Zara is a driven and dedicated office worker who falls deeply in love with her charming and charismatic boss, Isaac. Despite the initial professional boundaries between them, their relationship quickly blossoms into something more. However, as time goes by, Zara can't shake the feeling that Isaac is holding something back from her about his late wife. As her frustrations grow, she begins to distance herself from him, unsure of where their relationship is headed. The trustworthy and reliable Aidan, Isaac's closest friend, was recently introduced to Zara. Zara finds solace in Aidan's companionship, and as time goes on, she discovers how deeply she cares for him. Zara's allegiance and affection are divided between two men, and she must make a choice. Does she desire the peace of mind that comes with being in Aidan's company, or does she want the adventure that comes with being with the enigmatic and fascinating Isaac?
View MoreHawak-hawak ko ang brown envelope sa dibdib habang nakatingala sa napakataas na gusali ng Navarro Industries. Parang ang hirap paniwalaan na nandito na ako. Parang hindi pa rin nagsi-sink in sa utak ko na nandito na talaga ako. Ilang beses kong pinangarap ‘to—makapasok sa isang matatag at prestihiyosong kumpanya na kagaya nito. At ngayon, hindi na lang siya isang panaginip. Totoo na ‘to. Totoo na talaga ang lahat.
Pumintig ang dibdib ko dahil sa kaba at ramdam ang lamig ng mga kamay.
“Breathe, Lorraine,” bulong ko sa sarili ko, pero parang ayaw pa rin akong pakinggan ng mga binti kong kanina pa nanginginig sa kaba.
Ito na ang unang araw ko bilang executive assistant ng CEO. Hindi ko pa rin maintindihan kung paano ko nakuha ang posisyong ‘to. Ilang beses akong nagduda noong tinawagan ako ng HR. Tiningnan ko pa nga ang caller ID ulit, baka scam lang. Pero hindi. Totoo nga. Ako ang pinili nila.
Ako, na lumaki sa isang maliit na barangay sa Nueva Ecija. Ako, na pinagkakasya ang baon sa isang kaha ng milo tuwing college. Ako, na ilang beses nang tinanggihan sa mga interviews dahil sa kakulangan ng karanasan.
Pero ngayon, narito na ako. Sa harap ng gusaling nilalakihan ko lang sa mga brochure. Lumingon ako sa paligid—lahat ng taong dumadaan ay naka-formal attire, magagara ang bihis, tila sanay na sa fast-paced na mundo ng siyudad. Ako lang yata ang bago, ang may kinikimkim na kaba sa dibdib.
Pagpasok ko pa lang sa lobby, ramdam ko na agad ang laki ng kaibahan ng mundo ko noon sa mundong papasukin ko ngayon. Marbled floors, glass walls, isang receptionist na parang model, at security na mas mukhang bodyguard ng mga artista. I swallowed hard. Lorraine, kaya mo ‘to.
Makaraan ang ilang sandali ay may lumapit na HR assistant sa akin at ngumiti.
“Ms. Sarmiento?” tanong nito.
“Yes po, I’m Lorraine Sarmiento,” may kaba sa tono ko pang sagot sa kan’ya.
Tumango siya at ngumiti. “Alright, I’ll bring you to the 35th floor,” sabi niya, habang naglalakad kami papunta sa elevator.
Tumango lamang ako at hindi makapagsalita. Para akong bata na unang araw sa malaking paaralan. I held on tighter to my envelope, kahit wala naman akong dapat ikatakot. I was hired fair and square…’di ba?
Pagdating namin sa 35th floor, lumabas kami sa isang tahimik at eleganteng hallway. Tahimik pero may presensiyang nagpapabigat ng hangin. May signage doon sa gilid: Office of the CEO.
Nagbuntong-hininga ako at binasa ang pang-ibabang labi.
This is it, sabi ko sa isip ko.
Binuksan ng assistant ang isang glass door. Tumango siya sa akin at sinabing, “good luck, Ms. Sarmiento,” aniya at pinauna akong pumasok bago siya.
Pagpasok ko sa opisina, una kong napansin ang katahimikan. Tahimik, malamig, at malawak. Ang buong espasyo ay may minimalistong disenyo, pero halatang lahat ay mamahalin—mula sa carpet hanggang sa lampshade.
