Board War (Ysabel’s POV)
1634 Words
“Bakit ka nandito, Mama? Akala ko ba hindi ka na aattend ng board meetings kapag ‘personal’ na ‘yung topic?”
Mama sat at the far end of the long mahogany table, hands folded, pearl earrings catching the cold fluorescent light. Hindi siya sumagot agad. Instead, she glanced at the empty chair beside me—where Mateo should be sitting pero wala pa hanggang ngayon. Late. Again.
“Mag-uumpisa na tayo,” sabi ko sa buong board. “Agenda number one: motion to reinstate full CEO authority ko. Effective immediately.”
Hands shot up. Majority in favor. Pero hindi lahat. Si Tito Ramon, ang pinakamatandang director, cleared his throat.
“Ysabel, alam mo namang may pending complaint tungkol sa Germany wire transfers. Hindi natin pwedeng i-sweep under the rug ‘yun.”
“Pending complaint na galing sa isang terminated employee,” I shot back. “Walang hard evidence. Walang bank statements na naka-link sa akin personally. Audit trail clean. Kaya nga nandito tayo—para tapusin ‘yung chismis na ‘to.”
Mama finally spoke. Voice low pero sharp enough to slice through the room.
“Chismis ba talaga, anak? O katotohanan na ayaw mong harapin?”
My fingers tightened around the edge of my folder. Hindi ko binuksan. Hindi ko kailangan. Alam ko na ang laman niyan—copies of the forged memo Cynthia tried to pull last week. Plus the real transaction logs na ipinadala ko sa forensic accountant two days ago.
“Tinatawag mo ba akong sinungaling, Mama?”
“Hindi. Tinatawag kitang desperate.”
Tahimik ang buong board. Parang biglang lumaki ang table sa pagitan namin.
I leaned forward. “Desperate? Ako? ‘Yung taong nagpapatakbo ng company na ito mula noong namatay si Papa habang ikaw, busy sa charity galas at pagpapanggap na perpektong asawa?”
Mama’s lips thinned. “Huwag mong gamitin ang ama mo para i-justify ang mga desisyon mo.”
“Desisyon ko na maging CEO nang maayos. Desisyon ko na protektahan ang legacy niya. At desisyon ko rin na huwag hayaang sirain ‘to ng—” I stopped myself. Almost said Cynthia’s name. Pero hindi. Hindi pa.
Tito Ramon raised his hand again. “May motion ba na magkaroon ng independent investigation? Kasi kung wala, magmo-motion ako ngayon.”
“Seconded,” sabi ni Mrs. Lim, one of the newer board members na halatang natatakot kay Mama.
I felt the shift. Parang biglang lumamig ang aircon. Hindi na ako ang may control.
“Fine,” I said. “Vote na. Independent investigation. Pero habang naghihintay tayo ng resulta, I retain full operational control. Walang suspension. Walang co-CEO nonsense.”
Mama smiled. Thin. Cold. “Kung iyon ang gusto mo. Pero tandaan mo, Ysabel—ang kalooban ng ama mo ay malinaw. Walang anak, walang CEO position. At ikaw, twenty-five ka na next month. Oras na.”
My stomach twisted. Not because of the deadline. Kasi alam ko kung bakit niya binabanggit ‘yun ngayon. Alam niyang may problema sa Germany part. Alam niyang may kailangan akong gawin na hindi niya dapat alam.
The vote went through. 7-5 in favor of the investigation. Pero ako pa rin ang may day-to-day power. For now.
Meeting adjourned. Pero hindi ako umalis agad. Hinintay ko si Mama.
Nang mapag-isa na kami sa conference room, lumapit siya. Hindi mabilis. Parang may hawak na baril na hindi ko pa nakikita.
“Alam mo ba kung gaano kahirap para sa akin na panoorin kang sirain ang sarili mo?” tanong niya.
“Hindi ko sinisira ang sarili ko. Sinusubukan kong protektahan ang lahat.”
“By lying to everyone? By using that German man as—what? Placeholder para sa baby clause?”
I froze. She knew. Hindi niya alam ang buong detalye, pero alam niyang may Henry. Alam niyang hindi si Mateo ang magiging ama.
“How long have you known?” I asked quietly.
“Matagal na. Pero hinintay ko kung kailan mo aaminin sa akin. Apparently, hindi mo pa rin gagawin.”
I stepped closer. “At ano ngayon? Ipapahiya mo ba ako sa harap ng board? Sasabihin mo bang hindi legitimate ang plano ko para magka-anak?”
“Hindi kita ipapahiya. Pero hindi rin kita tutulungan na magsinungaling forever.”
“Then what do you want, Mama? Sabihin mo na.”
She looked at me for a long time. Then:
“Magpakasal ka kay Mateo. Magka-anak kayo. Natural. Walang third party. Walang Germany. Walang secret sperm donor na bilyonaryo na biglang darating sa buhay natin.”
