Taming the CEO's Scarred Heart

"HE likes you," sigaw ni Stacey sa kanyang kanang tainga. May mapaglarong ngiti sa mga labi nito bago ininom ang natitirang vodka sa baso. "Or probably more than that." She said, still grinning, as she turned to the direction of the next table.

Hinayon ni Aiah nang tingin ang tinutumbok ng kaibigan. And there he is, the man with unmistakably desire on her. Nasa kanya lang ang mga mata ng infamous Greg De Castro, a politician's love child. She flashed her innocent yet seductive smile. And there's her magic again, coming over to their table with that confident stride and another drink.

Nasa isang sikat siyang club sa BGC that friday night with her so called friends. She's bored at home and wanted to have some fun. She called Stacey to pick her up as her grandfather freeze all her accounts. Pati ang susi ng bago niyang sedan ay kinuha!

"I may have spoiled you so much," nakatalikod si Vicente Villegas sa kanya. Her grandfather would always look past the window everytime he summoned her to his office. Ilang saglit pang katahimikan bago ito bumuntong hininga. "How can I face your parents on the other side when you're such a troublemaker?"

"Aiah Villegas," Greg audaciously sat beside her, sadyang idinikit ng lalaki ang sarili sa kanya at inakbayan siya. Tumaas ang isang sulok ng kanyang labi. He just shrugged. "Why? Can't friends be this close?"

"You're no friend to me, Greg," casually she said bago inilayo ang sarili dito. Stacey was long gone. Her eyes roam around and saw that friend of her making out with two guys on the side. She rolled her eyes. "At mukhang papatayin ako sa tingin ng mga babae mo sa kabilang table." Greg laughed and once again come closer to her space.

"Let them. At isa pa, ikaw ang gusto ko, Aiah," anito sa puno ng kanyang tainga. It would've been arousing if the guy is as handsome as her ideal man. Again, she rolled her eyes and pushed him against his chest. "Tagal na kitang inaaya mag-do. Why don't you just give in?" At hinawakan ng lalaki ang dalawa niyang palapusuhan, preventing her from further walking away.

She leaned over and smirk. This kind of guys are what Aiah hate the most. Conceited scumbags who think all women are at their disposal. "Dahil nakuha ko na ang kailangan ko. At isa pa..." Tinanggal niya ang mga kamay na bumihag sa kanya. She can't be captive, not by the likes of him. "Hindi kita gusto. Not even the slightest." At iniwan niya ang lalaki sa table na lalo lamang sumidhi ang pagnanais na makuha siya.

Pasado alas onse na ng gabi ng makarating ang dalaga sa mansion ng mga Villegas sa Corinthian Gardens. She still had some cash on hand at nag-hire na lang ng cab paauwi. Ni hindi na niya pinagkaabalahan pang i-text si Stacey. That friend of hers probably enjoying the night getting laid again.

She's tipsy, alright. Hindi lasing pero tila ba nawala lahat ng agiw sa kanyang isipan ng maaninag kung sino ang naghihintay sa kanya sa mismong harapan ng pinto.

None other than her grandfather.

Napatuwid ng tayo si Aiah at inayos ng bahagya ang suot na damit. She's wearing a red, halter fitted dress na ang haba ay umabot naman sa gitna ng kanyang hita. Fairly acceptable naman para sa kanyang paningin but not on her grandfather's eyes. Pakonsuelo na lang at may dala siyang balabal na tumatakip sa kanyang balikat at dibdib.

"I hope you haven't done anything stupid this time," bungad nito sa kanya. Why she flashed her sweetest smile na tila proud.

"I've been a good girl, Lolo," aniya at nagmano sa huli. It's a gesture he instilled to her ever since. "And may I reiterate that the last time wasn't ---" pero tumalikod na ang kanyang lolo at sinabihang sumunod sa opisina nito. "my fault..." Dugtong niya pa na ang hangin na lang ang nakarinig.

With a heavy heart, she followed the shadow of one's formidable Vicente Villegas. Was her words not credible enough to be trusted? She run her fingers through her hair as she caught sight of their huge portrait together at the sala. Oo, sila lang dalawa ang nasa larawan dahil pareho nang patay ang kanyang mga magulang.

Her mother, never even met her. Her grandfather hadn't talked about it but it's all over the web. Na ang nagiisa nitong anak na babae ay iniwan ang asawa para sa mahal nitong kabit. And her father? Who knew? At hindi na din niya hinanap dahil pinagbawal ng kanyang lolo ang kung anumang usapin patungkol sa kanyang pinagmulan.

Was she curious about her origin? Probably there's a point in her life that she wanted to discover. But then her grandfather's words were enough to put an end to it all.

"You don't need to know. Makinig ka, Aiah," para bang tumanda ito ng ilang taon nang maalala ang anak. "Don't be like her. Don't be this old man's another heartbreak, my child..."

"Aiah," nasa loob na muli siya ng opisina nito. Mas kabisado pa ata ni Aiah ang bawat sulok nito kaysa sa sariling kwarto. "Alam mo ang sitwasyon ng kumpanya..."

"I am aware, lolo," at naupo siya sa isang settee across the table. On the verge of bankruptcy ang Villegas Company Inc. na mainly source ng income nila. She heard and read the news na kumakalat. And it pained her to see her old man look defeated. "Have we exhausted all the means---"

"I already did. Kung hindi ay hindi ko sana ni-hold lahat ng accounts mo. It's because of that. Yet may awa pa rin and itaas sa atin," at mula sa drawer ay ibinigay sa kanya ang isang envelope. Kumunot ang kanyang noo na napatingin sa matanda. He urge her to open it. "Read it. Nakasalalay diyan ang kinabukasan mo at ng buong kumpanya."

At ang unang bumungad sa mga mata ni Aiah ay ang salitang pre-nuptial agreement...

-*-

SHE read every detail of the fine print. Pinagmasdang maigi ni Vicente ang apo. Contrary to most, hindi naghisterikal ang beinte ocho anyos na dalaga. She looked rather composed as she read every pages of the print until the last dot. At nang matapos ay muli nitong ibinalik ang tingin sa kanya.

It was cold. That's predictable. But her gaze was distant. Tila ba ang layu-layo nito sa kanya.

"Is this really necessary?" Mga salitang unang namutawi sa bibig nito. Tumango siya. There's a silent pause for awhile before the lady followed. "When will I meet him?"

Nagtaka man, binigay ni Vicente sa dalaga ang isang calling card. "He's a very busy man. But call him and he'll be there."

Hindi nakaligtas sa kanyang paningin ang tipig nitong ngiti. "He's busy but he'll be there just because I call him? How convenient..." At tumayo na ang apo. "By any chance that this marriage doesn't work, can I get my freedom back?"

"I trust him," sambit niya. "You'll be in good hands."

Wala nang iba pang sinabi si Aiah ay iniwan na siyang mag-isa sa opisina. Once again, silence had envelope his personal office. Muli siyang napabuntong-hinga at pagkaraa'y umupo sa swivel chair. He knew he's being hard to his only granddaughter but what can he really possibly do? Someone must straighten his sweet, little girl.

"I know. I know. This was all just an excuse," na para bang kausap niya ang asawa na nasa litrato. Kung nandito pa sana si Cecilia ay hindi siya mamomroblema ng ganito. Mas madali pang ibangon muli sng kumpanya kaysa ang pagpapalaki sa batang iyon. "Habang tumatagal ay nakikita ko ang anak natin kay Aiah. And I am afraid na...na..."

At muling pumatak ang luha sa kanyang mga mata habang sinasariwa ang nakaraan.