Chapter 13: Contract? Or Trap?

Jhoanna's POV

"Hurry up! gutom na gutom na ako!" reklamo ni Stacey habang hinihila ako papasok sa isang French restaurant na sinasabi niya kanina pa.

Kung ako lang ang masusunod, kahit sa Jollibee lang sana kami kumain. Sinabi ko 'yon kay Stacey, pero since masyado siyang bossy at wala siyang pakialam sa gusto ko, hinila pa rin niya ako papasok sa French restaurant na 'to nang hindi man lang kinoconsider yung gusto ko.

"Excusez-moi Monsieur," bati ni Stacey sa waiter na una niyang nakita pagkapasok namin.

(Excuse me, Sir.)

"Vous avez une réservation?" tanong ng waiter.

(Do you have a reservation?)

"Oui, j'ai réservé une table pour deux personnes," sagot ni Stacey habang nakatingin sakin

(Yes, I have reserved a table for two.)

Ano ba 'yang pinag-uusapan nila? Para silang alien na hindi ko maintindihan! At bakit parang nakatingin pa sa'kin si Stacey? Siguro kung ano ano sinabi neto tungkol sakin.

"Let's go!"

Napatigil ako sa pag-iisip nang biglang hinila ni Stacey ang braso ko. Syempre, sino pa bang gagawa noon kundi siya lang?

"What are you waiting for? Sit!" utos niya, sabay taas ng kilay.

Okay? She's treating me as her secretary again?

In the end, I just followed what she have said and give my best to control my mouth from opposing her. Kahit gusto kong kumontra, alam kong impossible akong manalo sa kanya. She's Stacey Sevilleja for Pete's sake! The savage one and my one and only boss. I can't do about it so just shut up, Jho. You love your work, right?

"Madame," lumapit ang waiter at iniabot ang menu na agad ko namang tinanggap.

"Boeuf bourguignon pour moi," mabilis na sabi ni Stacey nang hindi man lang tinitingnan ang menu.

(Boeuf bourguignon for me.)

"Pour elle?" tanong ng waiter habang itinuro ako.

(For her?)

"The waiter is asking you. Ano'ng order mo?" sabi ni Stacey

I quickly looked on my menu.

Today's Special:

Cassoulet

Boeuf bourguignon

Chocolate Soufflé

Flamiche

Confit de canard

Ratatouille

WTF?! I don't even know one here! Ang weird ng mga pangalan. Ano pipiliin ko? Aaminin ko na lang kay Stacey na wala akong alam sa French food? Nope, erase that thought! Baka pagtawanan niya lang ako. I'll just choose here but please send help, I really don't have ideas in choosing here.

"I'll choose Flamiche," sagot ko

Buti na lang may madali lang ipronounce! Sana lang masarap yung napili ko hindi lasang paa.

"You picked a good one. That's also my favorite here," biglang sabi ni Stacey

"Y-yeah? Masarap kasi, natikman ko yun na dati," sagot ko kahit wala akong idea kung ano ba 'yon.

Bigla siyang tumawa. "Oh my God, Jhoanna! You're so funny!"

Ano nanaman?

"Anong nakakatawa?"

"Ikaw!" sagot niya, sabay tawa ulit. "Bakit hindi mo na lang aminin na wala kang idea kung ano 'yon? Kung paano siya niluluto, kung ano itsura niya, at syempre, kung anong lasa ng Flamiche? Oh come on, Jho" pang-aasar niya.

Ano bang iniexpect niya? Syempre wala akong alam dyan! Hindi naman ako kumakain sa mga fine dining restaurant. Tsaka hello? Nasa Pinas ako! Mas pipiliin ko pang kumain sa turo turo kesa sa mamahaling French restaurant! I'm just a commoner type of person unlike her, who's rich and who always fancy luxurious things.

"Are you done laughing at me?" seryoso kong tanong.

Pero hindi siya tumigil. She just continue it without even minding about what would I feel.

Dahil sa inis, bigla akong tumayo. "Oh! Sa'yo na yan, aalis na ako!" Hinagis ko sa kanya ang stuffed toy cat na bigay niya.

