I decided to go to work on that Monday morning. I am not sure what else I can do now that Allen is still in the hospital, but I also wanted to see if there are any leads, I can look at to progress my investigation. When I arrived at the office, I could see the eyes of the other employees maliciously whispering in front of me. It's obvious gossip has been flying here and there, probably they have heard that I was with Allen in a private beach house naked and shot to death.
Oh well, it's a fact anyway.
I tried to shrug off the uneasy feeling while I put on a brave face acting courageous than I originally felt. When I reached my floor, Kyla and Lien were there having their morning briefing. They stopped midway as their eyes went in my direction.
"The audacity of this woman! Gaano ba kakapal ang mukha mo para magpakita ka pa dito?" Lien sarcastically said she was more aggressive and confident than usual. She might be thinking that since Allen is away for now, she can exercise her power.
Pathetic.
"Ano ba ang kasalanan ko sa iyo Lien? Why are you so mean to me?" I responded to her.
She glared at me. "Seryoso, hindi mo alam? Ikaw na isang haliparot na walang ginawa kundi akitin si Sir Allen ng harap-harapan. At dahil diyan sa kababuyan mo kaya siya napahamak. Wala ka bang konsensiya na ikaw ang dahilan kaya wala na si Sir Allen?! At heto ka ngayon may lakas loob na magpakita at muling bumalik sa opisinang ito na parang walang nangyari?!" Anito sa akin na pinipigilan ang sariling hindi mapaiyak.
Ano ang sinasabi nito na wala na si Allen?
"Ano ang ibig mong sabihin na..." Biglang naputol ang nais ko sanang ipahayag ng bumulagta sa aking tagiliran si Viviene. She's wearing a fine office suit in pastel color matching her skirt and heels. She looked wonderful, despite the circumstance. Sa tabi nito ay isang matangkad na matandang lalaki na kitang-kita ang bravado, he might be older now, but you can see the toughness in those handsome eyes. I now have a glimpse of how Allen would look like forty years from now.
Anong ginagawa ni Viviene at ama ni Allen dito?
"Good morning po Miss Viviene at Sir Romualdez" bati ng mga empleyado nito sa bagong dating.
"Lien, tama na yan. Geraldine went through the same trauma too. Hindi niya kasalanan ang nangyari sa aking pinsan." Pagbibigay linaw ni Viviene sa sitwasyon. She took her handkerchief and blew her nose gently. It must have been tough for her seeing Allen that way. I felt sorry for her.
"Who do we have here?" The older Romualdez asked, his voice roaring showcasing much authority. Even at his age, he can still make anyone feel intimidated.
"Uncle, this is Geraldine, Allen's secretary." Pagpapakilala ni Vivs.
"I see, I am Michael Romualdez, father of Allen." He extended his hand for a handshake which I accepted openly. "Geraldine, will you come to my office, please? I need to speak with you in private. Vivs, please follow me."
Tumango ako and a part of me is thinking what office he is talking about and that's when I realized he is occupying the sanctuary where Allen spent most of his time fulfilling his dreams. Before I fully ushered myself sa dating opisina ni Allen ay ramdam ko ang mga matitinik na mata ni Lien sa akin. I maintained my composure and followed Michael and Viviene along. When I stepped inside the office, I gasped seeing how different it was compared before, it's only past two months and they have already torn down his office na para bang hindi na babalik si Allen.
"Are you shock to see the new interior?" Michael asked about habang komportable itong nakaupo sa upuan ni Allen.
I nodded but I didn't say a word.
"When I heard about what happened sa inyo ni Allen, well I was a little disappointed in my son's taste of women. No offense." He stated.
Really? You intended to offend me, at least be honest. I wanted to say.
"Anyway, the doctor said that his chance of surviving is less than 20% I have to make an executive decision to protect the assets of the company. You know how much Allen valued this entire empire and this is what he wanted me to do, protect his legacy kaya I took over just until Allen got better but I cannot work with the same space as how it was before, it's painful to be reminded of him every single time and so I realized that a change in perspective might help and Viola!" He explained. I can't believe that this man is Allen's father no wonder he never spoke about his dad.
