ELC25
"You won't cry anymore?"
"No..."
"Promise? Even if I leave?"
He pouted and he hugged his rabbit stuffed toy. I cannot help but feel emotional again. That rabbit toy has been with him ever since he was an infant. It was Kuya Cell's first gift to him. Before, he was just half of its size. Now, he has outgrown his toy so much.
But still, he doesn't want to let it go.
"You'll be back?"
I nodded at him. "Of course, baby..."
He sighed loudly. Pinigilan kong hindi matawa dahil doon. My god, he's just turning four but it felt like he's carrying the world! So, going to school is my four-year-old's biggest burden in life huh?
I smiled when I saw him slowly nodded.
"You'll be nice to Teacher Kayla?" I asked him again.
"Mama, you have too many questions." bugnot niyang sagot.
My jaw dropped when I heard his answer. What? This guy! He also has a lot of questions, greater than what I am asking him today but I never told him that! Aba!
"Of course!"
"Ma, let's go home?"
Oh my god, Aza! He doesn't even experience school yet but he doesn't wanna go already! He's just in pre-school!
"No, you'll go to school."
Mas lalong humaba ang nguso niya. It was really cute that I just wanna bring him in my lap and hug him tightly! But I have to keep my straight face because he's really pasaway these days! Gosh! I think I'm gonna grow white hair.
"Bye ka na sa Mommy mo, baby..." Miss Kayla said while she's holding teary-eyed Aza's hand.
"Be back!" he said wiping the tear that suddenly fell off his eyes. His face is already turning red because I know he's trying not to cry.
What a bossy kid. I smiled.
"Tito Rion will fetch you if I can't, okay?" I sweetly said to him.
His face turned like crying again until tears really feel continuously in his eyes!
"I want Mama..."
I sigh deeply. Oh my gosh, here we are again in our crying session. I'm starting to think that Mama's right. Aza may not be ready to be separated from me. I immediately scooped him in my arms when he ran back to me. Napangiwi si Miss Kayla dahil kumawala na naman ang anak ko.
"Let's go home!" he cried.
Oh, my baby...
"Okay, okay, Aza. Mama will fetch you. And besides, I allowed Mr. Bunny to be with you today so you won't be alone, right? Don't cry... Mr. Bunny will be sad too..."
He nodded at me while sobbing, displaying his super sad face.
"Mr. Bunny and I will wait..."
I smiled at him. "That's right. Cheer up na, baby ko. Wipe your tears."
His little hands wipe his own tears using the back of his palm while still sniffing. I put him down to help him fix himself.
"Blow your nose," I said to him like a challenge while holding a towel right on his nose. Agad naman niya iyong ginawa. "Wow! Good boy!"
I kissed his cheeks before I stood up and held his hand so I could give him to his teacher. Aza walked beside his teacher, still on his sad face but calmer than a while ago.
"Please take care of him," I said to his teacher.
Miss Kayla nodded at me with a smile. "Of course, Ma'am."
Nakahinga ako ng malalim noong sumama si Aza sa kanya papunta sa loob ng room. I told her to go inside first because I think Aza will just run back on me if he can see me leaving. I started walking away when they were out of my sight.
My feelings are heavy just like Aza's because I'm also not used to being away from him. It's making me worried and I'm missing him but I know it's a necessary thing to do.
The driver opened up the back seat for me when he saw me approaching. I held my breath deeply before I entered. Now that Aza's done. Ako naman ngayon...
Everyone's attention turned to me when the sound of my stiletto hit the tile ground of the company building. I held my head high before I removed my shades. Well, I wore it before I went out of the car awhile ago. It's a nice prop for my grand entrance.
Kuya Cell's eyebrows reached the sky while watching me. Actually, most of the employee's eyes turned on me because Kuya Cell started to walk towards me when he saw me enter. Sino ba namang hindi makakapansin sa pagtambay lang sa lobby ng isa sa mga presidente ng kompanya?
"What's that?"
"That..." I said and I handed him my eyeglasses that he confusedly received in his hand while looking at me weirdly. "－is something you can't do."
"Pasikat," he commented as we began walking.
I rolled my eyes. Gosh! I still wonder, saan ba ito nagsususuot palagi? Why does he speaks differently from my siblings? Is he adopted?!
Well, that's acceptable. Kuya Rift is nice. Kuya Rion is just fine. This guy... goodness, he's a lost case!
"Maganda ka ba? Feeling nito."
"Alam mo Kuya, maghanap ka ng kausap mo."
"Sabe ah?"
