Miss Perfectly Imperfect

TITA AGNES

Gavin's POV

Kasalukuyang may kausap si Gavin sa telepono nang bumukas ang pinto ng kanyang opisina. A graceful, gray-haired woman stepped inside, her heels clicking softly against the polished floor. May aura itong hindi basta-basta—elegant yet commanding.

Agad siyang tumayo upang salubungin ito.

Gavin leaned forward, hugged her warmly, and brushed his cheek against hers. “Tita,” he mouthed, sabay senyas ng isang hintuturo sa kanyang tenga, ipinahihiwatig na nasa tawag pa siya.

She waved it off with a gentle smile, parang sanay na sanay sa ganitong eksena. “It’s okay, hijo. Take your time,” sabi niya, habang marahang naupo sa upuang nasa harap ng desk ni Gavin—relaxed, composed, as though it were her rightful place. Parang pag-aari niya ang parte ng silid na iyon.

Bumalik si Gavin sa kanyang upuan, though half of his attention was now fixed on the woman sitting across from him. Paminsan-minsan niyang sinusulyapan ang bisita habang pinapakinggan ang nasa kabilang linya ng tawag. There was… something different about her.

Her cheeks looked fuller now, her arms a bit rounder. May konting laman na hindi niya nakita dati. It actually suited her—made her look youthful, softer, warmer even. But of course, Gavin knew better than to say it out loud. Alam niyang ayaw na ayaw nitong nadadagdagan ang timbang, at isang maling salita lang, siguradong may maliit silang pagtatalo. Better to keep that thought to himself.

He wasn’t even sure if she realized it yet—that she was slowly gaining a few pounds.

Pagkababa niya ng tawag, inayos ni Gavin ang pagkakaupo niya. He set his phone gently on the left side of the desk, rested his arms on the surface, and intertwined his fingers together, finally giving his visitor his full attention.

“Hello, Tita!” Gavin greeted, his eyes playful and teasing. “Riding planes really suits you. You look young and fresh. Medyo may umbok-umbok na yung cheeks mo. Mag-FA ka na lang kaya? Baka mas bumata ka pa lalo.”

It was meant to be a compliment—he just wasn’t entirely sure if she would take it that way.

“Wag mo nga akong binibiro nang ganyan, Luis!” she shot back with a playful glare, lightly flicking her fingers as if swatting his words away. “Yes, I’m gaining pounds. Pero sakto lang ‘yan sa required weight, ha? Besides, mas gusto ng daddy mo ng may laman, sabi niya—it’s better than skinny daw!”

Gavin chuckled and leaned back into his seat, crossing one ankle over his knee. Just as he’d thought, it wasn’t exactly a total compliment for her. “So, Dad has everything to do with this!”

Tita rolled her eyes dramatically and shifted in her seat, clearly refusing to dignify that remark with a response.

He raised both hands in mock surrender, laughing. “Peace, Tita. You still look beautiful, kahit medyo… enhanced version ka na niyan.”

“Luisito!” she warned, pointing a finger at him, though her eyes sparkled with amusement.

Gavin’s lips curved into a small, knowing smile—subtle, sincere, and just enough to soften the tease he’d thrown her way.

“By the way, how’s my dad, Tita? How did he cope with the loss?” Gavin asked, his playful demeanor slowly fading into something more serious.

“Not that fine, Luis,” she admitted softly. “But getting there, I guess.” She gave a small shrug, though her eyes carried a quiet tenderness.

“Oo naman. He must be getting better—for him to say that piece,” Gavin replied, attempting a dry joke to lighten the mood.

Tita met his gaze, her expression unreadable. She didn’t respond, and for a brief moment, he wondered if he’d gone too far. But when she said nothing, he decided to let the thought go and shifted the conversation forward.

Nagpatuloy sila sa pag-uusap, mas kalmado na ang tono.

“He’s asking for you,” she said after a pause, her voice gentle but deliberate. “Kailan mo ba siya dadalawin?”

Gavin exhaled deeply, leaning back against his chair. “Eventually, Tita. Eventually…”

“Medyo matagal-tagal na rin 'yong eventually na 'yan,” she said, a faint smile touching her lips though her tone remained firm. “I just hope it’ll happen sooner than soon.”

“I’m doing my best here, Tita,” he answered, fingers tapping lightly on the edge of his desk. “I’ll visit him after getting things done. Nangako ako, at tutuparin ko ’yon. Pero sa ngayon, titiisin ko muna… habang wala pang development.” He lowered his gaze, a flicker of guilt softening his features.

“Wala pa rin ba?” she asked almost in a whisper.

He met her eyes again. “A few progress, Tita…” Gavin closed his eyes briefly, shaking his head slightly to the side. “A little bit slow, but at least may progress.”

Tita nodded quietly when he looked up again.

