DISCLAIMER: - see previous chapter -
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanks to everyone for your suggestions. Although the answer was a pretty obvious one, still I was looking for something a little out of the box, which was what florbl_0326 provided. Hope you all still enjoy this chapter and keep showing your love and support by voting and commenting too.
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XXIX.
Omnipresent POV
ALDEN LOOKED AT HIS COMPANION AFTER HE PARKED his car in their usual parking spot before turning the engine off.
"Ready?"
Maine flipped the sun visor down to check her make-up on the mini mirror hidden behind it before closing it and turned to look at her companion.
"It's show time," she grinned.
Alden laughed still not believing what they were about to pull off and got out of the car and quickly rounded it to open Maine's door for her. It was all part of their charade just in case somebody sees them down here in the parkade; that would help spread the rumour that something's changed between the two of them after this Valentines weekend.
"Do you think us walking in with linked arms would be a bit too much?" Maine whispered as she leaned closer so only Alden could hear her.
Alden considered her suggestion.
"Better save it for some other time. Baka overkill na if we do it," sagot niya.
"Good call," Maine grinned and walked ahead of him towards the elevator.
They spent majority of Sunday afternoon working out the kinks of this operation if they wanted to succeed. Maine wanted Ike to know that there was no way she was getting back together with him, and if he was indeed serious when he told Pao that he will get her back by hook or by crook, well her ex-boyfriend had another think coming.
By lunch time at least three different rumors spread around the office like wildfire. All three were about the obvious closeness and some speculated sweetness between Maine and Alden that was witnessed when Alden went out of his way earlier today at the parkade when he opened Maine's door for her before she got out of the car; it wasn't a rare occurrence to see the two car pool to work, but this morning was the first time Alden went out of his way to open and hold the door open while Maine stepped out of his car. Witnesses also commented on the extra sugary sweet lingering looks the two often shared, not to mention the smile on Maine's face that she gave Alden when he held the door open for her.
A second rumor started when Alden walked Maine all the way to her desk instead of getting off at his floor as per usual while Maine continued on to hers. This morning, however, Alden skipped getting off his floor at inihatid si Maine sa desk niya mismo; merong mga nakakitang nagsabi hindi raw agad-agad umalis si Alden pagkatapos ihatid si Maine. Again that wasn't the usual routine for them and that slight change in their morning routine caused a few people to speculate on what happened over the weekend especially since the third rumor had something to do with somebody seeing both Maine and Alden having a cozy and romantic dinner last Friday night.
"Okay, I give up," Jules cornered Alden in his cubicle at around three-thirty in the afternoon after she has had it hearing three different rumors going on at the same time since this morning. "What the hell happened over the weekend and somehow you and Maine became today's most talked about couple dito sa opisina?" she questioned.
Alden took his time from looking away from his screen to address his unexpected visitor. He was aware of the rumors that started as soon as he and Maine stepped out of his vehicle this morning. They expected tongues to wag the moment they showed the slightest bit of sweetness between them, pero hindi nila akalain na maraming makakating dila ang merong kanya-kanyang haka-haka about the sudden change in their relationship.
"Hm?" Alden asked lazily when he finally addressed Jules.
Jules glared at the boyishly handsome ad exec and stepped in to his cubicle, perching her hip on the edge of his desk and leaned down so she was at eye-level with him when she spoke.
"Kayo ang paboritong topic ng mga tsismis ngayong araw na 'to dito sa work. What prompted those rumors?" she questioned.
Alden's response was a slightly bored shrug and a dismal smirk that was very non-committal.
"Seriously?" Jules was flabbergasted that he was being difficult with her of all people.
"Anong gusto mong sabihin ko?"
"Alden..."
"Jules..." he mimicked.
Alden felt guilty for not cluing Jules in on what was going on, but he needed to keep the ruse going for the sake of Maine's plan to work. They needed to get the rumor mill going for at least the next few days as they slowly amp up their 'acting chops' for the big reveal hopefully sooner rather than later. He wasn't entirely sure of the whole plan; Maine just briefed him on what she had in mind when they spoke, but everything else she kept to herself and hardly sharing much.
