Anger illuminated from Hadeon's eyes as he continued staring at me.
He was a few inches shorter in my memories. His hair was short in my memories, too. Now, it was so long it was almost touching his shoulder. He looked like a cruel dark prince from a storybook. He had a stubble of mustache and beard. It matured and sharpened his features. His nose and lips remained the same but his eyes were of a stranger's.
"Oh." I heard someone utter.
"Do you two know each other?" I heard Mrs. Serrano ask.
Hades' jaw ticked. He turned to open the door and grabbed my wrist before pulling me out of the office without a word. I was too stunned to react. Para akong alon na natangay lang sa paghila niya sa akin.
Napansin ko ang pagtayo ng receptionist at pagkagulo sa mukha niya nang makita kaming dalawa ni Hadeon pero wala siyang sinabi.
Sa sumunod na kwarto niya lang ako dinala. It was an empty meeting room. The door made a slightly loud thud when he closed it. It made me jump. Hinarap niya ako at parang wala lang na binitawan ang kamay ko.
"What are you doing here?"
"I have a contract—"
He shut his eyes like he was annoyed. He cut me off, "Doesn't matter." Ibinukas niya ang mga mata niya. "You thought you can just kiss me like nothing happened?"
He sounded like a different person when he asked me that. Crude and harsh. A tone that my Hadeon never used on me before. I've always known Hadeon to be playful... and sweet. This was another side of him that I never saw before.
I should be thankful, right? I should be glad that he was angry at me. I would take this passionate emotion from him over being ignored by him. It would break me more if he pretended like we never happened.
And I deserved this treatment from him anyway. I hurt him. I left him and married another guy the next day. If I was in his position, I would be angry, too. No, I would be livid. I would slap him the moment I see him. I would be dress to kill and ready for my revenge. I would make sure that I would hurt him more than he hurt me for leaving me.
But those were just what-ifs. I was the one who hurt him. I broke us. I burned us down and I was the one to blame.
That doesn't mean it doesn't hurt right now though. One of the scenarios that I played in my head over and over again was that he would be angry at first, but he'd be overwhelmed with happiness to see me again. He would pull me in an embrace and reassure me that he understood. That he still loved me and that he was still mine.
"You thought that I'd come crawling back to you?" His words were like acid pouring over me. It stung.
My eyes began to heat. Seeing him look at me with disdain hurt but I'd take the pain just to look back at him.
"You left me," he gritted the words out of his teeth, like he despised every word. "You left with him."
"Hadeon," my voice broke. I reached out for him, but he aversely took a step back. I flinched at that.
"You thought I would take you back just like that?"
My tears escaped from my eyes. I looked down because I couldn't take staring at him when I was feeling this vulnerable.
"You thought you could come back and that I would willingly to be your side piece again? Someone you would see on the side?"
I shook my head. I had so many things to say. I thought I was ready to meet him again. I have memorized what I would say to him the moment we got the chance to talk, but my mouth wouldn't cooperate. I was too busy crying to answer.
"Ikaw ang nanakit sa ating dalawa. Bakit ka umiiyak?" ismid niya.
That riled me up. What did he think my tears were for? Tears of joy? To gain his sympathy? Tingin niya siya lang pwedeng masaktan?
I sniffed and defiantly raised my head. "Yes."
His eyebrows furrowed. "What?"
"To all your questions. Yes. I thought you'd come crawling back to me. That you'd take me back. That you'd settle for anything just to be with me. That you'd be mad, but you'd still take me back, kasi hindi mo ako matitiis katulad nang dati."
His indignation turned into disbelief. He looked at me like I just grew two heads. He shook his head in dismay. "You didn't change at all. You're still so damn arrogant."
He quickly turned, planning to leave. I felt fear build up in my chest. I held his arm before he could take a step away from me.
"But I also thought you'd be cold. That you'd pretend that I didn't exist, and we never happened. I thought of countless scenarios that could happen when we meet again. And in every scene, I would tell you how sorry I am, and I would beg you to take me back, I would promise to do anything to make you fall for me again... and I would tell you... that it's always been you."
