Chapter 6
1010 Words
It’s twelve o’clock, and here I am — stuck in goddamn traffic, with nothing but the blaring horns and my own irritation to keep me company.
Great job, Blake. You’ve officially wasted your entire Monday morning.
Kanina pa ako nagmamaneho pero parang wala namang patutunguhan. The sun is merciless, the aircon is barely helping, and I can feel the heat crawling under my skin like some kind of punishment.
As if on cue, my phone rang. It was my secretary, Lally.
She called to inform me — rather hesitantly, might I add — that I had missed the scheduled final interviews for our new hires. Perfect. The HR department had already filled in the minor positions earlier in the day, but since I made it very clear that no one was to be hired for the Accounting Department Head position without my go signal, the panel had postponed the final round.
Apparently, there were three shortlisted applicants. All qualified. All with impressive credentials. But HR had high hopes for one candidate in particular. Their so-called “best bet.”
Too bad, the so-called best didn’t show up.
For some unknown reason, Zia — yes, Zia — was absent.
They said they’d try to reach her and ask why she missed the interview, and if there was a valid reason, they’d give her another chance. Sayang nga raw, because based on her resume and previous performance, she might just be the kind of asset Stratosight Marketing Corporation needed.
If only they knew.
If only they had the slightest idea kung anong klaseng "kadahilanan" meron si Miss Zia Aguas para hindi siya makarating sa interview niya.
And if only they knew that I had already met her — or rather, hit her — with my car.
Yes. You heard that right.
The "best bet" of our HR department missed her interview today because nasagasaan siya ng CEO mismo.
By me.
Just thinking about it made me slam my palm against the steering wheel.
What kind of twisted universe allows that kind of coincidence?
Sino ba naman kasi ang tatawid na parang walang kasalanan sa gitna ng kalsada, ha? Sino ba ang naglalakad na parang siya lang ang may karapatang mabuhay?
I groaned, resting my head back against the seat.
Ugh. I look like a lunatic right now. And honestly? I feel like one too.
Ever since this morning, I’ve been replaying the scene in my head. Over and over.
The way I hit her — not too hard, thank God, but hard enough for her to fall over and sprain her ankle.
The way she screamed at me like I was some kind of criminal. As if I had planned it.
The way she banged on my car window like she was ready to throw hands.
The moment I realized that the fire-breathing dragon in heels was, in fact, one of the applicants for the position I needed to fill.
And the worst part?
The ride to the hospital.
Kung saan mas lalo ko siyang nakilala. Mas lalo akong inasar.
Zia — that woman — spent the whole ride ranting. Accusing me of being a pervert. Saying I probably lured her into my car to molest her.
What the actual hell?
She even threatened to call the police at one point. She said I looked like one of those “wealthy creeps” who lured women under the guise of an accident.
Honestly, kung hindi ko pa kailangan ng PR damage control, I would’ve dropped her off sa harap ng city hall.
But of course, no. Things just had to get worse.
Because when we got to the hospital, lo and behold, who else was there?
Vince Allen Cua.
My dear brother. Mr. Charming Doctor.
The ever-perfect, ever-smiling, ever-goddamn likable Vince.
And would you believe it? Zia and Vince hit it off.
Like that.
While I stood there like some kind of extra in their rom-com scene, watching them laugh like old friends reunited by fate.
Vince even offered to drive her home. Of course he did.
Palibhasa, natural na palikero ang hayop.
I should’ve known.
I should’ve expected it.
But no. I stood there, watching him charm the very same woman I hit with my car.
And to make things worse?
I felt... something.
I felt irritated.
No. Jealous.
Damn it.
I started driving again, letting the engine roar louder than necessary, wanting nothing more than to push past the slow BMW in front of me. Kung puwede lang banggain, ginawa ko na.
And yet, kahit anong harurot ng sasakyan ko, I barely noticed the road anymore.
My hands were on the wheel, my foot was on the pedal, but my mind?
It was still stuck in that hospital room.
Stuck in that memory of Zia laughing with Vince.
Of her giving him a smile I hadn’t seen earlier — soft and genuine, nothing like the scowls she threw in my direction.
Of him looking at her like he already knew her.
Of me… not knowing what the hell I felt.
Before I knew it, my car rolled to a stop.
I blinked, looking around.
Parking lot.
I was already in front of Stratosight Marketing Corporation.
I didn’t even realize I’d arrived.
That’s how out of it I was.
I sat there for a few seconds, engine idling, trying to calm the frustration buzzing under my skin.
What was this feeling?
Why the hell did it feel like I’d just lost something?
Like I’d been… left out.
Like someone took something that I didn’t even know I wanted — not until it was already slipping away.
This is ridiculous.
Zia Aguas was just an applicant. A loudmouth. A stubborn, temperamental woman who happened to look infuriatingly good even when mad.
So why did it feel like I’d just been robbed?
Why did it feel like Vince had taken something from me?
Something I didn’t even have in the first place?
I leaned back against the seat again and sighed.
This day just keeps getting worse.
And it’s not even over yet.
- Writer