“I’m taking my time, Tita,” he continued, his voice steadier now. “I do have a business to run, as well as employees to feed. Hindi ako puwedeng mag-focus sa isang bagay lang, kasi maraming umaasa sa akin.”

She didn’t say anything at first. Instead, she slowly reached across the desk and took his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

“I understand, Luis,” she said softly.

For a moment, their eyes met. Then Gavin’s lips curved into a faint smile. And somehow, the weight pressing against his chest loosened—just a little.

“By the way, Tita… I’m heading to Butuan next week to revisit the site,” Gavin said as he sorted through a neat stack of papers on his desk. “I’ll check on some details with the Mayor and the Congressman before we finalize the contract. I’ll be needing my team—and I want you to be there as well.”

“Sinabi na nila sa’kin,” Tita Agnes replied, her tone soft but tinged with reluctance. “Pero, hijo, kailangan ba talaga akong sumama? Kararating ko lang.”

“Of course, Tita,” Gavin answered smoothly, pushing his chair back slightly and leaning away from the desk.

She hesitated, fingers absentmindedly tracing the armrest of the chair. “Alam mo, Luis, not that I’m complaining. Pero, kasi…”

Gavin glanced up, brows drawing together, sensing there was more behind her hesitation. “Pero ano po?”

“Naisip ko lang… it might be more convenient kung isasama mo na lang someone more familiar with the place,” she said, her voice carrying both reason and plea. “Besides, tumatanda na si Tita mo. I’m retiring soon. I can’t handle multiple trips in a month. Kaya kung puwede, wag mo na muna akong pasamahin doon. Just have someone else fill in for me.”

Gavin slowly pulled his chair back in and sat down again, fixing her with a steady gaze. “I know, Tita. Napapansin ko rin na madali na kayong mapagod lately, and I do understand that. But the thing is…” He paused, raising a hand in an effort to soften the insistence in his voice. “I honestly can’t think of anyone else who fits the job the way you do.”

“Well, I’m sorry, but I beg to disagree,” she countered, tapping the table gently, each sound deliberate. Her expression shifted, taking on quiet resolve.

“Marami kang magagaling na tauhan. Hindi pa lang nabibigyan ng chance to show off.”

Gavin tilted his head slightly, a faint smirk ghosting across his lips. “Are you suggesting na isang neophyte ang isama ko sa trip, Tita?”

“Why not?” she shot back without hesitation.

“Tita, this is my first major project in the Caraga Region,” he said, his voice firm, carrying the weight of unspoken stakes. “I need to make a good impression. I want to earn the people’s trust and respect. And I have more than one reason for stepping foot in that region.”

He leaned forward, resting his forearms on the desk. “Besides, I heard the Congressman’s wife is planning to establish a new foundation. She’ll definitely appreciate strong, strategic suggestions. And with you being our Marketing Head—and with your years of experience—you’ll make that conversation smoother. Mas mapapadali natin ang trabaho.”

Tita Agnes crossed her arms, one brow lifting in subtle defiance. “I know! I’ve done my research too.”

“So you get my point now? Why I really need you to be there?” Gavin asked, his tone firm but edged with patience.

She sighed heavily, finally leaning back against the chair. “Fine!” she relented, though her arched brow carried warning. “Pero I’ll be bringing someone with me—at hindi ka puwedeng tumanggi.”

Gavin blinked once, hiding a quiet groan beneath his neutral expression. He already had a feeling where this was headed, but he played along anyway. “Sino naman po?”

“Miss De Castro. My assistant.”

There was the name.

“Si Shane?” Gavin’s brows lifted instinctively, the syllables slipping out before he could catch them. His voice carried a shade of surprise, maybe even something else—but he masked it quickly, leaning back into his chair to regain composure.

Tita Agnes smirked, sharp and knowing. “Now, you’re able to say her name. Congratulations!”

Gavin only gave a tight smile in response, but deep down, something stirred—a faint unease he refused to acknowledge.

Gavin lowered his gaze for a moment, fingers lightly drumming on the edge of the desk. Then, slowly, he lifted his head again, his tone steady but edged with curiosity. “I’m sorry, Tita, pero hindi ko lang kasi lubos na naiintindihan. Gano’n ba talaga kagaling si Miss De Castro? Para pagkatiwalaan mo siya ng ganito?”

“Yes!” Tita Agnes answered without hesitation, her voice firm. “Magaling siya. Magaling ang batang ’yon. I’ve seen potentials in her I haven’t seen in anyone—not even in your most competent employees.”

Gavin’s brows arched slightly. Alam niyang magaling si Shane. He’d seen firsthand how hands-on she had been with the project—how meticulous she was, how bold some of her proposals had been. A few of her ideas even caught him off guard. But for Tita to say that? That she saw more potential in Shane than in his most trusted employees?

