The Merciless Stud (Hot Trans Series #3)

Chapter 48

Everything happened so fast that it did not allow me to fully absorb and process all that's happened and all that's changed in my life for the next 14 months. I always have been someone who easily gets overwhelmed ever since, but this one, did not even give me the chance to cope with everything it brought to my life. The changes, no matter how uncomfortable they tend to be sometimes, were nevertheless resulted to many positive outcomes within that very short span of time.

It was such a short time but we were able to achieve success. We were, ironically, able to do it for just over a year when some other business owners could barely get to 'break even' with all the money they invested in the business. I don't know how but we managed to profit off of our newly built business so quick and fast that I sometimes doubt everything and think that I may be just dreaming. Just hallucinating.

But then when I got my first million dollar after barely 5 months in the business, that's when it hit me so hard. It all dawned on me, like a cold water thrown on my sleeping face and woke me up to see the reality of all of it.

"Really, you'd give it to me in cash? I have a bank account, Karina." I looked at her in disbelief.

Nasa loob kami ng joint office namin sa bagong headquarters na in-acquire niya. She sold the old headquarters of her previous make up brand, and rented one floor in one of Manhattan's tallest corporate towers. She totally got rid of her previous company which is a very bold and risky move considering that there was no guarantee Unapplegetic would be a success. Her trust and confidence in me was what finally pushed me to believe in her vision and go for it wholeheartedly.

She chuckled and jokingly slapped the bundled million dollar bills in a very cliche gray briefcase. Oh loko, Deal or No Deal girl ang inaatake ng ate mo Karina. I stood up from my pink swivel chair and sighed.

"I know! But I wanted to show you this physically so you'd know how fucking serious this is. This is just even your first share. We sold almost a million Unapplegetic products in just 5 months, Apple! What does that mean? That means we get to expand, invest, and launch more products other than liquid foundation, lip gloss, and palette!" She cheerfully said. I smiled and went closer to the briefcase lying on top of my glass table. Nasa kabilang dako si Karina at napapa-gitnaan namin ang pera.

"Is this really mine? I mean... I did not even spend a single penny for this, Karina. It was all you. This is too much compensation." Sabi ko.

I have never really been comfortable with money all my life. Yes, I wasn't someone who was born to poverty and all my life I kind of somehow lived comfortably. Apollo and I were brought up in a upper middle class household and have witnessed how ambitious our father was. But that still never did influence me to be a money-thirsty person. Even during my time with my asshole ex, who happens to be born to a very wealthy family, that still did not change me and how I view money like how it usually does to other people. I don't know, I'm just really not that interested in having too much money.

And it now saddens me to think that maybe I'm like this because I've never really experienced how to be very less fortunate at all. My inability to relate to people whose ambitions and desire for money is to the sky is somewhat an indication that I've never been in their shoes all my life. Na ang buhay ko'y talagang naging komportable naman kumpara sakanila. Hindi man sapat sapat, ngunit hindi rin naman kailanman nag-kulang.

And I am aware of it. I am aware of my privileges. And I acknowledge it. I'm grateful for it and I feel bad for not being able to fully relate to people who are underprivileged. I really do. And I hope somehow, someday, I will be able to make a difference for them. To lend help. And to shine light.

Kaya ang makita ang limpak limpak na pera sa harap ko na kadalasa'y sa TV ko lang napapanood (kasi kahit may pera ang mga magulang ko ay hindi naman sila umeksena nang ganito na may pa briefcase briefcase talaga) ay nakaka-lula at nakaka-panibago. I refuse to take this much credit for something that I barely have no contribution to.