At sa dulo ng silid, malapit sa floor-to-ceiling window, may isang lalaking nakatalikod. Nakasuot siya ng itim na suit, malinis ang gupit, at may tindig na parang sanay na sanay makipaglaban sa buong mundo.
Siya ang boss ko. Si Alessandro Navarro.
“Sir, this is your new executive assistant, Ms. Lorraine Sarmiento,” sabi ng secretary na nasa likuran ko.
Dahan-dahang humarap ang lalaki sa amin. At sa mismong sandaling tumingin siya sa akin, tila ay tumigil ang oras.
Nanlamig ang mga kamay ko at parang hindi makahinga sa sobrang kaba.
Hindi agad nagsalita si Mr. Navarro, nakatitig lamang ito sa akin, dahilan kaya mas lalong pumapantig sa kaba ang dibdib ko.
Nanigas ang panga ni Mr. Navarro at kumunot ang noo. Nabitawan niya ang hawak niyang ballpen. Tiningnan niya lang ako nang maigi—diretso, matalim, at tila…puno ng alaala.
Ako naman, hindi makagalaw. Bakit kung makatingin siya ay parang kilala niya ako?
Imposible namang magkakilala kami. Wala akong maalalang may karelasyon akong Alessandro. Lalo na isang Alessandor Navarro. Ni hindi ko siya nakita nang personal—ngayon lang.
Pero bakit gano’n siya kung tumingin sa akin?
Hindi ako makatingin ng direkta sa kan’ya, pero ramdam kong nakatitig pa rin siya sa’kin. Para bang may kinukumpirma siya sa sarili niya.
“Ms. Sarmiento,” sa wakas ay nagsalita na ito. Ngunit malalim at mababa ang boses niya—halos paos. “You may take your seat.”
Kinuha ko ang lakas ng loob kong makalapit. Umupo ako sa upuang inialok sa harap ng desk niya. Pinilit kong iayos ang sarili ko at ang ekspresyon ng mukha.
Don’t panic. Baka ganito lang talaga siya tumingin sa lahat.
Pero habang binubuklat niya ang file ko, pasulyap-sulyap pa rin siya sa akin. Bakit ba parang kilala niya ako kung makatingin siya sa akin? Hindi ko na talaga maiwasang magtaka. At bakit parang…may sakit na dumadaan sa mga mata niya habang nakatingin sa’kin?
Nilingon ko ang paligid, nagkukunwaring interesado sa interior ng opisina. Pero ang totoo, hindi ko alam kung saan ko ibabaling ang paningin. Para akong pinipigil huminga.
Tahimik siya habang tinitingnan ang papel sa harap niya. Tahimik lang din ako. Pero ang utak ko, parang may fireworks. Wala pang sampung minuto ang lumipas mula nang pumasok ako, pero pakiramdam ko'y may bagyong paparating.
Sa wakas, nagsalita na siya. “How long have you been in the city, Ms. Sarmiento?”
Napakunot ako ng noo ng bahagya. Hindi iyon tanong na karaniwang tinatanong ng isang CEO sa unang araw ng assistant niya.
“Ah…kaka-graduate ko lang po this year, sir. I moved here three months ago,” sagot ko, maingat ang tono.
Tumango siya, pero hindi nagtanong muli. Kinuha lang niya ulit ang ballpen niya—yung binitawan niya kanina. Napansin ko ang bahagyang panginginig sa kamay niya bago siya muling nagsulat.
Pagkatapos ng ilang sandali, tumayo siya at tinapunan ako ng tingin.
“You may go now. My secretary will orient you.”
Tumango ako at agad akong tumayo. Ngpaalam ako sa kan’ya at lumabas ng opisina.
Pagkalabas ko, saka lang ako huminga nang malalim at napatingin sa nakasarang pinto ng office niya.
Ano ‘yon? Parang may hindi siya sinasabi.
The ride home continued in silence. I shared my address with Isaac and chose to remain quiet, hesitant about initiating a conversation. The boundaries of our professional relationship made me question the appropriateness of starting a casual chat. Uncertainty lingered, keeping my thoughts locked away.As the car pulled up to my house, indicating the end of our journey, I unbuckled my seatbelt. With a newfound surge of courage, I turned my gaze towards Isaac, feeling a sudden impulse to extend a gesture of hospitality. "Uhm... do you want some coffee, sir?" The words spilled out before I could fully process them.Inwardly, I chide myself for the unexpected invitation. What had prompted me to make such an impulsive offer? Would it be perceived as an intrusion or an act of kindness? Doubt clouded my mind, questioning the appropriateness of my words. However, a part of me hoped it could be seen as a gesture of goodwill, a way to express gratitude for his unexpected act of driving me home.
