"SEVEN" hundred million pesos, Carlos. Take it or leave it." Inilatag ni Blue ang isang proposal sa harap nito.Dinagdaganniya ang kanyang offer. Masasabi niyang gago ito kapag tumanggi pa ito.
Muli silang nag-set ng meeting dahil hindi naging maganda ang kinalabasan ng nakaraang pag-uusap nila. Nauwi iyon sa palitan ng maaanghang na salita. Sinabi nito na pag-isipan niya ang alok nito at saka na lamang sila muling mag-uusap. He was too furious to answer back. The old man was a lunatic!
Ngumiti ito nang tukso. "Hindi pa rin nagbabago ang pasya ko, Blue. I will give you a huge discount. Six hundred fifty million pesos but you will marry my daughter."
Nabayo niya ang mesa dahil sa frustration. "You can't be serious, Carlos!"
"You're damn right I am, boy."
"This is ridiculous! You are insane!"
He was free to go wherever he wanted, to explore however he wanted. Biglang nanlaki ang kanyang mga mata at pinagpawisan siya. Holy shit! Totoo ba ang kanyang nakikita sa screen? He had decoded a password! A password for a highly confidential website. Nagtalo ang kanyang kuryusidad at konsiyensiya, ang takot at excitement. Ngunit nanaig ang una. Pinasok niya ang website. It was the moment that changed his life...
His life now was a far cry from his slum days. He had gotten so big, so much bigger than he had ever dreamed possible. And more twisted inside than he ever thought possible. He was a man full of hate and he had been wanting to draw blood for so long. At wala siyang magawa para labanan ang poot sa kanyang dibdib. He was consumed by it and the only way to get rid himself out of this wrath was to face his demons head on, and finally avenge his aggrieved soul.
Kung sana ay hindi na sinabi sa kanya ng kanyang ina ang
katotohanan.Ngunit siya ang nagtanong.
Ngunit hindi niya matanggap ang katotohanan.
Muli niyang tinitigan si Issabella de Oliviera. She was having the time of her life.
But not for long. He would soon wipe that lovely smile off her face. The thought left a bitter taste in his mouth.
Nilisan niya ang kasayahang iyon.
Nagkibit-balikat ito. "Then I will put the company up for sale in the market, open to the highest bidder. Ang totoo niyan, Augusto de Oliviera had recently offered to buy the company, too, Kung hindi ka pumayag ay baka sa kanya ko ibenta ang Worldnet."
Umiling siya, sumubok ng ibang taktika. "Carlos, Carlos, alam mong hindi niya kayang tapatan ang inaalok ko sa 'yo."
"Paano kung hindi ko kailangang kagatin ang inaalok mo, Blue? I could
settle for lesser offer."
Nagsalubong ang mga kilay niya. Things were definitely not going according to plan. "Hindi mo gagawin 'yan. Malaki ang mawawala sa 'yo. Hindi ka na nagiging rational, Carlos."
The old man smiled, and this time, he had the feeling that the tables had been craftily turned. Damn it! The old man was playing dirty! Ayaw niya ng naiisahan!
"I can no longer afford to be rational, Blue. All I can do now is play my cards right. Alam kong kailangan mo ang kompanyang ito para makasabay ka sa mga katulad ni Augusto de Oliviera. You can have my company. Just marry my daughter, that's all. Be my relative and you can have Worldnet."
Napatayo siya mula sa kinauupuan. "Christ! I can't believe I am hearing this bullshit! Naloloko ka na ba?"
"Hindi, Blue. I am just desperate and you pushed me to take drastic measures. Pag-isipan mo ang alok ko. Hindi ka magsisisi sa aking anak. Siya'y maganda, matalino, at may mataas na pinag-aralan. She will be a big asset to your businesses," kalmanteng sabi nito.
"I don"t need a wife, damn it!"
The old man smiled knowingly. "Ah, diyan ka mali, Blue. A young tycoon like you needs a wife, a woman who will help you build that empire I know you so desire. My daughter will be the perfect wife for you. Trust me. You will find a gold mine in my darling Helaena." Hindi siya umimik. Frustration welled up inside him. Hindi niya alam kung paano nito nabaliktad ang pangyayari. Siya na ngayon ang nasa disadvantage.
"I don't want a wife," mariing pag-uulit niya.
"Bago ka sa social at business circle ng Pilipinas, Blue. You want to be the most powerful man in the business? Dapat ay marami kang koneksiyon at kaalyansa. Hindi lamang pera ang basehan ng kapangyarihang gusto mong makamit kundi blood ties. I am willing to stake my family honor on your behalf. As my son-in-law, doors will open freely and willingly for you. You don't have to pay off people to trust you. All things considered, mas makakatipid kapa nang husto. Think about it as a stock investment. Helaena is definitely in the blue chips league, my son, You can never find a finer woman."
"My son." Parang bombang sumabog sa kanyang pandinig ang sinabi nitong iyon. No man had ever called him that. Two words. Two small words that all these years drove him like a man possessed to achieve everything he had now.
A wife. It was an alien thought.
But it was a crucial moment for a bussiness decision. He wanted Worldnet at all costs. "Itong anak mo, Carlos, alam ba niya binabalak mo?"
"Ako na ang bahala sa kanya, Blue. Papayag siya sa gusto ko. Mabait na anak si Lena. She will do as I say."
"Ayoko ng problema. Sisiguruhin mong hindi ko siya magiging problema."
"She will be perfect for you, son."
"I am expecting a good woman, isang babaeng susunod sa lahat ng gusto ko at hindi magiging pabigat sa buhay ko."
"Let's put it this way, Blue. Ang anak ko ang magbibigay sa 'yo ng ninanais mong posisyon sa sosyedad na ito. I want the most capable man to handle my company. Pareho tayong may gustong makuha. Kung magkakasundo tayo ay pareho nating makukuha ang ninanais natin. At hindi ko inaalok sa iyo ang isang bagay na walang-kuwenta. Inaalok ko sa iyo ang nag-iisa kong anak. She is everything to me. Consider yourself really fortunate young man."
Sarkastikong tiningnan niya ito. "Bakit, iaalok mo rin ba sa iba na parang paninda ang anak mo kapag tumanggi ako?
Bagama't parang napahiya ay matatag-itong sumagot. "Hindi. Ikaw lang ang aalukin ko ng ganitong deal, because I like you. You remind me of myself when I was younger. A self-made man. That is something I can respect."
Huminga siya nang malalim. If he had to take a damn wife just to get what he wanted, then so be it. A minor bitch.
"Okay, I will draw the contract. You will sell ninety-five percent of
Worldnet to me, and I will marry your daughter."
Nagliwanag ang mukha nito, hindi naitago ang katuwaan. "Do you swear on your honor that you will marry my daughter after I have signed the deed of sale?"
Saglit siyang nag-alinlangan ngunit nanaig ang pagiging negosyante niya. Tumango siya.
Narinig niya ang paghulagpos ng hininga nito. Lumapit ito sa kanya at tinapik siya sa balikat. "I welcome you to my family, Blue," anito.
Family. He gritted his teeth.
He did not want a family.
