Dear Boss: Wounds of The Past

CHAPTER 6

Nasa kalagitnaan ng trabaho si Brian sa Scarlett Voin Hotel na dating Hotel El Mirador, na pinamamahalaan niya dati bilang CEO, ngunit ngayon ay isa na lamang siyang empleyado. Habang abala siya sa pag-aayos ng mga papeles sa kanyang desk, nakita niya mula sa kanyang opisina ang isang pamilyar na lalaki na papalapit sa kanyang boss. Ang lalaki ay may bitbit na bouquet ng mga bulaklak at tila nag-aalok ng pagnanasa sa boss niya.

Brian’s attention was immediately drawn to the scene. Sino ‘yan? he wondered, his fingers tightening around the pen he was holding.

Ang sakit ng selos na nararamdaman niya ay tila hindi matanggal sa kanyang dibdib habang pinapanood ang lalaki na nag-aalok ng bulaklak sa dalaga.

Habang siya na kasalukuyang nakikipag-usap sa isa sa kanyang mga empleyado, ay napatingin sa lalaki.

Kitang-kita ang pagkamangha sa kanyang mukha nang tanggapin niya ang mga bulaklak at makipagpalitan ng ilang salita sa lalaki. Brian’s jaw clenched, his mind racing.  "Hindi ko maitanggi, naiinis ako. Parang gusto kong lumapit at sapakin ang lalaking ‘yon. Letche!"

Despite his feelings, Brian knew he had no right to interfere. Patricia was his boss now, and he was just an employee. Hindi niya maaaring pakialaman ang buhay personal ng kanyang boss, lalo na kung ang relasyon nila ngayon ay ganoon na lamang. Pero hindi maipaliwanag ang sakit at pagkabalisang nararamdaman niya.

Brian tried to focus on his work, pero hindi niya maiwasang sumulyap sa direksyon ng boss niya. Ang mga mata niya ay laging nakatutok sa kanya, nagmamasid kung anong mangyayari.

While his boss and the man conversed, Brian felt a pang of possessiveness that he couldn’t shake off. Saan ba galing ang mga nararamdaman ko na ito? he thought, struggling with the realization that his feelings for that woman had not faded.

Ang lalaki ay nagpaalam sa wakas at naglakad palayo. Ang kaniyang boss, habang hawak ang mga bulaklak, ay bumalik sa kanyang trabaho, ang mukha niya ay may halong ngiti at pag-aalala sa mga naganap. Ang pagsulyap niya kay Brian ay tila nagbigay ng panibagong pasakit sa kanyang dibdib.

Brian took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He knew he was being unreasonable, but the feelings were overwhelming.

He ran a hand through his hair, trying to shake off the thoughts. "Focus, Brian," he reminded himself. "Hindi mo na siya pwedeng kontrolin. Isa siyang boss, at ikaw ay isang empleyado."

Sa kanyang isipan, patuloy ang pakikipaglaban sa mga emosyon. "Bakit ganito pa rin ang nararamdaman ko kahit na wala na kaming relasyon?" He questioned himself, feeling frustrated and helpless.

Pagkatapos ng pag-uusap sa lalaki, ay umupo sa kanyang desk at nagsimulang magtrabaho muli. Brian, na hindi makapagpigil, ay muling sumulyap sa kanya, nagtataka kung kung ang pagtingin niya ay nahahalata ng dalaga.

"May nararamdaman pa ba ako sa kanya?" he asked himself. The answer was painfully clear: yes, he still had feelings for her. At ang pag-amin na iyon ay nagdulot sa kanya ng dagdag na sakit. He knew that he have a family but his heart wouldn't let him in peace.

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Sa loob ng club, habang sumasayaw si Patricia kasama ang kanyang mga kaibigan, mukhang hindi na niya naririnig ang malalakas na tunog ng musika. She was completely drunk, unaware of her surroundings. A man approached her with confidence, placing his hands on her waist. Patricia, in her drunken state, had no idea what was happening.

Brian, from their VIP table, watched the scene unfold with growing anger and jealousy. His heart pounded as he saw the man’s hand on Patricia’s waist. His emotions were a mix of concern and fury. He downed his drink, trying to steady himself before standing up.

But as he made his way towards Patricia, he was stunned to see the man kissing her. The sight felt like a punch to his gut. Brian’s feet felt like lead, and he was paralyzed with shock. Tears started welling up in his eyes as he sank back into his seat, unable to move or speak.

He looked down, feeling overwhelmed by a mix of emotions—pain, betrayal, and disbelief.

"Hindi ko alam kung lasing na ako o kung totoo ang nakita ko," he thought, trying to make sense of what had just happened. The tears fell freely as he tried to convince himself it was just a misunderstanding.

When he finally looked up, Patricia was still dancing and laughing with her friends, completely unfazed. The man was nowhere to be seen.

Brian’s heart sank even deeper. He couldn’t tell if he had just imagined everything or if it was real.

"Bakit parang ang hirap tanggapin?" he wondered. "Kailangan ko bang duda-dahanin ang girlfriend ko?"

The confusion and pain were overwhelming. Brian’s vision was blurry, both from tears and alcohol. He felt utterly lost and broken, unable to reconcile what he had seen with Patricia’s current carefree demeanor.

Habang nawawala na ang focus ni Brian kay Patricia, isang random na babae ang lumapit sa kanya at umupo sa tabi niya. At first, Brian was indifferent, lost in his own turmoil. The woman, noticing his distress, started a conversation to comfort him.

"Hey, are you okay?" she asked, her voice gentle but curious.

Brian glanced at her, trying to mask his emotions. "Not really," he admitted. "Just having a rough night."

"I can see that," she said sympathetically. "I’m Emma, by the way."

"Brian," he replied, offering a small, tired smile. "Nice to meet you, Emma."

As they continued talking, Emma could see the pain in Brian's eyes. "So, what’s going on, Brian? You seem like you could use a distraction."

Brian sighed deeply. "It’s just... a complicated situation with someone I care about. It's just been a tough night."

Emma reached out and touched his arm gently. "I’m sorry to hear that. How about we take a break from all this? Let’s dance. It might help you take your mind off things."

Brian hesitated for a moment but then nodded. "Okay, let’s dance."

Emma took his hand and led him to the dance floor. The music was thumping, and the energy around them was high. As they started to dance, Emma leaned in closer. "You know, sometimes you need a good distraction to clear your head."

Brian looked at her, feeling a bit more relaxed. "You might be right."

As they danced together, the closeness between them grew. Emma’s hand rested on Brian’s shoulder, and he placed his hand on her lower back. The chemistry was undeniable, and their conversation became more intimate.

"You seem like a really great person," Emma said softly. "Thanks for letting me distract you."

Brian met her gaze, feeling a strong connection. "I needed this. Thank you for being here."

With the mood set and the alcohol heightening their emotions, Brian leaned in, and Emma responded eagerly. They shared a passionate kiss on the dance floor, completely lost in the moment.

Si Therese, ang may-ari ng club, na rin ay lasing, ay umakyat sa stage. She initially planned a light-hearted announcement about looking for a future husband but instead ended up spotting Brian and Emma.

“Look who’s there!” Therese announced loudly into the microphone, pointing at Brian and Emma. The spotlight immediately focused on them, highlighting their intimate moment.

Si Patricia, na nasa harap malapit sa stage, ay nagulat sa kanyang nakita. Ang kanyang mga mata ay naglakbay mula kay Brian na naghahalikan sa ibang babae pabalik sa kanyang mga kaibigan.

“Brian?” she said in shock, her voice barely audible over the music. Her expression showed a mix of disbelief and hurt.