Chapter 1: Tayo
#DS8Uncovered #LuMa #BearCouple #DaggerSeries
CHAPTER ONE: TAYO
LUNA'S POV
Binaba ko ang hawak ko na mga papel at pinakatitigan ko ang babae na nakaupo sa harapan ko. Unlike those who have worked for me before and know how I work, this person doesn't look nervous. In fact, she looks proud and confident.
Sabi nga nila, ignorance is bliss. She doesn't know me, so she has the liberty of enjoying this moment when most would be sweating buckets.
I have been a writer for most of my life. A journalist. I've tried different fields, though I always knew that I loved fashion. Bata pa lang ako ay kikay na ako. But I wanted to explore first, so I did. I bottled up every experience I had until, from being a journalist, I became an editor-in-chief.
I've been in the newly named Maven for a long time now. A few years ago, I became a co-owner of the company. And more things are underway. I wouldn't be here now if not for the people who guided me to become who I am now. But most importantly, I wouldn't be where I am if I didn't commit to pursuing growth every chance I get. All those gruelling hours, the exhaustion, the times I needed to steel my spine and carry on even though I wanted to do the opposite, the failures, and all the times I stood back up—those are what contributed to where I'm standing at this very moment.
Confidence is a great weapon for achieving things. But achieving great things could be stunted when skills are not on par with confidence. Too much confidence, and you'll have a person who's resistant to change because she thinks she's already perfect.
"How many days did it take you to write this?" I asked.
"Four days, ma'am."
Tumango-tango ako at muli kong pinasadahan ang unang pahina ng sampung pahinang printed article na binigay niya sa akin. "And this is for the company website?" Hindi ko siya hinintay na sumagot at nagpatuloy ako, "Are you perhaps mistaken in giving this to me?"
Kumunot ang noo niya. "That's the correct one. I double checked—"
"And yet I can still see a lot of errors."
Her face flushed a bit. "My editor said I should go straight to you. I already passed that on to her, but she didn't do anything, so I thought everything was good to go."
"Crystal told you to go to me because this isn't the first time that this has happened." Ibinaba ko ang mga papel sa lamesa. "You've been here in Maven for a month. You've given a total of three articles aside from this. Have you checked what happened to those articles?"
"I—"
"The editors are not your editors. They are the company's editors. Yes, they are responsible for making sure of the quality of the writers' contents, but they don't work below you. They work alongside you." Itinuro ko ang article niya. "But even with editors, as a writer, you're responsible for writing content that meets the standards."
I know I hit a nerve by the way she straightened. "I've worked hard to write all my articles, ma'am. I'm always up to the trends, and I made sure that my contents had an impact."
"The article you gave me right now is a recycled version of the ones you submitted before. Articles that the editors needed to cut and overhaul, which gave them more work to do than necessary." I tapped my fingers on the table as I trained my eyes on her. She's not a fresh graduate. She worked for other companies. We gave her a chance because she has potential. "You're right that you know the trends. The problem is that you've been stuck on one trend, and you've been writing about it four times now. Not only is it redundant, the scope of what you write doesn't reach diverse readers." Sumandal ako sa kinauupuan ko. I need a massage right now. "Knowing the trends is just the first part of your responsibility. Your job was to create content for the website. Visitors want to read easily to digest content. They're not viewing the page to read a short story. Your output is too long, too wordy, too unimaginative, and the number of errors is beyond ridiculous. Adding to that is that you write too slowly."
Sa lahat pa naman ng ayaw ko ay mga taong mababagal. I don't expect them to give me quality work in just a few hours, but one article doesn't need to take days. Life is too short to spend too much time on one thing. It was one thing that didn't change for me. Noon man o ngayon.
I was always moving, always running after stories. I have experienced a lot as a journalist. I've written countless stories. I even experienced staying at a police station just to get a whiff of fresh news. Only it was fashion that really drew me in more permanently. Not because I'm a woman, and women love clothes. It's because of the stories behind them. How they represent more than what meets the eye.
Some hated me for being tenacious. In fact, I'm pretty sure that there are a lot of them who would rather not see me. I couldn't blame them. Journalists are often hated for doing their job, which is to send out to the world what is most wanted to be hidden. Fortunately, I don't work for sleazy companies anymore. I've tried gossip journalism once, and it wasn't for me. I'm happy with where I am now. Kung hindi lang talaga laging sumasakit ang ulo ko.
"But this is not your first time hearing this," I continued. "Crystal has told you this again and again. Which is why you are right here right now with me."
She looks like a fish that was pulled out of water by the way she's gaping at me. It must be a first for her. When it shouldn't be. The companies she worked for before should have straightened her out. A potential would be a waste if it wasn't cultivated properly.
