Chapter 2-Terms of Alliance

Hindi pa rin humuhupa ang ulan nang gabing iyon. Sa bintana ng opisina ni Cassandra, kitang-kita ang mga patak na para bang sumasabay sa bigat ng araw na lumipas. Tahimik siyang nakatayo, tinititigan ang city lights ng Makati na tila naglaho ang kinang. Sa likod niya, naroon si Damien, tahimik pero alerto, parang isang sundalong nagbabantay.

“Tell me honestly,” simula ni Cassandra, hindi lumilingon. “Do you think I’m just wasting my time here? That I should just let the board replace me?”

Damien crossed his arms, leaning casually against the edge of the desk. “If I thought you were a waste of time, I wouldn’t be here.”

Napalingon si Cassandra, nagtama ang mga mata nila. Sa kabila ng pagod, may ningning sa mga mata ni Damien na hindi niya maintindihan — parang naniniwala ito sa kanya, kahit hindi pa niya napapatunayan ang sarili.

“Okay,” bulong niya. “Let’s say I agree. Ano’ng plano mo?”

Damien pushed off from the desk, lumapit sa table at binuksan ang laptop. “Your problem isn’t just the company’s losses. It’s that no one believes you can lead it out of this mess. Not the board. Not the investors. Not even your own senior team.”

“Thanks for the pep talk,” sarkastikong sagot ni Cassandra.

Ngumiti si Damien, pero seryoso ang tono niya. “I don’t sugarcoat things. That’s not what you need. What you need is a win — fast, and big enough to shut them up.”

Tahimik si Cassandra, nakikinig. “Go on.”

Binuksan ni Damien ang isang presentation. “There’s a project your father put on hold — the Greenline Tech Park. The board didn’t want it. Too risky daw, too expensive. But now, with the right partners, it could save Vale. We pitch it as a bold new move — a comeback story.”

Napakunot ang noo ni Cassandra. “The numbers don’t add up. Hindi kakayanin ng cash flow natin ngayon.”

“That’s where I come in.” Damien tapped the screen. “I have connections — venture partners who would be interested. But they’ll only talk if they see that Vale is serious. You and I need to present a united front. We show them you’re not some grieving heiress playing CEO. We show them you’re a fighter.”

Naglakad si Cassandra palapit, tiningnan ang slides. “You really think this can work?”

Damien met her gaze. “It has to. Kasi kung hindi, they’ll tear Vale apart before the year ends.”

Huminga siya ng malalim. Sa totoo lang, takot na takot siya. Pero alam niyang hindi siya pwedeng umatras. Hindi ngayon.

“Alright, Mr. Kade. Terms?”

Ngumiti si Damien, ‘yung ngiti na parang alam niyang siya ang may hawak ng alas. “Simple lang. We’re partners. I advise, you decide. But if I say a move is suicide, you listen. Deal?”

Tahimik si Cassandra. Ilang segundo silang nagkatitigan — isang silent challenge, isang silent agreement. Tapos iniabot niya ang kamay niya. “Deal.”

---

📌 The next day...

Sa conference room ng isang private investors club sa BGC, magkasamang humarap sina Cassandra at Damien sa unang batch ng potential partners.

Confident ang postura ni Damien habang nagpapresent. Nakangiti, pero firm. Cassandra watched him, amazed at how effortlessly he commanded the room.

“Vale Industries is more than a legacy company. It’s a brand ready for reinvention,” sabi ni Damien habang pinapakita ang slide ng Greenline Tech Park. “We’re offering you a seat at the table of that reinvention.”

Tumango si Cassandra, nagdagdag. “And we’re offering transparency. This is not about patching holes. This is about building something that lasts.”

May nagtaas ng kamay. “Ms. Vale, Mr. Kade, what assurance do we have that the board is aligned?”

Saglit na katahimikan.

Cassandra straightened, her voice steady. “I am the CEO. The board can advise, but I make the final call. And I say Vale is ready for this.”

---

📌 Later, in the car...

Tahimik ang biyahe pabalik ng HQ. Sa wakas, nagsalita si Damien. “You were good in there.”

“Good?” tanong ni Cassandra, napangiti kahit pagod. “Akala ko ba no sugarcoating?”

Damien smirked. “Fine. You were great.”

Tumahimik ulit. Sa labas ng bintana, tuloy pa rin ang ulan. Pero sa loob ng sasakyan, sa loob ng mundo nila, may bagong simula na.