As she entered her office she was stunned when she saw Jake seated in one of the chairs in front of her table. “What are you doing here, Jake? Sarah asked him with obvious distaste in her voice. Jake looked at her and calmly announced. “I am pulling you out of here. By this afternoon you will be reporting back at Cuenca’s. Sarah went straight to her seat, sat at it and faced, him. “As far as I know Jake, I am directly reporting to your father. Not you. She coldly retorted back at him. Jake was gravely looking at her. She returned it back with a pointed look. “Gerald is my boss for now, and it is but proper that I will take orders from him and no one else.” She said. “Now, please leave, Jake. I have more important things to finish.” She added and focused her gazed at her laptop screen. Jake, grabbed her wrist tightly. “You will come with me now or I’ll drag you out of here.” He threatened her. “Leave me alone, Jake don’t make a scene here. Nakakahiya kay Gerald.” She said. Sarah can’t help it and raised her voice at him. Jake was so aggravated by her restraint and forced her out of her seat. “Ano ba, you are hurting me.” Sarah pleaded. Jake was about to pull her out of her office when Gerald saw them.
Gerald went straight to her and pulled her out of Jake’s violent hands and shielded her with his body. “Jake, what are you doing, halika sa opisina lets talk about it. Pero, pare huwag mo naman saktan si Sarah. He told Jake as he shielded Sarah from him. Gerald looked backed at her. “Sarah, go back to your office, I’ll talk to you later. He gently instructed her. Sarah hurriedly slipped back at her office, worried about what will happen between the two best friends. “Kasalan mo ito, Sarah. You put yourself in this situation! Now, what?”She mumbled to herself.
She was fidgeting inside her office when he heard the door banged from outside. She was walking towards the door to checked what happened when he bumped into Gerald. “Gerald, ano nangyari? Si Jake?” Gerald held her face and looked into her eyes. “It’s alright, Sarah. He already left.” He told her. He caressed her cheek with his thumb. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?” He asked her with a worried expression on his face. Sarah lifted her head and looked at him with confuse eyes. “I am okay, Gerald. I am worried about the two of you. I don’t want you to fight over me.” She told him.
Gerald ushered her to her seat and kneeled before her. “I threatened him, Sarah. I told him if he will continue to harass you, I will not hesitate and file a restraining order against him.” She stared at him stunned by his protectiveness over her. A tear flowed from her eyes. Gerald wiped off her tears using his thumb. When she recovered, she looked back at him. “You don’t have to do that, Gerald. I know Jake, he won’t stop until he got what he wants.” Sarah pulled her hand out of his grasped. “Ayaw ko na madamay ka pa, Gerald.” She added.
Gerald shook his head and held on her hand ,again. “No, Sarah, I will protect you, because, I want to.” He told her with determined fire in his eyes. Sarah pushed her chair away from him. Gerald stood up looked at her one last time. “I will protect you, Sarah. Either you like it or not.” He then turned his back at her and marched towards the door. Why, are you doing this, Gerald?” Sarah whispered back at him. Gerald looked backed over his shoulder and directed his eyes to hers. “Don’t ask me, Sarah. Ask your heart.” With that he left her office leaving her confused as ever.
A week had past, Sarah and Gerald went back to their normal professional relationship. Jake never again, tried to harass or go near Sarah since the incident with Gerald.
Sarah was fixing the morning coffee in the pantry when Gerald suddenly walked in. “Sarah, I need you inside my office in five.”He said to her. Sarah looked at him and nod. “Do you want coffee?” She asked him casually. “Nope, I had one at the condo, I am good.” He said.
After finishing her coffee Sarah, went straight to Gerald’s office as he instructed. He was seated on his chair and was busy typing in his computer. “Yes, Gerald. What do you need from me?”She asked him in her normal business like tone.
“Have a seat, Sarah; I need to discuss something to you.” Gerald seriously told her.
“What is it?”She asked him a puzzled expression on her face. “I need you to come with me on my business trip in India.” Gerald nonchalantly declared to her.
“Okay, as your PA, I am required to go with you on business trips. So I guess, I have no choice and go.”
“You will not go with me as a PA, Sarah. You will come with me as my fiancée.” He explained to her.
Sarah stared at him for awhile. She was trying to process what he just said. “Ummm you mean the pretend game is again on?” She asked him as she struggled with her words.
Gerald looked at her intently and nodded his head. “For 3 weeks.” He said in a matter of fact tone.
Sarah tried to be casual with it but she can’t process the fact that she will be again her pretend fiancée. “Does that mean we need to stay in one hotel room?” She quietly asked him a hesitant shade flashed from her eyes.
