My Foreign Love Presents [Tagalog]

[New York City] Tawag ng marami sa New York City ay "City Of Dreams" o "City That Never Sleeps", dahil ang mga taong naninirahan sa lungsod na ito ay workaholic, driven and ambitious. Idagdag mo pa ang expensive lifestyle sa lungsod na ito na nagtutulak sa karamihan na magtrabaho nang mas mahabang oras. Iyon ang dahilan kung bakit maraming tao ang nagkakaroon ng anxieties at stress, at si Liam Sanders ay hindi ligtas dito. Siya ay 30 taong gulang na nakatira sa malaking apartment, nakipag-date ng maraming mga babae ngunit wala man lang sa mga ito ang tumagal. Naniniwala siya na ang hitsura at mga pag-aari ay ang kaniyang asset upang maakit ang maraming mga babae. Gayunpaman, kamakailan lamang tila nagbago ang mga bagay-bagay. Hindi maganda ang takbo ng kaniyang karera, palubog na ito. Tatlong taon na siyang nagtatrabaho sa isang kilalang publishing house bilang isang content writer. Subalit ang kumpetisiyon sa pagitan ng mga manunulat ay lalong humihigpit. Karagdagan pa, malaki ang inaasahan sa kaniya ng boss niya. Nitong nakaraang mga linggo halos hindi siya nakakatulog sa kaiisip kung paano makabuo ng isang magandang artikulo at mapanatili ang kaniyang puwesto bilang numero unong manunulat. Tumunog ang kaniyang telepono kaya napabalikwas siyang bumangon sa kama. Hinahagilap niya kung nasaan ito dahil ang kaniyang mga mata ay bahagyang nakapikit pa rin. Nahihilo pa rin siya dahil halos hindi siya nakakatulog ng buong gabi. Sinulyapan niya ang orasan, alas otso na nang umaga. Tumunog ulit ang kaniyang telepono at natauhan siya nang makita niya kung sino ang tumatawag. "G-good morning boss," nauutal na bati niya sa kaniyang boss sa kabilang linya. "Are you still in bed? Get your butt out there and come here in my office now! I need to talk to you!" sinagawan siya nito at binagsakan ng telepono. Hindi man lang hinayaang sumagot si Liam kahit isang salita man lang. Napapikit na lang siya dahil alam niyang maaaring huling araw na niya ito sa trabaho. Nang naglalakad siya sa pasilyo ng opisina, nakatingin sa kaniya lahat ng office mates niya. Para bang sinasabi ng mga ito na katapusan na niya. Bagay na lalong nagpapakaba sa kaniya habang tinutungo ang opisina ng boss niya. Kitang-kita mo kung gaano siya ka-tensiyunado dahil pinagpapawisan siya sa de-aircon na opisina. Nang makarating siya sa may pinto ng opisina, napahugot siya ng isang malalim na hininga. Kumatok muna siya ng dalawang ulit saka pumasok. "G-good morning boss," bati niya sa boss niya na abalang-abala sa pag-aayos ng mga manuscripts na nakapatong sa mesa nito. Halatado sa tono ng boses niya na kinakabahan siya. "Liam, let's make it straight to the point," wika nito kay Liam. Napakaseryoso ng pagkakasabi nito habang direktang nakatingin sa mga mata ni Liam. Bagama't hindi magkakalayo ang agwat ng edad nila pero may pagkaold-fashioned ito, kaya naman kahit pa maganda ito, hindi niya tinangkang makipagharutan dito, ni sa panaginip man lang. Minsan may mga lalaki na nakikipagharutan sa kanilang boss na babae kung single ito. "Liam!" sinigawan siya uli nito kaya nanumbalik siya sa reyalidad. "Yes," maagap na tugon niya. "Are you with me? You know I notice you are losing focus these days. You see, you're stats are dropping so low. You supposed to be my top writer. What is happening with you!" nagalit na nang tuluyan sa kaniya ang boss niya. "I Uh... I-I am so sorry boss. I don't know either. Just that recently, all of these competition going on among us, those new comers with new ideas and your big expectation on me, it's just uh...it's just so overwhelming and I slowly lose focus," napakatapat ng pagkakasabi niya kung kaya naman ay napakalma niya ang boss niya. "You're a one of our assets. You're a good writer. All these years, you're articles brought us to where we are right now. I don't want you to lose your biggest chance to be promoted. But you have to be back on the track, otherwise I'll let you go," kahit pa prangka ang pagkakasabi nito sa kaniya, gumaan pa Rin ang pakiramdam niya. Sapagkat dama niya na kahit papaano ay mahalaga siya sa kumpaniya. "Please give me one more chance and I won't let you down," pagsusumamo ni Liam. "I am not that awful boss you think I am. I valued the works of my writers, because without them there's no Turning Page today. However, I'm doing business also and I can't afford to go bankruptcy. I'll give you a second chance and don't mess around this time. If you're not gonna make this, you have no right to hold grudge against me when I fire you. Did I make myself clear?" paglilinaw ng boss niya. "I understand and I will not let you down. Promise!" itinaas niya pa ang kamay niya at sumumpa. "I need action, not words." "Thank you so much," muntik