THE COLD CEO SPOILED ME

The Second Meeting

THE NEXT MORNING

Maagang nagising si Hanna.

Bago siya pumunta sa palengke, sinigurado muna niyang nainom ng gamot ang kanyang lola.

"Lola, aalis na ako. Nasa mesa na ang breakfast mo. Please eat, okay? Huwag mong hintayin na bumalik ako bago ka kumain."

Ngumiti ang matanda.

"Ikaw rin, Hanna. Huwag mong kalimutan ang sarili mo."

"I won't."

Lumabas si Hanna at nagtungo sa palengke.

Hindi niya alam na bago matapos ang araw, makikita niyang muli ang lalaking pinakaayaw niyang makausap.

---

11:30 A.M. — PUBLIC MARKET

Busy na naman ang palengke.

Habang nag-aayos si Hanna ng mga gulay, may narinig siyang pamilyar na boses.

"Excuse me."

Napatingin siya.

Natigilan siya.

Si Michael Grey.

Naka-black suit na naman ito.

Napabuntong-hininga si Hanna.

"Ikaw na naman?"

Michael looked at her.

"Good morning to you too."

"Anong ginagawa mo dito?"

"Buying vegetables."

Napatingin si Hanna sa kanyang suit.

"You?"

"Yes, me."

"Akala ko ba hindi ka bagay sa ganitong lugar?"

Michael raised an eyebrow.

"I never said that."

"Your face did."

Michael almost smiled.

"How much are the tomatoes?"

"Fifty."

"I'll take two kilos."

Hanna weighed the tomatoes.

"Anything else?"

"Potatoes."

"How many?"

"Two kilos."

Hanna prepared everything.

"That's one hundred fifty."

Michael handed her the money.

Hanna counted it.

"You're short."

Michael looked at her.

"How much?"

"Twenty."

He took another bill from his wallet.

Hanna immediately stopped him.

"Not that one. You only need twenty."

"Just take it."

"No. I don't have change."

Michael stared at her.

"You really don't make things easy."

"And you really don't listen."

She handed him the vegetables.

"There."

Michael took them.

Before leaving, he looked at her.

"Are you always this stubborn?"

Hanna smiled.

"Only with people who deserve it."

Michael shook his head and walked away.

But after a few steps, he stopped.

He looked back.

Hanna was already helping another customer.

She didn't even notice him.

For some reason, Michael felt slightly disappointed.

---

THAT AFTERNOON

Hanna was carrying a heavy box of vegetables when she suddenly felt dizzy.

She stopped.

"Okay... breathe."

She hadn't eaten since morning.

She tried to continue carrying the box.

Suddenly, someone took it from her.

"Give me that."

Hanna turned around.

Michael.

"What are you doing?"

"You look like you're about to fall."

"I'm fine."

"You don't look fine."

"I'm just tired."

Michael placed the box on the table.

"When was the last time you ate?"

Hanna avoided his eyes.

"I'm not hungry."

"That's not what I asked."

She sighed.

"This morning."

Michael frowned.

"It's already afternoon."

"I know."

"Then eat."

Hanna looked at him.

"Why do you care?"

Michael paused.

He didn't know the answer.

"I don't."

Hanna smiled.

"Exactly."

She picked up another box.

Michael immediately stopped her.

"Leave it."

"I have work to do."

"You can work after you eat."

"You're my boss now?"

"No."

"Then don't tell me what to do."

Michael looked at her.

"You really enjoy arguing with me, don't you?"

"Maybe because you enjoy telling me what to do."

They stared at each other.

Finally, Michael sighed.

"Fine."

He took out his wallet.

"How much is your lunch?"

Hanna's eyes widened.

"Michael!"

"What?"

"I don't need your money."

"I didn't offer you money."

"Then what is that?"

"An order."

"What?"

Michael pointed toward the food stall nearby.

"Choose something. I'll pay."

Hanna crossed her arms.

"I can buy my own food."

"I know."

"Then why are you insisting?"

Michael looked at her for a moment.

"Because you're working too hard."

Hanna became quiet.

That was the first time Michael had said something without sounding arrogant.

She looked away.

"Fine."

Michael nodded.

"Good."

"But I'm paying you back."

"Whatever."

"And don't think this means we're friends."

Michael gave a small smile.

"I wasn't planning on becoming your friend."

Hanna rolled her eyes.

"Good."

But neither of them noticed...

that they were both smiling.

---

THAT NIGHT

Michael returned to his office.

Daniel was waiting for him.

"Sir, you went to the market again?"

Michael looked at him.

"Yes."

"To buy vegetables?"

"Yes."

Daniel smiled.

"Do you suddenly like vegetables?"

Michael stared at him.

"No."

"Then why do you keep going there?"

Michael became silent.

He remembered Hanna.

Her stubbornness.

Her smile.

The way she refused his money.

He looked away.

"I needed vegetables."

Daniel nodded.

"Of course, sir."

Michael picked up a document.

"Don't ask unnecessary questions."

"Yes, sir."

But after Daniel left, Michael looked toward the window.

For the first time, he wondered...

Why was he thinking about Hanna so much?

Meanwhile, at the small house across town, Hanna was sitting beside her grandmother.

"Lola?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you believe that some people are just meant to annoy us?"

Her grandmother smiled.

"Why? May nakaaway ka na naman?"

Hanna sighed.

"There's this man..."

Her grandmother raised an eyebrow.

"A man?"

"He's rude, arrogant, and thinks he knows everything."

"And you keep talking about him."

Hanna immediately became quiet.

"I don't."

Her grandmother laughed softly.

"Okay, anak. I believe you."

Hanna looked away.

She didn't know it yet...

but the rude and cold man she couldn't stand was slowly becoming a person she would see much more often.

TO BE CONTINUED...