Lahat ng Kabanata ng A Splash of Colour: Kabanata 11 - Kabanata 19

C-10: Emotional Resolve “Come! Let’s take photos together!” Tammarah chirped as we made our way to the hatch. “It’s not every day we get a yacht all to ourselves!” she added with glee. “Really, Tammie?” Alianna gave her a teasing side-eye. “You sound suspiciously excited.” I raised a brow, amused. “Are you guys hiding something from me?” “Not me!” Alianna raised both hands in mock surrender, laughing. “But I can’t say the same for her,” she added, tilting her head toward Tammarah. Right on cue, Tammarah reached out to playfully grab her hair, but Alianna darted behind me for cover. “I swear, I’ll cut that tongue of yours one day!” Tammarah squealed in mock frustration. Alianna tiptoed and leaned in to whisper. “She went on a yacht date with—” Before she could finish, Tammarah grabbed her by the arm and yanked her away. “A date with who?” I asked, crossing my arms. Tammarah waved her hands defensively. “It wasn’t a date at all! We were just… celebrating his birthday. That’s

C-12: Regrets My heart felt impossibly heavy as I stood outside the rusty, half-open gate. Just beyond it, the small, weathered bungalow came into view—our home. Or at least, what used to be. The wind carried the scent of damp soil and old wood, and as I stepped inside the yard, the sight of dried leaves scattered across the ground only deepened the ache in my chest. Mom would never have allowed this. She always swept the yard before breakfast, humming to herself as the sun rose. "Our house might be small and old, but that doesn't mean it has to be messy." I could hear her voice echo in my head, clear and gentle. I closed my eyes and let the breeze hit my skin, almost hoping it would carry her back to me. But it didn’t. When I entered the house, it was like nothing had changed… and that made everything worse. Her scent still lingered faintly in the air—a mix of lavender soap and ginger oil. There were still clothes piled on the corner chair, half-folded laundry waiting to be fini

C-14: The CEO is... No response. I knocked again, this time more firmly. Still nothing. I glanced down at the envelope in my hand, wondering what to do with it. The last thing I wanted was to overstep, but there was no secretary around, no note, no indication of when someone would be back. I could just leave it on the desk outside, but for some reason… something didn’t sit right. Sighing, I looked over my shoulder one more time, hesitated, then slowly pushed the door open. It wasn’t locked. I peeked in. Empty. Tentatively, I stepped inside. The office was… stunning. Minimalistic but vast. The kind of power that didn’t need to announce itself. Floor-to-ceiling windows wrapped around the far wall, showcasing the skyline like a living painting. The late afternoon sun filtered through, painting soft shadows against the hardwood floor. Every piece of furniture looked like it belonged in a curated catalog—sleek, clean, expensive. Then my eyes landed on the desk. Impeccably tidy.

C-16: The Guest ListThe moment we returned to our desks, Minnie was practically vibrating with excitement. Without wasting a second, she pulled out a rough draft of the event layout and began typing with furious energy, her face lit with creative focus.“Which one do you think is better?” she asked, sliding her tablet toward me. Two catering options were pulled up on the screen.The first was an unlimited buffet. The second, a more elegant setup where meals would be plated and served course by course.“Hmm...” I leaned in. “The buffet sounds like a safe crowd-pleaser, but if we want something more polished and avoid people standing around waiting, the plated service makes sense.”Minnie gasped and clapped. “That’s exactly what I was thinking! Ugh, we’re so in sync.”“If I may,” Paolo suddenly scooted his chair closer, resting his elbows on the desk like he was about to deliver a TED Talk. “Why not both? We could serve the plated entrees during dinner, but also have a small buffet o

C-19: Clueless“You’re already uncomfortable with me now..."Thomas' words played on loop in my head like a broken record. I felt a bit embarrassed. I thought I had been doing well—acting unbothered, calm, and professional.But somehow, I still couldn't get used to the shift in our dynamics. I sighed. He must think I hate having him around.And… maybe I do feel a little uncomfortable. I don’t know how to act around him in the office. It’s not like I can just confront him every time he has a mood swing.He’s the CEO, for goodness’ sake! And we’re not even close to begin with. The only thread that connects us is Isagani.For the nth time, I sighed again, more audibly this time."Are you trying to be the major contributor of carbon dioxide?" Ice's voice cut through my thoughts, pulling me back to reality."Huh?" I blinked, straightening my posture and meeting her gaze. "I… I was just thinking about something."I took a sip from my chocolate milkshake. Today was a weekend. I had planned