Chapter Nineteen | Meeting
I released a deep breath as I tried to calm my heart. Hindi ako makapinawala sa sarili. Even after everything, he still has an effect on me.
Ibang level na katangahan, Thalia?
Pinigil ko ang ulo ko. It's really funny how the heart still functions in such a way even after all the pain inflicted upon it and all the hard-earned lessons it had to swallow.
I calmly collected myself. Kailangan kong ituon ang sarili sa mga mas importanteng bagay. Kailangan kong isipin ang anak. I am the only one who could provide for him. It is also my duty to keep him away from Zach.
Hindi ko na ulit nakita si Zach sa araw na iyon. Hindi na rin ulit nagawi si Balthazar sa office ko. It wasn't an eventful day, buong araw akong nakatunganga sa office at naghihintay ng financial reports.
I tried to brush the feel of Zach's touch from my head. I haven't been touched that way for a very long time. Sa loob ng ilang taon ko sa Los Angeles, wala akong naging boyfriend. They were guys who tried to hit on me but it was as though I've lost interest.
Maybe... it's hard to find love once you already know what it looks like.
Baka ay ganoon lang talaga... There are lessons you can't seem to learn. There are moments of foolishness na kahit ilang beses pinapaalala sa iyo'y hindi mo talaga lubos na mahahawakan.
Isang bunting-hininga ang lumabas sa aking bibig. I stretched my legs below my table. Tumayo na ako at kinuha ang bag para makaalis.
Kahit sa condo, walang naging ganap ang gabi ko. Lascaux was asleep when I called.
"I think it's time for Lascaux to follow you there..." si Gaea na katawagan ko ngayon.
I stiffened at my friend's suggestion.
"I'm just saying, Thals. Uuwi ako sa Pilipinas sa susunod na buwan. Kung gusto mo, dadalhin ko ang bata. The boy is really missing his Mommy very much. Nahihirapan na si Marie na pakainin at aliwin. Even your Mom finds it difficult to distract the boy."
Buong gabi ko iyong pinag-isipan. I tossed and turned on my bed at nakaligtaan ang pagdaloy ng oras.
It is very risky to send my son here. Alam ni Zachary na buntis ako nang umalis ako ng Pilipinas. Alam niya na anak namin si Lascaux. It's even a miracle na hindi niya pa tinatanong ang tungkol sa bata hanggang ngayon!
My initial plan is to tell him that I had a miscarriage para hindi na siya magtanong. Once he knows about our son, he will surely take him away from me! Especially now that he is so rich and powerful!
Alam ko na karapatan niyang malaman ang tungkol sa anak pero kung sasaktan niya lang din o hindi i acknowledge si Lascaux, huwag na lang.
Sa sumunod na araw ay lutang ako dahil ilang oras lang nakatulog. Cherry Ann was more flustered than usual this morning.
"M-Miss Zamualda!" She shrieked when she saw me enter the office, "Would you like coffee, Miss!"
Pinandilatan ko si Cherry Ann. Ganoon ba talaga ka obvious na wala akong tulog?
"It's okay, Cherry Ann. Mayroon na ba akong dapat gawin ngayong umaga?"
Cherry Ann adjusted her glasses, "Wala po, Miss. P-Pero after lunch po, bilin ni Sir na um-attend ka sa isang board meeting."
Board meeting? Kailangan ba 'yun?
"Okay... uh, can you please fetch me from my office nalang when the meeting starts?" I asked. Agad naman na um-oo si Cherry Ann.
I don't usually slack off at work. I intend to maintain professionalism. Kaso, hindi ko na talaga naagapan ang antok at sumandal na sa aking desk.
"Miss Zamualda!!!" Isang sigaw galing sa labas ng office ko. Napabalikwas ako ng bangon.
Nakaidlip ako?
"Miss!" Sigaw ulit ni Cherry Ann.
I hastily took a mirror from my bag and examined myself. Hinawi ko ang buhok at nag apply ng kaunting lipstick.