My laugh came out bitter. “You think it’s that easy? Na pwede ko lang i-force ang feelings ko para kay Mateo?”
“Feelings?” She tilted her head. “Hindi feelings ang kailangan mo, Ysabel. Heir. At legacy. ‘Yun lang.”
I felt something crack inside my chest. Hindi galit. Something worse. Parang pagod na hindi ko na kaya pang itago.
“Alam mo ba kung gaano kahirap maging akin ang lahat ng ito?” bulong ko. “Lahat ng desisyon ko, sinusukat mo kung para sa company o para sa sarili ko. Pero hindi mo nakikita—hindi mo talaga nakikita—na pareho lang ‘yun sa akin.”
Mama reached out. Almost touched my arm. Pero hinila niya ulit ang kamay niya.
“Then make a choice, anak. Dahil kung hindi ka pipili, pipili ako para sa’yo.”
She walked out. Door clicked shut behind her.
I stood there alone. Heart hammering. Pero hindi ako umiyak. Hindi pa.
Instead, I pulled out my phone. Texted one word to the number na binigay sa akin ni Henry last week.
“Now.”
Two minutes later, my phone buzzed.
“On my way. Landed thirty minutes ago. Where?”
I typed fast.
“Montoya Tower basement parking. Black SUV. Wait for me.”
I grabbed my coat. Walked out of the conference room. Sa hallway, nakita ko si Cassey na naghihintay sa labas ng elevator.
“Ysabel? Okay ka lang?”
“Hindi,” sagot ko. “Pero kailangan ko.”
She frowned. “Anong nangyari sa loob?”
“Later. May kailangan akong puntahan.”
“Si Mateo?”
I shook my head. “Hindi.”
Her eyes widened. “Ysabel—”
“Trust me, Cass. Please.”
She didn’t argue. Just nodded. “Text me kapag safe ka na.”
I stepped into the elevator. Doors closed. Alone na ulit.
Sa basement, nakita ko agad ang black Mercedes na naka-park sa pinakamalayo. Tinted windows. Engine running.
I walked toward it. Fast. Hindi ko pinansin ang security guard na tumingin sa akin ng curious.
The back door opened before I reached it.
And there he was.
Henry Blackthorn.
Tall. Dark coat. Raindrops still clinging to his hair. Eyes the color of storm clouds locking straight into mine.
“Ysabel.”
My name on his lips sounded different. Deeper. Hungrier.
I stopped two steps away. “You’re really here.”
“I told you I’d come when you needed me.”
I swallowed. “I didn’t say I needed you.”
He stepped out fully. Closed the distance. Not touching. Pero close enough na naramdaman ko ang init niya sa gitna ng malamig na parking.
“Then why am I here?” he asked, voice low.
I looked up at him. Saw the tension in his jaw. The way his hands flexed like he was stopping himself from reaching for me.
“Because I’m running out of time,” I whispered. “And I’m scared I’ll choose wrong.”
He exhaled sharply. “You won’t. Not if I’m here.”
I laughed—small, broken. “You don’t even know me.”
“I know enough.” He leaned in. Forehead almost touching mine. “I know you’re drowning. And I know you hate asking for help. Pero nandito ako. Hindi dahil sa contract. Hindi dahil sa pera. Nandito ako dahil—”
He stopped.
My heart slammed so hard I thought it would break my ribs.
“Dahil saan?” tanong ko, voice shaking.
His hand finally moved. Cupped my jaw. Thumb brushing my lower lip.
“Dahil hindi ko kayang panoorin kang masaktan ng iba. Lalo na ng sarili mo.”
Then he kissed me.
Not gentle. Not careful.
Hard. Desperate. Like he’d been holding it back for months.
I kissed him back. Hands fisting his coat. Pulling him closer. Tasting rain and coffee and something darker—something possessive.
When we broke apart, both breathing ragged.
“Get in the car,” he said. Voice rough.
I didn’t move. “Bakit?”
“Kasi hindi ko na kaya pang maghintay dito sa parking kung saan pwede kang makita ng kahit sino.”
I stared at him. Saw the hunger. The restraint barely holding.
And I felt it too.
The pull. The danger. The want.
So I stepped inside.
He followed. Door shut.
Engine roared to life.
As we pulled out of the basement, he glanced at me.
“May alam ba si Mateo na nandito ako?”
I shook my head. “Wala pa.”
Henry’s grip tightened on the wheel.
“Good.”
Silence stretched between us. Heavy. Electric.
Then he spoke again. Quiet. Deadly calm.
“Tell me what you need from me tonight, Ysabel. Because once we start this—”
He didn’t finish.
Pero alam ko ang tinutukoy niya.
And my answer came out before I could stop it.
“Everything.”
He looked at me. Eyes burning.
“Then hold on tight.”
The car sped into the Manila night.
At sa likod ng tinted glass, narinig ko ang sarili kong bulong.
“Anong ginagawa natin?”
To which he answered, voice dark and sure:
“Exactly what we should’ve done months ago.”
- Writer
