The Billionaire’s Sweetest Addiction

I was catching my own breath as the elevator started to close. Pawis na pawis na ako dahil sa pagmamadali kahit alam kong sobrang late na ako. I prayed silently na sana hindi ako pagalitan ng boss ko pero alam kong malabong mangyari ‘yon.

My boss is not the same as the other bosses; he’s ruthless, cold, and indifferent. That’s how I perfectly describe him. He wouldn’t understand if I explained the reason why I’m late. Kaya ngayon pa lang ramdam ko na ang hagupit ng bagyo niya.

Pagkalabas ko pa lang sa elevator, nasa akin na agad nakatoon ang atensyon ng ibang empleyado. Some look concerned, while some are in their usual poker face.

“Cerise! Bakit ka pa pumasok? Akala ko a-absent ka? Hindi kita ma-contact, naka-off ba ang phone mo?” sunod-sunod na tanong ng kaibigan ko na si Nova, may kaba sa tono niya.

“May emergency lang kaya ako na late. Lowbat din ang phone ko,” sagot ko.

“Bes, huwag ka na lang kayang pumasok? Ako na lang ang magpapaliwanag sa boss natin na may emergency ka,” aligaga niyang bulong.

“Bakit?” taka kong tanong kahit ramdam ko na kung anong pilit niyang iparating. I know she’s scared for my little life right now, knowing our boss.

“Eh kasi—” Nova didn’t finish her words when a familiar voice boomed in the air.

“Ms. Ferreira, what a pleasant thing to be at work this early, huh?”

Sabay kaming napatingin ni Nova sa may-ari ng boses—walang iba kundi ang CEO ng wine company na pinagtatrabahuhan namin.

He’s Castle Hayes Romanov. The only heir of the Imperial Romanov Winery. He has a godlike face that can lure anyone to bow down at his feet and, at the same time, a monster wearing an expensive suit.

Nakita kong namutla si Nova at tinapik ako. I nodded my head and signaled her to go. Nakita ko ang hesitasyon sa mukha niya pero umalis din siya at naglakad pabalik sa kan’yang cubicle.

I looked at my boss, trying to hide the nervousness I’m feeling.

Nakita ko ang pag-igting ng kanyang panga. His eyes were cold enough to shake the little confidence in me.

“Get inside my office now,” he commanded coldly.

Tumango ako at sumunod sa kan’ya. Agad kong isinarado ang pinto ng makapasok.

“Sir, I apologize for being late. I had an urgent family matter,” mabilis kong paliwanag bago pa siya sumabog.

My boss stands tall behind his table with no emotions on his face as his green eyes watch me intently. Alam kong binabasa niya ako ng maigi kung nagsisinungaling ba ako o hindi.

“Did you finish the reports?” biglang tanong niya, hindi pinansin ang excuse ko.

Nagulat ako ngunit agaran ring tumango. “Yes, sir. Here,” inilapag ko sa mesa ang mga folders.

Pinanood ko kung paano niya basahin ang mga report files. Kumalabog ang puso ko sa kaba ng makita kung paano nangunot ang kilay niya na para bang may mali sa gawa ko.

“These are lacking; I sent you an email about the three reports you should add on. What about the contract for the meeting later? Did you do it?”

Naguguluhan akong napatingin sa kan’ya. May idinagdag siya? At anong contract? Hindi ko pa nabubuksan ang phone ko simula kagabi. Kaya hindi ko nabasa ang email niya.

I flinched a bit when his cold and mocking chuckles echoed in the room.

“Don’t tell me you didn’t do it, Ms. Ferreira?”

Kinagat ko ang labi ko at nagsalita. “Sir, I’m s-sorry. Hindi ko pa na-check ang email mo—”

“Are you telling me that it’s my fault that you didn’t check your emails? Nagtatrabaho ka sa kompanya ko at sumasahod ka ng tama. I didn’t hire you to be this irresponsible and incompetent! ” His harsh words hit straight to my heart. It stings.

Kinagat ko ang pang-ibabang labi at pinipigilan ang sarili na huwag maiyak. Ang bigat bigat na ng dibdib ko.

“I own up to my mistakes, Sir. I’m sorry for being irresponsible. Gagawin ko po ngayon ang contract.”

“The meeting with the client will be happening in a minute now. The contract is needed, tapos late ka pa!”

I could hear the disappointment in his tone. Gusto kong magpaliwanag na wala akong tulog galing sa hospital at kaya rin ako late dahil inaalagaan ko pa ang bunsong kapatid kong may sakit.

My eight-year-old brother had bone cancer. Kasalukuyan siyang namamalagi sa hospital ngayon dahil sa chemotherapy niya. He was thrashing and crying out last night, praying to the Lord to just end his life. Narinig niya kasi sa doktor na kailangan niya ng ipa-surgery kung gusto namin na gumaling siya.

Nasasaktan ako araw-araw habang iniisip ang kalagayan ng kapatid ko.

He knows we’re struggling with money, kaya siya nag react ng gano’n. Even if he’s young, he understands our situation, and I couldn’t be more guilty. Hindi ko mapigilang masaktan para sa kan’ya. Hindi niya deserve makaranas ng sakit sa murang edad.

“Do you really love your job, Ms. Ferreira?” tanong ng boss ko sa nang-uuyam na tono.

“Yes, Sir. I love my job—” Hindi ko natapos ang salita ko dahil agad niya akong pinutol.

“If that’s the case, why can’t you do your job right?” he spat harshly.

I’ve been working here for six months, and I felt like this was the first time his sentence felt like an insult.

