On their way out to dinner, Timothy and Darcy were approach by the female receptionist. "Good evening sir, how's Miss De la Vega?" She asked worriedly, ignorant of the other woman's presence.
Timothy furrowed his forehead, confusion written on his face. "I'm sorry?" He asked bewildered while Darcy looked on with an annoyed face.
"She collapsed in the lobby earlier and was brought to the hotel clinic." She informed the heir.
"What?" He asked, shocked and worried. He wasn't able to mask the concern in his voice that took the Darcy by surprise. Timothy was always cool and collected and she had not seen him lose his composure even once so this was very unusual.
"Could you take us to the clinic, please." He requested in panic.
The receptionist nodded her head. "I'll just call the clinic to double check, sir." She replied.
Darcy remained silent but she was boiling inside. Why is everything about this woman a big deal? She asked herself mentally.
She studied Timothy's appearance and realized that the man really looked worried. She wanted to confront him about what's happening but she didn't want them to end up fighting. Timothy tends to get mad easily when she asks him about women.
The concerned receptionist put down the phone and spoke. "I'm sorry sir but according to the nurse on duty, Ms. De la Vega had already left the hotel an hour ago."
After hearing this, all Timothy could do was to nod his head.
"That settles then. Let's go! I'm really hungry." He heard Darcy's casual voice.
He shot her a warning look. "What?" She asked, deliberately ignoring his obvious internal turmoil.
∞∞∞
Terrence was walking towards his FJ cruiser, when he spotted his best friend's assistant making her way to a parked white Prado. He was planning to greet her and ask some news about the summit but he was alarmed when he saw how pale she was.
He hastened his steps and reached her as she opened her vehicle. "Hi, Ms. De la Vega, are you all right?" He queried.
The woman shook her head but said nothing. She lifted her suitcase to load it on the back seat but she staggered. Luckily, Terrence was just feet away from her.
He grabbed her just in time before she hit the floor. "Shit! What's wrong? You're burning!" He exclaimed, upon touching her skin.
The engineer was puzzled why she was not with Timothy. He thought they were together. "I'll take you home." He offered.
Sabina shook her head again. "No need but thank you, please just help me load this into my car. My friend will be here any minute and he will take me home." She said weakly.
Terrence helped her get in to her car then he loaded her suitcase and purse on the vehicle's back seat.
Sabina was now settled on the passenger seat with eyes tightly closed. She was still pale and she was beginning to shake. He also noticed that her breathing were erratic. "Are you sure your friend is coming? You looked ready to faint. I can take you home." He repeated his offer again.
"I'll be okay, you can leave now." She said indifferently.
He was about to open his mouth and insist but he heard her voice again. "Thank you." Clearly she was dismissing him so he closed the door and returned to his vehicle.
He hopped inside his own vehicle but didn't leave. Terrence remained seated quietly as he observed the sick lady.
From his parking space, he could clearly see Sabina's Prado and he was shocked when he saw the woman transferred to the driver's seat from her previous seat and drove away.
Due to curiosity and concern, he decided to follow her. He was really worried that something bad might happen to his best friend's assistant.
The convoy drove from Ayala Avenue towards the Fort, passing through moderate to heavy trafficked streets. Finally, the white Prado stopped in a premier condominium in McKinley Hills.
A regular employee could never afford a Prado let alone to live in a place like this, Terrence Jade Leonardo thought.
He saw the doorman opened the door for Sabina with wide smile and he even assisted her towards the elevator. A uniformed valet also took care of her car and her luggage, giving the young engineer the impression that the sick woman was a "somebody" in this posh condominium.
Terrence drove off with a lot of questions in mind, he was still wondering how could a regular employee afford a lifestyle like Sabina's.
∞∞∞
Monday came and Sabina was nowhere to be seen. She had not called in sick or made any communication with the HR department about her absence.
Timothy came in late and was enraged to find his assistant's absence. He called the HR department and asked for Sabina's number. He dialed her number but no one was answering. He called several times but still no answer. He was fuming by the time he pressed her number for the eleventh time.
