Programmed Wife

Chapter 19

"What were you thinking?" Leyla heard a faint sound of sulking in Rui's voice as he entered the office. He cuffed his sleeves while leaning at his desk. 

Leyla is having a hard time figuring out why he's acting this way. Meanwhile, she can't even look at him directly. 

"What?" he asked, "Now you forgot how to talk?" 

"Sir, sorry po nadumihan ko 'tong suit n'yo."

"Where were you this morning? Bakit hindi mo ako hinintay na magising-"

"Sir Rui nasaan po si Mr. Albert?"

Rui smirked, "He's too hungover to come to work so I let him off for today. Plus, I think it's going to be a bit easier for us."

"Easier?"

"Why? Nasa mood ka ba na mag- explain ng kung ano ang nangyari-"

"Sir, gusto ko po sana na maglinis muna? Medyo malagkit po kasi sa pakiramdam," she said followed by a really awkward smile. 

Something with Leyla awkwardly smiling while wearing his suit, Rui can't help but bite his lower lip as he watched her struggling to avoid every gaze possible. Hindi tuloy niya mapigilan ang sarili na lalo siyang biruin. 

"You can't act this shy and awkward when it's you who suggested that I should stay the night-"

"Sir!"

Tili niya para mahinto ito. 

"Hmm?" he teasingly raised his brow.

"Sir, manghihiram po ako sana ng pamalit para po makabili ako ng damit mamaya kapag break time."

Rui cheekily nodded as he shrugged his shoulder, "Here, sa may CR, pumasok ka sa kabilang kuwarto. Nandoon ang mga damit ko pamalit, pumili ka nalang ng medyo kakasya sa'yo."

Wala pang limang segundo, nakatakbo na si Leyla papasok sa CR para umiwas sa nakakahiyang sitwasyon.

"Bakit ba inuulit- ulit niya pa na niyaya ko siyang matulog doon kagabi? Kasi naman no, sobrang takot na takot 'yong itsura niya, hindi naman siguro masama na sinubukan kong mag-alok? At malay ko ba na may unit din pala doon 'yong bestfriend niya?" she talked to herself while facing the mirror. 

Hinubad niya ang malaking suit na suot niya, "Wala naman akong dapat na ikahiya 'di ba?" she asked herself once again. "Bakit ba ako mahihiya? Hindi naman din siya natulog sa unit ko, pinakain ko siya, tapos tumuloy siya sa unit noong kaibigan niya." 

Her face turned sour as she caught a glimpse of her poor blouse covered with coffee, "Tama! Hindi naman dapat ako mahiya. Pinagbalot ko pa nga siya no'ng sopas para may kainin pa siya para sa almusal," pagdadahilan niya sa sarili. Pinipilit niya talaga na makumbinsi ang sarili para hindi mapaisip ngayong buong araw. 

"Pero bakit nag-iba siya?" bulong nito. "Iba ang tingin niya sa akin, lalo na kagabi... tapos kanina, am I overthinking this?" 

"Be quick!" she heard a deep voice say outside of the door. It made her so surprised that she almost punched it so hard. 

"Yes po Sir!" she responded. "Based on his initial personality, he would never involve himself in the situation earlier... for me? Huh, impossible!"

She laughed it off, sometimes her own thoughts are more ridiculous that she would want them to be, "He's being so nice and cute, that's not his normal way of treating me."

Rui has been trying to continue working for the last fifteen minutes. But since the moment that Leyla entered the comfort room, he caught himself checking on her every minute. 

Dahil sa nangyari noong gabi, hindi na niya mapigilan ang sarili na umasa sa kung ano mang milagro ang nakay Leyla. Siya lang ang nakatulong sa kalagayan niya sa loob ng maraming taon. Hindi siya makapaniwala na matapos ang kagabi, nakaya niya pa rin na matulog ng mahimbing at gumising ngayong umaga na para bang wala namang nangyari. There's something very special about Leyla. 

After years, he finally felt comfort, he finally felt that maybe he's not as helpless. 

"Sir, hiniram ko po muna 'to. Magpapalit na lang po ako mamaya kapag nakabili na ako ng pamalit," the sweet angelic voice that makes him calm said. Leyla just got out of the comfort room wearing his huge black blazer. She used his belt to tie it on her waist, showing her amazing curves. Paired with her black skirt, it almost looks too good of a fit. 

It made him nervous. 

A girl as stunning as her, she could be considered as a real threat for Rui.

"Luckily you're not like them," he whispered with a bright smile on his face. He watched her eyes widen while she raised her brows, as if asking for him to repeat what he just said. 

"Sorry Sir? Hindi ko po kayo narinig pasensya na po,"

"Nothing, I said you better keep it."

"Ay Sir! Ipapa- dry clean ko po doon sa paborito nin'yo na laundry shop promise po hanggang mamayang lunch lang-"

"Don't even bother,  marami tayong kailangan na gawin ngayon. Get back to work," pag-iiwas niya para mapilit si Leyla na isuot ang damit niya. 

"Uh Leyla," habol niya bago siya makalabas. 

"Po?"

