Make Her Mine in 50 Days

Chapter 2

 I glanced to take a look at the new employee and her name was clearly written on the top left part of her curriculum vitae. ‘Xylia Coleen F. Saavedra’, ‘yan ang nakalagay. While on the top right part, my eyebrows raised when I saw an attached two by two picture of her.

I bit my lower lip to keep myself from smiling while staring at her formal and decent photo. She looked like a very good girl here.

“Cinderella...” I absentmindedly blurted out as I was just staring at her photo.

“Hmm... Pardon, Sir?” The HR suddenly interrupted me from my thoughts.

Ngumisi na lamang ako at saka nag-angat ng tingin sa kanya.

I can’t believe that out of all the companies that she can work at, she chose to work here. And I believe that it’s not just because of the dare. She really applied here even before meeting me at the club. I doubted if she even knew that I was the CEO.

“I want to talk to her,” I told the HR. “I’ll do the final screening. And please, if she asks why, tell her that I like to familiarize myself with new employees.”

“I will, Sir,” sabi niya at mukhang naintidihan ang aking gustong iparating. “I’ll send her here immediately, as soon as she arrives.”

I kept myself busy, trying to stop my mind from wandering unnecessary things that’s making me lose my focus while working. I thought I'd managed to give my full attention to these files in front of me, but when the intercom dinged, I almost fell out of my chair.

She’s already here!

“Sir—” I heard my secretary’s voice, and I stopped her right away.

“Send her in.”

I quietly cleared my throat and sat properly at my swivel chair, while holding a certain file—just for a show that I was reading something.

“Damn, man!”

Instead of hearing an angelic voice, I heard a curse from the devil.

“Since when did I become a girl for me to be addressed as ‘her’?” reklamo ni Kiel.

“Knock off, Kiel,” sabi ko na lang.

“‘Wag naman ganyan, Brendt,” he said like he was hurt. “Ayokong may iba kang ineexpect maliban sa’kin.”

I grabbed my coffee mug on the side of the table and acted like I was gonna throw it to him when he ran to the door and left my office. I just received a text message from him, informing me that he’ll leave early today.

Matapos ang ilang minuto ay muling tumunog ang intercom at huminga naman ako ng malalim bago pinakinggan ang sasabihin ng aking sekretarya.

This time, I will let my secretary finish her statement first.

“Sir, our new employee is here,” she announced.

“Send her in,” I casually said.

“Okay, Sir,” she said and turned the intercom off.

Kahit sobrang hina ng kanyang pagkatok na ginawa sa pintuan ng aking opisina ay nagawa ko pa rin itong marinig na parang sobrang lakas.

“M-Mr. Stewart...” Her angelic voice, once again, filled my ears as she slowly entered my office.

Unti-unti naman akong nag-angat ng tingin sa kanya mula sa mga papeles na pakunwari’y binabasa.

Hindi ko maiwasan ang hagudin siya ng tingin lalo na nang dahil sa kanyang suot. Lihim akong napalunok at bahagyang napataas din ang aking kilay. Nang umabot ang aking tingin sa kanyang mukha ay hinayaan ko nang matili roon ang aking tingin.

There’s no doubt that she has this kind of beauty that you won’t get tired of seeing. Tingin ko’y kahit ilang beses ko siyang tignan ay hindi ako magsasawa.

“Ms. Xylia Saavedra,” I recited my name which made her frown.

He just mispronounced my precious name, named by my mother.

“Sir, no offense but it is Xy-lia. Not, Xaylia. Xy as in “si”. Xylia. Not, “say” as in Xaylia,” she corrected me without hesitation. “I hope you don’t mind me correcting the pronunciation of my name. I didn’t mean to offend you.”

With a chuckle, I shook my head. “Well, thank you for correcting me, Xylia.”

A smile appeared across her name once I got it right. She was very transparent with her emotions that I couldn’t help but be interested.

“Ms. Xylia Saavedra…” panimula ko. “Your name is unique. I like it...” I complimented her to see more of her refreshing smile.

She smiled. “Thank you, sir.”

I smiled like a crazy idiot guy before I started to read her curriculum vitae. I need to act professional now. She’s not here for a chit-chat with me.

