Chapter 5

“Bea, itigil mo ’yan!”

Napahinto si Bea nang marinig ang boses ni Nate. Agad siyang napalingon sa kanya at mabilis na lumapit, habang ako naman ay nanatili lamang sa kinatatayuan ko. Halata sa mukha ni Nate na hindi niya inaasahang ganito ang sasalubong sa kanya pagdating niya sa main hall. Mas lalong nagbago ang ekspresyon niya nang makita niya kung sino ang kaharap ni Bea.

“Babe, buti na lang dumating ka,” agad na reklamo ni Bea. “Sabihin mo sa kanya na hindi siya si Ms. Valeroux. She has been pretending to be the CEO, and she even had the nerve to slap me.”

Tumingin si Nate sa akin. Saglit siyang natigilan bago niya ako tinawag. “Yasmine?”

Bahagya akong ngumiti. “Nate.”

Napatingin siya kay Bea, saka muling bumalik ang tingin sa akin. “Ano bang nangyari?”

“Bakit hindi mo tanungin ang girlfriend mo?” mahinahon kong sagot. “Mukhang marami siyang gustong sabihin tungkol sa akin.”

“Because she’s lying!” mabilis na singit ni Bea. “Sinabi ko sa kanya na hindi siya si Ms. Valeroux, tapos sinampal niya ako.”

“We can discuss this privately,” ani Nate sa akin.

Napatawa ako nang mahina. “Privately? After your girlfriend publicly accused me of being a thief and a liar? After she called my parents trash?”

“I apologize for that.”

“You should.” Tumingin ako kay Bea. “And she should, too.”

Agad siyang sumagot, “Hindi ako magsosorry!”

Nakatingin lang ako sa kanya habang hinihintay kung ano ang gagawin niya.

Ngunit bago pa siya makapagsalita, agad na sumingit si Bea. “Babe, sabihin mo sa kanya. Ikaw ang manager ng Valeroux Jewelry. Kilala mo ang CEO. Sabihin mo sa kanya na wala rito si Ms. Valeroux.”

Napatingin si Nate kay Bea, pagkatapos ay sa akin. “Bea, maybe we should talk somewhere else.”

“Why?” Napatawa siya. “Nahihiya ka ba dahil napahiya siya?”

“That's not what I meant.”

“Then say it here.” Humarap siya sa akin. “Kanina pa niya sinasabi na siya raw si Ms. Valeroux. Imagine the audacity. Hindi pa nga niya naipapakilala ang sarili niya nang maayos, pero kung umasta siya, parang siya ang may-ari ng buong kumpanya.”

Nanatili lamang akong kalmado. “Since you're so certain that I'm lying, let's ask your boyfriend.”

Napakunot ang noo ni Bea. “Ask him what?”

“Why he appointed you as ambassador.”

Agad siyang napangiti. “See? Babe, tell her. You already appointed me, right?”

Nakita kong nagbago ang kilos ni Nate. Hindi siya agad sumagot. Sandali siyang tumingin kay Bea bago muling tumingin sa akin.

“Yes,” sagot niya.

Napangisi si Bea. “There. Narinig n’yo naman.”

Diretso akong tumingin kay Nate. “Bakit mo ginawang ambassador si Bea?”

“I think there's been a misunderstanding.”

“Walang mali sa tanong ko, Nate,” sagot ko. “I asked you a simple question. Bakit mo ginawang ambassador ng Valeroux Jewelry ang girlfriend mo?”

“Because I thought—”

“That's exactly the problem.” Bahagya akong ngumiti habang patuloy siyang tinitingnan. “You thought. Hindi mo tinanong at hindi mo hiningi ang approval ng CEO. Hindi mo rin ipinasa sa board para ma-review. You simply decided that your girlfriend was qualified to represent the company.”

“That's not exactly what happened,” mabilis niyang sagot.

“Then tell me what happened, Mr. Wane.”

Hindi siya agad nakasagot.

Napatingin sa kanya si Bea. “Nate, sabihin mo sa kanya. You told me that I was already approved.”

“Bea, please.”

“Bakit?” tanong niya. “Hindi ba ikaw mismo ang nagsabi sa akin na ikaw ang nag-approve?”

Tumingin si Nate sa kanya, pero wala siyang naisagot.

Napangiti ako nang bahagya. “So you did tell her that.”

“I didn't mean any disrespect.”

“Hindi ko naman sinabi na sinadya mo na maging bastos.” Tumigil ako sandali bago nagpatuloy. “Ang sinasabi ko, Nate, ginawa mo ang isang bagay na wala kang authority na gawin.”

