THE CEO'S DEEPEST REGRET

THE CEO

Monday morning...

" First of all , I would like you to know that I am delighted to see you here . I am looking forward in working with you . " Nakangiting sabi ni Mr . Renante sa akin .

Pagdating ko sa kompanya ay dumiretso na ako sa kaniyang opisina sa fifth floor prior to my dad's instructions .

" I'm glad to be part of the team sir ..." I almost hesitated . Sana lang nasabi ko ito ng walang bahid malisya . What else can I say ? I'm sure alam ni Mr . Renante na may trabaho na ako back in San Carlos .

He knows too well the reason why I'm here in front of him . It was because of my dad . Nevertheless , I tried to be sound convincing.

" I'm looking forward in working with you and the company . " I added sincerely . I'm here to work and dad's expectations are high ayaw Kong mapahiya siya kaya I'll make the best version of myself while I'm here ."

" Miss Georgina ," he cleared his throat . " I'm here to personally welcome you . " His smile is genuine .

" Hindi naman lingid sa iyo na humingi ako ng tulong sa Daddy mo na makakuha ako ng magaling na consultant designer . Metikuloso kasi ang aking anak pagdating sa business . He wanted perfection starting with this empire ."

He said matter-of-fact. " He doesn't like the design presented to him . Well , my son is a little stubborn and he may be a pain in the a*s but ...I supported him " He added.

Kumunot ang aking noo. Anak ? Bakit nasangkot sa anak Niya ang usapan namin ? Good thing I refrain myself from asking .

" Hmmm ." I hummed. So , this son of his is a jerk , I thought , base na rin sa sinabi niyang description and based on his statement , malamang nandito rin sa kompanya nagtrabaho ang kaniyang anak , obviously .

Pagkatapos naming mag - usap tungkol sa aking trabaho ay pumunta na ako sa aking opisina na nasa seventh floor .

Agad Kong sinimulan ang aking trabaho base sa mga reports and disenyong nakita ko sa aking desk . Everything's prepared huh , I thought as I scanned the plan that was filed on my desk .

This office needs renovating too , I thought to myself . And that was that , sinubsob ko ang aking sarili sa paggawa .

At around 10am , there was a knock on the door .

" Come in ." Isang magandang babae ang pumasok .

" Good morning ." She greeted , and walked directly towards me .

" Please have a seat . " I returned the smile on her face and grasped her outstretched hand .

" Thank you , " she withdrew her right hand and sat opposite me .

" I'm Cathy Solis, your assistant . " Hindi pa rin napapawi ang ngiti sa kaniyang labi . " I'm looking forward to in working with you . I'm sorry , If it took me one hour bago ako pumunta rinto . Inaasikaso ko pa kasi ang conference room . Anyways , welcome to the company , Miss Orellano . "

I have a feeling na magkakasundo kami ni Cathy . The way she smile , the way she talk , ramdam ko ang kaniyang sincerity. Or maybe not .

Looks can be deceiving . Kahit na ang may pinakamaamong mukha ay may tinatagong sekreto at pag-uugali na hindi mo akalian .

So , no , hindi na ako madaling magtitiwala sa mga tao ngayon. Almost everyone is fake .

" Miss..I mean ma'am.? "

" Oh yes,? I'm sorry , did you say something ?" Naalimpungatan ako ng medyo tumaas ang tono ni Cathy

. I cleared my mind and cleaned my throat .

" I said , Mr Renante requested everybody to the conference room . You kind of zone out , I'm sorry napalakas ang boses ko . How would you like me to address you ? Miss or ma'am ? I'm sorry if I ..."

" No , no . It's alright , you can call me Miss Orellano , Miss Solis ..hindi naman siguro nagkakalayo ang edad natin , with in fact , you can call me Georgina ." I apologetically smile at her . Na mistinterpret pa yata Niya ang aking pagtahimik bigla .

" You were saying that Mr Renante was requesting everyone in the conference room ?" I ask .

" Only the departmental heads and their assistants and that includes you and me ."

" I see , when ? "

" Now .."

Ang conference room ay nasa seventh floor din , lucky for us , hindi na namin kailangan pa ang sumakay ng elevator pataas o pababa .

Pagdating namin sa conference room ay okupado na halos ang kalahating upuan na nakapalibot sa oval table.

" Hey Cathy , here ..! " Sumenyas ang Isang lalaki Kay Cathy na nakaupo opposite to the head of the table . Lumapit kami ni Cathy sa kaniya .

" Hey , Melvin , this is Miss Georgina Orellano our newly recruited design consultant . Miss Georgina , this is Melvin from the marketing department . " Inilahad ni Melvin ang kaniyang kamay for a shake Hand.

