Mag-log inHINDI NA SA unit ni Ramses si Hero natutulog. He’s been like that for almost a week. Pero kahit na ganun, hindi pa rin niya nakakalimutang ihatid sundo si Vivian sa kompanya niya. He went back to his own penthouse. Then to his company. Ngayon niya lang napapansin na sa loob ng ilang buwan, puro kompanya at bahay nalang ang buhay niya. Nakalimutan na niya kung paano magsaya at maglibang. Mas lalo pa siyang laging abala ngayon dahil sa imbestigasyon na pinapagawa niya. The billion lost, Ramses filled that. He kept his word.Sa ngayon, kailangan niya munang malaman kung sino ang dapat managot. Then he’ll find a way on how to pay the one billion pesos he owed to Ramses. “Alam mo, ang bata bata mo pa para masyadong magbabad sa trabaho. Di ka naman naghihirap.” One of his batchmate from college barged in his office just to nag him. “Come on, bro, get out for once and have some fun.” Hindi mapigilan ni Hero ang marahas na pagbuga ng hininga. He glared at him as he turned his swivel chair
NATATAWANG SINUNDAN ng tingin ni Vivian si Hero. Bakas ang gulat sa mukha nito kanina nang sabihin niya ang edad niya. Kasalukuyang nirereceive ni Hero ang order nila. Gusto niya sanang siya nalang ang kumuha nito pero pinigilan siya ng binata. Kaya walang nagawa si Vivian kundi ang maghintay sa loob ng opisina. Hero came back carrying a paper bag in one hand and two drinks in the other. Kaagad na tumayo si Vivian para tulungan siya."Nope." Umatras si Hero bago pa man niya maabot ang paper bag. "Sit down. Ako na rito." Maingat niyang inilapag ang mga pagkain sa mesa.Walang nagawa si Vivian kundi ang sumunod at umupo nalang. Instead, she gathered the scattered folders and neatly stacked them on one side of the desk, clearing enough space for their dinner.TAHIMIK SILANG KUMAIN sa loob ng ilang minuto. Tanging tunog ng kubyertos at mahinang ingay mula sa labas ng opisina ang maririnig.Biglang napangiti si Hero.Hero twirled his plastic fork between his fingers. "Okay." Itinuro niya
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN?” Hero frowned, slowly pushing himself away from his desk. “All this time, you have her phone?” May diin niyang tanong dito. He clenched his jaw as he took a sharp breath. Bakit hindi man lang nito sinabi na may cellphone pala ang dalaga. He had been trying to find anything that could identify Vivian—an ID, a wallet, anything that belonged to her after the incident. Kaya pala wala siyang makita ni isa kasi na kay Ramses na pala. And he didn’t even bother to tell him? “It doesn’t matter—”“Well it matters to me, Ramses!” He hissed through gritted teeth. "Alam mong ilang araw kong hinanap ang mga gamit niya pagkatapos ng aksidente. Halos baligtarin ko ang lugar para lang may mahanap ako na kahit ano. The whole time... nasa'yo lang pala ang cellphone niya?” He let out a humorless laugh. “Bakit mo ‘to itinago sakin? At least give me one f’cking reasonable explanation why you kept it from me.” There was a brief silence from the other end.“She’s on the run,” kalmadong
“MOMMY, HOW’S YOUR TRIP?” The eldest grandson of the Lopez family welcomed his mother into the living room. He kissed his mother’s cheek before guiding her to sit on the couch. “Tito Kris is in the library upstairs, he said it's urgent.” Eksaheradang napabuntong-hininga ang ina niya at maarteng sinapo ang noo nito. “Oh God, Kier, can you please give me a break?” Kiernan Joseph Lopez was the eldest among Don Celestino Lopez's grandchildren. Since his grandfather's passing, he had been overseeing nearly half of the Lopez conglomerate while the succession remained unresolved.“Mom,” he warned. Napaupo ng tuwid ang ina niya sa tono ng boses niya. “Umakyat ka na, kanina ka pa hinihintay ni Tito Kris.” His words sounded like a command rather than a plea that his mom just nodded and silently followed what he said.Napahilot nalang si Kier sa sentido nang makitang umakyat ang ina sa ikalawang palapag ng mansyon. He let out an exhausted sigh as his eyes wandered around the living room.This
“SORRY FOR BRINGING you here, Vivian. It was my mom… I really didn’t have a choice.” Kaagad na hingi ng tawad ni Hero sa dalaga pagkapark niya sa harapan ng bahay nila. “Pinagkatiwala ka ni Ramses sa'kin. Hindi naman kita pwedeng iwan mag-isa sa condo.” Vivian nodded in understatement. “Don’t worry, okay lang. Family comes first” nakangiti niyang sagot. Then her gaze wandered beyond the windshield. Tall wrought-iron gates slowly slid open. A long driveway stretched ahead, lined with perfectly trimmed trees. Sa dulo noon ay nakatayo ang isang mansion na halos kasing laki ng isang hotel.It didn't feel like a home. It looked more like a private estate. Ilan kaya ang nakatira sa gano’ng klaseng mansion?Hero cleared his throat, suddenly remembering she barely knew him. Bringing her into his family's home suddenly felt more personal than he'd intended. Nang lingunin siya nito ay kaagad siyang nagsalita. “Would you like to go inside with me, or are you more comfortable staying here in t
“YOU WANT ME to be your personal assistant?” Gulat na tanong ni Vivian sa kanya nang makarating sila sa opisina ng binata. Nakaupo si Vivian sa bakanteng upuan sa harapan niya.Her eyes widened in surprise. He had just dropped a bomb on her.“What? You really thought I'd let you start as part of the maintenance staff?” Nagtatakang tinitigan siya ni Vivian. “That’s what I am expecting. ‘Tsaka, wala namang problema sa’kin yun.”Hero shook his head and waved his hand dismissively. “I know. Bakit, ayaw mo bang maging assistant ko?” “Hindi naman sa ganun, pero…”“You’ll work hard for it naman, I won’t give you a special treatment.” Hero leaned forward. “You’ll earn that position. Bibigyan naman kita ng isang linggo, I’ll be watching your progress.” Napabuntong-hininga nalang si Hero, kita niya ang pagdadalawang-isip ng dalaga. “If you can’t keep up within that time frame, I’ll transfer you somewhere else. Okay?” Alam niya kung anong iniisip ng dalaga. She won’t take the position for gr







