Programmed Wife

Chapter 4

To whoever thought of the saying "Never say never", Rui has a few words to say. Hindi niya inaasahan na ang kasabihan na ito ang magiging mortal niyang kaaway ngayong huling linggo nalang ni Albert sa Pilipinas.

He never would have thought that he will be doing this, having a female secretary. Rui has a very special condition, it is not literally gynophobia, but once he gets close to a woman that he doesn't fully trust, he has serious and dangerous panic attacks. Malala ang anxiety niya kahit na makasalubong lang niya ang babae sa daan, kakabahan na siya agad.

He knows very well how this condition of him was developed. Alam niya kung ano ang nangyari, kung ano ang sanhi. But to treat it, he knows nothing. Well, aside from the fact that he still isn't cured even after all the medications and non-stop therapy. Ngayon lang kinabahan si Rui sa pagpasok niya sa trabaho.

Araw-araw isang mahabang hilera ng cubicles ang dinadaanan niya patungo sa likod hanggang sa office niya. Dito ay sinasalubong siya ng hindi mabilang na mga babaeng empleyado niya. Walang kaso sa kaniya 'yon, sa totoo lang ay tiwala siya sa mga empleyado niya na babae, lumalayo lamang siya at umiiwas sa pagdadagdag dahil natatakot siya.

Rui took a deep breath while adjusting his seat in front of his office table. Napapapikit pa nga siya, iniisip kung tama ba itong gagawin niya.

"I swear, I should've just killed him, " he started talking to himself while thinking at his cheeky assistant.

Wala pa ang ibang tao sa office ngayon, he got in earlier than usual. Sinusubukan niya na paghandaan ang araw na hindi niya alam kung ikatutuwa niya o pagsisisihan nang malala.

"What the f*ck was I thinking anyway? She was just standing, ready to leave. Why the f*ck did I tell her to start working?" napahinto siya sa pagsasalita nang mapansin niya ang sariling reflection sa salamin ng lamesa.

"Oh wow, I'm losing it already. I'm talking to myself, what the heck?"

Tinapik-tapik ng binata ang guwapo niyang mukha, pinipilit na gisingin ang sarili. He glanced at the clock on his side. It is currently fifty minutes after seven. Close to the start of their working hours.

Gaya sa inaasahan niya, saktong pumasok si Albert na may malawak na ngiti sa mga labi. Parang alam na agad nito ang laki ng kasalanan at handa na sa mga kamay niya ang tasa ng kape at isang maliit na box, nakikilala ni Rui ang tatak nito.

"Ano? Susuhulan mo ako ngayon d'yan sa paborito kong croissant?"

"Bossing Rui naman, sa tingin mo ba susuhulan lang kita? Hindi ba puwede na malay mo, naisip ko lang na ibigay sa'yo, almusal!"

Albert smiled cutely at Rui na nakita naman ng binata bilang pang-aasar sa kan'ya.

"'Wag na 'wag mo ng uulitin yan, nakakasuka," he scoffs. "Anong oras na? Unang araw nang kapalit mo, late agad?"

"Anong late? Nauna pa nga siya sa akin. Nando'n sa labas inaayos na 'yong desk niya."

"What?"

"Oh ano, tameme ka ngayon? Siya nga ang bumili niyang paborito mo. Nadaanan niya raw."

"How the f*ck did she know that this is my-"

"'Wag ka ngang assuming, feeling mo naman alam niya. Nagkataon lang," Albert giggled while lecturing his boss.

"Hey, Albert," Rui called. The secretary looked at him with a very confused face, as if asking him what he wanted to say.

"Have you forgotten that I still have your last salary?"

Mabilis na nagbago ang expression ni Albert. Kung kanina ay parang may halong judgement at pang-aasar, ngayon kulang nalang mag bow ito para lang maipakita ang paggalang kay Rui.

"Mr. Andrews, hindi ka naman mabiro. Alam mo naman na joker ako 'di ba? Hindi 'yon seryoso, 'wag ka mag-alala."

Rui rolled his eyes and he made sure that Albert can see how sharp the way he stared.

"Ah! Leyla! Le-Leyla!"

Bilang sagot sa nakakatakot na pagtingin sa kan'ya ni Rui, pinili niya na labanan ito gamit ang pinakamalakas niyang alas, si Leyla.

After three soft knocks at the office door, Leyla walked in.

She showed up in a beautiful black blazer and a matching pencil skirt that gave enough justice to her figure. Hindi maikakaila ang taglay na ganda ng dalaga. Rui acknowledged the heck out of it. Hindi na nga niya narinig ang pagbati nito ng "Good morning" dahil natulala nalang siya sa maganda nitong mukha.

"Wow," he thought to himself. Rui was blown away, hindi niya maiwasan na magkaroon ng ngiti sa mga labi. The morning definitely became good, exquisite even.

