Chapter 28
I never did regret doing my first with Arkiel. I'm happy that he's my first and I know he's worth it.
I started as a newbie under our company, marami pa akong kailangang matutunan sa kompanya but I couldn't find myself there. Hindi para sa akin ang kompanya and I am not inclined to be there. Ginagawa ko lang naman ito dahil yun ang gusto ni Mama sa akin, pero never ko naman din nasabi sa kaniya kung ano nga ba talaga ang gusto kong gawin. Maybe I can learn how to manage and help run the company, besided I am still on the process of learning it. No need to rush things.
Every day I went to our company to work and learn. Hindi naman ako nahirapan basta sumusunod lang ako sa mga instructions na pinapagawa sa akin. Madalas din ay nagkikita kami ni Kiel after ko sa trabaho at kumakain kami sa labas. Pero syempre todo ingat pa rin naman kami. Hindi ko alam kung kailan ko balak sabihin kay Kuya Ethan ang tungkol sa amin. Saka na lang siguro.
Trisha's been working under her mom's boutique and we sometimes get in touched kasi nagsisimula pa lang kami ang marami pa kaming dapat na matutunan.
Hindi ko lang gusto ang presensiya ni Tito Francis sa tuwing bumibisita siya sa opisina. Madalas pa ang pagbisita niya at madalas ko ring marinig ang pagtaboy ni Mama sa kaniya. Binalewala ko ang ganung pangyayari dahil alam kong safe si Mama dahil nandito siya sa office at nasa labas ako the whole time para bantayan siya.
Pumasok ako sa loob ng office ni Mama para sana magtanong pero pagpasok ko nadatnan kong wala si Mama roon. Naiwan niya pa ang phone niya rito sa mesa. Lumabas ako saglit para sana magtanong sa secretary niya ngunit wala pala roon ang kaniyang sekretarya.
Baka nasa meeting sila ngayon. Pumasok ako muli sa loob ng opisina niya. Nagulat ako nang biglang bumukas ang pinto at iniluwa roon si Tito Francis na nagulat din na makita ako sa loob ng opisina ni Mama.
"Tito, what are you doing here?" I remained calm as I asked him.
He slowly closed the door and smile at me. I don't like the way every time he looks at me, it's kind of creepy and scary. Hindi ko gusto iyon.
"Hija, I didn't know you were here." He said ignoring my question.
"My mom is not here, she's probably in a meeting right now. You may leave now." I plainly said as I stepped back from him.
"Don't be like that hija. Your mom and I were close friends since college, alam yan ng papa mo." Sabi niya pa at unti-unti lumapit sa akin.
"You look exactly just like your mom." He said. Tumigil siya nang makalapit sa akin.
"Why are you visiting her?" mariin kong tanong sa kaniya.
"I have loved your mom ever since. But she didn't love me back dahil sa papa mo. Ako sana ang minahal ni Elaina kung wala ang papa mo. That's why I am here, to claim her again." May galit ang kaniyang mga mata na tinitignan ako. So he likes my mom? That's why he's always here maybe he can win my mom back knowing that my dad is dead? How dare him!
"You're insane, you can't have my mom." Umiling ako saka aakmang aalis na pero biglang bumukas ang pinto revealing mom.
Nagulat siya nang makita ako.
"Eunice! What are you doing here?" tanong niya.
"I just visit you here to ask something but I guess, maybe I can ask it later." I said trying to remain calm.
She suddenly looked behind me where Tito Francis was.
"Francis?"
I heard him slowly walked towards us and I remained close to my mom.
"Hindi ba sinabi ko na sayo na tigilan mo na ang pagbisita rito? Umalis ka na." sabi ni Mama.
Tinignan ako ni Tito Francis at kay Mama.
"I'm sorry, I think maybe we can talk about it again, Aina."
"Please umalis ka na."
Wala na nagawa si Tito Francis at kusang umalis ng opisina. Hindi ako makapaniwalang kukunin niya si Mama mula sa amin. He will never succeed to whatever plan he is planning to do.
----
I decided to visit Kiel in the office pero I think I need to visit Trisha first. Pinuntahan ko si Trisha sa boutique ng mom niya.
"Eunice! Glad you're here." Bati sa akin ng mom niya and I went to give her a soft peck on the cheeks.
"Eunice!" agad naman akong niyakap ni Trisha saka niyakap ko siya pabalik.
"I'll leave you two here." Paalam naman ng mama niya saka umupo kami sa sofa.
"How are you? Are you doing good here?" I asked her as she sipped on her tea and put it back on the table.
"Okay naman. I'll get to use naman siguro, ikaw?"
"I'm good. There's so much more to learn sa kompanya." Sabi ko saka kinuha ang tsaa sa mesa, pero nabaling ang aking atensyon sa isang magazine na nakapatong doon.
Napansin ata ni Trisha na tumagal ang tingin ko sa magazine na iyon kung kaya kinuha niya ito. Napatingin naman ako agad sa kaniya.
"You know her?" tanong niya sabay pakita ng cover ng magazine.
Mas klaro na sa akin kung sino ang nasa larawang iyon. It was Shanaya. Umiling lamang ako sa tanong ni Trisha.
"She's Shanaya Lopez, she's pretty right? She's an architect and na-feature siya sa isang magazine before because of her iconic outfit during events and parties." Sabi niya saka binuklat ang magazine. Scanning the page of the magazine, nahagip ng aking mga mata ang isa pang pamilyar na mukha sa loob nito. Kung kaya kinuha ko agad ito mula kay Trisha.
I browse again the page and I found it. Shanaya and Tito Francis were together in the picture, they are both laughing while they're sitting on a settee.
"Sino siya?" tanong ko kay Trisha at tinuro ang mukha ni Tito Francis.
Napatingin naman si Trisha sa magazine.
"That's her father, Francisco Lopez. They even feature her dad in that magazine dahil nga sa mayaman at kilala ang kanilang pamilya bilang mga sikat na Architect dito." Sabi niya saka nagkibit balikat lang.
Napatigil ako sa sinabi ni Trisha at binasa ko agad ang nakasulat sa ibaba ng larawan. She's really her daughter at namatay ang kaniyang ina because of a brain tumor. Naka-indicate doon ang summary ng buhay niya. I can't believe that Tito Francis is Shanaya's dad.
I browsed again the pages trying to find something else and there I saw another thing. Para akong binuhos ng malamig na tubig nang makita ang larawan at ang nakasulat na malaking title doon.
"I didn't see that one," sabi ni Trisha na siguro ay nakita ang larawan.
Kiel and Shanaya were together in the magazine, they were both smiling at each other. I didn't know what to feel and even what to say anymore.
"Shanaya Lopez is engaged to Arkiel Ruste a rising architect in town." Basa ni Trisha and I heard her gasped as she looked again in the magazine.
"Arkiel Ruste? Isn't that your boyfriend?" she muttered but I didn't pay attention to her as my mind were clouded on to so many things.
There are so many things going on and I didn't know if I should be thinking about them. Tito Francis is Shanaya's dad and Arkiel was engaged to Shanaya.
So all this time, he's been fooling me? Hindi ko napigilan ang pagpatak ng aking mga luha. Umiling ako.
"It can't be." I muttered.
"Are you okay, Eunice?" I heard Trisha asked.
I need to know from Kiel. Kailangan sa kaniya ko mismo malaman at hindi dito sa magazine na ito. I need to see him right now.
"I need to go," sabi ko lang saka umalis na kaagad. Narinig ko pa ang pagtawag sa akin ni Trisha mula sa likod pero hindi ko na siya pinansin.
