nagpaparamdam sa kaniya ng ganito, na para bang, she is nothing like the woman she built strong for years.

"Get out, Wrath." Hindi naalis sa mukha niya ang mga mata nito. Siya naman ay hindi malaman kung iiwas ba rito ng tingin o yuyuko na lang.

Angel bit her lower lip. This man can really make her knees weak.

"And you, my new secretary, come with me inside." Nauna na itong maglakad papasok sa sariling opisina na tila nag-a-apoy ang mga tingin.

Nakahinga siya ng maluwag nang maka-alis ito sa tabi. Bumalik lamang siya sa kasalukuyan nang marinig na sumisipol si Wrath, habang may sinusupil na ngiti sa mga labi. Nakatingin ito sa kaniya ng nakaloloko.

"Go follow him inside. Don't keep him waiting, or he'll get mad. And he's very scary and dangerous when he is." He wiggled his eyebrows in amusement.

Simple siyang umismid sa sinabi ng binata. Kapagkuwan ay nakasimangot siyang naglakad patungo sa opisina ng magiging boss niya. Ang aga pa ngunit tila masama na ang timpla nito. Mukhang pinaglihi sa sama ng loob ang isang 'to.

Kumatok muna siya bago buksan ang pinto. Nahagip niya agad ng tingin ang binatang nakatayo sa harap ng malaking pader na salamin ng opisina nito. He looked gorgeous in his business suit.

Nagtama agad ang mga mata nila nang lumingon ito sa kaniya. Angel felt a cold gust of wind blew her when their eyes entangled. She felt her legs buckling. Her body was shivering under his gaze. Angel forcibly dragged herself back to senses. She must not get swayed by his presence!

Naglakad ito palapit sa kaniya at pinigilan niya ang sariling mapalunok. This man is really intimidating.

Mainit ang mga tinging nilampasan siya nito at komportableng naupo sa leather upholstered sofa sa kaliwang bahagi ng opisina. Huminga muna siya ng malalim bago naglakad papunta rito. She sat comfortably in front of him without even smiling.

She has to be composed in front of this man. Yes! Because she has only one reason for working here. And that is to prove herself. Na dapat ay maipakita niyang hindi siya ang tipong basta-basta na lang kinakalimutan.

Matapang niyang sinalubong ang mga mata nitong nakatingin sa kaniya.

"Good morning, Sir," maikli niyang bati rito at yumukod nang bahagya kahit pa pilit. It's been years since she bowed her head in front of someone.

May inilapag itong papeles sa kaniyang harapan na sa hinuha niya ay ang kontrata sa pagtatrabaho rito. "Sign this." Luscious pushed the document to her, and gently put down a pen.

Napalunok siya, ngunit mabilis na  pinermahan ang kontrata habang bahagyang nakataas pa ang kilay.

Luscious smirked, looking down her signature for whatever reason she has no idea.

He straightened his back before turning serious and cold. "I already sent all of the files you needed to read in your computer, and I want you to make a report about those. I'm expecting na matatapos mo 'yon before lunch, because I still have a board meeting— one in the afternoon. And I want you to be with me. I expect so much from you since you're a well-known engineer, kaya rin tinanggap kita agad sa kompanya ko." Sunod-sunod nitong wika sa kaniya na ikinataas niya lang ng kilay.

Kung reports lang ang ipagagawa nito at hanggang lunch pa kailangang ipasa ay kayang-kaya niya 'yon. Plates nga natatapos niya agad, reports pa kaya? And she liked the thought that Luscious was expecting so much from her. She wanted to impress him with her skills and professionalism. But thinking of how Luscious said that he only knew her as a well-known engineer— something pierced her heart. Nakaramdam siya ng konting sakit dahil dito. Kilala siya ng binata bilang sikat na engineer pero ang nangyare sa kanila ay hindi nito maalala.

May inabot ito sa kaniyang iPad na agad niya namang tinanggap.

"Nakalagay d'yan lahat ng kailangan mo, including my schedule." His voice remained impassive and authoritative.

"Noted, Sir," maikili niyang sagot rito nang may kasamang pagtango. He's still staring at her intently like he's reading her emotions. "May kailangan pa ho ba kayo, Sir?"

Luscious leaned his back. His lips thinned. "You may leave now," he said in a freezing cold tone.

Tumayo siya mula sa pagkakaupo. "Thank you, Sir," sambit niya habang hindi dito nakatingin.