Hindi ako makasagot sa tanong niya. Dahil ang totoo ginagawa ko naman ng maayos ang trabaho ko, sadyang ngayon lang ako pumalya, at sobrang kailangan lang talaga ako ng kapatid ko. I already finished the reports the other day, kaya confident ako. Hindi ko naman inaasahan na may dinagdag siya pati ang paggawa ng contract.

“This is your last and final warning. I don’t tolerate this kind of behavior, Ms. Ferreira. If you still want to keep your job, be responsible. I don’t want to hear lame excuses from you. I’ll move the meeting in an hour. Now, finish the two remaining reports and do the contract. I’ll give you thirty minutes to do that,” he ordered roughly.

I nodded my head, feeling a bit relieved, and whispered. “Yes, Sir.”

Naglakad ako palabas ng office niya at agad na dumiretso sa maliit kong office. I tried to smile when I saw my reflection in the small mirror beside the computer.

Malaki ang eyebags sa mga mata ko at mahahalata rin na kulang ako sa tulog. Kahit ang uniform ko walang plantsa. Sa hospital lang din kasi ako naligo at nag-ayos. Natawa ako ng mapakla.

“Hindi ka pwedeng umiyak, Cerise, simpleng pagkakamali lang ‘to. At mas lalong hindi ka pwedeng sumuko ngayon,” bulong ko sa sarili.

Mabilisan kong tinapos ang tatlong reports, buti na lang at short report lang ang pinahabol niya. Sinigurado kong pulido ang pagkakagawa ko at walang mali tsaka ko sinunod ang paggawa ng contract. I smiled to myself when I finished my tasks in twenty-five minutes.

May limang minuto pa ako para umidlip ng konti.

In my sleep, I could feel some strands of my hair being tucked behind my ear. Naramdaman ko ring parang may nakatitig sa’kin ng mariin.

Dumilat ako at napatalon sa gulat nang makita ang boss kong nakaupo sa dulo ng mesa ko. His hands were inside his pocket as he watched me.

My heart suddenly beats nervously inside my chest. Kanina pa ba siya rito?

Damn you, Cerise! Mapapatalsik ka talaga ng wala sa oras!

“Sleeping during work time. So you’re not just irresponsible, you’re also unprofessional. Have you been doing this for a long time, Ms. Ferreira? Or are you just too comfortable with your work to act this way?” He accused me in a cold manner.

Bigla akong nanliit sa mga paratang niya.

“Sir, hindi naman sa gano’n…” I stopped mid-sentence when I couldn’t find good reasons to defend myself.

“What? Cat got your tongue? Can’t think of good reasons?” The mockery in his tone made me want to punch him in the mouth. Buti na lang kaya ko pang magpigil dahil alam kong mali naman ako.

Mali ang matulog during work hours, at ang malas pa, mismong boss ko ang nakakita sa’kin! Kaya wala talaga akong takas.

“What happened to you? Kung may personal na problema ka huwag mong dalhin sa trabaho. It can affect your work. Do you understand?” he asked icily, making my stomach go cold.

For the nth time, tumango ako at sumagot. “Yes, sir. I promise it won’t happen again.”

His lack of empathy made me hate him in silence. He’s so self-centered and goal-oriented that he forgets his employees are human just like him. Of course, wala siyang pakialam sa nararamdaman namin dahil arogante siya!

Hindi ko alam kung pang-ilang beses na akong tumango sa araw na ‘to. Kung pwede lang talaga mag-resign, ginawa ko na, kaso hindi ko magawa dahil malaki ang sahod ko rito kumpara sa ibang kompanya na pwede kong applyan.

“When I’m looking for a wine products with high quality, the first company that enters my mind is your company, Mr. Romanov. Despite having the title of most successful businessman in the business industry, you remained humble, and it makes me want to work with you.”

I couldn’t help but smile while listening to the client. Tama ang lahat ng sinabi niya. Hindi ko maipapagka-ila na kahit malamig at aroganteng tao ang boss ko, magaling siya.

He wouldn’t be well-known in the business world if he weren’t exceptionally good.

“I’m very pleased to work with you, Mr. Salazar. I’m looking forward to the success of your restaurant,” Boss said while shaking Mr. Salazar’s hand.

I couldn’t help but smile because it was a successful business deal. Mr. Salazar will open his own high-end restaurant soon, and the Imperial Romanov Winery will produce wines for his restaurant. Kahit papaano hindi ako pumapalpak sa araw na ‘to.

I still survived…

Nang matapos ang trabaho, nag-aya si Nova at ibang officemates ko na pumunta ng bar para mag-party dahil birthday ni Shane.

“Bes, sige na. Isang beses lang mangyayari ang birthday ni Shane sa isang taon at first time niyang mang libre. Sumama ka na,” pamimilit ni Nova na agad kong inilingan.

“Hindi naman sa ayaw ko, Nov, may importante lang talaga akong gagawin,” paliwanag ko. She made a sad face that made me smile a bit.

Kung sana maayos ang buhay ko kagaya nila, kung sana wala akong patong-patong na problema sa likuran ko, hahayaan ko rin naman ang sarili kong sumaya, ngunit iba ang buhay na meron ako.

Biglang nag-ring ang phone ko at nakita kong ang pangalan ni Celestine—ang pangalawang kapatid ko na tumatawag. I immediately answered the call, clueless of what storm would hit me again.

“Hello, Tine?”

Natulos ako sa kinatatayuan ko ng marinig ko ang hikbi niya sa kabilang linya.

“A-Ate… si Papa… Nasa presinto siya ngayon. Inakusahan siyang nagnakaw…”