"Mr. Andrews," Albert woke him up from his daydream. Alam na alam niya ang iniisip ngayon ni Rui, kung hindi lang siya taken, malamang ay tatamaan din siya sa angking kagandahan ng dalaga.

"Ah-huh?" parang walang natatandaan na sabi ni Rui. Lumingon siya kay Albert na malokong nakangisi sa kan'ya. Umiling- iling nalang siya nang maintindihan kung ano ang nangyari.

"F*ck this is not going to be okay," sabi niya nang mahina. Si Albert lang ang nakarinig dahil malapit ang kinatatayuan nito. Hindi niya pinalampas ang pagkakataon na tuksuhin ang binata.

"Ano 'yon? Mr. Andrews?" lumingon siya kay Leyla. "Miss Leyla, may sinasabi yata sa iyo si Mr. Andrews, halika rito, lumapit ka."

"Ah, sige po," she politely said before walking closer to the table.

Rui knows for a fact that in this situation, he usually freaks out. By now his palms should be sweaty, his foot wont stop tapping against the floor and his brain should be close to exploding. But for some reason, he's totally fine. A very beautiful woman is walking closer to him but he's not affected by it. If anything, he's just very distracted because of how angelic she looks.

"Mr. Andrews, ano po 'yon?" said a very soft female voice. Sa isang iglap, nasa harapan na ng lamesa si Leyla, Rui spaced out again. Umangat ang kilay niya nang mapansin na hindi lumapit sa kan'ya si Leyla. There is a decent amount of distance between them.

Napangiti rin si Albert, this is a plus point for him. Mukhang nagugustuhan niya ang ugali ng dalaga na papalit sa kan'ya. Not to mention, Rui seems to enjoy it as well. Hindi niya sinasabi pero sa napapansin niya, isa lang ang na- realize nito. Rui seems to be mesmerized with the beauty, that's a first.

"Mr. Andrews, ano daw 'yon?"

"Nothing!" Rui exclaimed in shock. "Wala, wala. You can go back to your desk, I will just tell you later if I need your help."

Leyla nodded. She bowed a little, her killer smile when she bid farewell was too powerful. It left Rui's brain in shambles.

"What the f*ck?" he can't help but say.

"Hmm, interesting," said Albert. He has his left hand on his chin, examining the look on the CEO's face.

Looking up at him from the table, kitang-kita ang pinaghalo- halong pagtataka, pagkatakot at pag-aalala sa mga mata ni Rui.

"What the hell was that?" he asked.

"Huh? Wala namang nangyari," his secretary responded, still squinting his eyes while looking at him from head to toe.

"Why is she like that?"

"Like what?"

"Pretty?"

Albert started laughing as loud as he can when he heard Rui's thoughts. Hindi niya alam na ito pa ang tumatakbo sa utak ng lalaki. Akala pa naman niya ay mapapagalitan siya dahil sa pang-aasar.

"So gets ko na, kapag pala maganda ang babae na lalapit sa'yo, hindi ka natatakot."

"Shut up, you know that's not it."

"Pero bakit ngayon kahit na palapit siya sayo, kalmado ka lang? I watched you, your hands were on the table. Your feet didn't budge. Hindi naman gan'yan 'di ba?"

"Exactly."

"So kapag nga maganda, hindi ka natatakot. Subukan mo kayang hawakan 'yong kamay? Baka kaya mo. Malay mo may future pala kayo, tapos parang k-drama-"

"Okay stop," putol niya sa sinasabi ni Albert. "Just go and give her some instructions. Train her, ayoko na makarinig nang kalokohan mula sa' yo."

"Sus, nahihiya ka lang na natulala ka sa ganda- okay, lalabas na ako. 'Wag ka na tumingin nang gan'yan, kulang nalang mabutas mo ang bungo ko sa talim ng mga tingin mo."

Albert quickly left his poor boss who is currently so lost as to what just happened.

Rui is too stubborn to accept the fact that he was too busy being mesmerized by her amazing looks that he couldn't really process anything. Hindi siya tinablan ng kaba, halos nakalimutan nga niya na huminga nang ilang segundo.

"What the heck? Was it really because she's pretty?" Rui asked himself. "No f*cking way, she's just so-"

"Mr. Rui, mukhang iniisip mo pa rin 'yong ganda ha?" Albert who just left, sneaked in once more to make fun of his Boss.

"Albert, I am so f*cking close to firing you just before you leave."

"Nahihiya ka lang, kasi nahuli kita na may crush!"

"Crush? What am I, Five?" Rui threw a folder towards Albert who quickly dodged it.

"Stop laughing!" sigaw pa nito.

"Hay, bossing 'wag mo ako masyadong tinatakot. Baka mamaya sabihin ko sa kan'ya na may crush ka!"

"Believe me when I say that I'm thinking of reasons why I shouldn't kill you right now. Also, I don't have any yet."

"Hay nako Rui Andrews, namumula ka. This is very unusual!"

"F*ck off, b*tch!"