Mon Amour (My Love)

CHAPTER 61

ANGELO ROI

"Sir Angelo, kain pa po." Jackie said when she noticed I had taken only a small portion and hardly finished it. "Hindi po ba masarap? Naku, oo nga pala. Nakalimutan kong hindi ka nga pala sanay sa mga pagkaing Pinoy."

"Oh no. It's not like that," I said, feeling embarrassed. "It's just that I don't really enjoy eating too much, especially when I'm on a trip."

"Ma, wag mo nang pilitin si Sir Angelo dahil kakain pa kami pagdating namin sa Maynila." Jason remarked, whilst continuing to consume heartily. "Birthday ngayon ni Sir Ricco at maraming ipinaluto si Sir Allie."

I hadn't considered that, but I nodded in agreement.

"Sino nga si Sir Ricco? Yung kapatid mo po, Sir?" Jackie asked.

"What?" I asked, seeming absentminded.

"Anak din ni Sir Allie, Ma." Jason answered. "Ano, Sir Angelo? Tara na? Malayo layo pa ang byahe natin. Baka gabihin tayo masyado."

I nodded swiftly. "Yeah. We should leave."

He nodded too. "May kukunin lang ako saglit, Sir. Wait lang."

He stood up and went to the living room. I gave Jackie a restrained smile and tried to finish the leche flan dessert. After a while, Jason hurried back.

"Sir Angelo! Sir Angelo!"

"Anong nangyari?" his mother asked, clearly concerned.

"Nasa balita ang company ni Sir Ricco!"

"What?" I stood up abruptly. "What's happening?"

Jason ran back to the living room, and Jackie and I followed. I quickly located the TV, and the news was already in progress. The reporter was currently interviewing a member of the board of directors (I forgot his name, but his face was still familiar to me).

"He's not deserving to lead. He knows nothing. Because of him, the company's funds have been depleted," he said.

"What's going on?" I asked, more to myself, but everyone heard.

"Nagrally daw ang mga empleyado, Sir. Yun ang inabutan ko kanina. Pinagbibitiw sa pwesto si Sir Ricco."

"What the hell?"

"What do we expect sa isang stray child na lumaki sa streets at pinilit lang magkaroon ng formal education in less than a decade? It's not enough to gear him up for a position as tough and as challenging as CEO." another member of the board of directors commented.

The camera angle shifted, and I saw the stern face of Mr. Lim, the Finance Chief.

"We have sources that our CEO was a former sex worker even before he let himself known as a singer. So anong aasahan natin? Hindi nadadaan sa paghuhubad at pagkanta kanta ang pamumuno sa isang malaking kumpanya." he said.

"He has lots of personal issues. He's so unprofessional. It's about time that we change the tradition. With Mr. Song, the new owner of IGC, mapapatunayan natin na hindi nasusukat sa dugo ang kakayanang mamuno sa isang malaki at maunlad na kumpanyang katulad ng IGC. Ginagamit kasi nila ang pangalan nila to get the highest positions. When in fact, they don't know anything." he added.

"Ngayon pong pinagbibitiw na sa pwesto ang CEO ng company, sino po ang papalit?" the reporter asked.

"Well, Mr. Song, the new owner, trusts me. I just hope that he's rational enough to do the right thing this time."

"Grabe. Kawawa naman si Sir Ricco." Jason said.

My heart sank. I knew Mr. Lim had schemes, but I never fathomed it would be to this extent. What a despicable, ghastly person.