Through Secrets Unveiled

Chapter Twenty-Five - Are You Ready?

STACEY STARED AT HER PHONE. It was another day at VVatch. As usual, Paige was giving her the silent treatment.

“I already sent my proposal to Cherry,” Stacey coolly broke the silence.

She leaned at her seat’s backrest and sipped through the straw a refreshing icy pomegranate juice in the tall cup she was holding. Nakaabang ang mga mata niya kay Paige.

Paige, in her open brown coat, white collared button-down blouse and high-waist coffee trousers, didn’t show the slightest of reaction. Tuwid ang posturang nakaupo ito sa karaniwang pwesto, sa sulok ng table malapit sa pader. Nakayuko ang ulo nito, palipat-lipat ang tingin sa graphic pen na gamit at sa naka-stand na screen ng tablet.

Well, this is kind of disappointing . . . She’s hard to shake.

Binaba ni Stacey ang cup. Her moist lips popped before she puckered them in to dry.

“We don’t have to put your previous designs on sale. Hindi rin naman pumayag si Renante.”

“I came here late, because I went straight to Renante’s office,” Paige spoke, not lifting an eye on her. “We already talked about it. Pumayag na ako sa discounted sale ng mga designs.”

Pigil ni Stacey ang mapasinghap.

“You— No hard feelings?”

“What for? This is business. We have to save VVatch at any cost.”

Napatitig siya kay Paige. She never knew that the Ice Queen, will somehow take her recommendation.

“What made you change your mind?”

Patuloy lang si Paige sa ginagawa. Hindi siya nito sinagot.

“Did you talk about it with Ronnie? Is he in favor with my idea? He changed your mind?”

“Kailangan mo pa ba talagang alamin?” nagtitimping titig nito sa kanyang mga mata.

“I... I just want to know!” Mali na ba ngayon ang magtanong?

“Just be happy that we are doing things your way,” matabang nitong wika at nagpatuloy sa pagguhit ng disenyo sa tablet nito.

Ilang minuto rin sila natahimik. Stacey could not take her eyes off of Paige.

“Sana, iba ang atmosphere sa pagitan natin this coming weekend. Sa dinner.”

Natigilan saglit si Paige. Ewan kung dahil ba sa sinabi niya o may kinalaman sa dino-drawing nito ang paghintong iyon.

“We will be in-laws one of these days. I really want us to get along very well. Sana sa trabaha lang tayo ganito, Paige.”

Hindi siya nito inimik. Tila nagpigil lang itong matawa nang nang-uuyam. Nakapuslit kasi ang sarkastikong ngisi sa sulok ng labi nito.

Nag-aalinlangan si Stacey kung hahayaang sa ganito na lang matapos ang pag-uusap nila. Dahil hindi na magsalita pa si Paige, binalik niya ang tingin sa laptop screen na kaharap. Nakalahad sa screen ang pdf copy ng company policies ng VVatch. If she wanted to help Renante, she had to be well-versed with how his company works.

Pasilip-silip din si Stacey sa kanyang mga emails. Pero wala pa siyang natatanggap na sagot sa kanyang proposal mula sa secretary ni Pierre Gallardo.

Instead, when Cherry’s email arrived, it did not mention anything about her proposal to add Rosa Cobra in the designs that they will produce. Ang laman ng bago nitong email ay imbitasyon na bumisita sa susunod na linggo sa factory ng Gallardo’s sa Muntinlupa. Iyon ay para ma-check nila ang bagong dating na mga raw material na gagamitin sa paghahabi ng wriststraps ng mga relong ipo-produce ng VVatch.