Maraming kababaihan ang nagluluksa sa engagement party ni Trace Andersen. Natatawa namang inilapag ni Eonji Ablaza ang newspaper na hawak.
"That bastard paid me double for his fianceé's surgery!" Umiiling na ininom ni Dr. Ablaza ang kaniyang kape.
"Umagang umaga siya ang pinaguusapan natin. Tss." Bulong ko.
"Sorry, di lang ako makapaniwala. Ang gagong yun magpapakasal? Neknek niya! Parang kailan lang pinipilit niya 'kong sumali sa club niya."
Napaangat ako ng tingin. That piqued my curiousity. "Hindi ka ba member?"
Tiningnan niya ako na para bang ako ang pinakaimposibleng tao sa mundo. "Of course not! But I go to his club. Masaya eh!"
Napangiwi ako. "Parang gano'n na rin yun eh."
"No. I don't abide their rules. Disgusting!" Aniya.
"You think people there are... No, let me rephrase that. You think we're disgusting?" Puno ng asido ang tono ko.
"You're a member?"
"Yes. So what?" Mataray kong sagot.
Tumango tango siya habang inuubos ang kaniyang kape na ako ang nagtimpla! At hanggang ngayon ay wala pa akong naririnig na Thank you!
"Okay. I'll join too." Sakto sanang iinom akong juice nang sabihin niya iyon kaya nasamid ako.
"Hey," He rubs my back. Inalis ko ang kamay niya roon.
"I-I'm fine."
Nasa ganoon kaming posisyon nang bumukas ang main door. Iniluwa noon si Dr. Leonardo Ablaza, ang nakakatandang kapatid ni Eonji.
"Kuya!" Eonji beamed.
"Hindi mo sinasagot ang tawag ko." Napatingin ako kay Eonji. Ayan kasi, sobrang kalandian.
"Sorry. I was preoccupied."
Magsasalita pa sana si Dr. Leo nang magring ang kaniyang phone. Kunot noo niya itong sinagot.
"I understand, Trace. . . I told you, Laura needs to go to a rehabiliatation center, not in jail!" Hinilot nito ang kaniyang sentido. For a moment, I admired his strong features.
Ang kaniyang panga na animo'y inukit maging ang matangos nitong ilong ay kay sarap sanang titigan. Magkamukha sila ni Eonji, only that Leo has a more dominating aura. Bagsak ang buhok nito samantalang magulo ang kay Eonji.
"Call me back. H'wag kang OA. Yuri is fine. . . Alright." Kunot pa rin ang kaniyang noo kahit nakababa na ang tawag.
Nagkatinginan pa kami ni Eonji at malamang ay parehong curious. We both know Trace, Yuri and Laura kaya malamang ay pareho naming gustong malaman kung ano ang nangyayari.
Sumulyap sandali sa Dr. Leo sa akin bago sa kaniyang kapatid. "Handle my surgery today. Off mo diba? I know this is too much, pero kailangan kong pumunta ng Batangas."
"I won't." Preskong sagot ni Eonji. Kahit ako ay nabigla.
"Not until you tell me what's going on. What's up? Bakit hindi ka makakapagduty?" Eonji continued.
Umigting muna ang bagang ni Dr. Leo Ablaza bago sumagot. "Trace needs my help. I know you did great on your surgery with his fianceé but this is about business.
"When Yuri got into an accident, halos mabaliw si Trace, you know that. I can't let myself see that miserable side of the great Andersen. Now, I need to go with them in US."
Napakunot kami ng noo.
"For what?" Si Eonji.
"Yuri's infertile. I need to guide them there. They will be conducting a new technology that helps infertile like her. It's yet to come out in market but Trace has his ways. Mas magandang mayroon kahit isa sa amin ang nakakaintindi ng mga medical jargons. Yuri is a friend of mine, as well as Trace." Paliwanag ni Leo.
"How is that 'business matter'?" Tanong ni Eonji kahit ako ay gusto ko rin sanang itanong.
