Under the Veiled Sky

Chapter 2: Mission?

"What?"

"I mean... I want to sleep here,"

I sighed in relief, I thought he was asking me to do that thing. Kasi kung oo? I will immediately resign, but before I do that, I'll give a good punch in the face.

I nodded. May couch naman, if he needs someone to accompany him, I can help him with that, but I won't sleep beside him.

I turned off the lights and opened the lampshade beside my bed. Kumuha ako ng dalawang unan at isang comforter at dinala 'yon sa couch. Dito ako matutulog para sure na hindi ko siya makakatabi, well, kasya naman dalawang tao rito kasi mala-sofa bed na rin, pero hindi ganoon kalawak 'yung space.

"Gisingin mo lang ako if you need something," I told him, nakatalikod siya sa gawi ko at yakap-yakap 'yung isang unan. Hindi na ako nakatanggap ng sagot sa kaniya kaya humiga na rin ako sa pwesto ko.

I closed my eyes and covered my body with a comforter.

*

It was already midnight when I noticed something moving behind me. Nang lingunin ko ito ay nagulat ako nang makita si Rhys na nasa tabi ko. His face is too close and for Pete's sake! He's hugging me!

The nerve of this guy! I understand that I am his personal assistant, nurse, and secretary. But that doesn't mean that he can do whatever he wants!

"I think this is inappropriate—"

"Stay," he cut me off again. "Please...baby,"

I was stunned for a second. What did he call me?! Baby?!

Maybe he thought I was one of his girls?

With that, he hugged me even tighter and pulled me towards him more, my face was right in front of his toned chest. I tried to move, but I always failed to remove his hands wrapped around my waist.

"One more move and I'll kiss you," he warned.

I sighed in disbelief. This guy is really testing my patience! I am forcing myself not to make a single move dahil baka isipin niyang gusto kong halikan niya ako. Hell, no!

Hours had passed and I woke up because of my alarm. I woke up still in his arms but he's already in deep sleep, kaya naman agad akong nakawala sa kaniya.

I quickly went straight to the bathroom. I can't believe I just slept beside a man. If my mother finds out about this? She will surely get me out of this place.

Sinilip ko kung tulog pa siya, nang masigurado kong hindi pa ito magigising, agad kong tinawagan ang kapatid ko.

"Maverick," I called him.

"What now, ate?" He lazily asked.

"How's my company?" I asked him in a low voice.

"Yeah, it's fine, don't worry," he answered.

I did not asked him anything more, alam kong wala akong mapapalang matinong sagot mula sa kapatid ko, besides, napilitan lang naman siya na sundin 'yung utos ko. Kaya naman ang sekretarya ko nalang ang tinawagan ko.

I was about to talk nang bigla akong makarinig ng yabag papalapit, I hurriedly turned off my phone and let the water splash from my sink, pretending that Io was washing my face.

I stayed inside for a minute, nang hindi ko na marinig 'yung yabag ay pinihit ko na 'yung door knob.

"Oh, s**t!" I yelled in shock seeing him right in front of me. "My apologies, sir. I was just shocked." I apologized.

Hindi niya ako pinansin, nilampasan niya lang ako at pumasok sa banyo.

I just shrugged my shoulder. Maybe may saltik lang talaga siya sa utak? Hindi ko siya maintindihan.

We went to his company together, hindi kami nag-imikan simula kanina, and I am glad that I don't have to face him because he is busy typing something on his laptop and meeting clients and investors.

Katabi ko ngayon si Valeria, nasa coffee area kami ngayon dahil pareho naming break time.

"Alam mo ba kung bakit walang girlfriend 'yang si Mr. Montgomery?" she suddenly asked, which caught my attention.

"Bakit?" I asked curiously.

"Kasi—"

"Kasi bakla?" I cut her off.

Natawa naman siya. "Of course not! He's straight, 'no! He's only interested in women." sagot nito. Do "It's because he thinks women who approach him only want his wealth and fame," she added.

"Actually mayroon siyang ex-fiancée, he called off the engagement because he found out that she's only using him, he was willing to do everything for her, to the point na hindi niya na napopokusan ang kompanya, but he found out that she cheated, may boyfriend daw pala 'yung babae at pera lang ang habol sa kaniya." kwento ni Valeria. "He also stopped meeting women because he thinks it will only be the cause of his downfall, just like what happened before." dagdag pa niya.

Indeed, last year, usap-usapan na na-bankrupt ang kompanya niya. At ngayon ko lang nalaman na iyon pala ang dahilan, hindi niya pala ito inasikaso hanggang sa lumala 'yung sitwasyon.

"Hindi siya pumasok for three months, nawala 'yung clients niya, pati mga investor at ibang member rito, may mga empleyado rin na nag resign dahil doon."

"Madali pala siyang ma-distract dahil sa babae?" I asked. How pathetic he is.

Tumango siya. "Siguro dati oo, sa ex-fiance niya, hindi ko lang alam ngayon, it's been months na rin kasi na wala siyang pinapakilala kahit na girlfriend pa lang. His mother also introduced him into blind dates pero sadyang wala lang talaga siyang pinapatulan. He's already 28 years old and still not married, kaya siguro nag-aalala na 'yung mother niya na wala pa siyang asawa at baka walang magmana ng kompanya."

I wonder how much audacity his ex-fiancée had? Kaya ayoko talaga sa mga ganoong tao, 'yung tipong pera lang ang habol? And after that? Wala na, they'll leave you with nothing.