"You are so fired!" He shouted inside his office. He was in foul mood the whole morning and was about to call Belle Alonzo when Terrence walked in.
"I guess your gorgeous assistant is still sick." The young engineer declared knowingly without any prelude while the enraged man looked at him.
"I saw her last Friday, when she picked up her car. She was running with fever and she was shaking all over. She looked terrible, pale and totally worn out. I even offered to take her home but she refused. Man what did you do to her?" He joked casually.
Timothy's fury evaporated and was unexpectedly replaced by worries. He tried to hide his anxiety and spoke in a controlled voice. "Who's with her?" All of a sudden, he wanted to know if she was okay.
His best friend shook his head. "When I offered my help to take her home, she told me that a friend will pick her up but just minutes after I left her, I saw her drove away, alone." He informed him.
"What? You let her drive alone?" He inquired again in a hard tone.
"I have no choice, she didn't want any help. But I can assure you, she reached home safely." He hinted, studying his best friend's reaction.
He saw his best friend's forehead furrowed. "And how did you know that?" He leaned on his chair, his gaze piercing.
Terrence chuckled. "I'm not as useless as you think, of course I followed her home. I only left when I saw her entered her condo's lobby safely. Man, I think your assistant is hiding something." He stated.
He narrated everything he discovered. From her vehicle to the place of her residence and from the doorman to the valet.
"Don't jump into conclusion yet, it might be a friend's place or a sibling's place." Timothy suggested but he, himself was also a little suspicious.
"Or maybe a love nest or a boyfriend's place, don't you think?" He inquired, still studying the man's behavior.
"A woman with Sabina's brain, beauty and body could definitely scored a filthy rich boy friend or even a fiancé." Terrence added, provoking his best friend more.
"Her left ring finger is clean." He snapped, irritated with the engineer's assumptions and hypothesis.
Strangely, Timothy didn't want to think Sabina having boyfriend or the likes, all the more a fiancé. As far as he knew, she was single and she lived alone and he very much liked to remain it that way.
His mind wandered to what happened last Friday. He threw her out of their room without qualm. He noticed that she looked tired then but in all honesty he didn't know that she was sick.
Guilt struck him like lighting but what done is done and he knew he couldn't do anything about it. His musing was interrupted when the phone on his desk rang so he picked up.
"Yes?" He queried.
"Good morning Sir Timothy, your executive assistant Ms. Sabina De la Vega called in sick but she promised that she will be here tomorrow." The voice from the other line informed him.
He answered a simple "okay" and put down the phone while his friend was still sitting in front of his desk waiting for some news about the recently concluded summit.
Even with the presence of his best friend, Timothy's thoughts went back to what happened before the weekend...Lucas!
All of a sudden, Timothy's demeanor darkened again. This passed few weeks had been very unsettling for him with Sabina always flooding his thoughts and now there was Lucas to think about.
The rivalry between them had obviously escalated, he could tell by the behavior and manners shown by the engineer and it was undeniably because of this certain feisty woman.
And now, it was getting out of hand, he should plan and think carefully from now on, especially in business dealings with Sanchez Construction.
∞∞∞
The Chief Executive Officer made sure that he would reach the office first before his assistant does. He was carrying a hot caramel Macchiato and a bagel in his hands.
He patiently waited for Sabina while instructing the office's maintenance crew to rearranged the glass room. He asked them to put Sabina's table near his door and he had the couches from the waiting area placed in the far corner of the room.
The petite woman arrived half past seven, she was breathless and still a little pale. Her eye brow quirked when she saw the current arrangement of the glass room and was really astounded when she saw her boss sitting on one of the couches.
Timothy got up from the couch and studied Sabina's appearance, it seemed she had lost so much weight and her cheeks were pale, very different from the glowing Sabina he saw a few days ago.
"I need you near me at all times, we have so much work to do." He explained simply when he saw her questioning gaze. Without another word he handed her the coffee and the bagel.
Sabina was flabbergasted. She turned around to make sure that the food was for her. She was alone so it means it was really for her, she looked at him but made no move to take the offered breakfast.
