Kabanata 19: The Dreams...
"That's it for today, thank you everybody."
Dapat masaya ako na natapos ko ang meeting for this week pero wala, pagod lang ang naramdaman ko at gutom.
Ang dami ko ring nakain na donut kaninang umaga, yes... hindi po ako nag-almusal dahil kinain ko lang ang pagkaing pinakamalapit sa'kin--donuts.
I finished my meeting with one of our possible investors. I had to make sure that everything about my hotel is something that they would be very interested in when it comes to investing, right?
Nagpasalamat ulet ako sa mga nakarating din na mga secretaries at vice president na kasama nila, it's important to be respectful, you don't know if they really like it or not or maybe they could be just wasting their time here listening to my bullshit.
"Ms. Dixon."
Agad kong binuksan ang phone ko to check the message Silas had sent me a few minutes ago, sinabi ko na nga sa kanyang busy ako tapos nagtetext pa rin siya, he's an idiot.
"Yes, Dominic?"
"It's lunch time."
"I know."
"Would you like me to accompany you for lunch?"
"Excuse me?"
Nakalimutan ko yatang uminom ng kape, wala akong energy sa sarili kong utak kaya ganito na pinagiisip ni'to, o baka naman kasi nababaliw na 'ko?
"Lunch? With you?"
"Yes." sagot niya agad.
Inikot ko yung upuan ko at tiningnan siya ng maiigi kung may sakit ba siya o inutusan siya ng magaling kong mga kapatid na alagaan ako and to make sure that I'm eating well.
"Sinong kasama?"
"Tayong dalawa lang... just... just the two of us." he said and coughed right after.
Tangina mo naman Dominic kung makatitig ka sa'kin ng ganyan aakalain ko na may gusto ka rin sa'kin o baka mahal mo 'ko, mahirap na nga na assistant kita pero mas lalo ng pahihirapan mo yung buhay ko dahil sa mga mata mo at mga pinagsasabi mo.
"Bakit?"
"Because I want to... eat lunch with you, I want to eat with you, Ms. Dixon."
Kinagat ko yung labi ko para blanko pa rin ang ekspresyon ng mukha ko, feeling ko hihimatayin ako sa sinabi niya.
I'm trying so hard to look unbothered here, fuck you, Dominic.
"Anong pinaplano mo, Dominic? Dahil ba sa araw na yun?" binuksan ko ulet ang phone ko para idistract ang sarili ko mula sa mukha ni Dominic.
"I just want to make sure that you're eating well, you've been busy lately."
'Di naman ako gano'n ka busy, mukha lang akong busy dahil sa plano namin ni Silas na magpakasal.
Bwisit na kasalan, 'di pa rin ako handa, wala pa nga kaming nabili na damit para sa kasalan o venue kung saan kami ikakasal!
We are the worst couple ever.
But of course, we haven't announced to the world that we're officially engaged.
"I'm alright, Dominic."
"No, you're not."
"I know myself, okay?"
"You're always traveling somewhere else without even telling me where Geneva."
Natigil ako ng binaggit niya ang pangalan ko, napatingala tuloy ako sa kanya, I was caught off guard, damn.
"I-It's... business, Dominic."
"If it is then bakit 'di mo sinasabi sa'kin kung saan o sino ang pinupuntahan mo for this business, huh?"
I might have pissed him off.
I've been ignoring him too, hindi ko kasi sinasabi rin sa kanya kung saan ako pumupunta, hindi naman kasi niya gusto si Silas so how can I tell him that I've been meeting him all this time?
"Dominic..."
Fuck it, I have to be harsh to the man I love who doesn't love me back.
"Assistant lang kita, you're not the vice president of this hotel or secretary, I don't have to tell you--"
"Ms. Dixon."
Naestatwa ako sa boses niya. He interrupted me too with that tone of his voice, parang ilang beses ko na yang narinig this week, ano bang meron sa kanya?
