Chasing the Wind

C H A P T E R 34

Innocent Victim

"IT has been a long day." The old woman produced a euphoric sigh while she's here in her balcony of her mansion. Nasa ika-apat itong palapag at kasalukuyan siyang nakatingin sa papalubog na araw. May ngiti sa nangungulubot niyang mukha while watching the sun drawing its end on the horizon. She gazed at the mountain, she felt nostalgic.

"Madame, are you okay?" Richel Balmes, her Secretary next to her asked her. "Gusto niyo ho ba ng upuan? I will get some for you Madame." Concerned as she is, her boss just smiled at her.

"Kaya ko pang tumayo, Miss Richelieu. Kaya ko pa." She gave her secretary a warm smile as she glanced back on the sun.

"Ilang beses na akong nakakita ng paglubog ng araw pero kakaiba ang isang 'to." The very old woman chuckled. Mas lalo siyang nanguba habang tumatawa. Ang kulobot niyang balat na natatakpan ng kaniyang suot na CEO styled women suit ay nadadampian ng sinag ng papalubog na araw. Mas lalo namang humigpit ang paghawak niya sa railings at mas lalo pa siyang huminga ng malalim.

"Ay harujusko, tumatanda nga ako." She chuckled again, and after a while, bigla siyang sumeryoso. "I've build Deluga Heights from a scratch. Wala akong pera noong binuo ko ang kompanyang ito. People just come at me, offered me and lend me some money to build a company which builds skyscrapers. Sinong mag-aakalang ang isang palaboy-laboy na matandang katulad ko ay makakapagbuo pa ng mga matatayog ng buildings?"

"People often asked me, how did I buid such great skyscrapers? And I told them, 'Because my enemy builds the same.' And they asked me again, 'Who's your enemy Madame?' And I can't answer them because if I will, guguho lahat ang mga plano ko. Like domino, in which when you touch the the first piece, it might just not stop from taking down the remaining pieces."

She sighed.

"Memento Vivere seems skyrocketing." She looked down.

Nataranta ang kanyang sekretarya, "Madame, hindi niyo dapat sinasabi iyan. MVC might be skyrocketing right now but remember, not all rockets reach their destination. Some rockets, because the hype, forget to accelerate as they fall back to the place where they take off."

The old woman laughed. "You're very witty Miss Richelieu. That's why I put you as an owner of Deluga Heights. You have the brains that sometimes I don't have."

Richelieu humbly smiled. "Pero sino ba ang nag-train sa'kin Madame? Please don't forget that it was you. Without you, I'm nothing. If you didn't helped me 15 years ago from the evil hands of the owners of MVC who killed my parents, siguro matagal na akong namatay."

Natigilan ang matanda. She looked looked at her secretary, very seriously. "I helped you, but you helped your self too Miss Richelieu. Don't forget that."

Hindi napigilan ng Secretary na hindi ma-iyak. She was the secretary of this old woman infront of her yet she has been assigned to act as the owner of Deluga Heights. A very fine woman. 37 years old. Asian face. Neck-leveled hair. Corporate attire. Malayong-malayong sa mahinhin na 22 years old noong pinaghasa ni Margarette V. Satto sa body guard nito dahil nabasag nito ang paboritong wine glass ng amo 15 years ago.

The secretary wiped her tears, ang maldita niyang kilay at mga mata na natatabunan ng eye glasses ay mabilis niyang inayos na parang hindi siya umiyak. She needs to act firm beside her boss.

"Madame. We have one last option to outstand MVC's current status."

"Tell me."

"Kailangan mo ng ipakilala ang sarili mo sa mga stakeholders at sa mga kalaban natin Madame."

"Is that so?"

"Yes Madame."

"Then prepare a media press con tommorow."