"He-hey! Hindi ka aalis," agad niyang hinawakan ang braso ko. "What do you think you're doing?"

"What do you think you're doing?" paggaya ko sa kanya sa OA na tono.

"Robles, 'wag mo akong inisin. Sit here! " utos niya na halatang naiinis na.

Aalis na sana talaga ako nang bigla siyang nagsalita ulit.

"You love your work, don't you?"

Ay pu- . Ang magic words!

Napatigil ako. Hys Sevilleja! Alam na alam mo talaga kung paano ako paikutin.

Wala akong nagawa kundi bumalik sa upuan ko kahit na labag sa loob ko. Alam kong wala rin naman akong choice. I maybe complaining as always about it pero it still can't hide the fact na maganda ang sweldo ko sa industry na to'. I just get my first salary for this month and that's pretty high so as time goes by, I noticed that I'm already liking it and the fact that I already liked my boss.

"Good," ngiti niya na parang nanalo sa away.

Kinuha ko yung red wine sa tabi ko at uminom para mabawasan ang stress ko na gawa nitong nasa harapan ko. Haysst, wala na talaga akong laban kay Stacey. How can I stopped it?

"Since andito na rin tayo,pag usapan na natin ang appointment natin today," sabi niya, sabay kuha ng papel mula sa bag niya. "Basahin mo 'to."

Proposal?

Habang iniinom ko ang wine ko, sinimulan kong basahin ang papel.

Terms of Agreement for being my MISTRESS-

PFFFFFFFFFT!!! Nabuga ko yung iniinom kong wine.

Teka, ANO?! MISTRESS?! KABET? KIRIDA!?

"Ms. Sevilleja, nababaliw kana ba talaga? Ano 'tong pinapabasa mo sa'kin?"

"A contract" sagot niya casually.

"Stacey, are you being serious?!"

"Oo, I want you to be my mistress Jho" diretsong sagot niya, walang pakialam kahit marinig pa ng ibang tao.

The old ones who's also eating in the restaurant started looking in our direction. Mukhang narinig nila yung pinagsasasabi ni Stacey.

"Umamin ka nga sakin Stacey, naka drugs ka ba?" pang aasar kong tanong.

"I already told you, I'm serious Robles" Inabot niya ulit ang papel.

"Tingnan mo, consider my offer."

Terms of Agreement for being my MISTRESS

1. Dating every weekend is a must.

Napakunot agad ang noo ko.

"You love dates, huh? So kapag pumayag ako, magde-date tayo every weekend?" tanong ko sa kanya

"Yes, and you will have me everytime you want. Whatever you want to do with me, I'm always in" sagot naman nya

"Kahit anong gusto kong gawin sa'yo, papayag ka?"

"Oo," sagot niya habang nakangiti

Sounds beneficial! But of course, I won't agree. Hey, ayaw kong maging mistress ok?

I continue reading the paper.

2. Endearments are allowed, Only when we are outside the office or no one is seeing us.

My mind immediately wonder when I read the second one. Seryoso ba? bat kailangan pa ng ganito sa kontrata? This one sounds so childish for me.

"Bakit kailangan pa nito?" tanong ko.

"You can call me hon, short for Honey, Isn't is sweet?" nakangiting tanong nya

"Tsk, corny mo" sagot ko.

Mukhang cute at sweet 'to ah! Pero yeah, gusto ko lang ulit sabihin na hindi ako payag maging kabet noh?

Okay, balik tayo sa contract.

3. I'm the only one allowed to call and text you and of course, no one will never ever touch you specifically TANEO!!

"Ano 'to?"

Imbes na sumagot sya, inilapag niya sa table ang isang kahon ng brand-new phone.

"This phone is yours . Naka-save na diyan ang number ko. You'll only used it for me. Ulitin ko, for me lang. Kapag ginamit mo 'to para tumawag o mag-text sa iba, I'll definitely be mad at you. I don't care if it's your friend or whatever. Just don't used it, if it is not for me"

Tsssk! Possessive!

Hindi ko na lang siya sinagot. Hindi pa rin naman ako pumapayag sa offer niya, kaya wala rin namang saysay na pansinin 'yang phone na 'yan.

