The Heiress

chapter 7 dinner

"n-no! It's my fault for bumping into you!"

Saad ng babaeng empleyado na natapunan ko ng kape ang dress na suot

"Did you hear that? Miss Huntington apologized even though it's clearly not her fault!"

"She's so nice. Mr. Huntington would throw a fit! He would have fired her on the spot!"

Dinig ko sa dalawang empleyado na nag uusap malapit saakin. To be honest I was actually being sarcastic sa mga sinabi ko

"T-thank you for being so understanding, miss Huntington I shouldn't have said those words..."

"You really shouldn't. We're all equals here. in fact, interns could be an asset to a company with the fresh new ideas they bring"

Taas noo kong sagot sa kaniya. Hindi naman niya ako kilala nang tinarayan niya ako kaya might as well patawarin nalang siya

"O-of course!"

"Now that I'm taking over, I'd like for everyone to be treated with kindness. In fact, I've got an assignment for you"

"Anything, miss Huntington"

Naka isip ako ng pilyong idea. Parang punishment niya nalang din

"I want you to go around the entire company and tell me all the names of the interns we have. I want to get to know everyone!"

"WHAT? Why do I have to do that? Do you know many inters we have-"

"Please?"

Sabi ko sakanya sabay pakita ng puppy eyes habang ang lahat naman ng empleyado dito na palapag ay nakatingin saamin

"Awww! Miss Huntington is taking the time to know everyone!"

"She's an angel!"

Dinig kong bulong bulungan ng mga empleyado. If you look closely though, there's nothing friendly or nice about my smile

"R-right away!"

Dali dali siyang tumakbo palayo saakin at tinanong ang bawat intern na makikita niya kung ano ang mga pangalan nito. And that's how you do it. Lumipas ang oras at pauwi na ako sa mansion kasama si Marcellus sakay ng sasakyan

"I noticed Hindi mo ako tinulungan kanina when I got yelled at by that unreasonable employee"

Basag ko sa katahimikan sa pagitan namin ni Marcellus. Napukaw naman ng sinabi ko ang attention niya kaya napatingin siya sakin

"I assess the situation and it was not life threatening. A good bodyguard knows when not to, and when to interfere. It was your fight and I knew you had it"

Is that his way of complimenting me?

"Are we headed back to the mansion now?"

Tanong ni Marcellus

"Not quite"

I didn't manage to find anything in the office today...pero siguro may makakatulong saakin. Agad kong tinawagan ang number ni Calumm na hiningi ko kay Mia kanina

"Hello?"

Sagot niya sa kabilang linya

"Let's have dinner today I se send ko sa iyo ang address ng restaurant"

Agad kong binaba ang tawag at inutusan ang driver na pumunta sa isang restaurant. After 15 minutes narating ko na din and surprisingly mas nauna pa pala si Calumm saakin. Lumabas na ako ng sasakyan and Calumm lead me sa isang table

"What would you like to have? The steak looks good"

Saad ni Calumm habang nakatingin sa menu ng resto

"You know why I'm here so let's just cut to the chase"

"Right. I have information that you desperately need. Is this really how you should be treating me though? Not only was I made to be your alibi without so much as a warning- I cancelled all my plans to have dinner with you the moment you called"

Bigla naman akong na guilty sa sinabi niya. Was I too harsh on him?

"Thanks...?"

Tinawanan niya lang ang sinabi ko

"You're more work than I expected"

"I'm not your pet"

"Humour me and I might just tell you what you want to know"

This guy...maybe if I try a different method?

"Again I am not your pet you can order around"

Pinag krus ko ang kamay ko sa harap niya habang siya ay tawa pa din ng tawa

"That feisty attitude of yours was what hooked me in the first time. That, and the sexy uniform"

Pabulong niyang sabi sakin na ikinagulat ko

"What's with you and your obsession with that sexy uniform?"

"Pahayag iyon ng tiyaga mo. You were poor but you did everything to survive"

Hindi naman ako sumagot sa sinabi niya at humalukipkip nalang sa kina uupuan ko

"Gano ka rami ba ang alam mo sakin? If my father told you about me before the news was released, did you already know who I was that night?"

Ngayon lang nag sink in sakin lahat ng Hindi umimik si Calumm sa tanong ko

"Did you approach me on purpose?"

"You were the one who approached me"

"On a dare your friend made with me!"

Nang gagalaiti kong tanong sa kaniya at parang Wala lang talaga sa kaniya ang galit ko ha at pinag tatawanan lang ako

"I swear I had nothing to do with that, but yes, na intriga ako sa kalagayan mo and I wanted to see for myself. I didn't expect your identity to be revealed so quickly. We're more similar than you think we are, you know?"

Napa hilamos ko nalang ang palad ko sa mukha ko

"I didn't come here para makinig sa iyong sad back story-"

Mag sasalita pa sana ako kaso pinutol niya ang sasabihin ko

"Before I took over my family's business, I was kept away in the shadows too. I was born out of wedlock too. Before I was CEO, I was nothing more than a gardener's son. I did everything to make ends meet. Then, I was revealed that I was actually a Bradford. The difference between you and I? I had very jealous siblings"

Sa konting segundo na nakatingin ako kay Calumm, I saw a hint of sadness in his eyes. Nawala ang tingin ko sa kaniya ng ma distract ako sa mga nagliliwanag na camera na nag fla flash saamin ni Calumm at may kumpulan ng tao ang nakapalibot sa table namin

"Miss Huntington, why are you having dinner with Calumm Bradford? Are the two of you dating?"

Hindi ko alam ang gagawin ko sa dami ng reporters na nakapaligid saamin