Oh my god! He's really an ampon! I don't share even a drop of blood with him! He's using too many weird words! People are curiously eyeing us. They must be wondering who am I. I wasn't really exposed to the public, not until this day.
Kuya and I entered a private elevator. We continued our daily bickering like we're still the same ten years old kids.
"Alis. Huli ang panget," he said, pulling me back when the elevator opened. My lips parted when he coolly walked out the elevator.
Ugh! I will hate Celcius Abram Legrand for the rest of my life!
"We spent years studying etiquette! Then basic ladies first lang 'di mo alam?"
"May gender equality na ngayon, 'di ka updated?"
Gigil na gigil ako! Why did they make this annoying specie meet me on the ground floor! They could have just let Kuya Rion! Or any of their secretaries!
"Argh! Kuya!"
I really wanna pull his hair! Pati ba naman dito, nang-aasar pa din? Hello! We're in a freaking company and he's a freaking CEO!
"This floor is just solely for us. That's my office... Kuya Rion, Kuya Rift, Mama, Papa, and yours." He said while pointing towards the different large doors. "Sabi ko nga sa labas ka nalang, 'di ka naman special."
Oh my god, Lord. I love my siblings but why did you have to send someone like Cell? Do you wanna take him back?
Oh.
Sorry about that. Wag nyo na po pala kunin. Please just lessen his epal attributes, please?
"That's our own conference room." He said, pointing the large double doors in the far end of the hallway and to where we are also going.
"Siguro kaya ka inutasan sunduin ako kasi you have no help to them no?" I mock him.
"The opposite. They think I'm awesome enough to assist a lost girl."
I raised my eyebrow to him when we stopped in front of the conference room.
"Aweso－ma ng mukha?"
His smirk vanished and his eyebrow rose a little but came back again on the same position fast, looking like it made a beat. He glared at me and he opened his mouth to counter me but I laughed and opened the door of the conference room.
"Good morning, family!" I greeted, feeling superior because I won against Kuya Cell but I immediately straightened up when all four of them look at me with their serious faces.
Ops, my bad.
"Stupid..." Kuya Cell whispered in my ear before he went pass me to sit beside Kuya Rion.
My forehead knotted and my inis went up above my head! I glared at Kuya Cell who smiled at me innocently. I really wanna chop-chop his body now but I need to act like a professional as all of them here! Nakakainis!
"Sorry..." I said, sitting next to Kuya Cell.
Freak!
Why do we have to be beside each other all the time? Bakit ba kasi kami magkasunod?!
Papa gave me a small smile. Mama just raised her eyebrow on me and my two siblings remained not bothered.
Le Grand Group of Companies is a conglomerate. Our parent company is the Le Grand Malls, Inc. and we have a couple of subsidiary companies which my brothers and some major stockholders handles. Papa sits as the Chairperson of the whole corporation. Mama took the Vice-chairmanship.
Kuya Rift holds the Le Grand Lands Inc., Kuya Rion handles the Le Grand Finance and Investments, while Kuya Cell handles Le Grand Automotive. And there are more companies that are currently under some of the board of directors too. We already talked about it before and I already know what position I will assume.
Apparently, I will sit on the Le Grand Foods Corporation, but still, I have to be under the guidance of my brothers.
"Ma, is this still business to you?"
I was baffled when I heard Kuya Rift speak once again. I guess, they were really in a very serious talk awhile ago when we entered. I bit my lips because of a little embarrassment from energetically greeting them a while ago.
"They got a nice proposal." sagot ni Mama.
"But still, Ma..."
"It's gratitude, Rift, Rion."
My forehead creased while silently listening to them all. I look at Papa but he doesn't have any comment. Tahimik lang din siyang nakikinig at tila may sariling iniisip.
"Are you fucking kidding me? Gratitude, my ass." Kuya Rion sneered. "Are you sure you're not up for revenge?"
My eyes shifted from all three of them. My brothers looked annoyed but my parents look calm, still. Even with Kuya Rion cursing straight on their faces. Am I the only one who doesn't know what the hell is going on?
Mama looked at us one by one.
"Children, revenge has no class. You are born a Legrand, stand on your name."
"Then why are you doing this, Mama? Don't start me with you're not born a Legrand, you just married one," Kuya Rift said, quote-unquote.
What the hell is happening?
Mama chuckled. "Gratitude."
"Marchess, I still think it's for your daughter to decide." Papa suddenly spoke in between the heated tension between the three.
"Why? It's business, Abraham. We welcomed proposals from different companies and it's necessary to choose who can offer the best, setting aside everything personal." Mama gazed at me.
Silence immediately reigned between all of us after Mama and Papa exchanged opinions. Kuya Rift cleared his throat, fix his coat, and look at me until everyone's eyes turned to me.
