EPISODE 1 – PART 3: “The Cold King of the Tower”

EPISODE 1 – PART 3: “The Cold King of the Tower”

Clara

Kinabukasan, halos hindi ako nakatulog.

Siguro dahil paulit-ulit kong naiisip ang tinig niya kagabi — “Be careful.”

Simpleng salita, pero para sa isang taong kasing-lamig ng yelo, parang milagro na ‘yun.

Pagdating ko sa office, basa pa ng ulan ang labas ng building. Pero kahit gloomy ang langit, may kakaibang gaan sa dibdib ko.

“Clara!” bulong ni Mara habang lumalapit. “Narinig mo na? Emergency meeting daw ngayon. Si Mr. Steele, galit!”

Nalaglag halos ang folder sa kamay ko. “Ha? Bakit?”

“May mali raw sa proposal ng finance department. Someone submitted the wrong data.”

Oh no.

Biglang sumagi sa isip ko ‘yung USB na binigay niya kagabi. Ako ang nagdala non.

Bago pa ako makapag-isip, bumukas na ang pinto ng conference room.

“Ms. Villanueva!” tawag ng isang executive. “The CEO wants to see you.”

⸻

Alexander

Alexander stood at the head of the long glass table, his expression darker than storm clouds outside.

“Who handled the transfer of these files?” tanong niya, malamig ang boses pero halata ang inis.

The room was silent.

Then, mahina pero malinaw: “Sir… it was me.”

All eyes turned to Clara, who stood by the door clutching her folder like a lifeline.

He narrowed his gaze. “You delivered the files yourself?”

“Yes, sir. Kagabi po. From your office.”

He studied her face, looking for signs of carelessness or deceit.

“Did you open the drive?”

“No, sir. Akala ko confidential. You told me to deliver it directly.”

A tense silence filled the room.

Finally, Alexander exhaled sharply. “Everyone else, leave.”

“Sir—”

“Now.”

One by one, the executives hurried out, leaving the two of us alone.

⸻

Clara

Kinakabahan ako. Parang gusto kong matunaw sa kinatatayuan ko.

“Sir, I swear, wala akong binago sa files—”

He raised a hand to stop me. “I know.”

Napatigil ako. “Po?”

“I reviewed the timestamps. The corrupted data was uploaded after you left the drive in finance.”

“So hindi ako—”

“You’re not at fault,” he said, his tone softer now. “But someone is trying to make it look like you are.”

Napalunok ako. “Bakit po ako?”

“Because you’re new. And easy to blame.”

Tahimik kami pareho. Outside, the rain started again, tapping against the glass walls.

“Sir…” mahina kong sabi. “Ano pong gagawin natin?”

Alexander walked toward the window, hands in his pockets. “We fix it. Quietly.”

Tumingin siya sa akin, diretso sa mga mata ko. “You’ll assist me.”

“Po?!”

“I need someone I can trust to sort through the original reports.”

Ako? Trust?

Sa totoo lang, gusto kong matawa. Pero ‘yung paraan ng pagkakasabi niya—seryoso, totoo.

“Yes, sir. I’ll do my best.”

“Good.” He gestured toward the desk. “Start now.”

⸻

Alexander

He wasn’t sure why he said that.

There were hundreds of senior staff he could assign to the task. But when he looked at her—standing there, uncertain yet brave—it just made sense.

He sat beside her, watching as she reviewed the files on her laptop.

Her brows furrowed when she focused. Her lips pursed slightly whenever she discovered something off.

Every detail of her expression fascinated him in ways that shouldn’t.

“You’re good at this,” he murmured.

Nilingon siya ni Clara, bahagyang namumula. “Sir?”

“I said, you’re good at this. You notice inconsistencies quickly.”

“Thank you po,” she said shyly, “pero baka beginner’s luck lang ‘yan.”

He almost smiled. “I don’t believe in luck.”

“Of course you don’t,” she whispered, thinking he wouldn’t hear.

Pero narinig niya. And for the first time in a long while, Alexander laughed—quiet, low, genuine.

Napatingin si Clara, halatang nagulat. “Sir, tumawa kayo?”

“Is that a crime?”

“Medyo shocking lang po. Parang… hindi bagay.”

“Excuse me?”

“’Yung smile ninyo, sir,” sabi niya, sabay turo sa labi niya, “rare sight. Baka may bonus points ‘yan sa HR.”

Alexander shook his head, trying to hide another smile. “You’re dangerously close to insubordination, Ms. Villanueva.”

“Sorry po.”

He sighed, amused. “There you go again—apologizing.”

⸻

Clara

We worked for hours, side by side.

Nakakapanibago.

Dati, hindi ko man lang siya kayang tingnan nang diretso. Pero ngayon, habang nag-aayos kami ng data, parang nakikita ko ‘yung ibang side niya—yung Alexander Steele na hindi CEO, kundi tao lang. Tahimik, pero marunong makinig. Malamig, pero marunong magtiwala.

