C17 Chapter 16

"That's ours!" Bulong ni Gerald kay Kathy. Siya man din ay gulat na gulat. Hindi niya akalain na ang asawa niya ang sinasabi ni Arvin Chua na Plan B nito.

"She stole my work!" Madiing sabi ni Kathy.

Tapos na ang presentation ni Mia. Palakpakan ang mga board of directors, including ang mag-ama na Chua.

"She is a thief!" Sigaw ni Kathy mula sa pinto na dahilan para lahat ay mapatingin sa kanya.

"Hi there Kathy, and hi to you my dear husband." Sabi ni Mia sa microphone.

Bulungan ang mga tao sa room na yun.

Agad na nakalapit sina Kathy at Gerald kay Kathy na nakatayo sa harap.

"What are you doing here Mia?" Madilim ang mukha na tanong ni Gerald.

"I'm a business woman, I am bidding for this project and looks like I am winning." Tila nang-aasar na sabi nito habang nakatingin kay Kathy.

"You stole my project!" Malakas ang boses na sabi ni Kathy.

"I'm sorry?" Nagmaang-maangan na tanong ni Mia.

Tumingin si Kathy sa mga taong nasa meeting room na yun. "This woman here arrived in my office earlier this morning. Dala-dala niya ang anak niya, a girl named Junine. Binigyan niya ako ng kakanin na di ko alam kung ano ang inilagay niya doon which caused me an intense stomach pain kani - kanina lang. At Di lang stomach pain kundi diarrhea as well. On top of that, she stole my work! It is I who worked hard on the presentation she just showed you!"

Natahimik ang mga directors after hearing what Kathy said.

Ngumiti si Mia sa mga directors. "I apologise for the unnecessary drama. But looks like Kathy here is unwell. I don't have a daughter named Junine. Gerald, why don't you tell the board of directors our daughter's name?"

Lahat ng mata ay dumako kay Gerald kaya wala siyang magawa kundi mag salita."Athena." Sagot ni Gerald na malinaw at dinig na dinig ng lahat sa silid na yun dahil there is a microphone in front of him.

"See? I don't have a daughter named June-nine!" Sabi ni Kathy. She even emphasised ang pagbigkas ng Junine.

Kathy is in complete shock. She did not expect this to happen. So Mia planned everything that happened this morning? She is naive and unsuspecting. Napatingin siya kay Gerald. Paano napasakamay ni Kathy ang file?

Am I fucking the wrong guy? Naisip ni Kathy then she looks at Arvin Chua na napakibit balikat lang when Kathy eyed him. Kathy needs to talk to him at sa ama nito. She needs to convince them that everything that happened today is all Mia's doing. But why? Why is Mia doing this to her?

"Your accusation to me is very wrong! Take note na nasa harapan tayo ng mga board of directors and Mr. Chua himself. Coming from the founder of KK21, I don't think this is acceptable. You have to prove your accusations or my lawyer will deal with you." Matapang na sabi ni Mia. Napatango naman ang board of directors which means they agree with her.

Nagsalita si Arvin. "Why don't we give KK21 the benefit of the doubt. Let us see their proposal." Suggestion ng nakababatang Chua

"Sure." Tanging nasabi ni Mia. Tumabi ito para magpresent si Kathy.

Tumayo si Kathy sa harap while Gerald projected sa screen ang pinaghirapan nilang gawin ng ilang araw.

Nagsimulang magsalita si Kathy. Maayos naman ang sinasabi niya, except taliwas sa sinasabi niya ang nag po project sa screen.

Nagsimulang magsitawanan ang board of directors, including Arvin Chua. Kunot naman ang noo ng ama ni Arvin. Napatingin si Kathy sa screen.

Hindi yung work niya ang nasa screen.

"What the hell?" Bulalas ni Kathy. "This is not what I worked hard on!" Madiing bigkas ni Kathy. Tumingin siya kay Mr. Chua as if Mr. Chua could do something. Umiling ito, kita ang pagkadismaya sa mukha nito.

The next image is more shocking. Larawan nila ni Gerald yun na magkayakap. Parang gumuho ang mundo ni Kathy bigla. Nakita niyang tumayo si Mr. Chua, lumabas ito sa meeting room. Bulungan naman ang board of directors, maging ang mga ito ay nagsitayuan din.

