Daddy Series: ADAM VALDEZ (The Cavalier)

ADAM VALDEZ: Chapter Eight

Valdez-Imperial smelled of polish and quiet power—like wood varnish, cold steel, and ambition. I stood motionless for a moment, heels on the marble floor, feeling like the air had shifted around me. Like the walls knew me. Like he knew I was here.

My fingers curled tighter around the leather strap of my handbag. I exhaled slowly, feeling the stretch of my silk blouse against my skin. I had chosen this outfit with care—a nude-toned, deep V-neck blouse tucked into a high-waisted pencil skirt. Elegant. Serious. Womanly. Unapologetically grown.

This wasn’t the Misty they remembered. Not the girl who ran away, heart crushed and confused. This was the woman who came back—with poise, fire, and a mother’s legacy in her blood.

Pagpasok ko sa executive floor, sinalubong ako ng nagpakilalang assistant niya, si Clarisse.

"He’s waiting for you," sabi niya, walang emosyon. I smiled politely, but inside, my stomach was twisting.

Ilang hakbang na lang…

Pagbukas ko ng pinto, bumungad sa akin ang opisina niya—malinis, malawak, puro salamin ang dingding, tanaw ang skyline ng siyudad. And there he was. Adam Valdez.

Nakatayo sa harap ng desk niya, nakasuot ng itim na long-sleeved shirt na bahagyang bukas ang itaas na butones. His sleeves were rolled just above his elbows, showing strong, veined forearms. His presence filled the room like thunder.

Hindi ako kaagad nakatingin. Pero nang lumapit ako, diretso akong tumingin sa mga mata niya. Matapang. Kahit nangangatog ang tuhod ko.

"Have a seat," he said, voice low and commanding.

I did. Legs crossed deliberately, hands on my lap, back straight. Hindi ako aalis dito na para akong batang nawawala.

"So. You're here," he murmured, eyes scanning me.

"I am," malamig ang tono ko.

"Still unwilling?"

Still annoyed that I’m being forced into something I didn’t sign up for."

A faint smirk played on his lips, pero hindi umabot sa mata niya.

"But you're here. So, somewhere between your pride and your father’s greed, you made a choice."

Napakagat ako sa loob ng pisngi ko.

"Don’t talk about my father."

Tumayo siya, tumalikod habang lumalapit sa glass wall. Pinagmasdan niya ang mga ilaw ng siyudad, ang mga gusaling nagliliwanag sa dilim.

"I’m not here to play family therapist, Misty. You’re here to learn. That’s what your mother asked of me. And I’ll do just that. But don’t expect favors. Don’t expect warmth. This is business."

Tumayo rin ako. Nilakad ko ang ilang hakbang papunta sa kanya. Ang heels ko ay nag-iwan ng tunog sa sahig. Pagharap niya, nagulat siya—konti lang ang pagitan namin.

"Then don’t expect me to act like a scared little girl either," I whispered. "I’m not here to be babied. I’m here to finish what she started and will get what's mine."

Nagtagpo ang mga mata namin. Ilang segundo lang, pero parang tumigil ang oras. Hindi siya umimik. Hindi rin ako umurong. Hanggang sa siya ang unang kumurap.

"You’ll be working on Project Azure," he said, voice clipped. "It’s a luxury design campaign. You’ll be paired with our top designer. Observe and learn. Speak only when needed."

"As you wish, Sir," sabay lingon ko at lakad palabas ng opisina.

Pero bago ako makalayo, narinig ko ang tinig niya—mababa, halos bulong.

"Nice outfit, by the way. Very... womanly."

My cheeks burned. I didn’t look back. Pero ang mga salita niya ay parang usok na nanatili sa balat ko.

Adam and I barely spoke. He was cold, clinical, professional. But I knew he was watching.

Tuwing magpapasa ako ng layout, walang salita. Pero binabasa niya lahat. At tuwing may suggestion ako sa meeting, hindi niya ako pinupuri—but he used them. And that meant more.

He was strict, distant, pero hindi siya bulag. At hindi rin ako bingi sa sariling damdamin ko.

Kada araw, mas lalong gumugulo ang puso ko. Galit ba ako? O...

Damn it, Misty.

Isang gabi, habang nasa rooftop garden ako ng building, pinipilit ko kalmahin ang sarili kong emosyon, may narinig akong yabag.

And it was him. Adam Valdez!

Naka-suit pa rin siya, loosened tie, may hawak na tumbler ng kape. Ang buhok niya’y medyo magulo na, as if he’d been running his hands through it the whole day.

"You shouldn’t be here alone," aniya, tumigil sa gilid ng bench ko.

"And you shouldn’t be following me."

"I’m not."

Umupo siya sa kabilang bench. Ilang sandaling katahimikan.

"You’ve grown. You work harder now. You don’t cry easily. Naalala kong... ang lala ng tantrums mo rati. "

Lumingon ako, diretsong tumingin sa kanya.

"That girl died the moment her mother did."

Napalingon siya. There was pain in his eyes—undeniable. Totoo.

"She loved you, Misty. She always said… one day, you’d be stronger than her."

"She loved you too," I whispered. "That’s why she trusted you more than anyone."

Tahimik siya. Tumayo. Lumapit ng bahagya. Ang pagitan namin ay ilang pulgada na lang. His cologne drifted into my lungs, sharp, masculine, familiar.

Tinitigan niya ako—hindi bilang boss. Hindi bilang legal guardian ko noon. Pero bilang lalaki.

"Be careful what you feel, Misty," he murmured. "Some things… can never be."

"And some things never really end," sagot ko.

For a moment, he looked like he might kiss me. Pero hindi niya ginawa. Tumalikod siya, iniwan akong nakaupo sa ilalim ng mga ilaw ng lungsod, habang ang puso ko’y kumakabog ng mas malakas kaysa kailanman.

He never mentioned that night again. Pero tuwing magkasalubong ang mga mata namin sa hallway, may tensyon. Mainit. Mapanganib.

Sa bawat pagpasa ko ng design revisions, he would linger. Hindi nagsasalita. Pero minsan, ang daliri niya ay didampi sa papel, sa parteng may suggestion ako. And sometimes, sa kamay ko.

Hindi sinasadya. O baka sadya. Hindi ko alam.

Isang beses, habang palabas ako ng elevator, sinabayan niya ako. Walang salita. But our hands brushed. Hindi ako umurong. At hindi rin siya.

Pero sa lahat ng ito, walang lantad. Walang halikan. Walang yakapan. Labanan lang ng mga titig, ng mga salita, ng mga patagong kilos.

Until one evening, late hours na naman sa opisina. Mag-isa akong natira sa design room. Bigla siyang dumating.

"Still here?" tanong niya.

"Deadline’s near," sagot ko, hindi tumingin.

Lumapit siya. Tinabihan ako. Halos magkadikit ang balikat namin.

"You’re pushing yourself too hard."

"Sabi mo nga, I’m here to learn."

Tahimik. Then he reached out, tinanggal ang isang hibla ng buhok sa gilid ng mukha ko. Dumulas ang daliri niya sa pisngi ko—banayad, mainit, hindi biro.

"You’re not that little girl anymore," bulong niya. "And that scares me."

Nagtagpo ang mga mata namin. And for the first time, wala akong itinago.

"Then maybe you should be scared, Adam. Kasi hindi na ako lalayo. At hindi na rin ako tatahimik."

He looked at me, chest rising and falling fast. Then he stepped back. Umalis. Iniwan akong nanginginig, hindi sa lamig—kundi sa init na hindi na maitatanggi.

The war between us… had just begun.