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Chapter 27
"Grabe, Miss Uytengsu, ang galing mo kanina sa meeting!" iyon agad ang bungad sa'kin ng assistant na binigay sa'kin ni Kuya Rael. I just got out of the conference room. Ahia personally requested me to join the monthly annual report meeting with him.
It wasn't in my schedule but Angelique called me early in the morning to inform me that I have to prepare myself. I was so confused at first because I checked my schedule last night and there were no indicated meetings on the calendar my assistant religiously updates.
And when Angelique called me at 6 AM about it, she straightaway bombarded my email with a lot of confidential links that redirected me to the files I had to review for less than an hour!
Nagkukumahog tuloy ako mag-ayos. I didn't bother reheating my food or doing my coffee. Sinabihan ko na lang si Angelique na bilhan niya ako ng breakfast bago magsimula ang meeting. Lagi naman akong abala sa trabaho pero ngayon ko lang na-experience ang late notice sa ganitong importanteng bagay.
We were both nervous as we entered the conference room earlier. Pareho kaming di kumikibo sa upuan habang nagbabasa ako ng mga reports. Ahia assured me that it'd be about the standing of our financial institutions — regional rural at commercial banks pa naman ang mga 'yon.
I knew that my brother was just testing me so I took it as a challenge.
I sighed as I gave the laptop to her. She grabbed the laptop and replaced it with my coffee. Sabay na kaming naglalakad ngayon patungo sa opisina.
"When did Ahia tell you that I have to join the meeting?"
"Actually, si Miss Adleigh po ang nag-email sa'kin ng midnight. Nagtataka nga po 'ko at hindi na lang diniretso kay Sir Rael para mas mabilis ang communication pero baka ayaw i-bypass ni Sir si Miss Adleigh."
"May iba pa ba akong meeting?" pag-iiba ko na lamang dahil wala naman akong mairereklamo sa sinabi niya.
Habang naglalakad kami ay may iilang bumabati sa'kin kaya bahagya akong yumuyuko para batiin sila pabalik hanggang sa pumasok kaming dalawa sa opisina.
"There are three meetings lined up for today, Miss..."
"What time?"
"Uhm..." Angelique seemed anxious weighing the situation if she should tell me or not. She fished out for her phone inside the pocket of her blazer. "Sir Rael emailed me a few minutes ago after the meeting you had with him... he particularly told me that you have to replace him for the three meetings he couldn't show up to because of an emergency at the main office in Cebu."
Ipinakita pa sa'kin ni Angelique ang email ni Kuya Rael, kung sakaling 'di ako maniwala sa kanya. I checked the time on my phone. I only have a thirty-minute break and I haven't finished drinking my coffee yet!
I grimaced. I sensed that my assistant was tensed beside me.
"Hindi po pwedeng i-cancel... base rin po sa email," paliit na nang paliit ang boses niya.
"Please prepare all necessary files I need for each meeting. Give me the minutes of the previous meetings they had for my basis," I told her as I sat on my swivel chair to relax my back and rest my eyes for a while.
"How about lunch?"
"Just bring me some sweet pastries. Thank you."
Dahil sa sunod-sunod na meetings, kumakalam ang tiyan ko habang pauwi. I was in a bad mood and I didn't have time to cook at home so I have decided to eat out. Sinama ko na si Angelique para kumain ng dinner. Noong una ay ayaw pa niyang sumama sa'kin dahil nahihiya siya.
