Athena’s P.O.V. “Naku! Kapag nakakita ako ng gwapo mamaya sa meeting room tapos single pa siya, aangkinin ko na lang. I mean—susunggaban ko talaga siya at hindi ko na pakakawalan pa. Ay, baka ma-late na pala kami. Bye na, Ate Paula! Oops… baka dumating pala ‘yong in-order ko sa Shappy, Ate. Ikaw nang bahala ha?” Nadine also kissed Ate Paula before we finally left. We went outside my unit with happiness still reflected on our faces. But I guessed that mine was fake. We were about to take the elevator to go straight to the parking lot, since I would be driving my Honda Mobilio, when a uniformed man with his security earpiece—I guessed that he was only in his mid-twenties—suddenly showed up and introduced himself as our chauffeur for today. “Architect Athena Delgado? I’m Roger Navallo. I am one of the official chauffeurs of EGC and here’s my

Athena’s P.O.V. It’s really a pleasure to finally meet you, Architect Delgado! To finally meet you, Architect Delgado! Architect Delgado! Tapos na niyang sabihin ‘yon pero paulit-ulit pa ring tumatakbo ang mga katagang ‘yon sa isipan ko. With him calling me as Architect Delgado sounded too distant after all. Hindi lang ‘yon. His face fell into an expression I had never have associated with his features before. Kung wala lang kaming pangit na nakaraan noon, masasabi kong totoo ang mga ngiting ipinapakita niya sa akin ngayon. Pero kailangan kong tanggapin na wala nang ‘kami’ ngayon. Na kailangan ko nang ibaon ang lahat sa limot. For Christ’s sake! Don’t fall for that smile, Athena! It’s absolutely fake. It&

David’s P.O.V. Dave, focus! Athena should be the one walking out, not you! Damn it! I was sure as hell na wala na akong nararamdaman para sa babaeng ‘yon, pero bakit ganito? Bakit ang lakas pa rin ng epekto niya sa buong pagkatao ko? Ang dami ko nang nalagpasang mga pagsubok sa buhay na wala siya sa piling ko. Ang dami ko nang nakamit na tagumpay na hindi ko siya kinailangan sa tabi ko. Ang dami ko nang ipinalit sa kanya sa loob ng tatlong taon! She is nothing to me… and no matter what, she will never be something to me! “She r-really looks like H-Helena. Tapos magka-apelyido pa sila. Is that… the main reason kung bakit gano’n na lang ‘yong naging reaksiyon mo sa meeting kanina? Did you already know her before… as Athena?” Vanessa broke the silence w

Athena’s P.O.V.        It was already thirty minutes passed five in the afternoon when I was done packing my things. I was about to leave my office when Evanna just opened the door and stepped in without even knocking. “Since you don’t have your secretary outside, dumiretso na ako rito sa loob. I hope you don’t mind,” she heedlessly said. Evanna was wearing a navy-blue off-shoulder dress, and it looked like she was ready to party. On the other hand, I was wearing an emerald-green velvet-buckle ruched dress with one long-sleeve on the left. My right shoulder was bare. “Knock at least,” I sneered. I didn’t know why, pero nagulat talaga ako nang bigla na lang bumukas ‘yong pinto ng office ko, dahilan para bigla na ring magbago ‘yong mood ko! It felt like I suddenly ran out of breath kahit hindi naman ako tum

Athena’s P.O.V. “Hey, let me go! Ano ba?” I was still screaming while he was placing me at the front seat of his sports car. Pagkatapos niya akong mailagay roon ay padabog niya namang isinara ‘yong pintuan ng sasakyan. ‘Yong tipong kulang na lang ay sirain na niya ito sa tindi ng puwersang nilagay niya rito? Ano bang problema ng lalaking ‘to? Lalabas na sana ako, but he swiftly turned around to open the door at the driver’s seat. He climbed as fast as he could, sat beside me, and prevented me from leaving by grasping both of my shoulders. He made me stay beside him with his brown orbs piercing at me. At habang tinitingnan niya ako sa ganoong paraan… para naman akong rumurupok at nanghihina. ‘Yong puso ko naman ay mabilis ding tumatambol na para bang sinisigaw nito na siya pa rin talaga ang mahal ko kahit ilang ta