Hades didn't move. He didn't say a word but his silence felt like a gap was growing between us until he felt out of reach. Hawak ko siya pero bakit parang hindi ko siya maabot?
I felt a tinge of hope when he touched my hand only to die when he did it to remove my hold on him.
"Go back to your husband," he hissed.
I was instantly alarmed. My eyes widened. "We're not—"
Lumabas na siya at mukhang hindi na narinig ang sinabi ko. It took me a second to follow after him.
He was nowhere in sight. All I saw was the female receptionist alone on her desk. Mukhang nagulat pa siya sa biglang paglabas ko.
"O-Okay lang po ba kayo, Miss Kaia?"
Of course, she knew me. I quickly wiped the remnants of tears from my cheeks. It didn't hide the fact that I looked like I just cried though. My eyes and nose were probably red.
"Si uh... Sir Hades po ba? Bumalik na po siya sa loob ng opisina ni Sir Zion," dagdag niya pa.
There was no way I was going back there for round two. I didn't want to make a scene in front of his family. I said I didn't care about my reputation over the public, but his family was a different case. I didn't want them to think that I was a crazy and obsessed ex, even though I probably was on the way to being one.
Pilit akong ngumiti at umiling. "Can you point me to the restroom?"
"Oh. Deretso lang po lampas ng elevator tapos left," she politely answered.
Nagpasalamat ako bago taas noong naglakad papuntang bathroom. I was right. I looked like I just mourned over a dead husband.
I washed my face and stared hard at my reflection.
Bumalik sa akin ang pag-uusap namin ni Hades at parang sinasaksak ulit ang puso ko dahil doon.
His words were punches and I took every hit. Knock out. But if he thought that I'd be giving up because of that, then he's wrong. I was just getting started.
Hindi na kami nagtagal sa Serrano Building. Matapos pumirma ay umalis na agad kami. I hated wearing sunglasses during meetings because it felt like I looked like an unbothered brat but I had to or anyone could easily tell that I just cried.
"Umiyak ka 'no?" akusa ni Mama Ton nang nasa loob na kami ng sasakyan. Hindi ako nagsalita pero nakatingin lang ako sa kanya. "Nagkausap kayo? Anong sinabi niya sa'yo?"
I shrugged. "He's mad. I already expected that."
"Ang ganda-ganda mo. You're Kaia Persephone Ziegler. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ikaw ang naghahabol."
"May kasalanan ako," tipid na sagot ko.
"Kung sabagay." Tumango siya. "Anong plano mo ngayon?"
Right. I had to get it together and keep my head straight. I had a plan on how to win him back and I should stick to it.
"The location for the teleserye project. I want one of the Serrano Hotels project. If it exceeds the budget for it, tell them that I'll cover the rest."
"Nababaliw ka na ba?"
That made me smile. Nababaliw na nga yata ako. "You asked for my plan."
"As far as I know, Hadeon's the current managing director of their hotels. What if he says no?"
I pursed my lips. Hadeon's mom was the next thing that came to my mind, but I knew Hadeon could easily rationalize with his mom. Sunod kong naalala si Kuya Xavi.
"Address it to Xavi Alexzander Serrano," I answered with a scheming smile.
🍷🍷🍷
Today's the first day of my shoot for Glamur Ad. It had been three days since I last stepped foot at Serrano Building. Matagal 'yon para sa akin pero mabilis na para sa kanila 'yon.
Either the team hated me or they were good at hiding it because they were all smiles when they saw me. Everyone greeted me and I smiled and waved in return.
"Ang aga natin masyado. Ang atat mo kasi masyadong pumunta," pabulong na pagalit ni Mama Ton.
Abala pa nga ang lahat at hindi pa tapos sa pag-set up. Mukhang nag-double time pa nga dahil sa pagdating ko.
"I didn't ask for a chaperone." I rolled my eyes.
"Wala ka pang P.A., bruha ka. Hindi ka pwedeng mag-isa."
