His Revenge

Chapter 1 – Slave for 24/7

Chapter 1 – Slave for 24/7

“Mga manloloko kayo!”

Nagising na lang si Lana mula sa pagkakatulog niya nang may sumigaw. Then she saw her best friend, Cheska, crying frantically at the front.

Kaagad naman napatingin si Lana sa kaliwa’t kanan niya at mas lalo pang nagulat sa nakita niya. 

She was naked and she was sleeping beside with Gino! Her best friend’s boyfriend.

Bigla naman niyang naalala ang nangyari sa kanila kagabi. She was so drunk that she had the courage to flirt with her best friend’s boyfriend at a club then after that, wala na siyang maalala sa sumunod pang nangyari.

“C-Cheska, i-it’s not what you think—“

“You traitors!” hindi siya natapos sa pagsasalita niya nang sumigaw kaagad ito. Cheska was giving them a murderous glare. Hindi pa rin ito tumitigil sa pag-iyak

Naiyak na rin si Lana dahil dito. She didn’t know what she just did. She was just in love and drunk.

“Cheska, I-I’m sorry.. H-Hindi ko sinasadya.. Cheska—“

“Hindi mo sinadya?!” she bitterly interrupted as tears was still flowing into her eyes. “Lana.. you’re my best friend! Simula pagkabata, magkaibigan na tayo. Pero ano ‘tong ginawa mo? Of all the guys? You’re making out with my boyfriend!” sumbat nito sa kanya kaya naman mas lalo pa siyang naiyak. Her best friend was right. She was a traitor.

“Cheska, babe, it’s just a drunken night, wala—“

“You!” dinuro nito si Gino na katabi lang ni Lana.”We’re over!” sigaw nito sa lalake habang parehas din silang binibigyan ng tinging puno ng hinanakit at panghihinayang.

Then Cheska looked at Lana again, “I trusted you.. so much with my life.. Pero heto, ikaw itong kaibigan ko ang nanloko sa kin..” napailing pa ito. “You ruined our friendship, Lana.” Cheska bitterly added.

“From now on, I don’t want to see your f*****g faces anymore!”

---

“Jerome!”

She was hysterically running when she arrived at hospital’s ICU. Bigla kasi siyang tinawagan ng pinsan niyang si Jerome, her father just had an heart attack. Nasa isang public hospital kasi siya nang tinawagan siya ng pinsan niya tungkol sa Papa niya. She was currently a post graduate intern for medicine. Soon, she will be in her residency years for specialization.

“Lana,” napalingon naman kaagad sa kanya ang pinsan niya, “Si Tito.. kritikal siya.” Malungkot na sabi nito as they both glanced at window which divided them from her father’s bed.

Hindi alam ni Lana kung anong mararamdaman niya, she knew, any minute, she will break down into tears. “B-Bakit? Hindi ba niya nainom yung gamot niya?” she forced herself not to cry. She knew, everyone knew his father had a heart disease.

“Hindi ko alam pero bigla siyang nagwala pagkatapos inatake sa puso,” umiling pa si Jerome sa kanya, “Ang restaurant ng Papa mo, tuluyan ng nalugi, Lan. Kinuha ito ng Torres Corp dahil sa utang ng Papa mo sa mga Torres. Then he was enraged, nagwala ang Papa mo kaya tinanggal siya bilang board member ng Torres Corporation.”

Lana knew na palugi na ang restaurant ng family nila. She remembered na ang Mama niya at ang Papa niya ang nagpalago ng resto but when her mother died because of colon cancer four years ago, unting-unti na rin itong nalulugi. Her father was so depressed kaya naging isa rin yung rason para malugi ang resto.  Because of what happened to her mom, that's why she wanted to become a doctor.

At kung may mawawala na namang isa sa mahal niya sa buhay, hindi na niya alam kung kakayanin pa niyang mabuhay sa mundo.

Her father was in a critical state. Alam niyang magiging mahirap at matagal ang paggaling nito, malala na ang sakit ng Papa niya.