Kaya ba siya ganito makaakto sa'kin ay dahil sa mga sinabi ko sa kanya? That he feels guilty for all the pain he's caused to me?
"Fine. I'll let you be. Just call me when you need something else." tinalikuran niya 'ko at umalis sa opisina ko.
Tangina naman, ginalit ko nanaman si Dominic. I'm sure na galit na galit siya sa'kin, alam ko naman kung bakit siya nagagalit but I can't tell him why!
He's going to hate Silas even more, tsaka isa pa si Silas mismo ang magiging asawa ko so I can't let him hate Silas like that.
I feel like problema talaga siya kay Silas, kung nanaginip ako aakalain ko na baka nagseselos siya but after what happened... I knew I had to stop thinking about it na baka nga nagseselos siya.
Sino namang 'di magagalit kapag nakikita mo yung mukha ni Silas? He's handsome, has abs and has an amazing body, killer smile, killer eyes, ang ganda rin ng kutis niya, he's also rich and intelligent.
But why?
Bakit ba siya galit kay Silas?
Anong meron kay Silas na ikinagagalit ni Dominic?
Nabigla ako ng tumunog ang cellphone ko, Silas is calling me.
Huminga ako ng malalim at tiningnan muna ang bintana ng opisina ko bago ko sinagot yung tawag niya.
"Hello?"
"Hello babe~"
"Ew, just... ew, Silas."
Muntik na yata akong sumuka dahil sa sinabi niya, did he just called me babe? He's disgusting! I swear to God! 'Di ko yata kayang magpakasal sa lalaking 'to kung tatawagin niya 'kong babe.
"What about mahal?"
"Please... just don't... tawagin mo na lang akong Aster if you want to make it sound real to them." tawa ko.
"Aster? That's adorable."
Ganito ba siya mangakit ng babaeng kinaiinteresahan niya?
Kung 'di ako nahulog kay Dominic siguro mabilis ang hulog ko kay Silas, but at the same time tinuruan ako ng mga kapatid ko to not fall for him so... it's a fifty-fifty, hindi na'tin malalaman kung mahuhulog nga ba ako o hinde.
"Ikaw? Do you want me to call you something?"
"Just Silas, wala akong palayaw."
"Thank God... bakit ka nga pala napatawag?"
"I got invited to your family dinner, Karine asked me to come."
"Bakit naman?"
Yup, it's a family dinner except wala nanaman si Norvina, busy daw siya sa trabaho at klase niya, ewan ko ba.
But it will be the first family dinner with Elijah, it's been a while kaya siguradong pinaghandaan ni mama yung family dinner just for Elijah's return.
"I asked her if she could help me talk to your father about their deal with the Maddox family."
Oh, yep! Nakausap ko yung anak nilang lalaki, I think siya yung tagapagmana, he's really nice and he seems very enthusiastic when it comes to business.
"I wanted to learn more about their family business, we've been thinking about expanding our business to America and Europe, baka matulungan nila kami."
"Alright, I think it'll be easy for you to talk to dad about that." tango kong sabi.
The Maddox family business is pretty huge, they are a Filipino-American family that's built stores and helped businesses that we now know today. Meron din silang mga negosyo dito sa Pilipinas but they want to branch and invest more.
"Your dad loves me, Aster."
"A playboy like you? Hell no." tawa ko, natawa rin siya sa sinabi ko.
"Do you want me to pick you up? Samahan na kitang pumunta doon, ayaw mo yun para pagtakahaan nila kung bakit magkasama tayong dalawa?"
I guess it will give them a bit of an idea na may nangyayari na sa pagitan naming dalawa.
Silas is so smart, why am I always so late and ignorant when it comes to these kinds of things?
"Hm, okay. That's good, pero alam mong papagalitan ako nila Karine, 'di ba?"
"That's another bonus for you!"
"Bakit sa'kin lang?"
"Because your sister is Odelette Karine D. Dixon! It's your destiny."
Sasawayin ako ni Karine, sure ako ni'to.
