Caged by Desire [Rated SPG| R-18]

Chapter 7

DALAWANG linggo na simula noong gabing yun. Simula nag breakup. Simula ng lahat. At kung tatanungin si Selene, hindi niya alam kung paano niya na-survive.

Ang alam niya lang ay ginawa niya. Somehow.

Unang linggo was hell. Pure hell. Umiiyak siya every night. Missing Tristan kahit alam niyang gago yun. Kasi ganun talaga, hindi agad mawawala ang feelings for five long years. Hindi ganun kadali.

Pero ngayong second week, medyo okay na siya. Hindi pa rin completely healed, pero at least functional na. At least kayang pumasok sa work without breaking down sa office bathroom.

Progress, right?

Ngayong, Thursday morning, nakaupo si Selene sa desk niya sa Meridian Architecture Firm, tinitingnan ang blueprints ng current project niya. Residential development sa Quezon City. Twelve units. Mid-range market.

Boring, honestly. Pero trabaho parin.

"Selene!"

Tumingin siya. Si Marcus, yung junior architect na katabi niya ng desk.

"Yeah?"

"Meeting daw. Conference room. Now na sabi ni boss.”

Nagtaka si Selene. Walang naka-schedule na meeting ngayong umaga.

"Meeting? Para saan?"

Nag-shrug lang si Marcus. "I don't know. Basta sinabi ni Sir Edmund na all architects, conference room, ASAP."

Weird.

Tumayo si Selene, kinuha ang phone at notepad niya, sumunod kay Marcus papunta sa conference room. Pagdating nila, punuan na. Lahat ng architects nila ay fifteen in total at nandun na lahat. Plus yung admin staff saka si Sir Edmund, yung managing partner, na nakatayo sa harap looking unusually excited.

Si Sir Edmund was in his late fifties, mostly bald, may glasses, always wore a suit kahit mainit. Matagal na siya sa industry. Respected. Pero usually, seryoso siya. Hindi ganito ka-energetic.

"Good morning, everyone!" bati niya na ngiting ngiti.

Murmurs of "good morning" from the team.

"I have exciting news," patuloy ni Sir Edmund, at parang di makapaghintay. "Big news. Game-changing news."

Nagtinginan ang lahat. Ano kaya yun?

"As you all know, Meridian has been operating for twenty-three years. We've handled hundreds of projects. Built our reputation as one of the top architecture firms in Metro Manila."

Nods from everyone. Totoo naman.

"But recently," sabi ni Sir Edmund, "we've been approached by a major real estate development company. And they've offered us a partnership."

"Partnership?" tanong ni Anna, one of the senior architects. "What kind of partnership?"

Ngumiti si Sir Edmund. "The kind where they acquire majority shares of our firm, inject capital, expand our operations, and give us access to their portfolio of projects. The kind where we go from a local firm to a national and possibly international—player."

"Wait, seriously?!"

"Oh my God!"

"Sino yung company?!"

Nag-raise ng kamay si Sir Edmund, agad naman silang tumahimik.

"The company is Valencia Development Corporation. One of the biggest real estate developers in the country. They specialize in luxury residential, commercial, and mixed-use developments. And they want us to be their partner firm."

Valencia.

Parang may kung anong kaba siyang naramdaman, pero first time lang niyang marinig ang apilyido na yun kaya pinagsa-walang bahala na lang niya.

Hindi. Imposible. Masyadong common surname yan. Maraming Valencia sa Pilipinas. At mukhang hindi naman Valencia ang apilyido ni Drake.

"Their CEO, Mr. Rafael Valencia, will be visiting our office next week to meet the team and discuss the projects we'll be working on."

Nakahinga siya nang maluwag dahil iba yung pangalan ng CEO ng Valencia Development Corporation. So walang chances na yung Valencia na yun ay si Drake. Kasi hindi naman niya alam ang apilyido nito in the first place at hindi Rafael ang pangalan niya.

Pero bakit nga ba niya iniisip si Drake? Hindi naman ito connected sa trabaho niya.

"Selene?"

Napatingin siya. Si Marcus, naka-tingin sa kanya, mukhang nagtataka.

"You okay? Nakatulala ka diyan?”

"I'm fine," mabilis na sagot niya. "Just... surprised. That's all." Saka siya tumingin sa harap kung saan nagsasalita si Sir Edmund.

"This is huge for us," patuloy ni Sir Edmund. "Valencia Development Corporation has projects worth billions. Literal billions. And if this partnership pushes through, we'll be handling most of their architectural needs."

"What about our current projects?" tanong ‘nong isang architect.

"Current projects will continue as planned. Pero moving forward, priority natin ay yung Valencia projects. Bigger scale. Bigger budget. Bigger exposure."

