Chapter 4: The love that already started long ago.

My name is Ethan Montenegro. 27 years old. A CEO and sole heir of MK Group. Owning several big malls, hotels, real estate and restaurants. Most of the buildings in the City are own by our family and it’s still been running since 1990’s.

But it all started five years ago.

First day after my grandmother handed the position of CEO in MK Group to me. I was still getting familiar to it. Kaya madalas akong nasa office ng kompanya o kaya naman sa office ng aking bahay. One day, after ideliver ni Secretary Dan ang aking lunch ay akin muna itong binuksan habang iniintay na medyo lumamig. I was about to continue may work first while waiting nang biglang may napansin akong lumabas mula sa emergency exit door sa likod ng aking office. Isang babae na may dalang lunch box ang maingat na naglalakad at palinga-linga sa paligid na para bang may hinahanap o kaya ay sinisiguradong walang ibang tao sa paligild. Nakita ko ang ID na nakasabit sa kanyang leeg at ang kulay ng lace nito. Isa siyang employee ng aming company sa Mall Department. She’s one of the responsible coordinating factories like foods daily necessities, perfume and other things available and needed in Malls. And that department was under my floor office. She saw the small bench near the glass wall of my office and run in a tiptoe to get there. She open her lunch box and before starting to eat she once make sure no one saw her or seeing her that time. When she feels she was really alone, she then start on eating. With just a simple dish on her lunch box she made it looks like so delicious that time. For one full spoon of her food, she smiles. I was intrigued by her that time. Good thing the glass wall in my office was a one way through. Only I can see her outside while she can only seeing the reflection of herself. I pick up my lunch box and sit on her opposite side. I’ll follow her for every bite she does. She was about to pick the shrimp but saw her sleeve will going to touch the stain. She rolls her sleeve then started to peel it. But I froze when something caught my eyes. A familiar name on her employee ID and a familiar scar on her right arms. Not the same surname but the same name and demeanor. Same position of the scar. I was about to touch the glass when someone knock on door’s office. I turn around then said, “Come in.”

Bumukas ang pinto at pumasok ang aking secretary na may hawak na blue folder sa kanyang kamay.

“Boss. You need to sign this”, tumingin siya saglit sa aking lunch box. “B-Boss? Anong meron? Bakit niyo naubos ang pagkain niyo ngayon?”

“Bakit? Is there something wrong with it?’ sarcastic kong sagot sa kanya na ikinatawa lamang ng secretary ko.

“Hindi naman po.”

“By the way, I need you to investigate someone. I need every details, small or big. I want you to gather all of them. I will give you a week.”

“Sino Boss?”

“Her.” Turo sa labas ng aking office pero binigyan lamang ako ng nagtatakang muka ng secretary ko. I feel confused too if I said something wrong or there’s something wrong outside. So I turned around to see she’s no longer there.

“Oh! Don’t mind me. Go to the Human Resources and find her file to start the investigation. Her name was Colleen Perez and she was from the Perfume Department of Fu Group Malls. Don’t tell them the purposes just tell them that it’s for checking.”

“Yes Sir.”

The day arrives when my secretary finish his assignment on finding her information. She was indeed the girl I’ve been missing and waiting for so long to meet again. I also found out that she got into a big accident that cause her some memory loss and her parents life. Then she got adopted by a kind nurse in the hospital.

Since that day, I’ve been eating my lunch on time in the office whenever she arrives at the same exact time. Sometimes when the weather was hot, I deliberately put a portable fan in the bench for her to use. She doesn’t find it suspicious and only thinking someone forget it to bring. So after she use it. She also leave it at the same position. When it’s winter, I put my spare electric heater outside for her. Her face that time change after seeing those. She looks like she’s been found out by someone. Nag-aalangan yata siya na umupo sa pwesto na yun habang ako naman ay tahimik na pinag-mamasdan ang mga susunod niyang gagawin. I thought she will leave, pero umiling lamang siya at napangiti sa sarili. Masaya niyang itinutok ang electric heater sa kanya. Sinilip-silip ang bawat sulok ng paligid at ngumiti. Ganun lamang ang aming naging bonding sa loob ng kompanya hanggang sa madalas na niyang makalimutan ang kumain sa pwestong yun. Isang taon mahigit na din yung nangyari. Patagal ng patagal, nag-iintay pa din ako pero hindi na siya bumalik uli sa pwesto na yun. Minsan ko na din siyang makita o makasalubong papasok at nung minsang makita ko siya ay ang laki ng kaniyang pinag-bago. Muka siyang palaging pagod at maraming iniisip. Minsan ay nakita ko siya pumasok sa isang convenience store at pag-labas niya ay iba na ang kanyang suot na damit at dumiretso sa isang motor na para sa mga delivery guy. Dun ko lamang nalaman na may problema siya at kailangan ng pera para sa pag-papagamot ng kaniyang mama. Gusto kong tumulong pero hindi ko alam kung paano ko ito sasabihin sa kanya. Hindi ko man siya matulungan sa paglikom ng pera ay sinigurado ko siyang may sapat na oras sa kanyang trabaho sa kompanya ay binigyan ng mas maagang oras sa paglabas. Sa bawat part-time na papasukin ay pasekreto kong kinakausap ang boss niya para bigyan siya ng sahod na triple kompara sa nakasaad sa kontrata bago ang trabaho. Reason? “Maganda ang kita ng business ngayon kaya maaga ang mga pa-bonus.” Yes. It’s a funny reason. But I know for her, it doesn’t matter what is the reason behind of it. What important for her was to save enough money for her to send in the hospital. As for me, I already communicated with the hospital where her mother staying at. To give them a big discounts in the hospital bill and I will give them the rest of the money after. She can finally breath now. And she started on eating in that place again.

Years later, got the news her mother was already discharged. The cheerful Colleen Perez is back. But months later, I started getting busy. Sometimes I’m gone for a week for a surprise inspection in other branch of malls, hotels and restaurant. And then had to go for a months in a business trip in other country.

Napansin ko’ng parang may kakaiba sa kanya ng makita ko siya bago ako umalis ng bansa pero ipinag-walang bahala ko lamang ito dahil nagmamadali ako na pumunta sa airport. Paglapag pa lamang na eroplano dumeristso na ako sa hotel na tinutuluyan ko for months at idi-nial ang numero ng secretary ko. Nagdecide akong iwan sya para may update ako kay len len. It was her nickname back then.

“Did you found out?”

“Nasa ospital ang mama ni Ms. Perez. Ayon sa doktor ay bumalik ang tumor nito sa loob ng katawan at mas lalo pa itong dumami.”

“Is there any hope for recovery?”

“No Sir.”