That didn’t sit well with him.

“I get that she’s capable, Tita. I’m not blind,” he said, shaking his head slowly. “But for you to say that? I don’t know… marami pa siyang kailangang patunayan sa akin.”

“Then let her prove it,” Tita countered, her gaze unwavering. “Bring her with us—and see for yourself. Isa pa, she’s from there, ’di ba? She’s familiar with the place. Baka nga kilala pa niya ang ilan sa mga makakasalubong natin doon. For all we know, she could be an asset to us. To our future plans, to be exact.”

“She’s from CDO, Tita—not from Butuan,” Gavin corrected gently, leaning back into his chair.

Tita Agnes tilted her head slightly, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “So you’ve done your research as well.”

“Well, someone asked me… so I did what I had to,” Gavin said, chin raised, as though he’d done a deep dive—though in truth, he hadn’t.

“Thank you, hijo. Pero ginawa mo ba talaga?” Her brows arched, eyes narrowing slightly, unamused.

His own gaze sharpened, leaning forward just a bit. “What are you trying to say, Tita?” His voice was calm, but there was a defensive edge in it.

“What I’m trying to say is…” Tita’s tone softened, but her words landed with quiet weight. “If you could only spend an hour—or even just a couple of minutes—each day, Luis. Take a look at your employee chart. Go over their credentials. That way, malalaman mo kung sino talaga ang may kakayahan at sino ang wala.”

She paused briefly, letting the words settle, before adding, “And by the way, Miss De Castro spent her college years in Butuan before she transferred to CDO. She technically lived there for quite a long time.”

Gavin froze for a heartbeat.

His lips parted slightly, but no words came out. He blinked once, masking the brief flicker of surprise behind a neutral expression. He hadn’t heard that before.

Gavin leaned back in his chair, staring at the scattered papers on his desk, though his mind was elsewhere.

All this time, he thought he knew enough about Shane—how she studied in CDO, worked briefly in Cebu, and eventually landed in Manila. That was it. That was the whole picture.

But now, learning from Tita Agnes that Shane had deeper roots in Butuan unsettled him more than he wanted to admit.

Kaya ba ganito siya ka-involved sa project na ’to?

For a moment, he wondered if Tita was right. Maybe Shane wasn’t just being ambitious. Maybe she wasn’t chasing recognition alone. Maybe there was something more personal at stake—something she hadn’t shared.

Still, he couldn’t ignore the strange, restless feeling in his gut. A silent instinct, telling him to keep his distance. As if some part of him knew that letting Shane too close—professionally or otherwise—might stir up something he wasn’t ready to face.

“Sana, one day,” Tita said softly, her voice gentle but firm, “makita mo rin kung ano ’yong nakikita ko sa kanya, Luis… hijo.”

Gavin lifted his gaze to meet hers, but his lips remained pressed into a thin line. He didn’t answer.

“I really don’t know,” he murmured at last, elbows resting on the desk, his hands cradling his chin. “I’ll still think about it, Tita.”

“Wag mo nang pag-isipan!” Tita snapped lightly, her voice rising—not in anger, but in insistence. “Sasama lang ako kung isasama mo rin siya. Tapos ang usapan.”

She pushed back her chair and stood, ready to leave.

Gavin exhaled sharply, leaning into his swivel chair. He removed his glasses and rubbed his temple, trying to ease the headache creeping in.

He couldn’t believe this was turning into an argument—over Shane, of all people.

How can I ever win this case?

But maybe… maybe Tita was right. Should he bring Miss De Castro to Butuan?

“You’re very fond of her, Tita,” he said finally, shaking his head. His voice was softer now, almost resigned. “But let me just remind you… she’s not—”

“She’s not Ava. I know!” Tita cut him off sharply, spinning back to face him. Her lips pressed tightly together, arms folding across her chest. “You don’t have to remind me, LUIS. At huwag mo nang isali ang namayapa na sa usapan.”

Her words hit harder than he expected, pulling at an old ache buried somewhere deep.

He looked away, guilt flickering across his face. “I… I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “Sorry for bringing that up.”

Tita’s shoulders eased slightly, but her tone stayed curt. “Just send me the details of the trip so I could book a flight. You can bring anyone of your choice. This is your company, after all. You should be the one to decide, right?”

And with that, she walked out, heels clicking softly against the polished floor. He didn’t stop her.

The door shut behind her, leaving him in silence.

Gavin dragged a hand down his face and muttered under his breath, “Urgh…”

Now she was upset, and on top of that, he had a pounding headache. How the hell am I going to fix this?

He couldn’t just say yes to please her. He had bigger priorities—hearts to win, impressions to make.

And if he was being honest, taking Shane wasn’t part of the plan.

