Clíodhna Samaniego (Inamorata SERIES 3)

Kabanata 11

The next day, I was in the middle of taking my brunch when a message popped up on my phone screen.
 
Matteo Yuhuico:

Is my seal stamp with you?

Napaangat ako ng kilay. Paano naman mapupunta sa akin ang seal niya gayung personal niyang gamit iyon. Mabilis akong nag-type ng reply.

Clíodhna:

Good day, Sir. Wala po sa akin ang seal mo.

Matteo Yuhuico:

It's in your bag. Check it.

Hmp! Kahit kailan talaga pala-utos ang unggoy na 'to!

Gustohin ko man siyang barahin ngunit hindi ko na ginawa, masasayang lang ang energy ko. Sabi nga nila, choose your battle. I get up and rummage through my bag, only to find out it's really there! How did it end up here?

Clíodhna:

Found it. Do you need it now?

Matteo Yuhuico:

If you're not doing anything, please meet Kalen. He will give you a contract and stamp my seal on it. Just bring the contract to my office.
 
I sighed before replying him. Gusto ko pa kasi sanang mag-doble ng tulog. Sabi kasi niya kagabi, puwede kaming pumasok after lunch.

Clíodhna:

Noted, sir.

I urgently finished my meal. Itinambak ko na lang sa lababo ang mga hugasin at dali-daling naligo. I wear a white sleeveless top along with a navy blue blazer and a navy blue pant suit. I paired it with elegant black pumps.
 
I applied a neutral shimmer gloss, a contour, and a neutral blush on my face. I wanted to make my almond eyes pop, so I added a bit more liner to the outer corners of my eyes. And to complete it, I add a bit of mascara to make my eyes stand out even more! Pinky-nude shade naman ang pinili ko para sa plump lips ko. Then I let my eyebrow-level bangs fall effortlessly and tied my middle-length hair in a simple ponytail. I wear my mist-gray contact lenses, and I'm good to go.
 
I had a hasty meeting with Kalen together with Myea somewhere near Mandaluyong. Nagmamadali raw sila dahil may hahabulin pa silang kontrata sa Quezon City.

"Stamp it now," Kalen ordered after I reviewed the documents. Tumayo si Myea at sumenyas sa boss niya na sasagutin ang phone niya dahil biglang tumunog iyon. "Go ahead," he motioned for her to go out.
 
Right at that moment, I noticed something about their exchange of glances. I had an instinct, a woman instinct. Kinutuban agad ako. Kaswal akong ngumiti nang ibaling niya sa akin ang kanyang atensiyon. I quickly closed the file and stood up.
"It was a pleasure dealing with you, Sir." I reached out my hand to him. Kaagad niya namang tinanggap iyon na may abot-tengang ngiti.

"I had a good day with you, Clíodhna. Mas magaan kang kausap kaysa kay Iris," he said, smiling at me.

Speaking of Iris, bigla kong naalala ang isa sa rule na sinabi noon niya noon sa akin. "If the boss gives you a sudden order, he will call you. Never entertain a message from him. He always loses his phone, and I don't know why."

Kinuha ni Kalen ang mga dokumentong iniabot ko sa kanya at inilagay ang mga iyon sa kaniyang attache case. Sinabayan pa niya akong maglakad hanggang sa parking valet ng naturang hotel.

"Ikumusta mo ako kay Matteo," pahabol pa niya bago ko paandarin ang kotse palayo sa kanya. Napatampal na lang ako sa noo ko habang binabaybay ko ang kahabaan ng Edsa. Mas pinili ko na lang na dumaan sa Rockwell bridge para mabilis akong makarating sa HQ.

"Where in the world did you go?" The guy in his gray three-piece suit's brows were knitted together.
 
Napahawak ako sa puso ko dahil sa gulat. Maging ang mga empleyadong naroon ay nabigla rin. Kanya-kanya silang balik sa kanilang trabaho. Si Iris na kalalabas lang ay tumalikod rin at bumalik sa kanyang opisina. Ngunit bago niya isarado ang pinto ay sumenyas pa siya at masiglang iniwagayway ang kaniyang kamao ng dalawang beses. "Aja, aja!" Basa ko sa bukas ng bibig niya.