Kinuha ko ang mga papel. "I'm going to put this here, and you will understand what it means." Her eyes followed my movement, and they widened when she saw me put her article in the trash bin beside my desk. "As soon as you leave the room, you're going to cry. You'll hate me, and you'll talk behind my back. And at the end of the week, it's either you're going to pass me your resignation or you're going to give me an article that doesn't look like it has been written by a grade school student. Give me something that is worthy of Maven. If you can't do it, then instead of wasting your time and the company's time, start writing your resignation letter rather than the article I'm expecting you to give me."
Silence enveloped the two of us. For a moment, she just stared at me blankly, as if she couldn't see me. But when I tipped my head to the door, her eyes grew misty, and she stood up to scramble out of the room.
Hindi pa tuluyang sumasara ang pintuan ay rinig ko na ang paghikbi niya. Nagpakawala ako ng hininga at isinandal ko ang ulo ko sa kinauupuan ko na swivel chair. I love my job, but sometimes I wish I'm still a writer whose main job is to just write, and it isn't accompanied by all these headaches.
I don't ask anyone something that I couldn't do myself. I know what it feels like to be in their position. I didn't go through the lengthy process of my career without a few tears, but making someone cry as revenge doesn't give me any satisfaction. It's not a power move. But I can't tolerate incompetence at Maven, and that's what I want the people working here to understand. That they shouldn't tolerate it as well.
I'm a pretty chill boss. Most of my employees like me. Kahit na minsan ay parang gusto nila akong isumpa sa dami naming trabaho. But those who have worked here for a long time know how much I want everyone to take their jobs as seriously as I do.
Bumukas ang pintuan at pumasok doon ang isa sa iilang mga tao na may lakas ng loob na pumasok sa opisina ko kapag ganitong may kalalabas lang mula rito na empleyado na umiiyak. Sumilip pa siya sa labas bago niya tuluyang pininid ang pintuan at naglakad papunta sa upuan na binakante kanina ni Zoe Galveo.
"May inapi ka na naman."
Pinaikot ko ang mga mata ko. "Para namang araw-araw may pinapaiyak ako." Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. "What do I owe for this surprise visit? Samantalang parang nakalimutan mo nang may kompanya ka."
Stella Hayes, now Stella Hayes-Roberts, is the other half of Maven. She sold me her shares a few years ago when she decided to minimize some of her responsibilities. Kung hindi niya raw gagawin iyon ay baka lamunin na siya ng trabaho at tuluyan na siyang tumandang dalaga. Now she's happily married.
"Wala na akong kompanya," nakangising sagot niya. "As of today."
"So it's been approved," I murmured.
May inilabas siya sa dala niya na paperbag at napangiti ako nang makita ko na champagne iyon. Hindi pa siya ro'n natapos dahil may kinuha rin siya na tatlong champagne glasses mula sa loob niyon. As if on cue, my office's door opened again, and Maven's managing editor and COO, Alex Bryant, walked in.
Alex strutted to us. The way his hips move could be the envy of a lot of runway models, considering that he's built like a linebacker. Kinuha niya ang bote ng champagne at naglabas siya ng opener mula sa bulsa niya. "Congratulations! Official nang ikaw na lang ang sasakit ang ulo."
"Yehey!" eksaheradong pagbubunyi ni Stella na malakas na pumalakpak pa.
Naiiling na kinuha ko ang inaabot na baso ni Alex bago ako nagpukol ng masamang tingin kay Stella. "Yehey ka riyan. Kasalanan mo kaya. Mag-aasawa ka lang ayaw mo ng magtrabaho."
"Sabi ko naman sa inyo, gusto kong ma-enjoy ang married life ko."
"Gusto mo kamong i-enjoy ang asawa mo," sabi ni Alex na makahulugang inaangat baba ang kilay.
Hindi tumanggi ang babae at sa halip ay lalong lumawak ang pagkakangiti niya. "Kasama na 'yon doon." Tumingin siya sa akin. "I always knew that Maven was better in your hands. Kaya hindi ako nagdalawang-isip na ibigay sa'yo ang kompanya ng buo. And don't deny it. You were interested."
I was. Maven is my pride and joy. "Hindi ka nagdalawang-isip kasi gusto mo na mag-focus sa unlimited honeymoon niyo ni Ryan."
Nilikutan niya kami ng ilong ni Alex nang mag-high five pa kami ng lalaki. "Ewan ko sa inyo. Alangan namang magpakipot pa ako? I'm in my late thirties. Wala na akong karapatan na umarte. Isa pa, we want to try to have a baby, and I'm not getting any younger." Isinandal niya ang siko niya sa lamesa at pinakatitigan ako. "Kayo ba ni Magnus walang balak?"
