02: Limampung milyon?!

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“Fifty million.”

Napakurap ako.

“Anong fifty million?”

“Pesos.”

“Alam kong hindi kilo.”

Bahagyang nag-igting ang panga niya.

“Fifty million pesos. One year.”

Napatitig ako ng ilang segundo.

“You're offering me fifty million pesos...”

“Yes.”

“...to marry you?”

“Yes.”

Huminga ako.

Dahan-dahang kinuha ang phone ko sa mesa.

Then I smiled at him.

“Okay.”

May kaunting satisfaction na lumitaw sa mukha ng loko.

“Good.”

Dinampot ko rin ang folder.

Then I slapped it lightly against his chest.

“Okay na alam kong baliw ka talaga.”

Nawala ang satisfaction sa gwapong mukha niya.

“Elara.” May tonong hindi ko mapagtanto.

“Find another woman.”

“You're not finished.”

“I am.”

This is crazy.

What if live prank pala ito? Tapos oo agad ako?!

I need a break, pero hindi naman sa ganitong paraan. Napailing ako.

Pabukas na ako ng p***o nang—

“No. Hear me out a little."

There it was.

That voice.

Kalmado.

Mababa.

Hindi malakas.

Pero iyon ang boses na nagpapatahimik sa meeting room na puno ng mga executive.

“Read page seven.”

Muntik na akong mahypnotized.

Pero ano raw? Hear me out pero pinagbasa naman.

“No.” Pagpupumilit ko.

“Read it.”

“Bakit?”

“Because after you read it, if you still want to walk out...”

Huminto siya. Napatigil.

“...I won't stop you.”

Hindi ko alam kung bakit, pero iyon ang nagpakaba sa akin.

Hindi ang fifty million.

Hindi ang kasal.

Hindi ang contract.

Kundi iyong kakaibang pagseseryoso ni Damian.

I’ve worked with him for 3 years. Going 4 now.

Sa panahong iyon, natutuhan kong kilalanin ang moods niya. Especially the ones that he tries hard not to show.

Irritated.

Impatient.

Focused.

Pero ito?

Bago.

Dahan-dahan kong ibinaba ang tingin sa folder.

Then back at him.

“Ano'ng nasa page seven?”

His expression didn't change.

But his next words did something strange to my stomach.

“The reason I chose you.”

________

“Fifty-million.”

Hindi ko alam kung ine-expect ba niyang mas magiging acceptable 'yong proposal kapag narinig ko ulit ang amount? But if anything, mas lalo lang naging absurd.

“Hindi ako bingi, Sir.” Entrada na naman ng bibig ko.

“I know.”

Calm. As usual.

Nasa kabilang side na siya ng desk, comfortably seated like this was any other Monday morning. One arm rested against the chair while the other remained near the black folder between us.

Parang hindi kasal ang pinag-uusapan.

Parang approval lang ng contract. Oh- well, technically, yes.

“Then bakit mo inuulit?”

“Because you've been staring at the same page for almost a minute.”

Alam kong valid naman ang mga sagot niya. Nagtanong ako, so syempre sasagot siya. Pero parang mas lalo akong naiinis.

Napababa ulit ang tingin ko.

₱50,000,000.00

Sa totoo lang, hindi ko naman talaga binabasa.

Tinititigan ko lang.

Kasi paano mo ba pina-process ang limampung milyong job offer?

May tutorial ba?

Hello, Earth to Elara.

Wala. Obviously.

Pero nandoon pa rin ang numero.

Hindi nabawasan. Hindi nadagdagan.

At higit sa lahat, hindi naging typo kahit ilang beses ko pang tingnan.

Fifty million pesos.

In one year.

Kapalit ng pagiging asawa ni Damian Villareal.

Mahirap i-process ang 50 million.

Pero parang mas mahirap pa ring intindihin kung ano man ang dahilan at gusto akong pakasalan ng isang Damian Villareal—

Contractual man o hindi.

Dahil hindi iyon isang posibilidad na naisip ko kahit kailan.

Okay, malakas akong magmanifest.

Pero hindi naman ganito kalakas…

Dahan-dahan kong inangat ang tingin ko sa kaniya.

“Taxable ba ’to?”

Of all things I can say. Maging ako ay napahawak sa sentido ko.

Sandaling natahimik si Damian.

“Excuse me?” He asked na para bang may nakaka-offend sa tanong ko.

“It's a valid question, Sir.” Insist ko na lang.

Well, totoo naman valid talaga ito. And in my defense, hindi ko talaga alam kung saan magsisimulang magtanong. Kung ano, kung bakit. Naguguluhan pa rin ako.

I raised the contract slightly.

“FIFTY MILYON po ang pinag-uusapan natin. Karapatan kong malaman, Sir, kung BIR pala ang tunay kong kakumpetensya.”

His jaw tightened very slightly.

Good.

At least may isang tao sa kwartong ito na nagsa-suffer bukod sa akin.

“Elara.”

“What?”

“You're avoiding the question.”

“I'm asking an important financial question.”

“You haven't even agreed yet.”

“Exactly. Due diligence, sir.”

This time, the corner of his mouth almost moved.

Almost.

“Your lawyer can discuss the tax implications with mine.”

Napakunot ang noo ko.

“May lawyer agad?”

“You'll need one.”

“Bakit parang onboarding?”

“Because this is a legal agreement.”

“Exactly.” Parang may isa na kaming common ground. Finally!

Itinuro ko ang contract. Then our banter started.

“This is a job offer.”

“Marriage, Elara." He corrected.

“It is obviously contractual, good sir”

“Legal.”

“May compensation nga eh.”

“Yes.”

“Fixed term ba?”

“Yes.”

“May responsibilities.”

“Yes.”

I leaned back.

"Eh benefits?”

He stared at me. Nakahalata na.

I smiled.

“Job offer.” I concluded. Parang nanalo laban sa isang Damian Villareal.

“No.” He insisted.

“Agree to disagree.”

Napabuntong-hininga siya.

That sigh.

Tatlong taon na akong nagtatrabaho kay Damian, at kabisado ko na ang meaning niyan.

Equivalent yan sa normal na tao for:

Lord, bigyan Mo ako ng pasensya.

Good.

Tama yan. Makunsumi ka rin! Pagkatapos mo akong bagsakan ng ganyang alok.

Bumaba ulit ang tingin ko sa contract. I started skimming it.

Separate finances clause.

Confidentiality clause.

Public appearances.

All in one year.

Clearly, there is no romantic obligation.

Then there was THE fifty million pesos.

Hindi ako magpapanggap.

Malaking pera iyon.

Sobrang laking pera.

Hindi ako naghihirap.

May trabaho ako. May sariling savings. Nabubuhay ako nang hindi umaasa sa Villareal bank account.

Hindi ako naghihintay ng billionaire prince charming para bayaran ang bills ko.

Thank you very much.

Pero fifty million?

House. Investments. Security. And of course, freedom. Just for a year contract. Specially in this economy? Of course that's something to consider! Iharap mo sa akin ang tatanggi agad diyan, yung walang sabit ha. Even yung mga may sabit nga, baka kumagat din eh!

So it's normal, Elara. To be shaken like this.

Pagpapakalma ko sa sarili.

It would be a very comfortable emergency fund. Oh well, it would also be enough to buy iced coffee for years to medically concern everyone who loves me.

But pera wasn't the biggest problem. It is a major major amount, yes, but not the main point.

I lowered the contract.

Si Damian.

At kung ano man ang nasa page seven.

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