Timothy was losing his patience and it was still so early in the morning. "Take it and make sure to finish it." He said in a well-controlled voice.
"Never skip meals, it's one of the most common reasons why people get sick. Lack of nutrients and sustenance." He added astutely.
Being outspoken and forward, Sabina replied. "So you're a nutritionist now." Her body rhythm was still a bit off but the uninterrupted sleep from last night lifted her mood a great deal.
Timothy's eyes glinted. "Sarcasm is good but please, it's too early for that!" He deposited the food on her desk and sat on the nearby chair.
"Now, eat!" He ordered.
Sabina could not believe what she was hearing. He was commanding her to eat in front of him. It felt like being seven again. "I can eat without supervision. Thank you very much!" She replied bitingly.
Her stubbornness and sharp tongue spiked Timothy's temper. "Ms. De la Vega, as your boss I have every right to tell you what to do and now I am telling you to eat. So eat. Now!" His voice came out loud and domineering.
What's with this man? Sabina asked herself inwardly.
"Crazy, controlling beast!" She murmured. She took her seat and started eating to avoid a brewing early morning argument. But after a couple of bites, she found out that the bagel was particularly good and the coffee was divine.
When Sabina swallowed the last of her food, Timothy stood up and walked towards his office.
"Thank you!"
He heard her spoke in her shy, husky child like voice. Timothy was unaware that his mouth curved into a smile.
When lunchtime came, the young CEO got out of his office, planning to have lunch with his best buddy but noticed that his assistant was still working so he cleared his throat loudly.
Like a wild fire, Sabina shot out of her desk. "I'll eat now, bye sir!" She blurted and was out of the door in a split second.
Timothy was left standing, still bewildered of what happened. He walked out of the glass room while shaking his head in confusion.
Women are really peculiar beings. He thought.
∞∞∞
A beautiful woman with bouncy straight hair entered a not-so-busy Italian restaurant and she picked a corner table facing the crowded street.
Today is Tuesday and everyone appeared to be in a hurry, heedless of the breathtaking blue sky, unaware of the soft breeze blowing and unconcerned with the people around.
But the woman sitting alone was different. She tried to find joy in everything she sees. She noticed how blue the sky was, she was aware that the breeze was a lot cooler now than that of last week and she was concerned with the behavior of every one around her, particularly the behavior of her boss.
Sabina raised her hand to catch the attention of one of the servers, still thinking of what virus had gotten to her boss and suddenly he was a little friendly and a little concern of her health and well being.
While looking at the menu she saw two familiar male figures entering the threshold. They stepped inside the place and roamed their gazes to look for an empty table. She immediately hoisted the menu booklet up to cover her face but it was too late, one of the two already saw her.
"Ms. De la Vega, it's nice to see you here." Timothy greeted her with a smile, which caught his companion's attention.
Timothy Sebastian rarely smiles.
"Could we join you? It would be nice to eat again together. Don't you think?" He asked politely, while signaling the server for more menu booklets.
Sabina cringed inwardly. "Sure." She replied briefly.
To avoid awkward conversation she busied herself by rereading the menu again and again. She then, settled for Chicken marsala and baked ziti.
The men both asked for chicken Parmigiana and Rigatoni while Sabina looked around, obviously there were only three of them here but an extra plate had been served. She clamped her mouth to stop herself from asking, who the fourth plate was for.
Terrence and Timothy chatted while waiting for the food, occasionally asking Sabina's opinions on the topics they were talking about. "How are you feeling, Sab? Am I allowed to call you Sab, after all we're out of the office?" The guy with an almond shape eyes asked.
Timothy's fist balled on it's own. His best friend was hitting on his gorgeous assistant in front of him despite his warning.
The woman just nodded in response. "Sab is fine and yes I feel fine. The weekend was enough for me to recuperate and thank you for your concern and help last Friday." She expressed her gratitude meekly.
Terrence smiled, thinking that she was pertaining to the help he offered in the parking lot but her next words left him tongue-tied.
