Together but Separate

Prologue

Kate Rojas

I was born and raised from a poor family. We could barely eat three meals a day. I had to work hard para makakain ako araw-araw. Yung tatay ko kasi was irresponsible. Inom lang ng inom kahit wala na kaming makain. Ang nanay ko ang nagsikap magtrabaho para buhayin kaming magkakapatid. Pumapasok ako noon sa paaralan na walang laman ang tiyan. Kailangan kong magtrabaho sa palengke para may baon ako. Kahit mahirap ay tiniis ko para lang makapagtapos ako ng pag-aaral. Ayoko kasing maghirap habangbuhay.

Nangako ako sa sarili ko na gagawin ko ang lahat para umasenso sa buhay. Kung anong raket ang pinasok ko noong college hanggang sa maka-graduate ako. Nung nakapagtapos ako ng pag-aaral ay nagtrabaho ako sa isang maliit na company. Ang sinisweldo ko roon ay inipon ko para makapagpatayo ako ng restaurant. Three years later, nakabili ako ng maliit na pwesto malapit sa amin at dumami ng dumami ang customers namin hanggang sa nakabili kami ng malaking establishment para gawing bagong location ng restaurant.

Six years later, I already owned ten branches of my restaurant all over the country. Due to the success of my restaurants, I got to expand my business. I created to-go products of my own recipes and sold them to grocery stores. The products made their place in the market at mas lalong lumaki ang business ko kaya nagpatayo na rin ako ng culinary school. Gusto ko kasing ibahagi ang alam ko sa pagluluto at tulungan ang mga nangangarap na tulad ko kaya ako nagpatayo ng culinary school. As of now, I owned a big corporation that I managed.

I like thinking bigger each day. I like to dream bigger. I like to expand and expand. But there was a problem because one day, my board of members were questioning my proposal of expanding abroad. Ang sabi nila, the company is on its peak, and they do not want to risk. I was confused on what they meant, so I asked.

They answered, "Your proposal is very good, Ms. Rojas. I admire your intelligence and bravery. You are not afraid to risk, to move forward. But, we, your board members, cannot risk like you do."

Confused, I asked again, "What are you trying to tell me?"

"We have a multi-million company and you, Ms. Rojas, has the highest share of this company. But unfortunately, you are not married. Obviously, you do not even have an heir."

"What is being married has to do with expanding abroad?" takang tanong ko.

Nagtinginan sila bago may sumagot na isa. "I know we live in a modern generation but it is different when it comes to business. People still doubt the credibility of a woman leadership."

"Not only that. Big time investors like to have partnership with someone who is a family man or woman. Why? Because they don't like the guts of someone like you, who's single. There is nothing holding you back when you take a big risk because you don't have a spouse or children to feed. You have the potential of risking anything and everything kasi ikaw lang ang mas maaapektuhan, you and your own comfort."

My brows furrowed. "I beg your pardon." My nerves were shaking. How dare them point that out? "You should know that I consider everything around me when I make decisions."

"Hindi 'yan ang nakikita nila, Ms. Rojas. If you plan to expand abroad, we will need more investors, and they will dig in more about your background. A married person has more advantage than a bachelor. Bachelors are well known for their image as a carefree teenager. Also, if you are not married and do not have an heir, what will happen when you are gone?" He shook his head and continued, "Our company does not have that many advantages, Ms. Rojas. You know that. This business is always at stake due to those reasons."