Miss Perfectly Imperfect

SITE VISIT

Their plane landed at exactly 8:48 a.m.

Shane felt the weight in her chest grow heavier with every step she took down the aircraft stairs. Kasabay ng bawat pag-apak niya sa baitang ay ang unti-unting paglipad ng mga alaala pabalik sa nakaraan — mga alaala na buong-buo niyang pinilit ibaon, pero ngayo’y tila muling bumabalik nang walang paalam.

Huli siyang nakaapak sa lugar na ito… noong araw matapos ang gabing may nangyari sa kanila ng isang estranghero.

At ngayon, kasama niya sa pagbabalik ang lalaking naging bahagi ng gabing iyon — the man she never thought would one day become her boss.

She tightened her grip on her bag, trying to steady her breath. She couldn’t let her emotions get the better of her. Not here. Not now.

Narinig niya ang mababang boses ni Gavin sa likuran — kalmado pero may awtoridad habang may tinutukoy kay Architect Josh tungkol sa site plan. His tone was precise, detached — like every word had its place.

Pagkalabas nila ng airport, agad silang sinalubong ng init ng araw. It still felt like summer. Along the driveway, three vehicles were already lined up:

A white company van for the team, an SUV for Miss Agnes and the local contractors, and at the far end, Gavin’s black Land Cruiser — the same one he had sent a week ahead to ensure everything was ready for their arrival.

Napatigil si Shane sandali nang mapatingin sa sasakyan. Malinis. Makintab. Parang bagong wax. Simple, pero imposibleng hindi mapansin. Kagaya ng mga sasakyan nila noon — polished, expensive, and far from ordinary.

“Shane!” tawag ni Agnes, bahagyang kumakaway mula sa tabi ng SUV. “Remind ko lang ulit, you’ll ride with Gavin sa Land Cruiser.”

Napakagat si Shane ng labi bago tumango. “Opo,” mahina niyang sagot — halos ayaw lumabas ng boses niya.

Sa gilid ng paningin niya, nakita niyang lumapit si Gavin mula sa kabilang side. Tahimik, pero ramdam na ramdam ni Shane ang presensya niya — solid, impossible to ignore.

“Good morning, Boss,” maingat niyang bati.

“Morning,” Gavin replied smoothly, short and clipped as always. Naka-dark blue suit siya ngayon, walang tie, sleeves rolled just enough to look effortless but sharp. Hinila niya ang pinto ng Land Cruiser, sinilip sandali ang loob, saka tumingala kay Shane.

“You ready?” tanong niya, mababa pero diretso.

Hindi agad siya nakasagot. May kung anong kumikirot sa dibdib niya habang pinipilit ng utak niyang maging normal ang lahat.

“Y-Yes, Boss G,” sagot niya sa huli, mabilis na ibinaling ang tingin sa dashboard para lang makaiwas sa mga mata nito.

Sa di kalayuan, napansin niya sina Engr. Ruiz at Torralba, nakasandal sa company van habang hinihintay ang ibang staff. Narinig niya ang mahinang bulungan ng isa:

“Grabe, ‘no? Boss G in a Land Cruiser. May vibe na parang big shot politician and contractor at the same time.”

“Shh,” saway ng isa, natatawa pero bumubulong, “baka marinig ka, lagot ka.”

Shane pretended not to hear the engineers’ chatter, though a faint, nervous smile tugged at her lips. She couldn’t blame them — Gavin had that kind of presence. Commanding. Untouchable.

Hanggang sa napalingon siya sa grupo ng mga taong papalapit — staff mula sa city government, dala ang seal ng mayor sa kanilang mga ID. Narinig niya pa ang pangalan ng mayor sa usapan at biglang bumigat ang sikmura niya.

What if nandito rin si Carl? Paano kung makita niya ako? Paano kung makilala pa ako ng pamilya nila?

Kaagad siyang sumampa sa sasakyan, pilit na pinapakalma ang sarili. Ni hindi niya namalayan ang mahinang pagkalansing ng pinto nang sumunod si Gavin sa driver’s seat.

Tahimik ang loob, tanging hum ng engine ang maririnig. Ina-adjust ni Gavin ang rearview mirror, bahagyang sumilip sa repleksyon ni Shane bago muling tumingin sa kalsada. Pero kagaya ni Shane ay mas pinili nitong tumahimik.

The convoy rolled past the town center, the sight of a shopping mall and new commercial buildings flashing by through the tinted windows. Shane sat in silence beside Gavin, the hum of the Land Cruiser filling the air between them.

From the front passenger seat, she kept her eyes fixed outside — watching the city blur into smaller streets, then quieter roads lined with trees she knew by heart. Each turn, each landmark, each passing street sign felt like tiny hooks tugging at memories of the past.