Angel walked towards the door casually, which is very ironic to what she was feeling. Namamawis ang kamay niya at hindi maitatagong kinakabahan siya, dahil sa malapit na distansya nila ng binata kanina. And it's good that she still managed to pull herself together.

She's here to work and prove herself. Nothing more! Nothing less! Normal lang siguro na kabahan siya dahil sa nangyare sa kanila ng binata. But surely, she will get used to it in no time. Alam niyang sa umpisa niya lang ito mararamdaman.

She's physically attracted to Luscious. Tanggap niya iyon. Ngunit doon na natatapos 'yon, wala ng iba.

Angel closed the door behind her, and sighed audibly. Naglakad siya patungo sa desk, ngunit napansing nando'n pa rin si Wrath na nakaupo habang komportableng nakapatong ang dalawang paa sa mesa. Nakasandal ito sa swivel chair habang nakapikit.

Sinadya niyang tumikhim upang kunin ang atensyon nito.

"Excuse me, Mr. Staurt, but I think, that's my table." Her face was blank and emotionless.

"Oh chill Ms. Secretary. Where did the sweet lady go?" he asked, snickering. "Ang badtrip mo ata. May nangyare ba sa loob?" natatawang tanong nito.

Angel gave him a deadpan look. "None of your business. Excuse me, marami pa 'kong tatapusin." Naglakad siya palapit rito para tabuyin ito.

Natatawa naman itong umalis sa desk niya. "D*mn, you look pissed. Is it because of me or Luscious?"

She rolled her eyeballs. Napakakulit rin ng isang 'to. Masarap batuhin ng ballpen sa ulo.

Hindi niya na lang pinansin ang binatang nasa harapan na nakatingin pa rin sa kaniya. She started to work on her computer. Binuksan niya rin ang kaniyang email para basahin ang mga gagawan niya ng report.

"Hey, talk to me, beautiful. Is it me or Luscious?" pangungulit nito. "Do you want me to buy you lunch?"

Itinuloy niya lang ang pagtipa sa computer at hindi na pinansin pa ang binata.

"H*ll! It's actually my first time to get ignored by a woman. Looks like my charms aren't working on you." He chuckled. Nagkamot rin ito ng ulo na mas nagpagulo pa sa dating magulo na nitong buhok. "How about ice cream?"

Bigla siyang natigilan sa ginagawa dahil sa narinig mula rito. She raised an eyebrow towards Wrath, who was smiling like an idiot.

Food is really her weakness. At kanina pa siya nagccrave sa ice cream kaya naman tila nagdiwang ang lahat ng selyula ng katawan niya nang marinig ito.

"You'll buy me an ice cream?" she asked with a doubt.

Wrath smirked. "I will."

Sumandal siya sa swivel chair at pinakatitigan ang binata. She's starting to like this man. He actually looked funny and just silly. Mukha ring makulit ito. Higit sa lahat, nakarinig siya ng masarap na pagkain mula rito.

"Fine. Rocky road and double dutch." She grinned.

He winked at her making Angel grimace. "Sige ihahatid ko before lunch dito. See yah." He waved her goodbye.

"Huwag kang kumikindat, hindi bagay sa 'yo," natatawa niyang pakli sa papalayong bulto nito.

Napailing na lamang siya nang magtaas ito ng isang kamay habang naglalakad palayo. Muli niyang ibinalik ang atensyon sa trabaho upang mabilis na matapos nang hindi na matanaw ang binata.

She's excited for her ice cream later. But something made her face lost its color. Namutla siya nang maisip ang kagagahang ginawa. Tila tumigil sa pag-inog ang kaniyang mundo.

Hindi niya man lang nakita ang validity period of appointment ng pinermahan niyang kontrata!

'Stupid!'

At kailan pa siya nakalimot sa ganoong mga bagay! Kahit ang pagbabasa ng kontrata ay hindi niya na ginawa!

Did she just totally forget about it? No! Impossible! Never in her life did she forget to read a very important contract, but what happened now?

'Oh, God!'

Angel bit her lower lip, remembering how stupid she'd become. And there's only one person, who is responsible for all this! And that is Luscious Duncan! Kasalanan nito! If not because of his intimidating aura, Angel will never forget reading that d*mn contract! He distracted her! She was distracted by his presence, which made her breathless, cold, shivering, and nervous as freking h*ll!

'Jesus, bless me with my time around this man.'