She'll get mad to why I'm hanging out with a player like him samantalang alam naman din niyang matalik na magkaibigan kami, she just doesn't want me to get played around.
Pero alam naman niyang si Dominic ang mahal ko, right?
"Hanggang anong oras ka ba?"
"6:00 pm, I don't want to be late for that dinner, Cerine is going to be asking multiple questions, it scares me."
"Let's go at 6:15 or 6:30."
"Di mo ba narinig sinabi ko?" naiirita kong tanong sabay ayos ng lamesa ko.
"Yes, but do you want them to get a hint or not, Aster? Kailan nga na'tin papaniwaliin na may something na tayong dalawa, 'di ba? And..."
'Di pa siya tapos? Nakakapagod na, ano namang gagawin namin for thirty minutes? Aasarin niya lang ako, tch.
"...your lovely assistant cannot come with us, okay?"
"He's my assistant, inuuwi niya rin ako minsan kasi siya yung driver ko, he's going to be my driver today!"
Shit, natandaan ko na ginalit ko siya kanina lang. It'll be an awkward ride later on, fuck, just fuck this.
"Just tell me I'll be picking you up, Aster. Magiging maayos ang lahat."
"He's upset, okay? Ginalit ko siya?"
"Ginalit mo? Pake ko kung ginalit mo siya? Just tell him that I'm picking you up and that's final, sa palagay mo ba may time pa tayo para isipin yang assistant mo, alam kong mahal mo siya but this is a plan."
"We just made this plan up... ngayon lang."
"It's still a plan, and it's happening. Magkahawak din ng kama--"
"Fine, fine! And no holding hands!"
Ugh, holding hands with Silas? Masusuka o mababaliw ako, it's one of them at this point.
Ayoko kaya nun! Ayoko talaga! Ugh! I don't want to even think about it.
"Pabebe naman ni'to..."
"Anong sabi mo?"
"Okay na, okay na... just tell him, okay? I don't care if he gets upset, you're his boss and he's just an assistant, I'll pick you up later, bye."
What's up with him? Parang ang init ng ulo niya?
I've never heard him sound like this, para bang galit siya, baka naman kasi ang dami niyang trabaho today, right?
Silas is strict when it comes to work, it's normal.
Nakalimutan kong kumain ng tanghalian dahil kay Dominic, natatakot akong makita siya sa labas, it'll be just awkward between us. I'm sure na nakakain naman na din siya, I've seen him eat by himself a few times sa sarili niyang opisina malapit sa'kin.
I made sure na nasa loob lang ako ng opisina ko, kinain ko pa yung candy na binili ko nung nakaraan pa para lang sa lalamunan ko, baka maubo kasi ako sa meeting.
Narinig ko ang katok ni Dominic sa may pinto at nagtama ang mga mata namin sa isa't-isa pagpasok niya sa loob ng opisina ko.
"Yes? May... kailangan ka ba?"
Well, this is awkward.
"I'm here to take you home for the family dinner." sagot niya.
"Oh."
Oh, right. Paano ko nga ba sasabihin sa kanya na may maguuwi sa'kin doon sa mansion? I forgot about that, I really did.
"Uhm... well... you can go first."
Yun na lang ang nasagot ko, ewan ko ba kung bakit yun ang lumabas sa bunganga ko, I'm too nervous, kung makatitig siya sa'kin parang may nagawa akong kasalanan sa kanya at gusto niyang aminin ko ang kasalanang nagawa ko.
Ano ba siya? Cardo Dalisay, is that you?
And feeling ko rin mali yung nasabi ko sa kanya, naging seryoso yung titig niya sa'kin eh.
I am going to upset him again, Silas.
"Overtime?" tanong niya.
"Yes... I-I think... may meeting ako, mabilis lang."
"But you can't be late to the dinner, Geneva."
