Love Me Harder (Contract Series #2)

Chapter 04

"I'm sorry," the woman said when she's accidentally bumped on me, papers that she's holding scattered in the floor. Yumuko ako para tulungan siya. "Thank you. Pasensya na ulit," she said when I hold her the paper, giving it back to her.

"No, that's fine. Welcome," I said while giving her a small smile.

I was looking at her hand for a minute as she offered her hands to me for shake hands.

"I'm Ylaiza," she'd introduced herself. "Ylaiza Yamamoto from financial department. You?"

"Janine Mendoza, Ja for short," I said while slightly shaking her hand. "Mr. Bartolome's secretary."

I saw the amusement in her eyes after hearing my statement.

"Ah, ikaw pala 'yon. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you," ngumiti ako ng pilit.

"Alam mo, ang swerte mo kasi malaki magpasweldo yan si Sir. Aldrin. Galante 'yan tapos gwapo pa pero medyo masungit. Akala mo palaging nireregla."

Kung may iniinom lang ako ay paniguradong nabulunan na ako ngayon.

Ylaiza and her wordings is unbelievable. Hindi ko tuloy mapigilang matawa sa sinabi niya.

"Sinabi mo pa..." I replied to her.

"Pero aminin mo, pogi kahit bugnutin." Pabiro niyang tinusok ang gilid ko. We just met now but it seems like we know each other for years o baka dahil feeling close lang talaga siya.

"Not my type," I whispered. Totoo naman. Looks is a big factor but not the whole criteria, dahil kung masama ang ugali ng isang tao kahit gaano pa siya ka-attractive, basura parin siya sa paningin ko. "Looks can be deceiving—"

"I'm not paying you both for you to talk about someone else's business."

Parang nanlamig ang buo kong katawan ng marinig ang pamilyar na boses na 'yon na sumingit sa usapan namin ni Ylaiza.

Kanina pa ba siya nandyan? Narinig niya ba siya yung pinag-uusapan namin?

He creased his forehead when our eyes met. "You two! Go back to work, now!"

Kumaripas ako ng takbo pabalik sa office ko, ni hindi ko siya nilingon dahil parang kakainin ako ng lupa sa kahihiyan.

I bit my lower lip while I wiped my faced, putting my back on the door of my office. Locked it out.

Shit!

--

After lunch, I make myself busy so I can avoid thinking about what happened earlier. Para rin matapos ko na 'tong ginawa ko at pag-correct ng grammar ng letter na pinapa-proof read sa'kin for tomorrow's business conference.

I don't know if it's still part of my duty but I just did it anyway. Wala ba silang grammarian?

I also need to make schedule draft ng mga events, meeting, endeavours for this week and for next week, it includes the name of the client and the amount that were agreed on.

Sa sobrang dami kong ginagawa, wala akong ganang kumain kanina. Sumubo lang yata ako ng kaunti para magkalaman lang ang tiyan ko. Masakit din ang ulo ko pero ni hindi ko magawang pumunta ng clinic para humingi ng gamot dahil sa sobrang busy.

Madalas din kasi ako mag-over time para lang matapos ang mga gagawin dahil iisipin ko lang 'yon once I went home. Ayoko namang dalhin sa condo dahil ayon na nga lang ang oras para makapag-pahinga ako tapos iuuwi ko pa.

I should know how to manage my time, have work and life balance.

Sino ba niloloko ko?

Ayokong magaya sa parents ko na buong buhay yata nagtratrabaho, kaya nakalimutan nilang may anak silang nangungulila sa Pilipinas. Ni wala silang oras para sa'kin.

Natawa ko ng pilit.

Naalala ko na naman sila... Ako ba inaalala nila?

Ms. Diaz:

You can get the papers in my office now.

Tumigil ako sa ginagawa, ibinaba ang laptop at tatayo na sana ako palabas ng pintuan nang mapatalon ako sa gulat.

He is staring at me, standing right in front of my office door. Nakapasok ang kamay sa pagitan ng mga braso habang nakasandal doon.

What he's doing here? Not that he's not welcome here, but do he need something from me?

"B-bakit po, sir?"

He grinned. "Ano kaya pa, Ms. Jm?" Mayroong pang-aasar na tono sa boses niya.

I remind myself to calm down. "Yes, sir."

Hindi ko na lang siya pinansin dahil wala namang mangyayari kapag papatulan ko ang pang-aasar niya. That was waste of energy and time. After all, I'm working for him. Boss ko siya.

Iisipin ko na lang na nakikipagtalo ako sa bata para magkaroon ako ng mahabang pasensya para hindi mapuno sa kanya.

"Excuse me," I told him while trying to walk pass him.

Kailangan kong magmadaling pumunta sa 14th floor dahil baka hindi ko na naman maabutan si Ms. Diaz pero paano ako makakaalis kung nakaharang siya sa pintuan.

"And where do you think you're going?" He made a moved sideward so he can invade the space in my left side. I have no place to go.

"I need to go back to Ms. Diaz office—"

"Kinakausap pa kita."

Ano bang problema niya? I just want to live my life and do my job dahil alam kong magagalit siya kung hindi ko gagawin ng maayos ang trabaho ko, pero bakit hindi niya ko hayaang gawin 'yon ng mapayapa.

I lose the argument and didn't say anything. Hinawakan ko ng bahadya ang sintido ng may maramdamang sakit doon. Mistulang tumitibok 'yon ng kusa.

"Just tell me if you can't do the job so I can replace you and find someone better to do these tasks."

I didn't replied to that but instead, I make a step forward to walk out of that room but before I could even make a move, I found myself laying in the floor.

Minutes after I'd lose my senses.

And everything went blanked.

©JeraldAlde