Ako? Bakit ako eh wala nga akong alam sa pinag-uusapan nila?
"Seriously, Ma? It's business before family?" Kuya Rion broke the silence.
My curiosity reached the top.
"Wait! Wait! What are you talking about? I don't even understand a single thing from all of you! Care to include me in this talk that's obviously about me?" I asked them.
Like duh? I can hear my name, I can feel their eyes, but I don't know what's going on!
It was the only thing I can say. I almost rolled my eyes when they remained silent while looking at me. Are we playing some sort of staring game?!
"Your mother here, Kill, welcomed a business proposal with some people..."
"Okay?" I said, still puzzled.
Tumahimik na naman sila. Gosh! Seriously!
"Just freaking say it straight to the point, there's no use of delaying it." Kuya Cell said, that's why I turned to him. "It's the Andradas, Kill."
I froze on my seat when I heard a familiar word from their mouth. My heart hammered fast and heavy. Muli silang tumahimik lahat habang hinihintay ang aking sagot. It took me a while to respond to them. I breathe deeply in the middle of feeling a little unfocused.
"It's not the Andradas that I know, right?" I tried.
My eyes went from Papa, going to each one of them. No one of them looked away, of course, they won't... Why would they anyway? But no one of them spoke, too.
I breathe deeply. I don't know what emotion shall I welcome first. I leaned on my chair and close my eyes tightly.
Azariah's face immediately flashed before my eyes.
My heart clenched in pain and fear. But I was surprised as well, overwhelmed, and confused. I don't know how to express them all now. Naalala ko lahat ng tanong ni Mama saakin noong nakaraan. I opened my eyes and look at Mama.
"Did you ask me those questions because of it?" I asked, feeling betrayed.
Mama kept the serious expression on her face. The men remained watching us both.
"I told you, Kill. The world is big yet small. You asked us not to find them, yet they still found their way to us."
"But that doesn't mean we need to welcome them." Kuya Rift said.
"Ma..." tawag ko sa kanya.
She is my mother but she was always been the enigmatic one. No one in this world would know what is she really thinking. I think even my father can't figure her out sometimes.
"I already signed their proposal, Kill. They will be our primary supplier of goods for our restaurant chain."
Tila nagpantig ang tenga ko dahil sa aking narinig. My eyes remained to my mother. Restaurant? Isn't that... under the position I'll assume?
"Ma!"
"People did bad things to you, but it seems like you're giving them a birthday gift, still. Thank you sa pangmamaliit sa kapatid ko, ganon ba yon, Ma?" Kuya Cell sarcastically asked.
"Do you want it, Kill?" Papa asked.
I think as much as he allows Mama to have her ways, he's also willing to defend me. But the thing is, no matter how much they wanna save me from the brutal plans of my mother, my eyes only remained to her. My ears became closed from what my father and my brothers are saying.
Only to Marchess Legrand who's looking at me with pure confidence and certainty that her words will never be withdrawn.
Nawala ang tingin ko sa kanya noong marinig namin ang katok mula sa pinto. My brothers stopped expressing their annoyance and they sat formally on their chairs.
"Good morning, Ma'ams, Sirs. I'm sorry for disturbing you. I just wanna remind Ma'am Marchess that the Andradas have arrived. Ma'am, your meeting with them is set 15 minutes from now."
My heart felt like falling out of me. We all became silent. Their eyes went to me again. But I myself don't know how to react to everything. It felt like it was all poured in me at all once without even the slightest idea about it, that's why I don't know how to take it, how to hold it, or even how to look at it.
"Thank you, Jane. Please excuse us for some more minutes."
Mama's secretary bowed before she excused herself from us and went out once again. My mother's eyes didn't move away from me even with the silence around. The men feel like they are also just waiting for Mama to say something so that they could continue their disapproval.
"I'm challenging you, Kill Legrand," Mama said to me as her lips curved into a sinister smirk before it vanished after a second. "Face them now..."
"Ma!"
"Marchess..."
I breathe hard and deep.
"I'm only correcting my wrongs..." she said, still looking at me but it felt like she's talking to every one of us. "I'm not gonna keep you anymore, Kill. You will learn. If you wanna see the world, then look at it with your own eyes. Not on a made-up persona. Yours, Aquilah Therese..."
My brothers who were very positive to oppose Mama awhile ago never said any single world again. I caught a glimpse of Papa's smile before he leaned on his chair, erasing his smile.
I swallowed a large lump on my throat because the next thing I knew, I was already in front of the conference room, waiting to meet my own painful past.