Valerie’s POV
I did an interview with Cindy but I knew it was just only for formality’s sake. Natanggap din agad ako sa trabaho at ngayon ang unang araw ko. I wore a beige chiffon top that slightly revealed my cleavage, a black figure hugging pencil skirt and pair of black fuck-me stilettos. I needed to look pretty for Axel. I wanted to give him something to look at. Tignan ko lang kung hanggang kailan siya makakatagal na hindi ako pansinin. I would do everything just to make him look at me. Even just a single glance would do.
Humanda ka, Atticus Xavier Enrique Lavigne. Wala pa akong ginusto na hindi ko nakuha.
He couldn’t just use me and throw me away like he did to the past women in his life. Hindi ako magiging katulad ng mga babaeng nagdaan sa buhay niya. I’d make him fall in love with me. He would be mine. Whatever it takes.
I came in early to work. Naglalakad ako sa hallway papunta sa room na sinabi ni Cindy na puntahan ko ng makita ko si Axel. He was absolutely sigh inducing in his hand-tailored business suit. Everything about him reeked of confidence and power. A potent aphrodisiac when mixed with a defined, strong body and chiseled facial feautures. He had this cold yet alluring demeanor. He held an air of importance as he walked, like a king in his castle. He was looking straight ahead with a cold, stoic expression. It was as if everything went on slow motion habang papalapit siya sa akin. Bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko.
“Good morning, Axel.” I said as he walked past me.
He suddenly stopped mid-walk and turned to face me. I felt my throat dry and I swallowed as I looked at him. His dark eyes pierced through me as if he was looking at my soul. “It’s Mr. Lavigne to you.”
“I – I’m sorry… Mr. Lavigne.” I said in a small voice.
He gave me a single nod bago siya tumalikod sa akin at nagpatuloy sa paglalakad. Parang ibang lalaki ang nakasama ko sa hacienda sa lalaking nakaharap ko ngayon. He was acting like he never knew me at all. Like he never… fucked me. Dahil ba sa nakuha niya na ang gusto niya sa akin? He had already added me to his list of conquest and now he was done with me. I sighed to ease the heaviness in held my chin up. No, I shouldn’t pity myself. I should be fighting.
Remember why you’re here, Valerie. Brush it off and keep going.
Hindi ako ganun kadali sumuko. Before I left the hacienda, I vowed to myself that I would never go back there with a broken heart. And I couldn’t let myself down. I finally found the room I was looking for and knocked.
“Good morning, Valerie.” Cindy greeted me with a smile when she opened the door. Nawala ang ngiti niya ng tignan niya ako. “Bakit parang namumutla ka?”
“Napagod lang siguro ako sa biyahe.” Dahilan ko.
“Do you want to sit down and have some water or coffee first?” She politely asked.
I shook my head. “No, thanks.”
“Well then, halika na at dadalhin na kita sa office mo.” She said. Cindy took me to another room. The room had ivory white walls and one side of the wall was made of glass that gave us a perfect view of the city. There were three cubicles in the room. Each of had a desk made of some type of dark wood, a chair, and a computer. Dinala ako ni Cindy sa cubicle na malapit sa pinto. Sabi niya iyon na daw ang workplace ko. She then began explaining to me what I needed to do. Pagkatapos niya akong turuan ng lahat ng kailangan kong malaman ay umalis na siya.
I had two new co-workers. One of them was a woman named Nicole and the other was a guy named Cooper. They both seemed nice kaya madali ko silang nakasundo. Dahil bago pa lang ako and this was my first job ever, tinulungan din nila ako sa mga gagawin ko.
Lunch time came, Nicole still had to finish some work kaya kami na lang ni Cooper ang sabay na nag-lunch. We went to the cafeteria and I was surprised how restaurant-esque it was. It was like eating at a fancy restaurant. We chose the table right next to the window wall and its stunning view. We talked and laughed while we ate. After we had both finished, bumalik na kami sa opisina. The day ended and I didn’t get to see Axel again. Hindi ko alam kung paano ako makakalapit sa kanya. Ni tingin nga pinagdadamo pa niya sa akin.
It was my second day today. Katulad kahapon, maaga akong pumasok. I walked inside the building and went straight to the elevator. The elevator openned after I pressed the up button. I stepped in and just as it was about to close, a hand shot between he doors. The metal retracted and I saw Axel’s cold face staring at me. Nagulat ako ang kusang napaawang ang bibig ko. He stepped in the elevator and stood next to me. His scent drifted over to me and I could feel my pulse starting to race.
“Good morning, Ax – Mr. Lavigne.” I swallowed.
“Morning.” He muttered under his breath.
We were just standing next to each other but it as if there was a wall between us. He was just so distant and cold and I felt like I couldn’t reach him. I wanted to talk to him but I didn’t know what to say.
“You do know office romance is strictly prohibited in this company, right?” He suddenly said.
“H-huh?” Dumbfounded, I turned my head to face him.
He was still looking straight ahead, not giving me a single glance. “Kung hindi mo kayang sumunod sa patakaran ng kumpanyang ito bumalik ka na lang sa hacienda niyo. You’re not a princess here, you’re just an employee and you’re going to be treated like one. Do you understand?”
