YuanFen

Chapter 15

Elise

"Drop the case."

I held my chin up when Elle's bored eyes stared back at me. "What did you say?"

"Drop the case. Tell them to stop." Mariing pag-uulit ko habang sinasalubong lang yung matiim na titig nito.

It's about the cases against the Yu-Montiel's that I've found out na alam kong si Elle ang may pakana. It might not be Elle per se', pero alam kong may kinalaman sya doon.

Walang imik na ibinaba ni Elle yung hawak nitong fountain pen. Matapos gawin iyon ay iginilid nito yung papeles na kanina lang ay binabasa nito.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Elise." sumulyap pa muna ito sa wristwatch nito bago nababagot na ipinilig yung ulo. Elle surely looks dead-beat tired. I wonder how she could manage her time that efficiently.

I shake my head to focus on what I came here for. "Wala namang ibang gagawa noon kung hindi ikaw lang o kaya si Tita Louella."

"Mom's busy. And I'm always working overtime to cover your ass here. Wala kaming oras para sa kung anuman ang tinutukoy mo. Why don't you stop being such a bum and help us here? Para naman may maiambag ka sa pamilya natin."

Napailing na lang ako ng marinig yung sarkasmo sa huling salita na binigkas nito.

Natin.

A family that belongs to us. Yet, I feel like an outsider standing right infront of her.

"The lawsuits that Yu-Montiel are facing." I supplied while flickering my fingers in mid-air. "I know it rings a bell. Drop it now. I don't want to declare a war between us just because of it."

Kung nagulat man si Elle na alam ko yung ginagawa nito, hindi iyon halata sa ekspresyon na pinapakita nito ngayon.

It's really unfair that she's so damn pretty without even doing anything. Matalino pa at tuso. I'd rather pick a fight with someone else than with her. Yung tipo kasi nito yung pag gumalaw na, tiyak na talo ka na bago ka pa makaisip ng galaw.

Bumuntong-hininga lang si Elle bago ako pinasadahan ng tingin. "Do you really think I'll have time to do that?"

"Oo." Walang gatol na sagot ko. "Hindi na ako magtataka na gagawin mo yon. Dito pa nga lang sa kumpanya, halos kalahati na ng Marketing at Planning division yung natanggal mo."

Elle answered me with a bored gaze. "They're incompetent people who only cares gossiping about how messed up you are to begin with. Bukod pa sa puro palpak yung trabaho at mga lagay na tinatanggap nila sa mga pinagbibigyan nila ng kontrata at proyekto ng kumpanya. Of course I'll make sanctions for that."

" What? You did what?"

" Before you rant, let me inform you that I made it legally. It was with due process, with proper investigation and settlement to avoid litigation and whatnot."

"Elle." Nagtitimping kinuyom ko yung palad ko. I have to think that she's still my cousin.

"Grow up, Elise. That's how the world works. Stop living inside your fantasy-like world. There's no such place for that stupid ideals."

"Kailangan ba talagang tanggalin mo sila? Bakit hindi mo na lang ilipat sa mga branch natin? O kaya bigyan ng ibang trabah—"

"Para ano?" Umangat yung kilay nito. "Para doon naman sila sa mga branch natin magnakaw at magluto ng proyekto? Buti sana kung maayos yung mga contractor na kinukuha nila at pinag-aaward-an ng project. But no, I've got reports that we're getting sub-standard materials that's putting our name in line in pitiful vain. Goodness, Elise! Wag mo 'kong simulan."