"I need to take a photo of you... to send it to Rui, para makabili ako ng same model."

"F*ck, why did I say that?" he thought himself. 

"Oh- uh sige po Sir," there's a slight hesitation in her voice but she walked and stood still. 

Rui quickly snapped two photos of her before zooming in on her beautiful face that is currently staring back at him, clueless. 

"Sir?"

"Work!"

"Ah, yes Sir!"

"Hoy teh!" Roca tapped Leyla by the shoulder. "Anong oras ka uuwi-- ay shuta ka, saan mo nahablot 'yang suot mo na-- shuta Gucci?" 

"What?"

"Saan mo hinablot yang suot mo? Belt mo palang parang kaya na bilhin 'yong buong apartment building namin!" 

Leyla was shocked to hear her, hindi niya inasahan na ganoon kamahal ang mga gamit ni Rui.

"Oh gosh, I owe him so much money then?"

Roca's mouth grew bigger as if she's experiencing a eureka moment, "Sir Rui?" Muntik na niyang malunok ang panyo na gamit niyang pantakip sa bibig, "Sh*t, kayo nga talaga 'no?"

"Roca, 'yan ka na naman! Kung marinig ka ni Shiela, pag-iinitan na naman tayo noon! Baka buhusan niya pa ng kape itong damit ni Sir!" 

"Kung makita ka niya na suot mo 'yan, baka mamatay siya sa inggit! Panigurado wala na siyang masasabi kasi mapapahiya nalang siya kung manlaban pa siya sa'yo! Shocks, nagsisisi ako na hindi kita pinuntahan kanina, bakit ba kasi hindi ka lumabas ng lunch? Pauwi na lang tayo oh, hindi na natin marampa 'yan sa harapan ng mukhang espasol na 'yon!"

"I don't need her to see me like this. Isa pa, ayaw ko rin naman na makita ako ng madaming kasamahan natin. Baka kung ano pa ang maisip nilang issue na ibato kay Sir Rui at sa akin. That would be too unhealthy in the office."

"Anong unhealthy? Sooner or later, ipapakilala ka rin naman ni Sir-"

"Roca, kung ano man 'yang assumption mo, maniwala ka sa akin nagkakamali ka. I swear we are not romantically involved-"

"Pagkatapos noong nakita ko kagabi, hindi ko na lang alam kung maniniwala ako!"

Just as Roca was in the middle of her screaming when Rui opened the door to his office. He caught her leaning down Leyla's desk as she diligently types on her computer. Hindi makagalaw ang babae na nakatulala sa mukha ng lalaki. 

"He-he-he, Sir... tinatanong ko lang po si Leyla kung anong oras siya uuwi. Hindi po talaga ako chismosa in real life. Joke ko lang po 'yon!" mabilis na pagtatanggol niya sa sarili bago pa makapagsabi ng kung ano man si Rui. 

"I did not say anything, it's all her Sir Rui-"

"G*go ka ba girl, hahayaan mo na lang akong ma-deads?" bulong niya sa kaibigan na ikinatawa naman ni Leyla. She noticed the guy watching them without really saying anything. 

"He's not comfortable?" she asked herself as she read his reaction. She looked at him directly, the same exact moment as he turned to look in her eyes.

"He looks calm now tho," she thought. "Is it Roca? Was he uncomfortable because Roca is here and she knows what happened last night? Yeah... I guess so."

After her full on conversation with herself, she smiled at Rui before turning to talk at her friend. 

"Roca, mauna ka na sigurong umuwi ngayon. Hihintayin ko muna siguro na makauwi na halos lahat bago ako umuwi."

"Ah-ah! Sige, mauuna na muna ako ngayon. He-he, good bye Sir!" paalam niya bago humarurot papalayo. 

"Finally, he looked totally relaxed right now," she thought. 

Leyla did not realize that time, but all her actions show it all. She tend at him whenever she felt that he's not feeling comfortable in any situation, she over analyzes his expressions to make sure that she can avoid him getting triggered with anything... but her most genuine reaction towards him would be her sweetest and brightest smile whenever she finally makes sure that he's doing fine. That he's comfortable. 

Even if he only knew him for a short amount of time, she already dedicated herself as a protector as his. 

"It must have been so sad to be like him and be unable to do anything about his situation... this is the least that I can do," she told herself. 

"You're not going home yet?" he asked. Leyla shook her head. 

"Not yet, I wanted to avoid as many people as I can you know," she giggled. "Sir ano po pala ang kailangan nin'yo?" 

"Do you drive?"

"Yes Sir I can drive. Do you need me to go somewhere-"

"No, nevermind. Finish up your work soon and go home early." He shyly looked away.

"Hindi pa po ba kayo uuwi?" she asked. Leyla can clearly see the change of his mood. 

"Maybe I will sleep her tonight."

"He's still troubled about it," she figured.

"Do you need me to get you anything then? Ano po ang kakainin nin'yo mamaya?"

"I can get something delivered."

Leyla nodded.

"Until what time will you be working?"

"Hindi ko pa po alam-"

"Order two servings for diner. Eat with me before you go home."