Chasing Admon Damien

Chapter 20

Dumating kami sa opisina niya na hindi nag-uusap. Pinapakiramdaman ko siya kung magsasalita siya, pero wala. Ibang-iba na talaga siya. He became cold to me. Bakit nga naman eh hindi nga niya ako naaalala. What would I expect? He’ll run to me and hug me as if his memory didn’t lose? As if it was just yesterday and the accident didn’t happen?


I think I should make myself ready for many more heartaches. It’s not the fairytale I dreamt for us. Malayong-malayo.


Naupo siya sa kanyang swivel chair at ako naman ay sa harapan ng kanyang mesa. Ipinatong niya ang kanang siko sa mesa while his index finger is on his nose and his right thumb was on his chin. He looks freaking hot to me.


“Miss Enriquez I need you to fill the post of my ssecretary. But don’t worry it will be temporary while Dona is recovering.”


Recovering? May sakit siya? Kaya pala napakaputla niya kahapon. “Anong sakit niya?” hindi ko mapigilang hindi magtanong.


“Acute appendicitis. Naoperahan naman na siya and the operation was successful. Nagpapagaling na lang siya ngayon.”


Nakahinga ako nang maluwag sa sagot niya. Magaan ang loob ko kay Dona at alam kong magkakasundo kami dahil mukha naman siyang mabait.


“Mabuti naman.”

I feel guilty because somehow, deep inside me, I see this as an advantage to become closer to Adam. May kung ano sa puso ko na natutuwa na makakasama ko nang madalas si Adam, makikita at mahahawakan. I’ll do everything just to be near him. I want to take this as an opportunity to make him remember me. Na ako talaga ang mahal niya. Ang gusto niyang pakasalan. I want to take him back.


“Sorry it is so sudden and it’s far from your field, but don’t worry I’ll guide you what to do. Matatagalan pa kasi kung magha-hire pa ako ng panibagong sekretarya. I need you .”


Nanlaki ang mga mata ko at kumabog nang malakas ang dibdib ko. “To fill the post, of course.” He clarified.


The joy in my heart instantly washed away. Why am I imagining a different meaning of what he had said? Tsk! Stupid, Cres!


At oo nga naman malayo ito sa career ko. But I just have to ensure that the meetings are effectively organized and minuted, take phone calls and answer emails. Yung iba matututunan ko naman eventually. At sabi nga niya aalalayan niya naman ako.


“But of course you can choose if you want or not-


“No. No. It’s fine with me.” Agad-agad kong agap. “ I iwill be your temporary secretary.”


“Good. I have a meeting within...” He took a glance at his wrist watch, “an hour. Go to the conference room at pakiayos ang mga gagamitin para sa meeting. Thank you.”

“Okay, sir.”

Pagkasabi niya iyon ay ibinaba niya kaagad ang mga mata sa kanyang laptop. Bumuntong-hininga ako bago lumabas sa kanyang opisina.  Pumasok na ako sa conference room  at inayos ang mga kakailanganin.


Mag-iisang oras pa bago ang meeting pero may mangilan-ngilan nang board  members ang naroon.  Halos lahat sila ay nagtatanong kung ako  na daw ba ang papalit kay miss Dona, but I answered them no, that I am just a temporary secretary while Dona is  recovering. 


"You worked at Thompson Construction and Designs, right?"  Napabaling ako sa isang board member  na nakakunot ang noo sa akin. I think we’re just the same age and I can’t deny that he looks good.

"Uhm, yes sir."


“That is why you look familiar, para kasing nakikita kita doon. My dad is a great friend of Mr.  Alexander and we sometimes visit in his  office.”


"Oh! Naalala niyo pala ako, sir." 


"By the way, I am engineer David Saavedra." inilahad niya ang kanyang  kamay na agad ko namang tinanggap. 


"Ava Crestia Cervantes, sir."  


“Nice to meet you. By the way, bakit secretay? I mean, hindi sa minamaliit ko ang pagiging secretary, pero why this position? You can work as an engineer here-


“Temporary lang naman po. Tsaka okay lang sa akin.” Really. Mas gusto ko ngang maging secretary na lang talaga ako ni Adam at hindi temporary lang. Pero alam kong magiging unfair naman iyon kay miss Dona. One day she will be back in her job when she’s already recovered.


“Really? You’re different.” Hindi makapaniwalang ngiti niya.


Nginitian ko lang siya dahil wala naman akong ibang sasabihin pa. Unti-unti nang nagsisidatingan ang mga board members. Tumahimik ang buong conference room nang pumasok na si Adam sa loob. Hindi ko mapigilang hindi mapanganga sa kanyang kagwapuhan. Katulad kanina ay seryoso pa din ang kanyang mukha pero mas lalo lang siyang gumagwapo sa paningin ko. Kahit ano namang reaksiyon ng mukha niya, lumilitaw pa din ang kanyang kagwapuhan. He looks dangerously handsome I can’t help but fall in love with him deeper.