"Maybe he's afraid of entering into a relationship again because it will only destroy him," I stated, tumango naman si Valeria.

After five minutes, bumalik na kami sa kaniya-kaniyang table namin. What Valeria told me still creeps in my mind.

Should I... Use his weakness to lead him to his downfall?

There's a very tiny chance that I will succeed, but nothing will happen if I don't give it a try, right?

*

Weeks had passed, and as usual, I am still living in his house, his mother requested that I stay with him all the time unless I need to go home in times of emergency when she found out about his sudden trauma attack before. Of course, I agreed without any hesitation. I am working fine with him and I don't experience any hard time except for the fact that he randomly orders me to do something that isn't part of my job, just like what he is doing right now.

It's Sunday and we are currently in his garden, he's watering his plants, and ordered me to hold his umbrella for him.

I silently watched him watering his daisy flowers. I guess he just loves gardening that's why he prefers to take care of his plants instead of the maids.

"Pasok na tayo," he stated.

I sighed in relief. Feeling ko ay masusunog na ako dahil sa init sa labas kanina. Paano ba naman, tanghaling tapat nagdilig?! Sinama pa talaga ako? Akala mo naman ako 'yung didiligan.

"What the heck am I thinking?!"

"You saying something?" he asked me.

Agad akong umiling. "Nothing, sir."

Aunt Teresa and the other maids went to the supermarket to buy some groceries, kaya naman kaming dalawa lang ang nandito ngayon. We had our lunch together pero ni isa sa amin ay walang nagsalita habang kumakain.

I was actually conscious of my cooking, baka hindi siya nasarapan. Since kami lang ang nandito, I had no other choice but to cook myself, wala rin naman akong tiwala sa luto niya.

I prepared buttered chicken and menudo. Mayat-maya ang pag sulyap ko sa kaniya, tinitingnan ko ang ekspresyon ng mukha niya kung mukhang nasasarapan ba siya sa luto ko, pero blangko lang ang mukha niya.

Hindi ko na siya pinansin matapos, maya-maya lang rin ay dumating na rin sina Aunt Teresa at sila na rin nag presenta na mag-ayos ng pinagkainan namin.

After eating, dumiretso ako sa kwarto ko para tapusin 'yung report na pinapaayos niya. I spent two hours finishing it, kaya naman almost 3pm na rin ako natapos. I excused myself to go back at my condo at sinabing may aasikasuhin lang ako. Since tapos naman ako sa assigned task ko ngayon, pinayan niya akong umuwi.

Sinabihan ko rin siya na baka late na ako makabalik dahil marami pa akong gagawin. It's Sunday naman, kaya free ako ngayon.

Ang totoo niyan, wala akong aasikasuhin sa condo ko, umuwi lang ako rito para mag bihis and now I am heading to my brother's restobar to wind down. I experienced too much stress lately kaya naman deserve ko rin 'to.

It was already dark when I went outside, around 8pm na rin kaya crowded na sa labas. I called Maverick to pick me up dahil ayokong mag taxi ngayon and tinatamad naman akong mag drive.

"Seriously,ate? Ano mo ba talaga ako? Kapatid or utusan?"

I rolled my eyes, never talaga siya naubusan ng reklamk. "Just do what I say, Rick," I said and hung up.

After almost 10 minutes, may tumigil ng sasakyan sa harap ko, it was his car kaya naman agad kong binuksan 'yung backseat. Walang tao sa passenger seat pero hindi ako doon pumwesto para inisin siya.

"Do I look like a driver to you?" he said sarcastically.

It was a short drive, nakarating agad kami sa restobar niya, hinintay ko lang siya mag park at pagkatapos ay nauna na akong pumasok. He owns and manage this place, that's why ganon nalang 'yung reklamo niya nang utusan ko siyang asikasukin muna 'yung kompanya ko.

"How long are you going to pretend?" He lazily asked. He's talking about my plan with Rhys.

"Give me two months, and I'll be back with my mission accomplished," I answered.

"Mabuti at hindi ka pinaghihinalaan ni Caspian?"

I flipped my hair. "Seriously? Do you not believe in your lovely sister?"

"Heh, shut up, ate. Ano ba kasi plano mo? Bakit biglaan naman?"

"Someone told me that a woman is his weakest spot, when he fall in love, he gets distracted easily and forgets to do his other task." I told him.

He raised a brow before handing me a glass of cocktail. "So you're planning to..." he paused for a moment. "Seduce him?"

I looked at him. "What a good idea!" I praised him.

That's not what I actually planned. 'Yung balak ko ay magha-hire ako ng babae para siya 'yung gumawa ng plano ko. Pero I am still undecided dahil baka ang ending ma fall lang din siya kay Rhys, syempre palpak 'yon. Pero, if I do it myself, mas malaki ang chance na mag succeed because I will stick to my plan.

"Are you serious?" he laughed.

I nodded proudly. "Why? I am dead serious!" I yelled.

"Be careful, ate, I hope you'll come back with your mission really accomplished."

I looked at him in confusion. I was about to talk when my phone suddenly rang. It was Aunt Teresa calling.

"Maeve! Asan ka, hija?"

"Nasa bahay po, bakit po?" I lied.

"Si sir kasi..."

"What happened po?" I curiously asked.

"Bumalik ka nalang, hija. Kailangan ka namin dito."