Love In A Cruel World

Chapter 37

I opened my eyes and flipped my hair when the elevator door opened. Sumalubong sa akin ang matinding katahimikan sa top floor ng kompanya. Walang ibang tao na sumalubong sa akin and I'm sure naghihintay na silang lahat.

I make sure that my posture hold power nang lumabas ako sa elevator. Tahimik ang paligid at tanging ang tunog lang ng stilettos ko ang tumitining sa buong paligid. I look straight at the path that I'm taking as I hold my black Chanel bag.

Hindi nagtagal ay nakarating na ako sa conference room. Itinulak ko ang pinto at dire-diretsong pumasok doon. Kaagad namang sumalubong ang nagtatakang mukha ng mga board of members habang nakaupo sa kani-kanilang upuan.

I put my bag on the table and didn't bother to sit down on Dad's chair. Mabilis kong pinasadahan ng tingin ang bawat isang nandito at lahat sila ay nagtataka bukod kay Timothy Blake who's sitting on his Dad's chair. Ang wala lang dito ay si Alejandro Baltazar at si James na lagi namang wala sa mga meeting.

"Good morning, everyone. Let's start now," panimula ko.

"What's with the meeting, Miss Zabala?" one of the board members asked confusedly.

I look at that man who asked. "You all demanded to talk to me at Dad's funeral, right? And you all know that we've been gone for almost a month since Dad died. Mom can't go right now so on behalf of my family, I'm here with your faces. So you should be the one to answer your own question," I said.

Actually, hindi naman kami nawala. Inayos lang namin ang mga dapat ayusin and most of the time nasa mansion lang kami to spend time together and ease the pain.

"And what are you doing here, Mister Timothy Relish? You're not part of this board," salubong ang kilay na tanong ng isang babae habang nakatingin kay Timothy Blake.

"My father, Timoteo Relish is part of this board and he has something to do now so he can't attend and sent me instead. Any problem with that?" Timothy Blake comfortably leaning his back sa chair sa gilid ko which is originally his dad's chair.

"Anyway, about the wedding engagement of Zabala and Salazar." Bumaling ang tingin ko sa isang nagsalita. "We're not pulling it off.

"Well, we are pulling it off," I stated firmly.

"What?" They almost asked in unison while creasing their forehead and looking at me.

"Dad said clearly that the wedding was cancelled at the last meeting of this board before he died. And I already talked to Mom about this, she told me to pull it off," I said while raising one of my eyebrows.

"What? No! We already talked about it and we settled it with your dad. You can't just pull it off!" A woman shouted.

I smiled plainly. "Well, I can. And like what you said, si Dad ang nakausap niyo about this, he told you all before that the wedding was cancelled and he's not here right now and he can't be here anymore kaya pwede kong baguhin ang naging usapan niyo. Ako ang kausap niyo and you should accept my family's decision."

"Paano ang image ng kumpanya? Ano na lang ang iisipin ng mga tao? Pagkatapos ipaalam sa lahat ang engagement you'll pull it off? That's not acceptable, Miss Zabala," sabat ng isang lalaki sa dulo ng lamesa.

"What's wrong? Why are you still holding that wedding engagement? Wala na rito si Mr. Baltazar," mariin ang tono na sabi ko.

Mabilis na nabalot ng katahimikan ang buong conference room. Lumayo ang mata nila mula sa akin at tumingin sa isa't isa. I know that I am right by looking at their pale faces.

"What? Hindi ba't siya ang pilit na nagsiksik sa utak niyo ng pagpapakasal na 'yan so he can make sure that his daughter will not have a rival with her fíancee. Am I right?" pigil gigil na tanong ko sa kanila. We knew na si Alejandro ang pilit na nagpupumilit na ipakasal ako sa iba. Hindi ko alam kung anong ginawa niya para mapilit ang members of the board pero nagawa niyang paikutin ang mga ito, like how he manipulated us.