Sweet Lies

CHAPTER 5

“NATSUMI? What are you doing here?” Kumunot ang kanyang noo pagkakita na pagkakita niya sa babae.

“Well, I came to visit you,” she replied, following a light shrug of her shoulder. The woman flashed a genuine smile, but Silas didn’t like it.

Hindi na siya sumagot. Matapos bigyan ng isang seryosong sulyap ang dalaga, tuloy-tuloy sa paglalakad si Silas sa loob ng kanyang opisina.

The click and clack sound of her black pointed high heels rang on his ear, echoing inside his office. Sinundan siya ng kanyang ka-fling—dating ka-fling na pala dahil sa pagkakaalala niya ay tinapos na niya ang ugnayan dito noong nakaraang linggo—hanggang sa makaupo na siya sa kanyang swivel chair.

He flipped the documents that needed to be examined today and didn’t pay attention to the woman who’s now sitting sexily on the edge of his office table. The four corners of the office were silent. Ang tanging maririnig lang ay ang tunog ng kamay ng wall clock, ang pagguhit ng ballpen sa papel, paglipat niya sa pahina ng mga dokumento, at ang mahinang pagtapik ng dalaga sa wooden table.

“So…” Basag ng babae sa katahimikang bumalot sa kanila. “How long will you ignore me, hmm, baby?”

Kamuntik nang mapairap si Silas nang marinig niya ang maharot nitong boses. He counted from one to ten before lifting his head to face her. It startled him a little when he realized she was leaning forward: leaning too close, exposing the valley of her breasts. Natsumi was wearing a red long sleeve knee-length fitted dress. Her face was painted with light make-up, but a thick red lipstick pressed on her lips. He inhaled her familiar sweet yet seductive perfume.

This was the first time he realized that this scent was common in bed. Lagi niyang naaamoy ang ganitong klase ng pabango kapag may nakakatalik siyang babae. It smells sultry and s*x.

Silas sighed, dropping his pen and the document on his table. He leaned against the backrest of the swivel chair; he crossed his arms across his broad chest. His eyes bore into her, staring up at her lazily.

“We already talked last week, haven’t we?” he asked as if he was losing his composure immediately.

She nodded her head. “Yes.”

“And I told you we’re done, right?”

“But I disagreed with you. Because, baby, I believe a relationship is built by two people. At ang break-up ay pinag-agree-han ng each party. So, I didn’t, and basically, we’re still together.”

“F*cking hell,” Silas cursed mentally.

Sa lahat ng mga naging babae niya, isa ito sa mga pinakamakulit at immature. He has known many women who have gone mad and created scandals when he asked them to stop seeing each other. Besides, being good-looking, filthy rich, and good in bed wasn’t his fault. He always tells them that he doesn’t do serious relationships. Too bad, most of his ex-flings wanted him more than a man in a s-excapade.

“Alin ba sa mga sinabi ko the first time we met ang hindi mo naintindihan, Nat? I don’t want a relationship with you or with anyone else. At alam mong katawan mo lang ang habol ko simula’t sapul, hindi ba?”

“Yeah, but you’re so sweet with me before, and I thought—”

“That is not my fault anymore. Masyado kang nag-assume. I do believe, in the beginning, you should know my deal. Kasi iyon naman ang nasabi ko at napag-usapan nating dalawa. And take note, you agreed.”

Natsumi pouted her lips. She was on the verge of crying her eyes out because of Silas’ rejection. Umayos ito bago bumaba mula sa pagkakaupo nito sa kanyang mesa. Pinagpagan nito ang damit kahit wala itong gusot o bahid ng dumi.

Hindi maitatanggi na nasaktan ang dalaga sa sinabi niya base sa nakikita niyang emosyon sa mga mata nito. Her eyes danced in embarrassment and pain. She inhaled and her collarbones exposed.

“I’m telling this to my father,” she threatened as if that would make him tremble in fear.

“Go ahead,” gatong ni Silas. He even gestured his hand, asking her to leave his office and tell her father about what he did to her. “Magsumbong ka sa tatay mo. As if that’s going to drag me down. Go on, baby girl. I won’t stop you.” He flashed a crooked smile to make her fuming in anger.

Seeing Natsumi’s annoyed face somehow satisfies his already stressful day. Nakayukom ang magkabilang palad ng dalaga at nagngingitngit sa inis at galit ang mukha nito. Tila umaakyat lahat ng dugo nito sa ulo nito at gano’n na lamang ang pagiging pula ng makinis nitong mukha.

“F*ck you, you jerk!” singhal nito sa kanya saka na ito tumalikod.

Sa pagbukas nito sa pinto, bumulaga sa kanila si Sinas. Natigilan ang dalawa nang magkasalubong sa pintuan at nagtitigan. Kamuntik nang humagalpak ng tawa si Silas nang makatanggap ng sampal si Sinas mula kay Natsumi. Nagpatuloy naman sa pag-exit ang babae mula sa kanyang opisina.

