Bossy Bree

25 The Tyrant

Bree POV

"Goddammit! Why the hell can't we get that building contract signed?!" Malakas na sigaw ko sabay palipad ng mga dokumentong mabilis na ikinagulantang ng mga empleyado ko. Dalawang empleyadong kabado ang natatarantang nagpulot ng mga papel na pinalipad ko sa ere. Pasalampak ako umupo sa swivel chair ko habang pilit pinapakalma ang aking sarili sa masamang balitang hatid ng empleyado ko.

"Ma-m-ma'am Mi-Mister D-Devauer is on l-line t-two." Nauutal na ani Aria habang pasilip lang ang ginawa nito sa pinto. Halatang natatakot na pumasok sa opisina ko.

Padaskol na inabot ko ang telepono.

"Devauer." Pormal na bati ko sa telepono. My voice cold and flat.

"Is this a nice time to call? You sounded angry again." May biro sa tono ni Devauer na ikinahilot ko ng noo.

"What the hell is this Devauer? Why is that building not yet ours? We've been working on this expansion for almost three years now and everything is held up just because of that damn buiding?! How long does it takes to convince the owner?  It's been six months already! And we are losing time and money here!" Naiiritang ani ko sa kabilang linya na ikinapito ni Devauer.

"I know! That is exactly my sentiments. We are even offering the owner double the amount but he doesn't budge. Not even a maybe! Does it really have to be that building?" Halata ko na din ang frustration sa boses ni Devauer.

"That's the perfect location, Devauer. We need to be at the heart of New York's business center." Giit ko na ikinabuntong hininga ng kausap ko sa kabilang linya.

"I'll try again but it's harder to even set up a meeting with the De Vega's. Those snobby billionares are full of shît! But I guess, I still have to try harder." Iritang ani Devauer.

"Do your best and triple the offer." Iyon lang at binagsak ko na ang telepono. 

"You heard me! Triple the amount." Pasigaw na ani ko sa dalawang empleyado na in charge sa paggawa ng dokumento. Nakatalikod na sila ng muli akong magsalita.

"Ten minutes. I need the documents in ten minutes." Pagkarinig non ay patakbo na silang lumabas ng opisina ko para gawin ang kontrata.

Napasandal ako sa aking swivel chair at napatitig sa repleksyon ko sa salamin sa mirror standee ko sa lamesa. I look like hell. I lost a lot of weight and there is a permanent black rim around my eyes reminding me that I never slept right. Sandali ako napapikit, I felt weary and so damn stressed. My job has become a lot heavier since Clyde left. Everything is falling apart and the board of directors is looking at me like I am about to end their careers. I have to make this expansion happen, or else it will be the end of me. Everyone is waiting for me to fail. Lalo na si Argueles. But I will fight teeth to teeth just to make this expansion push through. Isang malalim na buntonghininga muna ang aking pinakawalan bago muling bumalik sa pagtatrabaho.

Hindi ko na namamalayan ang oras kapag subsob ako sa trabaho. And I tried burying myself with work just so I can't think of anything else. It's been almost three years. Almost three years has slowly passed by without even a single sight of Clyde. Sa totoo lang, masakit isiping hindi man lang niya ako naalala samantalang walang araw na lumipas na hindi ko siya iniisip. And the only way to escape from that pain of him not remembering me, is to bury myself with work. And at the same time, so I can stop myself from thinking about him too.  Hindi ko na namalayan ang pagkatok ni Howard sa pinto ng opisina ko at pagpasok niya.

"Hey workaholic! You ready?" Ani Howard na ikinatunghay ko sa kanya na may pangungunot pa ng noo.

"Ready for what?" Tanong ko na ikinasimangot ni Howard.

"Nakalimutan mo na? I told you last week that we need to go to the APEX summit! We're receiving an award for our economic contribution." Napapailing na ani Howard.

"Oh! Ngayon na ba iyon?" Wala sa loob na bulalas ko.

"Hindi! Pumorma lang ako kasi nagpapagwapo lang ako ngayong gabi para ihatid ka." Sarkastikong ani Howard kaya naman pinasadahan ko siya ng tingin. Hindi ko nga napansin ang mamahaling suit nitong suot pati na din ang freshly brush up nitong buhok. He looked handsome in his suit pero lahat ng mga bagay na iyon ay nakakaligtas na sa paningin ko.

"Gawd! I didn't even prepare a dress! I got nothing to wear." I sounded sorry. Like I wanted to be excused from the boring gathering but the look on Howard's face says he won't let me.

"No! No excuses! I'm sure makakakita tayo sa closet mo ng isusuot mo! Anything will look just fine when you're wearing it. And besides, an award is something good to show off to our competitors, Bree. You deserve to be awarded for working this damn hard!" Ani Howard na ikinabuntong hininga ko.

"I don't want to go." Lumabas din ang katotohanan sa bibig ko na ikinasimangot ni Howard.

"Paano kung sabihin kong a-attend din ang mga De Vega? Are you still not interested to go?"
Nabuhayan akong bigla ng marinig ang pangalang kinaiinisan ko.

"Really?! Ooooh! how I hate that assh*le! Howard, we still don't have a building because of him. I don't know how else to convince him. Ugh! I have this feeling that he is deliberately turning us down because he hates the company!" Lately I've been stress out because of that De Vega and his fifty story building in the heart of New York City. I tried leasing, buying and investing. But he all turn it down without even listening to the proposal. Ang sabi ni Devauer ay nahihirapan daw siya na magpa-sked ng meeting sa mga De Vega. Ang sabi pa ni Devauer na ayon daw sa sekretarya ng mga De Vega ay agad daw sumasama ang timpla ng boss niya kapag humihingi ng appointment ang Montecillo Group of Company. That their president would flatly say no to meet our representative and without further reason why he don't want it. Where is his sense of patriotism to his own race?! It didn't even matter to the De Vegas' na pareho kaming negosyanteng nanggaling sa iisang bansa.

"You got yourself a date Howard. I want to see that assh*le face to face and ask him directly why the hell he doesn't like my company! He'll be surprise at how capable I am of turning his opinion to my advantage. I will have his name sign on this documents tonight." Agad akong napatayo, pabalang kong kinuha ang dokumentong naglalaman ng kontrata at determinadong naglakad palabas.

"I think, you'll be the one surprise by the end of this night." Rinig kong ani Howard pero binalewala ko iyon ang hindi ko na nakita pa ang lihim na ngiti ni Howard.