The weekend came to a close in a whirlwind of events, and now I found myself preparing to hand over the important documents to Isaac once again. Originally, Lily was tasked with this responsibility, but unforeseen circumstances arose, leaving me with no other option.Danna's out today, claiming she partied hard last night and woke up with a killer hangover. Talk about being responsible, huh?To make matters worse, it seems like the universe has conspired against me today. The toaster decided to go on strike, my car refused to start, and now I'm running late and rushing like a maniac. Just when I thought things couldn't get any better.I spotted the boss's secretary, Billy—or was it Billy? I can never remember names. He gave me a nod and opened the familiar office door that I've been in and out of countless times last week."Good morning, Sir," I greeted Isaac, the epitome of composure as he sipped from a cup of espresso and immersed himself in the contents of various documents spread
He leaned forward, genuine curiosity lighting up his eyes as he asked while driving, "So, tell me about your latest venture."She leaned back, taking a moment to gather her thoughts before delving into the details of her ambitious project. With every word, her excitement grew palpable, her gestures animated as she described the innovative tech startup she was spearheading. The vision, the goals, and the cutting-edge software they were developing spilled from her lips, painting a picture of boundless potential.The admiration in his eyes was evident, mirroring the affection in his voice as he asked follow-up questions and offered insightful suggestions. They were in sync, their minds aligning in a harmonious dance of shared ideas and shared dreams.His interest piqued, he nodded attentively, captivated by her ideas. “How do you plan to tackle the market?"Leaning in, she shared her well-thought-out strategy, her words laced with confidence. She spoke of the extensive market research th
As I approached the table, both men appeared visibly startled, their expressions filled with surprise and confusion. It was as if they were completely taken aback, unable to comprehend what was happening.The man accompanying Isaac glanced at him with a puzzled look, seemingly seeking clarification through subtle eye signals. I found myself similarly perplexed, unable to understand the situation at hand.There was something familiar about the man. It felt like I had encountered him before, though I couldn't recall where or when our paths had crossed. My memory failed me, leaving me grasping for answers.Before the man could utter a word, his sentence was abruptly cut off by the arrival of an elderly gentleman who entered the restaurant and greeted them. It became clear to me that this was the person Isaac had arranged to meet, serving as a signal that our departure was imminent.Lily and Danna, recognizing the cue, rose from their seats and bid farewell to Isaac. I couldn't help but n
During the lunch meeting, I chose to stay quiet because I didn't know how to talk to Isaac. Instead, I nodded, agreed, and only spoke up when they needed my input. It was easier for me to observe and listen, as I grappled with the uncertainty of engaging in conversation with him. Fortunately, the lunch unfolded with a surprising ease, much to my relief. The conversation revolved mostly around the intricate details of the upcoming launch, with Danna and Lily taking the lead in the discussion. I found myself silently observing, grateful that the focus wasn't entirely on me. As the meeting progressed, we collectively finalized the crucial details and expectations that Isaac had set forth. A part of me couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude that he had organized this gathering, as it allowed us to clarify and align our objectives. However, I couldn't ignore the other half of my emotions, the lingering unease that stemmed from the earlier awkward encounter. I indulged myself in the
Sitting across from Isaac at the high-end restaurant, I couldn't help but feel like a fish out of water among the sophisticated crowd. As the waiter handed us the menu, instructing us to call him when ready to order, I stole a glance at Isaac. Avoiding direct eye contact with Isaac, I surreptitiously stole glances at him. But the moment his gaze turned towards me, I quickly averted my eyes, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks.The awkwardness of the situation was unbearable, and I wished, like a sci-fi fantasy, that the ground would swallow me whole. As I sat there, squirming in my seat and feeling the embarrassment creeping in, I couldn't help but imagine the roof of the building opening up and a spaceship abducting me, rescuing me from this awkwardness.But alas, it was only a fantasy, and I was stuck there, sitting across from Isaac, feeling like a complete fool.Suddenly, a discreet yet unabashed laugh reached my ears from the person seated beside me. It was audible enough for me
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