Just like before, he always attracts attention. He’s walking with authority and so much confidence. I can’t keep my eyes off him, it’s like we’re the only one existing and everything around us vanished.


"Good morning, Mr. Cervantes." bati ng  boards.



Tumango lang siya at diretsong naglakad patungo sa kanyang upuan. He sat down and started reading the papers in his front. Ang alam ko ay may malaking project silang gagawin, ito ay ang pagpapatayo ng isang malaking hotel building.  Nagulat ako nang tumayo si Luigi at siya ang nagsalita sa harapan. Siya pala ang head engineer sa gagawing hotel building. Luigi kept on talking but Adam didn't even throw a glance at him. His eyes were fixated on the papers he is holding.  His face is serious and his brows were  creased. Mukhang pinag-aaralang mabuti ang kanyang binabasa. 


"I don't agree with the materials used. Yes, the price is low but we're taking a big risk.” His voice is thunderous that I will faint if I just don’t know him.



"I’ve done so many projects and I am using those materials. I can assure you that they are also good. De-kalidad na, makakamura pa tayo."


"I only want the best and I don't want to  take a risk. Use the best materials even  if it is quite expensive, but make sure do  not over spend. The most important thing  is that we’re confident and I want our clients to trust us.”


Nakita kong napatango ang iba. Tama nga naman kasi siya. Mas mabuting iyong medyo mahal kaunting materyales ang gagamitin ngunit matibay naman.  Kaysa sa mura nga pero bibigay naman kaagad ang building.


Hindi ko mapigilang mas lalong humanga sa kanya. Sure, madaming taon na ang nagdaan pero ang passion niya sa kanyang trabaho ay naroon pa din. Kaya nga madaling nakilala at naging successful ang kanyang kompanya. He started his own company, from scratch, yet his name is so famous in construction business.


Matapos ang mahigit isang oras ay natapos na din ang meeting. It is nearly lunchtime at hindi ko alam kong papaano ang gagawin ko sa kanyang lunch. Would I order for him or he will take his lunch outside?


Nakapagdesisyon akong pasukin siya sa loob ng kanyang opisina para magtanong. Pagkatapos kong kumatok ay pumasok na ako. Nagulat ako nang makita siyang natutulog. His head lies on his left hand while peacefully sleeping. His lips are pressed together and his face is so gentle contrary when he’s awake na palaging nakakunot ang noo.


Naawa ako sa kanya. Was he so stressed at his job that he can’t get a good sleep? Napapabayaan ba niya ang sarili niya? Is Katrina taking good care of him? Parang tinutusok ang puso ko sa naisip. Without a second thought, I stole a kiss on his lips. It was just a three-second kiss. Hindi ko na mapigilan dahil talagang miss na miss ko na siya. Hindi ko man lang siya mayakap. Hindi ko man lang masabi na miss na miss ko na siya. Hindi ko man lang masabi na masaya akong makita siyang muli.

Pinunasan ko ang mga luhang naglandas sa aking pisngi at tumuwid sa pagkakatayo. I don’t want to disturb him so I had decided to go out and order for his food instead.

Wala naman akong masyadong ginawa at the rest of the day dahil wala namang inutos si Adam. Nandoon lang ako sa desk at nagd-drawing habang hinihintay na matapos ang oras.

Pagdating ng uwian ay hindi ko alam kung magpapaalam ba ako sa kanya sa intercom o sa personal. Pero pinili ko ang huli dahil gusto ko din siyang masulyapan man lang bago ako umuwi.

“Ah, uuwi po na ako sir.” Nakaupo pa din siya sa kanyang swivel chair at mukhang wala pang balak umuwi dahil sa dami ng papeles sa kanyang mesa.

“Okay.” Maikling wika lang niya at hindi na ako tinapunan ng tingin. Napasimangot na lang ako at naglakad na paalis. Hindi pa ba siya talaga aalis? Tapos na ang working hours, ah? Napabuntong-hininga na lang ako.

I took a taxi going home. The ride took nearly two hours because of the heavy traffic. I should really look for a unit closer to the office. Maybe I will do it this weekend.

Pagdating ko sa bahay ay nag-ayos na ako ng sarili at lumabas sa kwarto para magluto. I just cooked a canned good for my dinner.

After eating and doing my body rituals, I lazily laid on my bed. I can’t help but think about our situation now. Would I just let go of him, knowing that he is already getting married ? Or will I fight for him?

