BECAUSE OF YOU

HE or SHE

On Alex’s way to his appointment, he remembered his irritation over his MA Head. It was the cause of his impatience and bad mood that day.

Alex was supposed to meet with the MA legal head earlier. However, he was told of a prior commitment of the person. He could have asked "him" to join this important meeting, but the MA head was unavailable to his dismay. 

“Huh! How dare he!” He arrogantly muttered.

Unavailable? No one should be unavailable when he needed them.

Alex decided that as soon as he sets foot in the office the next day, he would clarify to that person the value of his time. Any delay cost him money, and it was a lot of money. Alex would make sure, when he meets "him" tomorrow, he‘d know... he costs him money. Also, Alex would make "him" understand the weight and accountability of the task "he" signed for. 

If by any chance that person considered his father too weak because of his health condition, which probably was the reason why the MA head was too relaxed in his work? Alex would make it clear to him that...He is now the CEO, and all of them should answer to him.

---

Meanwhile, Tamara or Tam, her nickname, almost missed the wedding march by a few minutes if she waited for the driver to find a parking space for them. Tamara and Tina immediately ran from the gate so they could still catch the queue. Tamara was clutching her breath as she joined her partner for the wedding march.

"Tam, you almost missed it," said Mel, the groomsman, and her wedding march partner.

"Hush! I'm here now. Let's go!" she said, giving some of the guests she knew her sweetest smile.

"Clarisse will give you one hell of a time if you missed it," he added while laughing.

"Got caught at work! Unable to get my under time," The aisle was long in this church, so she got to listen to Mel's razzing longer.

"Overworked career woman. Oops, sorry, I forgot the Atty. Tamara can easily sue me," he didn't stop teasing her. She was starting to be annoyed.

"Shut up!" she said vehemently.

Tamara sighed in relief when they parted as they reached the altar. Otherwise, she would kick Mel forcefully to shut up. They have been her friends since high school. Clarisse, Mel, Tom, and Tina were a few of her friends from high school that, up to the present time, remained her best friends. 

Her friends often teased her as she was still single and had no love interest. Tamara was married to her work, according to them. It was why, up to the present time, she still didn't have a love interest.

Since Clarisse would be married at the end of the day, her last unmarried friend Tamara would be the sole focus of their playful teasing. It was Tamara's terrible luck to be single and had no boyfriend since birth. She would be the topic of their teasing until she finally found a partner, “How the hell can I  find him immediately?” She muttered silently. She was not desperate, but she hoped the razzing would not be directed on her.

Tam was not really worried about her single status. She was busy with her work and had no time for romance. It was not because Tamara didn’t go on dates. There were invitations for dinners she agreed to from time to time; however, she couldn’t find someone that could hold her interest. 

According to her friends, she would be an old maid due to her chosen career since she was so unattainable. A lawyer and a tough one at that would always be unreachable. It would take a man with a dominant personality to conquer Tamara's heart. Aside from that, since she’s a lawyer, no one would dare to mess up with her; she could sue anyone who dared to make a pass. 

Tamara dismissed their assumptions. In her thoughts, someday, the right man would come along. The man would make her forget everything else and make her heart melt whenever she was with him. That would be someday...but definitely not today! She hissed.

However, in the meantime, she had to endure the razzing, teasing, and mocking of her friends --until her Prince Charming found her.

The beautiful wedding of her friend Clarisse ended after five hours. Tamara was exhausted when she went home. Aside from the long celebration, she had to put up with her friend's bantering about her singlehood. “Why is it unfortunate to be single and happy?” she asked herself.

She was living alone in her condominium in Makati. She purchased the unit in her first year of working at a known law firm within the same location. Dwelling in that place saved her time traveling from the southern part of Manila, where her parents live. Also, her office was just a walk away, so it was an excellent acquisition. Although she was alone, aside from the cleaner that comes thrice a week to do cleaning, laundry, and stocking up her supplies, she was content.

Her new job as an MA lead counsel for the past six months had been taking so much of Tamara's time. Actually, it consumed all her time. She hardly socialized, and she spent her free time learning and studying. It was indeed a tough job. 

XTG holdings have various businesses, and with the new CEO’s entry into the company, her job would even be harder. The Acquisition and Merger (MA) was the CEO’s field of expertise. Their group was created because the new CEO requested the special group six months before his take over. He finally arrived last week. Therefore, the MA group expected the CEO would meet them very soon. 

Tamara thought she better prepare to sleep so she would be early in the office tomorrow. She valued her single status; at least she could do whatever she wanted and whatever she pleased with no one to question her. 

Her life was perfect, even though she was alone.

---

The next morning Tamara arrived in the office at 8 am, although the official office hour was 9 am. She liked being early. Tamara immediately checked her emails and also her schedule for the day. Her assistant updated her calendar before she ended the day, so Tamara could easily adjust her plan when there was a conflict in schedules. 

She saw an additional entry from the schedule from yesterday -9:30 in the morning CEO office.

The former CEO came to the office at 11 am, and all appointments were set after lunch, but this new one starts his day early. "Hmph, trying to make an impression, huh! Until when will he be this diligent?" she silently uttered.

Tam knew he was the only son of the then CEO and now the Chairman of the company. He might not be a spoiled brat after all, or he was trying to make an impression. 

Whatever his reason, Tamara readied herself to face the new boss.

Meanwhile, Alex strutted to his office at precisely 9 am; the staff paid their respect immediately as he passed by. The man walking in his perfectly tailored suit was impeccably handsome; he nodded at everyone he saw. He had been like this since his appointment, always early, always on time... His office occupied the building’s entire top floor, with his ten secretaries representing various companies they owned. He also has two assistants who answered his every command: his left and right man.

Alex called Joe, one of his assistants, "Joe, ask the MA legal head to come immediately to my office." 

He was ready to give his not-so-pleasant words to a certain "Atty. Tam," the MA legal head. His absence yesterday almost caused him a lot of money. He could have lost the property to another company if he did not make a move yesterday. If the MA head was with him, he could have readied the documents he needed to protect the deal. However, the MA head had a previous engagement, he was told, which added up to his annoyance.

Alex released a heavy sigh. It was good that he still managed to secure the owner not to sell the property to anyone but him. His MA head would definitely hear something from him.

Meanwhile, in Tamara's office.

He answered the phone ringing at the table of her secretary. She requested coffee from her, so Sherly, her secretary, was in the pantry preparing a coffee. In her place, Tamra answered the call herself... "Hello, MA department, good morning," she greeted politely.

"This is Joe from the CEO's office. Kindly advise the MA head to proceed to his office immediately," he said.

Tamara looked at her phone. It was only 9:10 am, but of course, she couldn’t question the CEO’s order. Instead, she said, "She will be there," when she heard the line was cut after the man thanked her.

"Hmph! Ill-mannered boss,” She got her tablet and proceeded to the elevator to bring it to the top floor immediately. The "boss" seemed unable to follow courtesy in appointment scheduling—no respect for other people's time. “Oppressive tyrant,” she murmured. She sighed deeply and tempered her annoyance.