Chapter 3: Familiar Faces

Gabriel stared at his phone for a few seconds before finally pressing the intercom.

“HR. Tawagin niyo ulit si Elise Ramos,” he said flatly.

“Sir? Akala ko po tapos na—”

“Tell her there’s been a… second screening. I want to speak with her again.”

Click.

Lying wasn’t usually part of his professional playbook, but this wasn’t business.

This was something else.

He needed answers.

And maybe… closure?

Bumalik siya sa upuan, pinagmasdan ulit ang resume ni Elise.

He couldn’t get her eyes out of his head. That haunted, guilty look.

Kung hindi siya 'yung babae sa Baguio… then why the hell does my gut say she is?

---

“Ma!!!”

Tumakbo si Sofia papunta kay Elise habang binubuksan niya ang pinto.

Elise dropped her bag and crouched to hug her daughter tightly.

Sofia Ramos, age six.

Bibo. Madaldal. At sobrang nakakasilaw ang ngiti.

“Kamusta ang school?” tanong ni Elise habang hinuhubad ang heels.

“Okay naman! Pero 'yung crush ko, may iba na siyang katabi sa lunch!”

Elise chuckled. “Crush agad, anak? Bawal pa 'yan!”

“Eh bakit ikaw, Ma? May crush ka ba?”

Natigilan si Elise.

Putik.

“Wala, uy! ke bata mo pa alam mo na'yang mga ganyan sofie ha!.”
Sofie giggled..

Sofia ran off to play with her stuffed bunny while Elise collapsed on the couch.

Nag-ring ang phone niya.

Unknown Caller.

Kinabahan siya.

She picked up.

“Hello?”

“Elise Ramos? This is Navarro Holdings. Mr. Navarro would like to speak with you again tomorrow for a second interview.”

“Second interview?” she repeated, half in shock.

“Yes, ma’am. 9 A.M. sharp.”

Click.

Hindi siya makagalaw.

Why? Bakit kailangan pa ng second interview?

Either way, she had no choice. It's for Sofie. Ang dami na niyang pinasukan pero kahit isa walang feedback kaya kapit patalim siya..

Napatingin siya sa anak niya, tumatawa habang nilalaro ang stuffed toy niya.

Anak ng CEO. At hindi niya alam.

---

7 years ago

Gabriel blinked awake to soft light seeping through the curtains.

His head throbbed like hell.

The room was unfamiliar. The silence was deafening.

He reached for the other side of the bed — empty.

He sat up slowly, the blanket falling from his chest.

“Sh*t,” he muttered.

Memory fragments swirled in his head like smoke:

A girl with trembling hands.

A whisper in the dark: “Let’s just forget everything.”

Her soft cry as she fell asleep beside him.

Gone.

No number. No note. Not even a name.

He rubbed his face, stood, and found his clothes scattered on the floor.

What just happened?

He never expected to care.

But somehow… he did.

---

Back in the present, Gabriel stared out his window, glass of whiskey in hand.

You left me before I could even ask your name...

Tomorrow, she’ll sit in front of him again.

And this time, he’ll be ready.

---------------------------------

9:00 A.M. – Navarro Holdings, Executive Floor

Pangalawang beses na siyang nakaupo sa waiting area ng opisina ni Gabriel, pero parang ngayon lang siya lalagnatin sa kaba.

Elise tried to slow her breathing.

Relax. Interview lang 'to. Kunwari wala lang. Normal day lang. Kaya mo 'to, girl.

But the second the assistant said, “You may go in now,”

Her knees turned to jelly.

Pagpasok niya, he was already sitting — sharp suit, unreadable expression, same haunting gaze.

Yung tingin niya… parang may alam. Sht.*

“Sit down, Miss Ramos,” Gabriel said, voice calm but commanding.

She obeyed.

---

Gabriel clasped his hands together on the desk, eyes locked on her.

“You have quite the resume,” he started.

“Thank you, po,” she replied softly.

He leaned back, watching her. “You mentioned freelancing for a few years. Why did you stop?”

She blinked. Here we go.

“I had to focus on… family matters.”

“Family?” he repeated.

“Yes, sir.” She tried to smile. “My daughter.”

Silence.

Gabriel tapped his pen on the table. “How old is she?”

Boom.

Putangina. The exact question she didn’t want to answer.

“Six po,” she said carefully.

His hand stopped tapping.

Six. Not seven. Not exactly.

Pero… malapit.

“Your husband?” he asked.

“I’m not married.”

“Boyfriend?”

“None.”

He didn’t respond. Just stared.

Napansin ni Elise — hindi ito tanong ng isang CEO.
Ito'y tanong ng isang lalaking naghahanap ng sagot.

Biglang bumukas ang pinto ng opisina.

“Gabriel!”

Isang boses ng babae — malambing, sosyal, at pamilyar.

Pumasok ang isang sobrang gandang babae. Long legs. Designer dress. Perfume na siguradong imported. Everything screamed money.

It was Celeste Ybañez — anak ng board member ng Navarro Holdings.

Rumor has it, matagal na siyang may gusto kay Gabriel.

“Oh, sorry,” sabi ni Celeste, kunwari gulat. “Didn’t know you had someone in here.”

She glanced at Elise like she was a dust particle.

“Interview po,” Elise said, politely bowing her head.

“Interview?” Celeste gave a forced smile. “For what, coffee girl?”

Kirot. Straight to the heart. Pero Elise smiled anyway.

Gabriel didn’t flinch. “Celeste, I’m in a meeting.”

Celeste pouted. “Fine. See you later, Gabe.”

Gabe?

Putangina. May pet name pa talaga.

Pagkaalis ng babae, bumalik ang katahimikan sa opisina.

Elise kept a smile on her face, but her stomach was twisting.

Yun ba ang mga babae sa mundo mo, Gabriel?

Classy. Rich. Power-dressed. Walang anak.

Samantalang ako? Galing sa palengke. May bata sa bahay. May nakaraan na hindi mo alam.

---

You know what, Elise? Tama na. Don’t even think about telling him.

Gabriel Navarro lives in skyscrapers. You? You’re down here, scraping by.

This man isn’t yours. He never was. He never will be.

Mas mabuting manatiling lihim ang lahat.

---

Pagkalabas ni Elise, hindi niya agad binaba ang tingin.

She smiled the whole time, pero ramdam niya—pilit.

There was something behind her eyes. Guilt? Fear? Sadness?

And when Celeste came in…

Gabriel saw it.

A flicker. A sting. A wall building up.

He leaned back in his chair, thinking.

Six years old.
One-night stand, seven years ago.
No boyfriend. No husband.

The math wasn’t exact.

But it was damn close.

Is it possible? Could that child be—?

His jaw clenched.

He needed to know.