Naglalakad ako papasok na sana sa loob ng building nang may mapansin akong pamilyar na motor.
Parang nakita ko na 'to somewhere.
Hindi ko na iyon pinansin at nagdere-deretso na sa loob.
Sasarado na sana ang pinto ng elevator nang may magharang ng paa rito.
"Sorry," paumanhin niya.
My eyes widened as I saw his face. He froze, too, upon seeing me. He tried to step back, but it was too late. The doors shut.
"Ang lakas ng loob mong pumarito," walang emosiyon kong sambit.
He stood facing me, his back to the elevator wall.
"Malay ko bang nandito ka?" he asked, adjusting his suit.
I scrutinized his posture. "Are you here to spread scams?"
He turned, his hands shoved into his pockets. He glanced me over, then smirked.
"Nandito ako para magtrabaho, Ms. Tigre," he said, a hint of arrogance in his voice.
"Excuse me! May pangalan ako. You have no right to call me Tigre," I snapped.
"But I have the right to say whatever I want," he emphasized the word "rights."
Aba! Ini-ingles ako?! The audacity! After scamming me, he was talking down to me like that? No way!
Tinaasan ko siya ng isang kilay. "Call me Tigre again, may kalalagyan ka."
Umakto siya na parang nagulat at tumango-tango. "Edi, Mr. Theferson Fajardo's daughter."
Pinanlakihan ko siya ng mata.
Paano niya nalaman ang pangalan ng dad ko? How did he know my identity?
Bumukas ang elevator at walang alinlangan siyang lumabas.
"Don't even think about saying that again, or you're outta here!" sigaw ko na malamang sa malamang ay narinig niya.
Itinaas niya ang kanang kamay ngunit hindi tumitigil sa paglalakad. Ibinaba niya rin agad ito.
I was going to rip his tongue out if he dared to speak again.
How did he know my dad? H-How...
If Kairo found out about this, I was doomed. Dad would be furious, and my reputation - our family's reputation - would be ruined.
I grabbed my phone from my bag and called Trisha.
"Trish, I need you to do something for me. Make sure you dig up all the dirt on him. I'll use it as leverage if I need to."
Nagtungo akong bathroom upang walang makarinig sa akin.
"But how did he find out about you? And why is he there?"
"I don't know," I said, shaking my head.
"Anong pangalan niya?"
"I don't know his name," I admitted. "He didn't introduce himself."
"That's a problem," Trisha said, "But we can start with the motorcycle. Do you remember any details about it? Make, model, anything?"
Naalala ko ang sandaling pagsilip ko sa motorsiklo. "It was a black Harley, I think. It had a chrome exhaust pipe and a skull sticker on the tank."
"Let's see what we can find."
___
Hindi mawala sa isip ko ang lalaking 'yon. Ni hindi ko nga alam kung ano ang pakay niya dito.
He knows me. Halos manigas ako sa kinatatayuan ko kanina nang makita ko siyang kasama si Kairo papasok sa kotse.
Personal driver, huh?
Naglalakad na ako papunta sa sakayan ng bus nang makita ko siyang nakasandal sa poste dito sa waiting sheds.
He looked up as I approached, a smirk spreading across his face.
"Well, well, well," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Tingnan mo nga naman."
"What do you want?" I asked, my voice steady despite the fear churning in my stomach.
"I just wanted to say hello," he said, his eyes gleaming with malice. "At para na rin ipaalala sa'yo na kilala kita kung sino ka."
"I know what you're up to, and I'm not going to let you reveal my identity."
He laughed. "You're a brave one, Ms. Fajardo. But you're not as smart as you think you are."
"I'm not afraid of you," matapang kong saad. "I know you're a con artist, Liam. You've got a history of pulling scams, and you're not afraid to use intimidation to get what you want."
Nanlaki ang mga mata niya. "A-Anong sinasabi mo diyan!"
"Pa'no ba 'yan, pareho na tayong may nalalaman na sikreto sa isa't-isa." Lumawak ang pagkakangiti ko.
Ang sarap sa pakiramdam makita ang reaksiyon niyang gulat na gulat.
"I had found a website for a motorcycle club, the Black Knights. Your name was Liam Tombs, and you had a history of shady dealings." Muling sumilay ang mapang-asar kong ngiti.
Hindi na maipinta ang kaba sa kaniyang mukha. "Sa tingin mo matatakot ako sa'yo?" aniya.
"Dapat lang na matakot ka dahil ilalabas ko lahat ng nalalaman ko tungkol sa'yo."
"Edi, ilalabas ko rin ang iyo."
"Let's make a deal," sabi ko. Isiniksik niya ang dalawang kamay sa bulsa ng kanyang maong.
"Ano 'yon?" he asked.
"If one of us leaks a secret, we both leak each other's secrets. Deal?" I extended my hand towards him.
Would he accept this deal, or would he reject it?
"Ano? Nangangawit na 'ko."
"Tsk!"
Anong tsk? Ang tino ng response, grabe.
Tiningnan niya lang ang kamay ko at naglakad paalis. "Deal."
Nag-uumapaw ako sa tuwa nang tanggapin niya ang deal. Medyo nakahinga ako ng maluwag.
BINABASA MO ANG
AELO 1: The Secretive Secretary Love
RomanceR-18 Thea Belle Fajardo, the daughter of a wealthy man, is struggling to open her heart to love again after being hurt by her ex-boyfriend. In an effort to gain a new perspective on life and observe the inner workings of successful companies, she de...
