A Forbidden Night with a Stranger

Chapter 9

NAKARAMDAM ng gutom si Alas, nang tingnan ang wrists watch ay lampas alas-dose na pala. Tumayo siya at nakita niyang nandoon pa rin sa mesa niya si Yna. She's using her phone and not memorizing the documents he gave.

"Let's eat," yaya niya sa babae. Ayaw niyang magutom ito at makonsensya pa siya.

She raised her face to look at him. "Go ahead. I can eat without you," sarkastikong sabi niya saka itinugon muli sa cellphone ang atensyon.

He shook his head. Hindi na lang siya nagsalita pa at hinayaan na lang ang babae. He needs to activate his temper everytime he faced her. She's really hard headed.

Alas took his lunch in the company's canteen. He's not picky with foods. He managed to eat food in the cafeteria.

After having lunch, he went back to his office. He saw Yna was till on her table. "Hey, have your lunch, now," marahan niyang sabi. Umupo siya sa kaniyang swivel chair. He then check all the documents on his table. Sa subrang dami hindi pa niya natapos pero ito na lang ang huling set.

"Can I go home now?" mahinang tanong nito sa kaniya.

"Why? You are not done with your work. Your out will be exactly at 4:00 PM," seryosong tugon niya saka pinasadahan ng tingin si Yna. "If you want to have lunch, then you can but you need to go back here after. Am I clear?"

"Okay." Locating her bag, she plonked it on her shoulder. She picked up the folders on her table.

"Why are you bringing these folders? Are you planning to sneak out after lunch?"

She face him irritably. Nag-ikot siya ng mga mata.

"None of your business. I will bring this, maybe I will have time after lunch, I will memorize it. I can't memorize it without eating some food." She then turned around.

"Okay. You may go."

Ngiting tagumpay ang pinakawalan niya. She walked out immediately.

"Asa ka pang babalik ako."She has the time to sneak out.

Ayaw niya ang atmosphere sa loob ng opisina ni Alas. At mas ayaw niyang mag-memorize ng lahat ng nakasulat sa dalawang booklet na binigay ng lalaki. She felt irritated and she hates hassles.

Dumiretso siya sa parking area at umuwi. Wala siyang pakialam kung magagalit si Alas sa gagawin niya. She even used to sneak out from his father before why won't she do it from others.

It's almost an hour when Yna went for lunch. Alas keep watching on his watch. "She really sneaked out. That girl is so pathetic. She's really stubborn."

From the intercom, he calls Lydia. He already checked all the documents so he needed to give it to her for some revisions.

"Sir?" tanong nito.

"Come here. I already checked all of these. It needs some revisions. You may go."

"Copy sir."

Mabilis na pumasok sa opisina niya si Lydia at kinuha ang mga documents. She's walking towards the door when Alas talks.

"Don't forget tomorrow. You will train my new secretary."

Tumango siya at lumabas.

Alas blew some air when he remembered Yna. He stood up. Naisipan niyang bumisita sa bahay ni Yna. Gusto niyang madalaw sina Jomari at makausap na rin. Matagal na silang hindi nagkita ng personal.

Nasa sasakyan na siya ng may tumawag sa kaniya. One of his friends, inviting him for his birthday party. Nahihiya siyang tumanggi kaya pumunta na lang siya roon dahil sa imbitasyon nito.

PAGKARATING niya sa venue ay taos-puso siyang binati ng mommy ni Melchior, ang lalaki ay matalik niya ring kaibigan at business partner.

"Hey bro, how are you?" Melchior asked him. Malapad ang ngiti nito habang papalapit sa kaniya.

"I'm fine bro. Happy birthday."

"Ow? Thank you. Long time no see. How's your love life?" agad nitong tanong.

He smiled. "Nope. I haven't engaged yet in any relationship. I'm very busy with my work and as a new CEO. "

Natawa si Melchior sa sinabi niya. Parang hindi ito naniniwala sa kaniya.

"What? You're so handsome not to have a girlfriend? Oh, come on. By the way, Brenda is here, she's still single like you. You can go out with her for a date."

