Kabanata 1
1148 Words
“Congratulations, Chase!” Julian gave his cousin a hug, enough to get everyone’s attention.
The hall was filled with flashing and the sounds of cameras clicking were all his ears could catch, forgetting every compliment that was thrown to the talk of the town, Julian Clarke, the bachelor billionaire tycoon.
Chase smiled. “Thanks, Kuya. I owe this one to you.”
“Don’t mention it,” he uttered. “The world needs more of you, Chase. Continue offering your hands to those in need and I’d give what you ask for free.”
Julian sneaked his arm around her small waist, then let out a small smile for photographers to capture.
The two stand out on the long red carpet bearing their beautiful smiles, and powerful names as the public feast about his presence in the event which was kind of unusual. Julian doesn’t usually attend charities. He would just sign a cheque and let his hired legal attorney handle everything.
But tonight, he showed up.
“Why are you here though? I thought you hated public appearance. For sure, your name in big bold letters would be in the headlines tomorrow accompanied by your face, and some lame-ass praise speech written by journalists who have hots on you.” Chase rolled her eyes, trying to keep her cool.
“I was informed that mom has set another blind date for me,” sambit ng lalaki. “Mind lending your guy friend to go on behalf of me?”
Chase sighed in frustration. “Seriously, Kuya? You came all the way here from the city to ask that favor?”
“U-huh,” he flicked his tongue inside his mouth. “I have businesses to take care of. Dating is not one of those.”
“What type of woman do you want, Kuya? Everyone’s waiting for you to be a dad.”
Ian, as everyone calls him, is an ambitious man. He’s a man with principles as the masses described him. He got a handful of people to pay, millions of taxes to reimburse, a list of projects to finish, and a mind he needs to keep working.
And women?
“No thanks,” he uttered nonchalantly.
Responsibilities over women. He’d rather spend his time building wealth than waste it to some bitches. They’re not worthy, he reasoned out. Julian’s already content with himself, not having a partner at his age, though he’s out of the calendar now. Still, he’d rather have himself alone.
Mas mainam kung ituon niya ang sarili sa pagpapalago ng kaniyang negosyo.
Selfish as it may sound but, he doesn’t want to share himself with anyone.
“In return for your favor, attend my friend’s wedding next week. I’ll send the details over email, alright?”
Julian leaned on to drop a kiss on her forehead. “I’ll go ahead, then.”
“Okay,” she pinched his side, earning a groan from him. “Visit our grandparents, Kuya. They’re expecting you.”
Hindi siya nagsalita.
For the last time, he smiled at the cameras and made his way out, not minding anyone. When he got out of the hall, that was when his phone rang. He stopped on his track and pulled out the phone inside his pocket.
Without looking, he answered the call.
“Good evening, sir. Sorry for calling you this late but a journalist wanted to have a talk with you.”
“Tell them to f**k off,” he hissed in annoyance.
“I did, sir. But this one insisted.”
“I don’t care,” his voice was dark.
He didn’t wait for his words, he just ended the call and muffed a cuss.
He might be nice inside that hall where everyone is celebrating the success of his cousin’s, but it was merely because he was surrounded by nosy reporters. He doesn’t want the media to feast on him, or invade his privacy.
If possible, he would live as an ordinary man with a net worth of ten digits in his bank accounts.
Unfortunately for him, that’s not possible now. His name was all over the magazines. The last thing he’d want is for bashers to cause havoc in his life so as much as he controls it, he just shows the good side of him.
MEANWHILE, a woman named Andrea Bennett in her twenties was pacing back and forth to her small loft-bed type apartment. She was biting her nails as she stared at the upcoming call on her laptop via zoom.
It was her editor…
“Should I answer it?” she contemplated.
It has been months since the editor contacted her. She resigned! Not totally. She didn’t submit her resignation hoping that they would change their mind and give her a task but, as usual, nothing came, and now that she has lost her hope, he called and what?!
To give her false hope!
“I’m done with this old-hag!” she whispered angrily.
The mayor’s daughter replaced her position when she went out for a vacation for months. Andrea just wanted to be away for a moment but, when she tried to come back to her work, she was kicked out.
Hindi niya matukoy kung ano ang nagawa niyang mali. Bakit naman siya tatanggalin? Pagkatapos ng ilang taon niyang serbisyo sa maliit na Media Company, sisibakin na lang siya na wala man lang paliwanag!
Nakakagalit.
Ni hindi man lang siya nasabihan na mawawalan na pala siya ng trabaho.
Humigit siya ng malalim na hininga.
“Kailangan kalmado ka, Andrea. Be calm...” she reminded herself.
Nakakahiya man, pero umaasa pa rin siya na tawagan siya ng Editor-in-Chief. Sa ilang buwan na lumipas, wala siyang matining trabaho.
She didn’t know that it was hard to find one, or even be fit in the qualification in the cities. Kaya ngayon, nagbabakasali siya na sana... Sana ay tanggapin siya ulit.
Ilang beses pa siyang huminga nang malalim bago umupo para harapin ang kaniyang laptop. She fixed her hair first before answering the call.
Kinakabahan siya. Ano naman kaya ang maririnig niya rito? Would they consider her again or just ask for the documents she hid?
She sat straight, not even bothering to greet.
“Andrea...”
A man double her age showed up on the screen. His brown wrinkled forehead knotted more as his eyes landed on her. He squints his eyes, trying to study her through the screen.
It lasted for a minute before he cleared his throat.
“Andrea, we’re trying to hire you back...”
- Writer
