Afraid To Fall

Chapter 32

Napaupo ako nang marinig ang malakas na katok galing sa labas. Naririnig ko si Daddy na tinatawag ako at mukhang nagmamadali. Thank God Derrick is in a deep sleep.

Damn. Five ng madaling araw kami nakauwi ni Derrick kanina and now I'm going to wake up seven in the morning? For goodness sake, I only slept for about two hours!

Still, I forced myself to stand and open the door for him. "Stacey, I seriously need your help." He was carrying his laptop and he let me read some emails that was sent to him.

It was stated there the different messages that came from the Gregorio's investors. Marami. Iba-ibang tao. And they only have wanted that one topic to discuss. To return the money they have invested.

Kumunot ang noo ko. I looked at him. "Is this your concern, Dad? Why are we even trying to fix the enemy's problem?" At bakit siya ang gustong kausapin ng mga investors? Bakit hindi ang mga Gregorio?

He heaved a sigh.

"Come on. They need our help. Afterall, sa kanila din naman nanggaling ang kompanya natin. Stacey, don't be a hard-hearted person. Alam kong ikaw ang magaling magdesisyon pagdating dito. I know you can handle this."

Tumahimik na lang ako at nagkibit ng balikat. What's the point to argue with him? Alam ko namang pipilitin niya ako hanggang sa pumayag.

I didn't mean to be rude but I shut the door leaving without a word and went to the bathroom directly.

At exactly eight o'clock, I already left the house. Leaving Derrick behind, again.

Dad just gave me a ton of work for the day. This should've been a rest to me for being up late last night. And I am not the one responsible for this. We have our own company and I am under it. But yeah, the CEO is the one who forced me to help the other company.

It's Tito Carlos' company. He's the director and he or his people should be the one fixing the damn problem. Ano pang kwenta ni Kingsley kung hindi niya gagampanan ang tungkulin niya kapag wala ang Daddy niya? Kung wala rin siya, Kenneth should be the one responsible for it.

Bakit ba sa akin nila pinasa yung problema nila sa kompanya?

Dad didn't even tried to drop me by the office. Alam ko namang wala pa rin siyang tulog kaya pinahatid na lang niya ako sa driver.

•••

Kakaunti pa lang ang tao sa may lobby pagkarating ko. Dumerecho na agad ako sa dating office ni Daddy kung saan niya ako pinag-iistay ngayon. Balak na rin kasi niyang lumipat sa panibagong office na nasa last floor ng building.

My sleepy eyes started reading the messages one by one.

Napakunot ang noo ko nang mabasa ang unang message. Sa mga kasunod ay ganun rin ang gustong iparating.

Kingsley really ruined their image. Si Kingsley na naman ang may kasalanan kung bakit nagkaproblema ang kompanya nila. Nakarating sa mga investors nila ang kalokohan na ginawa niya. The company now is suffering from a bad image dahil sa kagagawan niya. It turns out na ngayon lang lumala ang dating magandang view ng company after five years.

Nalaman ko ring nasa kulungan pa rin siya. Five years ang kailangan palipasin bago siya hayaang magpiyansa. Naniniwala silang guilty si Kingsley? Damn kung ako yun, I'm not going to believe them. Oo masama ugali niya but kidnapping a girl is beyond his limits. I have my own theory, sigurado ako na pumayag lang talaga siya na makulong for the girl's sake.

Oh please, masyadong malaki ang ego nun para hayaan lang na makulong siya for an unacceptable reason. I'm pretty sure na nagagawa niya lang magpakababa pagdating sa mga taong mahal niya. His mom, and perhaps, that mysterious girl.