Wala pa akong P.A. dahil hiniling ko na ang dati kong team ang ibigay sa akin. Emma worked at a different company so Mama Ton had to poach her and she needed to render two weeks before she can go. Si Manong Victor naman ay nakabalik na sa akin.
"It's just the Serrano Building."
"Feel at home ka naman?" ismid niya sa akin.
Hindi na ako nakasagot dahil lumapit sa amin ang managing editor na pinakilala ni Lavie sa akin last time.
"Hi, Kaia, Madam Ton," the managing editor greeted. "I'm Sam, the managing editor. I'm very sorry. Finishing pa ang ibang details sa set."
"Hi, Sam," I greeted. "No worries. I just have other business in the building kaya ako maaga."
"Oh. Great! Do you want anything? Coffee? Drinks? Breakfast?" Palipat-lipat ang tingin nito sa amin ni Mama Ton.
"No, but thanks. Can you tell me which floor Hadeon's office is at?"
Napaubo si Mama Ton. Hindi ko alam kung nasamid siya sa gulat o tinatawag niya lang ang atensyon ko pero pinanatili ko ang tingin kay Sam na mukhang nagulat sa tanong ko.
"O-Oh. You have a meeting with Sir Hades. Nasa 20th floor ang office niya. I can call their receptionist to inform them—"
"No need. I'll go there myself. Maybe you can accompany my manager to my dressing area?"
Tsaka ko lang nilingon si Mama Ton. I flashed him a sweet smile. Meanwhile, he looked like he wanted to murder me.
Hindi niya ako mapagsabihan dahil sa kasama namin. I inwardly chuckled as I left the studio.
Eyes were on me the whole ride to the elevator. May ilang nakasabay ako na nagpa-picture pa sa akin.
I confidently walked towards the reception area of the floor like it wasn't my first time here. It looked like a completely different dimension. Iba ang interiors sa floor ng Glamur Ad at ng office ng Chairman. This interiors shouted the brand of the Serrano Hotels itself, with its white and blue bordering silver palette.
"Oh my God," singhap ng babaeng nasa reception nang makita ako. Tumayo pa siya at nagtakip ng bibig. Mukhang gulat na gulat. "Miss Kaia."
I know a big fan when I see one. Bumaba ang tingin ko sa kanyang name plate bago muling tumingin sa kanya at ngumiti. "Hi, Candy. How are you?"
"Oh my God. Okay lang po." Tinakpan niya ang bibig at matapos ay huminga nang malalim. "Sorry po. Hi, Ma'am. Good morning. Welcome to Serrano Hotels. How may I help you?"
Tumawa ako. "It's okay. Do you mind pointing me to Hadeon's office?"
Agad siyang tumango at tumuro sa kanan. "Sa pinakadulo po ng hallway, yung huling pinto po. Nasa labas lang po yung assistant niya."
"Great. Thank you, Candy."
May mga nakasalubong akong employees. They all looked surprised to see me. It was a common reaction. I just politely smiled at them and focused on my goal.
I found the desk of the assistant that Candy was referring to. He gaped as soon as he saw me.
"Hi. Is Hades alone?"
"Y-Yes, Miss."
"Thank you," I bid and walked past him. Hindi na ako nag-abalang magtanong kung pwede kong makita si Hades.
I didn't knock as well. Pumasok na lang ako basta. I heard him immediately. He was standing in front of the tall glass window. One hand was on his pocket while the other one was holding the phone pressed on his ear.
He didn't seem to notice my arrival even when I closed the door behind me. I took a few steps forward and stopped to watch him in his habitat.
"Let's set a separate meeting for the event. I want full details. Even the smallest one. Problem with the suppliers, name it. I want every items on the list to be completed by next week."
His tone was so commanding. Narinig ko naman na ang pagiging pala-utos niya sa mga kaibigan pero iba yung ngayon. He sounded matured compared to before.
Matagal siyang hindi nagsalita. He remained on his spot. He brushed his long hair that was covering his collar. I noticed that he wasn't wearing his coat and only had his white dress shirt tucked in his pants. His fit hugged his body so well.
