Beneath Those Glasses

Chapter 11

Khiane Courtney's POV

Today's Saturday, I was about to leave this house when Ate Ana called me. She told me that Dad asked for me.

I was physically ready for this but I wasn't mentally ready as well.

Sa office na naman niya ang punta ko kaya habang naglalakad ay hindi ko maiwasang mangamba. He'll scold me for sure! Baka nga saktan ulit ako, e!

Aside from what happened yesterday, I couldn't remember disobeying the things Dad told me to do. No one asked what my course was, kaya alam kong hindi ako malilintikan nang gano'n kalala.

This is making me overthink.

Kumatok ako nang tatlong beses at hindi na nag-abala pang mag-hintay ng sagot ni Dad. Agad lang akong pumasok sa loob at tumayo sa harap ng desk niya.

Like the usual, he was sitting on his swivel chair while puffing a tobacco. He wasn't wearing his office attire, but instead, just his polo and pants.

Nagulat ako nang mag-lapag siya ng USB sa harap ko. Nagtataka man ay tinignan ko siya.

"What's that?" Takang tanong ko.

"CCTV record." Sagot niya. He was quiet and for Pete's sake, I knew this was the dangerous type of quiet.

Nagtitimpi siya ng galit.

"CCTV record of what?" Nangatal ang labi ko. Onti-onti na rin akong nagkakaroon ng ideya.

"Of you making a scene inside of that fucking café." Nanlilisik ang mata niyang tinignan ako. "What has gotten into you, Courtney?!"

Napa-pikit ako nang simulan niya akong pag-taasan ng boses. I fidgeted my fingers.

"I told you to be careful with your actions, didn't I?!" Sigaw niyang muli. "You keep on getting our name into some kind of mess!"

"It wasn't my intention to-" I tried explaining but Dad cut me off immediately.

"Sumasagot ka pa!" Sabi niya. "You even used our name to what? To brag about it?!"

"I wasn't bragging!" Maski ako ay napasigaw. "Your employee was getting into my nerves!"

"My employee, Courtney!" Dad emphasized the word 'my'. "You do not have the right to use my name to fire her!'

"Why not?!" Naiinis na sambit ko. I stomped my foot.

"She worked for me!" Sagot niya sa akin. "She was working under me and not for you! What would the media think if this comes out to them?!"

"Who cares about those damn medias-" I stopped when I felt Dad's palm on my cheek. It made me stunned to the point that I couldn't speak.

Slapping me became his habit, huh? That was his way of shutting me up.

"I care." Matigas na sambit niya bago ako iwan sa opisin niya. Nanatili akong nakatayo habang pinapakiramdaman ang hapdi ng pisngi ko.

Mabuti na lang at may salamin dito. I checked myself and I was thankful when it didn't leave any bruises unlike the last time.

Mahapdi nga lang siya.

"Bwisit," sambit ko habang palabas ng opisina ni Dad. Sakto pa ay narinig ko nang umalis ang kotse niya.

Mabuti naman at aalis na siya. Napapadalas na ang pag-uwi niya dito. Hindi ko nga alam kung ano'ng meron at nagiging madalas iyon, hindi naman siya ganiyan unless may business siyang kailangan asikasuhin.

Sa sobrang business minded niya, nakakalimutan na niyang may anak siyang naiwan dito sa bahay. Sa sobrang business minded niya, nakakalimutan na niya kung paano maging ama sa isang anak.