Termination of Desire

Kabanata 17

"What's my next schedule?"

I asked Helen as I typed in my laptop. Nasa sala kami pareho ng unit ng hotel at nagtatrabaho. Managing a fast-growing business isn't easy. We work hard each and every day of our lives to maintain the momentum. Nasa bahay man o oras ng pahinga, ang utak nasa trabaho pa rin.

There are so many things to do, and I guess twenty-four hours a day isn't enough to fulfill those.

"You have five online meetings today and tomorrow we'll attend the Milan Fragrance Week at Porta Nouva," ani Helen habang binabasa ang hawak na blue folder.

"Alright." I sighed.

Sumulyap siya sa akin nang mapansin ang pagbuntong-hininga ko.

"Kaya pa?" nakangising asar niya.

Tinignan ko siya ng isang beses.

"This is just the beginning, Helen." I typed fast as I replied to my unending emails.

Tiniklop niya ang folder nakapalumbabang tumitig sa akin.

"Your brand is fast-rising. You should expand now."

"I don't have the capability to do that yet, Helen. As you can see, we only have a few manpower. So, our headquarters in Paris is still enough to handle my business."

"But it's expanding. Ang dami mo nang kliyente kung tutuusin. Even here in Italy, where you studied, they're anticipating a branch."

I sighed and looked at her once.

"It's not that easy to open a branch store. I only tried to export my products and...surprisingly, it worked." Napangiwi ako. "I didn't expect that too. Exportation alone is hard; what more for a branch?"
 
"But we can't deny that your business is really growing, Miss Ma'am. Maybe we need to grow our manpower?"

"That's what I'm looking forward to. You just wait, and it's not easy to entrust my own formula to anyone. I've worked hard for this, and I want it to be in good hands."

It's easy to build manpower since there are a lot of chemists, perfumers, manufacturers, and fillers in Paris. But... It's just so hard to trust. I am where I am now because of my skills in perfumery. I make my own perfumes; that's why they're sold. If I hire someone and share my formula with anyone I'm not sure about, I don't know what will happen.

Okay lang sana kung hindi ako chemist o perfumer. If I only want to become a perfume brand owner, then it's easy to hire perfumers to make perfumes for me. I'll just have to sell and market them. But that's not the case for me. So it's really hard to entrust what I have worked hard for throughout the years.

"Yeah, I know. Naiintindihan ko." She chuckled. "I just can't believe... you're very successful now. Dati tinutukso tukso lang kita. Ngayon big time ka na."

Tinignan ko siya nang masama. Nakangisi siya sa akin.

"E ikaw? Dati dakilang bully ka lang, ngayon dakilang alalay na kita," sarkastikong sabi ko, nakangisi.

Natawa siya.

"Ehem! Excuse me! Dakilang alalay na high end. Secretary lang naman ako ng isang dakilang master perfumer sa Paris," taas noong sambit niya. "The ever elegant, classy, and gorgeous founder and owner of Frances Fragrances is none other than Miss Frances Dominique Villarosa from the Philippines!"

Natawa kami pareho at saka nag apir.

"Gaga ka! Masiyado ka naman!" Hinampas ko siya ng throw pillow, natatawa pa rin.

"S'yempre proud pinoy! Did you know that you're the first Filipino to have a name in the perfume industry in France? And it's not just an ordinary perfume. High-end, luxurious perfume!"