He Married the Stripper.

Just Like Your Favorite Drama.

---GIGI---

Sa tanang buhay ko hindi ko akalain na mawi-witness ko in real life ang office drama na napapanood ko lang noon sa TV. Hindi parin maalis sa isip ko kung paano dumating ang mga pinsan ni Alex para panoodin ang contract signing sa pagitan ng kumpanya namin at ng kumpanya ni Luna. Kung paano nila nginisian si Alex na parang aso nang inutusan nila na mag-pose ang dalawa para sa picture. Lalo pa nilang sinagad ang kasamaan nila ng bilgla silang nag-produce ng isa pang kontrata kung saan in-offer nila ang isang office space sa building namin. Ni hindi nga namin alam na may space pa pala sa building pero handang handa sila dahil tanging signature nalang ni Luna at Celine ang kulang at ayon na din sa kanila, fully furnished na and office space and ready for move in.

"Isn't it easier if you work right here? It would save us time and money." Sabi ng kapatid ni Riley na si Rico.

"And of course it would help everyone involved in the project to get to know each other better. Right?"  Dagdag naman ni Maxine na hindi naman nagta-trabaho sa kumpanya or sa kahit na anong subsidiary ng kumpanya dahil hindi daw naka-pasa sa business course na kinuha nito at ayon kay Riley ay nagmo-model-modelan nalang ngayon. Bakit ba majority ng pinsan nya mga cartoon villain?

I'll give it to Luna though because it looked like she wanted to decline pero si Celine na colleague nya ang tumanggap ng kontrata at nag-sabing ipapaalam nila sa superiors nila sa Australia, sino nga naman ang hindi tatanggap sa ganong klaseng offer, menos gastos at oras na din sa pagha-hanap ng office space. Kaya naman after a few more days nakapag-settle na sila sa office nila na nasa ibaba lang ng floor namin kaya naman madalas tuloy namin silang nakikita at nakaka-salamuha. 

Noong una halata mong uncomfortable si Sir Alex dahil more than once a day namin silang nakikita. As much as possible nagpe-pretend si Sir Alex na hindi sya nakikita or nag-iiba siya ng daan para maka-iwas. Pero itong malanding babae na to, most of the time talaga halata mong nananadya na sya. She makes it a point na bumati kay Alex at abalahin siya in person 'in regards to the project'. At habang tumatagal lumalambot na rin siya because he just lets it happen. 

"Nasan si Sir Alex?" Tanong ko kay Riley nang mag-isa siyang dumating mula sa conference room.

"With Luna." She frowned. I rolled my eyes. Ano na naman kayang ka-artehan sinasabi ng babaeng yun ngayon?

"Totoo bang ex ni Sir Alex si Miss Luna?" Tanong ni Shirley. 

"San mo naman narinig yan?" Inis na tanong ni Riley sa kanya.

"Hindi mo ba nakita sa forum? May nag-upload nang throwback picture nilang dalawa." Sagot naman ni Michelle.

"Okay lang ba sa asawa niya na magka-trabaho sila ng ex niya?" Tanong sakin ni Shirley. Sinamaan ko lang siya ng tingin.

Ibinalita ko na kay Emily kung anong nangyayari, napag-chismisan na din namin nina Anthony ang tungkol sa nakaraan nilang dalawa at nag-plano narin kami ng mga scenario para ipa-mukha kay Luna na happily married na si Alex pero si Emily bilang santa ng kabaitan, ti-nurn down niya lahat ng suggestions namin.

"Whatever happens, happens." Pagki-kibit balikat nya.

I adore drama like any other mosang and I have a front row seat to an office drama pero yung lead character, nagmu-mukhang background character dahil ayaw gumalaw. Bilang best friend ng bida syempre hindi naman ako papayag na masapawan ang manok ko. So I guess it's time for me to move? Right? I mean I'm pretty sure this is the role I'm born to play! Ang mahaderang bestfriend na pinaba-bango at ipinag-lalaban ang bida!

---NARRATOR---

Luna knew the man that was waiting for her at her place, she made it easier for him when she didn't bother to ask questions as he lead her to a waiting black car and she didn't even show any emotion when they started driving away without any explanation. She already knows what's going to happen next anyway because she's been through this once, five years ago. 

They arrived at an upscale restaurant and he was already there with food waiting but of course he already started eating before she arrived. No reason to wait for her since she's not that special and probably because there's no way he'd ever want to share a meal with her. He told her to sit and eat but she declined the food. Seeing him again after all these years ruined her appetite. He sighed, put his fork down and wiped his mouth.

"Why are you here?" Xander Altamerana asked with no preamble whatsoever.

"I'm here to propose a project with Altamerana Global Corporation---"

"I know all about your project and I rejected it twice. Once in Australia and once in New York." He said cutting her off.

"Yes the international division rejected the proposal but then the home division didn't even had the time to look---" 

"What made you think we'd want to work with you?" Xander said cutting her off once again.

Luna stared at the man in front of him. He never really liked her not because she's ever done anything to him but simply because his father doesn't approve of her and if the oldest Alexander disapproves of someone then that's just the end of any and all discussions.

"Because you owe me that much. If you'd just looked at the proposal properly I wouldn't even be here."

"Because I owe you? Naririnig mo bang sarili mo. You were---" This time Luna was the one who cut him off.

"Yes! You owe me! Because if I didn't leave, Alex would have thrown everything you've worked for! If I stayed with him your own father would've thrown him away! Just like my own family did with me!" She yelled at him as all pain and suffering she endured came rushing back to her.

"I gave you a choice. You don't get to blame me for the choices you made." He said calmly.

"Yea, keep telling yourself that. You knew I was kicked out of my own house with nothing to my name. Saan nga ba naman ako pupulutin diba? An art college graduate with no family, no money and no connections. You made sure I had no choice just like how my family made sure nobody would want or help me here." 

Xander doesn't hate Luna if anything he feels empathetic to her situation. He knows how hard it is to defy your own parents. He suffered the consequence when he chose someone else over his family, he watched as numerous people suffered because of his choice and he vowed to never let that happen again. If only she knew that he did it for both of them. If only he can explain the choices he had to make to save them both. 

"We had a deal. You'd leave and I'll help you with everything. You're not holding your part of the deal." He said as he picked up his fork and started eating signaling the end of the conversation. 

"No, I did my part. Our deal was that I'll leave so Lolo Al will continue to back Alex so that he can have a chance at the company. Alex is at the pinnacle of his career now and I stayed away just like you wanted. I did my part, you did yours. You never said anything about what happens after." 

"He's married." 

"I'm aware." She said curtly, she pushed her chair back and stood up. She's done talking to him. She's grateful for his help but she's had enough of his family's meddling. She did what she had to do then but now that she finally found the courage to come back. She's going to do what she wants. She's done being a helpless puppet for any of this so called grown-ups.