'Di ko gusto yang tono ng boses niya, nakakaakit at nakakahulog ng panty, sinasabi ko sa inyo kung kailan ako nagmomoveon tsaka siya ganyan, grabe naman 'to oh.
"I-I know... but..." muntik ko ng mabitawan yung phone ko at yung document na hawak ko sa kaba.
I swear the things he does to me and it drives me crazy. I'm a completely different person whenever he's around.
Sinusubukan ko ba talagang makamove on o magletgo man lang?
"But? Are you meeting Mr. Maddox again?"
"N-No... another person..."
"A man or a woman?"
"M-Ma--"
"Man? Who is this man?"
He sounds like Karine for some reason and I'm scared. I really am. Napalunok ako sa takot, I can't tell him! Bwisit ka kasi Silas! Bakit kasi ang sama ng reputasyon mo at hilig mong mambabae?
Nadadamay ako! Putangina ikakasal din tayo eh!
"Alam mo naman... 'di ba?"
Baliw ka talaga, Geneva. Baliw ka talaga! And you can't even lie properly?
Damn you!
"No." natigil ako sa sagot niya.
Halos magkikita na yung magkabila niyang kilay, ang diin din ng titig niya sa'kin. Gagalitin ko nanaman siya, I don't want this anymore!
"Hindi ko alam, Geneva."
Ngayon ramdam ko na talaga na baka may nagawa nga akong kasalanan sa kanya, hindi na 'ko makahinga dito, 'di ko na talaga kaya, tatakbo ako sa takot dito!
"Aster!"
"Thank God..."
Narinig ko ang boses ni Silas at kahit si Dominic nagulat sa boses ng lalaking kinasusuklam niya.
His face changed and not in a good way, I'm so scared for my life right now.
"Aster, you're here!" nakangiti niyang sabi sa'kin sabay pasok sa loob ng opisina ko, he didn't even look at Dominic who is staring right at him.
"Tapos ka na ba? Should I help you out?"
"Him?"
I froze.
"He's the one you're meeting, Geneva?"
Oh my God, did he just say my name in front of Silas? As in... Silas Nakamoto?
Sa'kin nakatingin si Silas at ang lawak din ng ngiti niya, ngiting pang-asar, aasarin niya 'ko mamaya, rinig ko na nga ang iaasar niya sa'kin.
"Yeah." sagot ni Silas, mas lalo lang lumawak ang ngiti niya habang iniling ko ang ulo ko sa kanya so he could stop talking!
"We have a date."
"Date?" his jaw clenched at Silas' words.
What is this energy inside my office?
"We're supposed to have a date but my Aster is a workaholic, so I guess I'll just have to drive her to the family dinner tonight."
Inakbayan niya 'ko sabay harap kay Dominic na may pang-asar na ngiti sa labi niya, para bang pang-asar kay Dominic.
Feeling ko talaga may nangyari sa kanilang dalawa, what is wrong with them?
"Tonight?"
Napunta sa'kin ang pokus ng mga mata ni Dominic, 'di talaga nakakatulong 'tong Nakamoto na 'to!
"So he's taking you there?"
"Y-Yes, he is..."
'Di ko na napigilan ang sarili ko, I just have to stop this energy inside my room, nalulunod ako eh.
Huminga ako ng malalim at tiningnan siya mata sa mata.
"He was invited and... we decided to just come together. You can go first, Dominic. Silas and I will come after."
I'm sorry, Dominic.
It will make sense later on, this is a plan that we must go through together, kaming dalawa lang si Silas.
I promise you na tinanggap ko ang plano ni Silas para sa'yo, everything is for you and for your safety.
"Fine, I'll leave now, Ms. Dixon, Mr. Nakamoto. I'll see you both later."
Kinurot ko yung gilid ni Silas dahilan para mapatalon siya agad mula sa'kin.
Baliw ba siya? Sinabi na lang sana niya na naimbitihan siya, 'di naman niya kinailangan na sabihin na may date dapat kaming dalawa, baliw!