" How are you Miss Georgina ? Welcome to the company ." I could feel the sincerity of his voice and smile , just like Cathy .

" I'm good , thank you ." Ngumiti din ako sa kaniya . Some people around us are nodding at me , some just smiled , while others are nonchalant .

" Please take your seat ." Dagdag pa ni Melvin . Umupo si Cathy next to Melvin and I next to her . Five minutes had passed , hindi pa rin dumating si Mr Renante . I was thinking of asking Cathy why he was called Mr Renante , rather than his family name .

" Oh that , naisip ko din yan back when I was new to the company . But since everybody was calling him that way , hindi na rin ako nagtanong pa ." She shrugged his shoulders .

" How long have you been working here?"

" Two years ." I was about to answer when we heard the clearing of the throat .

"Good morning everyone ," a lean man standing erect in front of us. He was wearing a business suit , so it's safe to assume na kabilang din siya sa kumpanya .

" Please prepare for the report and presentation , the CEO is expecting it. "

Habang nagsasalita ito ay nagsimula nang umilaw ang monitor sa aming harapan , kanya -kanya nang bukas ng kanilang laptop ang mga kasamahan namin sa conference room .

The room was filled with silence. Nakita ko ang expression ng mga tao sa loob , mukhang kinakabahan .

Ang iba ay nagbulongan pa , which makes me wonder , kinakabahan ba sila Kay Mr . Renante ? Hindi naman siya istrikto if my first meeting with him were any guide .

Malumanay magsalita , nakangiti at halatang mabait . Well, hindi naman ako sigurado dahil unang meeting ko pa lang sa kaniya kanina . Maybe , when it comes to business, ibang usapan naman iyon .

As I watch the group busying themselves with their laptops , I fish my cellphone in my pocket and start scrolling with the kindergarten teacher's number . I wanted to check Ashley since hindi pa naman dumating is Mr . Renante . Besides , wala pa naman akong contribution sa meeting na ito . Other than the fact na hindi ginamit ni Mr .renante ang kaniyang apelyedo which is Addison , I assumed .

This is The Addison Industry , naturally Addison ang family name ni Mr . Renante since he is the owner of this company . Bumalik ang isip ko sa kindergarten school ni Ashley . It was comforting to know ma may institution sa Makati na pwedeng Iwan ang anak buong maghapon , until they were picked up by their parents or guardians .

Balak Kong kumuha ng yaya para sa aking anak . Iba pa rin kapag mayroon siyang kasama sa bahay . She doesn't need to stay longer in school kung gusto niyang magpahinga sa hapon .

Kinakailangan pa tuloy ni Ashley na sumali sa ballet dancing para hindi siya ma bore sa paaalan .

"Oh , freaking hot .. " napatingin ako sa aking katabi na namilog ang mga mata . Sinundan ko ang kaniyang tingin sa harapan , sa head of the table and I was stunned .

I felt weak all of a sudden . I couldn't breathe , para akong binuhusan ng yelo , dahilan upang mamanhid ang aking buong katawan .

It seems to me that the world will stop revolving , standing in front of me is the man that I despise and wish not to cross paths with ever again - Adrian.

What is he doing here ? Why on earth is this man whom I tried to forget for the rest of my life standing in front of me ? I immediately turned my attention to the screen on Cathy's laptop , while doing so , I tried to hide my face with my hair and prayed he wouldn't notice me at all .

I clenched my palm and forgot about checking Ashley . " Good morning everyone .... Oh God , that voice ...

" I understand that everyone had received the memo that the former CEO ," he paused . I can see through my long lashes na nakatingin siya sa akin . He must recognized me . His darkened gaze sends shivers to my spine . Sa gilid ng mata ko , nakita ko ang pagkurap Niya , making sure na hindi siya magkamali sa kaniyang nakita . I thought .

" Or shall I say , my father ." he added .

" It was stated there that he retired and appointed me as the new CEO , and the board approval has been clearly noticed . So , going forward ...ayaw ko ng magpaligoy -ligoy pa . I have a few rules and regulations na gusto Long baguhin..."

Para naman akong pinagsakluban ng langit at lupa . What on earth is happening ? I get it na he's from Manila , but never in my entire life na mahulaan ko na siya ay tagapagmana ng Isang kompanya, na kaibigan ng ama ko .

No . He was secretive when we were living together back in college. Ang alam ko lang ay anak mayaman siya , anak ng business man . Who would've thought na kaibigan ng ama ko ang papa Niya!

This is ridiculous . Hell, there's no way I'm going to stay here . Hindi ko maatim na makisama sa Isang taong taksil , ang taong para sa akin ay patay na simula ng Iwan Niya ang responsibilidad sa akin .

