Chapter 2
Memory

My eyes were glued to Orion's cold eyes as I stared at it for quite a long time. His eyes seemed like a stranger's eyes to me after years of not seeing him. I couldn't sense any familiarity while staring. Seeing his eyes so different, also made him looked unfamiliar.

For a second, I wanted to throw myself to him and hug him so tight, but I stopped myself from thinking about it as I remembered what he did before. Namuo ang galit sa aking puso at paniguradong natapatan ko na ang panlalamig na pinaparamdam ng kanyang mga mata. Baka nga'y nagdidilim na ang akin habang nakatingin sa kanya.

Kung wala lang akong malaking atraso sa kanilang pamilya ay baka hindi ko na mapigilan ang sarili ko sa pagsugod sa kanya para maipadama ang sakit na naramdaman ko nang dahil sa kagaguhan niya.

"Miss Castellano, it was really nice meeting you again," bigla namang sabi ni Atty. Navarro at agad nalipat sa kanya ang aking tingin.

He was looking at me while wearing his wide smile.

"It's nice seeing you wearing a casual clothes than your pajamas," biro niya at bahagya pa siyang natawa.

Napaawang ang aking labi sa kanyang binitiwang biro.

I swear! I must be turning red right now because of embarrassment.

"Uh..." napakamot ako sa aking batok saka panis na ngumiti.

"But don't get me wrong!" pahabol niya. "You looked cute in your pajamas, it's just that... it's refreshing to see you wearing something nice."

"Attorney, she's here to settle her parents' debts and not to receive compliments," Orion suddenly butt in.

Umikot siya sa kanyang lamesa at saka madramang umupo sa swivel chair. Nakuha pa niyang ipa-dekwatro ang kanyang paa. Napakayabang ng aura.

"Oh, right!" Atty. Navarro exclaimed and smiled at me before he offered the sofa where I was sleeping a while ago. "Take a seat, Ms. Castellano. Mr. Valiente will discuss to you the last option we can offer."

"Uhm, thank you po, Attorney," nahihiya kong pasasalamat at saka dahan-dahang umupo sa sofa.

I was aware that he was just right in front where I sat—and that was exactly why I just looked at Atty. Navarro instead of looking straight.

"Ms. Castellano, Mr. Orion Valiente here is the eldest child of Corazon and Oswald Valiente. He is the current President of The Valley," Atty. Navarro introduced me to Orion like I had no idea who he was.

Nanatili pa rin ang tingin ko kay Atty. Navarro at hindi man lang binigyan ng pansin ang pagpapakilala niya kay Orion.

He didn't have to, though. I already knew that man. I knew him even to the depths of his soul. He didn't need to waste his saliva for an introduction of an asshole like him. He could just point him using his middle finger.

"Mr. Valiente, you can now discuss the last option to Ms. Castellano," sabi naman ni Atty. Navarro kay Orion.

Narinig ko ang pagtikhim ni Orion bago ito nagpakawala ng malalim na paghinga.

"How can I speak to someone who's not even looking at me?" parinig niya.

"Oh! Uhm, Miss Castellano—"

Hindi ko na pinatapos si Atty. Navarro at agad ko nang nilingon si Orion. Nang magtama ang aming mga mata, kulang nalang ay ang pagdedeklara naming dalawa ng giyera.

I don't know why he seems so mad at me. Siya na nga ang nagkamali pagkatapos ay siya pa ngayon ang may ganang magpakita ng galit?

"You can leave now, Atty. Navarro," utos ni Orion kay Atty. Navarro.

Napakapit ako sa laylayan ng aking damit at tiningnan si Atty. Navarro. Kumunot ang kanyang noo ngunit agad din siyang tumayo at tumango.

He turned to look at me and smiled. "I'll be waiting outside to escort you home after, Ms. Castellano," he told me before going out of the office.

Kahit na gustong-gusto kong sumunod palabas kay Atty. Navarro upang hindi maiwan mag-isa kasama si Orion ay wala akong nagawa kung hindi ang manatiling nakaupo dito sa kanyang harapan upang makinig sa kanyang sasabihin.

Ang lamig sa kanyang opisina ay mas lalong nanuot sa aking balat kasabay ng lamig ng kanyang pagtitig sa akin. Mabuti na lang at nang dahil sa nag-aapoy na init ng galit ko ay nakakaya ko pang labanan ang lamig na nararamdaman ko.

"Puwede bang sabihin mo na sa 'kin ang dapat mong sabihin? Madami pa akong kailangang gawin pagkatapos nito," sabi ko kahit na wala naman talaga akong gagawin kung hindi ang mga gawaing bahay na puwede naman daw ipagpaliban sabi ni Tito.

However, I just really couldn't stand being in the same room with him.

He smirked on what I had just said and laid back on his chair. "Things to do like what, Ms. Castellano?" He mocked me with his question. "As far as I know, you don't have a job. Kaya nga wala kang pambayad sa utang ninyo, 'di ba?"

"Kahit na may trabaho ako ay hindi ko naman mababayaran ang ganoong kalaking halaga," katuwiran ko naman. "Palibhasa kasi malakas ang pasok ng pera sa inyo dahil sa negosyo ninyo. Kung magtrabaho man ako sa isang opisina ay hindi ako makakaipon ng ilang milyon sa loob ng halos dalawang taon."

"Well, that's why I'm offering you this third option which will surely benefit you."

May kinuha siyang clip folder sa ibabaw ng kanyang lamesa bago lumapit sa akin upang ilapag 'yon sa aking harapan. Kaysa tingnan siya ay ibinaba ko na lang mga mata ko sa nakalatag sa aking harapan.

"I'm offering you a job here in The Valley as one of the housekeepers," he said. "But if I call for your service, you'll also be serving me directly. Two jobs at a time. It means your paycheck will be doubled."