"Now," sabi ni Sir Edmund, "Mr. Valencia specifically requested na he meets all the architects personally. He wants to know the team he'll be working with. So next Thursday, please be here, professional attire, best behavior. This is important."

"Any questions?" tanong ni Sir Edmund.

Nag-raise ng kamay si Anna. "Will there be changes sa structure ng firm? Sa positions?"

"Minor changes lang. But overall, same structure. Same teams. Same dynamics. The only difference is we'll have more resources and bigger projects."

"Sounds good," sabi ni Anna.

Nag-nod ang iba.

"Alright, that's all for now. Back to work, everyone. At let's make sure we impress Mr. Valencia next week, okay?"

"Yes, Sir!"

Tumayo na ang lahat, balik sa respective desks.

Si Selene, naglakad na rin pa balik sa desk niya. Umupo siya at tumingin sa computer screen.

"Excited ka ba?"

Napatingin siya. Si Marcus ulit.

"Ha?"

"Excited ka ba? Sa partnership? Kasi ako, super excited. Imagine, working on billion-peso projects! This is huge for our careers!"

"Yeah," sabi ni Selene. "Huge."

"I heard Mr. Valencia is young pa," sabi ni Marcus, nagbubuklat ng laptop niya. "Like, early thirties lang. And he built Valencia Development from scratch. Well, technically inherited niya yung family business, pero he expanded it. Genius daw sa business."

Tumango lang si Selene, hindi makapag-salita dahil wala naman siyang pakialam kung sino man ang CEO na hahawak sa kanila.

"Let me Google him," sabi ni Marcus, nag-type na sa laptop. Hindi na lang niya pinansin, makalipas ang ilang minuto ay pinakita niya ang screen ng laptop niya saka tumambad yung mukha ng lalaking naka—.

“Oh my God!” Bulalas niya, kasi hindi..hindi pwede, sa dami ng tao sa Manila, bakit siya? Bakit si Drake?

"You, okay?” Nagtatakang tanong ni Marcus.

Tumango si Selene umaktong hindi siya nagulat sa nakita niya saka binalik sa computer ang atensyon niya. Pero sa loob-loob niya, panic mode na.

Kailangan niyang i-confirm. Kailangan niyang malaman kung si Drake nga ba yun.

Pero paano?

Kasi base sa nakita niya sa screen ni Marcus, kahit isang gabi niya lang ito nakasama ay sigurado siyang si Drake nga yun, mas lalo lang siyang kinabahan ang bilis ng t***k ng puso niya.

At ano gagawin niya? Mag-resign? Before pa niya makita?

Pero sayang naman. Magandang opportunity ito. Career-wise, this is huge.

Pero personally? Disaster.

Fuck her life talaga.

Kinuha niya ang phone niya, nag-text kay Mika.

**Selene:** Emergency. Need to talk. Lunch?

Within seconds, nag-reply si Mika.

**Mika:** Uy what happened? Okay ka lang?

**Selene:** Hindi. Kailangan kita. 12pm. Usual place.

**Mika:** Okay. See you.

Napabuntong-hininga si Selene saka nilapag ang phone. Ilang oras pa bago mag-lunch. Kailangan niyang mag-focus sa work.

Pero paano siya mag-fofocus kung buong utak niya ay na kay Drake?

At ang possibility na makikita niya ulit.

As her boss.

Oh God.

---

12pm sharp, nandun na si Selene sa coffee shop malapit sa office niya. Yung usual spot nila ni Mika tuwing may emergency meetings.

Dumating si Mika after five minutes, mukhang kasisimula lang ng lunch break niya.

Mika worked as a graphic designer sa advertising agency. Flexible ang schedule niya usually, so madalas available siya for emergency lunches.

"Okay, what's wrong?" tanong ni Mika agad, umupo sa harap ni Selene. "Namumutla ka. Ano nangyari? Si Tristan ba? May ginawa ba ulit yung gago?"

"Hindi," sabi ni Selene saka mariing umiling. "Hindi si Tristan."

"Then what?"

Huminga nang malalim si Selene.

"Si Drake."

Napatigil si Mika.

"Si... Drake? Yung one-night stand mo?"

Tumango si Selene.

"Ano meron?" tanong ni Mika, confused. "I thought one-time thing lang yun? Wala kayong contact—"

"He's my new boss."

Silence.

Complete silence.

Si Mika, nakatitig lang sa kanya, processing.

"Excuse me, what?"

"Well, potentially," correction ni Selene. "I'm not really sure yet. Pero yung company niya, bumili ng firm namin. Partnership daw. At next week, pupunta siya sa office to meet everyone."

"Wait wait wait," sabi ni Mika, nag-raise ng dalawang kamay. "Slow down. From the top. Explain."

Kinwento ni Selene lahat. Yung announcement. Yung Valencia Development Corporation. Yung CEO na dadating next week.