“Sir,” sabi ko habang nagta-type, “lagi po ba kayong ganito ka-busy?”

“Yes. Comes with the title.”

“Hindi ba kayo napapagod?”

“Pagod is irrelevant. Results matter.”

Napahinto ako. “Eh happiness po?”

He looked up from his laptop, brow raised. “What about it?”

“Doesn’t it matter too?”

Tahimik siya sandali, bago sumagot. “Happiness is temporary. Success lasts.”

Hindi ko na sinagot ‘yon. Pero sa loob-loob ko, parang nakaramdam ako ng lungkot para sa kanya. Kasi paano kung hindi lang pala success ang gusto niya? Paano kung gusto rin niyang maramdaman na may nagmamahal sa kanya, hindi lang bilang boss—kundi bilang tao?

⸻

Alexander

Her question lingered long after she stopped talking.

Happiness. The word tasted foreign.

He couldn’t remember the last time someone asked him about it—without agenda, without motive.

“Sir?” tawag ni Clara nang mapansin niyang tahimik ako.

He cleared his throat. “Continue working.”

But even as he pretended to read the screen, he caught himself glancing at her again—and this time, he didn’t look away immediately.

⸻

Clara

Around 7 p.m., natapos din kami.

“Everything’s fixed,” sabi ko, pagod pero proud. “The error came from a duplicated spreadsheet in finance.”

Alexander nodded. “Good work.”

Napangiti ako. “Thank you, sir.”

He stood, stretching slightly, then turned to me. “Do you have a ride home?”

“Wala po, pero madali lang po sumakay sa labas.”

He frowned. “It’s late. I’ll have my driver take you.”

Napakurap ako. “Sir, hindi na po kailangan! Kaya ko po.”

“That wasn’t a request.”

At bago pa ako makatanggi, tinawagan na niya ang driver.

⸻

Inside the Car

Tahimik.

Mabagal ang ulan sa labas, at ang mga ilaw ng BGC ay nagre-reflect sa basang kalsada.

Hindi ko alam kung anong mas nakakakaba—yung ulan o yung katotohanang katabi ko ngayon si Alexander Steele sa isang sasakyan.

“Thank you po sa pa-ride, sir,” sabi ko, mahina.

He nodded, eyes still on the window. “You did well today.”

Parang may kung anong lumundag sa puso ko. “Salamat po.”

After a moment, he asked, “Why did you apply here, Ms. Villanueva?”

Napaisip ako. “Honestly? Kasi gusto kong patunayan na kaya kong mabuhay sa mundo ng mga taong hindi ko ka-level. Na kahit ordinary ako, may halaga pa rin ang sipag at puso.”

He turned his head, finally meeting my eyes. “That’s brave.”

“Or stupid,” I chuckled.

“Sometimes they’re the same thing,” he said quietly.

The way he said it—parang galing sa mas malalim na parte ng pagkatao niya. Parang may pinanggagalingang sugat.

Gusto kong magtanong, pero alam kong hindi pa oras.

⸻

Alexander

When the car stopped in front of her apartment building, Alexander hesitated.

Clara turned to him with a small smile. “Good night, sir.”

He nodded, but before she could step out, he said, “Clara.”

Napatingin siya ulit.

It was the first time he said her name.

“Sir?”

“Don’t let anyone make you feel small,” he said. “Not in my company.”

For a moment, her expression softened, surprised. Then she smiled—warm, genuine.

“Noted po, Mr. Steele.”

She stepped out of the car, running through the drizzle.

Alexander watched her until she disappeared inside the building. And when he finally leaned back in his seat, he realized something unsettling:

He was still smiling.

⸻

Clara

Pagpasok ko sa apartment, tinanggal ko agad ang heels ko at bumagsak sa sofa.

Napangiti ako mag-isa.

Hindi ko alam kung anong meron sa araw na ‘to, pero iba ang pakiramdam.

Siguro kasi, sa unang pagkakataon, hindi lang ako basta empleyado.

Parang… nakita niya ako.

Alexander Steele, the cold king of the tower—

and me, the nobody from the admin floor.

Kung anong klaseng tadhana ‘tong nagsimula sa kape at data error, hindi ko alam.

Pero isang bagay ang sigurado…

This is not the end.

It’s only the beginning.

⸻

Alexander

Later that night, back in his penthouse office, Alexander stood again by the window, the city lights reflecting off the glass.

On his desk lay a folder labeled Villanueva, Clara — her employment record.

He opened it one last time before setting it aside.

He didn’t understand what it was about her—

the simplicity, the honesty, the way she looked at him without fear—

but something told him his perfectly controlled world was about to change.

Outside, the rain stopped.

And somewhere, deep inside the cold tower of glass and power,

a single crack began to form.