THE LOVER : Lucius Marco

[Treinta Y Seis] CUT

"Sí, mi hijo. Sooner or later, we'll reign higher than we already did." Bakas sa tono ng boses ni Maximo ang paninigurado na para bang nabasa na niya ang hinaharap at siguradong mangyayari ang sinabi niya nang walang duda.

Raffaello chuckled at the thought of it. Kung ang pamilya mo ay nakakamay-ari ng malaking kompanya at may potensyal pa itong mas lumaki, sino ang hindi matutuwa?

He paused then stared at his father. "Pero Papà, why do you have to send it to me instead of just asking Lucius? He knows more about showbiz than I do." Ani nito pero unti-unting nawala ang kurba ng ngiti na nakaguhit sa labi ni Raffaello nang tumawa lamang si Maximo.

"Por qué debería? (Why should I?)" Raffaello's smile completely vanished when Maximo asked the question.

"To have a high change to fail and make a mistake again?" dagdag pa nito at saka ininom ang sariling whiskey sa baso niya. "De ninguna manera. (Not a chance.)" Sabi nito pagkatapos lunukin ang whiskey.

There's a moment of silent and thinking between Raffaello and the situation right now but it didn't took long for his lips to curve into a small smirk.

"Estás bien. (You're right.)" He agreed.

A sly smile has formed on Maximo's face but it worn off when he got distracted to a knock from his door. Maximo immediately ended the ca with his son, not even bidding goodbye nor saying that he has to go. It's like he just turned off a light switch.

"Come in." He demanded. As the door opened, his smile appeared again as he saw Emmanuela and her manager enter his office.

"Ah, mi diamante~" he called Emmanuela, his diamond.

Napangiti naman si Emmanuela bago ito umupo sa upuan sa harapan ng desk ni Maximo, ganon din ang manager niya na si Kirsten.

"Good morning po, Sir—"

"Oh, please, hija. Call me Papá from now on. Afterall, how can I not let a woman this gorgeous and who brought me fame once again to call me Papá, hm? Isn't that right, Kirsten?" Maximo cut off Emmanuela's sentence with his. His voice lacing with boastfulness and confidence and he looked at Kirsten as if he yearns for her agreement.

Kirsten, sitting still on the chair, glanced at the CEO then did a firm nod before answering, "I agree, Sir." She answered in monotone, it almost sounds like she's a robot.

Napangiti na lamang si Maximo at saka napatingin ulit kay Emmanuela. "Ah, okay po, Papá." Bakas sa boses ni Emmanuela ang pagdadalawang isip kung tatawagin ba talaga niya ng ganoon si Maximo o hindi pero nagawa niya din naman.

"Now that sounds better." Mas lumaki ang ngiti ni Maximo nang sinabi niya ito.

Bigla namang naramdaman ni Emmanuela na parang umikot ang sikmura niya nang makita ang ngiti ng matanda. Mabait naman siya sa kanya nitong nakaraang linggo pero habang tumatagal ay hindi nakokomportable si Emmanuela 'pag kasama niya si Maximo. Alam niyang masamang mag-isip ng ganito, lalo na siya ang boss niya. Mas komportable pa siyang makasama si Kirsten.

"Yesterday, Kirsten sent me the rate of how our sales went up immediately after releasing the magazine," panimula ni Maximo, nasa mukha pa din niya ang ngiti. Nanatili pa din walang emosyon ang mukha ni Kirsten. "And a lot of netizens are praising you online," dagdag pa niya. Napatango na lamang si Emmanuela at saka bahagyang napatulala ito sa narinig niya.