Napahinga ako ng malalim. I love him so much and if I won’t put a fight, I know I will be having so much regret. Now I’m decided. I will fight for him. Sure, his mind can’t remember me but I know his heart does. I will make him remember me. I will do everything it takes to make it happen. Hindi ako susuko. Ngayon pa ba na nalaman kong buhay siya? No. My suffering and loneliness must end now. Hindi habang buhay na lang akong mangungilila sa kanya.

But somehow, looking at our situation right now and his approach towards me ay para akong pinanghihinaan ng loob. He is so different from the Adam I knew. Not the gentle and soft Adam I used to love. He became ruthless and merciless.


But… he chased me before. Hindi niya ako sinukuan. Ipinadama at ipinakita niyang mahal niya ako. Naisip ko, ngayon... I will be the one to chase him. I’ll chase our love.

I closed my eyes and bitterly smiled at myself. I know what to do. I got up again and took my phone to set an alarm. I set my alarm at six in the morning. I need to wake up early because my plan will start  tomorrow.  May ngiti sa aking mga labi bago ako natulog.


Kinaumagahan nga ay maaga akong nagising. I got up from bed and immediately went to the fridge and started rummaging it. I decided to cook  adobo for Adam because it's one of his  favorites.  Masaya akong nagluto at nasiyahan  naman ako sa lasa nito. The old Adam I lnow will  surely love it. Ewan ko lang sa bagong  Adam ngayon, pero sana magustuhan niya. 


After I’m done cooking, I quickly took a shower. Pagkatapos magbihis ay inayos ko na ang dadalhin kong lunch ni Adam.  It's past 7:30 when I arrived at the office. Wala pa sigurado si Adam. I started the computer and fix the things on my desk. While doing it, the elevator opened and I saw Adam coming out. The fast beating of  my heart when he’s around isn't new to  me.  I stood up from my seat to greet him. 


"Good morning, sir."  


But he just nodded at me and didn’t even threw a glanced at me. Hmp! Sungit! Kung hindi lang kita mahal, eh! Nakanguso akong umupo at inumpisahang tingnan ang kanyang schedule sa araw na ito. He will just have to sign proposals this morning. Then, he will have a meeting in the afternoon.

I got up from my seat and walked inside his office. I cleared my throat before I speak. “This morning, you just have to sign for the proposals and approve some budgetary concerns. And in the afternoon, you have a meeting with Mr. Saavedra.”

“Okay.” He answered while signing documents already.

I pouted again. Ang tipid sumagot. “Okay.”

Lumabas akong mabigat ang dibdib. Okay lang yan Cres, nag-uumpisa ka pa lang naman. Patience. That’s what you should have now. Remember the reward you’ll get once you win in the end. I tried to cheer myself.



Naging busy ako sa pagsagot sa mga tawag mula sa mga taong gustong magpa-appointment sa kanya at sa pagsagot sa mga emails kaya hindi ko na namalayan ang oras. Nagulat na lang ako nang makitang mag aalas-dose na pala. I immediately fished out the lunch box from my bag.


As I’m walking to his office’s door, doon ko naramdaman ang hiya. What if he won’t accept it? What if he has a lunch date in a restaurant and tell me to just throw it away? Or what if he took it but didn’t eat it?

Ipinilig ko ang ulo para mawala ang mga negatibong naiisip ko. I knocked thrice then made my way inside. Naabutan ko siyang may binabasang papeles. So, workaholic Cervantes. You really need someone to take care of you.

I cleared my throat to catch his attention. He looked at me and his face remained serious. Its as if I disturbed him in the middle of a very serious situation. Oh no, Cres. You can’t back down now.

“I… uhm-

Mas lalong kumunot ang kanyang noo. His gazed moved to the tupperwares I’m holding.

“This.. is for you.” Kinakabahan kong wika. I put it on his table and I started to bit my lip.

“What’s that?” he asked as he eyed the tupperwares on his desk.


“I cooked adobo your fa-, uhm I cooked this morning. Madami namang sobra kaya I thought of giving it to you instead.”

“But you can save it for your dinner.”

“I will cook again for my dinner”

Natakot ako nang bigla siyang napapikit habang sapo ang kanyang ulo. “A-are you okay? Does your head hurt?” Napapapikit na siya sa sakit kaya ang ibig sabihin nito ay masakit talaga.


“I’m okay. It was just my migraine.” wika niya habang hinihilot ang kanyang sentido. Migraine? Wala akong natatandaang may migraine siya dati. Could it be the stress?

“Sigurado ka?”

“Yeah.” He said dismissively. “You can go now. Thank you for the food.” But he didn’t sound grateful. Psh!

Lumabas na ako sa opisina at nagsimula na ding kumain. After the break, inayos ko na ang mga kakailanganin para sa meeting.