"And you think yung Rafael na yun is the same Drake Valencia na nakasama mo?" tanong ni Mika.

Hindi niya pa naman talaga siguro, pero hindi din malabo ang mata niya tandang tanda pa niya ang mukha nito.

"His name is Rafael Valencia," sabi ni Selene. "But Drake could be a nickname. And he said he lives in a penthouse. And he seemed rich. And—f**k, Mika, what if siya yun?"

Nag-isip si Mika, napahawak sa baba.

"Okay, let's think about this rationally. What are the chances na siya yun?"

"Manila is small," sabi ni Selene. "And how many Rafael Valencias are there na CEO ng major real estate company?"

"Point," sabi ni Mika. "Okay, so let's say siya nga. What's the problem?"

"What's the problem?!" ulit ni Selene, medyo tumaas ang boses. Binaba niya agad. "Mika, I slept with him. I lost my virginity to him. At ngayon, magiging boss ko siya? How is that not a problem?!"

"Okay, fair," amin ni Mika. "But technically, you didn't know na magiging boss mo siya. And he didn't know na magiging employee ka niya. So technically, walang violation ng anything."

"Pero still—"

"And," patuloy ni Mika, "it's not like may relationship kayo. One night lang yun. Walang strings attached. So technically, walang conflict of interest."

"Technically, technically," sabi ni Selene, frustrated. "Mika, this is not about technicalities. This is about the fact na nakita niya akong naked. Na alam niya kung paano ako—f**k, I can't even say it."

Ngumiti si Mika. "Kung paano ka what? Humiwalay ng hita? Umungol? Sumigaw ng name niya?"

"MIKA!"

Tumawa si Mika. "Sorry, sorry. But seriously, Sel, I think you're overthinking this."

"How am I overthinking?!"

"Kasi," sabi ni Mika, "even if siya nga yun, what makes you think na aalalahanin ka niya? For all you know, marami na siyang one-night stands. Baka hindi ka niya maalala."

Yung sinabi ni Mika stung a little. Kasi totoo nga naman.

Si Drake—or Rafael, or whoever—mukhang experienced. Mukhang tipo ng lalaking maraming babae. So bakit niya maaalala si Selene? One random girl from a club?

"You're right," sabi ni Selene, medyo relieved. "You're right. Baka hindi niya ko maalala. Baka wala na siyang pakialam. Baka—"

"Or," sabi ni Mika, grinning, "baka maalala ka niya. At baka gusto ka niya ulit."

"Mika, that's not helping."

"I'm just saying," sabi ni Mika, shrugging. "Baka this is fate. Baka meant to be kayong magkita ulit."

"We're not meant to be. Kasi wala kaming relationship. Wala kaming connection. It was just sex."

"Just s*x na hindi mo makalimutan," point out ni Mika.

Tumahimik si Selene. Kasi totoo. She couldn't forget that night. Couldn't forget him. Kahit gusto niya, bumabalik pa rin sa isip niya.

Yung boses niya. Yung touch niya. The way he looked at her na parang gusto niya talaga siya.

"Anyway," sabi ni Selene, shaking her head, "that's not the point. The point is, next week, makikita ko siya. And I need to prepare. I need to know paano ako mag-rereact. Paano ako kikilos. Paano ako—"

"Breathe," sabi ni Mika. "Selene, breathe. You're spiraling."

Huminga nang malalim si Selene. In. Out. In. Out.

"Okay," sabi niya. "Okay. I'm okay."

"Good," sabi ni Mika. "Now, let's make a plan."

"A plan?"

"Yes. A plan for next Thursday. Para prepared ka."

Nag-isip si Mika, kunwari seryoso.

"Okay, plan A: You act professional. Kunwari hindi mo siya kilala. Kunwari first time kayong magkita. Smile. Shake hands. Be polite. Tapos move on."

Tumango si Selene. "Sounds good."

"Plan B," patuloy ni Mika, "if maalala ka niya, you acknowledge it. Brief lang. 'Oh, hi, we've met before.' Tapos drop it. Professional pa rin."

"Okay."

"Plan C," sabi ni Mika, at ngumiti ng malaki, "seduction."

"WHAT?!"

"I'm kidding!" sabi ni Mika habang tumawa. "Kidding lang! Although, you know, if he's single and you're single—"

"Mika, I just got out of a five-year relationship. The last thing I need is another guy."

"I know, I know," sabi ni Mika. "But I'm just saying, if the opportunity presents itself—"

"It won't."

"Fine," sabi ni Mika halatang sumuko na. "Plan A it is. Professional. Detached. Unbothered."

"Unbothered," ulit ni Selene, parang mantra.

Pero sa loob-loob niya, alam niya. She was very, very bothered.

The rest of the week went by in a blur.

Si Selene, nag-focus sa work. Ginawa niya lahat ng projects niya ng maayos. Nag-overtime pa nga to distract herself.