“For us to be believable, I guess we should. You know Samara, she won’t give up and will do her best to investigate. Don’t worry Sarah; we did not have a problem sharing a bed, before right? He asked her and gave her a naughty look.
Sarah sat up straight from her chair and let out an exasperated sigh. “I am tired of this Gerald, when would you close that deal? This has to end.” She said.
“We can make it real, you know. If you just let me, I’ll just fix some problems from my end.” He said with a teasing smile on his face.
Sarah looked at him pointedly and shook her head. “I am not joking, Gerald. I mean what I said. This pretend is getting a little tiring.”
“It is because we keep on hiding and denying what we really are feeling inside our hearts. And it is frustrating me as well, Sarah.” Gerald said to her with a hint of frustration from his eyes.
Sarah looked at him confused. “What does he mean by that? We might be attracted to each other but love? He don’t do love, and I am done with it. That can’t be? No, it can’t be?” She quietly muttered to herself.
“Face the music, Sarah and brave up for what you feel. I am just here waiting for you.” He ended before walking out of his office.
“Face the music, Sarah and brave up for what you feel. I am just here waiting for you.” Gerald told her that before leaving the office. “Now is the time to brave up, Gerald Anderson.” He told himself while walking towards his car. He will be at the war zone in few minutes but he is ready to face them. His and her family. “No turning back, Gerald, you’ve done everything they told you and this time, you will follow what you really feel inside.” He told himself while driving off the parking lot of his office building.
He was on his way to the President’s Palace, when he heard his phone rang. “Yes, Iza?” He answered the call of his fiancé. “Are you sure we will do this now, Ge?” She asked him from the other line, the panic in her voice , irked him. “Iza, we talked about this, right? And as I told you last night, there is no turning back, for me.” He told him in his firm and determined tone. “But, Ge what about my family, their reputation would be at stake if we…” Iza cut herself and sob lightly.
“Iza, we will do this discreetly and I’ll ask my PR team to release a final statement to avoid controversy.” He planned this already and he will make sure that the reputation of their families will not be in jeopardy because of this. “But Ge, the decision itself is a controversy.” Iza, argued back at him.
Gerald let out a sigh “Iza, it will be a controversy for sometime but the country will get over it. After a few months I am sure they will forget it ever happened. So please, believe me this will be over soon.” He assured her. Iza was speechless from the other line. Gerald was patiently waiting for her reply and was drumming his fingers in the steering wheel while waiting for the traffic lights to turn green. “I’ll be there in 25 minutes, Iza, please ready yourself” He finally told her. He heard Iza let out a deep sigh. “I am not sure about this, Gerald. Please change your mind.” She pleaded.
“No, Iza, I won’t. I am sorry.” He gently told her and ended the call.
“I won’t Iza, I am sorry. Because I love her.” He whispered to himself while he returned his attention to his driving.
After a few minutes he arrived at the palace. The guard let him in and guided him at the assigned lot for his car. “Mr. Anderson.” One of the palace guards greeted him upon entering the palace grounds. “Good afternoon.” He greeted back.” Iza’s personal assistant was waiting for him at the foot of the stairs. He approached her. “Nhila, Good afternoon.” He said and gave her a smile. “Mr. Anderson.” She said and bowed at him. “They are all at the visitor’s lounge; they are already waiting for you, Sir.” Nhila informed him. He nodded at her. “Lead the way, then.” He told Nhila.
She followed his instruction and slowly ascended the stairs that will lead them to the lounge. He followed Nhila while he prepares for the drama that was about to happen. “You will do this Gerald, for her, you will do this.” He chanted to himself while ascending the stairs. He saw his parents talking to the president and the first lady and was seated comfortably at the elegant sofa of the palace’s lounge, a glass of wine in their hands, Iza seated across them fidgeting on her seat. He approached her and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She stood up as soon as she felt him kiss her. Her and His parents stopped chatting and greeted him.
“Oh, you’re here Gerald.” The president greeted him. He approached him and took his outstretched hand. “My pleasure, Mr. President.” He told him while shaking the President's hand.
“What is this meeting for?” His dad asked him and Iza as looked at them from his seat. He walked towards the chair beside the one Iza was sitting on earlier and sat at it. He took a deep breath and looked towards their parents who were eagerly waiting for him to speak up. The President was back on his seat while Iza nervously sat beside him.
He looked directly at the President’s eyes. “I am sorry Tito Manuel but I am calling off the engagement.” He said and heard his mother gasped. He turned his head and saw his father, silently giving him a death glare. The President remained calm and contained but was speechless for a while.
