BOOK 1 | ESOTERIC

Chapter 13

| CHAPTER XIII |

"The Face of Darkness and Love"

STELLAN

Sa ilang oras na rin simula nang mainis ako sa kaniya, I think I can face Eris now without being irritated. I just hope by now ay marealize na ni Eris kung ano ang mali sa ginawa niya. Other than that, I am quite relieved dahil natulungan ko si Hedone. Seryoso ba talaga siya na magsasampa siya ng kaso? That would give Eris a hardtime given na may on going pa siyang case. Hindi talaga siya nagiisip. She just moves out of impulse.

Sinusuot ko ang aking gloves habang naglalakad patungo sa elevator. I already arrived at patungo pa lang ako sa opisina. Surely she is still here. She won't leave without me. Dahil una sa lahat, she doesn't know how to drive. Not unless, she already hired a new driver at sinesante niya na pala ako. She is impulsive kaya posibleng mangyari iyon.

Dahil na rin sa pagtatanong tanong ko ay nakarating din ako sa nais kong puntahan. I prepared myself before knocking and twisting the knob. When I opened the door, I instantly saw two employees sitting before a large desk where Eris is sitting. Her matte black executive swivel chair has a wide backrest that is making her look even more powerful and surprisingly...matured.

Napunta ang kanilang tingin sa akin. Bigla akong nakaramdam ng hiya. Hindi ko alam na may meeting pala na nagaganap dito. "Apologies. I shall come back later—"

"Leave." I thought she was referring to me ngunit tumama ang kaniyang tingin sa dalawa. "Gather all the product designers and let them know what I told you here. I need new ideas for the logo in three days."

"Copy, Ms. Deveraux."

I am just standing here like a statue. Nakahinga lang ako nang kaunti nang makalabas na ang dalawa ng opisina. "I apologize for what happened. I did not know—"

"How's that woman?"

It was as cold as ice. Siguro kung sa ibang tao ay iisipin kong nagaalala siya. But this is Eris with her cold and unconcerned tone.

"Nalagyan na ng splint ang daliri niya. Gagaling din iyon pagkatapos ng isang buwan."

"Isang buwan lang?"

Tinignan ko ang relo. I should dodge that attitude dahil kakaalis lang ng aking pagkadismaya sa kaniya. "Have you eaten lunch? Tanghali na." Ala una na. Hindi naman nagearly lunch ito sa bahay niya dahil hindi pa raw siya gutom.

"I am still busy. You can go and have lunch. Kung gusto mo yayain mo na rin ang pinsan ko."

My shoulders dropped. She sounds like a child! "Eris, you harmed her. I had to do that as compensation. Ni kakasuhan ka nga raw niya! It will only harm your reputation given na may ongoing case ka pa—you are still under investigation."

To my surprise, nginisian niya pa ako. "That woman...not once she got a scar. She is always loved by this world and by her parents. Nothing...can harm her. I just simply broke the ridiculous cycle. Mali ba iyon? Everyone should know pain to become "strong", right?"

She...is really telling me this? Mas maayos pa ata magisip si Sherry kesa sa kaniya? "You are loved by your parents. You never got the chance to be harmed by this world cause you have never been outside. What is your point?"

The smirk on her lips vanished. Naging thin line na langiyon. The mocking expression in her eyes is no longer there. "They told you that?"

Told me—told me what? Why does it feel like may mali akong nasabi?

"Ah...those damn officers...I knew they would tell you that. Those bastards."

Oh. Ni hindi ko man lang napansin na lumabas iyon sa aking bibig. It must be something that she does not want anyone like me to know. Should have expected that gayong hindi nga niya sinasabi sa akin. She just does not have any plans to tell me anything about her. At some point, normal lang din naman iyon. We are basically strangers. But...are we still now?