CHAPTER 1 : Deal

"Oh my god. No, no, no. This cannot be happening."

The sheets felt like pure silk against my skin, but my heart was pounding like a jackhammer. Slowly, I turned my head to the left.

Beside me,  was The Zhean Phete Valeriano. 

"Shit," I muttered, keeping my voice to an absolute whisper.

 "Argh! Alessa, ano'ng ginawa mo?!"

I remembered the bar last night.The heartbreak over my ex. And then... him. One thing led to another, and now I was here.

I slid out of the bed as quietly as a cat. Just as my hand touched the doorknob, a deep, raspy voice echoed through the room.

"Leaving without saying goodbye?"

I froze. I slowly turned around, forcing a very awkward smile. Zhean was propped up on one elbow. His dark hair was messy, and his sharp eyes were locked onto me. 

"Ah... hi," I squeaked out, shifting my weight. "Good morning."

"Is it?" He sat up, completely unbothered by revealing his sculpted chest. 

"Usually, people wait for the sun to actually come up before they sneak out like thieves."

"Hindi ako magnanakaw, okay? I was just... leaving. May work pa ako," I said, clutching my bag tightly against my chest.

"Is that so?" Zhean stood up, wrapping a dark silk robe around himself. He walked toward me.

"Look, Zhean—I mean, Mr. Valeriano," I stammered, taking a step back until my spine hit the door.

 "Last night was a mistake. We were both drunk. Magkalimutan na lang tayo."

Zhean stopped right in front of me. He leaned down slightly, his gaze dropping to my lips before returning to my eyes. 

"A mistake? But you seem to really enjoy it Alessa."

My face burned bright red. "Shut up! Basta, please. Kalimutan na natin 'to. I have to go."

"Fine. Go," he said, stepping back with a cold, mocking smile. "See you at the office, Ms. Selasa."

That line hit me like cold water. The office.

I practically sprinted out of his penthouse and rushed back to my tiny apartment. I barely had a shower and fixed my hair to hide the purple mark on my neck.

"Relax, Alessa. Malaki ang Valeriano Tower. You won't see him," I told myself while staring at the elevator mirror.

When I reached the 12th floor, the atmosphere was chaotic. Everyone was running around with thick folders. My cubicle mate, Cassie, grabbed my arm the moment I sat down.

"Alessa! Kanina ka pa hinahanap ni Sir Ramos! Shock audit ngayon!" Cassie whispered furiously.

"Shock audit? Bakit biglaan?" tanong ko habang binubuksan ang computer ko.

"Dumating ang CEO! He's personally reviewing the Q3 budget proposals today!"

My blood ran completely cold. No. Hindi pwede.

"Ms. Selasa! In my office, now!" sigaw ng department head namin na si Mr. Ramos mula sa p***o niya.

Pumasok ako sa office niya "Yes, Sir?"

"Here," Mr. Ramos handed me a thick black leather binder. 

"This is the Valeriano Shipping expansion proposal. You are the one who handled the data encoding for this, right?"

"O-Opo, Sir. Pero si Senior Analyst Mendoza po ang gumawa ng core projections—"

"Mendoza called in sick! At dahil ikaw ang assistant niya, ikaw ang magse-present sa board room in ten minutes. The CEO is already there," Mr. Ramos warned, his eyes glaring through his glasses.

Nalula ako bigla. Magpre-present ako? Kay Zhean? After what happened six hours ago?

Sampung minuto ang nakalipas, nakatayo na ako sa tapat ng dambuhalang p***o ng Boardroom. Hawak ko ang laptop at ang binder.

"You can do this. Trabaho lang 'to," bulong ko sa sarili ko bago binuksan ang p***o.

Twelve board members sat around a long mahogany table. And right at the head of the table,was Zhean. His sharp eyes snapped toward me the moment I entered. 

"Good morning, everyone. I am Alessa Selasa from the Finance Department, and I will be presenting the Q3 expansion budget," panimula ko, pilit na pinatatag ang boses ko.

I connected my laptop and started the slideshow. I focused on the screen, avoiding his gaze at all costs. "As you can see on the screen, our projected ROI for the shipping line will hit twelve percent by the second quarter..."

"Stop," a deep, commanding voice interrupted.

"Yes, Mr. Valeriano?" tanong ko.

"Your data on slide four doesn't match the current inflation rate of the maritime sector. Sino ang nag-compute niyan?" tanong niya, seryoso ang mukha. 

"Ah... that was based on the standard department template from last month, Sir," sagot ko.

"Last month is ancient history in this market, Ms. Selasa," malamig na sabi niya. 

"Kung ganyan ang kalidad ng trabaho mo, you are wasting my time. Valeriano Corporation doesn't pay people to copy-paste outdated numbers."

