Flademian Monarchy 11: Dalton, the Desolate Man

VII

Napalabi si Dalton habang wala sa loob na pinaglalaruan ang laman ng kanyang plato. He didn't even have the appetite to eat his food. Nasa hapag siya ngayon, nananghalian kasama ang kanyang ina. Wala ngayon ang kanyang ama at kapatid pagkat may kanya-kanyang inasikaso ang mga ito ngayong araw. Sa dami ng bilin, wala ni isa sa ano mang isinasalaysay ng kanyang ina ang kanyang naintidihan. His thoughts were occupied by Dahlia and how dick he was to her after they...

"Do you even heard a single word that I said, Dalton?" His mother said in low yet stern voice. Kung ibang tao lamang siya at hindi sanay sa ma-otoridad na pag-uugali nito ay malamang, makakaramdam din siya ng takot. Tumikhim siya at saka marahang tumango. Ayaw niyang malaman nitong hindi siya nakikinig. "So what do you say? Should we go on with Mathers with this deal? They're very eager. I mean.. they don't wanna be involve of the whole thing, just the one's we have in the US. Particularly in Texas." Patuloy pa ng kanyang ina.

Doon niya napagtantong hinihingi pala ng kanyang ina ang kanyang opinyon tungkol sa makukulit na investor mula sa Texas. They didn't need any investor so they already turned the Mathers down, twice but as his mother said, they were very eager. Siya pa ang chairman ng Horecois Industries noon ay nangungulit na ang mga ito at mukhang walang balak tumigil hangga't hindi nila pinagbibigyan.

He has already done his own investigation more than a year ago. Wala naman siyang nakitang ano mang anumalya o pagkakasangkot ang korporasyon ng mga Mathers sa kahit anong hindi maganda. Lamang ay, hindi lang talaga nila kailangan ng dagdag pang investor nang mga panahong iyon. And besides, all the Mathers wanted was to be part of their huge corporation just to have their name reputable, to have stable foundation for their business and that was all.

Horecois Industries owned thousands of acres of land in Texas, which can use various things such as crops growing or even, realty businesses and the Mathers family wanted to have access to the portion of those land.

"Well, I think.. we should give them a chance. Since they didn't wanna co-own the land or acquire any of it. Just think of as you're leasing the for the time being. The Mathers wanted to pay huge amount of cash and you're not using the land anyways. Mom, before you know it, their lease is about to expire. What's there to lose, right?" He said. His mother didn't say anything though, her brows furrowed, just seriously eyeing him.

It took a moment before she said something again.

"Okay." She said. He could see in her expression that she had come to a decision. "The day after tomorrow you're flying to Texas and to talk to the Mathers. Ask for a proper presentation. I want results in two weeks." She said, standing up and about to leave before he could even react.

"Wait. You want me to do this?" He said, he was surprised. His mother halted for a moment.

"Well, should I ask your younger sister to this instead?" She raised a brow at him.

"No." He abruptly shook his head and that's when his mother left him. Doon niya napagtanto ang nangyari. A smile formed on his face. It was happening. He was finally gaining back his mother's trust.

That made him very excited and before he even allowed himself to plan the possibilities in the near future, he immediately stood from his seat and went to Dahlia's housw. He wanted her to be the first one to know about the good news.

Ngunit nahinto ang kanyang paglalakad nang hindi kalayuan mula sa bintana ng bahay nito ay matanawan niyang tila halos tinakasan na ng saya ant mga mata nito. Nasa hapag ito, katapat ng abuela nito at pakiwari niya ay nananghalian rin ang mga ito ngunit nakatulala ang dalaga, tila walang ganang kumain.

Nawala ang ngiti sa kanyang mukha. Oo nga pala. Naalala niya ang ginawa niya rito. Hindi malayong kaya ganoon ang itsura nito ngayon ay siya rin ang may kasalanan. He smiled bitterly at himself. It felt like as if, no matter what he achieve in this life, with him seeing her like that, it wouldn't matter, and it wouldn't make sense. Nothing would ever make sense at all.