I couldn't find the right words for a moment. Inabot ko ang baso ko ng champagne at nag-iwas sa kaniya ng tingin na nagkibit ako ng balikat. A baby. "He's a busy man, and I'm officially going to be more busy than I was yesterday."
She scoffed. "If there were someone who could juggle a hot husband, a company, and a baby, that would be you."
Pinaningkitan ko siya ng mga mata. "Ang daya mo ha? Bakit sa'yo hindi applicable 'yan?"
"When Maven was sold to me, I didn't think that it would be as big as it is right now. That was because of you. You basically carried Maven to new heights, and it's not something that I could do." Nang makita niya akong aalma ay pinanlakihan niya ako ng mga mata. "We were just a fashion magazine before. Now we are more. We have culture and arts, travel, lifestyle, and we have featured powerful women because you made it possible."
I was always a hard worker. My superiors before used to say that I always gave my two hundred percent, even if they were just asking for a hundred. Kahit na sabihin na maayos naman ang karamihan sa mga napagtrabahuhan ko noon na kompanya, na-realize ko na mas gusto kong ibuhos lahat ng pinagpapaguran ko sa isang bagay na alam kong akin. That's why, when I was given the chance in Maven, I decided to grab the opportunity to own it.
Alex raised his glass. "To Maven."
"To Maven!" Stella echoed him.
With a shake of my head, I smiled and raised my own glass. To more headaches that I enjoy.
KATAHIMIKAN ANG sumalubong sa akin nang bumukas ang elevator ng penthouse. It wasn't surprising. Lagi namang ganoon kapag umuuwi ako lalo na at gabi na akong umalis ng opisina. And it wasn't just me, since my husband is as workaholic as I am.
I went straight to the kitchen like I always do. It's either I will need to fix my own food or there's already some waiting for me.
Umangat ng bahagya ang sulok ng mga labi ko nang makita ko ang nakatakip na pagkain sa ibabaw ng center island ng kusina.
Unlike my brothers, I'm really not that fond of cooking. I can do the basics to feed myself when I'm hungry, but that's just about it. Mas lamang ang kapalpakan ko sa kusina kesa ang success stories ko.
Noong mga bata pa kaming walong magkakapatid ay laging pinapaalalahanan ng mga magulang ko ang pitong nakatatanda kong kapatid na lalaki na kailangan nilang matuto sa kusina. My mother will always emphasize how it is not just a woman's job to feed her family.
It's what's expected of a woman if her husband works for the family. Which, for me, doesn't seem that unreasonable. But my mother will argue that it depends on the family dynamics. Both she and my father worked for our company. Ibig ba raw sabihin niyon ay dapat siya lang ang may ambag sa kusina?
A familiar ache gripped my heart. I was young when I lost them, but my memories of them are so clear that it was as if all of it had just happened yesterday. I remember my mother humming some song when she was the one in the kitchen cooking, or my father playfully dancing when it's his turn.
But my favorite? It's when I see them preparing our meal together. My father would kiss my mother's cheek every chance he got, and her laughter would fill the room when he did. My brothers and I would crowd the kitchen and watch them, complaining from time to time that we're dying from hunger.
It was the best part. Something I always look forward to coming home to. Then they left us, and it all just became a memory.
Nagpakawala ako ng malalim na hininga. I don't want to think about them right now. Especially my father. Not when, for years, we all thought he was dead, and now there's a possibility that he isn't.
Not now, Luna. I shook my head as if to clear it. Nagbaba ako ng tingin sa pagkain na nakahanda sa harapan ko. I took the small note attached to it and read it.
Don't waste the energy I put into this. Eat it.
-M
Inilagay ko sa bulsa ng slacks ko ang note at pagkatapos ay pinatong ko ang bag ko sa isa sa dalawang silya. I took a seat on the other one and started eating the bowl of greens and pan-grilled chicken. May pa-tahini sauce pa. Himala.
Mukhang hindi masyadong pinasakit ang ulo niya ng mga writer niya ngayon. Sana all.
Nang matapos ako sa pagkain ay lumapit ako sa lababo at hinugasan iyon. When I turned around to grab my bag so I could go wash up, my heart almost fell out of my chest when I saw a man sitting on the sofa of the penthouse's reading nook.
"Holy shit!" Pinanlakihan ko siya ng mga mata. "Gusto mo ba akong patayin?"