Napatingin siya sa akin nang diretso.

“May authority ka bang mag-appoint ng ambassador para sa Valeroux Jewelry?”

Napatingin si Bea sa akin bago siya tuluyang sumingit sa usapan. “Excuse me? Who gave you the right to question Nate about that?”

Hindi ko inalis ang tingin ko kay Nate. “I'm just asking him.”

“Why?” singit niya ulit. “You're not the CEO.”

Bahagya akong napangiti. “And how exactly did you come to that conclusion?”

“Because you are not Ms. Valeroux.” Mariin ang pagkakasabi niya, na para bang isa na iyong katotohanang hindi na kailangang patunayan. “You keep claiming that you're the CEO, but you haven't shown us anything that proves it.”

“Bea—” saway ni Nate.

“I'm not wrong, Nate.” Humarap siya sa kanya. “Kung hindi naman talaga siya ang CEO, then who gave her the right to question your decision?”

Muli siyang napatingin sa akin. “You can't just walk into an event, claim that you're Ms. Valeroux, and start questioning the company's employees as if you own the place.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Tumango ako nang marahan. “Then let me ask you something. If I'm not the CEO, why are you so worried about my questions?”

Napangisi siya. “Because you're trying to embarrass my boyfriend.”

“No. I'm trying to find out why your boyfriend appointed you as an ambassador without the CEO's approval.”

“Again, you're assuming that you have the authority to ask that.”

Natahimik ako sandali bago tumingin kay Nate. “Again, Nate, may authority ka bang mag-appoint ng ambassador para sa Valeroux Jewelry?”

Napatingin si Bea sa akin at agad na dinepensahan si Nate. “Si Nate ang manager.”

“I know.” Tumango ako. “And being the manager doesn't make him the owner, nor does it make him the CEO either, right, Nate?”

“No,” maikli niyang sagot.

“Then why did you appoint an ambassador without the CEO's approval?”

Agad na napatingin sa kanya si Bea. “Nate, babe, tell her. You told me that my appointment was approved.”

Nanatiling tahimik si Nate.

Napangiti ako nang bahagya. “So you didn't have the CEO's approval.”

“That's not what he said,” mabilis na kontra ni Bea. “He said he was the manager, and as the manager, he has the authority to make certain decisions.”

“Certain decisions, yes. But appointing an ambassador who will officially represent the company without the CEO's approval isn't one of them.”

“And how do you know that?”

“Because I know how my company operates.”

Napatawa si Bea. “Your company? There you go again.”

“Bea, enough,” mahina ngunit mariing sabi ni Nate.

“No. I want her to answer me.” Bumaling siya sa akin. “You keep acting like you own Valeroux Jewelry. You keep ordering people around. You question Nate's decisions. You even revoked my position when you don't even have proof that you're the CEO.”

“Did you just say I revoked your position?”

“Yes.”

“I haven't revoked anything yet, Bea. You're defending your position even though you don't know who actually gave it to you.”

“Si Nate.”

“Exactly.” Tumingin ako kay Nate. “So let's go back to my question. Who gave you the authority?”

Bea immediately stepped in again. “Why are you pressuring him? You're not his boss.”

I slowly turned toward her. “If I'm not his boss, then why can't he answer a simple question?”

“Because you have no right to question him!”

“And if I do?”

“You don't!”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes!”

I looked at Nate once again. “Then tell her. Tell her I'm not the CEO.”.

Bea looked at him expectantly. “Yes, Nate. Tell her. Tell her she's lying.”

Nate's jaw clenched.

“Tell her,” Bea repeated, “that the real CEO isn't standing in front of us.”

I could see the frustration building on Nate's face.

“BEA, SHE IS MS. VALEROUX!” sigaw niya, halos umalingawngaw ang boses niya sa buong main hall. “SHE IS THE CEO OF VALEROUX JEWELRY!”

Napatigil si Bea. Nanlaki ang mga mata niya habang unti-unting napunta sa akin ang kanyang tingin. Ilang segundo siyang nakatitig sa akin, tila sinusubukang intindihin ang sinabi ni Nate.

“No…”

Muli siyang napatingin kay Nate, bakas sa mukha niya ang matinding pagkagulat at pagtanggi. “N-no… you're lying, aren't you?”

Hindi sumagot si Nate.

“Hindi…” mahinang sambit niya, muling napatingin sa akin. “You can't be…”