"Really? Where is she? I miss both of you. I don't have enough time to go out for a date. I'm really busy."

"Well, it's up to you. Let's have a drink. Let's go," inaya siya ni Melchior na makipag-inuman, they headed to the counter.

YNA was home. Nakita siya ni Jomari dahil maaga rin itong umuwi galing trabaho.

"How's your first day?" usisa nito ng makalapit sa kaniya.

She shrugged her shoulder. " I don't feel it. I'm tired and hungry."

"What? Why are you here? Are you done with your work?"

"Not yet. But I'm bored. Who will dare to memorize two booklets with more than fifty pages in just a day, dad?"

Lumapit pa sa kaniya si Jomari at tinapik ang balikat niya.

"Well, ganyan talaga. Ngayon alam mo na ang pakiramdam ng may trabaho. Working for yourself and for your family is very hard, that's why you should be diligent in your work."

"It's true. Kain muna ako dad, excuse me."

She shrugged her shoulders and headed to the kitchen. She's hungry and she wants to eat. She found some lasagna in the fridge.

Naglagay siya sa kaniyang plato. Gutom na gutom siya kaya kaagad siyang lumamon.

Pinagmasdan lang siya mula sa malayo ni Jomari. "Sana tumino ka na. At huwag sanang sumuko si Alas sa ugali mo Yna."

Samantalang, medyo na lasing si Alas, kaya nagpa-alam na siya sa kaibigan niya. Marami pa siyang trabaho na dapat gawin kinabukasan.

He was about to ride in his car when a tall, white and sexy woman appeared in his blurry vision. She's wearing shorts with a hang-in on top. She's very sophisticated.

"Hey, Alas, are you going home? It's too early. Please stay." She blocked his way.

Ngumiti siya ng marecognized ang babae. "Hey, Brenda. Is that you?"

"Of course, I am. Nice to see you again. Long time no see."

"Nice to see you, too. Sorry, I can't stay any longer. But you can visit my office anytime."

Brenda smiles sweetly. Isa siya sa naging kaibigan ni Alas sa US, she's also from the well-known family. "Okay. Can you still drive your car? You smells alcohol," malandi niyang wika saka inamoy pa ang suit ni Alas.

"Of course, I have to go. See you again next time."

"Okay." She gave him a way.

Alas got into his car. He waved his hand to her, revved the car's engine and drove off. Brenda was left and let his car fade in her vision then went inside to Melchior's house.

YNA was on her bed. Wala siya sa mood na binuklat ang booklet ng Dela Merczid Real Estate Company staffs' profile. Pumako kaagad ang mga mata niya sa larawan ni Alas. She started to feel irritated. "Hindi ka guwapo kahit boss pa kita. Kutusan kita dyan e," parang baliw na kinausap niya ang picture ni Alas.

Napailing siya saka binuklat ang kasunod na mga pahina. Nakita niya ang larawan ng babae. "Maybe she's Lydia. She's beautiful but seems like she's already married." She commented, tama naman ang hula niya. Buntis pa nga e.

She turned more pages. She saw some faces. She can't assure herself to memorize them all, but she's trying.

Kinuha niya ang isang booklet pero nainip lang siya. "Work Ethics," basa niya. Kakayanin kaya niyang masaulo ito? She will try to memorize one page out of ten pages.

Nainip lang siya kaya sa halip na magsaulo ay nagbrowse siya ng internet. Nakita niya ang mukha at pangalan ni Alas na trending online. He's in the current news, his company will have a merger at Domingo's Group of company.

"No, it can't be? Maybe he knows Janus?" Napatili siya sa sobrang saya. Ito na ang hinihintay niyang pagkakataong, ang makita ulit si Janus.

"It's nice. Magtatrabaho na ako sa kompanya mo Alas dahil hindi sa gusto ko. I wish one day they will meet again. Janus, I miss you so much," she utters this words.

Isa na naman sa kabaliwan niyang naisip. Nawalan na siya ng ganang magsaulo. She arrange the documents on her mini table and had a sleep.