Anything to not think about next Thursday.

Pero hindi niya mapigilan. Gabi-gabi, naiisip niya.

What if siya nga?

What if iba pala?

What if maalala niya ako?

What if hindi?

What if may girlfriend na siya?

What if may asawa na?

What if—

"Selene, tulog ka na," sabi ni Mika sa phone. Naka-video call sila kasi hindi makatulog si Selene.

"I can't," sabi ni Selene habang akahiga sa kama, hawak ang phone. "I keep thinking about it."

"Alam ko," sabi ni Mika, naka-beauty mask pa. "Pero kailangan mo matulog. You have work tomorrow. And you need to be well-rested para sa Thursday."

"Thursday," ulit ni Selene, parang nightmare yung word.

"It'll be fine," sabi ni Mika na parang sigurado talaga. "Trust me. Mas malala pa sa utak mo yung scenarios na ginagawa mo kaysa sa mangyayari talaga."

"I hope so."

"Alam ko so," sabi ni Mika. "Now sleep. Kailangan mo ng beauty rest."

"Para saan?"

"Para when you see him, maganda ka," sabi ni Mika, grinning. "Para ma-realize niya kung ano meron siya for one night."

Natawa si Selene. "You're impossible."

"I know. Now sleep. I love you. Goodnight."

"Love you too. Goodnight."

End call.

Nilapag ni Selene ang phone niya, tumingin sa kisame.

One more week.

Actually, three more days.

Kaya niya to.

Professional lang. Unbothered.

Kahit na deep inside, ramdam niyang bothered na bothered siya.

Pero bahala na.

Sabi nga ni Mika, mas malala sa utak niya yung scenarios kaysa sa mangyayari.

Hopefully. Sana. Please.

—

Thursday came faster than expected. Gising si Selene ng 5am, kahit 7am pa naman start ng work niya. Hindi na siya makatulog kasi kinakabahan siya.

Bumangon siya, naligo at nag-prepare.

Nag-decide siyang mag-suot ng professional attire. Yung navy blue pencil skirt, white blouse, mataas ng konti yung heels para may confidence. Hair down, straight. Light makeup. Professional pero presentable.

Tumingin siya sa sarili niya sa salamin.

"You can do this, Selene," sabi niya sa reflection niya. "You're a professional. You're capable. You're strong."

Pep talk sa sarili. Pathetic, pero effective.

Pagdating niya sa office, 7:30am pa lang, pero punuan na. Lahat nandun na lahat ay maaga at mukhang excited. Nag-aayos ng desks. Nag-practice ng introductions.

Ang hype.

"Selene!" tawag ni Anna, lumapit sa kanya. "Nandito ka na pala. Ready ka na ba?"

"Ready," sabi ni Selene, kahit hindi.

"Excited ako makita siya in person," sabi ni Anna, kinikilig pa. "I Googled him kagabi. Gwapo pala! And young! Thirty-two pa lang!"

Napatigil si Selene.

"You... Googled him?"

"Yeah! Walang masyadong pictures online though, pero may isa akong nakita from a business event. Ang gwapo niya, Selene! Tangkad! And mukhang mabait."

Nag-panic si Selene.

"May... may picture?" tanong niya, dahan-dahan kahit alam niya naman sa sarili niyang meron talaga.

"Yeah, pero side profile lang. Pero based dun, gwapo siya. For sure.”

Fuck.

"Anyway," sabi ni Anna, "10am daw dating niya. Kaya we have time pa to prepare."

Tumango si Selene, umupo sa desk niya.

10am.

Two and a half hours.

Kaya niya to.

Kinuha niya ang phone niya, nag-text kay Mika.

**Selene:** I'm dying.

**Mika:** No you're not. You're just nervous. Which is normal.

**Selene:** What if siya nga?

**Mika:** Then you deal with it. Professionally. Remember: Plan A.

**Selene:** Plan A. Professional. Unbothered.

**Mika:** Exactly. You got this. I believe in you.

**Selene:** Thank you.

**Mika:** Now stop texting me and do your job. Love you.

**Selene:** Love you too.

Nilapag niya ang phone, huminga ng malalim.

Okay.

Focus.

She tried to work. Nag-bukas ng files. Nag-review ng blueprints. Nag-email ng clients. Pero walang pumapasok sa utak niya.

Sa oras lang ang naka-focus niya.

8am.

9am.

9:30am.

9:45am.

"He's here!"

Nagsitayuan ang lahat saka nag-ayos ng sarili. Napatingin si Selene sa entrance ng office. At nakita niya.

Black suit. White shirt. No tie. Hair perfectly styled. Tall. Confident. Rafael Valencia.

Or as she knew him—

Drake.

At pagtama ng mata nila, napatigil silang dalawa.

Recognition. Instant.

Fuck.

It was him.