Chances

CHAPTER 1

CHRISTINA

"I dont care." After I said that words,I turned my back from her."Christina naman! Kahit ngayon lang." I can hear the pain when she said those words."P-pag-iisipan ko." I started to walk away from her."Dont just think about it,Chris.Just please...just this time." Tinango ko lang yung ulo ko at nagsimula na muling maglakad papunta sa kotse ko.

Pagpasok ko,nagsimula nanaman ako umiyak.Nasuntok ko yung manibela sa galit...galit na galit ako sa sarili ko."Christina! ang hina mo!" Marahas kong pinunasan ang mga taksil kong mga luha at kinalma ko muna ang aking sarili bago magsimulang magmaneho.

Pagdating ko sa condo unit ko nagsimula nanaman muling lumabas yung mga taksil kong luha.Pumasok ako sa kwarto at sumalampak sa kama ko

Marami ka nang napatunayan.Just forget everything Chris.Hayaan mo silang maglaway sa naabot mo.I stop crying."Pupunta ako." Kinuha ko yung cellphone ko at tinawagan si ate.

Isang ring palang sinagot na niya agad."Hello Chris?" Agad na bungad niya saakin."Pupunta ako." Natahimik siya bigla pero mabilis naman siya nakasagot. "Yes! On Christmas Evening at our Hometown." Napabuntong hininga na lang ako."Yeah bye." At pinatay ko na agad.Well,this is my first time to go home there after almost 5 years after I graduated college.Yeah,I never came back but nabigyan ko naman ng magandang bahay sina mama,I still visit them.But I am now living on my condo unit nabinili ko noong birthday ko.Yeah,its a gift from myself to myself,Tch.

I dont have a conflict with my parents but with my Mother's family? Yeah.I just hate them how they discriminate me before.

And now they are inviting me to a Christmas Eve dinner? Wow just wow.I can still remember how they said that I will never reach this far.

I was about to enter the bathroom to take a good shower when my phone rang.I immediately answered the call cause Im really pissed right now."Hello?" I said in a bold tone."Good afternoon Ms.Carper.Sorry to interrupt you but the board called for an emergency meeting." Its Kesha Accueva,my secretary."I'll be there in 20 minutes." Then I turned off my phone and go to the bathroom and just wash my face then change my clothes and fix my face.After that I immediately get out of my condo unit at mabilis na sumakay ng elevator papunta sa parking area.Sa sobrang kakamadali ko may nabunggo pa ako.Shizz Christina! Tinulungan ko magpulot ang lalaking nabunggo ko sa nahulog niyang mga gamit."Im so sorry." I said after mapulot ko ang iba niyang gamit niya at inabot ito sakanya.Pero yung buo atensyon ko ay nasa gamit niya."Its okay.Thank you." Sabi niya kaya napatingin ako sakanya.Ohg! "I have to go.Im sorry again." Tumakbo na ulit ako.I can still remember that face eventhough its already more than a decade the last time I saw him,Tch.Forget about that Christina you need to focus.Agad akong pumasok sa sasakyan at mabilis na pinatakbo ito.

Pagdating na pagdating ko sa company agad akong pumasok sa elevator papunta sa conference room.Christina you need to focus right now,you need to forget everything happened earlier.You are Christina Dean Carper the CEO of the Carper Group of Companies after you get out this elevator.I confidently get out of the elevator,I can see my secretary waiting for me in the sa labas ng conference room"So Kesha whats the meeting all about?" I ask my secretary then she give the papers she was holding."Its all about the hotel that is about to build in *** City,Miss Carper." My secretary said.Then I immediately entered the conference room."Good afternoon." Bungad ko sakanilang lahat.Then I sit down on my swivel chair."So what is this all about?"

Then Engineer Gomez speak up."The people won't get out of the place,Ms.Carper." Napailing na lang ako."Talk to the Barangay Chairman of that place then tell him that you will only give them 2 days to get out of the place.Simple!" I said in a bold tone."That the problem Ms.Carper they want to talk to you." Engineer Gomez.Napailing nalang ako.What do I expect? "This is nonsense! You called for an emergency meeting for this Mr.Gomez? Really?!",I asked him with a calm tone."I-Im sorry Ms.Carper.I will just find a way to solve this problem Ms.Carper.",He said in apologizing tone."You should Mr.Gomez.It is not the board's and my job to solve that problem! It is written in the contract,Mr Gomez.Meeting dismissed." Then I immediately get out of the conference room then proceed to my office.I need to finish my work if I want to go to that Christmas Eve dinner with them,Tch.

