24. Stay Where Can I See You
1136 Words
LYRA
Naka-order na kami, at tahimik lang kami na nainom ng wine.
You will.
Ano 'yon? Joke rin ba 'yon sinabi niya pero parang hindi e, kasi hindi naman siya ngumiti while he's saying it.
Hindi lang ako agad nakasagot sa sinabi niya dahil biglang tinawag na niya ang waiter kahit hindi pa nga ako ready mag-order.
Anyway, alam ko kung ano ang ginagawa niya.I think nire-reverse psychology ako nito ni Uncle Silas para ako naman ang mag-overthink ngayon.
For sure, ginagantihan niya ko.
Nag-iisip ako ng kung ano pa bang pwede namin pag-usapan bukod sa pagiging red flag niya ng biglang....
“Good evening, Mr. Villanueva.”
May lalaking boses na biglang nagsalita na biglang nandito na sa may table namin na nakatayo at nakatingin sa amin pareho ni Uncle Silas, and then slowly tumingin siya sa may gilid ko.
At nagtama ang aming mga paningin.
Mid-40s. Expensive suit.
Nakangiti siya sa akin pero hindi naman siya mukhang lasing. at hindi rin mukhang random customer.
Mukhang kilala niya ko, at hindi na bago sa akin kung sakali because of the influence of my dad, 'yon nga lang kung sino man siya ay hindi ko naman siya kilala.
“Victor,” malamig na bati ni Uncle Silas sa lalaki kaya lumipat ito ng tingin sa kanya.
Of course, magkakilala sila.
Hindi naman siguro siya lalapit dito kung hindi.
Ngumiti rin ito kay Uncle Silas pero agad din ibinalik ang paninitig sa akin, which is I find weird.
“Didn’t expect to see you here,” sabi ng lalaki habang nakatitig sa'kin.
And the way he looked at me?
Hindi normal. Hindi ko naman siya kakilala.
“And you are?” tanong ko.
Ngumiti siya ulit.
“Business associate.”
Uncle Silas’ jaw tightened.
“No,” malamig na sagot ni ni Uncles Silas kaya lumipat ako ng tingin sa kanya.
“We are not.” dagdag pa niya.
Oh? Interesting.
Obviously hindi sila in good terms at mukhang tumataas na naman ang blood pressure ni uncle.
Victor leaned one hand on our table.
“Still thinking about my proposal?”
Proposal?
Napalingon ako kay Uncle Silas.
“What proposal?” bulong ko.
Hindi niya ko sinagot.
“This is a private dinner,” he said flatly.
Victor chuckled.
“Relax. I won’t take long.”
Then tumingin ulit sa akin.
“And this must be the heiress.”
My spine went cold.
“How do you-”
“She looks like her father.” Pagputol niya agad sa tanong ni Uncle Silas.
Bigla naman tumayo si Uncle Silas, hindi naman mabilis, tama lang.
Pareho na silang nakatayo. Pareho silang matangkad, pero mas matangkad si Uncle Silas ng konti.
Pareho silang nakangisi pero ramdam ko yung negative energy.
“You need to leave.”
Victor raised both hands slightly.
“Just business, Silas. International logistics is profitable. You have routes. I have cargo.”
Cargo.
The way he said it?
Oh, my God! Mukhang alam ko na, kung anong klaseng businessman itong si Victor.
Hindi normal shipment, an illegal one.
“You’re in the wrong place,” sagot ni Uncle Silas.
Victor leaned closer.
“Or maybe you’re just too careful.”
The air changed.
People around us were still eating.
Pero parang kami lang ang nasa room.
“Uncle Silas?” sabi ko quietly.
I don't know bakit ko tinawag ang name niya, pero kinakabahan na ko.
He didn’t look at me.
Victor finally stepped back.
“Think about it. Sayang ang potential.”
Then his eyes slid to me again.
“And sayang din kung may madamay.”
That.
That wasn’t casual.
That was a warning.
Uncle Silas’ hand suddenly pressed lightly against my lower back.
Hinayaan ko lang, hindi ako nagalit because it feels like I was being protected by him.
For the first time, parang naging magkakampi ngayong gabi kahit hindi ko pa sigurado kung bad guy ba talaga 'tong nasa harap namin.
“You’re done,” he said.
Victor smiled one last time.
“I’ll be seeing you.”
And then he walked away.
Tahimik.
Parang walang nangyari.
Pero meron, ang nega ng vibe ng Victor na 'yon ay naiwan dito.
I think nawala yung gutom ko.
“What was that?” tanong ko.
Uncle Silas didn’t sit immediately.
He watched Victor leave.
Only when the man exited the restaurant did he finally sit.
“That,” he said quietly,
“is the reason you should stop playing games.”
Excuse me?
“I’m not playing-'”
“You don’t understand what kind of men move around my company.” Cutting me off.
“Your company?” diin ko.
Dahil baka company namin? Parang kailan lang naman niya nahawakan pero buong buhay ng dad ko at hindi pa ko pinapanganak ay pamilya na namin ang may control nito.
His eyes snapped to mine.
“Right now, yes.”
Oh?!
Right now? Bakit ganun ang sagot niya but anyway kailangan ko malaman kung ano ba yung away nila.
“Was that about illegal shipment?”
Hindi siya sumagot, and that's an enough answer.
“So may mafia pa lang tayong ka-dinner?”
“Don’t joke.”
His tone changed.
Hindi na teasing. Hindi na sarcastic. Serious.
“You are not to talk to him. Ever.”
“Why? Natatakot ka ba na ma-influence ako?”
Although spoiled brat ang tingin niya sa akin ay alam ko naman ang tama sa mali.
“I’m not scared of you being influenced.”
“Then what?”
His jaw clenched.
“I don’t want you on their radar.”
That landed.
Slowly.
“Too late,” sabi ko ng mahina.
Because Victor already saw me.
He already knew who I was, tapos nagbitaw pa siya ng salita.
Unce Silas leaned forward.
“This is why you stay close to me.”
Oh.
“Excuse me?”
“You want equity? You want the mansion?”
His voice dropped.
“Then you stay where I can see you.”
My heart started beating faster.
Teka lang ah, masyado na atang seryoso ito. It wasn’t flirting anymore.
That was command, at ayokong dinidiktahan ako.
“You don’t get to control my movements.”
“I do if you’re attached to my company.”
Attached.
That word felt heavier than it should.
Of course maa-attach ako, gusto ko nga ng share 'di ba pero pwede bang huwag isama yung danger.
“You’re overreacting.”
“I’m calculating.”
The waiter arrived with our food.
Neither of us touched it.
“Are you in danger?” tanong ko.
“No.”
“Am I?”
He didn’t answer.
And that silence?
Mas nakakatakot kaysa oo.
I swallowed.
“So what now?”
He looked at me.
Not teasing.
Not sarcastic.
Decisive.
“You’re not going home alone tonight.”
What?
- Writer
