The Covetous Heart¹

2

My relationship with Lorenzo is bizarre. We're married, but I don't feel like it. We're living in the same roof, but it's hard for me to connect with him. He's not cheating, but he doesn't show his interest on me either. Ang hirap pala ng ganito. Ako naman 'yung nandito, pero iba pa rin ang hinahanap niya. Hindi niya man sabihin pero alam ko, alam kong nanghihinayang siya at nagsisisi sa desisyon niyang 'to.

Siguro nga mas matatanggap ko pang mag-loko siya kaysa iyong ganito. Walang nagloloko. Walang nanakit. Pero wala ring nangyayari sa relasyon namin. Wala na lang rin siguro akong magawa dahil mahal ko siya. At sanay na ako. Nasanay na lang ako na laging ganito. May ibinibigay, pero walang bumabalik.

"Ma'am, may urgent meeting po kayo with the shareholders at 10am." my secretary informed me.

I glanced at the wall clock to check the time, Lorenzo's friend's wedding will be held at 2pm!

"Hindi mo ba pwedeng i-cancel nalang for tomorrow? May lakad ako this afternoon." pakiusap ko sa sekretarya ko.

She panicked when I said that. "Ma'am, pasensya na. Nagrereklamo na rin po ang mga shareholders ninyo dahil pinostpone niyo po ang meeting last week. At nasa taas na po sila ma'am, naghihintay sa inyo." aniya.

I heaved a sigh before texting Lorenzo.

To: Lorenzo

Anong oras ka pupunta sa location?

I continued working after sending the message. Ayoko rin namang mapasama sa company namin kaya't dinaluhan ko na ang meeting. It was a boring and long discussion of nonsense reports, proposed projects and deals.

Instead of resting, all I felt was stress from them.

"Can't you see that this is not working anymore? This is an old-fashioned concept! Create! Innovate ideas that are new to the public! Huwag niyo namang i-base sa edad niyo ang marketing scheme natin, make a convincing value proposition." I scolded the marketing team who presented in front.

Our company regulates the construction and marketing of our mother company, which is managed by my older brothers. Construction and construction materials ang business namin. Mostly, ang trabaho ng company na mina-manage ko ay maghawak ng mga projects at mag-promote. Pero dahil dumadami na rin ang umusbong na ganitong business ay mas tumataas ang kompetisyon sa industriyang ito.

"Ms. Gonzales, kung hindi effective ang proposal na 'to na ilang taon na nating ginagamit, anong gusto mong ibahin? Makaka-adapt naman ba ang company sa changes? How about ang customers? Kilala na nila tayo sa ganitong paraan and changing our value proposition would make customers thinks that we already changed too." Mr. Castro, one of the major shareholder of the company, interfered.