Maine, on the other hand, kept a close eye on her boss all the while keeping an ear glued to what was the latest update on the three rumors currently circulating the office about her and Alden. She was surprised on how fast the rumors started, but in a way she was thankful doon sa mga tsismosas na nagpasabog nang mga haka-haka about her and Alden's current relationship status. So far she has fielded inquiry calls from Jules, Ryzza, Joe and even Allan. Pao called made a special appearance at in her office around lunch time and took her out for lunch without caring if she already made plans with others for lunch.
Lahat sila tinatanong siya kung anong nangyari between Friday and this morning sa kanila ni Alden based on what some people witnessed the moment they stepped out of Alden's car sa parkade. She was asked about how legit the dinner date was on Friday by everyone except Pao who told her he knew she was going to have dinner with Alden since Alden himself told him about it, but as for the sudden change daw ng relationship status nila yun ang gustong malaman ng pinsan niya kung kelan naging 'official' na sila na ni Alden.
"I told you it was a typical Valentines Day dinner date," was Maine's casual reply to her cousin's query over lunch.
"Something else must've happened kasi according to the office grapevine eh halos langgamin na kayong dalawa sa mga meaningful looks na you're giving each other," Pao was having a hard time believing the other two sets of rumors floating around in the office. He hasn't witnessed it himself firsthand, but accounts of Maine and Alden's so-called 'secret relationship' was starting to get way out of hand that he needed to know if he should warn his aunt and uncle of an impending shotgun wedding some time in the near future concerning their daughter or not.
"Ikaw talaga, masyado kang tsimoso," Maine teased and continued eating her lunch.
That conversation happened almost four hours ago. Pao quit pestering her about shedding some light on the rumors circulating, but she knew her cousin was just waiting for the perfect timing to question her again.
"Maine."
Maine straightened up and quit dilly-dallying when she heard Ike call her name. A few seconds later he made an appearance on the doorway to his main office holding an open brown folder. He seemed lost and confused as he browsed at the folder's contents.
"Yeah?"
"Is this all the documents we have for the Tagashi design project?" Ike questioned and closed the folder to show her how thin the file was.
"That's all the Tagashi office sent in both by fax, mail and even email," Maine confirmed.
Ike didn't appear to like that answer. He was expecting more - and so was Maine when she first heard of their firm bagging the Tagashi project, but when she received all the necessary information accompanying the design idea she was disappointed to find how unimaginative the Tagashi conception team was.
"Anong gusto nilang mangyari ngayon?" Ike questioned. "We need their input and ideas. We can put together a design concept if we have nothing to refer back to," he demanded.
"Want me to call them back and tell them word for word what you just said?" Maine offered.
"Do you think that'll do anything?"
Maine was only teasing him when she offered to call the client.
"Seryoso?" She couldn't help from looking surprised that he took her seriously.
Ike pushed away from the doorway and walked up to stand in front of Maine's desk. He dropped the file folder he was perusing moments ago in front of her and sighed.
"Wala tayong magagawa sa laman nitong folder na 'to," he pointed at the folder on her desk. "Unless you're a mind reader and knows what the client have in mind for design, we got nothing to go on," he pointed out.
"Nope, mind reading is beyond my powers," Maine answered straight faced.
That response earned at least an amused chuckle from her irate boss.
"Talk to the rep handling the Tagashi account and explain our dilemma. If they want this project to go off without a hitch we need more details otherwise this gets pushed way back until we get something decent from them."
"Will do," Maine picked up the file folder and turned to her computer to check in the system who was the person handling the account. She thought Ike would leave then, but a few seconds ticked by and he remained standing in front of her desk.
Maine contemplated on whether to ignore him until he leaves or ask him if there was anything else he needed from her. Him just standing there doing and saying nothing was starting to bug her.
"Is there anything else I can do for you, Ike?" Maine asked after a few seconds ticked by and Ike still remained where he stood.
She didn't think he'd answer, and she was almost relieved until she heard him sigh followed by the words she didn't think she'd hear from him ever again: "Have dinner with me - tonight."
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A/N 2: How's that for a cliffhanger? Hehehe, I initially didn't want to end this chapter this way, but during the long drive trip back from where my family and I took off to for a few days this past week, I was able to do a bit of self brainstorming and suddenly this idea for a future scene popped in to my head and got me all excited. Of course in order for said scene to work, I need to set it up first so with the help of my muse, this is me setting it up. Hope you enjoyed reading this chapter and lemme know if it's starting to drag on a bit. Thanks!