"Online," he said as he turned away from the glass. My heart jumped when he saw me. He was momentarily stunned but it was replaced with his placid resting face.
"That's all. Thank you," he bid before ending the call. Instead of closing our distance, he sat on his chair behind the desk and brought down his phone.
"Do we have an appointment?" He lazily leaned back and slightly tilted his head.
"Do I need to make an appointment to see you?" I took a few steps closer.
He was silent for a second. He then sat up straight and began shuffling through the folders in front of him. "I'm busy."
"May shoot ako sa Glamur," I offered the information but he kept on looking on some papers. "I came early so I could come here and see you..."
Hindi pa rin siya tumitingin sa akin.
"I just wanted to say hi," I lamely ended.
He finally stopped pretending to be busy and looked at me.
I shyly smiled and lifted my hand. "Hi."
His lips twitched. Maybe in annoyance. He continued looking at me. I noticed how his jaw ticked and suddenly, he was irritated.
"Mamaya pa ang call time ko. Can I stay here?"
"I have a meeting," he declared and stood up. Nilampasan niya ako para kunin ang coat na nasa sofa. "If you still want to stay here, then suit yourself."
He didn't cast a look at me as he headed straight to the door.
"I'll come back at your lunch break," I exclaimed. Tumuloy pa rin siya sa paglabas at sinara ang pinto.
Well, that fucking hurt. I looked at the ceiling and took a deep breath to stop myself from tearing up.
After gathering my composure, I kept my chin up and cooly exited Hades' office. I confirmed with the assistant whose name is Mike, if Hades had outside meetings before lunch and he said no. I told him that I'd be back by their lunch time.
I got preoccupied as soon as I came back to the studio. The heavy feeling becaue of my encounter with Hades was completely set aside. It took two hours to fix my hair and make up and the shoot went on for the rest of the morning.
Hindi pa tapos ang shoot dahil whole day ito pero maaga-aga ang pag-tawag ng lunch break dahil mag-iiba pa ng set design para sa second part ng shoot ngayong araw.
I escaped from Mama Ton while he was busy talking to the photographer. I was back to my regular clothes, just a white button up shirt and black tight pants but I had a full make up on and my hair slicked-back.
Dala-dala ko ang pina-order kong steak at avocado shake para kay Hadeon. My food was just a small serving of vegetables and boiled egg. I don't want to be bloated because I still had a shoot later.
Mas marami akong nakasalubong ngayon dahil siguro ay pa-break time na nila.
I briefly waved at Candy who was still at the reception. She didn't look as excited as she was earlier. In fact, her expression fell when she saw me.
Hindi ko na 'yon pinagtuunan ng pansin at dumiretso lang patungo sa office ni Hadeon.
"Hi," I greeted to catch Mike's attention.
"Miss Kaia, good afternoon," he greeted and even stood up.
"Good afternoon. Is he inside?"
"Opo."
"Okay. Thanks." I grinned at him and began to take a step but he quickly moved away from his desk. "May kasama po siya sa loob."
"Oh. Still an on-going meeting?"
"Yes po. At kakarating lang din po ni Ma'am Asia kaya baka po matagalan."
Naglaho ang ngiti ko. "Asia?"
"Yes po. Yung artista rin po, Ma'am. Kaibigan niyo po siya 'di ba?"
My fist tightened on the paper bags that I was holding. My insides were churning, like a dormant volcano woke up from its sleep.
I turned towards the door. I was never the warfreak type. I could handle confrontations and end fights but I would never initiate it.
Nonsensical catfights are beneath me. I prefer using my brain.
Huminga ako nang malalim at ngumiti. "You can have this. For lunch."
"Sa akin po?" He looked so confused as he accepted it.
I didn't say anything else and left that scene. Dere-deretso ang lakad ko habang kinukuha ang phone mula sa bulsa at tinawagan si Mama Ton.
"Ano?" bungad niya.
"I want to discuss my guestings and endorsements."