Their Toy

- 31 -

I'm currently sitting in Belinda's office wearing a black lace dress with black louis vuitton heels habang hinihintay ko ang pagdating nya. I can't believe that she let her investor wait for her. Kaya hindi ko masisisi kung bakit palpak ang pagpapatakbo nya sa kumpanya ni Tito Manuel dahil hindi sya marunong magpahalaga sa oras.

"Who's that investor that you're telling me?" Tanong ni Belinda sa sekretarya nya. Finally she's here!

"She is Avah Vezconde and she wants to talk to you personally Misis Montreal and she also mentioned that she will invest a huge amount of money in the company." Sagot ng sekretarya nya.

"Really! That's perfect! Where is she?" Tanong nya.

"She's right there waiting for you." Sagot nito.

Tumayo ako mula sa pagkaka-upo at humarap ako sa kanya. "I'm here." Nakangiting sabi ko.

Bigla syang natahimik at nanigas sa kinatatayuan nya. Kita ko ang gulat at takot sa mga mata nya. Napangiti ako dahil itong ito ang reaksyon na gusto kong makita sa mukha nya.

"Glad you're here. I've been waiting for you since eight and it's already nine in the morning." Sarkastiko kong sabi sabay ngiti. "Hi, I'm Avah Vezconde." Pakilala ko at inabot ko ang kamay ko para makipagkamay sa kanya.

"A-Ali?!" Gulat nyang sabi. She's definitely look frightened. I smirked.

"Misis Montreal, okay lang po ba kayo?" Tanong ng sekretarya nya.

Bigla syang nanumbalik sa kaniyang ulirat. "Of course. Si-sige na, iwan mo na kami dito." Aniya at naglakad na palabas ang sekretarya nya sabay sara sa pinto.

Umupo si Belinda sa silyang nasa table nya at mariin nya akong tinitigan.

"So this is how you greet and entertain your investors. You didn't accept my hand shake and you also didn't greet me back. No wonder why your company is failing." Saad ko. Umupo ako sa desk nya and I crossed my legs.

Bigla nyang hinampas ang desk at galit syang nakatingin sa akin. "Who are you!" Sigaw nya. Hinawakan nya ako sa kanang braso ng mahigpit. "Alam kong si Ali ka! Huwag ka ng magpanggap! How come that you're alive?!" She yelled.

Buong lakas kong binawi ang braso ko, kaya napasubsob sya sa desk nya. "I'm sorry, I never thought you have a short term memory loss. Well, that's what happen if you're aging." Komento ko. "My name is Avah Vezconde and not Ali. Have you heard about the A's Restaurant? The most well known and successful restaurant in the country? Just to let you know Misis Montreal, I'm the owner of it." Nanlaki ang mga mata nya sa sobrang bigla sa mga sinabi ko.

"I-ikaw? Yo-you're the owner of A's Restaurant?!" Hindi makapaniwalang tanong nya.

"That is right! You have same reaction with your stepson Miguel. He also called me Ali because I look like her." Sagot ko. "And I just want to be honest with you Misis Montreal, I'm very disappointed on how you treated me. I'm planning to invest a huge amount of money in your company because I'm a close friend of your stepson and I'm trying to help him because he said that he doesn't want his Dad's company to get into bankruptcy. I can't believe you treated me like this." Tumayo ako and I crossed my arms while looking at her confused and shocked face.

"I-I'm sorry Miss Vezconde. Na-nagulat lang ako dahil kamukhang kamukha mo talaga ang pamangkin ko. Please forgive me." Umayos sya ng upo sabay ngiti sa akin.

Umupo ako sa silyang nasa tapat ng table nya. "Alright that's fine. Let's forget what happened and let's get back to business." Taas kilay kong sabi sa kanya.

"Th-that's great!" Aniya sabay ngiti. Napa-ikot nalang ang mga mata ko sa pekeng ngiting binigay nya.

Belinda started to explain to me the background of their company and how it works. She even use flowery words just to emphasize the greatness of their company although she knows that I know, it is now failing. She also shared to me about their family's success, about her three stepsons that are now successful because Miguel became a famous actor, Daniel is now running for Mayor and Samuel is their finest engineer in their real estate company.