"Baliw ka talaga! I hate you so much! Idiot!" bulong ko.
"What? I had to lie!" bulong niya pabalik pero binato ko na lang yung dokyumento sa mukha niya bago kami bumaba sa parking lot to get going.
Agad kong napansin na nasa loob yung assistant niya sa kotse, she waved at me and I waved at her back.
She seems like a really nice girl, ang ganda rin niya, 'di na 'ko magtataka kung hindi interesado si Silas sa kanya.
"Not even a kiss, Nakamoto?" I teasingly said.
"No, Aster."
Nah, I'm sure na may nangyari na sa kanilang dalawa.
He's just denying it right now but I'm sure he'll admit to it later on.
"She'll be with us because I'm invited to a family dinner that involves business there, she'll be a great help to me."
"Whatever you say, Nakamoto~" tawa ko.
Pumasok na kami sa loob ng kotse, Silas is driving while Harriet is busy reading some paper at her IPad, hanggang ngayon nagtatrabaho pa rin siya?
"Okay, gutom ka ba, Aster?" tanong ni Silas as he turned on the engine.
"Not really? Bakit?"
"Just be hungry, okay? I'm hungry."
"Fine."
"Mr. Nakamoto." sugod ni Harriet sa tabi niya.
"We'll be late."
"It's not like it's the end of the world, Harriet, we'll be okay, alright?" sagot niya sabay ngiti kay Harriet, napangiti naman din si Harriet na para bang ngiting kinikilig dahil nakangiti yung crush niya sa kanya.
Luh, tapos sabi walang nangyari, okay? Assistant lang ba talaga? Ha? Assistant lang, Nakamoto?
Landi niyo huy!
"Do you want anything, Harriet?" he asked as he parked in the lot next to Jollibee.
Pang-ilang Jollibee na ba namin 'to? Jollibee na yung laman ng tiyan ko, jusko.
"No, no sir."
"Alright, ganun pa rin sa'yo?"
"Yep."
"I'll be right back."
Oh well, mukhang gutom talaga si Silas.
And yeah, I should have ate too earlier pero hindi dahil kay Dominic.
Kakain lang ako ng konti baka mabusog ako wala pa nga kami sa family dinner.
Shit, what is this feeling? I feel goosebumps all over my body, para bang... para bang may nakatitig sa'kin?
Napatingin ako kay Harriet na nakatingin sa'kin sa may salamin sa harap niya.
"Is there something you want to tell me, Ms. Harriet?" nakangiti kong sabi sa kanya.
Blanko lang ang ekspresyon niya sa salamin pero nakatingin pa rin siya sa'kin, it's our first time meeting each other, just the two of us without Silas.
She's observing as his assistant... o baka nagseselos siya dahil lagi kaming magkasama ng crush niya?
Ayie!
"No, Ms. Dixon. You're just... really gorgeous."
"Salamat, ikaw naman din."
And then she smiled at me before returning her focus at her IPad. I couldn't help but observe her, she's pretty and I bet she's hardworking too.
"Ilang taon ka ng nagtatrabaho para kay Silas?"
"Two years, Ms. Dixon."
"Di mo na 'ko kailangang tawagin na Ms. Dixon. Just call me Geneva."
She smiled at me again by the mirror, ang ganda niya talaga. I'm sure na interesado si Silas kay Harriet, I'm sure of it.
"Then please... just call me Harriet."
"Sure, Harriet."
I didn't want to bother her anymore, mukhang busy siya sa kung ano mang meron diyan sa IPad niya.
Maybe I'm having goosebumps because I'm nervous about this family dinner, maybe that's it.
That's really it. Malapit naman na din kami sa mansion, pero bakit ba 'ko kakabahan samantalang family dinner lang naman yung pupuntahan namin?
"Ouch..." bulong ko sa sarili ko ng malaglag yung bag na nasa may gilid ko, baba lang ng bintana ng kotse sa side ko.
