#ChainedtothePastWP

Chapter 31
Position

"Drizelda! Arlene!" Dad exclaimed, like he wasn't expecting their presence today.

Nilingon ko si daddy upang makita ang kanyang ekspresyon. His lips were pursed into a tight line. You could tell that he wasn't please with anything.

The members of the board whispering about their sudden arrival kept quiet when my father stood up from his seat again. Only my mother had the guts to speak out her thoughts loudly without hesitation.

"I thought this is an exclusive meeting," my mother said. "How come such uninvited individuals can come here?" She directed that question to my father.

Dad heavily sighed, and I could see that he was trying not to offend my mother. "Arlene, please take your mother to my office and wait there. I'll talk to you two, once the meeting is done."

The way my father talked to Arlene didn't sound similar or even close to how he holds a conversation with me. Tono pa lang ay ibang-iba na. It lacked the gentleness that I was used to. He sounded strict and stern.

Arlene held Tita Drizelda's arms quietly, but her mother shove her hand away. Taas-noong tiningnan ni Tita Drizelda pabalik si daddy. Looks like she had no plans to back down. She wouldn't leave the room, even if it meant being dragged out. Her pride wouldn't be shaken.

"No," Tita Drizelda remained firm. "I'm sure whatever you have to say now to the board should also be heard by our daughter." She even gave emphasis to the pronoun 'our.' "Arlene has the right to be present in this meeting."

"Drizelda." My father's voice thundered.

"No." Tita Drizelda held Arlene's hand. "We will not leave this room."

My eyes locked at her hand, firmly holding her daughter. She's using her as a shield to daddy. If it wasn't for Arlene, there was no doubt that my father would already call security to chase her out.

Nalipat ang tingin ko kay Arlene.

She was surprisingly quiet now, when she could not be tamed before. She was as wild as the wind which goes in every direction she wished. Siguro ay madami na rin talagang nagbago sa kanya lalo na't ilang taon na rin ang nakalipas.

"Just let them be, Napoleon," Mom said in a very laid-back manner, while checking her nails. "There are still chairs available to be occupied at the back. Let them sit there."

"Okay, then..." Dad said under his breath, and the board members looked at him in disbelief and amusement.

With that, I was sure everyone had concluded that my father wasn't the one in control of this meeting, even if he was the one sitting on the throne. It was my mother afterall.

"You may both stay and occupy those seats." He pointed out the seats my mother mentioned earlier.

Even though Tita Drizelda looked so offended that they would sit at the back, she didn't dare try to test her luck. She knew her limitations. Naisip niya rin siguro na baka magbago pa ang isipan ni daddy kapag nag-inarte pa siya.

They both silently went to their seats. Hanggang ngayon ay nag-iiwas pa rin sa akin ng tingin si Arlene. Sana ay magkaroon ako ng kahit kaunting oras na makausap siya pagkatapos ng meeting.

"The main agenda of this meeting is for the allocation of shares I bought from Mr. Pagudian," my father started the meeting by laying down the main agenda. "I'm sure everyone knows that Miss Caroline Zapanta sold her shares to Mr. Pagudian of RPD Group, which is 15% of the company's stake. The same year, I bought back the shares from Mr. Pagudian, using my personal funds, I may add."

Th members of the board had no reaction. Most probably, my father already disclosed the information to them before.

"Now, I will transfer the shares, which originally belonged to Miss Zapanta, to our daughter, Ms. Clementine Guillermo," he announced with so much authority. "That leaves me with 25% shares left."

With my jaw dropped, I stared at my father with eyes wide open. I thought he would only give me the position as the heiress of his company. I didn't expect that I'd be a part of the board by effortlessly transferring 15% of his shares to me, like he's just giving me money to buy my whims.

Napatingin ako kay mommy. She didn't have any reaction. The board members looked satisfied with my father's decision though. On the other hand, I tried to glance at Tita Drizelda who's eyes were already fuming with discontentment, while Arlene bowed her head down, not wanting to make an eye contact with anyone.

"And of course, as the members of the board, it is my pleasure and responsibility to introduce my daughter as the heiress of my company," daddy added. "I will personally train her as the next CEO and President of Guillermo Holdings and assure you all that she would be worth of your votes to be the future leader of this empire."

"I disagree!" Tita Drizelda's voice echoed through the conference room.

"Here we go..." my mother softly whispered, like she already expected this to happen.

