The Royal Encounter

1: The Life in City

YEAR 2021

RIVER'S POINT OF VIEW

"Who is handling this problem?!" I hissed. I cannot help myself but to shout in grim because of annoyance.

I cannot believe that they didn't handle this well! Madali lang ito! Bakit hindi nila kayang ayusin? Ano pang silbi ng pasahod sakanila?

My head heated up so high because we lost a chance to gain a lot of billions! Isa pa, mapapabango ni Mr. Alonzo ang pangalan namin!

If they have done this right, hindi mawawala si Mr. Alonzo!

"S-Sir... Hindi po namin alam. Bigla itong—"

"Hindi alam? Iyan ang huling gusto 'ko marinig sa kumpanyang ito!" I screamed in annoyance. "Umalis kayo dito! Kayong lahat, umalis ka'yo!"

"H-Ha? Sir?"

"Alis! You are all fired!" Matinis na sigaw 'ko at inihagis ang papel na pilit nilang pinapasa sa'kin.

Chance? That chance won't work kung sila ang pagbibigyan 'ko. What a group of losers!

Hindi 'ko na sila hinayaan na magpaliwanag o umiyak sa harap 'ko. That won't work anyway. Wala akong pakialam kung umiyak pa sila!

"Goddammit... I really wanted Mr. Alonzo... Gustong-gusto ni Papa iyon," I muttered then rest my back at the chair.

"Pre!" Cain entered my office with the usual grin on his face. Tumatawa pa ito.

Looks like he's having a good day. I am feeling the opposite!

"What's with the face, River?" Bati pa nito sa'kin at komportableng umupo sa swivel chair. "Ano na namang ginawa mo? I heard you fired a lot huh?"

I glared at him, "Buti naman at hindi na mali ang nababalitaan mo."

Pinindot 'ko ang intercom at inutusan na mag-post online for job hiring. Cain shook his head while laughing.

"Mabuti talaga at matunog ang Serrano Empire ano?"

"Hindi 'ko ito inalagaan ng ilang taon para maging basta lang, Cain. You know me," I toast myself in the sofa in my office.

I can see the buildings all way up here. The Serrano Empire is a big and tall building. It's about business. Investments and more. The sky made me calm for a bit, pero hindi 'ko pa rin maiwasan na manghinayang dahil nawala si Alonzo sa listahan.

Should I hire more comptetive people? Should I set the standard higher?

"What are you thinking?" Si Cain at tumabi sa'kin. "Nagsisisi ka na ba kasi nag-lagas ka na naman ng trabahador mo? Siguradong trending ka na naman sa twitter," halakhak niya pa.

Biglang sumakit ang ulo 'ko dahil sa narinig. Right... the media.

"Sanay na sa'kin ang buong mundo," walang ganang sambit 'ko. "But there's still a lot who is bashing me."

"Of course they would! You're ruthless!"

"Ah.. Mabait pa nga ako dahil sa ama 'ko," I said to him then looked up to the sky.

I am not really patient like this. Nagtitimpi pa ako. Naiipon ang gusto 'kong sabihin sa'king ama at nabubuntong sa iba. I want to be a rebel. Gusto 'ko malaman ng iba na hindi ako mabait at kung ano pa ang iniisip.

But the more I am ruthless, the more they like me. That's weird. Ang iba ay gusto pa akong sambahin dahil doon.

Ayoko ng sumunod sa'king ama. Pero nakikita 'ko na lang ang sarili 'ko na tumatango. Parang aso.

All of these grand things are really nothing because this is my pay-off. Ito ang kapalit ng kalayaan.

Hindi ako pwedeng lumabas. The billionaire hot-cold River cannot go to the bar without bodyguards. I wanted to date, but my father is insisting that senator Veronica. This is so f****d up.

Everything is under control by my father. It's bad that I am letting my anger go to workers—pero hindi naman mag-iinit ang ulo 'ko kung inayos sana nila ng mabuti ang trabaho. I really hate idiot and incompetent people.

They remind me of my mother.

"Pero huwag mo naman masyadong pag-diskitahan 'yong nagt-trabaho sa'yo," Cain reminded me. "Baka pag bumalik sa'yo 'yan kita mo..."

Bigla akong natawa sa sinabi niya. Kahit bumalik sa'kin yan, I have money to dodge it.

"The world is revolving around me, Cain..." I told him then.

"Right... The internet celebrity at anak ng presidente..."

I glared at him. Cain made the title like I should be thankful for it. Pero hindi. Hindi dapat ako magpasalamat. Nakakairita ang kilala ng lahat at anak pa ng presidente.

The others are falling for my ruthless attitude. Pero ang iba ay idinidikta na dapat ganito. That I should be like my father who is forgiving and more.

It's irritating. Masyadong mataas ang tingin nila sa ama 'ko. He is running the country very well.

Pero ang unang grupo na bumubuo sa pamayanan ay hindi niya maalagaan ng mabuti.

My family is wreck as f**k. My mother is having an affair and my father is just letting it that way. My brother is so desperate in dragging my name down...

Hindi masaya. Purong kapangyarihan lang ang umiikot.

"Let's grab some coffee?"

"Yeah, just order. Ang hassle bumaba." Sabi 'ko kay Cain.

Mukhang payapa ang buhay ng iba ngayon. The sky is so nice. The sun is shining so well.

Pero parang nasa gitna ako ng ulan ngayon. Lagi akong nasa gitna ng ulan.

