The Heartless | R18

Chapter 5

NARRATOR'S POV

It was a gloomy saturday when Evan Trade Smith decided to go to some coffee shop to sip a hot coffee, also to consume his remaining time before going to work. Take note, Evan is a morning person.

Idamay na rin na kahit papaano ay maganda ang gising niya, siguro ay dala na rin na maaga siyang nakatulog kagabi. Well, thanks to the three bottle of beer. They made him numb and dead.

"Morning, Evan," he whispered with a bored expression.

He's always early and he does not want to be late, especially his employees. He maybe strict to the fullest but he only wants his staff to be more responsible, where his company law is obeyed.

When he entered the said coffee shop, where the name is Bluebells Café. It has the 1990's classic ambiance and its color is the combination of gold and black, the shop also have lower ground floor and open rooftop.

While walking at the carpented floor, customer will definitely notice some variety of vintage things displayed around which Evan loves, coz for all we know— Evan is a deep person and has a dark past.

Bluebells Café is actually one of the most popular coffee shops here in the Philippines and there are several branches around the city.

And Evan knows the common saying of the shop itself, where when you enter the Bluebells Café you are definitely looking for a forever mate— but he does not believe in it.

Forever is just a word to him, it has no meaning and he don't want to believed that love really exist. f**k that word. Forever? Choke him, he wanna die instead.

He shook his head to dismiss what he was thinking and Evan went straight to the counter then ordered his usual coffee.

"One cup of Americano." His baritone voice echoed inside the shop.

It was the time for the woman in front of him to stop from what she was doing to her counter. Evan's jaw clenched and lean forward to stare at the woman's face.

"Go—good morning, Sir! Good morning!" she greeted her anxiously and barely smiled at him.

Evan shot his brows upward. Does she know how important it is for workers to follow the rules and regulations of a company?

In a retail company, number one rule is focus on the customer in front of you. That said, no one is more important than the customer waiting to be attended in your shop.

Does she know that? Is she aware of that? Evan's eyes dropped on her nameplate— so Thalia is the name.

What a cute name for a pretty girl like her. Ops, that was a lie. Palihim na kinagat ni Evan ang kaniyang pang-ibabang labi para itago ang pagkamangha sa dalaga.

Naisip niyang bata pa ito, he thinks she's only twenty years of age kaya habang maaga pa, ayaw niyang makulong sa salang Pedophile.

"O—okay, your order is one cup of Americano coffee. I—is there anything you want to add, Sir?" she interupt, maybe because she saw Evan staring at her nameplate and she was afraid he might complain.

"Are you happy with your job?" Evan asked while his finger lightly tapping on the marbled counter.

"Ho?" said of woman named Thalia, shocked is visibly written all over her face.

Evan looked to his both sides and saw that some customer were already lined up behind him, so he shook his head and turned to the woman again.

Napatitig siyang muli sa mukha ng babae at kulang na lang ay batukan niya ang sarili upang magising sa kahibangan.

Get a grip on yourself, Evan.

"Nothing... and can you please hurry up? You're obviously wasting my time," he said firmly.

"Ye—yes! Ri—right away, Sir."

Evan Trade just smirked and after paying his bill, he went straight to the rooftop without even looking at some customer, who were looking at him from head to toe.

He's used to it so he doesn't care anymore. Stare all you want until you collapsed, dimwit.

Evan sat down on the empty seat facing the beautiful view of Bulkang Taal, it was calm but because it's still morning, you could see the foggy around it.

The rooftop is actually for all of those who want to be alone... like him, so yeah. Kibit ang kaniyang balikat na napasandal sa kinauupuan.

All his life, he's always by himself. He feels that no one loves him even he's doing good, even though his grades were high when he was young.

Even though he always obeyed his parents' orders, still, they let feel him that he's useless and worthless— maybe that's the reason why her real mom left him without saying any goodbyes.

"Ah, what a sad story." He laughed bitterly at that thought.

"Here's your order, Sir." A woman's voice caught his attention.

