THE DEAL

TD- 2

HOW IT STARTED

She heard Celine's, her secretary, heels clicking against the floor of her office and there she closed her laptop and removed her eyeglass to look at her. Her face obviously showing nervousness.

"Ma'am," she called out and Lea could sense her trembling voice, "Sir Aga's secretary called me up, pinupull out na raw po ni Sir Aga 'yong shares niya sa company natin. At 'yong partne--"

She didn't let her finish her report and raised her eyebrow, "At hindi niya itutuloy 'yong partnership natin with Ecleo's Company? Is he insane? We just had a deal a week ago at ito ang gagawin niya?"

"Tinanong ko po kung bakit pero hindi na po nasabi nong secretary ni Sir Aga," she replied.

She knows how a Lea Salonga gets mad. Especially when it comes to her company. Everybody looks up to her because she's a hands-on CEO. She has received various awards here and abroad and is planning to have a branch of her company in New York soon. And no one comes across her. No one dares to.

"He's an asshole. Call Dawn. Tell her take care of the works here and I am going to give that Aga a slap on his face!" she replied, her voice raising a bit in frustration.

Dawn, whose office was only across hers heard her voice and so she hurriedly went inside her office, "What's happening?"

"That Aga Muhlach is getting on my nerves, D," Lea exclaimed and stood up. Dawn only threw her a questioning look, "Sabi niya, he's going to pull out all his shares even the partnership with the Ecleo's. He's crazy! He can't do that. I had the contract signed already. At inuumpisahan na natin 'yong project na 'yon."

"And what are you going to do?" asked Dawn when she saw her picking up her phone and her wallet.

"I'm going to slap him," were her final words before exiting the office. Everyone greeted her but she's not in her best mood right now.

At 25, Lea has made different achievements. She's continously making her parents proud by handling their company well. She's a well-known CEO and she even became a cover of Esquire and Time's Magazine. Her company is one of the best and top grossing companies in the Philippines and so she has the right to be the bitch—best that she can be.

She called her driver to prepare her car infront of the company.

"Manong, go, take a rest upstairs. I'm going to drive by myself."

Her driver just nodded and went inside the company. She drove off and planned how to slap his business partner, now her enemy, Aga Muhlach.

She looked around his company the moment she stood inside. Though the company's vibe sends a sophisticated feeling, she is still mad. Some of the employees recognized her and greeted her by smiling.

Along her way, she bumped with a friend, Richard, who happens to be Dawn's boyfriend and unfortunately, Aga's bestfriend, "Uy, Lea," he gave her cheek a kiss and asked, "What brought you here?"

"Your asshole friend brought me here. Is he upstairs?" she asked, her voice was with angst that it startled Richard.

"Yes, but--"

She cut him off and patted his back, "You better call D. She's been waiting for your call since this morning."

Before he could even protest, Lea made her way to the elevator and pressed 9th floor. She was fuming mad and no one could stop her.

The moment she reached the said floor and set her feet inside, the employees' faces were drawn with shock upon seeing her walking towards the office of their boss– her heels creating elegant sound against the floor, her chin's up and she was in her RBF. Despite this, some of them squealed a bit.

"Ganda talaga ni Crush!" a boy exclaimed. She noticed him and looked at him and smiled, "Shucks."

Upon reaching his secretary's office, she immediately approached her and asked, "Your boss is here, right? Let me talk to him."

"Ma'am Lea, k-kasi p--"

"You don't want to be jobless, do you?" she asked her again, giving his secretary no choice.

Just as when the secretary was about to answer, she already opened the door.

And now she's regretting that she did. In front of her is the girl's back while a pair of arms was encircled around her waist, Aga's hands most probably. Aga is kissing a girl, whom she assumed is his girlfriend and the girl seems to be enjoying it. Aga then noticed Lea standing there and so he moved and slightly pushed the girl.

"Hey, babe," called the girl.

Lea raised her eyebrow at the scene, slightly disgusted that of all the places, Aga chose to make out with his girlfriend inside his office, while his door was left unlocked.

The girl turned around and saw Lea, "Who are you?" she asked.

"Good thing that we both don't know each other. If you may excuse us?" Lea nicely replied despite the disgust in her body.

But the girl wouldn't budge, "Sino ka ba? Why are you here? Babe?" she turned to Aga, expecting a better reply but Aga just shooed her away.

"Lumabas ka muna. Mag-uusap lang kami," Aga told her. The girl started walking and stared at Lea from head to toe. She did the same as well.

"Your eyes might burn. First time mong makakita ng branded na damit?" she bluntly said, unintentionally insulting the girl.

The girl was about to slap her when she held er hand, "I don't let cheap hands land on my face. Consider yourself the luckiest because I just let my precious hand touch your skin."

"Ella," Aga called her but to everyone's surprise, that's not her name. The girl stared at her, "Okay, Hannah."

"It's Anna," she answered and walked out leaving Lea smirking and Aga scratching his head.

Aga composed himself and placed his hands on his pocket, "So, what brought you here, Ms. Salonga?"

"We both know what made me go here, Mr. Muhlach."

"Look," he walked and leaned on his table, "If you are here to stop me from pulling out all my shares in your company, you will just waste your time. You see, you even witnessed something you don't have to see," he smirked.

"You can't do that, Aga. Because we already had a deal! Inuumpisahan na nga natin 'yong project, 'di ba? You can't just pull out everything!"

"I can, of course. Lea, you can always find a better company. You may go now."

"Why are you pulling everything out, Aga? Hindi pwedeng mawala 'tong project na 'to sa akin," she told him removing her bitchy attitude she showed a while ago, "Aga, why?"

He walked towards her, "We don't always tell other people the reason."

"Sometimes, we leave them hanging and we let them find it."