CHAPTER 1- YOUNG BILLIONAIRE
1631 Words
KENYA GUIECO' POV
|29-years-old, Agent-Teacher|
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“Ugh, Stranger! Faster, please…”
Napabalikwas ako ng bangon. Narinig ko pa ang pagtunog ng mga buto ko dahil sa lakas na pinakawalan ko.
Nakakainis na panaginip 'yon! Bakit ba palagi na lang akong nananaginip nang masama?! Buwisit!
Dismissing it with a nonchalant sigh, I opted to categorize it as a mere figment of my imagination—wet and wild dreams, as they say.
Glancing at the wall clock, its hands indicating 7:00 a.m., I recognized the urgency of the morning. With a swift resolve, mindful of my impending 7:30 work commitment, I rose from the bed and directed myself to the shower, the cascading water cleansing away the remnants of my vivid reverie.
I am Kenya Guieco, part of a lineage that has solidified into a formidable entity known as the Guieco Clan, a collective of secret agents. Presently, my elder brother Ashmer holds the reins as the leader of the GC.
Beyond my role as a field agent, I bear the mantle of a lecturer at Mhinn International School, specializing in subjects tethered to the realm of English. Nearly five years have passed since I became an integral part of MHIS, and my life as an educator unfolds seamlessly.
Besides being a secret agent, I also teach Literature and Personal Development at Mhinn International School.
I've been at Mhinn International School for almost five years now. Life as a teacher is generally happy. However, it seems like there are more people trying to ruin my day, including my co-lecturer s***h ex-best friend, Rheanne, and the dean s***h ex-boyfriend, Jelo.
Sa madaling salita ay ang taong minahal at minamahal ko pa rin sa loob ng ilang taon ay nagawa akong ipagpalit sa matalik kong kaibigan.
Nakakatawa, 'di ba?
Hindi ko lang din matanggap ang rason ni Jelo kung bakit ipinagpalit niya ako.
Hindi niya nakuha ang gusto niyang makuha sa akin.
Men are men. Disgusting!
Matamlay ang katawan na lumabas ako ng aking condo. Wala ako sa mood lumabas pero kailangan. Nagmadali na akong sumampa sa kotse at pinaharurot ito papuntang eskwelahan.
Pagkapasok ko sa MHIS campus ko ay dumiretso na agad ako sa Faculty Room. Napakunot-noo ako nang mapansing halos lahat sila ay nagpa-panic.
"Hey, what's going on?" untag ko kay Marciella na nasa isang tabi at tahimik lang. Sa lahat ng nandidito ay ito lang yata ang kalmado.
"Chairman's coming. That's what's going on," she explained tersely.
My eyes widened. "What? She's coming?"
"He's coming," she corrected with an annoyed tone. "I said chairman and not chairwoman. Can't you tell the difference?" She retorted sharply at me.
"Oh my God," I muttered.
Ito ang magiging unang beses na makikita namin ang chairman ng Mhinn International School kung ganoon.
"The new chairman, by the way."
Muli kong nilinga si Marciella. "You mean, ang apo ng chairman?"
"Yes."
"Naku, Kenya! You need to prepare yourself. Ang sabi nila, napaka-pastidiyoso raw ng new chairman," singit naman ni Gabriella - ang twin sister ni Marciella.
Both of them are agent-teachers and are very good at their job.
"Pastidiyoso?" nakataas-kilay kong usisa.
"Yes! Masungit, snob, masama ugali. Basta lahat ng negative adjectives." Ngumiwi pa ito.
"Tigilan mo iyan, Gab. Hindi mo pa nga kilala 'yong tao, eh. Napaka-judgmental mo talaga," sermon ni Marciella sa kakambal.
Agad naman na tumiklop si Gabriella at nakangusong tumalikod sa amin.
"Back to the topic," baling ni Marciella sa akin. "Naipasa na namin ang attendance."
"What? You are joking, right?"
"No. You're 15 minutes late, Kenya."
Napangiwi ako nang marinig iyon. Pabagsak na napaupo ako. "Grabe naman. Wala man lang ni isa sa inyong nanggising sa akin! Ano ba naman ang pindutin ang door alarm ko, 'di ba?"
"Miss Guieco, pinindot ko. Balak ko na ngang sirain kung hindi lang dumating ang kapatid mong haduf. Kaya hinayaan na lang kita dahil mukhang wala ka namang balak gumising."
Ang tinutukoy nitong kapatid kong haduf ay walang iba kundi si Kuya Ashmer.
Napanguso naman ako. Napadako ang tingin ko sa mga kasamahan. Abala sila pare-pareho. Ang pinsan kong si Kenshane ay hinaharot si Faller na kapwa namin teacher at agent. Napapailing na lang ako.
"Hey! Pinapatawag na tayong lahat ni Dean Jelo sa conference. Dumating na ang new chairman," anunsiyo ni Jinro Guieco. Isa rin sa mga pinsan ko.
"OMG!" tili pa ni Jeanine dahilan para mapatakip kaming lahat sa tenga.
"Move buddies!" asik naman ni Crystal dahilan para magsitayuan na kaming lahat.
Nagpahuli na kami ni Marciella. Hindi ko kayang itago ang tamlay sa aking sistema.
"Lagot ka," pananakot nito sa akin.
"Bakit?"