No . Paano ko ba siya haharapin sa araw-araw na makikita ko siya dito sa kompanya ? Walang gabi na hindi ko pinagsisihan ang pagkaroon ko ng ugnayan sa kaniya , tapos ngayon , makasama ko pa siya sa Isang kompanya?

Ang masaklap , anak siya ng may -ari ng kompanya at siya na ang bagong CEO . That means , I maybe directly or indirectly under his watch .

What the hell , sa dinami- dami ng kompanya sa Maynila bakit dito ako napunta ? Sa dinami-dami ng tao sa Pilipinas bakit ang ama Niya ang kaibigan ni daddy ? Is this some kind of joke .

Hell, bakit ba ako mag-alala? I can render my resignation letter the moment I'll be out in this freaking room . I don't care na katatapos ko lang nakapirma ng contractt this morning . I sighed deeply as I held my thoughts .

"Are you alright ?" Mahinang tanong Ni Cathy sa akin .

" Georgina , Miss Georgina .. "

" Huh..?" She motioned me to look upright at the person in front of me . Hindi ko pa rin itinuon ang aking paningin sa lalaking kinamumuhian ko .

I could feel the intensity of his gaze towards me . It burns like hell, I could almost see the smirk right there .

" Welcome , welcome on board everyone , I see new faces around here ...have fun working under me ." I knew it , he was smirking . Bastard . Ramdam ko ang malisya ng salitang under me .

The nerve of this man . " I hope I am making myself clear and wish that you internalized all the words I had spoken or so God help me ...You know the consequences as it was stated clearly . Unless ..." He paused and gazed at me . " You are not paying attention ..."

Oh , that smirked again , that arrogant smirked again. Nagngingitngit lalo ang aking kalooban .

" This meeting is adjourned . " He said and proceeded to go out to the door . Agad namang sumunod ang lalaking unang dumating sa conference room , which I assumed his assistant .

Pero bago lumabas ito ay nagbilin naman na pwede nang dumiretso sa banquet hall kung saan nakahanda ang lunch as part of welcoming the newly appointed CEO .

" Georgina , " tawag ni Cathy sa akin . " Sabay na tayo .."

Nakalimutan ko si Cathy dahil sa pagmamadali Kong makalabas kaagad at ng mapuntahan ko si Mr Renante . I need to resign .

I must resign as soon as possible . Right here and right now .

Kaya pala sinabi Niya ang tungkol sa kaniyang anak .

" Oh , Cathy ...I'm sorry . Mauna na kayo doon , susunod na lang ako ." I told her and the guy Melvin.

" Okay , pero susunod ka ha ?"Sabi ni Cathy .

"Sure ..." I said . Though , I'm not sure anymore .

" Cathy , wait . "

" Ano ba ang apelyedo ni Mr . Renante ? "

" Velasco . Mr. Renante Velasco . " Uminit ang aking mukha ng narinig ko ang apelyedo .

" I thought , he is Mr . Renante Addison , hence this is the Addison Industry . Hindi ba pag-aari Niya ang kompanya ?" Tanong ko sa Kaniya . I remember daddy told me that Mr Renante Addison owned the industry by seventy percent . Thirty percent naman ang share ng ibang kapatid Niya .

" Yes , but he's family name is Velasco . Ang Addison ay apelyedo ng kaniyang asawa , na siyang anak ng unang may-ari ng business industry ng Addison . Nang mabili ito ni Mr . Renante , ay nagdesisyon siya na manatiling hñ Addison Industry ang pangalan ng kompanya .

Hindi na Niya binago pa , bilang respeto at pagbibigay pugay na lamang sa mga in law Niya .

" I see ..thank you Cathy . Nagpatuloy ako sa paglakad patungo sa opisina .

There's no way in hell na manatili pa ako rito .

Binilisan ko pa ang paglakad . I will type a resignation letter . No , I should email the hr manager about my resignation . But , since I'm here because of dads request , it's not appropriate to do so . I will write a resignation letter and personally hand it over to Mr Renante.

Kung napalitan lamang ng Velasco ang Addison Industry . Siguro nagkaroon pa ako ng idea, the family name might ring a bell .

Who I am kidding , the family name might not just ring a bell , but that surename was already painted within me . How can I forget the devil's sure name ?

He ruined me . He broke my heart into tiny pieces .I'm on the verge of crying but then I control myself . I couldn't be weak . Not anymore , especially because I have a daughter now .

Uminit ang aking pisngi ng maisip ko ang aking anak . All the more reason to resign. There's no way in hell na malaman Niya na nagkaanak kami , he already gave up his right the moment he left.

Nanginginig akong binuksan ang pinto ng opisina , the moment I enter the office , a hand grabs my shoulder. " Long time no see., George , how are you ?"