A loud sound coming from behind our vehicle cut through my train of thought. Ibinalik ko sa daang tinatahak namin ang atensyon ko.

"Ito talagang mga walangyang are!"

Pinigilan kong mapangiti sa narinig kong sambit ni Mang Harry. Masama ang tingin nito sa dalawa ng motor na nag-gigitgitan sa likuran ng aming sasakyan. "Pasensya na kayo, Sir Zach. Paniguradong walang ganito sa New York. Mga luko loko talaga ang mga driver dito sa atin."

Nakangiting ipinagkibit balikat ko na lang ang nangyari. If only he knew. People from the big apple are even more barbaric than drivers in our country. Simpleng tumanaw na lamang muli ako sa labas ng bintana.

It's been a while.

Everything was different. From high rising buildings to new infrastructures. Everything has changed since the last time I was here and yet everything feels the same. Napabuntong hininga ako nang makita ko ang mga batang kalye na nagtatakbuhan at nakikipaghabulan sa mga sasakyan. And the traffic…I groaned. This is what I didn't miss in this country. Considering na malala rin naman ang trapiko sa New York. Ang daming mga bagay na nagbago ngunit ang dami ring nanatiling pareho. Humigpit ang hawak ko sa briefcase na nakapatong sa tabi ko. Was coming back the right thing to do?

I took a deep breath as I saw our vehicle halting in front of an approximately 30 storey building.

"Have a good day, Sir Zach." masiglang bati ni Harrison sa akin bago ko pa man din buksan ang pinto ng sasakyan. He's been our family's chauffeur since I was in college. "Susunduin ko po ba kayo mamaya?"

"No need. I'll ask Ash to have my car bought here so I can use it. Take the day off, Mang Harry."

"Salamat po, Sir. Maligayang pagbabalik po sa bansa."

I stiffly nodded before getting out of the car. I'm not sure if I really should be happy now that I'm back. Alam kong narito ang multong matagal ko nang tinatakasan at hindi ko sigurado kung handa na ba akong harapin iyon ngayon.

It's been five years, though.

I fixed my tie and wore my shades before stepping into the building. Matagal na akong kinukumbinsi ng kaibigan kong si Ashton na bumalik ng bansa at maging partner sa engineering firm ng kanilang pamilya. He's been managing the firm alone since his father retired and he badly needed me to be by his side. Typical Ashton, he's my fucking clingy friend.

Ever since I moved to the states five years ago, due to unforeseen circumstances, he's been relentlessly calling me and convincing me to come back. He said he could make arrangements and fix my problems in the country and I just need to say so. Alam kong hindi sapat ang ilang taon upang makalimot ang mga tao sa eskandalong kinasangkutan ko. Ngunit may mga bagay rin akong kailangan na asikasuhin ngayon. Isa na roon ang pagpa-finalize ng annulment namin ni Monica. We've been separated for two years already after being together for two years. Sumakit bigla ang ulo ko matapos kong maalala kung paano nito binalak na kunin ang halos lahat ng ari-arian ko. Naisip ko na lamang na kasalanan ko rin dahil pumatol ako sa isang kagaya niya. Now, I'm a thirty seven year old single man who's about to manage a big corporation with his idiotic best friend. I shook my head. I used to have my life figured out. I should've known better than to think with my dick.

I've been greeted by several people on my way to my new office but I don't think anyone recognized me. Good. The fewer people know than I'm back, the better.

Pagpasok ko pa lamang sa aking bagong opisina ay agad akong sinalubong ng isang malakas na tunog.

"Good to finally have you aboard!!!"

I groaned out loud as I shoved my friend Ashton out of my way. May hawak siyang party popper at nakasuot pa ng party hat. "You look ridiculous, Ashton."

He made a face at me. Even at our age, kung umakto ito ay para pa rin itong bata. "Masama bang maging masaya na partner na kita? My dad is really glad you accepted the offer to replace the Valencianos as a partner. Sandejas-Sandoval sounds way better anyway."

Ibinaba ko ang briefcase ko sa ibabaw ng mesa saka inumpisang buksan ang computer. "I want the Yung project, Ashton. Sinong pwede kong makausap to get my hands on that hotel?"