Bakit niya ba dito nilalagay yung bag niya? Pwede namang sa upuan dito sa tabi ko?
Ooh, baka may tinatago siya ha.
Well, it's none of my business.
"Oop."
Nakabukas din yung bag at nalaglag yung papel, kinuha ko yung papel sa baba, I was just about to put it back to the bag ng naaksidente kong nabasa yung pangalan na 'Villanueva' sa papel.
I couldn't help it, I wanted to see what is written in this letter. Pagdating sa mga Villanueva 'di ko lang talaga napipigilan ang sarili ko.
And so I read the paper.
And it was bad. No, it was terrible.
Napahawak ako sa bag sa takot, hindi lang takot pero kaba, hindi ako makapaniwala sa nababasa ko.
I was breathless, I couldn't breathe, it was too much.
Silas... received this letter? What the actual fuck?
"Hey, how's everybody. Ang dami kong binili, don't worry... I'll eat all of them. Geneva, here."
Tinago ko yung papel agad sa loob ng bag at dahan-dahan na ibinalik yung bag kung siya nahulog sa may baba ng bintana sa gilid ko.
"S-Salamat... Silas."
"Of course, next time ilibre mo naman ako, okay?"
I didn't know.
Wala akong alam na ganito pala kalala ang sitwasyon ni Silas at ang pamilya niya.
This is just... bad, just bad!
Silas had to live a life enduring this piece of shit? This stupid family! This stupid Villanueva family?
First, it was the Diamante's, then Aida's mother, Dominic, and now... Silas?
Ano bang nagawa ni Silas sa pamilyang yun at nadadamay siya at ang pamilya niya?
It was too much for me. I want to get out, I want to... fucking slap the shit out of that goddamn bloodline!
Putangina naiiyak din ako para kay Silas, he had to endure this shit, damn it!
"Geneva?"
"O-Oh?"
"We're here."
'Di ko namalayan na nandito na pala kami, nalunod ako sa takot, sa galit, sa lungkot. All emotions that I didn't know I would experience at once.
"Alright."
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm okay. I-I... am. Pagod lang ako, I'll be okay."
"I'll wait fo--"
"No!" sigaw ko at hinawakan ang braso niya.
Shit, shit. I'm out of control right now. Inalis ko agad ang kamay ko mula sa braso niya at ngumiti sa kanya.
No, no... I can't.
I can't ruin this now. I can't let myself be ruined because of that letter.
"I'll go with you..." I smiled widely at him.
Yes, I can't ruin this.
Silas trusted me with this plan. Kaya ako ang kinausap niya dito, he trusts me, he needs me, my best friend needs me.
Hindi na ito responsibilidad bilang Dixon, hindi na ito yun. This is dangerous for Silas, this is dangerous for his family, they are in danger.
This Villanueva doesn't want to steal the family, or bring it down... they don't.
Hindi yun ang plano nila.
"Geneva, you're late."
"Aster, you're here. Where were you?"
Masaya ako sa pamilya ko, we're all happy, we're a big happy family, and I'm always grateful for that.
But what about Silas?
Paano na ang pamilya niya dahil sa taong yun?
Because of greed, money... the world?
Ilang pamilya pa ba ang sisirain nila?
"Dad, mom, and my sisters... everyone."
Hindi nila gustong manira ng pamilya this time, hindi nila plano na sirain ang pamilya ni Silas.
"Sorry for being late... I came with Silas today."
"Bakit? Bakit kayo magkasama, hm?"
Hindi lang nila planong pabagsakin ang mga Nakamoto.
"Because we're together."
Mas malala ang pinaplano nila.
"T-Together?"
"What do you mean by together?"
And I have to save Silas, his family, and everyone in my family too.
Damay damay na kami dito, hindi lang siguro ang mga pamilya namin pero pamilya rin ng iba.
"We're engaged."
They're planning to kill Silas.
"We're getting married."
'Malapit na rin ang huling araw mo, Nakamoto.'
- de Villanuevas