Chapter 5
1030 Words
MALAKI ANG AWANG NG NGITI NI LUCAS ng makita ang slow motion na pagpasok ni Stace sa opisina niya. He pulled himself up in his seat, to appear as the boss. Unti-unti ang paglakad nito sa long wooden mahogany table at nasa gitna naman siya, nasa likod niya ang projector ng Insignia.
Tinanggal lang niya ang shades niya ng tuluyan na itong nakaharap sa kaniya.
“Hi,” his tone was cool. “Nice to meet you.”
“W-why is this man here?” lingon ni Stace kay Will na nagulat rin sa reaksiyon ng babae, “is he included in the meeting? Akala ko ba boss lang?”
Mas lumaki pa ang ngiti ni Lucas. Gusto niyang matawa pero pinigil niya.
“Can you at least have a seat, Ms. Monteverde?” ani Lucas.
“Don’t tell me-“
“Siya ang boss,” ani Will.
“No way,” iling ni Stace, nakita niya ang biglaang pag-blush nito, marahil sa pagkapahiya o awkwardness. Whichever is which, he finds her amusing and charming. “You can’t be-“
“It would be best if ka’yo muna ang mag-usap?” suhestiyon ni Will. Gumalaw ang eyebrow nito, tumaas.
“Yes,” tango ni Lucas, “you can leave us both for awhile.”
Nang pagsirhan na sila ng glass door ay napa-relaks na si Lucas, he slid his palms at the back of her head, freely eyeing and scanning Stace’s features. Halatang nag-ayos ito sa meeting nila.
“Can you stop staring?” Stace glared at him.
“I’m going to sign the contract, so I need to decide wether to sign or not,” ibinalik niya ang palad sa mesa. He played with his stylus pen.
“Don’t sign it, no need!” irap sa kaniya nito.
“Are you sure?” ekis ng kilay niya. “Masyado ka naman atang mabilis sumuko.”
“Hindi ako sumusuko, but I can’t work under you. You are the reason why my boyfriend cheated on me, remember? At isa pa, hindi ko alam kung anong totoong pakay mo sa ‘kin. Alam kong may kakaibang nangyari sa ‘tin. I hope we can forget that.”
Napatikhim lang si Lucas. “If you wish to forget that, then why lose a great opportunity?” She’s smart but he is surely much smarter.
Stace eyed him, “Your stats are dwindling eversince, alam mo iyan,” he challenged her.
“It’s not like I need those stats,” she was stubborn.
“Yes you do,” hingap niya. He nudged the paper at her. “Look at the figures, what do you think?”
Stace’s black and deep-hued eyes stared back at her, unbelieving. “Is this serious?”
“Hindi ba nasabi sa’yo ni Will?” namutawi ang matagumpay niyang ngisi. Money, money, money, this is what’s its all about. It can be a great bait.
“Of course, this figure won’t come easy, kailangan mong medyo pagtrabahuan ito. But I promise you, it will be worth it.”
“MA-MAGHUHUBAD AKO?” yun lang talaga ang namutawi sa labi niya dahil hindi siya makapaniwala sa mga pigurang nakasulat sa kontrata niya. Hindi pa niya nahahawakan ang ganoong kalaking pera!
Stace stared back at the man in the open tux, nakangisi na ito sa kaniya. What else could this money be worth for? Hindi naman kataka-takang maibigay nito ang ganoong halaga, sa Youtube channel pa lang nito ay pumapaso na ng malapit sa isang milyon matapos lamang ng ilang oras na pag upload.
“The Naughty Games series, have you seen it?” he questioned her.
Hindi na niya ide-deny, kaya’t napatango siya. Nag research siya sa lalaki noong araw matapos ng maharot nilang phone call.
Iyong kay Hera ang napanood niya. “I’ve watched it.”
“What do you think about it?” sunod nitong tanong.
“It’s…” napatulala siya saglit, sasabihin ba talaga niya ang nasa isip niya? “It’s not something I would advise girls to do.”
“Why not? These videos are not for girls, it’s for women. It’s embracing your sexuality and being free. It’s tapping the core of being a woman.”
Medyo magaling itong mag sales talk, naisip niya.
“Here,” Lucas nudged his phone on her, “nakikita mo ba ‘yan?” it was a Papparazzi shot of Nylon and Nikka, nasa beach ang dalawa, carefree at masaya. Naghaharutan ang dalawa habang todo ang bikini ni Nikka. She can’t deny that this b***h have a perfect ten body.
“They’re enjoying the time of their life. And you, what?”
“Believe it or not, but I’m okay,” ismid niya. Agad niyang inilayo ang cellphone nito. Ang totoo, parang may nagpi-pin prick sa puso niya. Naiinis siya at nagagalit.
“Why don’t you show him that you can do better, Stace?”
Natahimik lang siya, her eyes started to mist. Hayup, ayaw niyang maging emo sa harap ng damuhong ito.
“Imagine this, you be the carefree and perfect girl everybody is rooting for. Gagapang at luluhod siyang pabalik sa’yo. For me, that would be the perfect revenge. You’re carefree and has money that you need for, rather than be bitter and poor?”
“You’re really something,” usal ni Stace pabalik sa lalaki.
Lucas was wearing a casual preppy but bossy look. Admit it or not, talagang guwapo ito at malakas ang charisma. Kung hayok siya sa lalaki, atensiyon at yaman ay kanina pa siya pumirma sa papel. But there is something unnerving her.
“S-so what your implying is, sasali ako sa videos mo?” klaro niya.
“Exactly, you’ll be my permanent muse for the Naughty Games series.”
“A muse?” she uttered.
“Someone I’ll most of the time roleplay with. Imagine the bomb factor, Stace Monteverde, good girl gone bad?”
She just sat there frigid, ewan ba niya, but something is sizzling inside her.
“Just release it, and discover who you are…” unti-unting lumapit si Lucas sa kaniya. She can feel the tingle in her skin. Napatayo na ito, slowly inching towards her.
She can feel the warm breath behind ears, as he motioned lower to whisper to her, “Stacey, do you want to be the boring girl who gets left behind, forever?”
Napailing siya, a warm tear suddenly escaped her eyes. She can feel the pinprick in her heart becoming a deeper stab of hunger and hollow feeling. Mabilis niyang pinunasan ang pisngi. She’ll be better…she’ll be a new version…a new Stace Moneteverde.
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