“Kasalanan ko ‘to, Jerome.. Kasalanan ko ‘to.” Tuluyan na nga siyang naiyak. Yes, it was her fault. Ito na siguro yung karma niya dahil sa mga kasalanan ginawa niya. Cheating on her best friend’s boyfriend.

Malaki ang naitulong ng Torres Corp sa pamilya niya but she wasted it.

Naramdaman naman niya ang pag-akbay sa kanya ng pinsan niya. Hinaplos-haplos nito ang likod niya, “Ito na siguro yung karma dahil sa kasalanang ginawa ko, Jerome. Pero.. bakit si Papa pa?” puno ng hinanakit na sabi niya. Ang sobrang bait ng Papa niya, kahit alam niyang depress ito dahil sa pagkamatay ng Mama niya, hindi ito nagkulang sa kanya. Kung pwede lang sana, siya ang dapat nakaratay ngayon sa ICU at hindi ang Papa niya.

“Hindi ko na alam kung anong gagawin ko sa buhay ko, Jerome.” She added. She already lost her mother then her best friend, ngayon ang Papa naman niya?

“H’wag mong sisihin ang sarili mo, sis,” her gay cousin comforted her. Sa lahat ng pinsan niya, ito ang pinakaclose sa kanya, mainly because Jerome started living with them when he was ten, namatay din kasi ang mga magulang nito dahil sa aksidente kaya ang pamilya niya ang kumupkop dito. “Your father told me na.. kailangan mong mabawi ang resto. It was your mother’s love and effort kaya your father said you need to get it back.. para sa parents mo, Lan. Don’t give up.”

“Ikaw na lang ang inaasahan nila.”

---

“Ma’am, he’s currently busy right now. May kinakausap pa kasi siya sa telepono at saka po, mamaya, may meeting po siya with the department heads.” Sabi sa kanya ng secretary ng CEO ng Torres Corp nang tinanong niya ito sa availability ng CEO.

Pagkatapos kasi ng sinabi sa kanya ng pinsan niya, she made up her mind. Kailangan niyang mabawi ang restaurant na pinaghirapan ng mga magulang niya—na sa kahit maliit na paraan, maipakita niya sa mga ito ang pagpapahalaga niya.

Now, that’s why she’s here in the Torres Corp building to see the CEO, Mr. Chace Nicholas Torres, the brother of her best friend, Cheska. Kahit alam niyang malaki ang naging kasalanan niya sa kapatid nito, for the sake of her parents, kakapalan na niya ang mukha niya. I’m so sorry for everything, Cheska. 

“Miss, please, I really need to talk to him right now.” She begged. As soon as possible, kailangan niyang kausapin ang CEO ng corp because she knew, anytime, baka mawala na sa kanya ang Papa niya.

“But ma’am, busy po talaga siya. Ako po ang mapapagalitan kapag pinilit ko po ang gusto niyo.” The secretary explained. Alam niyang nagmamakaawa na rin ito sa kanya na tigilan na niya ito. She knew, everyone knew how strict Chace Torres is. Sabi ng ilan, strikto ito at suplado sa trabaho. A perfectionist to be exact.

“Please.. just this time Miss,” pagmamakaawa niya ulit dito, “Tell him, I’m Lana Stephanie Tan, daughter of Gregorio Tan, siguro kung malalaman niya kung sino ako, kakausapin niya ako.”

She noticed the secretary just sighed in defeat, “Sige, pero last na po ito.” Pagkatapos ay kaagad nitong tinawagan sa intercom ang boss nito.

Pagkatapos ang ilang minuto ay ibinaba na rin nito ang telepono at nilingon siya, the secretary smiled at her, “Pwede ka ng pumasok sa opisina niya.”

Lana quickly beamed at the secretary, parang naiiyak din tuloy siya. “Thank you talaga.” Then she quickly went out and entered the CEO’s office.

“Yes, yes. Tomorrow’s the deadline. Yes.”

Kitang-kita ni Lana na may kinakausap pa sa telepono ang CEO habang nakatalikod ito. Even though she was two meters apart from his place, she could still smell the male scent coming from the guy’s corporate suit.