"If the newly invented method is successful and indeed, Yuri gets pregnant, Trace will sponsor me."
"Sponsor you? In what?"
"I am a part of the team who will be conducting Yuri's operation. I made the research, so I will be one of the inventors to be recognized if it turns out well. And if it does, Trace will sponsor our further research."
Napanganga ako.
To sum it up, Dr. Leo Ablaza is a genius and Trace fuckin' Andersen is filthy rich. Wow, what a great revelation! Note the sarcasm.
"Alright. Tell me all the details about this surgery." Ani Eonji.
May iniabot na folder si Leo. "Here's the patient's record. Yung dose ng..." Naglakad sila papuntang sala at iniwan ako rito sa dining.
Hindi ko na nasundan ang pinaguusapan nila. And I don't have plans on knowing anyway. Ano'ng alam ko roon diba?
My great concern right now is my dad - his condition and the company.
Nakatulala ako sa kapeng tinimpla ko para sa aking sarili. Nilamig na yata? Bigla ko tuloy naalala si Daddy. Nakapagbreakfast na ba siya? Bakit hindi ko yata siya nakitang lumabas ng kaniyang kwarto ngayon?
"Hey," Hindi ko namalayan na nakabalik na pala ang magkapatid. Sandali ko lang sinulyapan si Eonji bago tumingin ako sa kapatid niyang tahimik na nakamasid.
If not with Eonji's presence, I will be bothered by the way Leo stares at me. Marahil ay gano'n lang talaga siya? Ewan!
"I haven't had the decency to properly introduce myself," Biglang wika ni Leo. "I am Dr. Leonardo Yuan Ablaza. Call me Yuan please."
Yuan.
Sounds familiar.
"Oh." Sambit ko at medyo nahiya dahil nakalahad na ang kaniyang kamay sa akin. "Sorry. Uhm. Well, I thought you're called Leo..."
"I am. But that was ages ago." I extended my hand on him. "Nice to see you again."
He smiles at me like he's seeing me for the first time. "Yeah. I mean, we don't really had a nice converseation before." Sabi ko na lang, which is partly true.
I'd only talk to him about my father's health which is very rare. And damn, all along I thought he's called Leo.
"Okay, kuya. I thought you might want to get your filthy hands off her." Asar na bawal ni Eonji.
I glare at him. He said it as if he owns me. Tss.
"What?" Baling niya sa akin.
"We don't have any relationship so stop being possessive over me, 'kay?" Singhal ko.
"No freakin' way!" Umismid pa ito sa akin. Tss. He looks gay, dammit!
"Stop assuming now, Eonji." Leo, or rather Yuan smirks.
His little immature brother, Eonji, smirks back. "Don't hit on my girl kuya. Or else..."
"Or else what?" Hamon ni Leo, oh damn I mean Yuan.
"O kakalimutan kong may kapatid ako." For a moment, I felt the intensity of the atmosphere here.
Don't fuckin' tell me he's freakin' serious!?
"Hey, you must not say it that way. Baka isipin kong seryoso ka na sa'kin." Sabi ko.
"I am serious." He stare at me coldly.
"When I get back from Batangas, she should be in love with you or I'll have her the Ablaza way. You know what I'm talking about, Eonji." Iyon lamang at pareho niya kaming iniwan ng kasama ko na nabigla.
Sinulyapan ko si Eonji at nakita ko ang pagtangis ng kaniyang bagang. So he's serious about this? As well as his brother? And about me?
Wow, I never thought I'll be stuck in a love triangle with the great Ablaza brothers!
"Don't you ever think that you're in some kind of a corny love triangle. There's no way in hell Leo's going to be my rival." Aniya.
"I thought he's called by Yuan?" Na maski ako ay naninibago.
"Neknek niya. He doesn't want to be called by Yuan for about three to four years ago." Anito. "Maybe you look a bit like his first love, that's why."
