Chapter 2

(Reese's POV)

I yanked my hair out of irritation. "Bwisit!" inis na bulalas ko at tinadyakan ang basurahang na sa gilid ko na buti na lang ay walang laman. Hindii pa ako nakuntento, pati ang dustpan na nasa tabi nito kanina ay idinamay ko.

            "Kalma, Lincoln.  Masyado kang hot," pang-a-asar ni Olive habang inaayos ang mga tinadyakan ko.

            "Kalma?" Natawa ako ng pagak. "How could I freaking calm down after talking to that inconsiderate puppet of a businessman?!" Itinuro ko pa kung nasaan ang tinutukoy ko.

            Sabado ngayon kaya walang kaming klase. Wala rin naman akong gagawing requirements kaya kaninang tumawag si Sister Dolores at sinabing pumunta kami rito, agad kaming pumunta ni Olive. Agad kumulo ang dugo ko nang makita ko kung sino ang nadatnan naming kausap niya sa garden—the young and most sought lawyer as of now, Attorney Alexander Martin. Kung wala lang si Sister ay talagang sinugod ko na ito lalo na nang ngumisi ito pagkakita sa'min ni Olive.

            Mas lalo pang kumulo ang dugo ko nang malaman kung ano ang sadya niya na kahit alas-otso pa lang ng umaga ay naghahasik na ito ng lagim dito. Pasalamat siya at may respeto ako sa mga propesyunal kahit na kating-kati ang palad kong masampal siya. But I will never do that, masisira lang ang bagong manicure na kuko ko sa kapal ng mukha niya. That lawyer is getting on my nerves, big time.

            "My client asked me to tell you that instead of a month, you now only have a week left to pay the dept." He's back to his serious self again but the way on how he looked at me, I know he's pissing me off. And he did pissed me off that's why I didn't stopped myself from exploding.     

            "Gago ka ba?!" I angrily hissed at him, giving him a murderous glare. I felt Olive holding my arm to calm me down but no effect. Sinasagad ng bwisit na abogadong ito ang  pasensya ko.

            "Iha, kumalma ka," paki-usap ni Sister pero hindi ko sinunod dahil halata ko ang  munting ngisi ng kaharap ko.

            "Ulitin mo nga ang  sinabi mo kanina. Baka nagkamali lang ako ng dinig," I said with gritted teeth to suppressed my anger even just a little. Kapag hindi ako nakapagpigil na sapakin siya, ako riin naman ang mapapahamak lalo na at abogado pa man din siya.

            "You only have a week to pay the dept."

            Natawa ako ng pagak. "A week? Really, Attorney?" Tinanggal ko ang pagkakahawak ni Olive  sa braso ko at humakbang ng isang beses palapit sa abogado. Hindi man lang ito natinag kagaya ng inaasahan ko. Sanay na siguro ito  sa mga ganitong pagkakataon. "Isang buwan nga mahirap nang humanap ng isang daang libong piso, limang milyon pa kaya sa loob ng isang linggo?"

            Talagang gago ang abogadong ito pero mas gago sa pinakagago ang amo niyang walang inisip kung hindi negosyo. Wala silang pakialam sa magiging kalagayan ng mga taong apektado ng kasakiman nila. Basta masaya sila, okay lang kahit may masaktan silang iba. What a heartless and inconsiderate creatures.

            "Mahirap nga ba talaga, Miss Lincoln?" he countered with a  playful smirk. "Sa pagkakaalam ko—"

            "Wala akong pakialam sa nalalaman mo, Martin!" I hissed to cut him off.  He chuckled despite the fact that I'm shooting him a murderous glare and  so close to strangling his neck.