My husband, Magnus Aquillan, EIC and owner of Quetzal Publishing, blinked at me as if he were slowly waking up from a deep sleep. Except he's just sitting on the sofa and staring blankly at space.
Despite his rare dishevelled look right now he still looks like the most handsome man I have ever seen. He has aristocratic features that highlight his almost always unsmiling face, he's as tall as my brothers, and he has a body that looks like he spent hours in the gym, even though he only goes there for an hour two times during the weekdays and three hours once on a weekend. His world revolves around books, and I know he's a geek at heart, but he breaks the stereotype of what a geek should look like.
"Ha?"
Lutang na naman. Matigas kasi ang ulo. After umalis ng dati niyang EIC dahil nag-migrate na sa ibang bansa ay siya muna ang sandaling naging acting editor-in-chief ng Quetzal. When he found a replacement, instead of letting go of the position, he decided to work alongside the new EIC until he's sure that his "baby" won't crumble to the ground. Dalawa tuloy ang EIC ng Quetzal dahil sa trust issues niya. Something that isn't common but not entirely unheard of. "What are you doing there? Umakyat ka na kaya sa kuwarto para matulog?"
"Nagluto ako at kumain."
Kumunot ang noo ko. "Katatapos mo lang kumain?"
"Kanina pa."
"Eh di sana natulog ka na. Huwag mong sabihin na hinihintay mo ako?" nakataas ang kilay na tanong ko.
We both live a busy life. Kapag siya ang nahuhuli sa pag-uwi ay hindi ko na siya hinihintay. Ganoon din siya sa akin. And again, we're both workaholics.
"Wala lang akong energy umakyat." Nagpakawala siya ng malalim na hininga bago siya sumandal. "I really can't understand why you choose to live in a penthouse but still put up a second floor."
"Because I needed the room." Itinuro ko ang floor-to-ceiling glass wall ng bahay. "I also want a garden and a pool."
The first floor is mainly the kitchen, the reading nook, and the lounge area, where the huge home entertainment screen is situated. Mas malaki lang talaga ang sakop ng reading nook. I always dream of having one, so that's what I asked to be prioritized during the renovation.
It's on the far left side of the floor. It was made to look circular, and it was surrounded by tall white bookshelves and two black sofa sets. May dalawang baitang pababa doon. The steps are hollow since they also serve as shelves.
It's my favorite place in the house. During the morning, the sun will peek from the three skylight windows on the ceiling right on top of it, and at night, I can happily gaze at the stars and moon when I need to relax.
"We should just buy a house," he grunted.
"I owned almost half of the building, hubby. It's a waste of money to buy another house when I could just live here."
The building consists of seven floors. The ground floor was turned into a commercial space. May restaurant at pastry shop na doon. There's also a spa and a salon. The first to fourth floors are open for rental. Apat na lang doon ang wala pang nakatira. Most of the condo units are now occupied by tenants that were carefully selected. Dagger helped with the selection. Most of the tenants are families, so it's better not to risk their safety kung may makalusot pa na wala sa ayos na mga tao.
Though Dagger helped and I did as well in selecting the tenants, I don't own the whole building. Magnus does. It's just one of his many properties.
The fifth to seventh floors, on the other hand, are owned by me. Binili ko iyon kay Magnus kahit na noong umpisa ay ayaw niya. We're married after all. But I insisted, and now here we are.
May sarili iyon na private elevator at tanging ako, si Magnus, at pamilya ko lang ang nakakaakyat. The sixth and seventh floors are the penthouse. Ang fifth floor naman ay nireserba ko para sa pamilya ko. I recently had it renovated so that it would look like a mini version of the penthouse instead of rows of condo units. Ang pagkakaiba lang ay mas maraming kuwarto doon. And a giant dining area. Malaki kasi ang pamilya ko.
Humalukipkip ako. "Ang dami mong reklamo ha? If my memory serves me right, you also own a penthouse."
Nagkibit siya ng balikat. "I spent the majority of the day inside a sky-rise building. It feels weird to stay in a two-story house."
"It's the same for me. Remember? I rented a house here in Tagaytay before."
"Walang second floor ang penthouse ko."
Napailing na lang ako. "Tinatamad ka lang umakyat ng hagdanan eh kaya ang dami mong reklamo. Admit it. It's your poor knees' fault, old man."
Naningkit ang mga mata niya dahilan para mapangisi ako. He's just about to turn forty, but I love to tease him about his age, even though he's only nine years older than me. He doesn't even look his age. He's like wine. He only gets better as he ages.
"We should just stay there," he said after awhile.
"Hmm?"
"My old house. Para hindi ka na bumabyahe mula Manila papunta rito sa Tagaytay."