"You know, you don't have to follow me home. I can perfectly take care of myself, I been doing that since I was fifteen so I am completely capable but just the same, thank you." She stated without any trace of accusation, she just wanted him to know that even in her state she was alert enough to know that she was being watched and followed.
Timothy felt invisible. The two conversed with ease and familiarity and this made him jealous.
Wait? Jealous? He was perplexed with his sudden realization.
Timothy was about to butt in with Terrence and Sabina's conversation to remind them of his presence when a woman with a wavy hair and very tight dress came in and planted a wet kiss on his cheeks.
"Hi Tim, hi TJ." She greeted them tartly. She raised her gaze and zeroed in on the only lady present on the table.
She glared at her. "Oh it's you again." She said, her voice dripping with venom.
"Why do I always find you with Timothy? It seemed that you're sticking with him like a leech nowadays." She asked scathingly.
Instead of being intimidated, Sabina felt angry and brave at the same time. Her dislike for the woman in front of her, was escalating every single time she sees her.
"Of course, I'm his assistant and he is my boss so it was to be expected that I'll always be with him." She smirked.
Terrence hid a smile while Timothy seemed entertained. Although his mouth was closed in a hard line, his eyes were alighted with amusement.
"Watch your mouth, Ms. Marine biologist, you could be fired with that sharp tongue of yours and as a friendly advice, know your place." She said warningly.
Tension rose with every word spoken, the two women were now standing face to face. A furious angel and a territorial temptress.
The assistant shook her head. "I'm sorry to burst your bubble Ms. Madrid but you can't fire me because as far as I can remember, I don't work for you or will ever work for you. And just so you know, I never invited them to join me. It was Arch. Sebastian here who invited themselves." She responded, she didn't like it when people crossed the line just to make others feel inferior.
"Mad jealous girlfriends! Pathetic!" She murmured although her boss could hear her perfectly.
Even she hadn't touched her food yet she put a crisp bill on the table. "Here's my share. I am sorry but I lost my appetite." She grabbed her purse and went out of the restaurant in hasty steps, without looking back.
Timothy eyed his assistant until she blended with the passing crowd then he focused his sight on his brother's best friend. "Next time, be careful with you words, Darcy." He said with a sharp tone.
"That woman should know her place, you can find a better assistant than her. I'm sure." She said, looking livid as she took the empty seat between Timothy and Terrence.
Terrence looked at Timothy, the engineer was quite sure that his best friend wouldn't fire Sabina. The woman was heaven sent, efficient and dependable.
"Teach her a lesson and fire her!" The fuming woman demanded.
Annoyance flashed on Timothy's face. "I can't do that, she's really brilliant with her work. She's more efficient than Belle. And my father hired her so I guess, it would be a big deal if I fire her." He explained.
Darcy sulked due to Timothy's response. "Are you saying that you like her now?" She was not ready to give up.
"Stop being immature, what's with you and Sabina. As far as I know she didn't do anything wrong to you." He inquired, still annoyed with his friend's treatment to his assistant.
The woman in question was affronted with Timothy's used of the marine biologist's name. "So you're on first name basis now. You're stooping to her level?!" She half-shouted.
"Quit it, Darcy. You're being unreasonable." Timothy warned, his voice was controlled but the hard tone was very evident.
Terrence who had been watching the whole exchange was now curious, his best friend never used that tone with Darcy, not ever, not until today. Not until Sabina came in to the picture. "Guys, you're attracting too much attention. Stop it both of you!" He tried to mitigate.
Suddenly, Timothy rose from his chair. "I'll see you at the office TJ. I'm done." He was out of the place before any of the two could stop him.
"Tim!" He heard Darcy's pleading voice but he deliberately ignored her, he was confused and angry. Confused with the powerful need to protect and stand up for Sabina and angry with how Darcy treated his assistant.
Sabina's pale face flashed in the forefront of his mind. "She needed to eat something." He whispered to himself.
Before going back to the office, he picked up a sandwich from Subway and thought hard on how would he be able to give it to Sabina.
