Unrequited

Chapter 7: The Calling Card

The next day, Ara is working on with what she said last night during the event, the acquisition of a recording studio and a talent center. She have known before that her parents acquired it and who owns it. She gets surprised that Patrick is now an employee, and not the owner this time. She recalled how she felt pity about him when she knows about it. She recalled how dedicated he is to put up that kind of business and how he was able to manage it with much dedication. She reckoned what happened to him during the 5-years time and the reason that he sold it 3 years ago. As she read the financial reports, it has a terribly low income. She read the credentials of each employee there, but they are all not qualified for the proposal she is going to make. She thinks aloud, then arriving at 2 options - they will all be replaced, or they will all undergo training. She asked for a report on cost-benefit analysis of her 2 options, then the result makes her feel bad, but she needs to do so. In order to relief herself from that guilt - feeling, she said to herself "who cares?"

The Accountant presented the third option but she rejected it, as she already made up her mind with the 2 options. And at the same time, to give revenge to Patrick, who causes her much pain in the past. Then she requested for the replacement of that recording studio and talent center and send them memo of prior notice. "Let's see Patrick!"

Meanwhile, Patrick asked Lance if they could talk somewhere, only the two of them. At the Manila bay, Patrick is waiting until Lance arrived.

"Lance, anong ginawa mo sa kanya kagabi? Sabihin mo! Alam kong may gagawin ka sa kanya na hindi ko magustuhan!"

"Ah ikaw pa ang may ganang magalit sa 'kin! Oo Bro, may masama akong ginawa sa kanya, ang sarap sarap nga nya eh! Tinikman ko ang tinikman mo! Kaya nga pala ngayon ay baliw ka pa rin sa kanya!"

"Walang hiya ka! Matalik kitang kaibigan, tapos eto gagawin mo sa 'kin!" Patrick, without hesitation, throws Lance with a fist immediately.

"Ha! Kung makaasta ka para kang may mabuti kang nagawa sa kanya. Ako, mahal ko sya, iniwan ko ang asawa ko dahil sa kanya, eh ikaw, anong ginawa mo sa kanya? Pinalitan mo lang sya sa ex mo dahil sa kalandian mo!"

Patrick, feeling emotional this time, finally said, "Eh alam mo Lance kung gaano ako nagdurusa sa pag-alis nya, kung gaano ako nagsisisi sa ginawa ko sa kanya. Tapos ngayon, ginalaw mo lang sya nang ganon ganon lang."

"Eh mahal ko sya Bro. Sabi ko sa yo liligawan ko sya tapos pumayag ka ligawan ko sya."

"Ngunit hindi ko sinabi Lance na galawin mo sya, kilala ko sya Lance."

"Ah you see her now as a vulnerable woman. I do not see her that way, never! I never see her like what you see about her. I see her as a strong woman who was able to cope up with all those sacrifices in life especially the pain that she have got because of you. That's the way I love her, until now. And you, until all this time, you view her as an easy girl, right? The reason why you get bothered on both of us and also with the guys around her last night, right?"

"No Lance! Bawiin mo ang sinabi mo! Hindi yan totoo!"

"Oh c'mon Bro, you keep denying it for all these years already Bro. You do not love her actually. You only love yourself and you cannot accept that you lose her because of your ex who knows nothing but only material thing. And now she was able to uplift herself and be the best that she can. It is not the love that you feel Bro, it is your ego that you only replaced her with a girl who messed up your life. Wake up Bro! "