She had promised herself that this place would never see her again. But fate, it seemed, had other plans.

“Something wrong?” Gavin’s voice broke through her thoughts.

She blinked. “Ah—nothing, boss.”

“You're quiet,” he said simply, glancing at her reflection in the side mirror.

“It just feels… different. The town, I mean.” She forced a small smile, the kind that looked natural to everyone except herself.

He hummed softly but didn’t push. Somehow, that made it worse.

The silence that followed stretched — heavy but not empty. Shane gripped the tablet tighter on her lap, grounding herself with the familiar weight of work.

Then, unable to help it, she spoke. “Boss… if it’s okay, maybe we can skip the formal introductions later. I mean, during the courtesy call with the mayor.”

Gavin’s brow lifted slightly. “Why?”

“I just think it’s unnecessary,” she replied quickly, rehearsed calm masking the tremor in her chest. “We should focus on the plans, not the lineup. Besides…” she hesitated, “…I don’t want to give the impression that this project came to us because of personal ties — since I was once a local here.”

Gavin’s eyes flickered toward her, the faintest shift in his expression betraying his curiosity. Once a local here. The phrase lingered in his mind longer than it should have. Kahit naikuwento na sa kanya ni Miss Agnes noon ang ilang bahagi ng nakaraan ni Shane… iba pa rin pala kapag sa mismong bibig niya ito naririnig.

He hadn’t missed the slight tremor in her voice — or the way her fingers tightened around the tablet on her lap right after she said it. It wasn’t just caution. It was something else.

“Once a local,” he repeated under his breath, almost like testing the words. “So, you’re from here?”

Shane stiffened for half a second before answering. “Was,” she said softly. “A long time ago.”

He nodded, though his gaze lingered on her profile — calm, collected, perfectly professional. But to someone who knew how to read people, there was a quiet edge beneath that composure.

She’s hiding something. Not out of deceit — but out of fear.

He looked back at the road, fingers tapping absently on the steering wheel. Maybe it wasn’t his business. She was efficient, competent, the kind of employee who didn’t waste words. But something about the way she spoke — like every syllable was weighed and guarded — stirred a curiosity he didn’t want to admit.

“Alright,” he said finally, his tone neutral again. “We’ll skip the introductions later.”

Shane exhaled softly, almost in relief. “Thank you, Boss.”

But Gavin didn’t respond right away. He only glanced at her once more through the rearview mirror, eyes thoughtful.

Once a local… but why does it sound like she never wanted to be one again?

The rest of the drive passed in silence — or at least, the kind of silence that spoke louder than words. Outside, the town began to shift from the busier streets to open land and coastal roads. The faint shimmer of the sea glinted through the windshield, catching the morning sun.

Gavin’s gaze flicked between the road and the woman beside him. Shane was staring outside the window, her reflection faintly visible on the glass — composed, expressionless, but her eyes told a different story. Every turn they took, every familiar landmark they passed, seemed to pull something out of her — a memory, a hesitation, maybe even regret.

He could tell she knew this place better than she was willing to admit. Her posture stiffened each time they passed a sign, a corner, a stretch of road that looked like it had history.

“You seem… familiar with the route. Madalas ka sigurong pumupunta dito noon,” he said casually, as if it was nothing more than an observation.

Shane blinked, caught off guard. “Ah— not really, Boss G. I just… read the old land survey maps.”

“Hmm.” Gavin’s response was low, thoughtful — may bahid ng pagdududa, pero hindi niya ito pinilit. He simply looked back at the road, though his gaze in the mirror lingered on her a second longer than necessary.

A few minutes later, the convoy slowed as they turned off the main highway. The road stretched open toward the coastline — a wide expanse of reclaimed land bordered by fences, orange markers, and the steady hum of machinery waiting under the morning sun.

Gavin parked the Land Cruiser near the temporary site office. “We’ll do a quick walkthrough before the mayor’s team arrives,” he said, unbuckling his seatbelt. “Tita Agnes mentioned they might be a few minutes late.”

“Yes, Boss,” Shane replied, clutching her tablet a little too tightly.

The moment she stepped out, the sea breeze hit her face — warm, heavy with salt, and hauntingly familiar. For a brief second, she closed her eyes. The sound of waves, the cry of distant seagulls, the smell of the shore — all of it felt like coming home to a memory she’d rather forget.

Gavin watched her from the corner of his eye as he spoke with Architect Josh and Engineer Ruiz. Shane was quiet, scanning the site with practiced focus — but there was something about the way she looked around. Not like someone inspecting new land… but like someone remembering it.

She crouched briefly near a set of survey stakes, brushing her fingers against the sand before taking a photo on her tablet. “The compaction here looks weaker than the southern section,” she murmured, mostly to herself.

