Chapter 4: Checkmate

WALA akong inaksayang sandali nang sumunod na araw. Kahit medyo nanakit pa ang katawan ko. Pero matapos kong makabawi ng tulog ay agad akong nagtungo sa opisina para personal na ibigay ang aking resignation.

Ilang taon din akong nagtrabaho bilang sekretarya at head ng design team ng architectural firm na pag-aari ng pamilya ni Sean. Pero ni minsan ay hindi pa ako nito pormal na ipinakilala sa pamilya nito.

Sean would always reassure me it was an open secret that he’d marry me someday. Kahit nga sa opisina ay halos walang nakakaalam tungkol sa relasyon namin. But I was okay with it. I was happy and madly in love. Umasa ako talaga.

“Miss Alcaraz, are you sure about this?” Naguguluhang tanong ni Philip—ang HR ng kumpanya.

“Yes,” walang emosyong sagot ko.

“But you worked hard to be in this position. Why would suddenly resign? Did you have a disagreement with Sean?”

“I don’t want to talk about him.” Nag-iwas ako ng tingin. Sa buong kumpanya, tanging si Philip lang ang nakakaalam ng relasyon namin ni Sean dahil malapit na magkaibigan ang dalawa.

“Fine, I’ll respect your decision. Pero sana pag-isipan mong maigi.”

“Buo na ang desisyon ko. It was nice working with you, Phil.”

Nang tumalikod ako ay hindi na ako nag-abalang lumingon pa. Nakalimutan na yata nila na ilang taon ang nakararaan ay ako ang board topnotcher sa Architectural Licensure Exam. I didn’t enter the biggest firm in the country despite the numerous offers because I chose to work with Sean and help his company.

But fate seemed cruel to me. Dahil saktong papasok ako ng elevator na siya namang pagbukas niyon lulan sina Sean at Annie. Kahit anong iwas ang gawin ko ay huli na.

Sean smirked and looked at the girl beside her. “See, Annie? Hiraya will stay.”

“Poor girl, walang delikadesa,” bulong ni Annie na sadya namang iparinig sa akin.

My jaw clenched as I watched them. Lalo na nang marinig ko ang ilang empleyado mula sa aking likuran na pinag-uusapan ang dalawa.

“Hala, si Miss Annie pala ang dinedate ni Sir Sean? Bagay sila in fairness,” anang isang babae mula sa accounting department.

“Yes, sa true lang. Kinikilig ako,” wika naman ng isa pa.

Pigil ko ang sariling pag-untugin ang dalawang babae sa likuran ko. Why would I do such a nasty thing for this jerk? Kung puwede lang na pagbuhulin ko silang apat ginawa ko na.

Kaya pinanatili ko ang aking malamig na ekspresyon.

“By the way Ms. Alcaraz, come to my office. I need to sort things out about the mother company.”

Lihim na umangat ang isang kilay ko. After all they did to me, Sean had the guts to act this cool as if nothing happened. Ang kapal ng mukha!

Again, I need to keep myself levelheaded. I had already tendered my resignation anyway. Maybe I needed to talk with him regarding business. Sa impluwensya ni Sean, may kakayahan itong ipa-blacklist ako at mahirapan akong makakuha ng bagong trabaho.

‘This will be the last time I’ll swallow my pride,’ sa isip ko. Bigla tuloy dumaloy sa isip ko ang kalokohang ginawa ko nang nakaraang gabi. And for some reason, I felt vindicated. I never thought a stranger would pleasure me a million times better compared to my ex-boyfriend.

Sumunod na lang ako sa dalawa patungo sa opisina ni Sean.

“Annie, I need to talk with Raya alone,” wika ni Sean pagkaupo sa swivel chair dahil parang lintang nakadikit ang babae rito.

I knew Annie was just trying to make me jealous, so I’d snap. At aasta itong kinawawa ko kapag nagkataon kaya pinili kong ignorahin ang ingratang ex-best friend ko.

I cleared my throat to get their attention. Nananadya kasi ang dalawa na parang walang ibang kasama sa loob ng opisina. I never knew that Sean could be this cruel to me. Masyado talaga akong nabulag sa pagmamahal ko sa kanya.

“Oh? Why can’t I hear the conversation?” Tumingin si Annie sa akin. “Magpapaawa ka para bumalik sa ‘yo si Sean? Asa ka pa.”

