Hello dearests!
How are you? At last! May update na sina Steven at Lorabelle. Sorry kung sa hinaba-haba ng mga araw ay ngayon lang ako nakapagsulat ulit. I wasn't feeling well emotionally these past few days kasi namatay ang pinakamamahal kong aso. Langya talaga yung Canter na sumagasa sa kanya. huhuhuhu
Enough, Lhara! Nag-eemo ka na naman. Thank God, I was able to cope up. Anyway, back to the topic. Heto na nga! Sana mag-enjoy kayo sa update na ito.
Still, COMMENTS VOTES and FOLLOWS are HIGHLY APPRECIATED. Thank you! 'Til next time! :-)
Much love,
Lhara McFadden
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Lorabelle unleashed a deep sigh when as she was inside the elevator of the building. It was the cornerstone of the former DLite Press but she didn't have any clue about the company's new name.
Jet lag was still taking its toll on her, kaya medyo lutang pa ang kanyang pakiramdam. Kahapon pa kasi sila dumating ni Jackie. She strode out of the elevator when its door opened. Nang sumapit siya sa lobby ay kaagad niyang napansin ang mga kasamahang empleyado na nag-uumpukan. She guessed they were those employees that were retained in the company.
"Lora, andito ka na pala. What took so you long?" Rosel asked plainly. Katulad niya ay isa ito sa mga na-retain.
"Traffic kasi may banggaan sa EDSA. How's here?"
"Narito na ang bagong may-ari ng kumpanya. He's currently in a meeting with the two Operations Manager, the Editor-in-Chief and the two Webpage developers. Hinanap nga ang dating editorial assistant ni Mr. D pero sinabi naming nag-leave ka at ngayon mo pa nalaman," Rosel explained, shaking her hands while talking.
"Hindi ba siya nagalit?" she asked worriedly. She was afraid that the new owner of the company would change his mind and suddenly fire her. "Teka, lalaki ba ang bagong may-ari ng DLite Press?"
"Hindi ko pa nga nakita. Sabi nila ay lalaki raw at ibinilin na pagdating mo ay ipunin lahat ng empleyado sa Conference Room 2 kasi magme-meeting din kasama siya."
"O-Okay,"
Whether she liked it or not, she didn't know why her emotions rushed into her. She suddenly felt nervous and didn't have any notion why. But she just looked at it on the other way. Inisip niyang baka dahil may bago silang boss kaya siya nakaramdam ganoon.
The other employees went back to their respective cubicles while their new boss was still in the Conference Room 1. She checked the previous office of Mr. Divinagracia. Iyon din ang magiging opisina ng bagong may-ari ngunit hindi niya alam ung may babaguhin ba roon. Well, the office was good, so far. It was squeaky-cleaned. Wala pang binago sa arrangement ng mga gamit na naroon.
Her lips pasted a smile after seeing the first blush of the office. She was pretty sure that it will please the man.
"Lorabelle,"
"H-Ha?" She turned to the person who was just behind the opened door. She saw Suzette, her other colleague. "Bakit?"
"Kanina pa ako naghahanap sa'yo. Nandito ka lang pala. Nasa Conference Room 2 na silang lahat at ikaw na lang ng kulang," turan ng babae.
"H-Ha? Sige, sige. I'll just follow."
"Okay, Lora." Saka tumalikod na ito.
Bahagya niyang inayos suot na damit. She had white chiffon long sleeve blouse with pure black high-waisted pencil-cut skirt. She teamed them up with a black pointed toe high-heeled shoes.
They had no uniform so they were free to wear whatever casual attire they wanted. She gently combed her hair using her fingers though she's already sure that each strand was in the right place. She also wore a light make-up in order to look more glowing. Wala wala na siyang oras para mag-retouch pero sigurado naman siyang presentable ang ayos niya.
"Since I'm now the owner of SAM Publishing previously DLite Press, one of my expectations is for this team to be cooperative. I am expecting each one of you to cooperate just like what you did with Mr. Divinagracia. Do I have your commitment?" Steven said in his baritone and authoritative voice. He was standing in front of the Conference Room 2.
"Yes, Sir!" the employees answered in chorus. They were all seated on the swivel chairs surrounding the rectangular wooden conference table.
Habang nagsasalita ay isa-isa niyang tiningnan ang mukha ng bawat taong naroon. Damn! He cursed deep inside when he didn't find that familiar face of a woman. But he remained subtle. Baka kasi mawala siya sa konsentrasyon.
"Alam kong napakabuti sa inyo ni Mr. Divinagracia. In fact, he made sure that it will be a package deal before we closed the transaction. Kasama rin sa kondisyon na taasan ko ng ten percent ang sahod ninyo which is a disadvantage on my part. But that won't be an issue as long as you'll give me an assurance of your efficiency with the task assigned to each of you. Can I expect that from you?" mahabang turan niya sa mga ito.