It was 7:30 pm when I finished the things I need to do today.I was about to go out of my office when Mama calls."Hello ma?" Bungad ko sakanya."Hello Chris? Can you go home here?" Tanong ni mama sa malambing na tono.I sighed."Why ma?" I asked her."Me and your father prepared a family dinner." She said."Ow okay.I'll be there."

Pagdating ko sa mansion sinalubong agad ako ni mama."Good evening ma." Hinalikan ko siya agad sa pisngi."Nasaan si Papa ma?" I asked her. "Nasa sala kausap mga kapatid mo." Pumasok na kami ni mama sa bahay at nandoon nga sila,nag-uusap."Good evening Pa." Lumapit agad ako sakanya at humalik sa pisngi."Oh? Look whos here? The workaholic.Buti pumunta ka." sabi na may konting tampo na tono.Umupo na ako sa couch."Hahaha!Oh come on pa! I'm not workaholic." I disagree on what he said."Then what?" sabay na sabi ng dalawa kong kapatid.Napatawa nalang kaming lahat.Konting kwentuhan then pumunta na kami sa dining hall para makapagdinner na."So how's your business Chris?" Papa asked."Well...Its fine." Kibit balikat na sabi ko."Sa inyong tatlo I never expected too much from you before.Hahaha." Sabi ni Papa.Napakibit balikat ulit ako."Well...Sa attitude ko noon,wala talagang magi-expect na I will get this far.Maybe some people change after highschool.Haha!" Well my father tells the truth.No one will ever expect me to be a successful someone in the future before.Why? I dont study,Ayokong sumasakit yung ulo ko sa sobrang pag-iisip sadyang may isang bagay lang akong pinanghahawakan noon yun yung pangarap ko."Masaya ako at napalaki kayo namin ng maayos.Now,I got an Engineer,Business woman and soon to be Chef." I smiled widely.I think Im happy that I proved them wrong."So Christina,sasama ka sa family dinner/reunion?" Mama asked me suddenly."Yeah mom.I will." I answered with a smile."Atlast!" Every year Mama's family always celebrate a reunion its either on a summer vacation or fiesta sa amin.This is the first time that they will celebrate it on Christmas eve.Well I totally have no choice cause if I dont join the reunion/family dinner I will celebrate Christmas alone,Tch.

Pagkatapos naming magdinner pumasok na muna ako sa kwarto ko.Nagshower ako then change my clothes.Kinuha ko yung laptop ko at some papers I need to sign then pumunta ako sa veranda.Inarrange ko yung mga gamit ko sa table at umupo na at nagsimula ng magtype sa keyboard.Minsan ay nagtetake down notes ako.I called Kesha to send me my schedule for tomorrow.I was busy typing ng bigla may nagsalita."Trabaho nanaman." Nilingon ko si papa,kasama niya si mama.Umupo sila sa harapan ko.Kaya sinarado ko na lang muna ang laptop ko."I need to finish this Pa." Sabi ko."Hindi mo ba yan mapapabukas?" Tanong naman ni mama."I have to check the squatters area na idedemolish for the 5 star hotel project.Just to check if there doing their work right.Pinasok ko lang yun bigla sa sched ko tomorrow kaya I need to finish my works para hindi magtambak yung trabaho ko.Marami pa akong meetings tomorrow with the other stock holders." I said while writing something on the papers."You need a break Chris." Mama said.I look at her."Ma,I dont deserve a break." I said then opened my laptop again."Everybody deserves a break nak." Sabi ni papa.I continued typing."Pa all my student life is a break Pa.Im giving back what you gave me before." I said."Chris,diba sabi ko noon makagraduate lang kayo may maayos na trabaho okay na ako?" Sabi ni Papa."Yeah Pa I know." I said."Why dont you travel? Diba yun naman yung gusto mo noon? Your dream city? Paris? Why dont you go there?" Papa asked."Hahaha! I forgot how to dream Pa." I replied.Yeah I already forgot how to dream.I was once a dreamer before."Maybe you just dont need a break but a vacation." Papa said then stand up then mama followed him."Pa,I know you understand my situation.You were once this.",I said that made them stop."That was because if I dont work we cannot eat something by the next day.In your case you dont need to do that much.Give yourself a break,Chris.",then they continue to walk away.I can have a vacation if I want too hindi naman talaga tatambak ang trabaho ko hindi naman babagsak yung kompanya ko.My company is one of the biggest company worldwide.I travel in different countries but not to have fun business purposes lang.I can actually just sit down on my swivel chair and do nothing but maybe I just want to do something to forget things.Err.Do I really need a break? Then my phone rang.