∞∞∞
As a man, Timothy knew how to get a woman's attention but all his techniques and strategies have no effects on his assistant. When he arrived at the office, Sabina was already seated on her desk, busy encoding something on her laptop.
She didn't greet him nor raise her head to acknowledge his presence. When he put the sandwich on top of her desk, she simply said. "I'm not hungry." While her eyes still glued on her laptop monitor.
"You need to eat!" He almost lost his control as he thrush the sandwich to her. Her stubbornness was really pushing him on the edge and she was getting very good at it.
And that was the last straw for Sabina. "Stop acting like I'm your responsibility. I maybe your employee but you have no hold with my personal life. I can take care of myself, I'm perfectly good at that." She half shouted, not caring anymore.
"If you were really concern with my well being, the first thing you have to do is ask your jealous girl friend to leave me alone." She added hotly.
"I'm tired of being treated unfairly and in the first place, she has no right to treat me like I am beneath her. Nobody has the right to make anyone feel inferior." Her chest was heaving with too much anger as she poured all her sentiments.
"She's not my girlfriend." That was all Timothy managed to say. Fury and extreme displeasure were visible on Sabina's face making her eyes ablaze and this made him a little frighten.
She smiled bitterly and shook her head. "Then better inform her, I bet she didn't know that." She snapped at him.
For the rest of the afternoon following their confrontation, Sabina didn't say a single word to him. All her inquiries and requests were through e-mail and this irked Timothy to no end.
It was almost dark when Timothy finished all his works. Sabina's desk was now empty and clean except for the soggy sandwich resting on top of it. It was clear to see that his assistant didn't touch it.
She was really testing my patience, Timothy thought.
He immediately dialed her number. His first call was not answered so he dialed it again, he was determined to get to her and he won't stop until his assistant takes his call.
"What?!" Sabina huffed. Her day was bad enough but it seemed that her boss was out to ruin it completely.
"Where are you?" He ignored her question and asked her another one with the same tone she used. There was a pause, maybe she was debating if she was going to answer his question or not.
"Sab..."
Timothy was about to launch in a long tirade but his voice, was readily cut off by a short, "Parking lot."
"Where?" He asked in a hard, icy tone.
He was going to use his position even if it could give him a bad light. "I am your boss, Sab!" He warned.
The silence was deafening. "Basement 2. What is this about?" Her pitch was a little softer now although it was evident that she was controlling her anger.
He didn't reply instead he spoke. "Stay where you are." He tapped the end call icon and quickly proceeded to where his Audi was parked.
∞∞∞
As soon as his Audi entered basement 2, he immediately saw Sabina's white Prado. A few meters from it was Sabina, standing stiffly. He halted in front of her and opened the passenger front seat.
"Get in." He ordered.
Quirking her brow, Sabina looked at her boss funnily. Did she hear him right?
What is this, another meeting? She thought. She was unmoved by Tim's tone, she remained standing near her vehicle.
"Did you hear me? I said, get in! That's an order, Ms. De la Vega." He said authoritatively but the stubborn didn't move, she just stared at him.
"What is this about? It's beyond office hours." She rationalized.
Timothy's demeanor became darker. "Are you going to get in or I will carry you in, myself?" His tone says that he was serious.
Sabina was left with no choice but to get in. They were already out of the parking lot when she remembered her purse. Now, all she had was her car key and iPhone.
This was not the first time she rode with him but this one topped all of it, as the most awkward ride of all. "Where are we going?" She asked, fighting hard the tension she was feeling.
"I am taking you out for dinner." He stated casually that it sounded like it was part of their daily routine.
"Why?" She inquired totally lost and bewildered.
Timothy's jaw clenched. "Would you please stop asking questions, Chinese, Italian or Japanese?" He queried, his eyes glued on the busy road.
She wanted to get even. "I'm in the mood for Filipino cuisine." She suggested, trying to annoy her boss.
The man driving next to her, chuckled stiffly. "Excellent, I was craving for Bulalo since yesterday. Buckle your seatbelt." He instructed with an amused tone.
