My boss got me pregnant (Spg)

The Quiet Storm

Edward POV

Hindi ko siya pinili dahil maganda siya.

Bagaman hindi ko rin pwedeng itanggi Mecca Castro had the kind of face the world rarely deserved. Not the type to demand attention. But the kind you remember after the crowd has left.

No. I picked her because she listened without interrupting. Observed before reacting. Moved like someone who knew her place, but carried a weight she refused to speak of.

At sa mundo kung saan lahat ng tao ay may gustong patunayan ang mga katulad niya ay halos hindi na matatagpuan.

I need someone like her.

Tahimik. Mabilis magbasa ng intensyon. Marunong dumistansya.

Hindi para sa relasyon. Hindi para sa drama.

Para sa precision.

The transition I’m planning isn’t public. At least not yet. Hindi pa alam ng board. Hindi pa pino-finalize ng legal team. But Stewart Group is restructuring and for something this delicate, I need people who don’t overshare, who don’t speculate, and most importantly people with nothing to gain.

Because ambition corrupts discretion.

And Mecca Castro, she looked like someone who didn’t have the luxury to be ambitious.

I don’t mean that as an insult. Ang tinutukoy ko ay yung uri ng babae na hindi naglalakad sa opisina para pansinin. Hindi naghahanap ng titulong pwedeng ipagyabang. Hindi nanghihingi ng favor. Hindi umaasa sa spotlight.

She shows up. She works. She disappears.

Exactly what I need.

But even I can’t deny it mayroong bagay sa kanya na hindi ko maipaliwanag.

A sadness she wears like perfume. Hindi masangsang. Pero nananatili.

She was respectful but not meek. Controlled but not robotic.

At noong una ko siyang nakausap, she didn’t flirt. Didn’t deflect. Hindi siya naglaro. At lalong hindi siya natakot.

Napaka-rare ng ganon.

Lalo na sa mga babaeng ganyan ang edad, ganyan ang ganda.

I was about to go home when Marco knocked again.

“Sir, here’s the file from HR. Employee background summary. Mecca Castro.”

I nodded. “Leave it.”

Pagkaalis niya, hindi ko agad binuksan ang folder. I stared at it for a few seconds. Wala akong balak alamin ang buhay niya in full detail. Hindi ko trabaho ang maging curious sa mga personal na bagay ng empleyado.

Pero, I don’t deal in guesswork.

So I opened the file.

Name: Mecca Angelie Castro

Age: 25

Education: State University, Magna c*m Laude – Public Administration

Previous Work: Freelance policy research, assistant to city legal office, project-based NGO consultant

Family Status: Single. No dependents listed.

No dependents?

I frowned. Something about that last line didn’t feel right.

Sa dami ng nakita kong babae mula socialites hanggang diplomats karamihan sa kanila may kinikimkim na inaasahan. A ring. A status. A rescue.

Pero siya? Mukhang ayaw ipakita kahit sino.

Which means one of two things.

Either she's extremely private.

Or she's protecting someone.

Hmm.. Interesting.

Binalik ko ang file at tumayo sa harap ng glass wall ng opisina ko. Mula rito, tanaw ko ang halos buong syudad. Liwanag. Trapiko. Gabi na, pero hindi pa rin humihinto ang ingay ng mundo.

Pero sa loob ng office ko, tahimik pa rin.

At doon ko lang napagtanto kung bakit ako naging interesado sa kanya. Hindi dahil sa kakayahan lang.

Kundi dahil sa tanong na hindi ko inaasahang babangga sa akin

What does a woman like her do when the world gives her nothing but she chooses to survive anyway?

Tomorrow, we begin the private project. She’ll be with me more than anyone else in the next few weeks.

Not because I want her to be.

But because… I need her to be.

And if she’s everything I think she is then maybe, just maybe…

She’s the one I can trust with the only thing I’ve never handed to anyone

Alas otso y media ng umaga.

She was on time.

Hindi lang on time early. Nakaupo na sa lounge area sa labas ng opisina ko. Hawak ang isang folder, may maliit na notebook sa gilid, at isang ballpen na halatang gasgas na sa dami ng gamit.

She stood the moment I walked in, hindi naghintay ng utos.

“Good morning, sir.”

“Morning,” tugon ko, dumiretso sa loob at iniwan ang pinto'ng bahagyang bukas isang tahimik na paanyaya na pumasok siya.

