CHAPTER 9.1

"MOM," tawag pansin ni Luscious sa kaniyang ina na abalang maghahanda sa kusina ng kanilang hapunan. Tipid siyang ngumiti nang magtama ang kanilang mga tingin.

Madalang na silang sama-samang kumain ng kaniyang mga magulang magmula nang bumukod siya mula sa mga ito. Naging abala din siya sa pamamalakad ng kanilang kompanya kaya halos hindi niya na mabisita pa ang mga magulang, lalo na ang ama.

His Mom would visit him every week with one definite reason Luscious absolutely knew. And that is to convince him to settle down. Hindi na ito tumigil magmula ng magtrenta siya.

Masayang sinalubong siya nito ng mainit na yakap. "Oh, my son." His mother kissed his cheeks. "Mabuti naman nakarating ka," anang ginang na pinisil ang kaniyang pisngi.

Luscious grimaced and chuckled. "It's not like I have a choice, Mom," biro niya sa ina na ikinasimangot nito.

Batid niyang nagtatampo ang ina nitong huli silang magkita kaya nais ng binatang bumawi rito.

"Ikaw talagang bata ka! Sige na at nagaantay ang Daddy mo sa may dining. I'll be there in a minute." His Mom gave him a warm and bright smile. 

Mahina pa siyang natawa bago halikan ang ina sa pisngi. Mabilis siyang tumalima rito at tinungo ang dining kung saan nabungaran niya ang ama.

"Dad," Luscious casually greeted his father.

His father gazed with a smile in his face. Nakaupo ito sa pinakadulong upuan at umupo naman siya sa gilid nito.

Ilang sandali pa at sumunod na ang kaniyang ina. Nasa likod nito ang kanilang mga katulong na may kaniya-kaniyang putaheng hawak. He's certain that his Mom cooked all these. Kahit pa noong bata siya ay ito na ang nagluluto para sa kanila. She's a hands-on mother and wife. And he wanted to find and marry someone like her.

'Marry? Now where the h*ll did that came from?'

He wanted to shirk the thought. Bukod sa wala siyang planong magpakasal ay alam niyang wala ng babaeng katulad ng kaniyang ina. Wala ng kagaya nitong magiging isang mabuting ina at asawa sa bubuuhin nitong pamilya.

He nodded earnestly to himself. Then, his secretary's face suddenly flashed in his head. Ilang beses siyang umiling  sa walang kwentang bagay na naisip. 

His secretary as his wife? That's absurd! Ni hindi nga siya nito magawang ngitian.

Luscious tsked. Angel is the only woman his charms aren't working with. 

'And that woman isn't normal. Really!'

Halos nakahubad na siya sa harap nito ngunit hindi man lang naapektuhan ang dalaga. Tila wala itong pakealam sa kaniyang kakisigan. It's like she's just there, standing without giving a single care about him half-naked. Bukod pa rito ay nasa iisang lugar lang sila. Hindi ba ito nagagwapuhan sa kaniya? Hindi ba ito naaakit sa kaniya?

D*mn! This is the only woman who made him question his gorgeousness, because Luscious knew he is! Aside from that, he's also rich. Ngunit tila wala ang lahat ng ito sa dalaga.

He puffed a loud breath, annoyed with only one reason. And that reason will always have something to do with his gorgeous and ravishing hot secretary.

"Son, how's business?" tanong sa kaniya ng amang pumukaw sa kaniyang pansin. Kasalukuyang sinasandukan ito ng kaniyang ina ng pagkain sa plato.

"Still doing great, Dad," tipid niyang sagot na sinabayan pa ng buntong-hininga.

His mother started to take care of his plate. "Thanks, Mom." He smiled lovingly towards her.

"I cooked this for you," magiliw nitong tugon na iniumang pa sa harap niya ang paboritong bulalo.

"How's Mr. Taverna's investment?" 

"I've already closed the deal, Dad."

"That's good. How about the island resort in Palawan?" 

"I've already signed the contract with Buencamino Builders for the construction."

"Buencamino Builders... I've heard so much about them. That construction company is well-known under an empire."

Luscious smiled sheepishly at that. "Yes, Dad. And they're one of the best construction company not only here in the country."