Lahat kami ay muling napatingin kay Tita Drizelda. Kung kanina ay kitang hindi siya kuntento sa pagbibigay sa akin ni daddy ng shares ng kompanya, ngayon naman ay punong-puno ng galit ang kanyang mga mata.

"This is unfair!" she exclaimed.

"Drizelda, I have not given you the permission to speak―"

"No!" Tita Drizelda remained to be hard-headed. "I can't accept this decision of yours! This is only advantage to Clementine! What about our daughter? What about Arlene?!"

Bahagyang namumula na ang mukha ni Tita Drizelda. The veins on her neck were all protruded. Parang pinipigilan niya pa ang sarili na mas lalong sumabog.

"This is just so unfair, Napoleon! You are so unfair to our daughter!"

I don't want to seem rude, but why does she keep on emphasizing that Arlene is their daughter. I kinda don't like hearing it over and over again.

"They should be given equal chances!" she demanded. "You already transferred 15% of the company's shares to Clementine and you even appointed her as the heiress of Guillermo Holdings. We should let the board decide on that matter, Napoleon. Arlene should also be one of the candidates. She is also your daughter!"

"I believe that you should dismiss the board members and settle this in private, Napoleon." Mom's voice was stonecold. "This is not something to be discussed in a corporate meeting."

It was obvious that she was also not liking Tita Drizelda's childish behavior, especially in front of the board members.

My father nodded once, and in an authoritative voice, he said, "Meeting dismissed. I'll call for another meeting, once everything is settled. I'm sorry for wasting your time today." Then turned to the man sitting across my mother. "Please stay, Atty. Benilde. I will need you here."

Tumango na lamang ang abogado at nanatiling nakaupo, habang ang iba ay nagsilabasan na ng conference room. Ang ibang mga kalapit ni mommy ay nagpalaam pa sa kanya bago tuluyang lumabas ng silid.

Nang magsara ang pintuan ay agad na nilingon ni mommy sina Tita Drizelda. "And you were saying earlier?"

Tita Drizelda gritted her teeth. "I want fairness for Arlene."

Hindi sumagot si mommy, ngunit tipid lamang siyang ngumisi bago tiningnan si daddy. My father's eyes were on Tita Drizelda. Mukhang naubusan na rin siya ng pasensya.

"So, this is why you didn't invite us on this meeting, huh?" She sounded so betrayed. "Kaya pala... Kung hindi ko narinig na bibisita rito ang anak at ang dating asawa mo, I wouldn't know. Good thing we really came."

"Drizelda, I'm just giving Clementine what she deserves," Daddy tried to talk calmly, despite of the steel in his voice. "Guillermo Holdings is the company I built to the top with Caroline, even before we got married. If there is a rightful heiress, that would be our daughter."

"Then what about Arlene?" she asked. "Ano ang plano mo sa anak natin?"

"I assure you that Arlene will be given a valuable position to the company once she graduates―"

"And that's it?!" Tita Drizelda reeked discontentment. "That's all what you've planned to Arlene, while Clementine gets all the advantage, despite being away for years? We don't even know if she's the real Clementine! It's clear that the kidnappers stated before that they killed her and threw her out in the ocean! Caroline might only be fooling you for your wealth and power!"

"Drizelda!" Tumaas ang boses ni daddy at naging delikado.

Naramdaman ko ang pagtaas ng aking balihibo. I never heard him sounded this dangerous.

I felt Kalcifer shifted on his seat, so I glanced at him. He was only watching Tita Drizelda and Arlene, like he could read through their minds.

"I don't know if you're just plain stupid or you just really don't use your brain to think, but might as well try using your eyes." My mother spun her chair to face Tita Drizelda properly, while still sitting on the chair. "My daughter is a spitting image of me." She crossed her arms and leaned back. "And you know what―now that you reminded me of it―I wonder why those kidnappers lied that they killed my daughter and get them sentenced to jail for life, when they could've just told the truth."

I watched Tita Drizelda lips parted. Hindi pa siya agad nakasagot dahil sa pangangapa ng mga salita.

"And w-why are you asking me about it?" She sounded so defensive to my ears. "Are you accusing me?"

If I was giving her a benefit of the doubt before, now I couldn't say the same. She was acting suspiciously.

"Of course, not, Drizelda." Mom laughed a bit, satisfied because of Tita Drizelda's reaction. "No one's accusing you. And I'm not even asking you, I'm just thinking loudly."

Tita Drizelda bit her lower lip.

