Kabanata 1

KABANATA 1

IZARIA'S POV

"Kung balak mong kausapin ang padre de pamilya ng mga Bernaville ay tamang-tama at may magaganap na piging sa Casa Bernaville sa susunod na araw. Mabuti at nakatanggap kami ng imbestasyon," ani daddy.

I can't help it but observe them for a moment. Ngayon pa lang ako nagkaroon ng pagkakataon na pagmasdan nang matagal ang aking mga magulang. Halatang may sakit si daddy at kagagaling lang sa ospital habang si mommy naman ay mukhang stressed na palagi. I can see the lines on my daddy's forehead, a sign that he is getting older. I know that they are not getting any younger since everyone ages. Pero inakala ko talaga dati na masaya silang namumuhay dito dahil nasa kanila ang bagay ba pinakamamahal nila, at iyon ay ang Asunscion Company.

Namana ko kay mommy ang aking kulay kastanyong mga mata, mahaba at malalantik kong pilik-mata, ang hugis-arko kong mga labi hanggang sa nipis nito, at ang hugis ng aking mukha. Pero ang mapusyaw kong balat ay dulot talaga ng aking pagiging sakitin noon. I got the rest of my features to daddy including my height, my long and pointed nose, and my natural oriole wavy hair. No matter how people compliment me for having these beautiful blessings, I always appear to be weak and pale— more like a fragile glass that is needed to be taken care of. The reason why most of the people I got interacted with show nothing but gentleness.

"They acquired the 60 percent of the stocks. If that is the case then how many stocks do you have now?" tanong ni lolo.

"10 percent stocks are left for the other stockholders. We got the 30 percent. Hindi na kami pupwedeng magbitaw pa ng porsyento para lang mabayaran ang ibang impleyado na pinangakuan namin ng maagang pasahod. The chairman of Bernaville Group has the rights to transfer all of the stocks to their company. We couldn't afford to provoke him," paliwanag ni mommy.

Kumunot ang noo ko. "Kailan niya ba nakuha ang 60 percent?"

"Mag-iisang buwan na ang nakakalipas," si daddy.

Kung ganoon ay wala pa siyang planong ilipat ang stocks sa kompanya nila. He maybe the new chairman of Asunscion Company but it seems like he has no ill-intention after acquiring it. Baka nga madadaan sa usapan ang chairman ng Bernaville Group.

"We have to build good relationship with the Bernaville Family. What can you say, Zaria?" baling sa akin ni lolo.

Tumango na lamang ako. I think that would be the most crucial step. Malaki ang nawala sa kompanya namin. Sixty percent is not a joke. Pupwede pang baguhin ng chairman ang lahat ng pamamalakad sa kompanya na iyon at gawin niya ang lahat ng kagustuhan niya. He can even break our company down without a sweat because he is the chairman!

"Kung ganoon ay susubukan kong kausapin ang chairman nila. I will take back what is ours no matter what. Malaking bagay ito at sigurado akong mahihirapan akong lumapit sa kanila pero gagawin ko ang lahat upang maibalik sa atin ang Asunscion Company. You know how much our ancestors treasured it and they even protected it for the sake of their future descendants, for the sake of our legacy and pride."

Our conversations went on and on until we decided to eat our dinner since it is already evening. Pagkatapos ay iginiya na ako ni mommy sa kwarto ko. We had short conversation but I acted as if I am sleepy so she can get out of my room immediately. I know that is rude but I have my reason. Pagkalabas niya ay agad kong ni-lock ang pinto at inilabas ang laptop ko. I assembled my personal computer too and then started to dig on the Bernaville Group and all of the chairman's family background.

Hindi ko alam pero nabago ata ang gusto ko ngayon. Ayaw kong mamahala ng isang kompanya pero ngayon ay parang inaamin ko na sa sarili ko na ako naman talaga ang susunod na chairman ng Asunscion Company kaya tama lang na tumulong ako upang mabawi ito. Kahit sino pang magaling na chairman iyan ay babawiin ko sa kanya ang kompanya ko!

"What kind of family is this?" Napangiwi ako sa aking mga nababasa at nakikita.

Their clan seem to be very distant from each other. Wala pang litrato na lumalabas tungkol sa kasalukuyang chairman ng Bernaville Group pati ang ibang myembro ng pamilya. It seems like the family of the current chairman is very private. Puro pa bida ay mga kamag-anak lang na mahilig sumagot sa mga tanong ng mga reporters. I tried to log in on my dark web account and faked my server. I contacted someone to help me find reliable information about them. Lolo doesn't know anything about me being a computer literate. I am home schooled but Samshin is not. I learned a lot from Samshin like codes and how to cipher and decipher them. Especially hacking.

Samshin Fujimoto is my friend. He is a Japanese mixed martial artist. Matanda siya sa akin ng ilang taon pero nagkakasundo kami. Sa lahat ata ng mga nakilala ko ay sa kanya lang ako komportable. Hindi siya mahirap pakisamahan at madali siyang mahalin. But I have no special feelings for him. He is mere like an elder brother to me. Mabait siya at matulungin kaya kahit anong hingin ko sa kanya ay ibibigay niya sa akin. Ilang taon ba naman kaming magkasama at sabay na lumaki.

"Bernaville Group remained on top because of its competent and smart leaders in the past up to now. Every generation of the Bernaville Family has to meet a specific requirement to be the next chairman of this huge and successful company," basa ko sa unang ipinasang impormasyon ni Samshin.

I received another notification and this time, he attached a picture. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko nang mabuksan ang ipinasa niya sa akin at matingnan ang picture. Medyo napaatras ako sa aking nakita. Isang lalaki ang nasa picture. Nakaw na kuha iyon pero klarong-klaro ang kanyang mukha. He looks kind of dangerous and very intimidating for real. Paano pa kaya kung sa personal ko siya makita. Given the fact that he has a dragon tattoo on his left arm up to his neck. Kita iyon dahil sa suot niyang white t-shirt. He has black hair. His eyes were furrowed and it complemented his black hooded eyes while his lips are tightly formed in a grim line that made him look unapproachable and intimidating.

"This is Grandeur Vermillion Bernaville or known as Master Grand, the current chairman of the Bernaville Group. He is not friendly and no one wants to mess up with this man. Grand has a twin brother who went missing seventeen years ago. That's all I got. He is a very private person," dagdag pa ni Samshin.

Nanindig ang balahibo ko. Tinititigan ko pa lamang ang katawan niya ay parang kayang-kaya niya akong basagin nang pinong-pino. Tell me, how will lolo try to approach someone as intimidating as this Grand Bernaville?!