na siyang maluha sa pagkakataon iyon dahil binigyan siya ng pagkakataong maibalik sa ayos ang karera niya. "I'll get back now to my cubicle," paalis na sana siya nang muling magsalita ang boss niya. "Oh wait!" pinigilan siya nito. "Yes?" "You know, I have a coupon here. Why don't you use it? Go for a vacation and come back with a solid article," his boss hand him the envelope containing the coupon. He quickly open it and see what's inside. "Seriously? Are you just giving this away? I mean this is an island trip and it's really expensive," hindi siya makapaniwalang binigyan siya nito ng expensive vacation. "Well, I supposed to give that to my boyfriend but we broke up last night. Just take it, I think you deserve that more than my stupid ex. Consider it as an investment in you. Don't let me down." Kahit pa nakikita niya sa mga mata ng boss niya ang sakit at pait na pinagdadaanan nito, nakuha na rin nitong maging matatag, isang bagay na hinahangaan niya dito. "Why are you staring me like that? Don't get me wrong," she's feeling a little bit awkward. "No, I just admire you, boss. You're tough, kind and considerate..." "Alright, enough or change my mind," putol nito sa mga sinasabi niya. "Thank you. Really." "Okay. Get out now. Out!" she sounds authoritative. "O-okay." Dali-dali siyang lumabas ng silid nang may pagkamangha. May trabaho pa rin siya at nabiyayaan pa ng isang mamahaling bakasyon. He can't just believe that he has that charm after all. Akalain niya bang makumbinsi niya ito? At ang mas nakakagulat ay ang malamang pinahahalagahan siya nito. Habang pabalik siya sa kaniyang cubicle, hindi niya maiwasang mag-isip. Paano kaya kung ang kaniyang boss ay may gusto pala sa kaniya bago pa nito makilala ang kaniyang ex-boyfriend? Napangiti na lang siya naiisip na kalokohan. Pero mas dapat niyang pagtuunan ng pansin kung paano maingat mula ang katayuan niya sa kumpaniya. "What the...hey!" his best friend Jess Tracy interrupts his thought by throwing crumpled papers at him from the back. "I've been talking to you but you're mind is flying out there. What happened? Are you fired? Argh! I knew it," frustration registers on his best friend's face. This geeky chubby best friend of his has been nagging him to behave since then. Ito na lang ang natitirang tao na nananatili sa tabi niya pagkatapos namatay ang mga magulang niya. Grade school pa lang, matalik na niya itong kaibigan. Si Jess ay nagtatrabaho sa HR department. He's the one responsible for Liam's recruitment. "Relax. I'm not fired...yet. Don't you know that I have this charm?" nakuha niya pang magbrotherly hug dito. "No, seriously. How long you're gonna behave like this? You're not getting any younger. You have to stop dating many girls simultaneously. Get back on your goal. You spent so much time in dating and you lose focus in your career, to think that you just did it out of fun. I don't want you to end up one day alone, homeless and begging on the street," nasermunan na naman siya ni Jess. "Alright, alright. Calm down, you talk like my mom again. I'll be more serious this time, I promise. I'm scared either, more than you." "Good. But wait, why are you acting weird earlier?" "You're not gonna believe this." "What is it? " "Come here," pinalapit niya ito para makita nang malapit ang coupon. "Darn! I have never known anyone here received such an expensive vacation," napabulalas ang best friend niya sa nakita. "See? I couldn't believe either. I mean I was thinking that this day might be my last day here. But look, I am blessed," wika niya habang sumuntok sa hangin na para bang nanaig sa kalaban. "Indeed. I envy you, I've been working my ass off but I haven't had such an expensive vacation. Round trip, free accommodation in an exclusive island resort for freaking seven days. Argh! What a tragic life I'm in." "But here's a thing, I'll be kicked out here once I come back without a great article. So I have to work on this the way that I have never done before." "Well, suit yourself. When are you leaving anyway?" "I have to claim the coupon first and book the ticket as soon as possible. Hopefully the day after tomorrow. I really need this. Really. Maybe this is my turning point. Who knows, when I get there I'll come up a great idea," Liam sounds hopeful. "Man, don't mess up this time. I won't be to help you all the time." "I know. Thanks for always putting up with me," biglang naging dramatic siya pero sincere. "Yeah anytime, man. But wait, why did boss give you such an expensive coupon? I am the only one missing out something here?" nagsuspetsa si Jess. "Hey, hold that thought. It's not what you think. She said this is an investment. She invests in me with trust so I can't afford to disappoint her." "Alright, you said so."