PARIS: A Night to Remember

Chapter 6 – The Nobody

PARIS’ POV:

It’s been a week since the last time I saw Rielle. I can’t deny that I’m missing her. ‘You acted like a sociopath! What do you think she will think about you after you act that way? Ngayon hahanap hanapin mo!’ Ughh! Yeah, that’s right. That’s crazy of me.

I went to the parking lot as I parked my car in the dimly lit corner. I’m planning to unwind before heading home. I started my engine, and as I leaned back in my seat, reaching for my phone, I glanced toward the rear view mirror, a scene unfolded that made me freeze.

It was Vin, the Senior Operations Manager known for his smooth talking and questionable behavior, ‘pano ko nalaman? Well RTA kaya yung pinili ko, mabilis hanapin ang list ng mga may higher position sa floor, I’m really enjoying my job.’ nag init yung dugo ko when I saw him standing too close to Rielle. My heart pounded in my chest as I saw her tense posture and the discomfort in her eyes. Alarm bells rang loudly in my head, and without a second thought, I knew I had to intervene. ‘I’m coming babe..’

I opened the car door, my steps purposeful as I approached them. I saw Vin's hand lingering a little too close for comfort, and that was enough to ignite my fury. As I reached them, I put on a confident smile and stepped between them, facing Vin.

"Hey, babe, sorry I'm late," I said, wrapping my arms around Rielle's neck possessively. I shot a sharp look at Vin before turning my attention to her, a softness in my eyes. "Are you okay?"

Rielle looked both surprised and grateful as she nodded. "Y-Yeah, thanks for coming."

I turned back to Vin, my smile turning icy. "And you are?"

Vin raised an eyebrow, seemingly amused. "Vin, Senior Operations Manager."

I raised my own eyebrow, my tone dripping with sarcasm. "Senior Operations Manager, huh? Must be quite the job title. So, do you love your job, Vin?"

He chuckled, his expression condescending. "Well, I enjoy it."

I let out a dry laugh, as I held her arms closer I looked at him and smiled a bit. "Oh, I'm sure you do. Being in a position of power must be exhilarating. But let's be honest, Vin, you seem to enjoy more than just your job, don't you?"

His face paled slightly, and a flicker of uncertainty crossed his features. "Ano bang pinupunto mo?"

I leaned in a little closer, my voice lowering to a dangerous whisper. "Let me give you a piece of advice, Vin. You might want to rethink your hobbies. Molesting colleagues in the parking lot isn't a great career move."

Kumunot ang noo nito, clearly not taking me seriously. "And what's your position here?"

I let out a mock chuckle, enjoying the act. "Oh, I'm just a Real-time administrator, you know, holding such a small position." I leaned in even closer, my eyes narrowing. "But small positions can still make big impacts, can't they?"

Vin's arrogance faltered, a hint of panic flashing in his eyes. "Look, I didn't mean anything by it. It was just a conversation."

I leaned back slightly, my smile turning triumphant. "Well, you see, I'm all for equal opportunities. So how about I give you the opportunity to find another job?"

His eyes widened, realizing the gravity of the situation. "Wait, you can't—"

"Oh, I think you'll find that I can," I interrupted, my tone firm and unyielding. "Consider this a lesson in professionalism, Vin."

He glared at me for a moment, his bravado crumbling. "You're just a nobody."

I chuckled softly, stepping back and giving him a pointed look. "Nobody, you say? Well, Vin, let's just say you'll be seeing the consequences of messing with a 'nobody' soon enough."

With that, naglakad na ko hawak ang kamay ni Rielle patungo sa sasakyan ko. As we walked, I couldn't help but feel a surge of satisfaction. Vin might have thought he was dealing with just an ordinary employee, but little did he know, he had just crossed paths with the icy daughter of the big boss. And sometimes, it's the ones who appear to be nobodies that have the power to shake things up the most.

The car was filled with an awkward tension as Rielle and I sat there, the events of the parking lot still fresh in her mind. I could see the confusion and shock on her face, and I knew she was itching to understand what had just transpired.

Tumingin ito sakin na wari mo’y hindi alam ang gustong sabihin. Di ko rin alam kung galit ba ito. Ang hirap niyang basahin.

"Lexa, what you did back there... were you serious?" Rielle's voice wavered slightly, her eyes fixed on me, seeking answers.

I glanced at her briefly before returning my gaze to the road, my expression carefully composed. "Why? I just did what I thought was necessary at the moment."

"But Sir Vin... he's a Senior Operations Manager," Rielle pointed out, her voice tinged with a mix of concern and disbelief.

I let out a nonchalant sigh. "Titles don't mean much to me, Rielle."

She let out a frustrated huff, clearly struggling to make sense of my response. "You just confronted him like that?"

Napakibit naman ako ng balikat, "I don't appreciate seeing anyone make unwanted advances."

Rielle fell silent for a moment, her thoughts undoubtedly racing. I could almost hear the questions swirling in her mind. As she continued to process everything, I decided to shift the conversation.

“What are you doing in the parking lot anyway?” curious kong tanong ko dito.

“Sabi nya kasi magpapatulong lang siya may kukunin lang daw sa kotse nya. Kaya naman sumunod ako, he’s the boss of my superior kaya wala akong nagawa.”, pagpapaliwanag nito.

“And then?”, walang emosyon kong tanong sa kanya.

“Mabuti na nga lang talaga at dumating ka kung hindi naku baka jobless na ko ngayon.”

“Bakit ka naman mawawalan ng trabaho?”, pagtataka ko.

“Kasi baka masapak ko sya ng wala sa oras. Duh, he’s not my type no!” saad nito. “Yung type ko kasi tinataboy ako.” narinig ko namang bulong nito.

I smirked when I heard her murmuring. As we drove, the rumbling in my stomach began to remind me that I hadn't eaten since that morning. My cold demeanor softened just a touch as I turned to Rielle. "You know what, I'm actually quite hungry. Mind if we grab a bite to eat? My treat."

Rielle's eyes sparkled with amusement, a playful grin tugging at her lips. "Are you finally admitting you're human and need sustenance?"

I smirked, allowing a hint of warmth to seep into my tone. "Don't get used to it."

She laughed, the sound soothing against the tension that had hung in the air. "Sure thing, Ms. Sungit. Let's find a place to eat."

As we headed to a nearby restaurant, I couldn't help but feel a sense of comfort settling between us. Despite my usual aloofness, Rielle had a way of breaking through my defenses. Maybe, just maybe, there was more to this connection than I was willing to admit. But for now, I remained guarded, my secrets hidden behind a carefully constructed façade.