Whisper of the Heart (COMPLETED)

CHAPTER XXXVII

"But sir!" the group cried in disbelief.

Cha's face distorted so much, almost glaring, that he could almost hear her saying, "Hello, sir? Ok ka lang sir?"

He's running out of time. The strategy meeting is in three weeks time. He took a deep breath. But he forgot these people aren't robots. They can't work 24 hours a day.

He sighed and massaged his temple.

"Ok. Early next week. Ah, no! Monday. NO BUT's. That's final. Please. I need your cooperation. Cancel your dates, appointments this weekend, if needed. Just this time. The meeting's adjourned."

Then he's alone. He doesn't want to sound like a dictator. That's not so himself. But the situation is asking for it. He buried his face in his hands. He's just starting and he's tired already.

"Kaya mo yan Edward!"

Edward looked up at the sound of Maymay's voice. She is smiling at him prettily, gesturing her arm, cheering at him to fight. He smiled back at her, tenderly. Then she fades, and Edward found himself staring at that empty space.

I wish you were here, May.

He can't lose to Luke. He can't.

Going to work early, and going home late. That became his everyday set up. And people around him remember that not so long ago, he was like this. By and bye, his father noticed. And from a distance, without Edward's knowledge, he would sometimes look at his son's face with softened eyes.

Edward's plan is all laid out. Their working on a list of prospective investors he would like to collaborate with. His next step as soon as their proposal is finalized, is to have business meetings with these people and persuade them to invest in this project.

He already instructed Cha to get these business men's monetary status, schedules, and other personal infos. If he could get his hand on their proposal Monday next week, that's the only time he can meet with these people. But while persuading them to agree for a business meeting is one thing, making them agree to schedule the meeting right NEXT week is another thing.

Cha has successfully set some appointments. But without the proposal in his hand, he could not start yet. He only have a week to convince a decent number of investors. Because the week after, he must present it to the board.

And finishing EVERYTHING up to that time; that's almost next to impossible. So basically, Edward is just expecting some miracle to make his plans happen.

Just thinking about it makes his head wanna blow.

But he can't just give up. If he pull through, chances are, his ratings will go up. And he will have a higher chance to be voted by the board as the next CEO. And he can protect Maymay. That's the only plausible way to turn things around.

At the end of that week, he's already feeling exhausted. He needed a break.

He needed to go home.

He never expects much to see his father at dinner. He seldom makes it, anyway. But his seat isn't empty, today. He has been always present at the family dinner for three fridays in a row. That's already a record. Because the usual scenario is, either he comes home late. Or he never comes home at all.

However, his father never say a word. And the three of them, took the repast silently. It is alienating for Edward. Since his father, though a man of a few words, always drive the conversation during dinners. His mother noticed it too. She raises a question or two from time to time to draw a conversation, but his Dad would only answer a short yes or no, and the conversation will die as soon as it started.

Sometimes he would caught his Dad looking at him, but would look away when their eyes met.

Edward searches peace in the confines of his own room soon after dinner, he very much welcome being alone this time. He loves the dark. The silence.

He's been lying quite sometime, still wide awake, the digital clock tells him it's already 1am. He decided to have a drink. He went downstairs, to the minibar, and he was surprised when he saw his father already there, drinking alone.

His instant reaction was to go back to his room. But then he heard his father's voice.

"Come, join me." That, he said, without even turning around.

He must have seen his reflection through the glass.

He hesitated. But then his feet took the steps forward, and he occupied the seat next to his father.

He noticed that the bottle is already half empty.

"Come join your old father." After saying that, his father took another glass, pour the drink, and slide the glass to him. His words made him notice his father's hand holding the glass, already freckled and wrinkled with age.

He just watched as his father drink a glassful. He looks vulnerable. He seems like another person. Not the lofty, indifferent, unfeeling person he always is. He seemed to be not the same person who schemed Maymay and her siblings.

So Edward, at that particular moment,  forgets all his resentments towards his father. Instead, he felt his heart ached for him.

"Edward.. "

"Yes. "

"Have you, ever done something.. Something you can't.. ever forgive yourself for?"

He thought it was his alter-ego speaking. But no. It's his father.

He wanted to say something. But he couldn't think of anything.

"Something, you can't hide yourself from.. It haunts you every single day.  Even in your dreams... That even if it happened years ago, it always felt like it happened just yesterday?" his father continued.

There is a long pause. He took another glassfull. His voice wavered, almost a whisper.

"And whenever you see your son, he reminds you of your younger self, of the passion you once have, your waywardness... and then you relive that dark past all over again, the past you've been trying so hard to put behind you?"

Another glassful. Then his father looks at him.

Edward opened his mouth to speak. But there are no words coming out.

That is the longest second in his life, him looking back at his father's grey eyes. And for that moment, he felt like looking at his future self. A lonely, miserable man.

Was it really his father that has just spoken to him? He never sees this side of him.

"Hah! what am i saying.. " he chuckled, shaking his head. Then he stands up.

"I'll go ahead, son, I suddenly felt.. sleepy." He patted Edward's shoulder.

And did Edward just see a drop of tear in his father's eye? Or was it just his imagination?

Edward watched his Dad take his leave, shoulders drooping. And when he's gone, Edward stared at the untouched glass his father gave him.