He blinks a few time then looked up at the woman, he's surprised though he did not show any expression. He remain silent while coldly staring at Thalia.

What is she doing? Is she now a waitress? Evan snapped when Thalia put down his cup of coffee.

"Enjoy your coffee." She sweetly smiled and look at him. "Also I'm sorry for what happened earlier and as a sign of my gratitude, here is a slice of cake."

Then Thalia put on his table the plate she's holding with a chocolate cake in it, Evan blew a heavy sigh.

"I don't like sweets," he uttered seriously and turn around to look at her face.

Thalia bit her lower lip like she was feeling nervous, she sighed and could not help anymore but to roll her eyes in annoyance.

"Yeah, but still, I'm sorry. Hope you understand that every person has a problem," she said boldy.

Evan hardly laugh a bit, he stared at the girl in amazement and smirked.

So as he thought earlier, he feels her sadness through her eyes. She has a problem but that doesn't mean, she will no longer do her job right.

"And do you know that when you're at work, you supposed to leave all of your problem in your god damn house?" he strongly disagreed on her remarks.

At what he said, Thalia unconciously dropped her jaw in shock. She sighed loudly and was about to defend herself but Evan speaks.

"You can go, I don't want your sorry and this peace offering whom I thought, writ by your own management."

Thalia laughed, seems like she's restraining her temper and to not get annoyed from this heartless man.

"OK," she answered shortly then turn around her back at him. "Madali naman akong kausap, akin na lang 'to."

She leaves him— like everyone did to him and he knows that she's irritated by his behavior. Evan just smirked and looked away.

As if he care. He don't care at all and Thalia doesn't give a damn too, that's what matter to him. He laughs bitterly and sipped on his coffee. Evan shook his head, forcibly dismissing the image of that woman in his mind.

Though, he find Thalia cute with her short hair. She's slim and tall, has a beautiful pair of eyes and a red pouty lips. Damn that red lips!

Ramdam naman niya ang hangin sa paligid ngunit bakit pakiwari nito ay nag-init siya bigla? f**k it! Anong ibig sabihin no'n?

"Damn..." he cussed, hindi na napigilan ang sarili at kusang kumuyom ang dalawang kamao.

But anyway, his feeling will remain that way, he does not care to anyone, especially to that girl. She's a big no for him, period.

Ilang minuto siyang naglagi roon at parang hangin lang na tumawid ito sa kabilang kalsada, pagkapasok sa Trade and Home Structure Company ay sabay-sabay na pagbati ang nabungaran niya.

"Good morning, Sir Evan!"

"Morning," he murmured.

Tinahak nito ang hallway kung saan patungo sa elevator area saka sumakay sa pinakadulong bahagi, ang elevator na siya lang ang pwedeng sumakay at wala nang iba.

After a minute, the elevator stopped at his workplace. Buong floor ang office ni Evan, sa sobrang lawak no'n ay pagod itong napasalampak sa kaniyang mamahaling swivel chair at hinarap ang laptop.

Too many paperworks but he remained paralyze like a statue. Ilang minuto yata siyang nakipagtitigan sa screen ng kaniyang laptop bago inikot ang swivel chair sa malaking glass window ng office.

Katapat nito ay ang Bluebells Café kung saan tanaw niya ang rooftop doon at mula sa dulong bahagi ay nakita niya ang isang babae, maliit man sa paningin ni Evan ay sigurado siya sa natanto.

It's Thalia... who's secretly eating the chocolate cake.

Umawang ang labi ni Evan at halos hindi malaman kung ano ang magiging reaksyon, nakagat nito ang labi at sa panonood kay Thalia, hindi niya namalayang nakaukit na sa kaniyang labi ang maliit na ngisi.

"What is her name again?" bulong niya sa sarili bago kinapa ang cellphone sa kaniyang bulsa.

Nang mailabas ang phone ay dali-dali nitong binuksan ang naka-deactive niyang f*******: account.

"Ah, Thalia. Let me search her— girl in the rooftop, eating chocolate cake..."