“I – What exactly are you trying to say?” My brows furrowed in confusion.
“Kung gusto mong lumandi huwag dito sa opisina. I saw you yesterday at the cafeteria.” He said as he threw me a sideway glare.
I opened my mouth to say something but before I could do so the elevator tinged and the door opened.
“Have a good day, Ms. Zamora.” He said in a monotone as he stepped out of the elevator. Wala na akong nagawa kung hindi panoorin iyon sumara ulit. He said he saw me in the cafeteria. Bigla kong naalala na kasabay kong mag-lunch si Cooper kahapon. So he thought I was flirting with Cooper? I frowned. Napakadumi talaga ng isip ng lalaking iyon, palibhasa gawain niya. I never flirted and would never flirt with Cooper. Him and Nicole were already dating. But even if they weren’t, I still wouldn’t do it because I only wanted one man. And that man wanted nothing more to do with me. The elevator stopped on my floor and I went to my office.
Day five and I still hadn’t made any progress in my mission. Hindi ko naman kasi nakikita si Axel at kung makita ko man siya palagi naman niyang ipinararamdam na he didn’t want me around. I considered myself lucky if I get more than two words out of him. Something had to be done. It was already twelve in the afternoon when Nicole, Cooper and I decided to the cafeteria. Agad nakuha ng pansin ko si Axel na nakaupo mag-isa sa isang table. It was the first time ever that I had seen him eat here. Pinauna ko na sila Cooper at Nicole na kumuha ng pagkain at sinabi kong susunod na lang ako sa kanila. But instead, I found myself walking towards where Axel was.
“Hi.” I said as I stood in front of his table. Dahan-dahan siyang nag-angat ng tingin sa akin. The gleam in his dark eyes made me shiver.
“Yes?” He coldly said.
“Can I sit with you?” Hindi ko na hinintay ang sagot niya. I pulled out the chair in front of him and sat there.
“What do you want?” He asked in a steel, hard voice.
“Gusto kong mag-usap tayo.”
“Kung walang kinalaman ang pag-uusapan natin sa trabaho, hindi na natin dapat pag-usapan iyon.”
“Why are you treating me like this?” I tried to keep my voice from quivering.
He frowned. “What do you expect? That I’d pamper you like a princess? You’re an employee here, Ms. Zamora. Don’t expect to be treated any special than the others.”
“Gusto ko lang naman kitang makausap. Ang nangyari sa atin sa hacienda-“
“You can have the table all to yourself.” He said as he got on his feet. I felt like my chest constricting as I watched him walk away. Ang sakit dahil para sa kanya wala lang ang mga nangyari sa amin. To him, I was just any other girl he slept with. But if he thought what he was doing to me would make me leave then he was wrong. Katulad nga ng sinabi ko, wala pa akong ginusto na hindi ko nakukuha. And he definitely won't be the first.
I had to up the ante. As the old saying goes, kung hindi makuha sa santong dasalan, daanin sa santong paspasan. I took a deep breath before I walk towards the big black door at the end of the hall. Kumatok ako doon at pinagbuksan ako ng babaeng nakita kong kasama ni Axel nung una akong pumunta dito. She was his secretary, I guessed.
“Good afternoon, ma’am.” She said with a smile.
“Good afternoon. Can I see Mr. Lavigne?” I asked.
“Ano po bang kailangan niyo sa kanya?”
“I need to talk to him.”
“Hindi po kasi siya nagpapa-istorbo.”
“Tell him it’s urgent.” I said.
Napilitan siyang kausapin sa intercom si Axel. Suprisingly, he let me in. I went through another door that lead me to his office. He was sitting on the table in the middle of the huge high-ceiling room. Abala siyang nakatingin sa computer screen sa harap niya.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Lavigne.” I tried to sound as sexy as I could.
“Good afternoon.” He averted his eyes from the screen to me. “What is this urgent matter you want us to talk about?”
I seductively bit my bottom lip. Lumapit ako sa kanya at huminto sa tabi niya. He looked up at me with brows were drawn together in a frown.
“I just came here to tell you that…” Inikot ko ang swivel chair kung saan siya nakaupo paharap sa akin. Itinaas ko ang isang paa ko at ipinatong sa armrest nito. My short skirt hitched further up my thighs. “I’m not wearing any panties.”
He slowly lowered his eyes between my legs. His breathing had deepened and his chest was rapidly rising and falling.
“From now on, I’m only going to wear short skirts. Nothing but short, short skirts and no undearwear.” I seductively said. “Just tell me when you want my pussy and you can have it. It’s all yours, Mr. Lavigne.”
“Val, baby.” His eyes went up to my face. They were so much more intense and darker than ever as they gaze on mine. I tried to remain calm even though my insides were running wild. At wala pa siyang ginagawa sa akin kung hindi titigan ako. He sucks me in like a blackhole with those dark eyes of his.
“Axel…” There was nothing more I wanted right now but to feel his touch. God, it had been so long…
“Close your fucking legs and get the fuck out of here.” He said through gritted teeth. Para akong binuhusan ng malamig na tubig sa sinabi niya. “I don’t want another man’s leftovers.”
“Axel, I-“
“Leave. Now.” He said in a low but stern voice.