Wicked Obsession

KABANATA 2

THAT QUESTION bothered me for another week. That damn Shaina. Palayasin ko kaya siya sa bahay?

I didn't have any romantic feelings to that nerd. But we are close as fvck! Close like a brother and sister! Simula high school hanggang kolehiyo ay nakabuntot siya sakin!

I am with him almost half of my life!

Tapos... nagawa niyang magpa-alipin sa nararamdaman? I won't buy it. I will never buy it!

"Hija. Anak?"

I pull my studded stilletos with red soles on it when mother called me.

"Yes, Ma?"

"Have you thought about Rodney?"

Natigilan ako sa tanong nito. I am not even starting my day yet... Then here she is.

"Who is that?"

"Rodney is a nice man, anak. She is Mildred's son—"

"I don't like his name," I told him.

As I mentioned, my mother became a pageant queen before. Kahit singkwenta anyos na ito ay halos hindi pa rin masilip ang katandaan sa itsura niya. My mother kept her long hair making him more look younger than me!

Nalungkot ang maamong mukha ng aking ina. Kung ano ang ikinabait ni Mommy, siya naman ang ikinabaliktaran ko.

"Okay..."

"Mommy. Hindi mo na nga ako kailangan ipakilala—"

"But you need a boyfriend. You're twenty-five and still having a scandal for eighteen!"

Napangiwi ako sa sinabi nito.

"Hija, I know you are trying to explore. Fun. Nothing is bad about that. But a scandalous affair every week?"

Ngumuso ako. "Wala akong inom last week, Mama..."

"Dapat bang magpasalamat ako kasi wala kang esklandalo last week?" Iling pa niya. "I am so glad that Alta is not affected by this. Pero hija... You still have a lot of bashers... I just... want to stop that–"

"By marrying me off?"

"I am not saying to marry the guy. I just want to tell that... settle with one guy."

LAGI NA lang ganon ang usapan namin ni mommy tuwing umaga. She is persistent every morning, and take note! Tuwing umaga ay nagbabago ang lalaking pinapakilala niya!

Ayoko namang galing kay mom ang magiging flavor ko. Syempre, madi-disappoint ang lalaki sakin... So hindi malabo na madamay si mom. Baka magkaroon pa siya ng kaaway!

Ang pangungulit ni mommy ay isa rin sa dahilan kung bakit nawala sa isip ko si Sebastian.

"Anak, napapahiya na ang mommy mo—"

Nilingon ko ito. "Then don't ask someone, mom! I don't need a date—"

"Yes, you need one!"

Pinalipas ko ang umagang 'yon at trabaho lang ang bumungad. I thought everything was doing fine, pero may dumating na masamang balita kinahapunan.

"ANO 'TO!?" Sigaw ko sa tauhan noong makita ang file sa lamesa. "Bakit hindi niyo napa-pirma ito!? I thought Mollary will renew their contract!?"

Mollary is a hacienda. A farm. A farm of sunflower, roses, tomatoes, rosemary and all of the ingredients I need for my fvcking line!

"Sorry po, Ma'am! But Mollary changes their mind and signed an exclusive contract with Skinlite without any notice!"

Skinlite?! A brand?!

How dare them signed an exclusive contract to a small and cheap company!?

Itinapon ko ang file at sumigaw. "Find another farm to milk our product! Ms. Paren, call my lawyer because I am going to sue them!" I hissed in annoyance.

BUONG ARAW akong nakasigaw dahil sa nangyari. Isa pa, walang magawa ang lawyer ko dahil wala naman kaming katibayan laban sa Mollary Farm.

Napatili ako sa inis. Damn it... It will take time to find a beautiful farm... to use in our product.

"Anak!"

My mother hugged me tight because she knew I was having a hard time. Napapikit ako sa init ng yakap nito, at kahit papaano, nakaramdam ng ginhawa.

"Everything will be alright, anak."

It takes two or three months to find a good farm. It will never be fine. Babagsak ang production number... And I cannot do cheating in my products!

"Ma'am. Ito na po ang listahan ng farm," my secretary gave me a list of farm.

All of them are familiar, good. Pero ito na naman tayo sa mabilis na choice.

HACIENDA GALLIANO.

I sighed. Should I do this?

I mean... Hindi naman si Sebastian ang nagma-manage nito. Liam Galliano holds it. Cousin of Sebastian.

They have a good reputation in agriculture. Economics. Politics. Kung wala lang akong personal na dahilan, I will beg Liam to join my company.

Umiling ako.

Nah. Liam is a jerk. Binura ko sa listahan gamit ng pulang marka ang pangalan ng farm.

"GRABE, MUKHANG malulugi ka na talaga," komento ni Shaina sa gilid ko habang kumakain.

Binatukan ko ang babae kaya napangiwi ito. Oh my gosh, what an awful friend she is!

"You manifest the bad energy, Shaina! Dapat nga ay sinisante na kita kung hindi ka lang may kapit—"

"Kapit saan? Sa boss?" She chuckled.

Nanonood kami ng balita and obviously, nasira ang produkto namin dahil may ina-announce ng Skinlite ang partnership nila sa Mollary Farm.

Nakaka...inis.

"HIJA, are you okay?" Tanong ni Mommy noong nakita niyang tulala ako sa gilid.

"Ma..."

"Why don't you try Galliano?"

Natigilan ako sa sinabi nito. My parents knew what happened in the past that we loathe the name so much.

But my mother suggesting it.

"Ma..."

"I know... We hate them, Cara. But it's a different Galliano. Not that wicked guy," mahinahong ngumisi ang aking ina.

I smiled on her. "I will think about it, Mom."

EVERYTHING WAS falling down and I hate it! This is the first ever crisis of my company! Dahil sa hindi inaasahang paninira at issue, tinawagan ko na si Liam Galliano para tulungan ako!

"Oh? You have a high pride, Cara. Hihintayin mo pang malugi kayo," bungad nito sa kabilang linya.

Like I've mentioned, hinahabol ko si Silver noon kaya kilala ako ng halos Galliano. Pati pinsan. I hate a Galliano's, but I must admit that I needed their immediate power. Galliano's name and company will help me rise in no time.

"You know I hated your family—"

"Yes you are. Ano? Do you want me to help you or let's fight?"

And just like that, I signed a partnership with the Galliano farm. Isang buwan lang, nakabawi kami ng sales dahil sa pangalan na nakasabit sa'min.

Galliano is a wealthy and elegant name. And I am friends with the big time Galliano's because of my crazy attraction with Silver in high school.

Sa dami nga ng mayaman na Galliano, doon pa ako nahulog sa pamilya ng Galliano na hindi kinilala bilang pamilya.

I AM CELEBRATING until the jerk's face show on TV! A fvcking TV!

It says that Sebastian will take over the company for a while!

"Uy, Si Silver tsaka Liam!" Si Shaina at nag-fan girling din sa Galliano.

"I will manage the Hacienda de Galliano for the meantime," anunsyo ni Liam sa camera. "And Silver will take the company for me and manage everything."

Kumunot ang noo ko. That is... not silver I swear to god!

"That is not Silver!" Sigaw ko at dinuro ang TV.

Oh gosh... Sinasadya ba 'to ni Sebastian? Is he taking over... a family business dahil nalaman niya na... may partnership kami? Ako!?

What is this fvcker planning!? Sinusundan niya ba ako?