            "Why are you so—"

            "I'm going to break your jaw if you won't stop talking, Attorney!" I warned him. Kung na-apektuhan man siya sa sinabi ko, hindi ko alam dahil seryoso lang naman siyang nakatingin sa'kin. Pero dapat siyang kabahan dahil kaya kong totohanin ang banta ko. "Tell your inconsiderate boss to go to hell and never come back here ever again!" I walked away after saying that. Baka hindi ko na talaga mapigilan ang sarili kong sapakin siya.

            "Bwisit talaga!" I whined clenching my fist. That guy really frustrates me every time I see him. "And he even know something about me, damn it!"

            That jerk investigated me, no doubt. Hindi niya sasabihin ang gano'n kung wala siyang nalalaman. Baka nga 'yon pa ang dahilan kung bakit isang linggo na lang ang gusto nilang palugit.

            "May kinalaman kaya ito sa pamilya mo?" Tiara asked.

            My jaw clenched. "If their using us to get back to my family, I'll make them taste their own medicine!"

            Bakit nila kami idadamay kung pamilya ko ang puntirya nila? Matagal na akong bumukod sa kanila. Are they expecting me to run to  my family and ask help? Then they're wrong. I'm not going to ask help from them. Like Tiara said, we will  figure out how to solve this problem without their help.

            Hindi na kami bumalik pa sa garden kahit na tuluyan na akong kumalma. Hindi ko masisigurong mananatili akong kalmado kapag nakita ko ulit ang abogado. Nagtungo kami sa Autumn's Café pagkatapos naming magpaalam kay Sister Helen. Siya na lang ang  magsasabi kay Sister Dolores na umalis kami.

            "Can we really pay the dept within a week?" Tiara asked after we sat down on my favorite spot. May pag-a-alala ang boses dahil sa kinakaharap naming problema. "Saan naman tayo kukuha ng gano'ng kalaking halaga? Pwera na lang talaga kung katawan ang ibebenta." She laughed but stopped immediately when she saw my serious reaction. "That's a bad joke. Sorry!"

            I nodded at her before fidgeting on my phone. I went to my contacts and swiped down to find the name I'm contemplating to call. "Even if I try to ask help from my family, there's no guarantee that they'll help me, Olive." I said as a matter of fact. I know my father will never help me right away. He'll surely use his intelligence and wickedness in business. Everything's like a business to him.

            "We should still consider that as an option, Reese."

            I nodded at her. She's right. We should still consider it especially now that those jerks had only given us a week to pay the debt. But I'll make sure to figure out something to solve the problem to avoid choosing that option.

            Before going home, we went to the mall to buy stuffs for her practicum on Monday. I felt really tired—physically, emotionally and mentally—that I immediately fell asleep the moment I laid myself on my bed.

            FIVE DAYS had passed that all I'm thinking is how to solve the orphanage's problem. Ginagawa naman ng mga nangangasiwa sa lugar ang lahat ng kanilang makakaya pero hindi pa rin maayos ang problema. We also tried talking to the sponsors but the money's still not enough. Ayon kay Sister Dolores, hindi naman daw gano'n kalaki ang utang nila noon. Lumaki lang daw ito dahil may ilang taon din silang  hindi nakapagbayad at may interes ito. Hindi naman daw nila inasahang aabot sa ganito.

            Now I'm standing here in front of his office after contemplating lots of time to choose this option. I couldn't bring myself to open the door despite hearing his Secretary urging me to do it. I can still back out but I don't want to lose the reason why I need to face him.

            I can still remember the last time I went to this place, my chest was pounding hard in nervousness but I tried my best to act strong. Right now, I also felt nervous.

            Think about the orphanage, Reese. The smiles of the children. You can do this, Reese!... I mentally cheered myself.

            I took a deep breath, closed my eyes and held the doorknob before opening my eyes. The moment I twisted the knob, I know I can no longer quit because this is now or never. For me, saving the orphanage is like a matter between life and death.