"I mean, sino ba ang ina na ilalagay sa alanganin ang sarili niyang anak para lamang sa sariling pang-interes?" My mother continued mocking her. "Based on how you tried so hard to fight for your daughter's rights as Guillermo's daughter, I don't think you could do it, am I right?"

"O-of course!" sabi na lamang ni Tita Drizelda.

"Anyway, let's go back to the main topic of this private meeting," Mom flawlessly shifted the topic and faced my father again. "You may take the floor, Napoleon."

Surprisingly, Tita Drizelda learned to zip her mouth, after my mother taunted her and played with her emotions. Mukhang naisip na niya na kailangan niyang mag-ingat sa mga salitang binibitawan niya.

"Atty. Benilde." My father nodded his head at his lawyer.

May inilabas si Atty. Benilde na mga papel mula sa kanyang briefcase. Habang ginagawa 'yon ni Atty. Benilde ay nagpatuloy si daddy'ng magsalita.

"I already wrote a written agreement in regards to the allocation of my shares, once Clementine assumes my post as the President and CEO of the Guillermo Holdings," he said, and Atty. Benilde started to distribute copies of the agreement to us. "Ang plano ko noong una ay kausapin kayo tungkol dito nang magkahiwalay. But since, Drizelda and Arlene unexpectedly came to the meeting, mas mabuting sabay ko na nga kayong kausapin."

My mother was the one who got our copy from Atty. Benilde. Hinayaan ko siyang basahin 'yon dahil alam kong siya ang mas nakakaalam no'n. Muli ay binalingan ko ng tingin si Tita Drizelda. Her eyes were burning, while reading the words printed on the paper in fast-paced.

Whatever was printed on it, I was sure that she wasn't satisfied with it.

"Mr. Napoleon Guillermo has written on the agreement that once Clementine Laureen Guillermo assumes his post as the President and CEO of Guillermo Holdings, Mr. Guillermo's remaining 25% shares from the company will be distributed to his daughters, Clementine Laureen Guillermo and Arlene Charisse Valderama."

My lips parted.

Arlene didn't change her surname?

I thought she was carrying my father's name.

And speaking of her surname, I wonder what happened to Tito Enrico. Everyone, including me, thought that he was Arlene's biological father because she was carrying his name. He and Tita Drizelda were cohabiting before, with Arlene, like a real family.

If Tita Drizelda was after my father, it's possible that they didn't get married. Muli akong naguluhan sa mga naiisip. I guess I have to ask my mother about this as well. Gusto kong malinawan dahil madami na akong hindi alam tungkol sa kanila dahil sa pagkakawala ng ilang taon. Hindi ko magawang mapagtagpi-tagpi ang lahat ng maayos.

"As stated, Mr. Napoleon Guillermo will transfer 15% of his shares to Clementine Guillermo, while the remaining 10% will be transferred to Arlene Valderama," Atty. Benilde said and put the paper down as he was done scanning it. "Aside from the allocation of shares, Arlene Valderama will be offered to take the CMO or Chief Marketing Officer position of Guillermo Holdings after she graduates."

"No, I do not agree on this." Tita Drizelda immediately expressed her objection. "Si Clementine na nga ang tagapagmana ng kompanya, pagkatapos ay mas mababa pa ang shares na makukuha ng anak ko? You are not being fair! You are doting on Clementine too much!"

"Calm down, Drizelda." Mom sterned voice almost echoed in the room. "Can't you speak without raising your voice?"

Matalim na tingin ang binaling niya kay mommy. "Kaya ka lang kalmado dahil hindi kayo ng anak mo agrabyado!"

"Oh come on, Drizelda, my daughter and I are not like you." Mom chuckled. "I don't care even if Napoleon gives all his shares to your daughter. My daughter doesn't need that. We don't need that."

Kalmadong ibinaba ni mommy ang papel sa lamesa. Her head turned to Tita Drizelda, afterwards. I was in awe, while watching my mother who didn't lose her composure all throughout.

"I have my own company, and to may add, it is thriving." Her confidence was to the roof. "And besides, we know how to be contented, unlike some other people who don't know how to be grateful..."

"So, are you talking about us?!" Tita Drizelda exploded.

My mother just smirked. "Well, if the shoe fits, feel free to wear it."

"You―"

"Mom, stop it!"

We all shifted our gazes to Arlene, who finally spoke up. She cut her mother out from talking back to my mother.

"Dad..." she called out to my father and stared straight at him. "I agree to this, and I will accept the CMO position as you wish."