My jaw tensed. These two had no idea of how much of a courage I needed to gather to remain patient.

Huminga ako nang malalim bago nagsalita. Itinuon ko ang atensyon ko kay Sean.

“What’s the matter with the BH?” I queried. Ang tinutukoy ko ay ang mother company na kung saan ang architectural firm na mina-manage ni Sean ay isa lamang sa mga subsidiaries nito. It was owned by the main family of the Blaquier’s—the Blaquier Holdings.

“They wouldn’t agree on the merger with Annie’s construction firm. They’re being ridiculous.” Bakas ang iritasyon sa tinig ni Sean.

Habang ako, muntik ko nang paikutin ang mata ko pagkarinig ko ng sinabi niya. It was a simple logic after all, of course, the mother company wouldn’t want outsiders with less credibility. Lalo na at obvious naman na pansariling interes lang ng dalawa ang dahilan.

“I see,” tipid na sagot ko.

Lumapit si Sean sa akin habang napaatras ako.

“Raya, I need you to convince my uncle. I know you’re the best negotiator—”

Hindi naipagpatuloy ni Sean ang iba pang sasabihin dahil may biglang pumasok sa pinto. Pero hindi ko iyon pinansin bagkus ay sinagot ko si Sean.

“I’ve already given my resignation to the HR. I can’t do it,” wika ko.

Pero wala sa akin ang atensiyon ni Sean kundi sa bagong dating. Kitang-kita ko kung paano ito namutla pagkakita sa bisita.

“Uncle…” bulong ni Sean.

Nang itinuon ko ang atensiyon sa lalaking kapapasok lang, ay ako naman ang biglang nanlamig. But I kept my cool as much as possible.

‘Oh, no. That’s him!’ Biglang tinambol ng kaba ang dibdib ko.

“What brought you here, Uncle Hugo?”

Indeed, the man was Hugo. The one I spent a wild night with.

‘Shit! Sana lamunin na ako ng lupa.’ Ilang ulit akong napalunok. Mabuti na lang at tila invisible ako roon na hindi man lang pinagaksayahang tingnan ng bagong dating.

“I had to drop by myself knowing about the merger. Listen nephew, if you keep insisting it, I will have to cut ties with your company as one of our subsidiaries.” Maawtoridad na sambit ni Hugo.

Lalong tinakasan ng kulay ang mukha ni Sean. He looked horrified.

“No, Uncle, please…” Sean pleaded.

Lumapit naman si Annie. “It was my idea, Uncle. I’m sorry, we will not push through with the merger. We are not married yet.”

For a moment, I was in awe. Ngayon ko lang nakitang nataranta si Sean nang ganito.

So, this man was his Uncle Hugo. He occasionally mentioned him to me, being ruthless especially in business. But I’ve never met him in person before, until that night.

Hindi ko napigilan ang lihim na magdiwang dahil pakiramdam ko, nakaganti ako kahit paano sa panloloko sa akin ni Sean. I slept with his uncle!

I studied Hugo’s back, I just realized how towering his height was. Sean was a six-footer, yet Hugo was taller by a few inches. And by their faces, I couldn’t even estimate how much older Hugo to Sean. Parang magkasing-edad lang ang dalawa.

I never thought Hugo in his dark blue business suit could be this intimidating. Iniisip ko na lang na hindi niya ako namukhaan dahil ni hindi man lang ito sumulyap sa akin.

However, I was wrong because after Hugo scolded his nephew and turned to leave. Bigla itong tumigil sa paghakbang at tumingin sa akin. I couldn’t even read his expression. He seemed cold as ice.

“You, what’s your name?” he asked.

I swallowed before answering and tried my best not to stutter. Hindi nga ba niya ako nakikilala?

“Hiraya Alcaraz, sir,” I said.

“I heard you just sent your resignation. It’s a good thing; I need a secretary at the moment. Come to my office and report directly to me.” Hugo was serious.

Samantalang ako, kulang ang sabihing shock. Nananadya ba ito?

Nakuha ko pang ituro ang sarili ko dahil sa labis sa pagkabigla. “A-ako?!”

Hugo just gave me another furtive glance. “I’ll be waiting.”

At saka walang pasabi itong humakbang paalis at lumabas ng opisina.

‘What the fuckitty fuck?!’ I was definitely horrified by the idea of me being his secretary after all what we’ve done!