If Allen can see how his father is acting right now, he will be heartbroken. He wanted power and control, and this is one of the ways he could showcase the new management by changing the very core of Allen Romualdez. For someone who is saying that Allen is his son he never bothers visiting him in the hospital. How ironic is that?
"Now that we are talking about the changes that happened while you were away..." Michael continued.
Away? I was fighting for my life!
"I am afraid that I cannot give you your old post anymore. Part of the change management is also replacing people. I know how much collaboration you did with Allen so from the bottom of my heart I want to thank you for everything you did" he embraced me so tightly that I was taken aback. I am not sure if he is sincere or if it's all an act. "You understand why we have to do this, right Geraldine?" He added.
I nodded at him since there was nothing else, I could do anyway.
"Great, you can process the papers for termination so you can receive your severance pay soon. Thank you and Goodbye Geraldine" anito sa akin. Bago ko tuluyang nilisan ang opisina I saw the look of Vivs feeling sorry for me. I walked through the door and closed it behind me while I inhaled some air.
I didn't expect that I would be terminated today, my life lately has been a series of unfortunate events. I didn't have the energy to process anything today, so I decided to leave the office. I was heading to the elevator when Lien was there again blocking my way.
I am too spent to banter with this woman. Leave me alone, please!
"Where is the little mouse going? Don't tell me the new boss has finally terminated you. He made the right choice; you have nothing to offer anyway just your body and face" she uttered to insult me.
"Are you saying I am pretty? Thanks Lien! Appreciate that" I just responded with all smiles in my face habang sakto naman ang pagbukas ng elevator, dali-dali akong sumakay and confidently waving goodbye sa nagulat na Lien.
What a comeback, congratulations Geraldine! I wanted to tap myself in the back.
When I fully stepped out of the building I looked back and realized that my plan for revenge had ended just like that.
I wanted a drink. But I can't. I am still taking some medications for my wound, and I was strictly told by the doctor not to take any alcohol for now.
I was surprised by how Allen's dad reacted to the tragedy that happened to his son, more than anyone else he was the first person that I expected to be devastated. Maybe he has a different way of coping. A voice in my head is trying to make a point. Maybe, but human behavior usually follows a pattern. It's not usual behavior for someone who is truly grieving when someone experiences grief you typically hold on to something that reminds you of that person until you get to the point of acceptance but having an entire office renovated and stripping every inch of Allen's memory seems cold and heartless.
What could be the real intention of Michael Romualdez? I wouldn't know but I know that time is the ultimate truth teller.
I carefully walked at a slow pace as I tried to think through what had occurred that morning, the sound of the busy traffic was obvious during that working hour. The honking of car horns added to the chaos as well as the busy pedestrians who were too preoccupied to even care of what was going on in their surroundings since most people were fixated on their cellphones. I decided to walk to the park where there are minimal people during that time just to avoid the crowd. I was never the social butterfly, well I can blend in if necessary but I prefer to have minimal interaction as much as possible and so going out of my way just to be alone on this sad lonely morning is very typical of me but it might have been the most incorrect decision I made in my entire life when a tight grip latch on my arm, napangiwi ako sa sakit ng mapansin ko ang pwersahang pagkaladkad nito sa akin.
"Bitiwan mo ako Louie!" I shouted at him as I could sense panic slowly enveloping my chest. Bakit kasi dito ako dumaan, wala man lang ka tao-tao sa paligid!
"Shut up Geraldine! Pick a choice, you will follow me peacefully and not resist or I will punch you in the gut and I can carry you peacefully instead. Either way works for me" he threatened.
Wow. Would he punch me? Well, he did attempt to lay his hands the last time he was mad at me. If not for Allen, I would have been assaulted by this monster, but this time Allen is nowhere to be found and I am alone with this maniac. My life is such an adventure! I thought sarcastically.
"Fine, what do you want from me?" I asked buying a little time.
"You'll know when the time comes" We walked a few steps further and then stopped when we reached his car. "Get in" he instructed.
"Where are you telling me?" I asked again.
"Just get in Geraldine!" He snaps out.
I stepped inside the car like a good girl scared that Louie might hurt me.