My best friend scowled at me. Pinagkrus niya ang mga braso sa tapat ng dibdib niya at patuloy akong sinimangutan. "It's your first day, you don't need to worry about that yet. Let's celebrate first! I know this place in BGC--"

"How are you running this business with that attitude, Ash? Now I understand why your father is so desperate on having me in this firm." I powered my computer on and logged in the system. Pauna nang ibinigay sa akin ng sekretarya ni Ashton ang password ko at iba pang mga detalye na kakailanganin ko sa pagtatrabaho.

"You know," he sat on top of my desk. "sometimes I think my father loves you more than me."

I shook my head at that. His father have often expressed his interest towards me. Noon pa naman iyon. He told me that me and Ashton would make a good team. His son's negotiating and people skills plus my focus and hard work in one firm will give all other competition a run for their money. Kaya naman nang magkaroon ito ng pagkakataon na makausap ako noong minsan na nagbakasyon ito sa states ay hindi niya ako tinigilan hangga't di niya ako napapapayag na kunin ang posisyon na ito.

Wala naman akong problema sa trabaho, I've had a stable career in the states, thanks to my relatives who helped me get back on my feet after my scandalous affair. Ang problema ko ay ang iniwan kong problema dito sa pinas when I left five years ago. But Tito Claro reassured me that nobody's gonna dig that dirt and that Ashton will be the one to handle all the public affairs. I will just be the brains of the project at ang kaibigan ko na ang bahala sa pakikiharap sa mga kliyente.

Wala na akong nagawa kundi ang umoo na lang sa proposisyon niya. Isa pa, nagtago ang ex-wife ko dito sa pilipinas at mas makakabuting makausap ko siya nang personal upang mas mapabilis ang pagpapawalang bisa ng kasal naming dalawa. I couldn't stand another minute that I'm still married with that woman.

"By the way, I gotta warn you," umupo si Ashton sa ibabaw ng mesa ko. "Uhm, one of our HRs kind of hired Jasper--"

"What?"

Itinaas ni Ashton ang dalawa ng kamay niya. "I learned it just an hour ago! He put your name on character references and," he groaned when I stood up from my table. "Cmon! It's not as if he could use you or--"

"That kid hated my guts." napapisil ako sa pagitan ng mga mata ko. Jasper is Monica's son from her first marriage which was not yet annulled and one of the grounds my lawyers are pressing on. I was only fifteen years older than him when I married his mother and he hated me. Kahit pa ang ginagastos nito sa mga luho nito ay perang galing sa bulsa ko. At kahit pa hindi ako gusto noong bata ay alam kong anak pa rin ito ni Monica. Hindi ako makapaniwala na sa kabila ng ilang taon na paghihiwalay namin ay nagagamit pa rin nila ang pangalan ko sa anumang paraan nila gustuhin.

"What do you want me to do? Fire him? I can talk to Aisha if you're not comfortable with this. I can have him assigned to a project far from here--"

Itinaas ko ang kamay ko. "No need. Kahit naman ilayo mo pa siya ay makakagawa ng paraan si Monica para gamitin ako."

"I'm really sorry about this, man."

I shrugged. Nandyan na yan. Naaawa rin naman ako sa bata dahil alam kong may panibago na naman kinahuhumalingan lalaki ang ina niya. Balita ko, someone who's even younger than me.

"I don't know why, but it seems na napakamalas mo talaga sa babae, pre."

Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin.

"Seriously!" he laughed. "Look at the type of women you're getting involved with. Kung hindi older than you, you hook up with girls who are old enough to be your child!"

"Ashton!"

"Let's move on, Zach. Nobody's gonna remember shit about what happened five years ago!" ikinumpas niya ang kamay sa ere. "Why are you still getting so touchy about the topic, anyway?"

"Because I fucking lost my career over it. That's why."

Ibinalik ko ang atensyon sa screen sa harap ko. "Do you mind?" saglit kong sinenyasan si Asthon. "Please let me work and do me a favor? Ask HR to hire a secretary for me. I badly need someone to get me coffee."

☕☕☕

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CHAPTER 3 IS POSTED NOW ON INKITT. PLEASE CLICK THE LINK ON MY BIO AND IT WILL TAKE YOU DIRECTLY TO MY ACCOUNT. THANKS. 💖