CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 7- ONE AND ONLY

MARIA

DENRICK

Oh sh1t! Fvck it!

Even now, I can't still believe that I will follow orders from someone who is under than me. Don't get me wrong. I am not conceited, I just find their suggestion as a plain stupid.

How lucky my father when he found my mom. They are also a product of arrange marriage but later on they develop a feelings for each other. I know that is why Dad agree to their suggestion because he believe that what happened to their love story will also happen to me. But they are completely wrong.

Arrange marriage is completely not my thing. I don't want to marry someone I don't love---and that means eternity. Eternity because I will never love someone aside from her. And now that she is gone, the vision of having a happy also vanished.

My parents want to arrange me because they said I am a very workaholic person. They said that I need to loosen up but I don't want to. I want this and I don't want to ruin everything just to have a wife and a child.

Having these thought makes me even more frustrated. I am so frustrated but I need to work. And I need to maintain my proper composure. I don't want to satisfy them. I don't want to satisfy those m0therfvcker! They want me ruined? Then I will not gonna give it to them. They want my company? Then try, go get it. As if they can.

To ease my frustration I decided to call my secretary. I want to busy my self and at the same time I want to confront her first. I know it is still a 50/50 for me. I don't know if she will agree but I need to risk. I am not a businessman if I don't know how to risk.

I pressed the intercom. "Maria, kindly give me the papers that I need to sign. Also, bring my schedule for today." Tawag ko sa kanya. I cleared my throat and ready my self. I don't know why but I am feeling this--I can't even name it for fvck sake!

I waited for 1 minute but there is still no one. Kumunot ang noo ko sa inis. Bakit parang ang bagal nito? Does she knows I hate to waste my time? What is she doing outside?

I know her. Eversince she started working here ay hindi pa ito pumapalya. Minsan ay nadadamay lamang ito ng galit ko. She never failed me even once. That is the reason why she stayed here for 2 years. I know na tinitiis nya lang din ang bawat sigaw ko sa kanya. And that is why I like her as my secretary. We are a perfect match because we can tolerate each other. Usually kasi ay isang araw lang ang itinagal ng mga sekretarya ko. Maybe the longest was one week?

My former secretaries have the same excuses and that is 'he always shouted at me.' But mostly I was the one who fired them. I just can't tolerate someone who wants to flirt with their boss. They are not professional so I fired them. Like what the heck with those women?

"Maria! Are you listening?" Sigaw ko ulit ng hindi pa ito pumasok sa opisina ko. Naiinis na ako at mas lalo pa akong nainis ng hindi ito sinunod ang utos ko.

I sighed and ready to stand up but then a knock on the door stopped me. I waited until she opened the door. She was gazing the floor and my forehead crease. Bakit parang may mali sa kilos nito?

I was just staring at her when she lift her head and meet my eyes. I keep on staring at her because I am trying to read what's on her mind. Bakit parang masama ang pakiramdam nito?She looks pale and she still come to work? I feel guilty because I shouted at her. I shouldn't be but I can't help but to feel it. I am not a stone not to feel it.

While looking at her face, I unconsciously glance at her lips then the scene that happened last week came to my mind. I realized that it is been a week since I last tasted it. Suddenly, I feel thirsty and the only cure to this is her lips.

I unconsciously swallowed the lump on my throat before forcing my self to look away. Fvck man! Stop it! You need to stop and proceed with your plan. You can it some other time. Right now, what you need is to convince her. Set aside your libido.

I tried to look mad so that she won't notice that I was lusting over her.

"What?! Tatayo ka nalang dyan at tutunganga?! Sabi ko give me the papers! Maria!" I shouted but there is no response from her. Then I remember that maybe she is not feeling well. I feel the guilt that I felt awhile ago. Because of my lust I forgot that maybe she is not feeling well.

I want to say apologize but sorry is not in my vocabulary. Yung guilt na nararamdaman ko ay mas lalo pang lumala. Ang isipin na pumasok pa sya sa trabaho kahit na may sakit sya ay mas lalong nag palala ng frustration ko. And because of that I unconsciously slammed my table while trying to ask her but it end up to be a shout.

"Maria! Are you listening?!"I didn't mean to shout but I just did.

I blinked and tried to recover but I end up staring at her. I don't know but I just stared at her like I am studying every corner of her face. I know that is because of my guilt and frustration.

"A-ah may kailangan pa po kayo sir?" Nauutal nitong tanong. I heard her but I can't compose any sentence so I remain silent.

When I am just staring at her she asked again and turned her back. That's when I found my voice and call her name.

Pinaupo ko ito at agad naman nyang sinunod. Kitang kita ko pa ang panginginig nito. Nagtaka ako dahil hindi naman sya ganito umasta dati saakin. She is not shy nor afraid of me. When she faced me, she is calm at minsan nga ay sinasagot pa ako na naging dahilan kung bakit namangha ako. No one can talked back to me but Maria? Nah.

She's different that is why I'm impressed. She has this personality that everyone adores. At work she is serious but most of the time she is dorky. And I know that is one of her charm.

I looked at her and noticed that she is still trembling. May problema kaya ito? Kanina ko pa din napapansin ang pagiging tulala nito na para bang may malalim na iniisip. She didn't even notice me when I entered my office. That is why I conclude that she is sick. It makes me think if it is the right time to say my proposal to her.

But she is here now so I will just proceed to my plan.

I sighed. "Maria. Please sit down and I have a proposal for you." Saad ko bago napabuntong hininga. I get the paper and handed it to her.

I saw her forehead crease but she didn't said anything. Kinuha nito ang folder at nanginginig ang kamay na binasa ang laman nun. Nakamasid lang ako sa kanya at pinag aralan ang bawat ekspresyon sa mukha nito. Kitang kita ko ang pag kunot ng noo nito at ang pag awang ng mga labi.

Nang matapos nyang basahin iyon ay agad nanlaki ang mga mata nito na syang inaasahan ko namang magiging reaksyon nya. I know she will be shocked. It is a very natural reaction after you read the 'proposal' that I gave to her.

"B-boss?" Tawag nito sa akin. Kitang kita ko ang pagkagat nito sa labi nito bago namumutlang tinignan ako.

She looks like she wants to spill something. Seeing her reaction right now wants me to force her to spill what she wants to say. What is the meaning of her reaction right now? It just made me more frustrated.

"What is it maria? May masakit ba sayo? Hey maria spill it!" Turan ko sa kanya ng patuloy pa rin ang panginginig nito. Nabigla ko ba ito? Dapat bang dinahan dahan ko muna? But I need to say it now---oh fvck! Fvck this situation that I am in right now. Curse those m0therfvckers!

"Maria you just need to marry me and be the mother of my child." Dugtong ko pa and I may not want to sound desperate but It did sound that I am. The desperation on my voice is very evident.

"Don't worry I will pay you. Just accept my proposal."

I am very desperate right now. I will make sure that those fvckers will pay for this.

Kunot na kunot na ang noo ko at hinihintay ang magiging tugon nito. She is trembling so hard. Kita ko ang pag lunok nito bago binitawan ang mga salitang hindi ko akalain na maririnig ko.

I dropped my mouth and looked at her very shocked because of the news that she spilled. Hindi pa nga kayang e proseso ng utak ko ang sinabi nito. What was it again?

"P-pero b-buntis na po ako at ikaw ang a-ama."

What?! She's pregnant and I am the father? I don't know what to feel. Should I feel happy or---?

**Written by: Stringlily**