Magkaibang Mundo

Chapter 5

Singapore – 9:15 AM

Elaine stood outside a tall glass building in Raffles Place.

Reyes Capital wasn’t even the company’s name yet — this was just a mid-sized investment firm looking for junior analysts.

Entry level.

From being a CEO’s wife to lining up for an entry-level position.

Kung may nakakakilala sa kanya dito, baka pagtawanan siya.

But nobody did.

She checked her reflection on the glass door.

Simple blouse.

Black slacks.

Minimal makeup.

Walang designer bag.

Walang bodyguard.

Walang “Mrs. Salazar.”

Just Elaine Flores.

Huminga siya nang malalim.

Kaya mo ‘to.

Inside, the reception area smelled like coffee and printer ink. May ibang applicants din, mostly younger than her.

One of them glanced at her resume while she was holding it.

“You shifted careers?” the girl asked casually. “You were… married into corporate leadership?”

Elaine gave a small, polite smile. “Something like that.”

Something like that.

She didn’t elaborate.

When her name was called, biglang nanlamig ang palad niya.

“Ms. Flores?”

Tumayo siya.

Every step papunta sa interview room felt heavier.

Inside sat three people.

One of them — a middle-aged man with sharp eyes and no-nonsense posture.

“Mr. Lim,” he introduced himself briefly. “Head of Risk Strategy.”

He didn’t smile.

“Why are you applying for a junior position when your background suggests you’ve been exposed to high-level business operations?”

There it was.

The question she was afraid of.

Elaine swallowed.

“Exposure isn’t the same as execution,” she answered honestly. “I was around decisions. I wasn’t the one signing them.”

Mr. Lim tilted his head slightly.

“And now you want to?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

She hesitated.

Hindi niya pwedeng sabihing: Because I need to prove I’m not just someone’s wife.

So she said the truth.

“I want to build something that carries my name. Not my husband’s.”

The room went quiet for a second.

Mr. Lim didn’t soften.

“Markets don’t care about your personal growth story, Ms. Flores. They care about numbers. Can you handle pressure?”

Elaine met his gaze.

“I lived in a boardroom marriage for five years. I think I can handle pressure.”

One corner of his mouth almost moved.

Almost.

“We’ll call you,” he said.

Neutral. Professional.

Not encouraging.

Not rejecting.

When she stepped out of the building, her legs felt slightly weak.

Did she do well?

Did she say too much?

She checked her phone instinctively.

And saw photos from the gala.

⸻

Back home – 9:15 PM

Flashbulbs exploded outside the Grand Meridian Hotel.

Aron stepped out of the car first.

Perfect suit.

Composed expression.

Controlled smile.

Camille followed beside him, elegant in a silver gown.

Reporters called out questions.

“Sir Aron, is this your first public appearance since the divorce?”

“Are you and Ms. Torres officially together?”

He kept his expression calm.

“We’re here for the charity foundation,” he answered smoothly.

Camille lightly touched his arm.

The cameras caught it.

Inside the ballroom, music played softly.

Investors approached him.

Partners congratulated him.

“You handled the divorce gracefully.”

“You deserve happiness, Aron.”

He nodded politely.

But every few minutes, without realizing it, he checked his phone.

No message from Elaine.

Not that he expected one.

Still.

Camille leaned closer. “Are you okay?”

“Yes,” he answered automatically.

But his mind drifted.

He wondered where Elaine was right now.

Was she at home watching this?

Was she angry?

Crying?

Or—

Had she already moved on?

The thought unsettled him more than he expected.

Singapore – Outside the building

Elaine stared at the gala photos on her screen.

There he was.

Standing straight.

Confident.

Like nothing shook him.

Camille’s hand resting lightly on his arm.

It shouldn’t hurt this much.

But it did.

She zoomed in — then immediately locked her phone.

Enough.

If she kept looking, she would break again.

Instead, she looked up at the skyline in front of her.

Tall buildings.

Sharp edges.

Endless windows reflecting the sun.

She didn’t belong here yet.

But she would.

Somewhere across the world, Aron stood in a ballroom full of people who admired him.

Here, she stood alone on a sidewalk with no one waiting for her.

And for the first time—

She didn’t feel small.

She felt challenged.

“Give me time,” she whispered to the city.

Across the ocean—

Aron smiled for the cameras.

But something in his chest felt strangely unsettled.

He told himself it was just adjustment.

Just change.

Just transition.

But deep inside—

He felt it.

The quiet beginning of something he didn’t recognize yet.