I settled into my seat. She followed silently, hindi nagmadali. Hindi rin nag-atubili.

Pinagmamasdan ko kung paano siya umupo. Straight spine. Controlled breathing. She was nervous, but never clumsy.

“Marco briefed you?” tanong ko, diretso.

“Yes, sir. About the nature of the transition project and my role under the private task force.”

“Good. You’ll work closely with me for the next few weeks. I don’t tolerate noise. I don’t give second chances. You’ll speak only when needed. Understood?”

“Understood po.”

Mabilis ang sagot niya. Walang pakiusap. Walang tanong. Walang pilit na pagpapatunay.

Perfect.

Tumango ako, at ibinigay sa kanya ang unang folder. “This is a multi-company agreement under review. You’ll cross-check the clauses for potential risk flags before the legal team sees them.”

Tinanggap niya ito agad. “Any specific deadlines po?”

“By noon.”

Ramdam kong hindi niya inaasahan yon, pero walang nagbago sa mukha niya. Walang reklamo. Walang bulong ng “but.”

Nakatingin lang siya sa akin, tahimik na tumatanggap ng utos hindi bilang alipin, kundi bilang taong alam ang trabaho niya.

And for the first time in weeks, naramdaman ko ang isang bagay na matagal ko nang hindi naramdaman sa kapaligiran ng mga executive ko

Trust.

Two hours later, she returned to my office.

Tahimik pa rin. Maayos. Kumpiyansa sa kilos. Pero hindi mayabang.

“Sir, initial highlights of potential risks on page 6, 14, and 21. I flagged them with margin notes. I also reformatted Clause 3.5 for clarity.”

Tumayo ako at tinanggap ang folder. Binuklat ko ang mga pahina. Clean. Organized. Precise.

Tiningnan ko siya. “Did someone help you with this?”

“No, sir. Just me.”

“Sure ka bang hindi ka corporate lawyer?”

She smiled slightly. “Hindi po. Pero sanay na ako sa policy reviews and research writing. I used to assist in city government negotiations.”

Interesting. Hindi niya agad ikinuwento sa profile niya ‘yon. I like that. Hindi siya show-off.

Tumango ako. “Well done. You’ll accompany me to the 10:30 meeting. Bring this and be ready to speak if asked.”

Hindi siya nagulat. “Yes, sir.”

Bago siya lumabas ng opisina, tumigil siya sandali. Walang sinabi. Tila may gustong itanong pero pinipigilan.

I raised an eyebrow. “You’re free to speak.”

“Sir… bakit po ako?” Mahina lang ang tanong. Walang halong yabang. Hindi curious. Sincere.

Binalik ko ang tanong. “Do you think I made the wrong choice?”

“No, sir.”

“Then don’t waste time doubting it.”

Tumango siya at tuluyang lumabas.

Naiwan akong nakatingin sa saradong pinto. Tahimik. Walang echo.

Pero ang isip ko, hindi pa rin tahimik.

Sa meeting room, kasama ang tatlong senior execs at ang mga finance heads, tahimik lang siyang umupo sa tabi ko. Hindi siya nagbulong. Hindi siya nag-abot ng kung anu-anong papel gaya ng ibang assistant.

She waited.

And when I finally asked for her notes on the contract risk at Clause 14, she didn’t read directly from her page. She explained it clearly, may logical flow, may insight. Hindi takot. Hindi pilit.

Tahimik ulit ang kwarto pagkatapos niya magsalita.

Then one of the finance heads chuckled. “Saan niyo nahugot ‘to, Edward? Marunong magbasa ng kontrata nang hindi kailangan turuan.”

I smirked. “That’s exactly why she’s here.”

And for the first time, naramdaman kong hindi ako lang ang nakapansin sa kanya.

Pagbalik sa office, bigla siyang nagpaalam.

“Sir, may I take an early lunch break? Fifteen minutes lang po. May kailangan lang akong asikasuhin sa phone.”

Tiningnan ko siya. Hindi siya nagpaliwanag. Hindi rin nagdrama. She asked like she knew her value pero hindi niya ginagamit yon para abusuhin ang oras.

“Go ahead.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Paglabas niya, hindi ko alam kung anong nakakatawa pero napangiti ako. Bahagya lang. Bahagyang-bahagya.

Hindi siya kagaya ng mga babaeng madalas kong kaharap.

And I don’t know if that’s a relief or a problem waiting to happen.

To be continued…