My TWIN Babies, NOT Ours

IV

Short Notice: Para hindi kayo mailto, ilalagay 'ko pangalan ng nagna-narrate kapag ibang point of view ang sumasalaysay, other than Kathleen Louise. Sinabi 'ko na para hindi kayo malito. Owkei.

IV

Alexander Ivan Ramirez

"President Hua what is your exact motive?" Sarkastiko akong napangisi sa matanda.

"Actually Ram it's pretty simple..." pabitin itong ngumisi pagkatapos ay uminom sa hawak nyang wine glass.

Alam 'ko kung anong motibo ng matandang Hua, pero mas alam 'ko kung paano baliktarin ang lahat.

"Ibigay mo sa akin iyong bagong ino-offer sayong proyekto. And I will accompany you with today's ceremony." He confidently uttered. Malakas itong humalakhak. Hindi ako kumibo.

"Kapag hindi ka sumangayon, bukas pa man din ay magsisilabasan ang baho ng iyong kumpanya."

He thought I fell for the bait.

President Hua, life isn't that easy as to business, I wasn't trained for nothing with this simple negotiation. Napailing ako at matamang uminom sa aking wine glass.

Marahang sumandal  ako sa upuan, napatigil ito sa kanyang abot tengang ngiti. My lip arched even more.

Napabuntong hininga ako at kunwari'y nagiisip. "President Hua..." pabitin 'kong panimula.

"I only hold 20% of the shares in your company. I feel discontented as I'm just a minor shareholder and as much as I'm increasingly interested in your company." Seryoso 'kong bitaw at nakita 'ko kung paano nataranta ang matandang Hua. I've met his son and I can tell they're both easy to manipulate.

"Magaling ka pa lang magbiro Ram." Tumawa pa ito at umayos sa pagkakaupo. "You know my three properties are ready to be sold, by then the stock price will keep rising. I am aware of your cash flow situation right now. Thinking of acquiring my company could be hard."

"I am well aware President Hua, those are for pre-sale. And I am also well informed that your three properties haven't been licensed." Napakunot ang noo nito.

"Anong ibig mong sabihin?"

"Triton group has always been your contractor. Everyone is eyeing the opportunity to acquire your company or even wants a share. And I'm sure those three properties you're trying to sell will be well sold in the market."

"Also as far as I know Triton Group have 31% share in your company. What if then, I give them the shares I'm currently holding? Well doing the mathematics, perhaps you know then that upon my decision, your company  will no longer be under  your hands." Kumuyom ang kamao ng matandang Hua at matalim itong tumingin sa akin. "Just think of your son, President Hua. If you cooperate with me, baka may mamanahin pa ang anak mo. Or else he'll just be an ordinary employee working in an entry level post for his whole life."  Mabilis itong tumayo. He started cursing me using his own language.

Sanay na ako sa ganitong tagpo. Asshole. Bullcrap. Putangina. Santo de puta. Name it all with different languages.I can hear them all. In fact I am well capable of eating curses on my breakfast.

"Maupo ka President Hua, if you're forcing me to work with Triton, madali lang naman akong kausap." I uttered my piece with a low playful voice. Kumalma ito at umupo.

"President Ram," hmm...now he thinks we're equal. Napangisi ako, game well played.

"Huwag ka namang padalos dalos. Ikonsidera mo naman ang mga bagay bagay. Don't you have any other way out of this? You should consider that in doing this dirty tricks, your son or even your own father or even worst your daughter might have your piece of karma--" I laughed out loud with his last statement.