"Ikaw lang din ang absent doon."
"Wala rin si R-heanne, ah?" nautal ko pang saad. Hindi ko nakita ang babae sa FR kaya sa tingin ko ay late rin ito.
"Anong wala? Pinatawag ni Dean Jelo kanina."
Para namang may bumundol sa aking dibdib.
Shit! Ang sakit, haduf.
"Uuwi na lang siguro ako..."
"Mas okay pa rin 'yong late kaysa sa absent," saad nito sabay hila na sa akin papasok ng conference room.
Halos nandito na rin ang lahat, simula elementary hanggang college department.
"s**t, wala na tayong maupuan," angil ni Marciella.
"Ayos lang 'yan, saglit lang yata ito," tugon ko naman. Nagbabakasakaling saglit lang talaga ito.
"Sana nga saglit lang. Madali akong mangalay."
Hindi na ako nakasagot pa dahil nakita ko na ang lalaking dahilan ng pagiging miserable ko ngayon. Ang lalaking naglagay sa akin sa impiyerno matapos iparamdam sa akin kung gaano kasarap mamuhay sa mundong ito.
Siya ang pinaka-scammer na tao na nakilala ko sa balat ng lupa. Dapat sa kaniya ay sinusunog kasama ang gabundok na basura sa 'pinas.
"Good morning, everyone," he greeted us. Everyone fell silent. "Seems like you're all tense, huh? I said, good morning, everyone!" he greeted again.
"Good morning, Dean Jelo!" most responded cheerfully. I let out a subtle gasp.
"That's it, just like that. Let's all relax. The chairman isn't a monster, you know," biro niya pa na ikinatawa ng karamihan.
Napayuko nalang ako para maiwasang titigan siya. Nasa pinakaharapang bahagi nakaupo si Rheanne. Hindi rin sa akin nakaligtas ang ngiting itinapon niya sa babae. Ang ngiting sa akin niya lang ibinibigay noon.
Damn.This pain is killing me. Haduf!
Kung pwede nga lang na hindi na magpakita sa kanilang dalawa ay ginawa ko na. Pero imposible iyon, nasa iisang lugar lang kami araw-araw.
Isa pa ay ayoko ring mag-resign dahil lang sa kanila, 'no? Mas nauna kong minahal ang trabaho kong ito kaysa sa kanila. Hindi porke't ipinagpalit ako ng taong mahal ko ay ipagpapalit ko rin ang dream job ko sa emosyong nararamdaman ko nang dahil sa kanila.
"May problema ba kayo ni Dean Jelo?" bulong na tanong sa akin ni Marci. Hindi ko inaasahan ang tanong na iyon.
Napalunok pa ako bago nakasagot. "Ha? W-Wala naman. Bakit?" pagkakaila ko pa.
I tried to force enthusiasm in my voice, but I knew I failed. I'm not good at pretending and lying.
I'm a cheerful person, so when I'm quiet, many bug me to find out if something's wrong. This time, I don't want to share the pain because no one can ever understand me.
"Just asking. I don't see the both of you hanging out together. It's been a few weeks already."
Yes, three weeks to be exact. So, I'm lying when I say I've moved on. Like, seriously? We've been together for three years.
Love is not something that can be bought or changed anytime. It is hard to erase and forget. Anger and hatred can be forgotten, but love can't.
"Let's all welcome, Chairman Dailann Mhinn," rinig kong saad ng lalaking naging dahilan kung bakit ako durog na durog ngayon.
Nanatili akong nakatungo habang nakikipalakpak din naman. How do we move on? Is there an easy way to do that? If there is, I would like to know how.
Kulang pa ang salitang sakit para ilarawan ang nararamdaman ko ngayon. Dalawang tao ang nanakit sa akin. Siguro mababawasan lang ito kapag sa iba niya na lang ako ipinagpalit, 'di ba? Hindi sa kaibigan ko pa.
Why did she do that to me? Seriously? Why? Sa lahat ng iba ay bakit siya pa?!
Masaklap nga pala talaga kapag ipinagpalit ka sa taong pinagkatiwalaan mo at itinuring mo na para na ring kapatid.
"Good morning, MHISers."
Amidst the noise, it seemed like the last voice I heard was playing repeatedly in my head.
That voice… Am I going deaf or am I hallucinating?
"Good morning, Chairman!”
The female lecturers whispered among themselves. I could see the excitement and admiration in their eyes.
"Oh my God! He's so attractive, Bes."
"You said it! Handsome."
"He's hot."
"I read somewhere that he's one of the young billionaires in the world."
"Oh, I read about it as well."
Those were just a few things I overheard. I tilted my head and looked up, from Jelo to the so-called chairman they were talking about.
Oh, no! It can't be, right?! This has to be a joke. The not-funny kind.
It felt like I suddenly couldn't breathe. I held onto Marci tightly as my knees trembled in front of the man standing before everyone.
Chairman Dailann Mhinn, the grandson of the former MHIS chairman and one of the young billionaires in the world...
He's the stranger from that night, damn it!
That's why he seems familiar to me. I saw his face in an international business magazine. Why do I have to remember it so clearly now?!
Does this mean that the guy I had a one-night stand with and our school's boss are the same person?!
Wait?! Oh god, let me breathe. Please, tell me that I am still dreaming! Can someone slap me hard right now?!
- Writer