Ngumuti ako ngunit napawi iyon nang sumigaw ulit si Yuhuico.

"Kalen just phoned me, and he said, "You stamped my seal on the contract! Who on earth ordered you to do that?" He furiously said this while massaging his temple.
 
I breathe in and pulled out his personal seal in my bag. Walang imik kong iniabot sa kanya ang documents kasama ang seal.

Hinablot niya iyon mula sa akin at mabilis na binuklat ang mga papeles. Pinasadahan niya ng tingin at naguguluhan siyang lumingon sa akin. "Where is the stamped documents?!" He yelled in my face furiously.
 
"I didn't stamped it," walang emosyon kong sagot.

Sanay na akong masigawan kaya wala na lang iyon sa akin. Si Dad... Si Kuya... At si Emat... I held back my emotions and fought the urge to cry. This is not the first time that someone has yelled at me in public; I'm used to it.
 
"What?! Then why is Kalen so proud while calling me earlier?!" He seemed quizzical. 
 
"Call him again and have him check the files that I returned to him." 

Tinalikuran ko na siya at pumasok sa executive office. Iniwan kong bukas ang pinto at dumiretso sa aking working area. I breathe countless times to calm myself down. I then compiled his day-to-day meetings. Inilagay ko rin sa notes ko ang ilang mahahalagang detalye para sa nalalapit na foundation.

I heard him closing the door, but I didn't bother to glance at him. I continued writing on my notes.
 
"I'm sorry, I shouted at you," he said while walking towards me.  
 
"It's fine," I said, still typing on my notes not looking up on him. 
 
"You should have told me earlier..." 
 
"How can I?" Tumingala ako sa kanya. Batid ko ang pagsisisi sa itsura niya. "Never mind..." Yumuko ulit ako at nagpatuloy sa pagtatype. "Wala namang nawala sa 'yo kaya huwag na nating pag-awayan ang bagay na iyon."

Nawalan siya ng imik at nanatiling nakatayo sa harap ko.

"Marami pa akong ginagawa." I said, shutting him.

That day, hindi kami nagpansinan. Kapag may papipirmahan ako sa kaniya ay lalapit lang ako at ilalagay ko iyon sa tabi niya. Iniiwan ko iyon at siya naman ang magbabalik niyon sa mesa ko.

Saktong alas-singko nang sabihin niyang puwede na akong umuwi. Naihanda ko na ang bag ko nang dumating ang mga magulang niya.

"We heard what happened earlier today," his mother said. "Luckily, your assistant has a fair judgment." Lumapit siya sa akin at humawak sa kamay ko. "Mabuti na lang, hija at hindi mo siya binigyan ng pagkakataong makapanloko."

"It's—"

"How did my son's seal end up in your bag?" singit ng ginoo. He gave me a doubtful look.

"Wala po akong ideya kung bakit naroon iyon sa bag ko," sagot ko agad.

"We never know what you could do." He said it accusingly, glaring at me.
 
"Dad!" Yuhuico butted-in. He walks beside me and put me behind him. 
 
I held my breath as the tension is arising. 
 
"You're taking side with this woman, again. Wake up, son! Pinapaikot ka lang sa palad niya at bibiguin ka na naman niya kapag nagsawa siya sa 'yo." His father shouted.

Kita ko ang paghila ng ginang sa kaniyang esposo at nilakihan niya ito ng mata. Kaagad namang tumigil ang huli. Sumulyap siya sa akin at humingi ng paumanhin. "Pagpasensiyahan mo na ang dalawang ito, hija."

Tumango ako. "Wala po iyon."

"I know you've been working so hard since you started working here. I am grateful that you always look out for the company's sake and also my son."
 
"It's my duty, Ma'am," I replied.
 
"I want to apologise for their rudeness... Can you please have a dinner with us?" 

Hindi ako nag-atubiling tanggihan ang alok niya. Not because I don't want to dine in with them, but because I want to make some boundaries with them.
 
Mahirap na...