Of course, she knew Torres Corp’s CEO, Chace Nicholas Torres, kapatid ito ng best friend niya. Actually triplets silang ipinanganak—Chace, Cheska and Chris. But her best friend’s other brother, Chris, ito lang ang nakakausap niya mainly because Chris was the joker one. Then her and Chace, madalang lang silang nagkakausap because of the guy’s aloof attitude. Si Cheska at Chris lang sa magkakapatid ang palangiti.

“Sige, do it ASAP. Bye.” Ibinaba na nito ang telepono at nilingon siya.

The moment he saw her, she noticed a sarcastic grin on his face, “Oh, it’s you, Ms. Tan.” Tila nagulat pa itong makita siya. “Why are you here?” she felt her body shivered when she heard those words, ramdam niya ang pagiging malamig ng boses nito.

But Lana stayed put. Hindi siya dapat matakot. For the sake of my parents. “Gusto sana kitang kausapin.. tungkol sa resto ni Papa.. Gusto naming bawiin sa inyo ang restaurant na pinaghirapan ng pamilya ko.” She said straight to the point. Nagpapakatatag siya para lang sa mga magulang niya.

Then just a matter of second, Chace suddenly laughed. A sarcastic laugh to be exact. “Wow, makapagsalita ka sa kin ng ganyan, Ms. Tan, as if ganun lang talaga kadali.” He was mocking her. “As I expected from you.” Napailing pa ito.

Hindi na muling nagsalita si Lana rito. He knew she made her point.

“Don’t you know na may kasalanan ka pa sa kapatid ko, Lana?” he suddenly said. Nagulat naman si Lana sa sinabi nito kaya napayuko siya. She knew Cheska and Chace were the closest one. And he was just protecting his sister.

She then bit her lower lip. She knew what he just said. But this is for my parents..

“And as if mababayaran mo rin ang utang ng ama mo sa corporation.” He challenged her. “Why? Can you pay me 78 million pesos na utang niyo sa min? Just tell me because I’ll give it back to you wholeheartedly.”

Hindi naman kaagad nakapagsalita si Lana sa sinabi nito. 78 million? Hindi niya aakalain na ganun kalaki ang nautang ng Papa niya. Nor she couldn’t even pay it. Aminado siyang dahil sa unti-unting pagkalugi ng restaurant nila, napilitan siyang pumasok sa iba’t-ibang scholarship programs para lang matapos niya ang medicine course niya.

“Your silence means a no, Ms. Tan, so kung wala ka ng sasabihin pa, you can get out from my office.” Anito as she saw him motioned his hand into the door.

“No,” nilakasan niya ang loob niya. Alam niyang itong magiging desisyon niya ay para sa mga magulang niya.  “Nagmamakaawa ako. Please, give it back to us. My father’s condition is not good anymore. Gagawin.. Gagawin ko ang lahat para lang ibigay niyo ulit sa min ang resto.” She begged. Alam niyang in any minute, maiiyak na siya. “Please.. Mr. Torres.”

Alam niyang medyo nagulat ito sa sinabi niya but after a second, a smirk formed on his face. “Okay, well, siguro pwede mong mabawi ang resto niyo for you’ll be a collateral instead.” He said in a business-voice.

“Ikaw na mismo nag-offer. You’ll do everything para lang mabawi ang restaurant ninyo.” He added.

Lana just nodded her head kahit alam niyang naiiyak na siya.

“Then.. fine. You can get your resto back if you’ll..” tila nag-iisip pa ito sa kung anong gagawin niya para mabawi ang restaurant nila. “You’ll be serving me 24/7 until I die. And whatever na ipapagawa ko, you’ll do it wholeheartedly. At bukas na bukas, magsisimula ka na. You need to go here tomorrow at exactly 7:30 in the morning, no latecoming, because I hate being late, understand that, Ms. Tan?”

She hesitantly nodded. I need to do this for them.

“Then you may go out.” He finally said—flatly.

And before she could even turn her back, she heard him calling her again.

“Ms. Tan.”

“Y-Yes?”

He suddenly flashed a devilish grin. “Prepare yourself for hell.”

 //