“If that is your decision then I don’t have a say about it. I’ll be respecting your decision as I don’t want my daughter to be unhappy because you are unhappy.” The president told them.
“Is that what you want Iza?” The first lady asked her daughter and looked at her. “It is Gerald’s decision Mama; I don’t have a choice but agree with him.” Iza told her, teary eyed.
“You can’t do this Gerald or I will disown you.” His dad angrily told him while his mom was sobbing beside her husband.
“Disown me then Papa. But my decision is final.” He retorted back at him, he then stood up and approached the President.
“Don’t worry Tito Manuel, I will ask my PR team to release an official statement regarding this to avoid controversy and negative talks. I will contact you soon as soon as they drafted it and forward it to you for approval and release. Again, my apologies this has to happen.” He extended his hand to the president and was surprised the he patted his back, follow your heart son, I admire you for doing this, Gerald. He humbly told him.
He smiled at his supposedly father in law and gave a glanced back to an obviously disappointed Iza. He gave her a small smile and whispered an “I am sorry.” He then walk towards the stairs ready to leave the visitor’s lounge. He heard his father said at his back. “Gerald, we will talk soon. I won’t let you out this easy.” His dad shouted at his retreating back. He ignored him and continued to leave the palace.
“You can’t dictate my life anymore, Pa. I have enough already.” He angrily whispered to himself.
“I will follow my heart, Papa. I am sorry!” He added.
Unknown to Iza and his parents, he already talked to the President and the First Lady. He explained himself . Luckily the President and his wife are very understanding. They were shocked when they first heard of his plan but they were convinced that he should follow his heart.
Flash back from the night before
“My daughter deserves someone who will be completely hers and if you are not that person, then we have to accept it.” Her parents told him. “When we agreed about the arranged marriage, we thought you two are very taken with each other as you were very close since childhood. I guess we’ve mistaken your closeness as love.” The first lady added.
He looked at her. “Iza knows I don’t do love, and she was okay with it, as we both aim for companionship. Unfortunately God has a way of getting back at me. I fell in love Tito and Tita with a wonderful woman.” He told them with all honesty. “We know it, Gerald. We expected that already and honestly, we admire your guts. Follow your heart son and I am sure Iza will find someone who will love her.” The president told him while her wife gave him a small smile. “We appreciate you telling us before hand, Gerald.” She said to him.
“It’s my way of standing for my decision Tita and for me to personally express my apologies for the trouble it might bring you.”
“No, Gerald, that is a fact of life, sometimes Love surprises us in the most unexpected moment. Papunta pa lang kayo, pauwi na kami, anak.” The first lady continued.
After the talk they continued on finishing their dinner. When all of them were finished with their plates, Gerald looked at them from across the dinner table. “Magseset po ako ng meeting tomorrow with my parents kasama po kayo. Iza and I will formally let you know of our decision.” He declared to them with finality.
“Okay Iho, we can do it here at around let say 1 pm.” The President informed him.
“Okay, Tito. I’ll be here by that time. I will call my parents and inform them of the meeting.” He said.
He then stood up from his seat and bid his goodbye to the first couple of the country. The president patted his back and the first lady gave him a kiss on the cheek. “We wish you luck, son. I hope your parents would understand your decision.” The president told him.
“If they don’t, Tito I won’t mind. I can stand on my own. I am my own man.” He told him in a dignified stance.
Tito Manuel nodded at him while Tita Elena gave him an encouraging smile. He left the Malacanang grounds with a positive heart that all this will be over soon.
End of Flashed Back.
After the meeting he drove back to the office and went straight to Sarah. He knocked at her office door. “Come in” He heard her say from inside her room. He slowly opened the door and went inside. He stood up in front of her. “Please arrange a meeting with the PR group, asap. I need them immediately.” He instructed her and walked towards the door of his own office.
“Okay I’ll let you know of the time as soon as it is set.” She said at his retreating back. He looked over his shoulder and looked at her. “Thank you.” He told her and entered his office.
After thirty minutes, Sarah entered his office and informed him that the PR group is already waiting for him at the boardroom.
“Do you need me in your meeting?” Sarah asked him. He shook his head. “This off the record, Sarah as what I will be asking them to do is not regarding business it is personal and a surprise for one of the most important person in my life.” He declared to her.
“Huh?” Sarah asked him obviously confused. He walked towards where she was standing, near the door and patted her back. “You will know the meaning, behind this all, as soon as you open your heart and mind, Sarah.” He whispered to her and hurriedly went outside of his office to go to the boardroom where his PR group is waiting for him, leaving a confused Sarah inside.
End of Chapter