"But I heard the owner never showed himself."

"Nobody knows who the owner is. Not even if it's a she or he." 

"Mukhang masikreto ang may-ari ng kompanyang iyon. But still, Buencamino Empire kept on growing and expanding." 

His Dad was right. Buencamino Empire's owner and CEO never showed himself or herself. It's always been a mistery in the business world. Ang malinaw lang sa lahat ay nagumpisa sa maliliit na negosyo ang may-ari nito, hanggang sa mabuo nito ang napakalaking kompanya. The company literally started from scratch, until today. It is already considered as an empire. 

The owner must be a bad*ss genius. Nabuo nito ang kompaniya sa loob lamang ng anim na taon. At patuloy itong lumalago.

"Oh, about that," his Mom interjected. "Someone sent me an invitation for their charity ball. They've been hosting that for years to support numbers of charities." She paused, then continued "Ikaw anak, nakatanggap ka ba?"

"Yes, Mom." 

"We should attend, right honey?" pagbaling nito sa kaniyang ama.

"Of course!"

"You should too, son." 

"I will, Mom," he replied.

"I'm sure the owner is a very generous person. Napakarami nitong charities na tinutulungan," his Mom said giddily.

Ang Mommy niya ang namamahala sa mga charities na tinutulungan ng kanilang kompanya. His mother is a woman with a good and generous heart. Napakamatulungin nito. She used to be an international pageant Queen. But after her reign, she never stopped doing charity works. Mahilig rin ang Mommy niya mag-volunteer sa kahit saang pwede itong makatulong. Kaya hindi na siya magtataka na pinakasalan ito ng kaniyang ama. His Mom wasn't just a woman with beauty and brain, but also a good heart.

Ngunit namana niya ata ang ugali sa kaniyang ama. His Dad was so called the devil in a business suit in their company. Lahat ng mga empleyadong nasa ilalim ng pamamalakad nito ay kinatatakutan ang kaniyang ama. His father is generous to his employees with their benefits. Malaki rin ang sweldo sa kanilang kompanya. Ngunit istrikto ito pagdating sa trabaho ng mga mangggawa nila. 

And he took his behavior from him. Magka-ugali sila ng ama, lalo na pagdating sa negosyo. Many people often says that he's more ruthless.

Ngunit gano'n pa man ay malambot ang ama sa kanilang pamilya lalo na sa kaniyang ina. He's a different person in their family.

"Son," tawag sa kaniya ng ama.

"Yes, Dad?"

Ibinaba nito ang hawak na kubyertos at matiim siyang tinitigan. He clasped his hands together while looking intently in his eyes.

Luscious instantly knew where this is going, especially when he glanced at his Mom, looking expectantly.

He sighed.

'Here it goes again.'

"You know I'll never want to pressure you, right?" pagsisimula nito na tinanguan niya naman. "But you're Mom here keeps on worrying about you. You're in the right age for marriage, son. Hindi na rin kami bumabata ng Mommy mo. I hope you don't take this negatively."

Tumigil siya sa pagkain at nagpunas ng napkin cloth sa kaniyang labi bago harapin ang mga ito. Bahagya siyang bumuntong-hininga. "I know that, but Mom, Dad, I don't want to engage myself in marriage if I'm not sure about it. Marriage is a very serious thing like what you're always telling me. More than that, I want to find someone like Mom. I want to spend the rest of my life inside a marriage like yours." He paused. Nakatingin siya sa inang tila naluluha. His Mom is always emotional. "When the time comes, and I finally found someone who will love me like, Mom does, I'll marry her in an instant— without any second thought." 

Inabot ng ina ang kaniyang kamay at bahagyang pinisil iyon.

"Mom, don't cry." Luscious let out a short laugh to divert his attention from the pang of seeing his mother in the verge of crying. God! He loves his Mom so much.

"I'm just happy and so proud, my son. You sounded like we thought you so well," naluluhang wika nito.

"Because you did, Mom. I want a marriage like yours. And a woman like you as my wife."

His Mom smiled tenderly, full of love. "You're making my heart flutter." She laughed demurely. "You will find the woman for you in no time, son. And she will make you the happiest."

'She will make me the happiest. Contented and happy not because of my fortune, and the things that I have.'