For him, the “best staff” meant more than just being good at the job. It was about the complete package—the skill, the presence, the charm that could captivate a crowd and open doors. And as much as it annoyed him to admit, Shane didn’t exactly fit that image in his mind.

Gavin leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temple as frustration lingered in his chest.

Hindi naman niya sinasabing pangit ang lahat kay Shane. At least… not after everything he’d witnessed. She was competent too, no doubt about it. But for him, competence wasn’t enough. She’s not really qualified for this job, he thought. It even took her some time to have a decent, uninterrupted conversation with him. And whenever she did manage to speak, she often buckled under pressure.

By his standards, that was unacceptable. Naisip niya na baka ganon talaga ang reaction ni Shane sa mga tao at lugar na hindi pa niya kabisado or hindi pa siya komportable.

The more he thought about it, the more tangled his thoughts became. He needed a distraction—something, anything—to reset his mind.

I’ll call Xander later, he decided. I need someone to talk to. Someone who won’t sound like an attorney dissecting every single word I say. Someone who’ll just… listen.

Besides, he had something to discuss with him anyway. The company’s anniversary celebration was coming up in three months, and there were plans to finalize. Hopefully, though, he wouldn’t be interrupting a date. Friday nights weren’t exactly the best time to ask for favors.

Pushing the thoughts aside, Gavin buried himself in work again. He studied the papers spread out before him—contracts, timelines, blueprints—everything related to the Construction of the International Seaport in Butuan. Every detail mattered, and he couldn’t afford to miss a thing.

He even called for a meeting to brief the entire team about the upcoming site revisit. But he kept one thing to himself: he didn’t mention who would be joining him on the trip. Best to keep them guessing, just in case he changed his mind.

By the time he glanced at his watch, it was almost eight in the evening. He picked up his phone, scrolled through his contacts, and dialed Xander’s number.

“Hello… hello…” he said into the receiver, waiting. A few seconds of silence passed before a familiar deep baritone finally came through.

“Hello,” Xander greeted.

“Are you free tonight?” Gavin asked, his voice unusually low, almost tired.

“Stressed?” Xander replied, amusement lacing his tone.

Gavin tilted his head back, eyes fixed on the ceiling. “Well…” He sighed deeply. “Kinda.”

“So, even a multi-billion peso project can get under your skin?” Xander chuckled.

“Gago,” Gavin scoffed lightly. “But seriously, I need to talk to you.” He paused for a moment, glancing at the scattered papers on his desk. “I want you to take charge of the company’s upcoming anniversary event. I’m thinking mid-August. Isabay na natin sa birthday ni Tita Agnes—make it a double celebration.”

“That’s good to hear, migs! For sure matutuwa si Tita Agnes niyan,” Xander said, his tone warm, though his not really convinced. Baka kasi alibi lang ni Gavin ang lahat, baka gusto lang nito na may makausap. Ramdam niya ang bigat sa tono ng boses ng kaibigan.

“One more thing, migs…” Gavin lowered his voice. “Keep it low-key. I mean, the birthday surprise for her. You can consult her about the anniversary celebration, of course. Kilala naman natin si Tita—she’ll get herself involved anyway. But make sure hanggang doon lang ang alam niya. Otherwise…” He smirked faintly. “…don’t expect a single cent from me. Understood?”

There was a brief pause before Xander’s voice came back, now teasing. “What have you done this time, Gav? Tell me! What did you do to make Tita Agnes pissed off? Why the sudden need to pull off an act of surprise for her?” Mas lalo pa niyang napatunayan na kailangan nga nito ng may maka-usap.

Gavin shot up from his seat, startled. Did Tita say something to him?

“Kasasabi ko lang, di ba?” he tried to sound casual. “It’s her birthday, and she totally deserves a surprise, after all that—”

He stopped. The words wouldn’t come out. For some reason, he couldn’t finish the sentence.

“After everything you’ve done?”

Gavin froze. Xander knew.

Before he could respond, a loud burst of laughter came from the other end of the line. And it wasn’t Xander’s.

“Who’s with you?” Gavin asked, narrowing his eyes. “Are you with Andrew?”

“Andrew who?” came Xander’s fake-confused reply—followed by another round of laughter.

Gavin pinched the bridge of his nose. “Right. Of course.”

Then another voice—loud, playful, and impossible to mistake—cut in.

“See you at THE BAR, migs! Nine sharp!” Andrew’s voice boomed through the receiver. “Let’s start early so we can go all in! Hahaha!”

Andrew had hijacked the call. Again.

Gavin shook his head, half-annoyed, half-amused. That man was a paradox—dead serious in the courtroom, borderline reckless outside it. Two entirely different personalities packed into one body. And somehow, Andrew pulled it off effortlessly.

That was the thing about Andrew. He always knew when to draw the line. He knew when to play hard and when to work harder. Always sharp. Always on point. And Sometimes, Gavin hated him for it.