Nacurious ako bigla.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, Alessandra Monteguiado, Leo's ex girlfriend, calls him Yuan. Siya lang naman. Ewan ko ba dun. My brother told me Sandra wanted him to call by that because she wanted to be unique among the others. You know, typical corny endearment whatsoever." Aniya na tila diring diri.
"And he wants me to call him Yuan because I look like his ex? That's why he said 'call me Yuan please', is that it?" Wika ko.
"Yep. That's the only reason I could decipher for now." Tiningnan ako ni Eonji gamit ang kaniyang nagdududan mata. Nanliit pa ang mga ito. "Why, Gabourey? Had he hit on you before?
Umiling ako.
"Then why are you so curious?" Nakakunot na ang kaniyang noo.
"Why wouldn't I be? He wanted me to call him by a name he hated before! And you were the one who mentioned about me looking a bit like his ex lover! So stop assuming anything!" Tumataas ang alta presiyon ko dito sa nilalang na ito!
Pinagtaasan niya ako ng kilay. "You better be. I do not want him to be my rival. He plays dirty." Aniya.
Maniwala ako sa kaniya! If I know pareho lang sila ng kapatid niya. Pareho lang naman ang genes na pinanggalingan nila.
"Ma'am, may bisita po kayo." Bungad sa akin ni Petra pagkaahon ko galing swimming pool.
"Sino daw?" Tanong ko habang binabalot ang katawan ko ng aking roba.
"Atty. Silver Monteguiado daw po." Aniya.
Kumunot ang noo ko. His name doesn't ring a bell.
"Papuntahin ko ba dito Ma'am?" Saglit akong nagisip. I am only wearing a robe!
Would it matter? Pero masama namang paghintayin ko ang isang abogado diba?
Tumango ako. "O sige."
Saglit kong inayos ang puting robe na suot ko para kahit papano ay magmukhang desente kahit konti.
I was expecting an old gray-colored hair man but I was greeted by a tall, lean and a really handsome lawyer.
"Hello, Ms. Klein." Nagkahad siya ng kamay na siya namang tinanggap ko. "I'm sorry to come beforehand without notice."
"It's okay. But I don't remeber having an appointent with you." I said a matter-of-factly.
"Oh, maybe that's because I am here on behalf of my father, Atty. Dannilo Monteguiado. Mr. Klein's lawyer." Paliwanag niya.
"So you came here for my dad?"
"No, no. Uhm, my father was supposed to meet with you as per your dad's request. Something came up so I'm here on his behalf. It's about KLEIN Manufacturing Ltd Incorporated." That caught my attention.
"What about our company? Is it failing?"
"No, Ms. Klein. It's actually the opposite." Nakangiti niyang sagot. "Anyway, I came here mainly because of this."
Kinuha niya ang isang document sa kaniyang attache case. "Your father has decided to step down, Ms. Klein. I am just here to inform you that your father has appointed you as the company's new Vice President."
Nalaglag ang panga ko. Lahat na yata ng santo ay tinawag ko na sa aking isip upang magising na ako sa panaginip na ito. Hindi ito nangyayari.
"Excuse me?"
"Your father is still the Chairman of the Board. The position for Presidency was voted by the board of directors." Aniya.
I know that common sense! Still, ang daddy ko ay maraming kaalyado! He's got fifty-five percent of the company's shares! If he wants me to be the next President, I will be!
"Who's the new President then?"
"The former Vice President Leonardo Ablaza, Ms. Klein. The full details are written in there including you as the newly appointed VP."
Umiling ako. Completely shocked. No, this is just unbelievably absurd.
"I'm sorry? I mean, how can a doctor be the...." Tumigil ako sa pagkakakunot ng noo ng kaharap ko.
"He was voted by the majority." He stated obviously.
"I know but he's a doctor!" I hissed.
"Dapat noon ka nagreklamo, Ms. Klein. Three years ago, when he was appointed to be the Vice President by your father."
~
AN: So, what do you think about this chapter? About Leo Ablaza? *winks*