Ramdam ko ang tingin ng lahat ng board members sa akin. My face burned with humiliation. 

"I apologize, Mr. Valeriano. I will adjust the figures immediately and submit the revised report before 5 PM," bawi ko, trying to stay professional.

"Make sure you do. Personally deliver it to my office. Dismissed," sabi niya, sabay pirma sa isang papel nang hindi na ako tinitingnan.

The moment the presentation ended, I practically ran back to my desk. I spent the next four hours recalculating everything. Exactly before 5 Pm  nang matapos ko ang printout ng bagong proposal. 

"Kaya mo 'to, Alessa. Ibigay mo lang, tapos takbo na," sabi ko sa sarili ko habang sumasakay ulit sa elevator paakyat sa 50th floor kung saan ang private office niya.

The secretary wasn't at her desk when I arrived. The double doors to his office were slightly ajar. Kakatok na sana ako nang marinig ko ang boses niya sa loob, kasama ang isang babae.

"Zhean, babe, you didn't answer my calls last night. Saan ka ba pumunta?" a sweet, whiny voice asked.

"I was busy, Bianca. I told you, don't just show up in my office without an appointment," Zhean replied, his tone bored.

"Busy? Or were you with someone else? Sabi ng guard may kasama kang babae kagabi," Bianca accused him, her voice rising.

"That's none of your business," Zhean said coldly.

"It is my business! Our engagement is going to be announced next month! " Bianca snapped.

 "Sino ba 'yung babaeng 'yun? One of your cheap flings?"

My phone suddenly vibrated inside my pocket. The sound was loud in the quiet hallway.

"Who's outside?" Bianca's voice boomed from inside.

Bago pa ako makatakbo, bumukas na ng tuluyan ang p***o. Behind him, Bianca was looking at me with sharp, suspicious eyes.

"Ms. Selasa," Zhean muttered, his eyes narrowing.

"S-Sir... the revised financial report. As promised," I said, quickly handing him the leather binder.

"Bianca, I think you should leave my office now," Zhean’s voice cut through the tension like a blade. 

Bianca’s jaw dropped.

"I said, leave," he repeated.

 "This isn't over, Zhean," she hissed before slamming the heavy double doors behind her.

Suddenly, the massive office felt way too small. I took a step backward, my hand blindly reaching for the doorknob. "Sir, aalis na rin po ako—"

"Lock the door, Alessa."

My hand froze on the brass handle. "Po?"

"Lock it," he commanded, loosening his tie with one hand while walking over to his desk. 

His dark eyes scanned me from my messy hair down to my trembling knees. "Sit down."

"I think I should go back sa desk ko sa Si-"

"I don't like repeating myself, Ms. Selasa. Sit."

Pilit kong ihinangos ang sarili ko papunta sa tapat ng lamesa niya at dahan-dahang umupo sa bakanteng chair. 

"You're good, Alessa. In bed, you're exactly what I need to relieve the stress of managing this multi-billion corporation," direct at walang paligoy-ligoy na sabi niya. 

"And I want more of it."

Nalaglag ang puso ko. "Ano?! Sir, seryoso ba kayo? May fiancée kayo! At empleyado niyo ako!"

"An arrangement," maikling sagot niya.

"Gusto niyo... maging fuck buddy niyo ako?"

He raised an eyebrow at my choice of words, but he didn't deny it. "Let's call it a mutually beneficial relationship. No strings attached. No feelings involved. Just sex when we both need it."

"At bakit ko naman gagawin 'yun?" nanggagalaiting tanong ko, nakalimutan ko nang CEO ko ang kausap ko.

 "Gagawin niyo pa akong kabit niyan"

"Because you need this job, Alessa," matigas na sagot niya. 

" I’ll triple your salary "

"Triple the salary?" mahinang usal ko.

"Yes."

"No strings attached? "

"None."

"Paano kapag nalaman ni Ma’am Bianca? O ng media?" tanong ko, lumalaban pa rin ang huling natitirang wisyo ko.

"They won't. I protect what's mine," sagot niya, malamig at seryoso.

What's mine? The way he said those words made my stomach flip in a way that had absolutely nothing to do with fear.

Huminga ako ng malalim. Sobrang gulo ng buhay ko ngayon.But god, it was so damn convenient.

Zhean stood up, walking around the desk until he was standing right in front of my chair. He leaned down, placing both hands on the armrests, trapping me between his chest and the seat.

"So, do we have a deal, Ms. Selasa?" bulong niya malapit sa tenga ko.

I swallowed hard, my heart hammering against my ribs. I was shaking hands with the devil, and I knew it. But right now, the devil looked too good to refuse.

"Deal, Mr. Valeriano," sagot ko.

Zhean smirked, pulling back as he straightened his suit jacket. "Good. Whenever I message you I want you to be on time , "Don't be late, Alessa."