THE COLD CEO SPOILED ME

THE OFFER

THREE DAYS LATER — PUBLIC MARKET

Unti-unting bumalik sa normal ang buhay ni Hanna.

Nakauwi na ang kanyang lola mula sa ospital, pero kailangan pa rin nitong uminom ng gamot at magpahinga.

Kaya mas lalo pang nagsipag si Hanna sa pagtitinda.

"Hanna, magkano ang isang kilo ng sitaw?"

"Fifty pesos po."

"Medyo mahal."

"Sorry po, tumaas kasi ang presyo sa supplier. Pero fresh po ito, bagong dating lang kaninang umaga."

"Okay, give me one kilo."

"Thank you po."

Ngumiti si Hanna habang inaayos ang paninda.

Pero habang nagbibilang siya ng pera, napansin niyang may kulang.

Hindi pa rin sapat para sa susunod na gamot ng kanyang lola.

Napabuntong-hininga siya.

"Kaya ko 'to."

---

2:00 P.M.

Biglang may humintong black car malapit sa puwesto niya.

Hindi na kailangang tumingin ni Hanna nang matagal.

Alam na niya kung sino.

Lumabas si Michael.

Naka-black suit na naman.

Napailing si Hanna.

"Michael."

"Hanna."

"You're here again."

"Yes."

"Don't tell me you're buying vegetables again."

"I'm not."

"Then why are you here?"

Lumapit si Michael.

"I need to talk to you."

Napansin ni Hanna na seryoso ang mukha nito.

"About what?"

"Your grandmother."

Biglang nagbago ang expression ni Hanna.

"What about her?"

"I asked someone to check on her medical situation."

Napatayo nang maayos si Hanna.

"You did what?"

"I wanted to know how serious her condition is."

"Michael, you had no right to do that."

"I know."

"Then why did you?"

Michael remained calm.

"Because I was concerned."

Natahimik si Hanna.

"You were concerned?"

"Yes."

"About my grandmother?"

"About you."

Napatingin si Hanna sa kanya.

Hindi siya nakapagsalita.

Michael continued.

"You've been working all day, then going home to take care of her. You're trying to pay for her medicine by yourself, and you're clearly struggling."

Hanna looked away.

"I can handle it."

"I know you can."

"Then what's the problem?"

"The problem is that you shouldn't have to."

Hanna's eyes became slightly teary.

"I don't want anyone to feel sorry for me."

"I'm not feeling sorry for you."

"Then what?"

Michael paused.

"I want to help."

Hanna shook her head.

"No."

"Hanna—"

"No, Michael. I appreciate what you did at the hospital, but I can't accept money from you."

"I'm not giving you money."

"Then what?"

Michael handed her an envelope.

"Open it."

Hanna hesitated.

She opened the envelope.

Inside was a document.

She read the first page.

Then she looked at Michael.

"What is this?"

"A job offer."

"A job?"

"Yes."

Hanna looked confused.

"What kind of job?"

"You'll work for my company."

She stared at him.

"Why would your company hire me?"

"Because I need someone I can trust."

Hanna laughed softly.

"Trust? We've only known each other for a few weeks."

"I know."

"Then why me?"

Michael looked directly into her eyes.

"Because you're honest."

Hanna became quiet.

"You could earn more working at my company than you do selling vegetables."

She looked at the contract again.

"What's the position?"

"Administrative assistant."

Hanna frowned.

"I don't have experience."

"You can learn."

"And why are you offering this to me?"

Michael answered honestly.

"Because I don't want to see you destroy yourself trying to do everything alone."

Hanna's eyes softened.

"But if I accept this, people will think you hired me because you feel sorry for me."

"I don't care what people think."

"I do."

Michael sighed.

"Then prove them wrong."

Hanna looked at him.

"You really know how to make people angry."

"I've been told."

Despite herself, Hanna smiled.

---

THAT EVENING

Pag-uwi ni Hanna, nakita niya ang kanyang lola na nakaupo sa kama.

"How was your day?"

Hanna sat beside her.

"Someone offered me a job."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"That's good."

"But it's with a big company."

Her grandmother smiled.

"Then why do you look worried?"

"Because the person who offered me the job is someone I don't get along with."

"Who?"

Hanna hesitated.

"Michael."

"Michael?"

"Yes."

Her grandmother smiled knowingly.

"Is he the man you've been talking about?"

"Lola!"

"What?"

"I only told you about him once."

"And you've mentioned him three more times since then."

Hanna covered her face.

"He's annoying."

"Maybe."

"And arrogant."

"Maybe."

"And too serious."

Her grandmother smiled.

"But you seem to know a lot about him."

Hanna became quiet.

She looked at the job offer in her hand.

The salary was more than she had ever earned.

It could pay for her grandmother's medicine.

It could give them a more stable life.

But working directly for Michael...

That was another story.

---

THE NEXT MORNING

Hanna stood outside the Grey International building.

She looked up at the enormous glass building.

"Okay, Hanna. You can do this."

She took a deep breath.

Then walked inside.

At the reception desk, she introduced herself.

"Good morning. I'm here for Mr. Grey."

The receptionist checked the schedule.

"Ms. Mendoza?"

"Yes."

"Mr. Grey is expecting you."

Hanna's heart beat faster.

She entered the elevator.

When the doors opened on the executive floor, she saw Michael standing outside his office.

Their eyes met.

Michael looked at her.

"You came."

Hanna held up the contract.

"I came to accept the job."

Michael nodded.

"Good."

"But I have one condition."

His eyebrows lifted.

"What condition?"

Hanna looked directly at him.

"I work for the company."

She pointed at him.

"Not for you personally."

Michael almost smiled.

"Deal."

Hanna nodded.

"Good."

She turned toward the office.

But Michael suddenly spoke.

"And Hanna?"

She looked back.

"Welcome to Grey International."

She smiled.

"Thank you."

Neither of them knew that this simple job offer would soon become the beginning of something neither of them expected.

Because from this day forward...

Hanna would no longer be just the woman Michael kept meeting at the market.

She would become part of his everyday life.

And that would make it much harder for him to ignore what he was beginning to feel.

TO BE CONTINUED...