Nadia's POV"Ok Mr Santiago, I'll inform him. Yes, you're welcome. Have a nice day." ibinaba ko naman ang tawag at dumereso sa harap ng pinto ng opisina ni Sir. Chase.
I knocked on his door and he allowed me to come in. Bumalandra naman agad sa harap ko ang mukha ni Chase, ang CEO ng hotel. Sa kasamaang palad naman ay ako ang pinakauna-unahang longtime sekretarya niya. Maraming nagtataka kung bakit hanggang ngayon ay nagtra-trabaho parin ako sa kanya dahil bali-balita rito ay marami siyang napalayas na sekretarya bago ako dumating.
To be honest, ilang beses na 'kong nagtangkang mag-resign. Minsan ay hindi na kinakaya ng pasensya 'ko ang lalaking 'yan. He's a short tempered man and so I am. My friends always say na bagay kami dahil parehas kami ng ugali. Maraming oras na rin ang nasayang 'ko kakagawa ng resignation letter na paulit ulit niyang hindi tinatanggap. Dumeretso naman ako sa harap ng table niya at ngayon ay katapat ko na siya.
"Good afternoon Mr. Sandoval." bati ko sa kanya "Mr. Santiago just scheduled a lunch meeting for the both of you." deretso kong sabi. Tumalikod ako at akma ng lalabas nang bigla siyang magsalita.
"I heard that Ms. Acosta and my brother, Philip, are now together" humarap naman ako sa kanya.
"Yes, Antoniette just told it to us last night" lalabas na sana ako ulit nang magsalita nanaman siya. Ayaw talaga 'kong pakawalan ng isang 'to.
"How about us?" my forehead just furrowed.
"What about us?"
"You should not answer my question with another question Miss Nadia Peraja."
"Alright then, you shouldn't have made me confused if you don't want me to answer you a question" naiirita kong sabi. Heto nanaman kami.
"Watch your words Miss Peraja. You're being rude again. I'm still the boss here" he teasingly said.
"And I hate that idea of you being my boss" inirapan ko naman siya and I heard him chuckled.
"Still can't get over me?"
"In your dreams Mr. Sandoval"
"Bakit? Mahal mo pa ba siya?" I was caught by his question. Hindi ko alam ang isasagot ko kaya pinili ko na lang umiling.
"Good. Because I fired him." my eyes just winded dahil sa gulat at takot.
"Wait,What?! Dahil ba 'to sa kapalpakan ko?" umiling naman siya. Napasapo naman ako sa noo ko. Naging usap-usapan kami ng chief financial officer na si Erick dito sa kumpanya. One of the staffs of the hotel saw us in the coffee shop. It's just a coincidence na pareho kaming nasa coffee shop at walang ibang bakanteng mauupuan kaya nakiupo ako sa table niya. We did a little chitchats and then boom, they all just jumped into many conclusions.
Erick is just my highschool ex boyfriend but It's just a puppy love. No more, no less. It's very impossible na magkabalikan pa kami dahil kilala 'ko at alam 'ko kung sinong mahal ko. Alam kong si Chase 'yon.
Isa sa pinaka-ayaw ni Chase ay ang masangkot ako sa kahit anong issue. One of his reasons is that sekretarya niya 'ko at ayaw niyang madamay sa mga katangahan ko sa buhay. Ayaw niya din madungisan ang napakaganda niyang pangalan. But in this case, hindi niya dapat tanggalan ng trabaho yung tao just because of those nonsense rumors. And besides, ilang taon na rin nagtra-trabaho si Erick sa dito hotel.
"It's not your fault. It's just like I don't like competitions.Ngayon, pwede na ba kitang ligawan." napaawang naman ang bibig ko sa straight to the point niyang tanong.
"No bawal! Hindi pwede!"
"Why can't I? Do you still love that coward CFO" tumayo siya sa kinauupuan niya at lumapit sa kinaroroonan ko. Pumunta siya sa likod mo kaya humarap naman ako sa kanya. Nakatalikod na 'ko ngayon sa lamesa niya.
"Ang sabi ko, hindi ko na mahal si Erick ok? And stop calling him coward 'coz he's not"
"Well yes he is. He solely broke certain terms and conditions in the contract he signed. I guess, he can't stand to that affirmation he entail" pagpapaliwanag niya pero hindi parin ako natinag
"You still can't court me Mr. Sandoval."
"For what reason? You've been neglected me for so many times. From highschool to college and until now, I'm still rejected? What the hell is wrong with you Nadia?"
"Ilang beses mo na rin tinanggihan yung resignation letter ko" I plastered a devilish smile at mas lalo naman siyang nainis. "And for your information Mr. Sandoval, hindi kita ni-reject 'nong highschool. I allowed you to court me way back then but you wasted that opportunity for some lame reason of yours."
"Same as your reasons, Nadia. I'd waited for you to work in my company for so fvcking long. It'll be worthless kung papayag akong magresign ka. Hindi ako papayag na pakawalan ka lang ng basta basta. I want to revoke that opportunity. I love you Nadia, isn't that obvious? Ganon ba kahirap sayo na paniwalaan ang mga sinasabi ko? I love you. I want to court you. I want you to be my wife, to be the mother of my child and to grow old with you. I want you to be mine and I'm deadly sincere about it" huminga siya ng malalim at unti unting lumapit sakin. Napaatras naman ako at naramdaman kong tumama na sa bandang likod ko ang mesa. Itinuon niya ang dalawa niyang kamay sa mesa na nasa likod ko. Bumilis naman ang tibok ng puso ko
"So now, I'll give you a chance to give me a very valid and acceptable reason kung bakit hindi kita pwedeng ligawan."
"It's in your company's policy Chase. We should obey the policy. Kaya bawal!" tumawa naman siya na parang may nakakatawa sa sinabi ko.
"I'm the boss. I can change the rules whenever I want"
"You're so unbelievable" ani ko habang umiiling iling
"Cause you made me unbelievable. Right now, I conceive that you don't have any more reason to reject me Nadia."
***
BINABASA MO ANG
The Sway of Love
Short StoryThis is a short story entry for the Summer of Hope contest by @RomancePH Subaybayan ang kwentong pag-ibig ng magkakaibigang sila Philip, Chase at Loyd kasama ang tatlong babaeng magpapatibok ng kanilang mga puso na sila Antoniette, Nadia at Fritz. T...