"Here, tie yourself up" he commanded.
"Louie, is this necessary?" I get in willingly you don't have to do this." I calmly reasoned out.
"I am starting to get annoyed by you Geraldine. Do as I told you and shut your mouth! Do you understand?"
I nodded and readily tied myself to the rope he gave me. He then started driving, speeding away and heading to an unknown location. I can't keep track as to where we were heading but it seems a remote place with trees and no clear path on the road. Louie is going to kill me, and the sad thing is no one will ever try to find my body. I have no family, no next of kin. I am an easy disposal.
In the middle of nowhere, I saw up ahead a cabin very much secluded from the rest of the world. Is this going to be my grave site? I gulped.
He stopped the car and commanded me to step out this time. I did what was told. He assisted me in heading to the door and when it opened, I saw that the cabin was well furnished, this was not an abandoned place at all, someone was frequently using it.
"This is my hunting ground; do you know how many wild animals are up ahead in this forest? A lot. There are several beasts in this forest waiting to be haunted. It's addictive" he explained while smiling menacingly.
Louie is insane.
"Tonight, you will be my prey, Geraldine, I shall release you in the wild and haunt you like a proper animal" he laughed, and it made me more scared than ever.
"Why are you doing this to me?" I asked but the most horrific thing is just to see your abductor smirk at you as if nothing happened.
Hours passed and I have never been more anxious to see the sunset cloth the entire estate. Louie is not in his right mind which makes him even more dangerous. What does he want from me? To be a sport? For fun and games? That's cruel. I wanted to ask him to blurt it all out and get the answer once and for all, but I knew one wrong statement would send me earlier than expected to the wild and be fed by the beast or end up cold in Louie's barrel.
"Do you know haunting at night is even more dangerous because the real predatory animals are usually nocturnal and so they are asleep mid-day and are mostly active in the night which heightens more of their killing skills." He explained inflicting more terror in me.
He cut the rope releasing my hands from its restrictions. "Are you ready to fight for your life the second time around Geraldine?" he asked while laughing.
"Louie please..." I pleaded but it was futile. "What did I do to deserve this?" I wanted to appeal to his human side.
But Louie just looked me dead in the eye. There was nothing there, no warmth, no sympathy. It was a blank and plain psychopath. "You just don't know it yet Geraldine, but you deserve this" his voice echoed in my brain over and over and I felt a sudden jab in my stomach realizing the reality of my situation.
You deserve this.
"You, you were the one who shot Allen and I." it was more of a statement and not a question anymore.
"Oh yes, it was me. But it wasn't personal" He confessed.
"Why Louie?" I asked, wanting some peace before I fully departed from this world.
"You are not ready for the truth Geraldine" he mysteriously uttered.
"Were you the one who blackmailed my father too?" I blurted out of nowhere.
"Blackmailed? Your father? I have nothing to do with that." he asked, trying to recollect something.
"Is this what it's about? Revenge? Is that why you openly give yourself to Allen because you think it's him who wronged your dad?" He laughed. "Oh, your poor naive child, you don't know anything. This is bigger than you can imagine Geraldine I am just even a pawn for all these games, we are just players acting mindlessly on the command of the real powerful people behind the scenes. You are an idiot."
"What do you mean Louie?"
"I don't even want to kill you, but I have to because I was told to do so. No hard feelings." He concluded.
He opened the cabin door, and the cold wind welcomed me. I was numb from all the mysteries he told me, and I was even more shocked to hear that he was acting like a huntsman. Who is behind all this? Who sets this trap to lure me in?
"And now you run Geraldine... pray that my barrel will find you before the animals take their bidding, it would be more painful with them, tearing your limbs and grinding your flesh one by one than my gun"
And with one final look of horror, I saw his eyes glisten with excitement while my breathing became too labored that I thought I would pass out, but I snapped out of it, and with full determination I found myself speeding away from the cabin with my two legs running aimlessly afraid of how my life turns out. Tears drop in my eyes one by one as a combination of regret, horror, and shame hits me all at once and as the darkness around me continues to linger I feel like a prey waiting for any predators to slash my neck and kill me all over again.