“What did you do this time?” Sapo ni Sinas ang pisnging nasampal habang papalapit ito sa office table niya. “At bakit ako na lang lagi ang sumasalo sa mga sampal na dapat ay sa iyo? That wasn’t fair! ‘Ni hindi nga ako humaharot kagaya mo.”

He shrugged his shoulders. “Ayon. Magsusumbong sa tatay niyang wala namang ambag sa kumpanya. I told her last week that we were done. Eh, she assumed things about us being ‘together.’” He even quoted the word ‘together’ with his fingers. “Hindi raw siya payag sa ‘break-up’ namin. Because she believed a relationship is built by two people.” He groaned, almost rolling his eyes heavenwards due to annoyance. “Gross. Relationship, my ass.”

Natsumi Concepcion is the daughter of one of their stakeholders, Miyo Concepcion. Kaibigan ng Papa nila ang huli mula pa noong kolehiyo ito. Mula nang mag-retiro ang kanilang ama, noon na napansin nina Silas na puro pasarap sa buhay ang ama ni Natsumi. Lagi rin itong lumiliban sa conference meeting.

Iiling-iling ang ulo ni Sinas na tinawanan siya nito. “Next time, ikaw na ang sumalo sa mga sampal nila. My ass is innocent here, idiot.”

“Tell that to my future ex-flings, not to me. Alright?”

“Whatever.” Sinas’ eyebrows quirked up in slight annoyance. “Anyway, I came here to tell you the news.”

Nang-aasar na nginisihan niya ang kapatid. “Should I be grateful? My brother personally came here to deliver the news instead of our secretary.”

Sinas clicked his tongue. “I guess this is a waste of time. Talk to Hilda instead,” anito at ang tinutukoy nitong Hilda ay ang kanilang sekretarya.

Nasa late thirties na ang kanilang sekretarya. May asawa na rin ito at tatlong anak. Kung si Silas at Sinas ang papapiliin ay mas bata at dalaga ang nais nila, ngunit ang kanilang magulang ang nag-hire kay Hilda. Marahil ay alam siguro ng mga ito ang likaw na bituka nila—lalo na si Silas.

Kung bata-bata at dalaga lang si Hilda ay matagal na sigurong nalandi ni Silas ito. Anak nga ng stakeholder ay nakukuha niya sa isang pitik lang ng daliri, eh.

Hinila niya ang laylayan ng itim nitong suit nang akmang tatalikuran na siya ni Sinas. “Masyado ka namang badtrip, nagbibiro lang, eh.”

Sinas glared at him. “Because you talked too much.”

“Maikli lang ang pasensya mo kamo,” balik niya. “Ano ba iyang sinabi sa iyo ni Hilda?”

Tinitigan siya ng nakatatandang kakambal. Tila ba nag-aaway pa ang kalooban nito kung sasabihin ba sa kanya o hindi. Pikon talaga.

Lumipas ang sampung segundo, pinaningkitan niya ito ng mata nang hindi ito kumibo. “Tic-tac-tic-tac, Sin. As you said, this is a waste of time. Are you going to tell me what it is or not?”

“Dad called me a few moments ago. Aside from you being passed out due to alcohol, and we got home late last night, he forgot to tell us he attended the inauguration in C&A Corporation. The company had a new president.”

Isa sa mga malakas na shareholder ng ConAd Real Estate ang C&A Corporation. Nangunguna man sila sa listahan sa pinakamaingay na pangalan sa industriya ng negosyo, pumapangalawa naman ang C&A.

At first, they thought C&A as their rival in terms of trading and negotiation. Na-feature pa nga sila sa entrepreneur news at tabloid dahil sa mainit at halos magkalapit na sale marketing. But five years ago, the latter company decided to have a partnership with the twins’ company.

And for Silas and Sinas, it was a wise choice and decision. Mas lalong lumawak at lumakas ang bawat kumpanya. Though, nangunguna pa rin ang kumpanyang ipinundar ng kanilang abuelo sa listahan.

“New president, huh?” Silas muttered, putting his chin between his forefinger and thumb. “Sino naman ang humalili kay Mr. Fabros?”

Nagkibit balikat si Sinas. “Iyan ang hindi sinabi ni Dad sa akin.”

“What? Did Dad keep that a secret? Come on!”

“Well, we will meet him or her. The new president wanted to set a meeting tomorrow or maybe the day after tomorrow.”

“Ang gulo ng desisyon niya, ha? Saan ba magaganap ang meeting niya?”

Sinas shrugged. “I guess, here in our company building. Nakita na raw siya sa kompanya nila, might as well reveal his face here.”

Silas snorted. “Update me when it will happen.”

His twin brother raised his eyebrows at him. “I am not your secretary, though. Go and tell Hilda about it,” Sinas spat off, turning his back and finally exited from his office.

Naiwan si Silas sa loob ng kanyang opisina habang may nararamdamang kuryosidad.

New president of C&A Corporation? Sa natatandaan niya ay isa lang ang anak ng mag-asawang Fabros at unico hijo iyon.

Maybe, the new president of C&A is Andres Fabros.