I was busy working my ass off when someone called me. It was my father. I just pressed the button to answer it.

"What?"

"Hello to you too, son." He chuckled.

Napailing na lang ako sa sinabi nito at sumandal sa upuan.

"What?"

"You're mother is not picking up. Pwede ba ay tawagan mo?" Tanong nito sa'kin.

Hindi na naman siguro umuwi... Ah.

"Hindi pa ako handa umiyak sa media," aniya. "Pauwiin mo ang nanay mo at pagsabihan na huwag magpagabi sa lalaki niya. Asawa siya ng presidente." Then he hung up.

I sighed...

I immediately called my mother. Mabilis namang sumagot iyon. But he's giggling.

Gusto 'kong masuka.

"What? Bakit tumawag ang magaling 'kong anak?"

"Umuwi ka na..."

"At bakit ako uuwi?" Singhal nito sa'kin. "Sinarado din ng tatay mo ang credit 'ko! Hindi ako uuwi hangga't—"

"Just go home already!" I roared.

"Sinisigawan mo ba ang sarili mong nanay?!" She fired back. Very angry.

I sighed. Here we go again...

"Manang-mana ka talaga sa tatay mong walang kwenta, 'no?" Sigaw nito sa'kin sa telepono.

I really hate it more when she is telling me that I am the same with my father. Ibang-iba kami ng ama 'ko. Hindi ako katulad niya...

"Umuwi ka na kung gusto mo ng pera," I calmed myself.

"Hindi ako uuwi! Sabihin mo diyan sa tatay mo na wala akong pakialam kung mahuhuli—"

"Ayaw mo naman siguro may mangyari sa kasama mo..." I lowly growled to her. Ayoko sanang sabihin iyon pero hindi ito makikinig.

Ayokonh makipag-usap sakanya ng matagal. Bubungangaan ako nito ng sobra. She's just full of nonsense.

"What?! Did you just threat me?!"

"That's not a threat... Totoo iyon."

"River!" She shouted, "Hindi 'ko talaga inaasahan na lalaki kang ganyan!"

Binabaan ako nito ng tawag.

Sigirado ay... uuwi na 'yon.

Ipinikit 'ko ang mata at natulala sa nangyari. Lalaking ganito...

Ano na nga ba ako ngayon?

Kagaya ba ng ama 'ko? O mas malala pa dito?

I hope the latter. Ayoko maging katulad ng aking ama.

I opened the television to watch my father's conference. He is always smiling. Chuckling. Having a joke with the other people.

Pero hindi 'ko maintindihan, kung bakit sa hapagkainan namin lagi itong purong utos.

River, you should be like this.

Do that.

Go get a business. Medical degree.

Nakikita siya ng lahat bilang ama. That's funny. Hindi ito nagpaka-ama sa'min. Ni wala nga itong pakialam sa ina 'ko kahit manlalaki pa. Hindi siya nasaktan. Hindi niya pinigilan.

Tumayo ako. Alas-onse na ng gabi. Kailangan 'ko pang matulog ng maaga dahil mayroong meeting bukas.

Pagkadating sa engrandeng bahay ay walang bumungad sa'kin. Tahimik lang. Like the usual.

Napatigil ako sa paglalakad when I saw my mother in the couch. Wearing is grand earings and necklace.

Ilang beses nitong sinabi na ayaw na niya kay Dad. But she likes his money. Look at my mother... who is covering herself with cash.

"Where's your father?"

"At the palace, I think."

"Call him! Ayoko siyang kausapin!" Sigaw pa nito.

I clench my fist to stop myself getting annoyed...

"I think he's busy..."

"Kung ganon ay bakit mo pa ako pinauwi?!" Matinis na sigaw nito.

Napasinghap ako. Bumagsak ang aking balikat.

"This is your home—"

"Ito ba? Bahay 'to?" Tawa ng aking ina. "Is this home for you, River? Halos hindi umuwi ang ama mo dito! Hindi umuuwi ang kapatid mo dahil lang gusto niya maging sikat na singer kesa doctor! Your father is a horrifying person! Is this what you call ho—"

"Stop that, Mom."

Kumunot ang noo niya, "Look what he have done to you—"

"Bakit kung magsalita ka ay parang ayaw mo lahat ng ito?" I confronted her. "You are using Dad's money. Bakit ka pa nagsasalita—"

Hindi na ako nagulat ng sampalin ako ng sariling ina. Nangyayari talaga ito pag mag-kausap kami.

Naguguluhan ako...

"Tignan mo kung anong nangyari sa'yo! Ang ugali mo!" She hissed.

Bigla akong natawa, "Bakit parang kasalanan lang ni Dad? You are my mother... You should blame yourself too! Dahil ganito ako!"

Natigilan ang aking ina. Nagkatitigan kaming dalawa. Ilang beses 'ko sinubukang hindi ako katulad ng aking ama.

My business is mine. Tinayo 'ko 'yon. From the scratch.

I am ruthless and brutal. I am not like my father who is hiding his true colors.

Pero bakit sa dulo ay lagi akong sinasabihan na magka-pareho kami ng masahol na iyon?

My mother started to cry and red. Hindi 'ko alam ang sasabihin sakanya.

"Kasalanan ito ng tatay mo!" She said before running away.

Napayuko ako. Ano ba... ang ginawa 'ko at parang lumaki akong maling-mali?