Susugurin na sana ni Santi si Henrietta ngunit pinigilan siya ni Luciel.
"Calm down, babe. 'Wag tayong mag-eskandalo dito. We will pay her back, okay? Sa ngayon focus na muna tayo sa nalalapit nating kasal," pag-aalo ni Luciel sa kasintahan. What Henrietta said hurted his ego. Hindi niya papalampasin iyon. Mabuti na lang at nakawala siya sa babaeng 'yon at ang kapatid nito ang pinili niya. Sayang nga lang dahil hindi man lang siya nakahalik dito. Hindi kasi siya nito pinagbibigyan sa gusto niya especially his needs. Still, Hnerietta was the biggest prize for him though.
Santi heaved a sigh saka tumingin kay Luciel. She lean on him, circling her arms around his neck. 'Right. We should focus on our wedding. Marami pang oras para sa letcheng babaeng 'yon,' Santi said on the back of her mind.
She glared at the door where Henrietta entered. 'You'll see.'
-----
"Wow! Sobrang ganda niyo po, Ma'am. Akala ko kayo ang ikakasal," puri ng babae na kumukuha ng measurement ni Henrietta. She just smiled lightly. Totoo naman kasi. Mas maganda siya kay Santi, of course, nasa genes ng Vanderbilt 'yan. Her grandmother told her that nakuha niya ang mukha ng mother niya and her eyes is from her father.
She wondered. If nandito pa din kaya ang mommy niya hindi kaya sila magkakaganito? Marami s'yang gustong sabihin dito, gustong i-kwento, at makita.
She will find her. She promised that.
"Kapatid po ba kayo ng bride?" The woman asked suddenly. Umikot si Henrietta para tingnan ang sarili sa salamin. "Yes," sagot niya habang mini-measure ng babae ang body niya.
"Ah~ hindi po masyadong halata," the woman said. Ibang-iba kasi itsura ng bride kumpara sa babaeng nasa harapan niya ngayon. Although, maganda naman 'yong babaeng ikakasal pero itong nasa harapan napaka-elegante at maganda ang temperament.
Hindi iyon sinagot ni Henrietta at kinuha ang cellphone sa bag. Tapos na s'yang sukatan ng babae. She opened her phone at nakitang may limang emails ang nando'n. She sigh.
She walks out at naabutan niya pa na nandoon pa din sina Luciel at Santi na harap-harapang naghaharutan. Talk about some PDA.
Nagpatuloy na lumabas si Henrietta patungo sa kotse niya. She unlocked it and get inside. She's going to her lola's company. May meeting ito maya maya and her grandma asked her to come and join the meeting. Sino ba naman siya para tanggihan ito? She's aware na siya ang gusto nitong mamahala ng kanilang business. Kung noon wala s'yang interest doon dahil na kay Luciel lang palagi ang atensyon niya, iba na ngayon. Nakakadiri pala ang ginawa niya noon. Gano'n niya ba kamahal si Luciel? Eww. Buti na lang nalaman niya ang totoong pagkatao nito.
Vanderbilt will fall to her hands.
-----
Umabot si Henrietta sa kompanya five minutes before the meeting starts. Nandoon na ang mga board of directors 'cause the secretary informed her. She is wearing a ALAIA Flared Cotton Midi Dress holding a Garance 36 Tote bag and paired with white STUART WEITZMAN The Andria 100 Sandals.
"Good morning, Ma'am Henrietta," bati ng sekretarya na naghihintay sa kanya sa labas ng private elevator. Wala na rin ang employee na nakasagutan niya doon. Good. The company doesn't need an employee like that girl. Kahit man lang ang maging magalang hindi nito nagawa.
They both get inside the elevator.
"I'm not late, am I?" tanong ni Henrietta and glanced at her wrist watch. She is two minutes late. She is sure na nagsisimula na ang meeting.
"Uh, baka po nagsisimula na po ang meeting," sagot na lang ng sekretarya.
Henrietta silently nodded. Uh! Grand entrance tuloy ang dating niya.
The board becomes silent when the door opens. Henrietta walked inside and saw her grandmother smiling at her.
"Sorry for coming late, gentlemen," she apologized then walked on to her seat. Napatango lang ang iba habang ang ilan ay nakakunot ang noo dahil sa pagpasok n'yang late.
Ngayon lang napansin ni Henrietta si Vincenzo na kaharap niya. 'Uh! Him again?'
Vincenzo smirks at her and she rolls her eyes. May ikasisira pa ba ang araw niya?
Nakinig na lamang si Henrietta sa discussion. Helen is very attentive and strict when it comes to business matters. She will analyze and point out some errors or anything that made her question o kapag may hindi ito nagugustuhan.
Well, nakuha niya iyon sa lola niya. Kaya isa na siguro sa rason kung bakit gustong-gusto siya ng lola niya na mag-manage ng kompanya.
"Well, what do you say, gentlemen?" Helen asked when the discussion ended. Tiningnan niya ito isa-isa. Napakatagal na nilang magkaka-sosyo sa negosyo. She agrees that they are responsible and intelligent, but she is wary of putting her trust in them. You'll never know what they're thinking. After all, money is important to the likes of them. Hindi nabibili ang loyalty ng isang tao, ngunit tanga siya kung sisirain niya ang tiwala na ibinigay ng isang tao.
No one said a word that made Helen grin.
"Nothing?" she asked again. Well, if there is none that's okay. Hindi na hahaba ang meeting nila.
"Meeting adjourned," she said. The men thanked her and bid goodbyes That's new. Bakit sila nagmamadaling lumabas? Then Helen's gaze went to the man on her right, leaning on the chair, crossing his legs at nakalagay ang forefinger sa labi nito.
"Enzo," Helen called. Henrietta's eyes darted into Vincenzo. Then she saw him looking at her, smirking.
She raises her left eyebrow. Ano na naman kaya ang iniisip ng lalaking 'to?
"It's nice to see that you joined us here," may panunuya sa tono ni Helen. She glanced at her granddaughter na parang walang pake sa kanila.
"It's a pleasure, old woman," Vincenzo chuckles at inayos ang pag-upo.
"Old woman? You boy!"
Nakalimutan ata ng dalawa na nasa harap lang nila si Henrietta. Hello? Tsk! Why does it looks like Vincenzo is the grandchild of her grandma? Out of place na siya.
"Excuse me. May kukunin lang ako. Wait for me here," ani ni Helen na may malawak na ngiti. Mabilis itong lumabas ng meeting room.
Silence crept the room. The two just look at each other. Mga ilang segundo lang ay tumayo na din si Henrietta.
"Excuse me, pupunta lang ako ng comfort room," paalam niya.
She reaches the exit and is ready to open the door when it suddenly closes behind her, trapping her between two arms.
"Henrietta."
-----
© _eysteambun
BINABASA MO ANG
Henrietta's Blade
Romance"Divide your enemy so you can reign approach." Upon rebirth, she returned to the time when she was twenty-four years old. As she recalled the torture she had through, memories filled her head. Smarter, feistier, and more daring! She became the cold...
