Beautiful Redemption

Beautiful Redemption 5

Chapter 5

I knocked three times before going inside his office. Naabutan ko siya roon sa kanyang lamesa na may kausap sa telepono. Sumenyas siya sa akin na umupo sa may sofa.

I looked around the office. All his furnitures are in black, brown, blue and and a little bit of white. Hindi ko na napansin ang kabuuan ng kanyang opisina dahil napukaw na ng glass wall ang atensyon ko kung saan tanaw ang karagatan at malamang ay makikita ang pagsikat o paglubog ng araw. Ito lang ang tanging nagpapaliwanag ng kanyang opisina.

Nakatingin lang ako sa labas at hindi napansin ang kanyang pagtayo. Nakita ko nalang siyang naglapag ng dalawang tasang kape sa center table at umupo siya sa sofa na nasa tapat ko.

"Good morning." Panimula niya. Maaliwalas ang mood niya kumpara sa mood niya nang iwanan niya ko kagabi sa kwarto. He looks so fresh with white long sleeves, black slacks and leather shoes. Nakapomada rin ang kanyang buhok. At hindi nakawala sa paningin ko ang unang botones ng pang-itaas niya na nakabukas.

"Good morning, sir." Sagot ko. I was so paranoid last night about whatever will happen this morning. I kept thinking kung papaano ako if ever he'll fire me out.

"First thing is that I want to buy the painting." Walang pasubali niyang sabi. Parang nawala lahat ng pangamba ko simula pa kagabi dahil sa sinabi niya. Does this mean he likes my painting?

"It's not for sale. At hindi ko na pagmamay-ari ang painting dahil binigay ko na 'yon sa mag-asawa."

"Paano kung hingiin ko iyon sa kanila, would you mind?"

Umiling lang ako. I know they will give that to him eventually. Wala rin naman silang mapagpupwestuhan noon sa kanilang bahay.

Gusto kong tanungin kung nagustuhan ba niya ang ginawa ko. Ever since I saw him looking on that particular painting, it made me feel like he has a claim on it. Like he already had a special connection to it because of the image of the resort and his mom. Parang sa kanya lang ako makakakuha ng approval kung maganda ba ang ginawa ko.

"Okay then." Uminom siya ng kape at inilapag muli ang tasa sa lamesa.

"Next thing is that starting tomorrow you'll gonna be working for me. Morning you'll be in the office, after noon you'll work at my house."

"No." All I could manage to say. Nablanko ang isip ko sa sinabi niya pero alam ko ang dapat kong isagot. I'm not gonna work for him!

I mean, I do work in his resort but i'm not gonna work directly to him. That's the last thing I want to do here in Cebu.

"Why not?" He asked with an amused smile.

Because you're a cheater. That's what I wanted to say but I wouldn't dare. My life here in Cebu will be at risk if I say that.

Think, Ava!

"I have to be honest, sir. Working as your personal assistant, I assume, will take too much of my time. Kailangan kong maglaan ng oras sa pagpipinta."

"Yes I understand. That's why I'm offering you this work. Like I said, morning you'll work as my secretary. Paperworks, schedules and other office stuff. That's Monday to Saturday." Siya lang ang kilala kong may-ari ng companya na walang sekretarya. "In the afternoon, I'll need you in my house, do housework like cleaning and laundry. But that would only be thrice or four times a week. When you're done with the chores then you're free. Pwede ka ng magpinta."

Napaisip ako. His offer's quite convenient. He really gave more free time than what I can have when I work in the kitchen.

His offer is very tempting. If it wasn't about his affair with Natalia malamang ay walang alinlangan ko iyong tatanggapin.