Once Upon a Memory

seis

Then came the moment that made everything uncomfortable.

One of the board members, an older man unaware of their history, smiled. "With your history, this collaboration seems like a perfect match."

Silence.

The weight of the words hung in the air. Rachel shifted uncomfortably. Seb cleared his throat. Greggy's fingers tightened around the pen he was holding.

Irene, maintaining her composure, simply said, "Professionally, yes. Marcos Global and Araneta Properties complement each other perfectly."

Greggy, mirroring her tone, nodded. "That's why we're here." The meeting continued, but the tension lingered.

At one point, an investor questioned Marcos Global's capability. "With your company just relaunching, how can we be sure you can handle a project of this scale?"

Before Irene could respond, Greggy spoke. His voice was steady, firm. "Because Marcos Global has been in the industry for decades. Ms. Marcos may have been away, but her expertise is undeniable. If anyone can deliver what we need, it's her team."

Irene turned her head slightly, surprised.

The investor nodded, satisfied. The conversation moved on, but Irene was still processing what had just happened. Greggy, of all people, had defended her.

· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·

The drive to the construction site was quiet. Irene sat in the backseat of her car, flipping through the project details, trying to keep herself occupied. But her thoughts kept drifting elsewhere—to Greggy, to their past, to the weight of what this collaboration meant.

By the time she arrived, Greggy was already there. He stood near the skeletal structure of what would soon be the city's most exclusive residential and commercial space, talking to one of the engineers. Dressed in a crisp white button-down with the sleeves rolled up, he looked every bit the powerful businessman he had become.

Irene took a deep breath before stepping out of the car. She could do this. It was just business.

Greggy glanced up when he noticed her arrival. Their eyes met briefly before he looked away, his expression unreadable.

"Ma'am, Sir," one of the site supervisors greeted them. "Our teams are on their way, but there's a slight delay due to traffic."

Irene exhaled sharply. Of course there is.

"Then I guess we're stuck waiting," Greggy muttered.

Irene merely nodded, adjusting her coat. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows over the construction site, and a faint breeze carried the scent of cement and dust. It was a strange setting for a reunion—unfinished walls, exposed beams, echoes of workers' footsteps in the distance.

They stood apart, each pretending to be focused on something else. Greggy broke the silence first. "So, this is where we are now?"

Irene turned slightly. "Excuse me?"

He gestured vaguely at the site, at the two of them standing in the middle of it. "Avoiding eye contact. Talking through other people. Acting like the past never happened."

Irene's grip on the tablet tightened. "We're here to work, Greggy."

"That's not an answer."

She let out a dry laugh. "What do you want me to say? That this is weird? That standing here with you feels like—" She stopped herself. "I knew this was going to be difficult, but I didn't come back to reopen old wounds."

Greggy's jaw tightened. "Funny, because mine never really closed."

She looked away. She wasn't ready for this conversation. Not here. Not now.

They continued their silent inspection of the unfinished structure. At one point, Irene stepped forward to examine the scale model of the development. The sun cast a warm glow over the layout, highlighting the details of Marcos Global's proposed interiors.

"This was your vision?" Greggy asked, stepping beside her. Irene nodded. "One of them."

Greggy studied the design. It was sleek yet timeless—her signature. He had always admired her eye for detail, the way she blended elegance with functionality.

"It's good," he admitted.

Irene glanced at him. "I know."

A ghost of a smirk crossed Greggy's face. "Still as confident as ever."

She tilted her head. "You always said that was one of my best qualities." His expression darkened, just for a second. "Yeah. I did."

For a moment, it felt like they had slipped into old patterns—quick-witted remarks, unspoken challenges. But the weight of time and distance pulled them back.

Greggy turned to her, his voice quieter this time. "Nung umalis ka... may balak ka pa bang bumalik?"

Irene's breath hitched. She wasn't expecting him to ask that. She hesitated before answering, choosing her words carefully. "Bumalik ako ngayon, 'di ba?"

Greggy exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "That's not what I meant, Irene."

She looked down at her hands, then back at him. "Greggy..."

"No, gusto kong marinig," he interrupted, his voice firm. "Did you ever plan to come back to me?"

The vulnerability in his question caught her off guard. She swallowed. "I wanted to. But wanting something and being able to do it aren't the same thing."

Greggy ran a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated. "So that's it? That's your answer?"

Irene clenched her fists. "You think it was easy for me? Do you have any idea what it felt like—" She stopped herself, inhaling deeply. "We can't do this right now."

Greggy took a step closer, and for a brief moment, it felt like the world around them disappeared—the unfinished walls, the construction noise in the distance, the business that had forced them back together.

"You still won't give me the truth, will you?" he murmured.

Irene held his gaze. "I think we've hurt each other enough for one lifetime."

Before Greggy could respond, the sound of approaching cars broke the moment. Their teams had finally arrived.

The shift was immediate. Irene straightened her posture, smoothing out the invisible wrinkles on her coat. Greggy rolled his shoulders back, his unreadable mask slipping into place.

Patty and Rachel stepped out of the car first, their sharp eyes scanning the situation. Seb and Paulo weren't far behind, both immediately sensing the tension.

Rachel gave Irene a knowing look. "You okay?"

Irene forced a smile. "Fine."

Seb clapped a hand on Greggy's shoulder. "Lakad tayo, bro. Para hindi ka masyadong mukhang nag-aaway sa ex mo."

Greggy shot him a glare.

The site visit continued as if nothing had happened, but both Greggy and Irene knew—they had just reopened a door neither of them was ready to walk through.

And whether they liked it or not, they would have to face whatever was on the other side.