I ACCIDENTALLY BECAME THE CEO'S OBSESSION

Back off (Rafael)

Bago pa siya makasagot, another voice came from behind. "Cattleya! Nandito ka pala. Kanina pa kita hinahanap sa buong lugar."

The woman, Cattleya, immediately stiffened. I saw the change in her posture right away. The guy who approached was wearing an expensive polo and had a confident grin that looked too practiced.

"Marco, sabi ko na nga sa'yo kanina. Busy ako. Wag mo na akong guluhin please," Cattleya said, her voice firm but clearly irritated.

I stayed quiet but I did not move away. I was still holding her sketch. Something about the way this Marco guy ignored her tone made my jaw tighten.

"Tara na, dinner tayo. Ako na bahala. Alam mo naman na gusto kita eh," Marco continued, stepping closer even when Cattleya took a step back.

"Marco, ang kulit mo talaga. Sabi ko ayaw ko. May trabaho ako," she answered, her patience clearly running thin.

I felt the tension rising. I did not know these people but the scene was already pulling me in. I handed the sketch back to Cattleya. "Here. Mukhang importante 'to sa'yo."

She took it and gave me a quick nod. "Thanks ulit."

Marco finally noticed me and raised an eyebrow. "Oy pare, sino ka ba? Wag kang makialam. Usapan namin 'to ni Cattleya."

Cattleya crossed her arms and looked at me with a mix of curiosity and warning. "Oo nga. Sino ka ba talaga para sumali bigla?"

I met her eyes directly. There was something about her directness that intrigued me. In my world, people usually bowed or flattered me. She did not even know who I was and she was already challenging me.

"Siguro yung taong nakakita ng problema at ayaw magpanggap na wala," I answered calmly but with a hint of edge.

Marco laughed but it sounded fake. "Problem? Wala namang problema dito. Right, Cattleya?"

Cattleya rolled her eyes. "Marco, umalis ka na nga. Pagod na ako sa'yo."

The air between the three of us felt thick. I could sense Cattleya was trying hard to stay polite but her patience was almost gone. Hindi konalwm kung bakit but I felt this strange urge to step in, jahit na wala naman dapat talaga akong pakealam sa kanila.

"Parang hindi naman niya gusto kausapin ka eh," I said, my voice low and steady, eyes still on Cattleya.

She looked at me again, this time with a spark of surprise mixed with irritation. "At bakit parang kilala kita? Mukhang familiar ka. Pero anyway, wag kang makisali sa gulo ko."

I gave a small smirk. "Familiar? Baka nakita mo na ako sa billboard ng Del Rio. Or baka type mo lang ang gwapo."

Cattleya let out a short laugh, but it was sarcastic. "Wow. Ang yabang naman. Fresh from abroad siguro kaya feeling mo lahat ng babae papatol sa'yo."

Marco stepped between us. "Oy, tigilan niyo nga 'yan. Cattleya, tara na."

But Cattleya ignored Marco and kept looking at me. "Alam mo, ang dami ng katulad mo. Akala mo lahat ng problema solve mo agad."

I felt a strange thrill. No one talked to me like this. Not in New York, not in the boardroom. "Siguro kasi sanay akong ayusin ang gulo. Ikaw ba, sanay ka bang magpaawat sa mga tulad niya?"

The question hung between us. Cattleya’s eyes narrowed but there was a small smile playing on her lips, like she was enjoying the verbal spar even if she did not want to admit it.

Marco looked confused and annoyed. "Ano ba 'to? Biglang close na kayo?"

Cattleya turned back to Marco. "Wala. Umuwi ka na. Bukas pa ako free."

I watched the exchange, my heart beating a little faster than usual. This woman was not afraid to speak her mind. And for some reason, that made the night in Manila feel a lot more interesting than my planned quiet walk.

The wind blew again and another one of her sketches almost flew away. I caught it quickly and handed it back. Our fingers brushed for a second. Cattleya pulled her hand away fast but not before I saw a tiny flicker in her eyes.

"Salamat," she muttered, sounding a bit annoyed at herself for saying it.

"Wala 'yon," I replied, my voice quieter now. "Pero next time, baka gusto mong may kasama kapag naglalakad ka sa gabi. Para hindi na maulit 'to."

Cattleya raised an eyebrow. "At bakit? Ikaw ba ang magiging bodyguard ko bigla?"

I shrugged, a dangerous little smile on my face. "Siguro. Mukhang kailangan mo eh."

Marco finally looked pissed. "Pare, layas ka nga dito. Hindi mo kilala si Cattleya."

Cattleya sighed loudly. "Marco, ikaw din. Umalis ka na."

The three of us stood there under the old Intramuros lights, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife. I felt something shift inside me. Tomorrow I would be the cold CEO taking over Del Rio Corporation. Pero ngayong gabi, this random clash with a fiery woman and her pushy suitor was making me forget all about control.

Tinignan ulit ako ni Cattleya one last time, her voice sharp but with a hint of challenge. "Sino ka ba talaga? At bakit parang ayaw mong umalis dito?"

Mataman ko siyang tiniyigan, the thrill of the unexpected argument running through my veins.

"Baka kasi mas interesting ka pa sa lahat ng meeting ko bukas."

"Ano ba talaga ang gusto mo dito, mister? Kasi parang hindi ka lang basta tumutulong eh,"