Minsan Pa

Chapter Eight

"Wh-what are y-you doing here... Drake Lustre?" her voice shook kahit pa anong pilit niyang patatagin iyon.

This is so not happening!!! What the hell is Drake doing here?!? Tila nahuhulaan na niya ang kasagutan sa tanong ng kanyang isip ngunit pilit niya iyong inignora.

A satisfied smile crossed Drake's lips. Inilahad nito ang mga braso paunat sa magkabilang tagiliran na para bang mag-ooffer ng isang yakap "welcome to my office!"

Halos malaglag ang panga ng kaibigan niyang si Mat sa narinig, tinignan siya nito na nanlalaki ang mga mata bagaman hindi nagsalita. Mat has never seen Drake, kahit pa sinubukan nito noong hanapin sa facebook si Drake ay hindi nito iyon nakita. Her friend only knows the man by his name.

"This is a joke right?!" Sa wakas ay nasabi niya. She gave the man in front of her an incredulous look na sinabayan ng hindi makapaniwalang tawa.

Umangat ang isa sa mga kilay ng binata at umikot ito paupo sa executive chair na nasa likuran ng malaking desk. Pabagsak itong naupo sa upuan at tila tinatamad na muli silang tinignan.

"Shall we get down to business now?" Iminostra nito ang dalawang leather na upuan sa harap nito, signalling them to sit down.

Mat looked at her uncertain bago humakbang palapit sa upuan. Cali didn't move an inch. Daig pa rin ang tinatambol ang puso niya sa kaba, galit at pagkamanghang halo halo niyang nararamdaman.

"Are you just going to stand there, Ms. Rodriguez or are we going to discuss business?" Tanong ni Drake na sinabayan pa ng nakakalokong ngiti sa kanya.

Cali clenched her jaws. "If this is some kind of prank, Mr. Lustre, it's not funny" she said in between gritting her teeth.

"No one is joking around here, Cali. I am really the CEO of Ambassador's. Have you forgotten how my family has always been influential in the real estate business?"

Lalong tila nagsiklab ang damdamin ni Calista sa sinabi ni Drake. How could she ever forget his family? Lalo na ang matapobreng ina nito na si Doña Evelyn?

Huminga ng malalim si Cali " I'm sorry. This must be a misunderstanding. I refuse to work with you, Mr. Lustre...so if you'll excuse me" tinalikuran niya ito at handa nang lumabas ng silid ng magsalitang muli ang binata.

"I sure hope both of you read the terms and conditions of our contract?"

Napahinto si Cali sa paglakad. Shit! The devil holds the ace! If they back out of the contract, they will be fined heftily. Sapat na ang danyos na iyon para magsara ang maliit na kumpanya nila.

"Cali... Can we please talk about this?" Ani Mat sa kauna unahang pagkakataon. She immediately sensed the panic in his voice. Alam niyang nag-aalala ito sa penalty na kanilang kakaharapin kung maging pasaway siya na makatrabaho si Drake. Mat knows her history with the man at kung bakit isinusumpa niyang nakilala niya ito.

She exhaled and tried to calm herself. She needs to think logical. This is business at hindi niya maaaring pairalin ang emosyon lamang.

She turned around and slowly walked towards the desk at maingat na naupo sa upuang katabi ng kay Mat.

Ngumisi si Drake "that's better" anitong nasisiyahan. "Now shall we start the meeting?"

Isang matalim na tingin ang naging sagot niya sa binata na hindi naman nito binigyang pansin.

Buong dalawang oras ng meeting na iyon ay tila lumilipad lamang ang isip ni Calista. She wanted to focus on the discussion but she is getting uncomfortable and couldn't concentrate because the bastard kept looking at her with those piercing set of eyes! Tila wala itong pakialam kung mapansin man iyon ni Mat. To make it worse, hindi niya alam kung bakit tila nag-iinit yata ang pisngi niya sa mga tinging ipinupukol nito sa kanya! And there she was thinking that she's prepared herself to never let him affect her ever again matapos ng mapait nilang nakaraan.