CHAPTER 5: “The Reason"

“Madrigal Group’s ambiance is so boring. You really need a touch of my taste,” she said with a loud, confident tone, eyes roaming around the office like she owned it.

Nakasuot siya ng dark red velvet dress, fit na fit sa maputi’t perpektong katawan niya. Louis Vuitton heels. Prada bag. At ang lipstick niyang pula na kasing tapang ng presensiya niyang parang bagyong paparating.

Ngumiti ulit ang babae at lumingon sa loob ng opisina ni Lucas. “Lucas, baby, you didn’t tell me your secretary looks so... young. And cute.”

Napalingon si Moon sa loob ng opisina. Naroon si Lucas nakatayo, tila natulala sa harap ng babae.

“Daniella…” he murmured.

Tuluyan nang nabura ang kulay sa mukha ni Moon nang marinig n'yang magsalita si Lucas.

"Yes love? Did you missed me?"

Si Lucas… may fiancée?

Hindi agad nakagalaw si Moon. Parang may malakas na sampal na dumapo sa kanya. Bigla niyang naalala lahat ng dahilan kung bakit siya iniwan. Bakit siya ginhost. Bakit walang pasabi. Bakit bigla.

Ang dahilan ay isang babaeng may magandang mukha at matalim na dila.

Nakapako ang mga mata niya sa salamin, pinapanood si Daniella na niyakap si Lucas. Nakita niyang hindi gumalaw si Lucas. Pero hindi iyon sapat. Hindi sapat para mawala ang sakit.

“Mr. Madrigal, ilalagay ko na po sa conference room yung mga papeles”

Tumayo siya, dala ang mga papel, at mabilis na naglakad palayo. Hindi niya kaya. Hindi niya kayang makinig sa tawa ng babaeng 'yon habang niyayakap ang lalaking minsang pinangarap niyang mahalin siya.

---

Inside the Office

“Lucas, why do you look like you’ve seen a ghost?” Daniella tilted her head, her eyes sharp despite her smile.

Lucas clenched his jaw. “You didn’t tell me you were coming.”

“Well, Daddy said I should get used to being your wife. So I thought I’d surprise my future husband,” she said, touching his chest.

“Daniella—”

She pulled back. “Don’t worry. I’ll behave. Just get rid of the secretary with the puppy eyes.”

“Excuse me?”

“Lucas, come on. She's clearly into you. I’m not blind.” Daniella smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Should I be worried?”

Lucas didn't answer. His eyes were still following the direction Moon had gone.

“She’s not your type anyway. You like... women with pedigree. Like me.”

---

Panig ni Moon

Huminto si Moon sa isang bakanteng conference room at dahan-dahang isinara ang pinto. Doon siya sumandal. Pilit niyang pinipigil ang pagbagsak ng luha, pero hindi niya napigilan.

“Fiancé?” bulong niya. “Kaya pala...”

Lahat ng iniisip niyang dahilan kung bakit siya iniwan ni Lucas ay biglang nagkaka-anyo. Hindi dahil hindi siya mahal. Hindi dahil busy lang siya.

Kung hindi dahil may ibang babae na pala talaga. At masakit sa lahat, ni hindi man lang siya sinabihan. Ni isang salita. Ni isang paliwanag. Gano’n na lang. Gano’n kabilis.

Napaluhod si Moon sa malamig na sahig, tulala, habang ang puso niya'y unti-unting binabalot ng lamig.

---

“Lucas!” tawag ni Daniella, hawak-hawak ang braso ng binata.

“I have a meeting,” malamig na sagot ni Lucas habang pilit iniiwas ang tingin. Pero bago siya makalayo, ni-lock ni Daniella ang braso niya.

“She left, didn’t she?” she whispered. “The girl?”

Lucas didn’t answer.

“I saw the way you looked at her, Lucas. You’re still hung up on that girl.”

“Daniella, not now,” Lucas said through gritted teeth.

Daniella leaned in. “Remember our deal. Remember what your father told you. Kung ayaw mong may mangyari sa kanya, you better play the role of my perfect fiancé

------

I inhaled slowly. “Wag kang mag-breakdown, Moon,” I whispered to myself. “Not here. Not in this damn office.”

Pero kahit anong pilit kong ibaling sa trabaho ang utak ko, lahat ng maririnig ko was about her.

Her voice. Her heels. Her fake laugh.

Her sweet voice calling Lucas “Love”.

I wanted to disappear. Nasa ng Conference Room ni Lucas. Naka-slight open yung blinds, and kahit ayokong tumingin… I couldn’t help it. Kitang-kita ko silang magkausap.

Daniella was standing at may pag gapang pa ng daliri nya sa katawan ni Lucas, habang si Lucas naman, well, he looked uncomfortable. He wasn’t even looking at her.

Pero that didn’t mean anything.

Not when she wore a million-peso smile and a designer bag na siguro katumbas ng annual salary ko.

I don’t belong here.

I felt a lump forming in my throat.

Bago pa ako tuluyang lamunin ng anxiety, may biglang pumasok sa Conference Room.

Nadatnan ako ni Daniella. Mag-isa. Umupo sya sa mismong end ng mahabang table, nakapatong ang dalawang manicured fingers sa Prada Bag nya

“Miss De Vera,” she said, her tone smooth but sharp. “Come, sit with me.”

I hesitated. “Yes… po.”

I sat across her.

She smiled pero hindi totoo. “So, you’re the famous Moon.”

I blinked. “Famous po?”

“Mhmm. The Moon Lucas couldn’t stop talking about... back then.”

Her eyes sparkled with challenge.

Kinagat ko ang loob ng pisngi ko. Dahil hindi ko alam ang isasagot ko.

She chuckled lightly, flipping her hair. “Just wanted to see the girl my fiancé used to be obsessed with. For closure, of course.”

Oof.

She said it so casually. So deadly.

“I assume you're just his secretary now?”

I nodded stiffly. “Yes, ma’am.”

She leaned in slightly. “Then stay as that.”

My throat went dry.

Bago pa ako makasagot, bumukas ang pinto. Lucas stepped inside clueless sa tensyon sa loob.

“Oh, Moon kanina pa kita hinaha—Daniella” he said, looking surprised ng makita nya si Daniella sa dulo ng table

“Niyaya ko siya, love,” singit ni Daniella habang nakangiti kay Lucas. “I just wanted to meet the woman who knows your coffee preference better than I do.”

Lucas’s jaw clenched. “Daniella…”

“Oh, don’t worry. I like her. She's… simple.”

That word.

Simple.

It stung like hell.

“Anyway,” Daniella stood up. “I’ll see you both bukas. I’ll text your dad later, Lucas.”

Paglabas niya ng room, tahimik lang kami ni Lucas. Ako, pilit nilulunok ang pride ko. Siya, mukhang gustong magsalita pero wala siyang masabi.

“Moon—”

“I need to get back to work, sir,” I cut him off.

“Moon…”

This time, tumingin ako. “I already know my place. No need to remind me.”

Tahimik siyang napatingin sa sahig.

At ako, I walked away swallowing the thousand emotions rising in my throat.

Because no matter what he said,

no matter how much he looked at me like I was still the girl he left behind…

He already chose her.