The Runaway Hearts

Chapter 9: Déjà vu

Red's P.O.V 

KUNG hindi pa siguro paulit-ulit na nag-vibrate ang phone ko ay hindi na ako magigising. Pag-angat ko mula sa pagkakayuko ko sa desk ay nasilaw kaagad ako sa sinag ng araw mula sa glass windows at nakalimutan ko palang ibaba ang blinds kagabi dahil hindi ko na alam kung anong oras na ako nakatulog. 

I stared at the mess I've made here in my desk and glanced at my digital clock. Ibang araw na pala ngayon, Sabado na pala, pero nandito pa rin ako sa office. 

I answered my phone and it was Anikka who's calling. 

"Hey, Good Morning," garalgal ang boses na pinakawalan ko. 

"Hindi ka ba umuwi last night? Nakalimutan ko palang sabihin, I'm on a business trip with Dad until Monday." 

"Sure. No problem. I'm working on something too, so I'll be busy the whole weekends..." 

Anikka just left me a few reminders before ending the call. Her reminders are always the same. Don't eat instant food especially cup ramen, don't eat on fast food chains or foods bought on the streets. Try to cook or buy a homemade food which usually costs a lot. Don't drink alcohol before going to bed and other things. 

Namatay ang mommy ni Anikka dahil sa kidney disease that is way she is very wary of foods and health. She lives a good lifestyle where in she eat a balanced diet foods and would always have time to go to the gym. And I understand how she would prohibit me to eat unhealthy foods. Minsan tinatakas ko lang bumili ng cup ramen pero nakapag nakikita niya ito ay tinatapon niya agad. 

I decided to come back here in the office last night as usual to do my own work, well after firing a staff in my team, I have to do extra job until a replacement will come. 

Due to the load of my projects nowadays, I barely have the ample time to do my usual work. Aminado akong hindi ko sobrang natututukan ang trabaho ng bawat staffs ko but that's actually how a manager works. We supervise, review and approve and the leg-work is done by the staffs because that is how they learn. Katuwiran ng management ay nagdaan na kami sa ganoong intensified works that is why it is the staff's turn to do it. What's critical in our work is that we have to vouch for the staffs' work and make sure we deliver the quality of work that the client's wants which is not really easy. Dahil sa 'yo ang balik kapag nagkamali ang buong team. 

"Becareful of Fatima, because she's lying. At mukhang may kinakatakutan siyang tao sa conference hall kanina."

I closed my eyes when I felt pain in them and as I remember these words again. If it wasn't for Faith's parting words, I wouldn't have been working up all night and doing someone else's tasks. 

I did reviewed background check from the persons of interests and supplement the team's findings about it. I realized we're not too detailed about this. 

I accessed the team's laptops and Faith's files were really helpful, but was too late to acknowledge it. 

One thing I gained about staying all night is that, Fatima is really lying. 

She lied about her relationship with Morfe, because in reality they came from the same orphanage that is why they also came from the same school. Fatima may have not been aware about her old files retained by the company because her old Identification cards has the same address with Morfe's. Perhaps they lived together back then. 

Now after confirming Fatima's lie about her identity, it led me back to Faith's statement wherein Fatima again lied about her death. Hindi na kailangan paligoy-ligoy pa at kahit sinong makakarinig nito, iisiping pinagbibintangan ni Faith na may kinalaman si Fatima sa pagkamatay ni Morfe.