"Yes, Sir!" muli ay magkasabay na sagot ng lahat.
"Good to hear that! So how about properly introducing yourselves? I just want to familiarize the people whom I'll be dealing with every day."
"Yes, Sir!"
He heard the glass sliding door opened. Kitang-kita niya na nagmamadaling pumasok ang babaeng nakasuot ng puting blouse. Nakalarawan sa mukha nito ang pagkataranta. His eyes were stuck on her and his mouth twisted in amusement.
Lorabelle, his heart whispered.
She was nothing if not original. In a sweeping glance he scrutinized and memorized every inch of her. She was wearing an off-the-rack outfit and simple make-up. She was nothing compared to the perfectly polished women he dated in Ireland, with their voguish fashion and artfully colored hair. But why the irrational buzz of intrigue? Dati pa namang simple ang dalaga pero hindi siya makapaniwala na ganoon pa rin ito mag-ayos kahit napunta ito sa Japan noon.
Nagkukumahog sa paghahanap ng swivel chair na mauupuan si Lorabelle. Unfortunately, she didn't find any vacant seat and the fact that she was late, she knew that she was fucked up. Shit! Nakakahiya sa bagong boss nila! Ano na lang ang sasabihin nito? Baka sabihin nito na hindi siya responsableng empleyado. She suddenly sucked her breath when she heard a loud hem coming from the front. Oh Lordy! What a mess! What a crummy, rotten, lousy mess!
"So how about that lady in white who just came in? Care to introduce yourself, Miss?" But the timbre of that baritone voice sounded familiar to her ears.
"H-Ha?"
Dahan-dahang lumingon ang dalaga sa kinaroroonan nito. Namilog ang kanyang mga mata at bahagyang umawang ang kanyangbibig nang mapagsino ang nasa harapan.
She felt her head was pounding like a bongo drum due to the realization that their new boss was none other than Steven! And he was staring at her as if he was stripping all her clothes off. Oh! Pakiramdam niya tuloy ay napapaso siya sa paraan ng pagtitig nito sa kanya. And...She felt the world stop spinning.
"Come on, Lora," pabulong na wika ni Rosel na nagkataong nasa tabi niya. Bahagya siya nitong siniko. "Ano ka ba? Kanina ka pa niya hinahanap," dagdag pa nito.
"Bakit parang nakakita ka yata ng multo?" mapang-uyam na wika ng binata. O, baka imagination niya lang iyon dahil guilty pa rin siya sa ginawa niya noon. "Sa lahat ng ayaw ko ay iyong mga nale-late sa trabaho." Tila natauhan siya sa narinig.
She lifted her eyes and looked at him. Their eyes accidentally met. Ngunit hindi niya kinayang makipagtitigan dito kaya iniba niya ng direksiyon ang paningin.
"S-Sorry, Sir." Saka bahagyang iniyuko ang ulo.
Muli siyang nagtaas ng paningin. Nakita niyang madilim ang bukas ito. But he was, without a doubt, still the most handsome, blatantly masculine man she'd ever seen. He looked so dignified in his black tuxedo. His eyebrows were lush but well formed and his eyes were brown as hazelnut. Pangahan din ang mukha nito.
"So, what now?"
Bigla niyang nahiling na sana lamunin na lang siya ng sahig dahil nakita niya itong naglalakad palapit sa kanya. Nanatiling tahimik ang mga tao roon. Kasubuan na iyon para sa kanya at alanganin na para tumakbo siya palayo. Takot din siya na tuluyan itong mainis at tanggalin siya ng 'di oras.
"A-Hh, I'm Lorabelle Yañez, Sir. A-actually, I'm your editorial assistant," she thought, her voice was as soft as the cockroach's.
"Really?" he asked, looking so amused, but his face was still looking so formal. "So ikaw iyong sinabi ni Mr. Divinagracia na isa sa mga ng SAM Publishing. "I'm so pleased to meet you, Miss Yañez," wala pa ring kangiti-ngiting wika nito. Ni hindi man lang ito nagpahiwatig ng kahit konting rekognasiyon sa kanya na siyang dahilan upang mas lalo pa siyang mailang sa presensiya nito.
SAM Publishing stands for Steven Alcantara Monterossa Publishing? That question hammered in her mind, but she didn't have the courage to let it out. She cleared her throat instead, then spoke. "Thank you, Sir."
"You're welcome, Miss Yañez. Anyway, this meeting is adjourned. You may go back to your stations. I'll just call you if I need to know something about the task assigned to you, okay?"
"Yes, Sir!" Saka nagtayuan na ang mga kasamahan niya.
Malalaki ang kanyang mga hakbang patungo sa sliding door upang ibsan ang weirdong pakiramdam na namayani sa buong sistema niya. She thanked God na hindi na kinuha ng binata ang kanyang atensiyon.