"Let me explain." Sabi ni Kathy subalit wala nang interesado na makinig sa kanya.

Tila biglang naubos ang lakas si Kathy. Everything she feared is happening before her eyes now. Again, she is humiliated by no other than Mia. Tila ba muling bumalik ang nakaraan, college life. Halos gustong lumubog ni Mia sa kahihiyan.. Uli!

Galit siyang napatingin kay Mia, nakangiti ito, ngiting nang-aasar subalit nung humarap siya sa mga board of directors ay biglang nag-iiyak ito.

"What is this?" Sabi ni Mia, hilam ng luha ang mukha nito.

Di alam ni Kathy kung paano mag react but one thing is for sure, Mia won again and she lose!

Walang sabi-sabing dinampot ni Kathy ang gamit niya at lumabas ito. She don't give a damn on what these people think of her. All she have to do is to get the Chuas favor. Dali-dali niyang hinabol ang matandang Chua subalit wala na ito. Di rin niya makita si Arvin.

Laylay ang balikat niyang babalik sana sa meeting room subalit nagbago ang isip niya. She already lose there. She won't win kung legal wife ang babanggain niya. This is not the time to get even with her.

Pero tatangapin na lang ba niya ang ginawa nito sa kanya?

"Kathy! Kathy!" Tawag ni Gerald kay Kathy. Lumabas ito sa meeting room.

"What happened there Gerald?" Litong tanong ni Kathy.

"Believe me Kathy. I have no idea. Nagulat din ako. Hindi ko akalain na si Mia pala ang Plan B ni Arvin. I think this have to do with Arvin. Gusto niya tayong e descredit para di na kunin ng ama niya ang services ng KK21. I haven't talked to Mia yet..."

"In the first place, why does Mia have our project? Paano niya nakuha yun nang ganoon kadali na lang? And why does she have a photo of us?"

Sunod sunod na tanong ni Kathy.

"Believe me Kathy I have no idea, .. I really don't know. Unless.."

"Unless what?"

"She might have accessed my computer last night while I sleep. Puyat ako nang sunod-sunod kaya nakatulog ako nang mahimbing." Paliwanag ni Gerald.

"Don't you have a password in your computer?"

"I have. But she knows all my password."

"But why? Why Gerald?"

"Kathy .. Mia is my wife.."

Pakiramdam ni Kathy ay lalong gumuho ang mundo niya. Gusto niyang sumigaw para ilabas ang lahat ng kanyang nararamdaman pero alam niyang di yun makakatulong sa kanya. Baka lalong isipin ng lahat na tama si Mia, that she is unwell. What exactly does she mean when she said unwell?

"Let's go back inside. I want to talk to Mia. I don't know why she did this to us." Halos maiyak din na wika ni Gerald. Kita ni Kathy ang frustration sa mukha nito.

Nasa pinto pa lang sina Gerald at Mia ay nakita na agad nila si Mia. May kaharap itong medyo may edad na lalaki. Dinig ni Kathy ang usapan ng mga ito.

"Well done Mia, at congrats sa kauna unahan mong naipanalo na proyekto."

Napatiim bagang si Gerald, kilala niya ito. He is his former boss, his father in law.

"Siya ang ama ni Mia, my former boss."

Tila naman naramdaman ng mag-ama ang presence nila. Napatingin ang mga ito kina Kathy at Gerald na nakatayo pa rin sa pinto.

"Oh there you are. What a small world Gerald. I told you, you would not succeed without me." Sabi ni Mr. Sandoval with a chuckle. "Pasensiya na Kathy, walang personalan, business is business."

Kapwa di makapag salita sina Kathy at Gerald, this thing that happened is definitely planned. Is this Mr. Sandoval's plan all along?

"Oo nga pala, Mr. Arvin Chua and I will be at Hysan. Would you like to meet us there?" Tanong ni Mr. Sandoval kay Mia na parang wala lang doon sina Kathy at Gerald.

"Let's go Gerald." Laylay ang balikat na sabi ni Kathy.

Tumango si Gerald. Sumunod ito kay Kathy. Dinig ni Kathy ang pagtawag ni Mia sa pangalan ni Gerald subalit in ignore nila ito pareho.