∞∞∞
It was a miracle that the Metro traffic was light, in fact, too light. They reached their destination in just more than an hour. To Sabina's great dismay, they were in Tagaytay city again.
The fury and self-pity she felt last Friday flooded her system again. She was about to open her mouth when she heard Timothy's imploring tone. "I want to make it up to you, I know what I did last Friday was unforgivable but I am willing to make amends." He mumbled humbly.
Upon arriving in one's of the city's well-known Native restaurants, Timothy ordered a feast with Sabina's choices. They had Bulalo, fried Tawilis, Pinakbet, roasted chicken and Tinapa rice. And they both opted for fresh Buko juice instead of the usual cold carbonated soda.
The place was filled with glittering lights that seemed to twinkle more dazzlingly when the cold breeze blew, they were out door and these lifted Sabina's mood considerably. The two ate in comfortable silence.
"How's your first month at the office?" Timothy tried a small talk, wanting the petite woman to ease up.
Sabina was startled, it had been a month and she never noticed. Time really flies. "Well, it was good. Every one had been very accommodating and kind. I adjusted quite all right. Thank you." She offered him a half smile.
He glanced at her and saw her eating heartily. With that, his bearing seemed to improve. The dark, sulking look vanished and was replaced by a lighter expression. "That's great to hear." He felt relieved that his assistant had adapted with their office setting in such a short time.
He chanced another glance towards her direction and found her sipping on her juice while staring at remarkable scenery. In the moonlight, the lake was glistening and the tiny volcano stood magnificently. He saw her drew a long breath and smiled.
Something heartfelt blossomed from inside the young man, upon seeing her smile. Her face was devoid of any cosmetic making her looked more ethereal even though her hair was slightly mussed due to the gentle blowing wind.
"No dives for the week end?" He asked, a little unsure if he opened the right topic.
Sabina turned to face him. "Rainy season is upon us so none." She said as she shook his head.
Loosen up Sab. The young assistant reminded herself.
"But according to my boss, there's this lunatic who came in yesterday asking if I could give him a one on one lesson. Mental, right?" She narrated. She was now smiling.
Although a bit unsettled with what Sabina had shared, Timothy chuckled. "Yes, him? So the lunatic is a guy." He clarified.
She nodded in response and spooned a mouthful of veggies. She chewed them slowly, relishing their glorious taste. "He even offered to double my fee but I'm still not sure if I'm going to take it. I am not really comfortable giving one on one lesson especially with a guy." She said truthfully.
"Even if it was me?" He asked.
"Oh come on Architect Sebastian, I know you don't like water. I saw it in your eyes. So that's impossible." She sipped on her juice and asked for another one from the server who happened to pass by.
Timothy smirked. "Well, I'm willing if you'll take me as your student." His eyes were smiling. This was very unusual for him. Arch. Timothy Sebastian was the brooding type and he rarely smile.
"Freaking great! Now you're hitting on me?" Sabina exclaimed while Timothy laughed heartily.
"Wow!" She was astounded, she made the dark, brooding Timothy Sebastian laugh. Impressive.
She giggled with relish and for Timothy it was one of the most divine sounds he had ever heard. "Seriously? You're hitting on me, right?" She was not ready to let go.
The young man's gleeful laugh echoed. "Maybe." He winked at her.
Sabina's eyes widened. "Don't do that I might swoon, Architect Sebastian." She joked as she clutched her chest and laughed merrily.
Timothy shook his head as their hysterics subsided. "Call me Tim, calling me by my surname makes me feel ancient." He stared at her, noting how her eyes twinkled when she laughs.
"Okay but you have to call me Sab, too." She argued.
"Deal." Her boss agreed. They chatted like old friends until it was time to go.
As they walked towards the parking lot Sabina shivered involuntarily due to the cool temperature of the place.
Quickly, Timothy took his coat off and draped it on her shoulders. "Thanks." The woman murmured as she raised her face and smiled at him. There was his wonderful scent again, musky, minty and spicy.
By 10:00 PM they were on the road again. They dropped by Starbucks to take away two tall cups of hot Caramel Macchiato. The night was definitely one for the books.