Pinaikot ko ang mga mata ko. "Para kamo hindi ka na bumabyahe."
I have had a condo unit in Manila before. Doon ako tumutuloy noon, pero dahil lahat na nang kapatid ko ay naglipatan na sa Cavite ay kumuha na rin ako ng property dito. Hindi na rin naman mahirap ngayon ang byahe papuntang Manila lalo na at natapos na ang bagong highway na ginagawa noon.
"I've been in your bachelor house, Mags. It might be big, but I doubt you can fit me in there."
Para kasing ginawa niyang extension ng kompanya niya ang bahay niya. Hindi na kasi siya nakuntento na punuin ang pagkarami niyang bookshelves dahil sinakop na rin ng mga libro ang buong bahay niya.
He stood up with a shake of his head. Alam naman niyang hindi siya mananalo sa akin. His house is beautiful, but he can't beat the view here in Tagaytay. "Go wash up."
Bago siya tuluyang makalayo ay nagsalita ako. "Tulog o ako?"
He let out a loud sigh. This is not the first time he has heard the question. "Tayo." His tired eyes turned to me. "Matulog na tayo."
I snickered. I already expected his answer.
Sinundan ko siya nang maglakad na siya paakyat ng bahay. There are three rooms upstairs. One is the master bedroom, while the other two were converted into offices so Magnus and I can both have our own. Hindi kami pwedeng magkasama sa iisang opisina dahil siguradong mag-aaway kami. We both have our own version of creative mess, and it's going to be war if we combine them.
Nauna na akong maligo nang makapasok kami sa kuwarto. I went to my vanity to do my nightly skincare routine, and when I was done, I went to bed.
Halos kahihiga ko pa lang doon nang lumabas si Magnus mula sa banyo. He dragged his obviously exhausted self to where I was, and he laid down on his side of the bed.
Iisipin ko na sanang nakatulog na siya agad kung hindi pa pagkaraan ay binasag niya ang katahimikan at nagsalita siya. "I saw Stella's post on Instagram."
I didn't open my eyes. "Hmm."
"Maven's solely yours now. Congratulations."
"Is it normal to love and hate it at the same time?"
I heard a smile in his voice. "It is. You love it because it's yours, but you hate the headache that comes with it. When I first started Quetzal, I was doubting whether I could really do it. I was young, too confident, and a tad bit impulsive. Ang laki ng perang inilabas ko para ro'n. If I fail, then all that money will burn to nothing. It was a risk, and every risk comes with fear."
Nagmulat ako ng mga mata at tumagilid ako para tumingin sa kaniya. Just like I was seconds ago, his eyes are already closed. "I didn't say I was afraid."
His eyelids fluttered open, and he turned his head to look at me. "I know. You're the most stubborn person I've ever met. I doubt there's anything that scares you."
That's not entirely true. Marami akong kinatatakutan. I just don't have the time to dwell with them. "Stella said something to me." Nag-iwas ako ng tingin sa kaniya at ipinako ko ang mga mata ko sa kisame. "That if there's a person that could handle a marriage, a company, and... and a baby, it would be me."
Ilang sandaling binalot ng katahimikan ang kuwarto. I don't want to look at him, even though I can feel his eyes on me.
"What did you say?"
"We're both busy," I answered.
"But do you want to?" he asked, his tone softer than his usual. "Have a baby?"
For a moment, I couldn't answer. It's a subject that we haven't really talked about that much before. Something that I don't know if we should further talk about. Wala namang dahilan para pag-usapan pa.
"LA?"
Not many know that he calls me that and why he does. In fact, maraming meaning ang dalawang letra na iyon. Most of those who heard him call me LA just thought that it's an abbreviation of my name. Luna Alondra.
I let out a breath. I gave a small smile. "It's not a matter of want, and you know it."
And with that, he doesn't have an answer.
"Let's go to sleep," I said, turning my back on him. "Don't forget to turn off your phone. Madaling-araw pa naman laging gising ang mga writer mo."
He let out a groan. "Don't remind me."
It wasn't long before I felt myself being lulled to sleep. I was tired too. Pakiramdam ko nga ay iyon ang default setting ko nitong mga nakaraan. Iyong laging pagod kahit minsan kagigising ko lang. Maybe I need a vacation.
"Luna?"
"Hmm?"
"Congratulations again. I know you worked hard for it. I'm happy for you," he said.
"If you're really happy for me, make me breakfast tomorrow."
He let out a sigh. "Goodnight, brat."
I smiled without opening my eyes. "Goodnight, gramps."
______________________________End of Chapter 1.
Bạn đang đọc truyện trên: ZingTruyen.Store