Ignorance

Chapter 2

Claudia was... well, she's something.

            The whole time she was talking about the operations of Buenavista Publishing Manila—how the departments worked, the dynamic of the workers, the labor code—Eduardo hid behind a brown folder. Everything was in there anyway, and he felt no reason to listen to this woman drone on and on. He knows he should have been more polite to someone who was going to cater to his every need over the next few weeks, but he just couldn't bring himself to.

            For one, Eduardo isn't even sure she actually got things done. Back in New York, Eduardo would always get updates with how the Manila branch was doing, along with the Los Angeles branch, the Tokyo branch, and the Vancouver branch. He recalls that Claudia's branch here in the Philippines, wasn't much of a stand out. On more than one occasion, he genuinely considered shutting it down. But Mama insisted to keep it out of courtesy—and what of the countrymen you'll leave jobless? Eduardo opted not to. Hence, Claudia.

            For another, she seemed obnoxious. It wasn't hard to spot that her employees absolutely hated her guts. Every time she would pass, they would cower in either fear or hate. It didn't matter; Eduardo could guess how they saw their boss. She was a fearsome thing to behold, and not the good kind. The petite woman by the concierge earlier was evidently terrified of her; she shrunk like a kicked puppy. So small...

            "Shall we?" Claudia says, snapping him out of his reverie, while hovering ominously. "Sir Eduardo?"

            "What? What's happening?" Eduardo says, clearly out of wits.

            Claudia laughs to placate him. "I informed the department heads that we're ready to meet with you. They're all waiting at the conference room," she says, eyes contemptuous and slightly livid.

Eduardo cringes, imagining the lady from earlier having to deal with this everyday. "Yeah, sure," he supplies, rising from the sofa. "Has Diego gone ahead?"

"Yes, sir," Claudia answers. "We're waiting for you."

---

"Ma'am Myrna!" Betty Mae silently calls at the break room.

            Myrna is the HR director, who just happened to be at the meeting with Eduardo and Diego Buenavista. Amor and Betty Mae are both at the break room, avid to hear of Myrna's experience.

            "Uy!" Myrna says excitedly.

            "Kumusta yung meeting with Sir Eduardo?" Betty Mae asks, tone clipped in agitation.

            Myrna sighs, and theatrically throws her hand against her forehead. "Sobrang gwapo," she swoons. "Pero hindi naman nagsalita. Parang si Sir Diego na may hawak ng baraha. Ayun, si Claudia, nagmamaganda na naman."

            "Talaga? Anong ginawa?"

            Myrna shrugs. "Hay nako. Baka sumama lang mood nating lahat kung si Claudia ang usapan," she says with a roll of her eyes. "Pero ayun nga. Nagpapa-cute kay Sir Eduardo. Halatang may crush. Napaka-unprofessional nga e, may pahawak-hawak pa sa braso. Hay! Buti na lang wa-epek kay Sir Eduardo. Hindi niya pinansin talaga."

            Amor harrumphs under her breath, trying to liven herself from hearing such negative things about Eduardo. She's slowly beginning to realize how utterly disillusioned she was after all.

            "Ano ba yan, Ma'am Myrna," she muses. "Bakit naman parang ang sungit ni Sir Eduardo? Hindi ba niya kaya makipag-usap sa ibang tao?"

            "Ewan ko nga e," Myrna responds, pressing her lips into a tight line. "Baka may pinagdadaanan lang. Rinig ko baka umalis siya agad, kasi yung ex daw niya, nandito sa Pilipinas! Iwas iwas din kapag may time, 'no. Baka kaya laging bad mood; nababagabag sa past."