Chapter 5

Winston's POV

I've closed billion-dollar deals with less difficulty than dealing with one woman. Kung titingnan mo talaga ang babaeng ‘to, para siyang isang tiger na ngayon lang nakalabas sa hawla. Mas gugustuhin ko pang ma-stress sa trabaho kaysa makasama siya sa iisang bahay.

I stared at the closed door across the hallway before rubbing the bridge of my nose.

"This is going to be a very long week."

"No," Attorney Castillo corrected calmly. "A month."

I slowly turned toward him. Hindi ko inaasahan na nakasunod na pala si Attorney Castillo sa’kin. At hindi ko nagustuhan ang sinabi niya ngayon.

"What?"

"The arrangement is for one month."

I blinked once. No, hindi na ‘ko papayag talaga!

"Absolutely not."

"It's Don Alejandro's instruction."

"I don't care if it's my grandfather's instruction." My voice remained calm, but I could already feel my patience wearing thin. "One week was already unreasonable. A month is ridiculous."

Attorney Castillo adjusted his glasses. "Then consider it a test, gusto mo ‘yon diba?"

Mabilis akong napailing. Kailan ko ba sinabing gusto ko ang mga test na ‘yan? Pera lang ang gusto ko!

"I don't take tests, Attorney. So, please stop this nonsense."

"No." He smiled faintly. "You usually give them."

I looked away. I hated it when he made sense.

"I have work," I said. "Board meetings. Investors. International conferences. I don't have time to babysit a provincial girl."

Oh, goodness! Bakit ba naman kasi isang probinsiyana pa ang gustong ipakasal sakin ni Lolo? Ang dami naman magagandang babae dito. Kung wala siyang idea sana sa gusto ko, pwede naman sana siyang magtanong at bibigyan ko pa siya ng choices. Pero isang promdi? No fucking way!

"You don't have to."

"Good."

"You only have to live in the same house."

That wasn't any better. But what if, bilhan ko na lang ang promdi na yon ng condo diba? Kaysa sa dito siya tumira sa mansion. Pwede naman siguro yon.

Attorney Castillo handed me another envelope.

"These are your grandfather's house rules."

"My grandfather left house rules?" Agad na napakunot ang noo ko. 

Tuwang-tuwa na siguro ang lolo ko ngayon sa sobrang stress ko sa buhay.

"He anticipated your personality."

Of course he did. Napabuntonghininga na lang ako nang wala sa oras.

I opened the envelope. There were only three lines.

Treat her with respect. 

Do not intentionally make her feel unwelcome.

If she leaves because of your behavior, you fail.

I stared at the paper for several seconds. He really knew how to corner me.

"So if she decides to leave..." Attorney Castillo nodded. "You lose your inheritance."

Unbelievable. He didn't leave me company. He left me in a hostage situation.

An hour later, I was finally inside my office. Peace with silence. Exactly the way I liked it.

I opened my laptop and resumed reviewing tomorrow's acquisition proposal.

Five minutes passed then ten. Everything was quiet and I really liked it. Maybe she'd decided to stay inside her room.

Finally, I had barely finished signing one document when someone knocked on my door but I ignored it.

Another knock.

"Sir?"

I looked up. One of the housemaids stood awkwardly outside my office.

"What is it?"

She looked nervous. "Miss Guanzon is asking..."

I waited.

"...where the rice cooker is."

I frowned.

"What?"

"The rice cooker, sir."

I stared at her. "Why would she need a rice cooker?"

The maid smiled awkwardly. "She said she's hungry."

I checked my watch. Three-thirty in the afternoon.

"Lunch ended two hours ago."

"She said she wasn't hungry earlier."

I closed my eyes for a second. "Tell Chef Roberto to prepare something."

"We did, sir."

"And?"

"She doesn't want truffle risotto."

I frowned harder. "What does she want?"

The maid hesitated. "Fried dried fish."

What the fuck?

"Excuse me?"

"With tomatoes and bagoong."

I slowly leaned back in my chair. This had to be a joke.

"We don't have dried fish in this house."

"I told her that, sir."

"And?"

"She asked where the nearest market was."

I pinched the bridge of my nose. Of course she did.

~~~~

Windy's POV

Ang hirap pala maging mayaman. Kanina pa ako paikot-ikot sa kusina. Napakalaki ba naman kasi ng kusina dito, nakakahilo tuloy. Mas malaki pa yata ito kaysa sa buong bahay namin.

Lahat ng gamit dito ay kumikislap talaga ng literal, grabe. Parang lahat ng gamit dito ay bawal hakawan at baka madumihan.

May oven, may microwave, may air fryer, may coffee machine at may kung ano-anong machine na hindi ko na alam kung anong tawag.

Pero, wala akong makita kahit rice cooker.

"Naku." Napakamot ako sa ulo. "Paano ba nagluluto ng kanin ang mga mayayaman?"

Bigla akong napalingon nang marinig kong may tumikhim. Nakatayo roon ang chef na naka-puting uniporme at nakatingin siya sa akin.

"Ma'am..."

Ngumiti ako. "Hello po."

"May hinahanap po ba kayo?"

"Opo."

"Ano po iyon?"

"Rice cooker."

Natigilan siya. "Meron naman po."

"Luh?"

"Automatic rice system po ang gamit dito."

"Automatic... ano?"

Ngumiti siya bago itinuro ang isang malaking stainless machine na akala ko kanina ay dishwasher.

"Ah..." Napakamot ulit ako. "Akala ko ref."

Mahina siyang natawa sa sinabi ko kaya natawa na rin ako. Masama bang hindi alam ang mga bagay-bagay dito? Eh, wala namang ganito sa probinsya pero nabubuhay naman kami.

"Ay, nakakahiya."

Makalipas ang ilang minuto… Inilapag niya ang isang mamahaling putahe sa harapan ko. Mukhang masarap pero hindi iyon ang gusto ko.

"Chef..."

"Yes, Ma'am?"

"Pwede po bang magprito na lang tayo ng tuyo?"

Napakurap siya.

"Tuyo?"

"Opo."

"Tapos kamatis at samahan mo na rin ng bagoong."

Mas lalo siyang natigilan kaya napangiti ako.

"Kung wala pong tuyo..." Huminga ako nang malalim. "...kahit itlog na lang."

Tahimik siyang tumango.

"I'll ask Mr. Domingo."

Napasinghap ako. "Hala! Huwag na po!"

Pero huli na, nagmamadali na siyang lumabas ng kusina kaya napahawak ako sa noo.

Ano ba naman dito! Kahit pagluto ng tuyo kailangan pang sabihin don sa mokong na yon.

"Ay naku! First day pa lang, Windy pero istorbo ka na agad."

Hindi ko alam na sa kabilang hallway ay may isang lalaking nakatayo, tahimik na nakikinig. 

At sa unang pagkakataon sa buong araw ay bahagyang umangat ang sulok ng labi ni Winston.

Hindi dahil natutuwa siya kundi dahil hindi pa siya nakakatagpo ng babaeng pumunta sa isang mansion at unang hinanap ay tuyo.