But Gavin heard.

“You noticed that from the samples alone?” he asked, stepping closer.

She blinked up at him. “You can tell from the texture,” she explained quickly. “Coastal sand here’s uneven — probably due to the drainage from the old fish port nearby.”

There was a beat of silence. Gavin’s brow furrowed slightly. “You said that like you’ve seen it before.”

Shane froze for half a second, then smiled faintly — too faintly. “Just assumptions, Boss. Based on the reports.”

He didn’t respond, just nodded once, eyes lingering longer than necessary before turning toward the open stretch of land.

Assumptions, he thought. But her voice didn’t sound like she was guessing. It sounded like she knew.

Then came a shout from one of the engineers.

“Boss G! The mayor’s here!”

Shane froze, her pulse skipping. No… not yet. Please, not now.

But Gavin was already walking forward, calm authority settling over him like a tailored suit. From the arriving SUV, Mayor Hernandez emerged — still sharp and commanding despite his age — flanked by his assistant and two local contractors.

Shane recognized them instantly. Her breath caught in her throat. Of course it would be them.

“Mr. Villalobo!” the mayor greeted warmly, shaking Gavin’s hand. “Welcome to Butuan City — to Masao Port! Finally, the project’s taking shape.”

“Mayor,” Gavin greeted, firm and composed. “Thank you for meeting us this early.”

“Always a pleasure,” the mayor said, smiling broadly. “We’ve been looking forward to this. It means a lot to the community.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Gavin replied smoothly. “We’ll make sure the site meets all standards and that operations begin right on schedule.”

A few of their staff gathered around — among them, Shane, quiet and composed, standing just a little behind Gavin. When the mayor’s gaze swept over the group, she instinctively lowered her head, pretending to review notes on her clipboard.

Then Gavin remembered her words from earlier in the car: Skip the introductions. So he did.

“This is my team,” Gavin said with a brief nod toward everyone. “They’ll coordinate directly with your office for all technical documentation and progress reports. I trust they’ll deliver.”

No names. No personal introductions. Exactly as she’d asked.

The mayor nodded, clearly satisfied. “Good. I like a team that gets straight to business.”

Shane exhaled quietly, the tension in her shoulders loosening just a little. She dared not look up, but she felt it — Gavin’s gaze lingering on her for a heartbeat longer than it should, thoughtful, unreadable.

The group began to move toward the open stretch of land, their boots crunching against gravel. The sea wind carried the scent of salt and iron, mingling with the faint hum of idle machinery.

Mayor Hernandez shaded his eyes against the sunlight. “So this is where the new port will rise. Hard to imagine now, but in a few years, this could open the city to the world.”

“Yes, sir,” Gavin replied evenly. “The design prioritizes both trade efficiency and coastal safety. Once completed, this will serve as the region’s central maritime hub.”

The mayor nodded, clearly impressed, and gestured toward the western edge of the shoreline. “That area floods during the monsoon. We’ve been having trouble maintaining the barrier.”

Gavin turned slightly. “Miss D—” He caught himself. “Shane?”

Caught off guard, she blinked once before stepping forward, tablet in hand. “Yes, Boss.”

She tapped her screen and projected the topographic overlay. “The western section has a lower elevation,” she explained, keeping her tone even. “Tidal water from the southwest tends to pool here before draining into the bay. If we place the pier extension too close, it could compromise the retaining walls over time.”

One of the local engineers squinted at her tablet. “That’s accurate. How’d you figure that out so fast, ma’am?”

Shane paused — too long — then offered a faint smile. “Field assessment po. Based on the previous reports.”

The mayor’s assistant nodded approvingly, jotting notes. Gavin, however, said nothing. His gaze lingered on her a little longer, the corner of his mouth tightening — not in suspicion, but thought.

He’d seen people recite data before. But Shane spoke like she remembered the land — not as an outsider reading maps, but as someone who’d once walked its soil.

And as the sea wind brushed against them, carrying the scent of old memories and salt, Gavin found himself wondering — What else was she hiding?

Then Mayor Hernandez smiled and glanced briefly at Shane. “And who is this lady?”

Before he could continue, Gavin smoothly cut in, “Shane. One of our key project analysts, sir. She’s in charge of technical coordination.”

Shane exhaled quietly in relief and gave a small, professional nod. “Good morning, mayor.”

“Ah, good morning,” the mayor replied, his expression kind but curious. “You sound like you know this place well.”

Shane’s lips curved in a polite, practiced smile. “Just good research, sir. Alongside the right people.”

The mayor chuckled softly, clearly pleased with her answer. Gavin, on the other hand, said nothing — though the faintest flicker of interest passed through his eyes.