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"I'm the boss," sabi ni Chase. "I can change the rules whenever I want."
It's one of the things I hated the most. Men abusing their power. Men always reminding us that they're the boss.
Just a few months ago, pinasya kong tapusin ang kung ano mang namamagitan sa amin ni Ethan. Hindi dahil sa hindi ko na siya mahal, ngunit dahil mas mahal ko ang trabaho ko. At ayokong mapurwisyo ito ng isang iskandalo mula sa posibleng pagkahuli sa amin.
At ngayo'y si Chase naman ang gustong sumunod sa isang pagkakamali.
"Chase, you can't be serious," sabi ko. "Ikasisira ito ng pangalan mo, at ng kompanya."
"So?"
Nagpigil akong hablutin ang stapler sa desk ko.
Nakaupo lang siya sa swivel chair niya, his eyes mocking, flirting.
"Don't think I didn't notice how you're not really rejecting me," aniya na may pag-ngisi. "Deep inside alam kong gusto mo rin itong mangyari."
I stared at him, not wanting to give any sign of giving in.
But it's true. I was attracted to him. I mean, who wouldn't be? He's gorgeous in his copper colored hair, damp, and perfectly styled. Broad shoulders. Plus the way he smiled was like he only sees you. No other men had made me feel this way, except him.
But attractive he may be, this isn't really the reason why my heart was leaping onto him. Not even the fact na kapatid niya ang sikat na artistang si Philip, na siyang boyfriend na ngayon ng kaibigan kong si Antoinette. And also not the fact that he's crazy rich.
It was on his capacity to sacrifice.
Last year, when I saw someone was drowning by the pool, hanggang sigaw lang at pagturo ang nagawa ko. I expected a security guard to respond first, but no, Chase did it. The CEO himself. Nasa gitna siya noon ng pakikipag-usap sa mga posibleng investors, and any distraction would surely lose this great opportunity, pero wala lang sa kanya iyon, kahit suot-suot niya pa ang pinagmamayabang niya sa akin lagi na mahal niyang coat.
Before, I've learned to accept that he's a selfish arrogant boss who had no chance of redeeming himself.
But at that moment, my mindset had changed.
How I wished that it was this version of him that I was seeing now.
"Nadia," tawag niya.
There's a hint of concern in it. Ang kamay niyang nasa baba niya kanina'y nakapatong na sa mesa. "What's wrong?"
I turned my head at him and tried to meet his gaze.
The sound of ocean waves crashed from behind the glass walls.
"Bakit ako pa?" tanong ko. "Anong nagustuhan mo sa akin?"
Somehow I know the answer to this.
Imposibleng dahil sa panlabas na anyo ko, dahil kung tutuusin, mas maraming babae nang nakilala si Chase na mas maganda pa kumpara sa akin. He admitted before in an interview that he liked tall white blondes; samantalang ako'y isang morena, 5'3'', at may itim na buhok.
There's just this one thing that he kept telling me, something only I was capable on doing.
Tanging ako lang daw ang nakatatanggi sa kanya.
There's a big chance that he only liked me because his ego couldn't take it, that a girl like me, a secretary, wouldn't act like I was falling head over heels for him.
But what he said wasn't what I was expecting.
"I liked you because you know what you want," sabi niya. Tumayo siya at humakbang papalapit sa kinatatayuan ko. "How when I ask you kung saan tayo kakain, may nakahanda ka nang sagot. Kapag sinabihan kitang maging honest sa akin, at sabihin ang opinyon mo sa speech ko, hindi ka nag-aatubiling i-correct ako para i-improve pa ako. You were one fearless woman I ever met, which is why you got my eye."
"Do you want me to be honest with you right now?"
"Of course. Whatever it is, hon."
"I like you, Chase. I do. But I'm sorry, we really can't. Kahit sabihin mo pang babaguhin mo ang polisiya ng kumpanya para magkaroon lang ng tayo, hindi ko ito makakayang tanggapin."
I expected his face to drain its colors, but losing wasn't on Chase's list of options.
"Then how about this," aniya, "how about I resign from this company? Tutal iyon lang naman talaga ang balakid 'di ba?"
I scoffed, chuckling. "At kanino mo naman ipapasa ang posisyon mo aber, kay Philip?"
But he wasn't laughing.
From the way he's looking at me, I knew already what he's thinking.
"No, Chase. I can't. You can't allow this to happen."
"Trust me, hon. I've been monitoring your work for years, and I know you could be a great leader. Kung tutuusin nga, mas alam mo pa itong patakbuhin kaysa sa akin. The real reason why Volinsula has made it through the years was because I have you."
"Yes, you have me...from behind. I can't just take it over just because you wanted to."
He smirked. "Baka may nakakalimutan ka? I'm still the boss. If the current boss wanted you to take over, then it will happen."
Matagal ko nang pinangarap na mamuno. Hindi ko lang magawa-gawa dahil babae ako, at sa mundong ito'y naging realidad na namin ang maging anino ng mga lalaki.
Kaya nang sabihin niya ito sa akin, kahit pa alam kong ito'y sobra-sobra na, hindi ko maiwasang tanggapin, dahil ang pangarap na noo'y imposible ngayo'y pupwede ko nang abutin.
"Pero paano ka?" tanong ko.
"You know there's more to life than just an endless meetings. Besides, I have you. That's more than I could wish for."
My mouth slowly slid into a smirk. "Bakit pumayag na ba ako?"
For a moment he looked bewildered, but then was able to recover.
"Oh honey, kapag ako ang nagdesisyon, wala ka nang magagawa pa roon." He held my neck and planted a kiss.
And if things couldn't get any more crazier, Idecided to kiss him back.