I think I look presentable naman for the meeting. I stood up and straightened my blue blouse, revealing a small part of my cleavage. I adjusted the red stilettos on both my feet at naglakad na patungo sa labas.
"The meeting is about to start, Miss!" Nyerbiyosong sabi ni Cherry Ann at muntikan pang madapa nang inalalayan ako papunta sa conference room.
The conference room was empty nang dumating kami. Kahit naka blazer ako ay ramdam parin ang lamig ng aircon. The room was wide and spacious. Ang malaking round table lang, dalawang sofa, at isang malapad na screen sa harapan comprised the room. Gaya ng office ni Zach ay mayroon din itong glass windows at kaunting halaman.
Cherry Ann sat on the sofa behind me and took a pad of paper from her blazer, siguro para mag record ng minutes.
I gulped as people started arriving. Most of them were around their 50s and looked like respected businessmen and women. They were accompanied by their respective assistants kaya naging abala tuloy si Cherry Ann sa pakikipag-usap.
Two of the younger men greeted me. Kahit na medyo kabado ay nakipagkamayan at nakipag-usap ako sa kanila.
"Hi!" A younger member greeted. "You don't seem very familiar."
"Thalia Cecilia Zamualda, Head Accountant... I'm new here," Pagpapakilala ko sa sarili.
"Accountant?" Singit ng isang babaeng board member nakaupo sa harapan ko. "Interesting." Dugtong nito.
Hindi na ako nagkomento at ngumiti nalang sa kanya habang tinaasan niya naman ako ng kilay. I ignored her reaction.
My gaze drifted on the door when a woman entered. She walked graciously towards the room, her large chest jumping up and down as she walked. Maiksi ang skirt nito na mas nagpahubog pa ng katawan. Her red lipstick highlighted her features.
"Laia, there you are!" Tawag ng matandang babae sa kung saan. "Did you come here with Zachary?"
I felt like a hole formed on my stomach. I surveyed the sophisticated woman as she greeted everyone in the room as if she belonged there.
"Cherry Ann..." I silently called. Pasimple namang yumukod si Cherry Ann sa akin at halos sumubsob na sa akin.
"Sino ba 'yan?" I said.
"Ah... si Laia Alverastine, Miss Zamualda. Anak 'yan ng isa sa pinakamalaking investors ng CFCV. Nandito ata for representation, Miss. Lagi naman 'yan sa office ni Sir Zach." She whispered.
I curled my fist into a ball as I surveyed the woman.
"Halos ilang oras din bago matapos ang mga private meetings nila ni Sir, M-Miss." dugtong nito. My mind started imagining wild things. Kaya ba natatagalan kasi bukod sa meeting ay may ibang ginagawa?
The woman laughed at something that a businessman said. Her hair fell on the small of her back as she laughed graciously. My eyes remained on her as she walked towards the woman who talked to me earlier at umupo na doon.
Hindi nagtagal ay nagtama ang aming mga mata. Her perfectly styled brows instantly shot up as she looked at me. Nakitang kong kinalabit siya ng matandang babae at may sinabi ito sa kanya. They both looked at me at the same time, their eyes now full of judgement and curiosity.
"Board Executive, Zachary Corpuz!"Anunsyo ng kung sino.
I glared at the two women and shifted my gaze to the door where I saw Zach entering.
May mga pumalakpak nang nakita si Zach. Even the way he walked made him look like a Roman warrior ready to conquer whatever was placed in front of him.
Bumalik ang aking mga mata kay Laia Alverastine and saw that she was standing as she clapped. There was so much pride in her eyes as she looked at Zach.
I followed her gaze at agad na nagtama ang tingin namin ni Zach na ngayon ay nakatayo na sa main chair. His brow playfully rose at me, as if asking me how I am doing.
I openly glared at him and looked at the screen instead.
Gago! Pinapunta lang ata ako dito para ipamukhang may girlfriend siya!