            Huminga pa muna ako ng malalim bago marahang itinulak pabukas ang pinto. Mula sa pagkakayuko sa mesa ay nag-angat ng ulo ang taong sadya ko. Walang mababakas na gulat sa mukha niya dahil alam na niyang darating ako, his Secretary informed him a while ago that's why. Hindi ko na rin naman inasahang magugulat siya dahil sigurado akong may alam na siya sa problema ko. Siya pa ba? He has eyes and ears everywhere—perks of having the money and power.

            "Good day, Mr. Lincoln!" pormal at seryosong bati ko. I mentally congratulate myself for not stammering. I don't want to give him the opportunity to see me nervous and weak. Sabi nga nila, kung gago ang kausap mo, dapat mas maging gago ka. Let them taste their own medicine, in  the extent of overdosing them.

            "Rose Destiny," he acknowledged like I'm just someone who would be dealing business with him and not his own flesh and blood. Hindi ko naiwasang hindi higpitan ang pagkakahawak ko sa strap ng sling bag ko. Itinuro niya ang silya sa harapan ng mesa upanng maupo ako. Sumunod  ako. Knowing him, he will never take no as an answer.

            "I'll be straight to the point on to why I'm here," I began before I regret coming here. "I need your help." I waited for his reaction but he's just looking at me intently. I expected him to laughed at my words, thinking it's a joke, but he's just really looking at  me. Yumuko at pumikit ng ilang segundo bago muling nag-angat ng tingin sa kanya.

            Tumikhim ito at pagkatapos ay sumandal sa high-backed swivel chair niya. "Ano ang kaya mong ibigay para tulungan kita?" diretsong tanong niya.

Magkasabay na bumangon ang kaba at pagtataka sa d****b ko. Kaba dahil ngayon ko kailangan ang tulong niya at pwede niya akong hindi tulungan kapag hindi niya nagustuhan ang isasagot ko. Pagtataka dahil hindi ko inasahang ito agad ang maririnig ko sa kanya. Akala ko ay susumbatan niya ako dahil pagkatapos kong umalis sa poder niya ay nasa harrapan niya ako ngayon, hindi man humihingi ng awa ay nagpapatulong naman sa kanya.

            "I..." Yumuko ako at itinuon ang tingin sa mga palad kong nagsisimula ng pagpawisan na nasa  kandungan ko. "I d-don't know." My voice was so small that I'm not sure if he heard it. I came here with a plan but I forgot about that matter. Of  all things, why did I forget that one?

            "I'm a businessman, Reese." Napa-ismid ako. "Look at me and tell me what you really want, Rose Destiny," puno ng awtoridad na utos niya.

            I took a deep breath before doing what he said. I made sure that I matched the emotion in his face—seriousness. "Help me save the orphanage and I'll work for your company in exchange of  it," tuloy-tuloy na sabi ko. Ito lang ang alam kong kaya kong ibigay kahit na ayaw na ayaw kong ma-involve sa business niya. Kaya nga bumukod ako para makuha  ang kursong gusto ko dahil alam kong kagaya nang ginawa  niya sa kapatid ko, siya rin ang pipili ng kursong kukunin ko—Business Management.

            He threw his head back and laughed as if he heard  a joke. I watched him with furrowed brow until he stopped laughing and looked at me with amusement. "You're kidding me, right, young lady?"

            I crossed my legs, leaned my right elbow on the table and looked at him with steady eye contact and raised left eyebrow. "Just tell me if you'll help me or not." Disrespectful as it may sound but good conversation is never in his vocabulary—that's how wicked he is.

                        "An Engineering student will work for my company?" His eyes narrowed. "I got to say, I'm a little surprised. I thought you'll going to say you'll  go back home." I rolled my eyes. "Your offer sounds good..."

            "But...?" Alam kong may  kasunod na 'but' ang sasabihin niya kaya inunahan ko na siya.

            "I don't want you to work in my company."

            "And what do you mean by that?"  I asked with furrowed brow. And what he said next made me froze, stared at him with wide eyes and raised eyebrow.

            "Marry someone for me."