Seducing the Beast

KABANATA 2

KABANATA 2:

I spent my night searching for Charles Han on the internet. I couldn't believe I would do this. Hindi ako kailanman nag-stalk ng lalaki, noh! They are the ones who do that. I feel so cheap!

God, Matilda! Cheap ka na the moment you accepted Don Matias' offer! 

Sumandal ako sa sofa at pumikit. Kukuba yata ako kaka-stalk sa lalaking 'yon! 

Umungol ako ng masahihin ang aking balikat. I should relax this week. Kaya sobrang sakit ng balikat ko dahil hindi na ko nakakabalik sa spa. I deserve to pamper myself kahit na ganitong malapit na kaming maghirap.

Napamulagat ako ng bigla ang pagbukas ng pinto at pumasok roon si Mommy na mukhang handa pa yata akong sakmalin sa galit.

"Mom! You should knock first before entering! Don't you know it's rude?" sita ko. Sinabi ko iyon para magawa kong isara ng marahan ang laptop. Lagot ako sa oras na makita niya ang mukha ni Charles Han doon.

"Rude your ass, Matilda! I heard you dine-in in The Peninsula? I saw the bill! Naghihirap na tayo nakuha mo pang kumain sa mamahiling Hotel! Not only that, you're with your friends! How could you treat them to fine dining when we can't afford to pay even for a single meal!" histerikal na sabi ni Mommy.

Okay, I know where this is going.

"Mom, don't be so overreacting. I still have my cards, and I can afford to pay that. Hindi ako hihingi ng pera. I deserve to eat nice meal too! Nai-stress na ko sa lahat ng nangyayari and silang lima lang naman ang malapit sa akin and they help me too kahit noon pa."

Hindi nagsalita si Mommy at napahilot sa sentido niya. Binalingan niya ako ulit at this time mas mabagsik na ang tingin kumpara kanina.

"And how about your Mercedez? I told you to sell your cars hindi mo pa rin ginagawa? Ang dami mong sasakyan. Give up some of your expensive cars! We should downgrade, Matilda. We just need to eat three meals a day to survive! How could you be so—"

I rolled my eyes. Napatayo na ako para harapin siya.

"Mom! I'll get sick if you would let me eat NFA rice," reklamo ko at humalukipkip na.

"What?!" hindi makapaniwalang bulalas niya.

"Relax, I'm working on getting us back on track. Have faith in me," sabi ko sa kanya.

"Look, Matilda. Tumataas na ang hospital bills ng Daddy mo. Hanggang ngayon hindi pa rin siya nagigising. Gaano tayo kasigurado na bukas okay na siya at makakalabas na? Kailangan nating magtipid! Hindi mo ba naiintindihan 'yon?!" Nangigigil na niyang sabi. 

"He has insurance. Why are you so worried? It can cover his bills for the entire year," kaswal kong sabi. Humahanap ako ng butas para lang hindi ako sitahin ni Mommy na magtipid.

"Are you serious? Are you telling me that it's okay to overspent since his insurance can pay his hospital bills? Oh, god..." nanghihina nitong sabi.

Pinagmasdan ko si Mommy. He aged a lot. She's just 50, yet she looks ten years older now because of our scandal. Halata na ang wrinkles nito sa mukha at humpak na ang pisngi. Malaki ang ipinayat ni Mommy dahil sa sobrang stress sa nangyari.

My Dad had a heart attack. Hindi niya kinaya iyong nangyari lalo na isa-isa na kaming hinahabol ng mga shareholders and clients. Pinapadalhan na ng sulat ng mga abogado. Kaya ngayon na-comatose na. Hindi pa nagigising.

"I'm just trying to say, loosen up a bit. Mom, pare-pareho tayong magkakasakit naman kung lahat tayo stressed at depressed na sa nangyayari," I said in a calm tone.

She raised her brow. Nameywang na din sa harap ko.

"Paano 'yong mga naghahabol sa'tin? How can I calm down when you're wasting a lot of money! Matilda, wake up! Hindi pa tayo nakaka-ahon. Lubog tayo, okay? Lubog! Kaya tigil-tigilan mo muna ang pagwawaldas mo ng pera!" aniya at tinalikuran ako. Nagmartsa papalabas sa kwarto ko at hindi na ako binigyan ng pagkakataong magsalita.

Napabuga ako ng hangin at nasapo ang noo. Isipin ko pa lang na hindi ako makakain sa paborito kong Hotel every week, nanghihina na ko. I grew up in luxury. 26 years na kong nabubuhay ng ganito ka-kumportable tapos biglang mawawala.

Now, she wants me to sell my babies! The heck! I can't go out having one car lang. Sasabihin ng mga kaibigan ko iisa na lang ang sasakyan ko. Kahit na alam nila iyong current issues namin sa kumpanya. Nakakahiya na makitang nagda-downgrade kami. I'm gonna save my face no matter what!

Iyong properties namin, okay lang ibenta. Pero 'yong akin... No... No!

My enemies would probably be going to laugh so hard when they heard about it. Tuwang-tuwa sila dahil ang tulad ko naghihirap na. Hindi ko ibibigay sa kanila iyong kasiyahan na 'yon kahit na anong mangyari.

I opened my laptop again at pinagmasdan ang naka-business suit na si Charles Han sa internet.

Meet the Hottest Top Bachelors in town!

Charles Han is thirty-years old, Half-Filipino and Half-Chinese. He grew up in the Philippines. He's freaking handsome. He can make all the girls fall for his drop-dead gorgeous looks. Charles is six feet tall and has a well-toned body which has become more defined as he gets matured. He's a man with dignity. A serious and mature type of a man. He's clever. A good leader. A Filipino billionaire at the age of 30. He became one of the Top business tycoons in the country. He's the CEO of Hans Supermall, one of the largest operating malls in the country. Hans Supermall is owned by Hans Prime Holding, Inc (HPHI). HPHI was founded by his great grandfather and had been operating for 60 years.

Napainom ako ng wine. Nakalagay pa sa google kung gaano kalaki ang net worth niya. Muntik ko ng maibuga ang iniinom kong wine na sobrang laki ng amount!

God, I can probably tour around the world forever with that amount of money!

Kaya lang, kilala siyang snob. Hindi din palikero. Mahihirapan yata ako sa isang 'to. Anyway, I'll do my best to get his attention, by hook or by crook.