“You’re a graduate of BS Business Administration Major in Marketing,” I started to read her vitae out loud. “Oh, and you also took Basic Architecture… for less than a year?” My forehead creased. “Why didn’t you continue studying Architecture?”

“Hmm...” she trailed off, trying to compose her thoughts before she continued. “Drawing is just my hobby. I like numbers, you see. I just tried. Kaya lang, narealize ko na ayoko na palang mag-aral ulit. Sino ba’ng may gusto no’n, ‘di ba?”

I laughed and was amazed by her honesty. “Well, I understand. Neither do I want to study again.” I clasped my hands and looked her straight in the eyes. “Why didn’t you apply as an architect for the company as well?” I asked. “We could use more hands.”

“Simply because I didn’t get a degree for Architecture, Sir. I didn’t take it seriously. I was just inspired by a known architect. And then I realized, I have a talent for drawing, pero hanggang doon na lang ‘yon,” she flawlessly answered like she prepared for my questions.

The urged to know her well was scaring me. Hindi ko alam kung bakit gusto kong mas makilala pa siya. There was something about her that made me interested, and I had no idea what that was.

I shrugged my shoulders. “Nakakapanghinayang, pero kung ‘yan ang gusto mo...” I put her resume down and lifted my gaze up. “I would like to see some of your works, Ms. Saavedra,” he suddenly said, and my eyes slightly widened. “Maybe we could work something out with your layouts and designs. We’re planning to establish a new subdivision. Hindi naman porkit wala kang degree, hindi na maganda ang mga concepts mo, ‘di ba?”

“It’s fine,” he told me. “You can still show it to me tomorrow.”

“Okay then, Sir,” sabi ko. “I’ll bring it tomorrow as you wish.”

“You’ll be the assistant head of the Marketing Department. I hope that you’ll be able to help our company,” he said, professionally. “Your work will start tomorrow officially. Don’t be late.”

She smiled and nodded. “Yes, Sir!”

Her determination made me smile at her. I’ve been smiling often ever since I met her.

“I should go now, Sir. Thank you,” paalam niya at saka umalis sa aking harapan.

When she was about to leave my office, I grinned as I remembered something.

“Text me, Cinderella. I remembered that I gave you my number...”

Lihim akong tumawa nang makita ko siyang napahinto at mukhang hindi makapaniwalang natatandaan ko siya.

“Y-Yes, Sir,” she stuttered and didn’t bother to look at me again as she left my office.

I wanted to stop whatever I was doing with Xylia. I told myself four years ago that Sandra will be the last woman in my life. I didn’t want to fall in love again after my greatest fall. I just got back up at the cliff. I might play along the edge of it, but I will not let myself fall again.

“Brendt, you should come home to Davao. Mom’s already missing you.” My brother tried to persuade me. “Even just for three days or a―”

Hindi ko na nasundan ang sasabihin ni Kuya nang magulat ako dahil sa mga kamay na pumigil sa pagsara ng elevator. Napakunot ang aking noo at sumilip sa nakaawang na pagitan. Napangiti na lamang ako nang malaman kung sino ‘to.

“Yes!” she exclaimed and smiled when the elevator opened again.

Nang napatingin siya sa akin ay agad na nawala ang kanyang ngiti. She suddenly looked constipated when her eyes landed on me.

“I’ll just call you later,” sabi ko na lang sa aking kapatid at agad na pinatay ang tawag.

I didn’t take my eyes off her and just stared.

“G-Good morning, Sir!” she greeted, stuttering with her words and placed herself at the other corner of the elevator.

Pinanood ko naman siya nang mabuti. My eyes drifted to her hand that was tightly holding her phone. I pursed my lips when I remembered that she didn’t text nor call me even when she had my number on her contacts.  

“It seems like you’re the type of person who can’t let go of her phone, Cinderella…” I voiced out my thoughts to her in the middle of silence.

“Hmm—”

“But you didn’t bother to text me,” I added and looked at her intently.

She looked a bit shocked with what I had just said. I could see that her cheeks were slightly turning red.

“What?” She acted innocent and clueless.

I chuckled and bit my lower lip to keep myself from laughing.

I just loved how obvious and transparent she was. Who would’ve thought that I can affect her this much? I might be the first one to make her fall in fifty days.

Well, should I make her mine in fifty days? But just for fun, of course.