Monasterio Series #3: One More Night

Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Gusto kong maglupasay sa sahig habang pinapanood ang sunod-sunod na pagdating ng inquiries sa email ko. I am already starting to lose my patience but answering all of these is better than complaining here in my office all day.

Simula nang umalis si Abby ilang araw na ang nakakalipas ay aaminin kong para akong nawalan ng kanang kamay. We had been working together for years and she knew exactly how my company works. May bago naman ng ipinalit si Mommy pero dahil nga hindi pa gaanong gamay ang trabaho ay nagiging mabagal ang proseso ng trabaho sa bawat araw.

It's hard losing Abby but it's harder keeping a snake around me. Hindi ko inakala na sa tuwing magkasama kami, ang inaakala kong maamong tupa ay isa pa lang ahas na nakalabas ang dila at handang manuklaw ano mang oras.

Even Tita Shey, Mommy's secretary way back then and Abby's mother was too embarrassed. Hindi nagalinlangan si Mommy sabihin dito ang nangyari. She's very much apologetic for what her daughter did to me... to us.

"Oh my gosh. I can't do this anymore!" ungot ko habang pinapanood ang walang tigil na paggalaw ng emails ko.

Bumangon ako mula sa pagkakasalampak ng ulo sa table at lanta ang katawan na sumandal sa aking swivel chair.

"Makapag-tiktok na nga lang!" wala sa loob na sabi ko at kinuha ang cellphone sa ibabaw ng lamesa.

I tapped the application and watched some of the trending videos there. As I scrolled the screen down, the door suddenly opened. Iniluwa noon si Akisha, ang bagong hired na secretary ni Mommy.

She smiled at me that revealed her braces.

"Ma'am Tate, you have a visitor outside po. Papapasukin ko na po ba?"

Bisita? Sino naman? Is it Zadriel? Or maybe Cade? Pero imposible. Ang kapal naman ng mukha niya pumunta dito pagkatapos ng pagkakahuli ko sa kanila.

"Sino raw?" tanong ko.

"Hindi po sinabi kung sino pero babae po at kilala mo raw po siya."

Then maybe it's one of my friends? Maica or Amaris? Natural lang na hindi pa kilala ni Akiesha ang mga kaibigan ko dahil bago pa lang naman siya.

"Let her in."

"Okay, po."

Pagkasara ng pintuan ay pinanood kong muli ang mga video sa Tiktok. I even found myself laughing at some funny scenes when I heard the door open.

"Yes—"

Kasabay ng pag angat ng aking mga mata upang tingnan kung sino man sa dalawang kaibigan ang bisita ay siya rin pagkakaputol ng mga salita ko.

Wearing a red lacy dress and a black stilleto, Dianara Assistores is grazing towards my direction as the heels of her shoes are making a clinking sound against the black marble floor. Her face was stern and drained of any emotions.

Binitawan ko ang aking cellphone, napasandal sa swivel chair at ipinagkrus ang mga braso sa ibabaw ng aking dibdib.

"Do we have an appointment? As far as I'm concerned, my business with you is already done." I said, looking straightly into her eyes.

I don't remember myself inviting her to sit down but she already did. Long legs crossed together, she roamed her eyes around my office as if she's really interested about the interior design.

Pinanood ko siyang tingnan isa-isa ang bawat paintings na nasa dingding. Hindi nagtagal nang tumaas ang sulok ng labi niya.

"How about your business with my fiance? When are you going to stop it?" she asked, anchoring her gaze on me.