"You mean, hindi ako titigil ng kakatrabaho dito hanggang sa mabayaran ko ang utang ng mga magulang ko?" nakakunot-noo kong tanong. "Hindi rin naman ganoon kalaki ang sahod ng normal na empleyado dito, Mr. Valiente. Kahit doblehin mo pa ang sahod mo ay aabutin pa rin ako ng pagtanda ko dito. Baka nga mamatay na ako ay hindi ko pa rin nababayaran ang utang namin."

"If you will read the agreement that I did, you will only work here for five years," he explained. "After five years, you're free. You don't have to  pay the remaining amount or honestly, you don't have to pay anything using money. Ang importante ay ang serbisyong ibibigay mo. Kung ano man ang sasahurin mo ay sa'yong-sa'yo na 'yon. Ang kailangan namin ay ang dedikasyon ng isang empleyado. If you want to pay your family's debts in an easier way, this is the option to choose."

Kahit pagbali-baliktarin ko pa ang isipan ko ay alam kong hindi makatarungan ang paraan ng pagbabayad na gagawin ko. Sa huli ay magkakaroon pa rin ako ng utang na loob sa kanila.

"Do you have any problem with my proposition?" he asked.

"It just doesn't seem right."

Nakakunot-noong tumingin ako sa kanya. Paniguradong punong-puno na ng pagtataka ang aking itsura. Nagtaas naman siya ng kilay sa akin.

"The other two options required me to pay the debt using money or even giving our land as a payment," sabi ko. "Kung hindi naman pala importante sa inyo ang pera ay bakit ganoon pa ang dalawang proposisyon? Bakit kailangan ninyong habulin sa akin ang utang ng mga magulang ko?"

"Of course, we will still assume that you have the money to pay the debts, and we also have to follow the law in which we need to go after your estate. We don't need money and property, Ms. Castellano. Marami kami niyan," he said and leaned on his desk. "Ang utang ninyo ay barya lang ng perang kinikita ng pamilya namin."

Sumasakit ang puso ko habang tinitignan ang lalaking minahal ko ng buong puso na ngayo'y ibang tao na.

He used to be so humble and unpretentious. He was also sweet and caring. But then, he turned out to be a different person. He became arrogant. He's not the Orion I loved before. Or maybe, this is the real him. I just didn't know because I was too in love with him to notice. Maybe I was too blind to see the real him.

"Kung ganoon ay bakit hinahabol ninyo pa ang utang ng mga magulang ko?" Hindi ko napigilan ang sarilig itanong 'yon sa sobrang inis na nararamdaman.

His jaw clenched, but he didn't answer my question.

"So..." He trailed and walked towards me.

Tinukod niya ang kanyang mga kamay sa lamesa sa aming harapan. He leaned closer that I moved my head backwards to avoid being so close to him. He grinned at my reaction.

"Which among the three options will you pick?" paghamon niya sa akin at nakataas pa ang kanyang kilay.

Kumukulo ang dugo ko sa pang-iinis niya. He already knew what I wanted to pick. Gusto niya lang marinig mismo galing sa akin kung ano ang pipiliin ko. He was acting superior dahil lamang sa pagkakautang ng mga magulang ko sa kanilang pamilya. And I hated that because I knew I was really inferior to him. I knew that I had no choice but to give in to his conditions if I didn't want to give them our land.

"I'll pick the third option," I decided with my head up high.

Kita ko ang paglawak ng ngiti sa kanyang labi. Bumalik siya sa kanyang table upang kumuha ng fountain pen at saka ibinigay sa akin.

"All you have to do is sign the papers in front of you," he said.

"But I also have my conditions," dagdag ko bago ang lahat.

He blinked up to me, his grin widened. "You're making me laugh, Ms Castellano," sabi niya. "Ikaw na nga ang may atraso sa aming pamilya, pagkatapos ay ikaw pa ang may kondisyon."

I smiled shamelessly. "The conditions are also for your family," I assured him. "I won't state a condition that will benefit myself."

"Then go on and state your conditions. I will listen to it," hamon niya sa akin.

Muli siyang sumandal sa kanyang table at saka humalukipkip. His bored eyes stared at me while waiting for me to speak.

"Keep my wages. Ibawas mo sa utang ng pamilya ko sa pamilya ninyo. At pagkatapos kong magtrabaho dito for five years, magta-trabaho ako ulit at ipagpapatuloy ko ang pagbabayad ng utang ng pamilya ko hanggang sa mabayaran ko ang lahat nang 'yon," I told him. "I don't care if it takes me forever to pay that amount but I'll assure you that I will. Hindi ko tatakbuhan ang atraso ng pamilya ko sa pamilya ninyo."

"I'm already making your life easier but you're making it harder for yourself, Naiyah," he stated and my heart wavered the moment my name escaped from his mouth. "Ginagawa ko 'to dahil kahit papaano'y may pinagsamahan tayong dalawa noon. It's a way of thanking you for being a part of my life, even though our relationship didn't end on a good note."

"And I'm doing this because I don't want to receive any pity from you. Hindi ko kailangan ng awa mo. Ayokong magkaroon ng utang na loob sa 'yo at pati na rin sa pamilya mo," diretso kong sabi sa kanya. "Kung ano man ang namagitan sa atin noon, matagal ko nang kinalimutan 'yon. Kung hindi ka nga bumalik ay hindi na kita maaalala. You're just a mere memory to me. You're just a blurred image that exists in my mind."

Tumayo ako at kinuha ang aking side bag saka isinukbit ito sa aking balikat. Taas-noo ko siyang tiningnan at saka ngumiti.

"It's nice meeting you again, Mr. Valiente," I said without batting an eye. "I'll come back once the revised contract is done. Thank you for being considerate enough. Have a good day!"