I continue reading the contract hanggang sa makarating na ako sa huling page ng kontrata.

4. When I already introduced you on my parents this contract will definitely be voided and the mistress thingy will also be ended.

Huh? Bakit niya pa ako ipakikilala kung matatapos rin naman?

"I know you're having confusion about this one pero ieexplain ko din sayo in the end. If everything is already right you'll definitely understand me after this. Just wait for it to happen" sabi nya habang nakangiti

I chuckled dryly at her response. "Hindi ba mali 'to in the first place? Tell me, Stacey, bakit mo 'to ginagawa? You're a married woman-ano bang tingin mo kay Gelo, public display lang?"

"Hindi mo pa ba nare-realize? I'm doing this shit because I like you Jho!" she answered, as if it just slipped from her tongue.

Kung icoconsider tong feelings ko para sa kanya, sigurado kinikilig na ako ngayon pa lang,but of course, when the action seems too wrong I can't take tolerating this feelings for her anymore.

"Bakit ako? Sa dami ng tao, bakit ako pa?" bigla kong naitanong.

I braced myself for her answer. Hindi ko rin alam kung bakit ko biglang naitanong 'yon, pero parang may gusto lang akong malaman.

She remained silent. Kumuha siya ng baso ng wine,habang naghihintay ako ng sagot niya.

Matagal siyang uminom bago siya nagdesisyong sumagot.

"There's this girl who found someone special in the Amusement park" she said.

I focused my attention on her when she started speaking.

"Naligaw siya, pero buti na lang, may isang bata na nakakita sa kanya," she paused and made eye contact with me. "And they made promise with each other afterwards"

Promise? The story sounds familiar.

"They promised that they will marry each other when they already reached their legal age. The girl gladly hold on this promise for so many years and now that she already found her. She's not letting go the chance anymore"

Naputol yung kwento niya.

Pamilyar tong kwentong to'.

"And yun ang rason why I choose you Jho" she ended. "So I guess, alam mo na?"

"Yeah, I knew it!" I smiled at her.

Stacey's face lightened up. "Talaga? Naalala mo na?" she asked enthusiastically.

Yes? What's exciting about this?

"Oo, napapanaginipan ko na yan," I answered.

"And?" She looked at me as if waiting for me to continue.

I gave her a smile. "Alam ko na kung bakit ko yun laging napapanaginipan. siguro kasi napanood ko na 'to somewhere. K-drama 'to, diba? O baka movie??" I explained to her. "Hindi ko alam na sobrang nahook pala ako sa kwentong yun kaya palagi kong napapanaginipan. Ano ngang title nun?" I asked, shaking my head in disbelief.

Stacey just shooked her head.

"Pero nalilito pa rin ako. I'm asking you why you choose me? Why do you tell me that story?" I asked again, curious.

Stacey didn't answer nor look at me. She remained silent. Ewan ko lang kung ako lang 'to, pero parang hindi na siya okay. Bakit parang nalungkot siya sa sagot ko?

"Just forget about it," she said gloomily.

"Ah, okay," I answered, feeling unsure as I noticed her change of mood.

Alam kong wala na siya sa mood, pero kailangan ko pa ring sabihin 'to.

"Ah, Stacey, gusto ko lang sabihin na I won't accept nor considered your offer," I said again.

"I know," she said calmly. "And I'm not taking your answer either."

"Huh?" I frowned.

"I just wanted to show you the terms and agreement. Settled na yung contract kaya di ko na kailangan ng sagot mo Robles"

"Huh? Anoo?"

"Nakapirma kana sa kontrata, so no need for it," she said seriously.

"Anong pinagsasabi mo?" I blurted out.

"This contract is already included in your company's contract. Pero dahil ang stupid mo at hindi mo man lang binasa yung content ng contract mo at pumimirma ka agad. So technically, you already agreed to be my mistress," she said.

Oh my God! For real?!

"Stacey, di ako nakikipaglaro sayo"

"Well, I'm not playing with you also Robles" she smiled devilishly. "So I guess, you should start practicing saying 'I love you' to me from now on."

She looked into my eyes.

"I love you, Jho" she said teasingly as she chuckled again.

⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ── End of Chapter 13 ── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